Category: Industry Discussions

Sample Pages Q&A | #ListenerQueries with Latoya C. Smith

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Episode Description

Me and agent extraordinaire Latoya C. Smith answer your questions about sample pages, the submission or acquisition process, and give our best tips for writing and revising your setups! We also talk about trends and why comps are truly not your enemy. 

Show Notes / Episode Transcript

Kate Marope (00:00:00):

This week, we have our sixth guest episode on a segment called #ListenerQueries. I wanted my listeners and my community to have a chance to ask not only me but another industry professional their burning questions about the quarter’s topic.

#ListenerQueries episodes are all about exploring what notes or vibes agents are looking to represent and changing the narrative around comps from being a marketing must-do to a competitive tool you use to stand out, all while giving any advice we can to help you get that whipped into shape.

Me and my guest will talk about what’s selling in the market while answering your questions about craft and trends. Today, I’m joined by someone who I’ve known since 2015 and was my mentor in getting into developmental editing and publishing in general. She is a literary powerhouse with an impressive client list and also makes great editor and agent content on her YouTube channel.

She started her editorial career as an administrative assistant to New York Times bestselling author Teri Woods at Teri Woods Publishing while pursuing her bachelor’s degree at Temple University. She graduated cum laude from Temple and since then has had an impressive career in traditional publishing, working at Kensington, Grand Central, and Samhain. She’s been featured in Publishers Weekly, Forbes, and USA Today, as well as on various author book conferences and book blogger websites. She is the winner of the 2012 RWA Golden Apple for Editor of the Year, the 2017 Golden Apple for Agent of the Year, and the 2017 and 2021 Literary Jewels Award for Editor of the Year. 

She now provides editorial services through her company LCS Literary Services and is a literary agent and co-founder of Arthouse Literary Agency. Welcome to the podcast, Latoya C. Smith.

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Delivering on Back Cover Copy | #MsMatched with Silvana Reyes

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Episode Description

We all know that readers buy books based on 3 things—recommendations, covers, and that all-important back cover copy. Join me and Silvana Reyes (@thebookvoyagers) as we talk about Q1 books we bought based on BCC and whether they lived up to their hype. And if not, what other books are giving the right vibes, and living up to that marketing promise? 

Show Notes / Episode Transcript

Kate Marope (00:00:00):

This is Kate Marope and you’re listening to the Path to Print Podcast.

This week we have our fifth guest episode on a segment called MsMatched. Often times we see books become widely successful, then read it and scratch our heads and say, “it was nice, but why was it such a big deal?” 

MsMatched episodes are all about showing love and appreciation to book influencers and really getting the reader perspective on how books are being received by readers after they’re published. 

Me and my guest will talk about books that didn’t live up to their promo, what new stories we’d like to see told, and what books have set the tone for what we’ve come to expect as readers in specific genres.

Today I am joined by someone who is one of the biggest book reviewers and influencers on Twitter. She is the book list queen.

She’s the owner of The Book Voyagers, where she blogs and reviews books, mainly focusing on recommending and reviewing diverse books written by marginalized authors. And you might also know her for doing book aesthetics on Instagram and just shouting in capital letters about new books releases on Twitter. 

Welcome to the podcast, Silvana Reyes!

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Voice & the Self-Editing Process | #LessonsLearned with RM Virtues

Episode Description

Join me and RM Virtues as we talk about the lessons he’s learned since he published his first book, Drag Me Up. We explore how important it is to understand your learning style, and to discover/create a self-editing process that empowers you. It’s all about finding your voice (on and off-page) and seeing your losses as opportunities for learning and growth. Plus sneak peeks at what releases he’s got in store for us this year!

Show Notes / Episode Transcript

Kate Marope (00:00:00):

This is Kate Marope and you’re listening to the Path to Print Podcast.

This week we have our fourth guest episode on a segment called Lessons Learned. As I always say, we’re all works in progress and whenever we sit at our desks to work on our new project, we’re bringing what we learned from the last book we worked on and a new improved version of ourselves to the work.

Lessons Learned episodes are all about normalizing the missteps you can make on your path to publishing, and showing how you can grow from those “missteps” and further develop your writing and revising process.

Me and my guest will talk about books in our backlist that we wish we had done differently, lessons we’ve learned as we’ve refined our writing and revising process, and reflect on the people and books that made us grow from our mistakes. And we’ll celebrate the successes that wouldn’t have been possible without that whole entire journey. 

