You. A Published Author. Yes, You!
Written by Ellen Marie Hawkins, "RELATE" Contributing Writer
Market guide. Literary Agent. Query. If these words confuse you but you would like to be a writer, they’re words to familiarize yourself with. These are the gates into the publishing world, and every writer who’s peeked inside understands them and how they will help.
In Tina P. Schwartz’s new book Writing and Publishing: The Ultimate Teen Guide (It Happened to Me), you will not only get a better understanding of what these words mean, but you will get a new perspective of what it means to be a writer who could potentially see her words in print. The book addresses many careers where writers can utilize their talents including advertising and even songwriting.
Learn how to submit your work to magazines and agents, and see what colleges and courses of study she recommends. She also gives advice about critique groups and how to avoid every writer’s pitfalls such as distractions, writer’s block and isolation. And she sought out answers from other writers who were published when they were teens, the advice that matters the most because they’ve been where you are right now.
Tina graduated from Columbia College and has a BA in Marketing Communications. Besides marketing, she has not only been a freelancer but a librarian, as well. She has also written books on motorcross freestyle (she describes herself as a tomboy and enjoys extreme sports) and organ transplants.
“I wrote this book,” Tina says, “to encourage them [writers] and to serve as a reference. It answers their questions in a way that is simple and easy to understand.”
This book can be found at www.scarecrowpress.com and www.amazon.com. It is published by Scarecrow press and costs $42.00, but Amazon will often provide books for a cheaper price so keep checking their site.
There is more to being a writer than just writing, and this book gives you a lot to think about and consider. Check out Tina’s interview that follows!
_________________________________________________
Tina P. Schwartz, author of Writing and Publishing: The Ultimate Teen Guide answered a few questions about writing and her new book. Not all of her responses were expected, but each one was honest and thought-provoking. Writing is part of everyday life for most of us, and Tina has great perspective on what can be a difficult task for many but what can become a joy for us all.
Relate: Give us two reasons why young writers should read your book.
TINA: First, there are SO many things young people can do with their writing talents. There are an abundance of careers they can choose, and my book takes a good look at the many options available to people who want to turn their talents into a career. Secondly, basics are discussed with writing exercises, along with many “how-to’s” on basic writing and professional writing (such as query letters, etc.). I hope this book includes everything from how to write a journal, to a short story or article, to an entire book…then what to do with your finished piece to get it published.
Relate: In one sentence, what is the best advice you could give to an aspiring author?
TINA: Read and write EVERY day . . . train like an athlete, even if it’s only 15 minutes a day to start.
Relate: What is the best question you’ve ever been asked about writing and what is your response?
TINA: “As a kid, were you a bookworm?” My answer was “no.” I didn’t really like reading as a child, and even now, I’m a picky/reluctant reader. I read EVERY day and love it now, but am very selective about the things I read…that’s why I wanted to write. I wanted to create something that would make people LIKE to read, who normally didn’t enjoy it.
R: Tell me about your first rejection and what you learned from it. How about your first acceptance?
T: I was actually very excited by my first rejection. It made me feel like a professional writer finally. To know that an actual editor had read my stuff validated me. I was finally in the “club” of writers…after all, my favorites like Stephen King and S.E. Hinton had received hundreds of rejections, and now I had something they had, too.
My first acceptance was amazing! I received word via e-mail, and it was late at night when my family was sleeping, so I was dancing around the room with my dog, then finally called my mom and woke her up. I had to tell SOMEONE the great news!
R: What inspires you to write and what motivated you to write this book?
T: My biggest motivation to write is to get those reluctant readers to pick up a book and enjoy the experience from cover to cover. I remember what a chore reading was as a kid, and if I had learned to like reading earlier, it would have made everything in life from school to work much easier. I love reading now, and once I find a good book, I’ll push aside almost everything to finish it in one sitting if I’m able! That’s how “hooked” I get.
As far as motivation to write this book, I tried to write a book that will help readers and writers of any age. Writing is such a giving experience, it’s cathartic and a joy. I want anyone with an inkling of motivation to experience what writing can give to a person. It’s a very satisfying thing to see something you create in your mind and heart being read and then discussed with someone, and hearing his/her interpretations and thoughts, and what it meant to him/her.
