A Beginner’s Guide to Writing IP in Publishing

March 13, 2023 by Eric Smith

Back in 2021, when Mike Chen announced he was writing Star Wars: Brotherhood, I cannot even begin to tell you how my notifications lit up. Friends and colleagues in publishing were celebrating, as Mike is the wholesome cinnamon roll of the sci-fi world and adored by many, but also… some friends and colleagues (and old acquaintances on Facebook) had questions.

Namely, how did this happen? And can you get me a Star War (no Dennis you skipped my wedding) too?

Throughout my years in publishing, whether we’re talking about my time at Quirk Books ages ago, my current career in agenting, or my author life these days… IP has played a big part in my bookish life. It’s also the space I find people have the most questions. How does someone end up writing for Marvel? Working on Firefly or taking over an established series? Somehow adapting a Broadway musical? Do I have to have books out already, in order to land something like that? Does an agent need to pitch me, or can I pitch myself?

I’ve been thinking about doing a blog post like this for a while, to send to folks who ask. And well, now it’s time. Especially after four of my clients (congrats Mary Kenney, M.K. England, Mike Chen, and Olivia Chadha!) were announced in the new Star Wars anthology.

Curious about landing IP and what you need to get there? This is a long one. Pour yourself a cup of coffee.

Wait, Wait, What… What is IP?

Simply put, IP stands for “Intellectual Property.” It means that someone else owns the idea, and you’re writing it. A lot of those books you see out there tied to major media franchises, whether we’re talking about Star Wars novels or non-fiction books about the art in movies (look up Tara Bennet sometime, she does brilliant work in that space), are I.P.

But it can be more than that. Sometimes a publishing house has an idea for a standalone novel or a book series or a non-fiction project (we’ll talk about those too!), and they go out and find a writer for it. My first published book as an author was one of those.

Some IP projects I’ve been lucky enough to work on in my agent life include Star Wars: Brotherhood by Mike Chen (Random House Worlds), Murder of Crows by Kayla Ancrum (Scholastic), Firefly: What Makes Us Mighty by M.K. England (Titan), and the Player vs. Player trilogy by M.K. England (Random House Kids). Oh and hey, Jagged Little Pill: The Novel in my author life.

But there are non-fiction projects in that space too. Quite a few!

How do you get one of these non-fiction IP titles? How do you make yourself someone that’s able to be found for something like that? Let’s jump in.

IP, Platform, and Non-Fiction

Back in 2011, I had published a few essays about video games and relationships. I was running a popular local blog about geek culture (RIP: Geekadelphia), writing for numerous places, and being hyper involved in nerdy circles. One day, the publisher at my then job asked me to come up and chat. I thought I was maybe getting fired.

But nope. He had a book for me. Jason, if you’re reading this, thanks for getting me started.

And also, for not firing me.

The Geek’s Guide to Dating, my first published book, is a fun non-fiction pop-culture book that talks about relationships through the lens of comics and video games… and it’s an IP project. My publisher thought of the concept, gave me the okay, and asked me to write the book.

Now I know, hearing about a first book deal offered up to someone at a publishing house sounds like a real “it’s who you know” sort of situation, but it’s not. I pitched my colleagues an… embarrassing amount. Good lord. And it wasn’t until I had the platform and the voice, and someone in-house had an idea, that those dots connected together.

And when it comes to non-fiction and IP, this is a wildly common thing. But the trick here is, making yourself heard in that space.

I asked client Brianne Hogan (Friendship Signs, Joy in the Stars) to chime in on this:

"How I got my first IP project was really about writing what I love.
I'm a freelance writer who's been interested in astrology since I was a teenager. I noticed astrology was trending a lot in 2016 and so I started to pitch my ideas to publications. Soon I started writing about astrology for HelloGiggles, and much to my surprise, in the summer of 2018, I found an email in my SPAM folder from an editor at a publishing house who was interested in me writing an IP project for them. I didn't even know what IP was! I didn't even know editors contacting writers about books was a thing.
So I think my biggest piece of advice would be to continue writing, blogging, creating, podcasting, etc., about things you genuinely love and are passionate about. Put them out in the world however you can and see where the Universe might take you.
And, always, ALWAYS check your spam folder."

Always check your SPAM folder. Words to live by.

I also checked in with Amy Ratcliffe, who has written a lot of IP non-fiction. Some of you might know her as the EIC of Nerdist and someone who writes a lot in the Star Wars space, both book wise and blogging.

My first IP book was Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy. Lucasfilm publishing gave my name to my editor at Chronicle Books. They approached me in 2017, I believe, because of my very loud enthusiasm for Star Wars in general, but also Star Wars books, fiction and non-fiction, and because I'd written for the site and the official Star Wars magazine.
I wrote and tweeted about Star Wars a lot when I started getting into entertainment blogging around 2009, just with the intent of connecting with like-minded fans. When StarWars.com started bringing freelancer contributors on for the blog, I knew the person running it (thanks, Twitter!) and asked to contribute. At the next Star Wars Celebration, I approached the editor for Star Wars Insider magazine and talked myself up (and hated every second of it). I cohosted a couple of Star Wars podcasts too and definitely made my dream of writing a non-fiction Star Wars book known.
I definitely think being vocal about my fandom, along with writing for official sources helped me land that book. Women of the Galaxy led to another Star Wars book with the same editor at Chronicle Books. Then Lucasfilm recommended me to other publishers. Those publishers have other licenses, so building positive relationships with my editors has led to writing "art of" books for video games and also writing Marvel non-fiction. It's getting your foot in the door (easier said than done) and making an impression strong enough to be a doorstopper that keeps it open.

Here it is again, more on how if you are writing in a specific space, the IP that’s in that space will take notice. We’ll see that a bit more below, when we talk about comics.

