Joshua Blackwood

Never forget that the Republican Party turned the government against its own citizens. 💥🇺🇸

Like Mouse’s grandmother 👀

Me: I have decent numbers on social media!

Publishers: Is it romantasy?

Me: Well no-

Publishers: You misused a semicolon on page 112, we can’t overcome this issue. Good day.

a woman in a purple dress says " well well well " Alt: a Black woman in a purple dress says " well well well "

Me: *Hasnt heard back from any agents in almost a year, including those who have had my full for 9 months with no response*

Me: *decides to self publish*

Agents: “Wait! We’re actually considering your work!”

Me:

The hard part about being a BIPOC author is that everyone wants to represent/publish you but only if you mine your culture for the story. I can’t just be a Latino author, my story has to be about being Latino or the monster has to be a reimagining of La Llorona etc. and I don’t love that #Writing

While I can see how that would be more efficient for them as agents, I can’t help but feel we are being shoved towards “fast food” novels as writers where you may as well just skip to the end and be done with it. It bums me out.

I’ve even seen more than one agent this year suggest that your manuscript should tell the reader who the main character is, what they’re up against, and the stakes in the first sentence like a thesis statement.

I’ve been in the trenches for five years now and I’ve watched the attention spans of agents narrow considerably in that time. It used to be an inciting incident was necessary in the first 10 pages. Then it was 5. Now I’m seeing it has to be in the first paragraph.

Has anyone here used #Inkshares before? I think Im gonna head that way in the new year. Any and all tips appreciated! #WritersCommunity

I will say tho, it’s not as bad as the one publisher that said they’d auto reject if they see a semicolon in your manuscript because “semicolons don’t belong in novels”. #writing

I’ve come across 3 publishers who are seeking books exactly like mine but they explicitly state they’ll take NOTHING that mentions the pandemic and while mine is not a pandemic book, it is mentioned and an important background detail for the setting. Weird that something so small is such a big deal.

There’s one in particular whose QT comments thread is just a laundry list of authors being like “they requested my full and I sent it and I never heard from them again” and I’m like MA’AM JUST SEND A REJECTION.

The green Duolingo owl mascot holding a gun.

Not me showing up in agent’s inboxes like Duolingo if they’ve had my full for over 8 months.

For real. “Highly editorial” agents too will be like “I truly liked this one but the pacing is just slightly off” like okay sounds like a small fixable issue and isn’t that where the “highly editorial” part comes in??? But alas, no 😩

See! I would LOVE that! I’m a huge fan of the edit/revision process. It just seems like no one wants to do it. I’ve even seen several publishers with sub guidelines that state the manuscript should be professionally edited before it’s submitted.

I would like to actually meet someone who had a publisher sign them and then wanted to make BIG changes to their book because right now all my rejections look like “we loved this novel but you misused a semicolon on page 34 and this is a problem that can’t be overcome by anyone ever.” #Writing

THIS IS THE EMPLOYMENT JELLY Drawing of a slime with a briefcase and pencil REBLOG WHENEVER THE HELL YOU LIKE AND YOU'LL GET A JOB THAT YOU LOVE AND DESERVE.

🕯️Manifesting 🕯️

YOURE HERE!!!! So good to see you somewhere other than X 😄

Nothing like receiving a rejection addressed to “Dear Author” 🫠🔫

Sexy venomous puss caterpillar larvae.

elmo from sesame street is standing in front of a fire Alt: elmo from sesame street is standing in front of a wall of flames with his arms raised in satanic glory.

Yaaassss! I welcome our new overlords!

Aaaaaand major bullet dodged. Y’all, stay safe out there. A red flag is a red flag no matter how badly you want a book deal.

Apparently? And editors/publishers have REALLY big feelings about it.

spongebob says i 'm ugly and i 'm proud in front of a flower Alt: spongebob says i 'm ugly and i 'm proud in front of a flower

I may look like I have it all together on the outside, but on the inside I don’t know any other way to indent paragraphs other than using tab.

I also feel like it would be more practical and they’d spend less time sifting through things that weren’t a fit for them.

Like this bio I’m reading details the time they’ve traveled abroad but says nothing about their interests or experience. I’d be roasted to death if I just sent a query to an agent telling them about my recent vacay in Mexico.

I feel like agents should have to present themselves according to the same standards they hold authors to. I should know what you’re looking for in the first sentence. And the STAKES! What are THE STAKES Jennifer?? I don’t care where you got your BA, tell me which shelves you can get my books on.

I bring a certain octogenarian vibe to the hangout that just can’t be found elsewhere.

This is why we can’t have nice things.

a man wearing sunglasses and headphones is holding red flags and says red flags everywhere ! Alt: A man dressed as an American founding father waving around red flags

I recently connected with an indie publisher that I was real excited about… and then…