Rachelle Gardner’s blog is a fantastic resource for an aspiring writer. Ms. Gardner has ghost-written eight books, edited more than seventy and is currently a Literary Agent with more than 50 deals to her credit. I’m sure you will agree, this makes her Someone-To-Listen-To.
Last week, she posted a simple but incisive two-part series listing things a fiction editor will look for when reading your manuscript. As I’m in the early stages of a new story (read: the plot is spasming and thrashing like a fish pulled from the sea), I was thrilled to discover this series. I am finding Ms. Gardner’s lists incredibly helpful as I weed out the ideas-gone-wild and discover the essential elements of my story.
What a Fiction Editor Looks For: Part One
What a Fiction Editor Looks For: Part Two
She has posted the genres she reps here and her submission guidelines here.