Alex McNab-Lundbäck

Furthermore… I then read something that everyone thinks is the best thing since sliced bread… is raved about from Wigan to Winnipeg…and its (in my opinion ofc) just ’mid’ (looking at you S J Maas!)

Anyone else got examples where their tastes in literature differed vastly from the mainstream?

Im reading ’A Study in Drowning’ at the moment and about half way through. Loving it so far….

BUT then I log on Goodreads to see what others say…& 50% hate it?

What’s that saying about my literary tastes? 🤔

#booksky #fantasy #goodreads #opinion #writersky #authorsky #fantasylit

Perfect - thanks. My MS is single POV (MC — female protagonist), so that sounding like a good fit! 😀 Looking forward to submitting! 🙂

Hi Raquel. Your MSWL mentions being ’pickier about stories where a group teams up to kill a god’. My YA fantasy involves ’gods’ that are revealed to be something other than divine (avoiding spoilers). Does the nature of the ‘gods’ affect your caveat, or is it more the team-quest structure itself?

Thanks - I did think that that was the case; but it’s becoming harder and harder to figure out what’s built in genAI tools and what’s usual spellcheck etc… I’ll need to do some more research I think just to 💯 sure I’m being fully transparent if anyone questions! Weird world in which we live!

Debut querying author here - when you / agents say no AI (I am also very anti-AI), BUT is ’edited with AI’ generally accepted; I.e. Pages inbuilt grammar and phrasing checker, Grammarly etc)?

I have an Upper YA fantasy set in a Nordic-inspired secondary world where geothermal forces are worshipped as gods…the worldbuilding draws on Sami traditions, Icelandic culture & Viking history through my own personal cultural immersion. Is this the kind of project you’d be excited to see?

I’ll be participating! 🙌

Hi #writers and #authors. I started writing all my fiction (initially MG) using Reedsy, which has been great so far - but felt it a bit clunky when writing my latest, larger YA.

Is it worth upgrading to @scrivenerapp.bsky.social ? Anyone comment on benefits etc.?

#writersky #booksky #authorsky

I’ve also just started querying - Start with QueryTracker if you’ve not already done so - and I’d say the paid version (it’s pretty good value at $20 a year!) is worth it just for the advanced search metrics / filtering.

Lots of tax deductible expenses then this year! 😉

Im targeting the UK market as well first, so that lessens its mixed meaning - if it gets picked up by US markets then title can always be tweaked if an agent or publisher thought it needed it - maybe that’ll be a nice problem to have if it gets to submission!

Hmm you make a good point and hadn’t even crossed my mind!! 😬

All edits of my MS, CHILD OF ICE, are now complete. Final read through done… 📖💙

Now…into the Querying trenches I go!

#writersky #booksky #amquerying

The first couple of rounds yes, for the ‘easy to spot’ issues I can correct myself. Then it’ll go to my Line and Copy Editor next week before querying so it’s in best possible shape! 👍

Just finished first read-though and thus a bit of dev as I spot things, and first round of line edits.

I’m about to enter the trenches for the first time…I’ve softly decided to give myself 8 months of querying before I consider self-publishing. Too short? (Some have suggested I should expect at least a year.)

Evening all. As I approach entering the #Querying trenches in the next couple of days, can anyone let me know how vital formatting is? I.e. correct dialogue punctuation? I’m trying to learn it and apply consistently but so worried how consistent and accurate I am throughout the MS.

Here’s a question to all #authors, #writersky and actually anyone in #writing / #publishing… When sending MS to Beta readers, do you also get them to sign an NDA to try and mitigate plagiarism etc?

No not querying the same already ‘published’, a new ms.

Thanks for info! I’m starting querying in the next couple of days - YA Fantasy for me. My debit querying (self published before (hoping that’s not a hindrance!)

Question for agents: How important is the Title of the book when querying / out for submission? I guess it’s the easiest part to change before any publishing deal, so just wondered how important it is to get this right before Querying, or if a ‘Working Title’ is enough? #querying #writer #booktitles

When did you start querying?, I.e. How long did it take to start getting responses? 🤔

Can’t wait to submit my #revpit entry to you then! 🙂

It’s done! 1st draft done and even started editing (including cutting a whole chapter that at the moment I realised added nothing….

Now for editing! On track for #revpit @revpit.bsky.social submission—and to start querying!

#1stdraft #authorsky #writersky #fantasylit #youngadultlit

Question to #authors - I write first draft in Reedsy…at what point do people move from Reedsy to Word (if ever?) - I’m wondering whether I should edit in Word export version or in Reedsy? (Or move to Scrivener going forward and just do it all there!?)

#bookdraft #editing

Likewise. Last year I had to rush and finish a draft literally 2 days before deadline and then did a rush edit - not my first hour! Today I’ve finished Draft 1 of my intended submission, so now I have a little over 4 weeks to edit, polish and prepare supporting materials…that I can do!

Is the sweet spot YA / Upper YA?

78k words down… 3 chapters to go…. Writing like a crazy man these last few days, and these last few chapters are fully mapped and structured so writing will be quick…

May just finish 1st draft by end of week…

(Too soon to add the #querying hashtag?)

#wip #1stdraft #writersky #booksky #author