S08 E02 Why You Can Write an Amazing Book That Doesn't Get Published

11/27/24 • 15 min

1 Listener

Mary talks about why a 90% great book will get rejected 100% of the time...and how to tell if that's what's happening from the rejections you're getting. She:

Shares a sample (real) rejection letter

Discusses examples of a 10% gap between good and great

Talks about why this means you shouldn't give up, you should revise

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Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Mary talks about why a 90% great book will get rejected 100% of the time...and how to tell if that's what's happening from the rejections you're getting. She:

Shares a sample (real) rejection letter

Discusses examples of a 10% gap between good and great

Talks about why this means you shouldn't give up, you should revise

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Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Previous Episode

S08 E01 The Black List: The new publishing shortcut for aspiring novelists

We're back for Season 8! Mary talks about a newcomer to publishing—The Black List—and shares costs, benefits, and how it could potentially save you months (or even years) in your publishing journey. If you dream of publication but dread the long, uncertain querying process, this episode is for you.

Show Notes:

In this episode, I cover:· What is The Black List? Learn how this groundbreaking platform, originally created for Hollywood screenwriters, works—and why it’s now disrupting the world of fiction publishing.
· How it works for novelists: I’ll break down how you can use The Black List to host your manuscript, receive professional evaluations, and get noticed by literary agents and publishers.
· Is it worth the investment? I’ll share costs, benefits, and why I think it could save you months (or even years!) in your publishing journey.

Why I was skeptical—and why I changed my mind: My honest take on whether publishing needed a tool like this and why it might be a game-changer for early adopters. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the slow query process or wondered how to get professional feedback on your manuscript without waiting months, this episode has the answers you’ve been looking for.

Resources Mentioned:

The Black List Fiction Submissions: https://blcklst.com/fiction
The Author’s Guild Membership: https://authorsguild.org/membership/

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Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Next Episode

S08 E03 How to Fix an 80% Good Book Getting Rejections

In the last episode, Mary talked about how a 90% great book will get rejections 100% of the time. How do you make up the difference? Whether it's a 40% gap you need to close or a 5% gap, Mary shares her recommendations.

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Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins