Wednesday links: A successful query, publishing red flags, and high-figure book deals

I love regularly reading tips and advice articles in certain subjects — particularly writing and publishing. I don’t always need the information right then, but I know that it’ll eventually come in handy. Or at least, I hope it will.

I know there are a lot of other people out there who feel the same way I do, but sometimes it can be difficult to find every useful advice article that’s out there. So I thought I’d bring you a few. Here are the tips and advice articles that jumped out at me the most over the past week.

1. The Successful Query: An Example, from Dystel and Goderich Literary Management: With all of the advice of what you shouldn’t do in a query, it’s always nice to see an example of a successful one. Excerpt: “When I received the below query letter I took note; it came with a compelling premise, excellent comp titles (the author hit on three novels I loved) solid credentials, plus an attached first chapter  so that I could waste no time and plunge right in.”

2. Two Red-Flag Sentences in Publishing Contracts, from Writer Beware: Publishing contracts can get complicated, and their wording can often be misleading. This article examples two of the biggest red flags you need to watch out for. Excerpt: “As if that weren’t bad enough, it also includes two provisions that, even in contracts that are more professional and complete than this one, can be red-flag warnings.”

3. Tips on How to Land That 5- or 6-Figure Book Deal, from Live Write Thrive: While most authors are fully aware of the average advances earned through book deals, few of them don’t dream of a higher-figure deal that will allow them to give up their day job. And while getting one can involve some luck, it also involves a lot of work. Excerpt: “Over ten years ago, I attended a writers’ conference where, while waiting in line to pitch to agents, I stood with several writers who lamented that it was ‘impossible to land an agent’ and that the cards were stacked against new authors who wanted to get a book deal. I knew they were wrong because I’d landed a book deal—with far less expertise in writing or in the subject of my book than they had in theirs.”