R: For you, what is the most difficult part about being a writer? The most rewarding?
T: The most difficult part is the isolation of the job. I spend most of my writing time alone late at night at a local coffee shop, or up in my office when everyone in my house is sleeping. (That’s why I stress the importance of critique groups in my book so you can have feedback and camaraderie.)
The most rewarding is to receive a note, email or letter from someone who read your work, and was genuinely touched or inspired. I wrote about organ transplants after my father received a liver transplant, and the letters I received touched my heart and made the months and months of work really worth while. The interaction with the readers is the most rewarding part, I’d say.
Be sure to pick up a copy of WRITING AND PUBLISHING: The Ultimate Teen Guide or check it out at your local public library. It just might encourage you to go down a path you hadn’t yet considered or might give you the extra motivation to submit for the first time when you weren’t sure how to do it. And if you’ve read the book, let us know your thoughts!
*************************************************************
www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/tina-p-schwartz-purcell-agency/
PROFILE: Tina P. Schwartz of The Purcell Agency,
by Kirkus Reviews, 2014
What are some trends you’ve noticed throughout 2014?
“Dystopian” is a genre that some say is a trend (The Hunger Games, Divergent, Gone). But I feel it is its own genre that is here to stay. The debate on that is open.
Also, regarding middle-grade books especially, the age-old adage of “Boys don’t read because there aren’t enough boy books,” and “We don’t want ‘boy books’ because enough boys don’t read,” is like the chicken-and-the-egg quandary. I represent several boy books, but editors seem reluctant to sign on to them, initially. Books like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is popular for boys, but how does an author break into that category? By writing something completely new and unique, such as Wonder (2012).
What are you anticipating for 2015?
Fantasy is superhot, but unfortunately, it is a genre I do not represent. (However, I’d say around 50 percent of the submissions I receive are for this genre.) I think coming-of-age books are the quickest sellers for me and what I gravitate toward, as well. I sold two books that I’d consider “coming-of-age” last year. One was about a wealthy Vietnamese girl in the 1970s who left her family and country, per her family’s urging, to come to America on a fishing trawler. She spent time in a refugee camp and overcame many harsh circumstances to find love and freedom. The second book was edgy realistic fiction dealing with one parent’s mental illness and trust issues with the other parent, who ended up in jail on child pornography charges. The protagonist must learn to let go, to trust and to find her own way in the world.
What book/genre/topic would you like to see cross your transom?
Realistic fiction is my favorite. I like coming-of-age stories where you can really see a character grow and evolve! The teen years, in a person’s life, are so exciting and difficult. That transition from kid to adult is full of emotions, struggles, good times and bad, just tons of feelings bubbling up to the surface. It’s thrilling to be able to feel like you, as a reader, are a part of someone’s life at that time.
What topic don’t you ever want to see again?
I don’t particularly care for vampires, personally.
What is unique about your corner of the industry?
I represent mainly middle-grade and young-adult literature. Young adult is so hot, as a market, with the trend of making books into movies. I saw a poster at my local Barnes & Noble that had approximately eight to 10 titles of books being made into movies. It’s pretty exciting!
Anything else you’d like to add?
A note for authors: Books with new, fresh concepts are a rare treat but ones that succeed most often. If a writer has a new idea, or a fresh take on a traditional idea, get it down on paper, and get it out there in the marketplace! Don’t worry that you think it’s too “out there”: It might be just what readers need and are thirsting for. (A great example is a book called Every Day (2013) by David Levithan!)
Tina P. Schwartz is both an author and a literary agent. A Columbia College (Chicago) graduate with a marketing communications degree, she spent her early adult years in advertising, mainly in radio sales. After writing 10 books and helping several others get published, she turned to her true passion, selling manuscripts. In July 2012, she opened The Purcell Agency, LLC. You can find out more about her at www.ThePurcellAgency.com or www.tinaPschwartz.com.