Today I am joined by someone who always makes me laugh and whose books always take me on an emotional ride. His books are filled with all the steam and story, and his approach to revising and writing in general is very introspective and reflective.

He is a mythology junkie, lover of love, and creator of worlds. He writes fantasy and paranormal romance about underrepresented characters who get to live and love in a history unabridged. When he isn’t busy conjuring romances, he can be found watching horror movies, playing fantasy video games, or eating Korean BBQ. He currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his Funko Pop horror collection. ​

Welcome to the podcast, RM Virtues!

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Matching the Premise of Your Book to its Setup

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One of the most common pieces of advice I’ve given out in the last 6 months is some variation of “your setup and your other submissions materials are telling or selling two different stories.”

And it oftentimes comes down to the setup or opening chapters of the book not matching what was promised by the author’s premise (i.e. their Twitter or query pitch).

So in this week’s (very late) blog post, I want to go over what I mean by that, and why it’s so important to make sure that your setup and the premise of your book match each other.

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Impactful & Memorable Setups | #EditorTalk with Ali Williams

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Episode Description

This episode, me and fellow editor Ali Williams take a look at trends in the industry and discuss books that not only have standout setups but also really showcase what we’re looking for in specific subgenres—all from the editor perspective. If MSWL and book reviews had a baby, this is it, so join us as we rave about books that have stuck with us!

Show Notes / Episode Transcript

Kate Marope (00:00:01):

This is Kate Marope, and you’re listening to the Path to Print podcast. <music>

Before we start, please be aware that this episode contains in-depth discussions about mental health and trauma, sexual assault and rape, physical violence, COVID-19, police brutality, and doxing. If you’re not comfortable or triggered by such topics, please take care of yourself and skip this episode.

This week, we have our third guest episode on a segment I repurposed from my old YouTube videos called Editor Talk. New Editor Talk episodes are all about having authors hear from editors directly about what books they’re loving and want to see in their submissions queue or in their email tray, without worrying that their asks are more based out of sales numbers than passion and enjoyment of the books they’re requesting. Me and my guest will talk about trends we’ve been noticing, books we’ll forever, forever recommend and peddle, and what books we think really represent what we love most about each genre and subgenre.

Today, I’m joined by an intelligent, vivacious human being who is a scholar, editor, and author friend. Her book are like drinking kinky hot chocolate, and she’s just a source of light and encouragement every time I see her.

Ali Williams’ inner romance reader is never quite satisfied, which is why she oscillates between writing romance, editing romance, and studying it as part of her PhD. She can be fun at the foot of the South Downs in the UK, either nerding out over local mythologies or drinking cocktails on the beach. She believes with all of her bifurious heart, that writing romance is an act of rebellion and that academia will be so much better when studying diverse HEAs is naturally a part of the curriculum. As a freelance romance, novel editor, she specializes in contemporary romance, paranormal and speculative romance and romantic suspense.

Welcome to the podcast, Ali Williams.

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The Opening Character Moment | #ConvosOnCraft with Mary Calmes

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Episode Description

It was super hard not to fangirl over THE Mary Calmes y’all! But we definitely went deep into her backlist, talking about nailing those opening character moments and the things you have to keep in mind when you’re writing and revising them.

Watch this Episode

Show Notes / Episode Transcript

Kate Marope (00:00:00):

This is Kate Marope, and you’re listening to Path to Print.

This week, we have our first guest episode on a segment that I like to fondly call Convos on Craft. Convos on Craft episodes are all about peeling back the curtain and getting into the nitty-gritty of how you put together your story from the developmental side of things. Me and my guests will talk about process, book stats, resources, and advice to help you grow into the amazing author I know you already are.

Today, I’m joined by an amazing author. Someone who is an auto-buy and comfort read author for me. Seriously, as soon as I knew this quarter’s topic would be about setups she was the first person I thought of asking to talk about opening your book with iconic character moments.

She believes in romance, happily ever afters, and the faith it takes for her characters to get there. She bleeds coffee, thinks chocolate should be its own food group, and currently lives in Kentucky with a five pound furry ninja that protects her from baby birds, spiders and neighbors’ dogs.

Welcome to the podcast, Mary Calmes.

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