And what about in the wellness space? Often times you hear about non-fiction writers with an established platform having editors come to them first. This happened with Sophie Saint Thomas and her first project, Finding Your Higher Self:

Being approached by a big name with an idea already set out, in my specialty, in this case, cannabis reporting, allowed me to break into the industry. I am forever grateful for that. Just like authors need publishers to share their words with the world, publishers need qualified authors to commission.
Having already established myself as a cannabis reporter through magazines, IP projects offered an accessible entry point to publishing. Now, while I'd gladly do another IP project, such works allowed me to build a reputation and pitch the books I've always wanted to write, like the current one (my sixth!) that I'm writing about reproductive rights. IP books are a win/win for everyone, and as a new author, having a map laid out for you for a book makes your life easier, and not to mention, they are so fun to write.
Thanks to IP projects, I have multiple cannabis books under my belt, and I've established myself as an expert in the space.

Notice a trend here though? Brianne was writing about astrology in numerous places, Amy was writing about Star Wars and geek culture, Sophie was writing about cannabis… and the IP projects came to them.

Being active in the spaces you want to write about, helps build your profile and helps get you seen.

Being Approached for Fiction Projects in IP

Now, it isn’t impossible to land an IP project as a new writer. There are a few routes you can take here, and we’ll talk about them… but those routes mostly consist of making yourself be seen.

One of the best ways, is establishing yourself as an expert and a fan. It works in non-fiction, and it works in fiction too.

To some extent, this what happened with Mike Chen and Amy Ratcliffe, when they were asked to be in the Star Wars Empire Strikes Back anthology. Being vocal Star Wars nerds, put them on the editor’s radar. As an editor at Nerdist and a frequent non-fiction writer in the geek space, Amy was absolutely making herself seen there. And Mike had written extensively about his love of Star Wars for outlets like The Mary Sue.

This is also something that’s common in the comics space. I would absolutely love to dig deep into all of that with you, dear blog readers, but that’s not a place I’m particularly knowledgeable in. So I’m turning to some pros there.

I asked client and pal Mary Kenney to chime in on this, who you might know from her work in video games (Marvel’s Spiderman: Miles Morales), her wonderful books (Gamer Girls), or the comics she also writes. She does… a lot. How do you get yourself noticed for these kind of things?

“You don’t have to turn into a hype man, but mentioning your hobbies & fan loves on Twitter, TikTok, Insta, wherever you hang out can catch editors’ eyes and make them seek you out for an upcoming project. This most notably worked for me on Godzilla, after I live tweeted my husband and me doing a Godzilla movie marathon.”

Stephanie Williams, another client of mine who works on DC Nubia: Queen of the Amazons comics and Marvel’s Wakanda, had some similar things to say here.

“I was approached because of the writing I’d done at SYFY FANGRRLS, which included a piece I wrote about some of the best male butts in Marvel Comics. It doesn’t get any more passionate than that. So, yes, I would definitely say being passionate about the things you like and even the things you don’t like is essential, but the X-factor there is having something more to say than “this is good, or this is bad.”
“When talking or writing about comic IPs, you should lean into giving those takes from your unique perspective. That’s what I did. It showed editors I had something to bring to their sandboxes to refurbish sandcastles or even build new ones.”

But now that you’ve gotten yourself through the door, and have an editor’s attention regarding an IP you’re passionate about, whether it’s comics or a book, what then? Mary Kenney chimed in on this too.

“Go deep on your first batch of pitches: I’ve seen a lot of people lose an editor in that murky phase between the editor discovering you and you sending your first batch of pitches. In that initial patch, make it clear you’ve done your homework. Don’t reach for the most popular themes and characters - look at the themes and characters that have often been sidelined. How can you go deeper? What can you add to the existing canon? Even if none of those pitches are picked up, it shows the editor you know the IP and are willing to dig into the research.”

The advice here, even though it’s skewed towards Steph and Marys’ experience in comics, also applies to novels. Being visible in those spaces, writing in those communities, going deep when it comes to your pitches… great advice to hold onto here.

I nudged Britny Brooks over at Running Press, who I’m lucky enough to have a whole bundle of projects with, what she looks for as an editor, when it comes to IP.

“Regardless of whether it is an in-house idea or a licensed IP project, I’m always looking for a writer who is a fan or a knowledgeable, accessible voice in the space, topic, or fandom that I’m working in. I’m constantly looking at bylines on articles that I’ve enjoyed or checking out who worked on the books I’m using as comps and then finding them on social media.”
“I also just dive into hashtags or social media threads/categories to find those passionate people out there creating and talking about whatever it is I’m interested in. Having a platform or large audience/follower numbers are nice, but often a writer with a strong voice, creativity, passion, and willingness to collaborate are what really seal the deal for me. Recommendations help too!”

Quick aside, I love this note from Britny. All too often authors think they need a massive social media following, but having a bold and unique voice is just as important.

Okay, back to the pro.

“Lately, I’ve found some great writers via writers groups on Discord where someone says, “Hey, I know someone who would be great for that project. Can I send them your way?” and the answer is always, yes! Of course, then I need a sample and sometimes a proposal.”

Friends, I cannot stress the importance of community in the bookish and writerly space. Take the time to connect with folks like Britny and the writers around you. You’ll hear when they are looking for folks far sooner.

A continued big takeaway here from this is community and showing you’re a fan of that space. I nudged Tom Hoeler about this, an editor at Random House Worlds who I’ve been lucky enough to work with on Mike Chen’s Star Wars title and the participation of a few of my clients in his anthologies:

Editors for IP tend to look for a few things. First (perhaps obviously) is an interest in the IP. Generally you want folks to come write in a world or a sandbox that they are keen on and really enjoy. And a few details about what aspects of that IP the author most enjoys is always helpful as well, to get a better image of them.
This is not to be confused with expert knowledge. Someone can be a big fan of an IP and not have an encyclopedic knowledge of it. That’s not a requirement for entry.
The next thing editors like me look for are really examples of their work, samples of their voice as an author.

I’ll chime in more on this in a minute, friends.

When we look for authors to hire, usually we’ll start with a basic story frame and some themes or goals we want to achieve. And we then try to match those to a specific author, based on their skills, their voice, and their strengths as a writer. The best way to identify and learn those things, is to read material that an author has written.
Put more simply, when I look to hire an author for a story, I’m hiring them for their story, their voice, and their perspective on the IP. And reading stories they’ve already written gives me the best impression of all of that.

And much like an editor like Britny, Tom also finds writers online.

As for the internet, that’s often a place that I make “first contact” with perspective authors, usually via them sharing their interest/joy for the IP that I work on. Sometimes in the general, and some times specific to a character, event, time period, etc. I’m less focused on just writers making wishlist tweets of writing a specific character or filling in a specific lore beat for an IP, but it’s a great way to find folks who are interested and use that as a stepping point for exploring their original work, and their perspective on the world widely.

Other Ways to Approach IP Creators

So while sometimes editors working on IP will have call outs, much like Britny does from time to time, there are also ways to reach out directly. Book packages. It’s a way to reach out directly about writing IP, when editors aren’t out there soliciting folks the way Britny sometimes does.

You can frequently find book packagers looking for specific writers and voices on social media and via their official websites. Sometimes they’re looking for writers eager to do picture books or Middle Grade novels and Young Adult series… the trick is, keeping your eyes open.

Generally, a book packager works a lot like an IP project would. You get a percentage of the royalties and the advance when the project you’ve worked together on, sells to a publishing house. Here are a few of my favorites that are doing astonishing work, and are available to send in submissions as of when this post was published:

· Cake Creative

· Dovetail Fiction / Working Partners

There are a lot more out there, and I can’t speak to all of them, so just be sure to take your time, do your research. Make sure what they are offering you is fair.

Having Your Agent Actively Pitch You for IP

Now, if you’re not writing non-fiction where your platform and expertise is a hook for having publishers approach you, and you’re not really interested in working with a book packager… maybe you’re here specifically because you want to get a Star War. And that’s fine.

Let’s talk about how those happen, outside of editors approaching writers for short stories (like in those lovely anthologies) or non-fiction projects. That bit Tom dug into up top, about seeing a creator’s work and what they want to write? This is where that often happens.

While you absolutely cannot pitch your original idea to most of these big media franchises without permission (and some of them can’t look at an original idea even with a relationship established, it has to come from inside the house), your literary agent can push to get you on their radar.

Yes, it does mean that some of these bigger IP projects aren’t quite accessible without an agent actively talking to publishers. Which sometimes means you need to have a book and an established writing career before you can scoop one up.

But I do need to stress the sometimes of it all. Again, if you’re an active, loud, passionate fan actively writing in that space, they can potentially come to you.

When I’m putting authors I work with on the radar of my editor friends, I put together a “meet the author” packet.

What do these look like? Here’s the basic rundown.

Author Bio
The Author’s Style
Specific Interests
Publications + Platform
Writing Samples

Now please, I’m begging any agented authors who are reading this… have a conversation with your agent first before sending them this blog post and demanding they do something like this. Everyone has a different process. This just happens to be mine, and it’s worked for me.

If you’re a new agent and navigating this thing, well hello there! Welcome. Here’s how I’ve made it work for my clients, and maybe it’ll work for you too!

I know some of these are self-explanatory, but some aren’t. So bear with me here.

Author Bio: Yes, okay. That’s one of the self-explanatory ones. Your bio. But don’t skimp on details here. “So and so is an author and lives in Philadelphia” isn’t interesting. Take the time to let the editor reading this really get to know you. If you land a project with them, you’ll be working together for a while.
The Author’s Style: Here’s where things get a little different. Where we spice it up a bit. Here, you dig into what your voice is like. I prefer to have my clients describe their style in their own voice, explaining what they enjoy writing about, what their background is in, what sort of characters and themes they’re drawn to, where they pull their inspiration from, you name it.
Specific Interests: This is different than rattling off what you enjoy writing about. This is where you talk about genres and categories you want to explore, and, if your agent is pitching a specific publisher, what IP you might want to tackle. Because hey, if you’re sending a packet to Marvel, you might want to list characters you adore. It absolutely cannot hurt. Just don’t toss in any original story ideas yet!
Publications + Platform: This, in my opinion, matters way more in non-fiction when it comes to those kind of IP projects. Why you are THE person to be writing this book. For example, Sophie Saint Thomas writing about cannabis and witchcraft, or Amy Ratcliffe writing about Star Wars and geek culture. A quick glimpse at their platforms and yes, they’re the pros in that space. This section showcase that yes, you are the person.

In fiction, I’d argue it doesn’t matter as much, as we’re not trying to sell expertise. But, if you’ve got a voice in the space you’re writing a story in (ie: you’re a blogger who covers DC Comics exclusively and you’re being pitched for a DC Comics project), here’s a place to dig into all that.

Writing Samples: Last but not least… some sample writing. It could be something from your most recent book, or even in some cases, some pages of a work in progress that is wildly polished. Again… don’t use this opportunity to send in your pitch for a project. It’s not time for that yet. Use something original.

Crafting the Query Letter: A Two Hour Webinar

January 20, 2023 by Eric Smith

Goodness. The last one of these I did was back in the summer of 2021, at the absolute height of me missing conferences and wanting to try what so many of my colleagues had been doing. It was a lot of fun, and I’ve been meaning to do another one of these.

I could never quite find the time, but now the time feels very right.

One of my good pals here in Philadelphia needs a hand with medical expenses after some surgeries and hospitalizations that have been going for the good part of the last two years.

Here’s a link to her GoFundMe for more.

Combine that with some expenses my family is dealing with back in Michigan… well, this is my benefit webinar to help some folks I care about.

It’s all pretty simple!

Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, this two hour webinar will cover all the basics and dig into the complex questions. How do you choose comparative titles? What kind of platform should you showcase? Why is having a hook so important? What does the query absolutely need to tell you about the story?

We’ll unpack all of it, and will have a solid Q&A session. Like the last one I did, this isn’t a recorded chat. It’s all live, and we’ll kick back and talk about your specific questions at the end of the chat, or at least, as many as I can get to. Attendees will also get a recorded version of the webinar, that you’ll be able to access for a month.

Registration is $40, and you can sign up below. I get to help you with your query, you get to help out my friends and family, everyone wins.

Query Letter Webinar with Eric Smith

Tuesday, February 28th, 2023

Register Here (Or Any of the Other Links I Posted)

A Collection of Favorite Resources From Authors & Industry Insiders

October 18, 2022 by Eric Smith

One of the things I absolutely delight in when it comes to working in publishing, is trying to push as much free information as I can into the hands of people who have questions.

Sure, you can see my own query tips page here, where I have query letters, book proposals, and all kinds of good stuff available. But so many of my wonderful colleagues in this business have their own collection of free and accessible tips and insights, just waiting for you to gobble them up.

I thought I’d pool together a bundle of my favorites, and I hope you’ll find some good tips in here. In fact, I know you will. These are some great people.

Let’s go.

PODCASTS

There are a lot of publishing and writing related podcasts out there, and there are quite a few run by fantastic people who work inside this wild business. You’ll learn so much not just about pitching or writing… but about the state of the industry, current news, and the like.

So, go subscribe to these.

The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing: Hosted by bestselling author Bianca Marais, and co-hosted by my colleagues at P.S. Literary Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra, this podcast interviews scores of people from across the business, including booksellers and digital influencers, for a deep dive inside the industry.

Print Run: I’ve been lucky enough to appear on this podcast twice, once for an in-person recording at a bookstore that made me feel like we were famous. It was awesome, and this show is fantastic. Hosted by Erik Hane and Laura Zats, two agents who I’ve known for ages, it’s not just a podcast. It’s a whole community, where the two agents interact and dish advice and uplift writers wrestling with trying to break through. They won an award not too long ago, and it’s very clear why.

Deadline City: As of this post, Dhonielle Clayton and Zoraida Cordova are six seasons into this podcast, which pulls in industry experts and authors for discussions surround writing and the business. Recent episodes dug into important conversations surrounding burn out, and answered burning questions about pen names, something I find a lot of writers have questions about. Tune in.

Sisters Always Write: A newer podcast run by editor and author Sara Schonfeld and her sister, also a writer, K. L. Cerra. They break down querying, pitching, being on submission, you name it. I’ve got a book with Sara in my agent life, and she’s a brilliant resource. Definitely subscribe.

Literaticast: Hosted by agent Jennifer Laughran, I don’t even know where to start with what a great resource this is. Not only does Jennifer have a great show with wonderful guests, delivering all kinds of insider tips, she also has a Tumblr that is one of my favorite in the business. Have questions? Maybe go check it out. And definitely subscribe to the show.

Basic Pitches: SO many great interviews on this show hosted by Anna Mercier and Emily Thiede (if you haven’t read This Vicious Grace you really should).

Minorities in Publishing: A bimonthly podcast hosted by the brilliant Jenn Baker and Bev Rivero, this show digs into discussing diversity in the industry. It’s full of great insights, and the recent episode (as of this post) with Erin Entrada Kelly is a particularly great highlight.

The Manuscript Academy Podcast: I do a handful of critiques with the Manuscript Academy every month, and they also have a podcast where they chat with agents and break down industry things.

Write or Die: While this podcast isn’t updating anymore (weeps), it is a fantastic resource packed full of advice from bestselling, brilliant authors Claribel Ortega and Kat Cho. It’s packed with humor and heart, I feel like I’ve laughed more listening to this podcast than any other show about publishing. Highly recommend listening to the back episodes, particularly the ones from Laekan Zea Kemp, Malinda Lo, and Wendy Xu.

First Draft: Another podcast that’s on hiatus, hosted by Sarah Enni, there are so many amazing episodes that dig into craft and process with numerous authors, from recent final episodes with Nina LaCour to chatting with John Cho and Seth Meyers.

AGENTS + EDITORS

A number of my colleagues in the business have personal websites that are just packed full of free tips and resources. Be sure to visit them, and see what you can learn there.

Maria Vicente: I’m lucky enough to work with this brilliant human, and Maria’s website constantly has great tips and resources on it. My favorites are her breakdown of how to query a graphic novel and what to include in your pitch.

Jennifer Laughran: Yes, yes, I already mentioned her wonderful podcast, but please go check out Jennifer’s Tumblr, which is PACKED full of resources. She breaks down comps, pitching picture books, and so much more here.

Beth Phelan: The astonishing resource that Beth has created is DVpit and DVcon, a pitch event and a free virtual conference that helps boost up marginalized writers. Follow her and order every book she works on. And also watch out for those events!

Janet Reid: Query Shark is one of those blogs that’s been around since I got into publishing, and goodness is it packed full of advice in the form of breaking down queries.
Dongwon Song: Dongwon’s newsletter, Publishing is Hard, is so wildly insightful and packed full of knowledge. Go subscribe to it. You’ll love it.

AUTHORS

A number of writers also have resources available on their respective websites. Yes, some of them have podcasts too, as you’ve seen up top, but these are text tips.

Aiden Thomas: Aiden’s resource for authors page is WONDERFUL. It’s a point by point breakdown of how to prepare to launch a career as a writer, both in the beginning (finding your people) and further in when you have a book hitting (stay off Goodreads!). I love it and share it with folks often.

M.K. England: I work with M.K. and have been lucky enough to see a bundle of their books through to publication. M.K. has a really honest and thoughtful breakdown of their journey to write full time on their website, explaining the steps taken to get there, as well as a list of resources they’ve found helpful along the way.

Dahlia Adler: I’m not even sure where to start here, as Dahlia is a walking wealth of knowledge, and actively gives it away to writers. Head to her website to learn about how to put together anthologies, for general pep talks, and for fun social media based promotions. She’s great. Buy her books.

Terry J. Benton-Walker: Terry’s writing resources page includes some really great tips, including a breakdown of writing a synopsis and downloadable novel planning kit as a .PDF! All free! Though please thank him by ordering his books.

Susan Dennard: Susan’s been providing writing tips for aspiring authors since before I even wrote my first book, and I leaned pretty heavily on her advice when it was my turn to dive in. Visit her website and subscribe to her brilliant newsletter. You’ll learn so much.

Chuck Wendig: Somehow Chuck manages to update his website almost daily, with interviews, tips, long rants packed full of advice and hilarious quips… I love it. He also writes really helpful books, but offers up a lot of stuff for free here.

Erin Bowman: From her expert newsletter to the advice peppered all over her website, Erin’s a great resource for aspiring writers and folks who have been in the business forever. Also Contagion is one of my favorite YA novels ever written please go get it.

Tess Sharpe: While Tess has a great newsletter, so much of her brilliant advice comes from following her on Twitter. It feels like every week she’s breaking down misconceptions and giving folks advice, all for free. Follow her and order her new books, please.

Amy Spalding: I say this all the time, but Amy’s book The New Guy is one of my favorite YA rom-coms ever written. And she dishes advice and tips about the industry and writing via her newsletter and on social media. Do follow her!

Ashley Poston: Highly recommend subscribing to Ashley Poston’s newsletter. Lots of great insight about the industry in there regularly. Also her books are great.

Delilah S. Dawson: One of my favorite authors, Delilah has a blog packed full of resources. A favorite of mine is her most recent and last post about writing I.P. for Star Wars. People always have questions about that, and well, here are your answers!

Crafting Non-Fiction Book Proposals: Fight Magic Items by Aidan Moher

September 27, 2022 by Eric Smith

Much like Mary Kenney (I posted her proposal for Gamer Girls just the other day), Aidan Moher is another non-fiction author I was following for a long time before we ended up working together.

And as always, I have to preface a project like this with exactly that. Some non-fiction happens because an agent or an editor sees what you’re up to, and reaches out with a “hey I think you’ve got a book in you” sort of email.

This was the case with Aidan and Fight Magic Items, a book that was born of his fantastic, moving essays about playing JRPGs.

How did the proposal come together? What did it look like when we shopped it to publishers? Well, here we go my friends. Let’s dig in. Because this is what it looked like when we sent it around to editors at publishing houses.

Now, the annual fine print:

What works for me as an agent, might not work for someone else. There are some great additional proposal guides written up by Jane Friedman, Brian Klems at Writer’s Digest, and Nathan Brandsford. Learn as much as you can.

Make sure you are reading agency guidelines before sending anything. An agent might want something ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. But I imagine a lot of what we are going to dig into here, such as author platform, proposed contents, sample pages, etc… will be across the board for everyone who requests a proposal.
And last, if this helps, please order yourself a copy of FIGHT MAGIC ITEMS or request it at your library. And if this is helpful, buy me a coffee! The cafe near my house is open again!

Let’s dig in.

THE BASICS

I’ve said this in previous proposals blog posts (gonna cut and paste a little bit here), but when it comes to crafting a really great non-fiction book proposal, there are a few sections you should have in every single one.

In my opinion, the breakdown should look a little something like this, and we’ll dig into each of these in a minute.

About the Book: Exactly what it sounds like. What’s the jacket copy (ie: the back of the books on your own bookshelf) look like? What is this book?
Meet the Author: Let’s get to know you. Remember, part of non-fiction is explaining why you are THE person to write this book, why you’re the expert. A quick glimpse at Aidan on social media definitely reveals this, as well as his personal website, but still. You need to spell it out here.
Author Publicity & Platform: What’s your platform like (this doesn’t just mean social media!), where do you write, who will support your book, what are your numbers? This could also just tie into the Meet the Author section, though if you have a lot to dig into, break it off. Give us a whole section. As someone who writes for many gaming places, this was an easy one to write up with Aidan.
Comparative Titles: What books would yours sit with in bookstores? What book would fans of your book, also potentially like?
Potential Media Relevance: Covering a topic that gets dug into in the media? Shows us a bit about that, if possible.
Manuscript Overview & Proposed Contents: What you’ve got so far, and where you see the work going.

Now, when it comes to non-fiction proposals, there will sometimes be sections that are pretty specific to that kind of proposal. If this were a cookbook, you’d likely have some sample photography. If you’re a social media influencer, then sure, social media counts.

Varies book to book.

Aidan’s book is an essay collection that digs into the history of JRPGs (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, etc) while touching on his personal history with them. It’s a blend of historical and personal, making for a collection that’s not just an academic dig into a topic, but one that connects his childhood and life.

Now, let’s break down these sections a bit more. I’ll include summaries of what we discussed in the proposal as well as some screenshots, which I hope will give you a helpful overview of what goes into one of these.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Right out of the gate, here’s the part where you tell us what the book is. Imagine this, if your book was already in a bookstore, this is what a potential reader would see when they pick the book up and flip it over, reading the back. The jacket copy.