****************************************************************
INTERVIEW BY AUTHOR Melody Maysonet regarding Agent Tina P. Schwartz circa 2014
www.melodymaysonet.com/2014/10/an-interview-with-literary-agent-tina-p-schwartz-of-the-purcell-agency/
*****************************************************************
Book Covers Grab Publishing Contracts- Tina P. SchwartzMay 24, 2007 by Chris
The full Writer’s Webcast audio interview with Tina P. Schwartz is now online at www.waukegan.org.
Tina P. Schwartz does more than visualize what the book she wants to write will look like when published.She makes a mock up book cover to motivate herself and entice publishers.
Tina was at one conference, with a mock up cover, when a publisher approached her.
“Is this one of ours?” the publisher asked Tina, zeroing in on the similarity with what Tina was offering and what had already been published. Tina’s book idea wasn’t spoken for.
“It could be,” Tina quickly responded, taking advantage of the publisher’s interest to demonstrate why this was a good topic and why she was the perfect person to write about it.
Tina makes a mock up book jacket on her computer. It looks just like an existing book and has her name displayed, too. The book cover generates interest from a publisher or editor at a convention. Then, Tina says she uses plenty of enthusiasm to close the sale since she likes to write about topics she has some experience with or a special interest in.
“Personality and charm are vastly underrated,” she jokingly maintains, but only half heartedly since showing a publisher her interest is what made each of the books possible.
“Your passion comes through when you are really into something,” she said in our discussion that continued after we stopped recording the interview.
Her dad received an organ transplant, a story that she reveals in Organ Transplants. Her son was interested in bmx bike riding, which lead her to Motorcross. Tina teaches writing in adult education programs and Writing and Publishing, The Many Career Opportunities will be published this fall. Tina’s interest in teens and writing has lead her to another book she is developing about cutting, kids who cut themselves. The year all of her friends turned against her is about one difficult year growing up and is the basis for a novel.
With a family, writing, teaching, and a financial consulting job, Tina says there’s no such thing as not having enough time to write.
“What are you willing to give up?” she asks.
For Tina is has been watching TV in the evenings. But, it hasn’t really been a huge sacrifice. “There is nothing good on anyway,” she says.
Written by Ellen Marie Hawkins, "RELATE" Contributing Writer
Market guide. Literary Agent. Query. If these words confuse you but you would like to be a writer, they’re words to familiarize yourself with. These are the gates into the publishing world, and every writer who’s peeked inside understands them and how they will help.
In Tina P. Schwartz’s new book Writing and Publishing: The Ultimate Teen Guide (It Happened to Me), you will not only get a better understanding of what these words mean, but you will get a new perspective of what it means to be a writer who could potentially see her words in print. The book addresses many careers where writers can utilize their talents including advertising and even songwriting.
Learn how to submit your work to magazines and agents, and see what colleges and courses of study she recommends. She also gives advice about critique groups and how to avoid every writer’s pitfalls such as distractions, writer’s block and isolation. And she sought out answers from other writers who were published when they were teens, the advice that matters the most because they’ve been where you are right now.
Tina graduated from Columbia College and has a BA in Marketing Communications. Besides marketing, she has not only been a freelancer but a librarian, as well. She has also written books on motorcross freestyle (she describes herself as a tomboy and enjoys extreme sports) and organ transplants.
“I wrote this book,” Tina says, “to encourage them [writers] and to serve as a reference. It answers their questions in a way that is simple and easy to understand.”
This book can be found at www.scarecrowpress.com and www.amazon.com. It is published by Scarecrow press and costs $42.00, but Amazon will often provide books for a cheaper price so keep checking their site.
There is more to being a writer than just writing, and this book gives you a lot to think about and consider. Check out Tina’s interview that follows!
_________________________________________________
Tina P. Schwartz, author of Writing and Publishing: The Ultimate Teen Guide answered a few questions about writing and her new book. Not all of her responses were expected, but each one was honest and thought-provoking. Writing is part of everyday life for most of us, and Tina has great perspective on what can be a difficult task for many but what can become a joy for us all.
Relate: Give us two reasons why young writers should read your book.
