Hurray, release time at last! Happy book birthday, Positive & Negative Thesaurus Books!
You know Becca and I…when we release a book, we have to do something fun to celebrate.
And what could be better than a race?
An AMAZING RACE, that’s what!
For this entire week, Becca and I are sidelining all things US and focusing on all things YOU.
Have a query you’d like help with? Maybe a first line hook or a pitch you need critiqued? How about some help with your platform, online visibility or advice on how to get published?
ASK US FOR HELP! Because this week, we’re racing to see just how many writers we can help out! And we aren’t racing alone, either.
A ton (and I do mean a TON!) of fantastic writers are stepping up, joining our mission to help other writers. That’s right, Writers Helping Writers. …with Critiques. …with Platform. …with Visibility. …with Advice. …with ALL THE THINGS.
We even have some special “celebrity racers” who might just be the person answering your request. Check out these amazing folks:
Cozy Mystery Author Elizabeth Spann Craig
Bestselling Author Jody Hedlund
Debut NA Author Stina Lindenblatt
Editor & Author C.S. Lakin
RITA Nominated YA Author Janet Gurtler
Editor & Author Jodie Renner
Bestselling Indie Author Steena Holmes
Fantasy & Historical Author & Writing Guru K.M. Weiland
Debut YA Author Martina Boone
Writing is hard, and TIME is the enemy, isn’t it? There’s never enough to do it all—work on our platform, work on that query, research tips to better use social media, make our blogs more appealing, or craft the perfect opening hook. We wish someone would just lend a hand, spending a bit of time helping us improve our craft, advise on on what to do, or help us to be seen.
THIS WEEK, OUR TIME IS YOURS. Fill out this FORM so that our army of Amazing Racers can help you. There are 10 different Categories to choose from–fill out as many as you like!
Just how many writers can we help in a week? Well that’s the fun, isn’t it? Our goal is 2000 writers, or as many who enter, whichever comes first! Can we do it? I hope so, and that you’ll cheer us all on while we try.
AND, stay tuned for a new giveaway each day of the week, one that focus on an important area of the business of writing.
Today, Writers Helping Writers tackles…AGENTS!
Agent Prize Pack
- a 30 minute skype or facetime one-on-one with either SUPER AGENT JILL CORCORAN or TAMAR RYDZINSKI to ask 5 agent or industry-related questions
Jill Corcoran represents Picture Books, Chapter Books, Middle Grade and Young Adult plus a select list of adult non-fiction. After agenting with the Herman Agency for 4 years, she now has her own firm, The Jill Corcoran Literary Agency.
Prior to becoming an agent, Jill worked at Mattel, LA Gear, Leo Burnett Advertising and her own company, LAUNCH! New Product Marketing. With an English degree from Stanford University and a Marketing and Finance MBA from the University of Chicago School of Business, she has marketed everything from Barbies to Disney toys, Kellogg’s cereal to LA Gear shoes.
Tamar Rydzinski worked at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates prior to joining the Laura Dail Literary Agency. She graduated from Yeshiva University in 2003 with a major in literature and a minor in business.
Tamar is not interested in prescriptive or practical non-fiction, humor, coffee table books or children’s books (meaning anything younger than middle grade). She is interested in everything else that is well-written and has great characters, including graphic novels. A fantastic query letter is essential – “you need to make me want to read your book, and be excited to read it,” she says, “with those first couple of paragraphs.”
SO…want to win a one-on-one Q & A with either of these amazing agents? HECK YES YOU DO! Enter HERE.
THIS DRAW IS NOW CLOSED, but there are NEW giveaways each day, so have a look for today’s post for the next AMAZING prize to be won!
(And, you don’t have to tweet or share to win, but we certainly appreciate some love if you feel so inclined!)
Is your pitch ready to rumble? Is your query sparkly clean? Do you have a new opening hook to test out? Send it our way using the RED FORM above and see who answers the call to help you!
The race begins…RIGHT NOW!
(Photo Credit: Tharrin)
What an amazingly generous and fantastic promotion. You guys are spectacular!!! 😀
This is a great Project and I would be more than happy to participate in reviewing other peoples work. Because I am working on a career change I have
significant time to work on projects, which will expose me to writing that I might not encounter otherwise.
Just finding this home from C. Lee McKenzie Books. Excellent job. I hope you hit the 2000 mark and more.
I submitted a form. Maybe it didn’t go through?
Angela and Becca, Jody Hedlund did an awesome critique for me! This was the greatest gift you could give writers! I’m so pleased and I’m sure everyone else will be, too! Thank you for doing this!
Hi! I was just wondering if our work and the critiques and feedback we receive from the RACERS will be made public on this site, or is this strictly for our private viewing only?
Thanks so much for this amazing opportunity!
Hi Mary–it is totally private. If a critique is selected for help, then the Racer who chooses it will be in contact with you by email. 🙂
Awesome! Thanks so much!!