Here’s what the jacket copy for Aidan’s book looked like. And now, a sliver from the proposal. As always, I can’t really give you the entire Word .doc for this book proposal, but I am very happy to share screenshots, formatting, and the basics of what was in there.

Here’s a glimpse at what the opening pitch for the book looked like:

One thing we were pretty specific about here with the opening, was hammering home the “why” of this book right away. An essay collection on JRPGs is what many would call a “niche” topic here.

But it’s a niche topic with an absolutely massive audience, and we wanted to make that clear as soon as possible. I also wanted to use the word “besotted” somewhere in a pitch letter.

The remainder of the about section talks about what Aidan’s book would be doing… and that’s digging into the history of these games with a personal flourish, while mentioning other huge, bestselling titles that potential editors would recognize (like Kingdom Hearts and Dragon Quest).

Minus the big Final Fantasy screenshot there, this opening was only a page long. Short and sweet. This is what the book is about, who it’s for, and how big the audience is. All in a page.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Remember, when you’re selling non-fiction, it’s not just about the book. You’re also trying to sell the publisher and readership on YOU, the author. Why are you the person to write this? How are you an expert? Why should they pick up a non-fiction title from you?

When it came to Aidan’s about section, we stressed his awards and his publishing list, which is wildly impressive!

I think I was still actively wearing my own flat cap at the time we pitched this around, so I really loved that author photo.

As you can see here in his about section, we stressed all his gaming outlets, his wild love for Chrono Trigger (and he is correct, it’s the best game of all time), and further down the page, we listed more places his work has been published.

Remember when we talked about jacket copy? This is what you might see for an author bio on the flap of a book. This one is a little longer than the jacket flap, sure. But it tells a reader immediately why he’s THE person to write this and why you can trust him to tackle the topic seriously.

AUTHOR PLATFORM

I stress this all the time but I’m going to do it again here. Platform isn’t just social media. It’s nice if you have it! It truly is! But it also exists in showing you’re an expert (ie: Mary Kenney has a video game writer, writing a book about women in games), like in the way Aidan does here through publication.

His platform section did a lot of what his author bio did… listing the places he’s been published, talking about video games and JRPGs. His list is impressive! Kotaku! Input (RIP)! Tor! EGM! The list goes on and on, and that’s exactly what you want to see.

COMPARATIVE TITLES

It was easy to find comparative titles for Aidan’s book, while stressing how different his was.

A large part of the appeal of Aidan’s collection was the stress on the personal hooks. His connection to the games, how they shaped him, and subsequently, shaped the world.

None of these were “Aidan’s book is just like these books” because that’s not what a comparative title IS. It’s showing books in the market that prove this book has a place, while also giving the reader an idea of what to expect… a deep dive into gaming.

MEDIA & MARKET

Okay, this was a particularly important section for this book.

Not every editor I would be pitching this book to, would be familiar with this specific branch of gaming. That’s just impossible. And to my geeky friends reading this, yes, it is very possible for someone to be entirely unfamiliar with Final Fantasy. But, great publishing professionals don’t just pick up books because they deeply understand them. No, they pick up books because they understand THE READER.

Putting together a detailed breakdown of the media and market for a title, helps with this. It lets a potential editor (or agent!) know the relevance of a topic they might not be totally familiar with.

This section was a little beefier than the others, digging into the market for the title (look how popular these video games are!) and then showing how popular they are in the media.

Again, I know this might look silly. But you have to stress the why of a niche topic here.

Remember, it’s not just an editor who has to say yes at a publishing house. There’s marketing and publicity. There’s the sales team. There are a lot of people to get on board. Even if the editor completely understands this specific nature of a book, the rest of the team might not. So here, I try to give an editor as much as they need to get that yes.

You should do the same when pitching agents. I have a few non-fiction books in my agent life that dig into subjects I’m not an expert on. From Sophie Saint Thomas’ marijuana and witchcraft focused books to Brianne Hogan’s astrology titles… I’m far from a pro when it comes to those subjects. But they make it clear who the reader is and why these books would work.

You, as an expert, can absolutely do the same.

MANUSCRIPT OVERVIEW

Now, I can’t post the screengrabs from Aidan’s book here. But I can talk about the breakdown for you.

Non-fiction is this unique category in publishing where the book doesn’t have to be finished to pitch it out… but you do need to show you can write it. For Aidan’s proposal we had a LOT here, a little over 15,000 words.

Here’s what the manuscript overview looked like:

A Chapter by Chapter Breakdown: Aidan had an outline for what each chapter would dig into, through each era of gaming. This was about three pages long and detailed seven key sections. Was this a Final Fantasy VII nod? Probably.
Sample Pages: Here, Aidan had FIFTY PAGES of sample essays. This included a prelude, which was something of a “letter to the reader” in the opening, explaining the why of the book and what these games meant to him, and a full first chapter.

And there you have it. A non-fiction book proposal, for an adult pop-history book.

If this was helpful, please consider ordering Aidan’s debut book, FIGHT MAGIC ITEMS, available from Running Press / Hachette. And if it wasn’t helpful, please still do that.

Book Deals: Steven Underwood's Memoir Forever for the Culture Acquired by Beacon Press

September 26, 2022 by Eric Smith

As an agent, it’s always such a thrill when you finally find that right project with a writer you’ve been a fan of for a while. And Steven Underwood is definitely a writer I’ve followed for a while. His pieces on MTV, BET, Essence, and Level are frequently moving and illuminating, and I’ve sent his essay on Tor.com around to so many people.

And in 2024, I’ll get to send his memoir around to folks.

FOREVER FOR THE CULTURE: NOTES FROM THE NEW BLACK DIGITAL ARTS RENAISSANCE, is a blend of personal memoir and social commentary, discussing the fact that Black culture has been shaping the landscape of digital art over the last decade, and how Black art is experiencing a digital renaissance. It’s a brilliant project that’s combines Steven’s expert way of unpacking things in ways that are simultaneously academic and accessible, and goodness. I can’t wait for people to pick it up.