TINA: First, there are SO many things young people can do with their writing talents. There are an abundance of careers they can choose, and my book takes a good look at the many options available to people who want to turn their talents into a career. Secondly, basics are discussed with writing exercises, along with many “how-to’s” on basic writing and professional writing (such as query letters, etc.). I hope this book includes everything from how to write a journal, to a short story or article, to an entire book…then what to do with your finished piece to get it published.
Relate: In one sentence, what is the best advice you could give to an aspiring author?
TINA: Read and write EVERY day . . . train like an athlete, even if it’s only 15 minutes a day to start.
Relate: What is the best question you’ve ever been asked about writing and what is your response?
TINA: “As a kid, were you a bookworm?” My answer was “no.” I didn’t really like reading as a child, and even now, I’m a picky/reluctant reader. I read EVERY day and love it now, but am very selective about the things I read…that’s why I wanted to write. I wanted to create something that would make people LIKE to read, who normally didn’t enjoy it.
R: Tell me about your first rejection and what you learned from it. How about your first acceptance?
T: I was actually very excited by my first rejection. It made me feel like a professional writer finally. To know that an actual editor had read my stuff validated me. I was finally in the “club” of writers…after all, my favorites like Stephen King and S.E. Hinton had received hundreds of rejections, and now I had something they had, too.
My first acceptance was amazing! I received word via e-mail, and it was late at night when my family was sleeping, so I was dancing around the room with my dog, then finally called my mom and woke her up. I had to tell SOMEONE the great news!
R: What inspires you to write and what motivated you to write this book?
T: My biggest motivation to write is to get those reluctant readers to pick up a book and enjoy the experience from cover to cover. I remember what a chore reading was as a kid, and if I had learned to like reading earlier, it would have made everything in life from school to work much easier. I love reading now, and once I find a good book, I’ll push aside almost everything to finish it in one sitting if I’m able! That’s how “hooked” I get.
As far as motivation to write this book, I tried to write a book that will help readers and writers of any age. Writing is such a giving experience, it’s cathartic and a joy. I want anyone with an inkling of motivation to experience what writing can give to a person. It’s a very satisfying thing to see something you create in your mind and heart being read and then discussed with someone, and hearing his/her interpretations and thoughts, and what it meant to him/her.
R: For you, what is the most difficult part about being a writer? The most rewarding?
T: The most difficult part is the isolation of the job. I spend most of my writing time alone late at night at a local coffee shop, or up in my office when everyone in my house is sleeping. (That’s why I stress the importance of critique groups in my book so you can have feedback and camaraderie.)
The most rewarding is to receive a note, email or letter from someone who read your work, and was genuinely touched or inspired. I wrote about organ transplants after my father received a liver transplant, and the letters I received touched my heart and made the months and months of work really worth while. The interaction with the readers is the most rewarding part, I’d say.
Be sure to pick up a copy of WRITING AND PUBLISHING: The Ultimate Teen Guide or check it out at your local public library. It just might encourage you to go down a path you hadn’t yet considered or might give you the extra motivation to submit for the first time when you weren’t sure how to do it. And if you’ve read the book, let us know your thoughts!
*************************************************************
www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/tina-p-schwartz-purcell-agency/
PROFILE: Tina P. Schwartz of The Purcell Agency,
by Kirkus Reviews, 2014
What are some trends you’ve noticed throughout 2014?
“Dystopian” is a genre that some say is a trend (The Hunger Games, Divergent, Gone). But I feel it is its own genre that is here to stay. The debate on that is open.
Also, regarding middle-grade books especially, the age-old adage of “Boys don’t read because there aren’t enough boy books,” and “We don’t want ‘boy books’ because enough boys don’t read,” is like the chicken-and-the-egg quandary. I represent several boy books, but editors seem reluctant to sign on to them, initially. Books like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is popular for boys, but how does an author break into that category? By writing something completely new and unique, such as Wonder (2012).
What are you anticipating for 2015?