I’m having a great time. Doing one WHW a day!
What a great idea! I’ve been busy and missed a few days. Drat!
Wow, am I loving this. Thank you so much! I’m spreading the love….
Congratulations (again!) on the new releases. If anyone is on the fence about ordering them, they should come by my blog, where I give a mini-review/sneak peek into the contents (and give a special bonus for those who enter the Amazing Race *and* comment on my blog). 🙂
(http://jamigold.com/2013/10/help-for-writers-in-the-whw-amazing-race/)
I’ve been by and the reviews are Goooood, unsurprisingly.
Thanks to Becca for my 1st page critique – Super quick and helpful! You are all so generous. X
This is awesome! I’m definitely buying the two new books. I finally got the paperback version of The Emotion Thesaurus and I’ve been using it every day when I write. 😉
What generosity! Thank you in advance for this opportunity. The “Emotional Thesaurus” is my go to book and I look forward to reading your next gems.
What a fabulous opportunity – and so generous! Cheers. Loving the new website too. 🙂
This is such a great event. You all are awesome. Thank you.
Thank you this idea is fabulous and so inspiring for us to be able to enter.
Angela and Becca,
What a fabulous thing to do!
I clicked on your book covers, but there was no link attached. 🙂
Where can I purchase them?
And congrats on your new website. I added it to my blog sidebar.
Tracy
HI Tracy–we’ve got everything linked through our Bookstore, in the sliding windows below Writers Helping Writers. And thanks!
Loving the race ladies! So many generous people! I’ve found a few folks to help already and it’s only Monday! 🙂
A huge >>thanks<< to everybody involved in this! It takes generosity to new levels. Very wonderful of all of you. 😀
Wow, that is awfully swell of you!
Gosh you guys–thanks for all the great comments. The real thanks needs to go to all the Racers who made this event possible. With their help we should be able to help just a TON of writers, and their time is hugely appreciated.
It’s been a great day so far, and we’re all enjoying offering feedback as we can. So keep those requests for help coming!
Ange
You guys are awesome! Congratulations (and thank you) for your two new resources for writers. Mine came in the mail Friday. 🙂
Thank you so much for hosting the Amazing Race! This is a great opportunity for writers new and experienced!
The new website looks great! And congrats on the release of the two new books – what a wonderful idea y’all have come up with to celebrate!
Congratulations! Love your choice of celebration to mark this exciting occasion.
Congrats on your new release. I’m so excited for you!
Have a great week!
Congrats on the new books, both of you! Already finished (and loved) The Negative Traits and am on track to have just as high an opinion of The Positive Traits. I’m thrilled to participate in your awesome launch race, and even more thrilled to get to “race” with you through this awesome writing life of ours. It’s totally apropos that you renamed your site “writers helping writers,” because, honestly, I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head who does a better job of this than you guys. You’re always willing to help, encourage, and just generally make the writing world a better place. I’m honored to know both of you!
Thank you, wonderful lady! We feel the same about you!
Congratulations! Another fabulous idea. 😀
Angela, you are the best! Thank you to all the amazing racers. Your help is very much appreciated.
This is such a fantastic Pay It Forward opportunity. Thank you for organizing this event!
That’s me signed up. Where do I go from here?
Hi Fiona, just fill out the “help request” form in this post. 🙂
What a fantastic way to serve your followers! You girls are the best! I’m so looking forward to your Racers’ help. Congrats on your release day! These books will be big hits!
I helped my first writer today! It felt great! I hope they feel the same way. 🙂
Great idea guys. Really generous of you to share your important release day with everyone else.
I can’t wait to own your 2 new books! I know I’m going to love them as much as I love the Emotion Thesaurus.
Have a great day! A great week!
I know, right? I am having so much fun helping writers that I don’t even know in little ways! Ahh, so awesome. I feel great. I hope everyone involved gets this same awesome rush! 🙂
Congratulations on the release. Glad to be a part of this.
Best of luck.
So glad you’re doing this too! Thanks so much!
Thanks so much everyone! Becca and I have been looking forward to today for MONTHS! I can’t wait to see how many people we can help in a week when we all work together.
This is a great opportunity for feedback, so why not fill out the form and get some help with a few things! 🙂 Have a great day!
I’m so excited for this that I feel like it’s Christmas. Thank you!!
Oh and I absolutely love my Emotion Thesaurus and consulted it for a few scenes. I’m sure your new book is just as wonderful. Congratulations.
(((HUGS)))
What a great new site! So happy for you both and thrilled to be a part of your Amazing Race!
Fabulous! I’ve seen this everywhere, this morning. Already shared for you. 🙂
Thank you so much for this. It is so helpful for a new writer and very much appreciated 🙂
Congrats on the new releases, Angela and Becca. Can’t wait to use them!
Happy, Happy Release Day! So excited for you both. And thanks for all you do for other writers. Hope this is a great week.