Here’s the deal announcement from Publisher’s Marketplace:

Contributor to Level, MTV News, and Oprah Daily Steven Underwood's FOREVER FOR THE CULTURE: NOTES FROM THE NEW BLACK DIGITAL ARTS RENAISSANCE, a combination of personal essays and social commentary on the digital arts movement that Black culture has been shaping for over a decade, to Maya Fernandez at Beacon Press, for publication in 2024, by Eric Smith at P.S. Literary Agency (world).

If you don’t follow Steven, be sure to follow him on Twitter, both for his powerful articles and his expert commentary on X-Men and comics.

Congrats Steven!

Crafting Non-Fiction Book Proposals: Gamer Girls by Mary Kenney

September 19, 2022 by Eric Smith

Wow, it has been a while since I wrote one of these! Apologies, especially because you’re about to get quite a few of them.

Years ago, I met Mary Kenney though her former gig at Telltale Games. I’d been a wild fan, following along, finding out what games she had written. I knew she was someone I was going to want to work with at some point.

And this is why, as I state on social media all the time, it’s so important to have a homebase with your contact info, published clips, and the like, particularly when you want to write non-fiction. Agents and editors are keeping an eye out for people who look like they might have a book in them.

And Mary certainly did. And I’m so glad we got to talking.

GAMER GIRLS came out earlier this summer, and is a collection of essays about the women behind the video games we all know and love. How their oft looked-over influence shaped the world of gaming. It’s a book I hope will inspire a lot of young kids to get into games themselves, and Mary’s exactly the person to inspire them in that way.

How did this book sell? On a proposal. We worked on this proposal together, and sent it out to publishers. Here’s how we did it, and how you can too.

First, as always, a few quick disclaimers!

Remember how subjective this all is. What works for me as an agent, might not work for someone else. There are some great additional proposal guides written up by Jane Friedman, Brian Klems at Writer’s Digest, and Nathan Brandsford. Learn as much as you can.
Make sure you are reading agency guidelines before sending anything. An agent might want something ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. But I imagine a lot of what we are going to dig into here, such as author platform, proposed contents, sample pages, etc… will be across the board for everyone who requests a proposal.
And last, if this helps, please pick up a copy of Gamer Girls via your favorite retailer, or request it at your library. And if this is helpful, buy me a coffee! The cafe near my house is open again!

Alright. Let’s dig in.

THE BASICS

I’ve said this in previous proposals blog posts, but when it comes to crafting a really great non-fiction book proposal, there are a few sections you should have in every single one.

In my opinion, the breakdown should look a little something like this, and we’ll dig into each of these in a minute.

About the Book: Exactly what it sounds like. What’s the jacket copy (ie: the back of the books on your own bookshelf) look like? What is this book?
Meet the Author: Let’s get to know you. Remember, part of non-fiction is explaining why you are THE person to write this book, why you’re the expert.
Author Publicity & Platform: What’s your platform like (this doesn’t just mean social media!), where do you write, who will support your book, what are your numbers? This could also just tie into the Meet the Author section, though if you have a lot to dig into, break it off. Give us a whole section.
Comparative Titles: What books would yours sit with in bookstores? What book would fans of your book, also potentially like?
Potential Media Relevance: Covering a topic that gets dug into in the media? Shows us a bit about that, if possible.
Manuscript Overview & Proposed Contents: What you’ve got so far, and where you see the work going.

Varies book to book. This project is a YA non-fiction title. So a non-fiction book for teenagers.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Here we go. This is the part where you give us the general details about the book you’re working on. This should read like the jacket copy for your book. If you want an example of what Mary ended up with as her jacket copy, you can check that out here.

Here’s a glimpse at what the opening pitch for the book looked like:

For GAMER GIRLS, we opened up talking about the assumed landscape of gaming, and pointed out how it hasn’t really been that way in ages. And how, in fact, women have been driven a wild amount of innovation in the gaming industry, and often get overlooked.

This was a quick, one page summary of the project, again, much the way you see with jacket copy on your favorite books. While some of the other proposals I’ve shared had slightly larger pitches, this one stuck to the one-page, quick-and-to-the-point format you really want to see not just on the back of books, but also in your query letters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When it comes to non-fiction, you’re never just selling the story or the book. You’re also trying to sell the publisher, and the general readership, on the author. Why is this THE person to write this particular book. How are they an expert? Why should I buy a book about this topic from them and not someone else?

When it came to Mary and Gamer Girls, the answer was easy and clear to get across.

Here, we spent a solid page and a half detailing why Mary was the person here. It’s a book about women in gaming and she’s a woman in gaming, who has written actual video games.

In addition to that, we stressed the places she’d also published pieces, writing articles for outlets like Salon, Kotaku, and The New York Times.

The about section shows why you’re the person. Mary was absolutely the person.

PUBLICITY AND PLATFORM

Okay, everyone hates talking about the platform part of non-fiction. Everyone. So I want to offer up my annual disclaimer here.

It’s never too late to build a platform.

I mentioned this earlier in the post here, but you don’t need a million social media followers (though hey, that would be nice!), but you should have something that establishes that you are the expert on your topic. In the case of Mary’s platform here we brought up her social media presence, sure…

But that’s not what we stressed.

Platform also has to do with your career. How you’re an expert.

Here, we talked about the places that Mary’s written and the many places that have featured her. We listed places where she’d been a speaker, conferences and the like. We talked about the accolades associated with her games and writing.

Platform here wasn’t in social media (though sure, we mentioned it), but in expertise. That’s just as valuable, and as an agent, that’s something I pay way more attention to than Twitter followers.