Fantasy is superhot, but unfortunately, it is a genre I do not represent. (However, I’d say around 50 percent of the submissions I receive are for this genre.) I think coming-of-age books are the quickest sellers for me and what I gravitate toward, as well. I sold two books that I’d consider “coming-of-age” last year. One was about a wealthy Vietnamese girl in the 1970s who left her family and country, per her family’s urging, to come to America on a fishing trawler. She spent time in a refugee camp and overcame many harsh circumstances to find love and freedom. The second book was edgy realistic fiction dealing with one parent’s mental illness and trust issues with the other parent, who ended up in jail on child pornography charges. The protagonist must learn to let go, to trust and to find her own way in the world.
What book/genre/topic would you like to see cross your transom?
Realistic fiction is my favorite. I like coming-of-age stories where you can really see a character grow and evolve! The teen years, in a person’s life, are so exciting and difficult. That transition from kid to adult is full of emotions, struggles, good times and bad, just tons of feelings bubbling up to the surface. It’s thrilling to be able to feel like you, as a reader, are a part of someone’s life at that time.
What topic don’t you ever want to see again?
I don’t particularly care for vampires, personally.
What is unique about your corner of the industry?
I represent mainly middle-grade and young-adult literature. Young adult is so hot, as a market, with the trend of making books into movies. I saw a poster at my local Barnes & Noble that had approximately eight to 10 titles of books being made into movies. It’s pretty exciting!
Anything else you’d like to add?
A note for authors: Books with new, fresh concepts are a rare treat but ones that succeed most often. If a writer has a new idea, or a fresh take on a traditional idea, get it down on paper, and get it out there in the marketplace! Don’t worry that you think it’s too “out there”: It might be just what readers need and are thirsting for. (A great example is a book called Every Day (2013) by David Levithan!)
Tina P. Schwartz is both an author and a literary agent. A Columbia College (Chicago) graduate with a marketing communications degree, she spent her early adult years in advertising, mainly in radio sales. After writing 10 books and helping several others get published, she turned to her true passion, selling manuscripts. In July 2012, she opened The Purcell Agency, LLC. You can find out more about her at www.ThePurcellAgency.com or www.tinaPschwartz.com.
****************************************************************
INTERVIEW BY AUTHOR Melody Maysonet regarding Agent Tina P. Schwartz circa 2014
www.melodymaysonet.com/2014/10/an-interview-with-literary-agent-tina-p-schwartz-of-the-purcell-agency/
*****************************************************************
Book Covers Grab Publishing Contracts- Tina P. SchwartzMay 24, 2007 by Chris
The full Writer’s Webcast audio interview with Tina P. Schwartz is now online at www.waukegan.org.
Tina P. Schwartz does more than visualize what the book she wants to write will look like when published.She makes a mock up book cover to motivate herself and entice publishers.
Tina was at one conference, with a mock up cover, when a publisher approached her.
“Is this one of ours?” the publisher asked Tina, zeroing in on the similarity with what Tina was offering and what had already been published. Tina’s book idea wasn’t spoken for.
“It could be,” Tina quickly responded, taking advantage of the publisher’s interest to demonstrate why this was a good topic and why she was the perfect person to write about it.
Tina makes a mock up book jacket on her computer. It looks just like an existing book and has her name displayed, too. The book cover generates interest from a publisher or editor at a convention. Then, Tina says she uses plenty of enthusiasm to close the sale since she likes to write about topics she has some experience with or a special interest in.
“Personality and charm are vastly underrated,” she jokingly maintains, but only half heartedly since showing a publisher her interest is what made each of the books possible.
“Your passion comes through when you are really into something,” she said in our discussion that continued after we stopped recording the interview.
Her dad received an organ transplant, a story that she reveals in Organ Transplants. Her son was interested in bmx bike riding, which lead her to Motorcross. Tina teaches writing in adult education programs and Writing and Publishing, The Many Career Opportunities will be published this fall. Tina’s interest in teens and writing has lead her to another book she is developing about cutting, kids who cut themselves. The year all of her friends turned against her is about one difficult year growing up and is the basis for a novel.
With a family, writing, teaching, and a financial consulting job, Tina says there’s no such thing as not having enough time to write.
“What are you willing to give up?” she asks.
For Tina is has been watching TV in the evenings. But, it hasn’t really been a huge sacrifice. “There is nothing good on anyway,” she says.
