Publishing Pulse: February 24, 2012

The Results ARE IN!

It's the moment so many of you have been anxiously anticipating—the announcement regarding the end of the Agent-Judged Contest.

But first, a celebration for all of us at Query Tracker: we've hit a major milestone.

QT just passed the 50,000 member point!

Congrats to each and every writer who joined QT in the hopes of getting their dream agent. Whether you sign with an agent or choose an indie path, you are all part of an amazing group who has taken steps to learn about the querying process, to practice and improve your writing craft, and to find courage to put your words out there for all the world to see. Be proud and take a moment for a well-deserved pat on the back.

Thank you for making Query Tracker a part of your journey to publication.

To the Blogs!



An easy way for a writer to begin building an audience is through blogging—but it won't do you any good if your blog remains the equivalent of a private journal. Robert Lee Brewer talks about the success his blog enjoys and offers 25 ways to increase your blog's traffic. If SEO isn't part of your vocabulary yet, now is the time to remedy that.

Indelibles author Susan Kaye Quinn discussed the sweat equity of book publishing with a comparison between traditional vs. indie published authors. You may be surprised to see the difference between the two routes.

Check out Ciara Ballintyne's cheeky look at the Don't List for authors who want to maintain healthy relationships with their agents and editors. (Some things just can't be stressed enough.) Bonus is the list of things that shouldn't be in your writing, assuming you want an agent or editor to take your book on in the first place. And millions of readers will rejoice to learn there is life after Harry Potter for J. K. Rowling.

The Winners of the Agent-Judged Contest

…will be announced Monday. Are you one of the lucky winners? You'll have to wait and see!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.