MEDIA & MARKET

This is probably a hot take from me, but while you should know the market for your book, I think it’s an agent’s job to wrangle up this section. Which I happily did. It’s an agent’s job to understand where your book potentially belongs in the publishing space and discussion.

But having a section like this in the book proposal you send off, shows that extra bit of knowledge.

Mary and I worked together to pool a list of media hits tackling the book’s subject and relevance. This doesn’t just help when pitching agents, but when pitching editors.

Remember, it’s not just an editor who has to say yes. Their publicity and marketing team have to like the idea too. Giving them as much as you can, helps a lot.

Wild looking at those dates on those pieces. We pitched this book around in 2019 / 2020, and announced the sale in the summer of 2020. It came out this year (2022).

Publishing. A game of patience.

COMPARATIVE TITLES

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, the job of comparative titles isn’t to say “my book is just like this book.” It’s to give us an idea of where the book will be on shelves, to give us an idea of voice and audience, and sometimes, to show us that your book is MISSING from a particular space.

That was exactly the pitch with Mary’s book.

In our comparative title section, we showed the books that are in this space (which we’re both fans of) and how Mary’s would stand out. How there wasn’t a book like her’s on the market yet.

The comp title section didn’t say “my book is like these books” it said “this is how my book is different and stands out.”

MANUSCRIPT OVERVIEW

When you’re pitching non-fiction, it’s never just “an idea” and then an email. You have to have a concept in mind, an overview. Some kind of vision there. Sometimes an agent will be able to help with that, and sometimes an agent will reach out wanting to explore an idea they’ve seen you talking about.

But the book as a whole, you should have an idea of what you want to say. What you want to cover.

For Mary’s proposal, we detailed a list of fascinating and influential people in this space. This was a solid three pages of names and brief bios.

What followed after that were sample pages.

Now, while I can’t paste in screenshots of sample pages from the proposal or the book, I can talk about what we sent over. Mary’s sample pages in the proposal had a detailed introduction, which also served as something of a “letter to the reader” here. It told the reader (and editor reading the project) why this book was so important and needed, and why Mary wanted to write it.

Mary also included a glossary afterwards, which ended up in the actual book (so did that introduction), detailing gaming terms that a reader (or editor) might not understand at a quick glance. The best kind of non-fiction, in my opinion, is accessible. Someone who might not understand the topic but is curious about it, can pick up that book and grasp the concept.

A glossary certainly helps!

The sample pages for the book dug into three of the people Mary planned to cover in Gamer Girls. That was it. Three essays. It was about 10,000 words all together (with a good 2.5k dedicated towards the proposal bits), and I think that’s an important piece to takeaway here.

Non-fiction sells on proposal. That means you aren’t writing the whole book out of the gate. You’re proposing it, and ideally, the advance gives you the wiggle room you need to write the book and take time away from freelance work, full-time work, you name it. It gives you breathing room.

And there you have it.

Crafting a non-fiction YA book proposal.

Be sure to pick up a copy of GAMER GIRLS. It’s out now. And give Mary a follow on social media. She’s working on some great things.

Book Deals: K. Ancrum's ICARUS Acquired by HarperTeen!

August 25, 2022 by Eric Smith

I’ve said this before about working with Kayla, and I’ll say it again… I was a fan long before I was given the chance to work on her astonishing novels.

I adored The Wicker King something fierce, and considered myself so wildly lucky when I got to work with her on Darling, A Murder of Crows, and well… some more things in the pipeline.

Including these new books, heading your way in 2024.

Let’s talk about ICARUS! Here’s the blip from Publisher’s Weekly:

Stephanie Stein at HarperTeen has bought World English rights, in a two-book deal, to K. Ancrum’s romantic YA thriller ICARUS, a reimagining of the classic myth pitched as The Goldfinch meets Ari & Dante, in which a teen cat burglar carries out his father’s mission of stealing works of art from a local wealthy man, to replace them with intricate, perfect replicas… until he’s caught by another boy his age imprisoned in the rich neighbor’s home. Publication is planned for Winter 2024. Eric Smith at P.S. Literary Agency brokered the deal.

It’s an astonishing new book, with a second following after, and well… Kayla’s not done with news yet.

But hey… more on that soon.

Congrats, Kayla!

Book Deals: Tiana Smith's Adult Debut, THE SPY AND I, Acquired by Berkley

June 17, 2022 by Eric Smith

Tiana Smith’s latest Young Adult rom-com, How to Speak Boy, holds a special place in my agent heart. After-all, it’s a novel centered around speech and debate, something that I made my entire personality when I was in high school. It was like she wrote that book just for me.

And now, I’m so pleased to announce she’s written her adult debut, and it’ll be out with Berkley next year… with a sequel to follow!

Here’s a bit more about it from Publisher’s Marketplace:

Tiana Smith’s adult debut THE SPY AND I, an action-packed romcom about a case of mistaken identity, when the heroine is confused for her super spy sister and must work with a hot and mysterious covert operative to save the day.

Oh, this book. It’s a riotous, wonderful romp packed full of Tiana’s crackling humor. I can’t wait for adult readers to discover this one.

Congrats, Tiana!

Wait, Wait, What… What is IP?

IP, Platform, and Non-Fiction

Being Approached for Fiction Projects in IP

Other Ways to Approach IP Creators

Having Your Agent Actively Pitch You for IP

Further Reading and Listening

PODCASTS

AGENTS + EDITORS

AUTHORS

THE BASICS

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AUTHOR PLATFORM

COMPARATIVE TITLES

MEDIA & MARKET

MANUSCRIPT OVERVIEW

THE BASICS

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PUBLICITY AND PLATFORM

MEDIA & MARKET

COMPARATIVE TITLES

MANUSCRIPT OVERVIEW