What I Learned from Literary Agent Paige Wheeler

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Literary agent, Paige Wheeler of Creative Media Agency, spoke to my Sisters in Crime - Central Virginia chapter recently about mysteries. Here’s what I learned from her presentation:

  • Publishing is a business

  • Publishing is all about the sales numbers

  • Print is still alive and well

  • Write your passion

  • Know your readers

  • Your book needs to be excellent

  • Your writing needs to be fresh and unique

  • Your work needs to stand out

  • You need a unique marketing hook for your book

  • Discoverability is important

  • Authors need to be nimble and adjust to the tastes of the time

  • Your query letter needs to spark interest

  • Don’t be too wordy in your query letter

  • Your sample pages are important

  • Show how your character is transformed

  • Focus on the whole story in your query

  • Your query letter content is not back cover text