It's a Jennie AMA!
Ask me anything about anything--open to all subscribers (for now)
CLOSED
It’s time for Fall AMAs! From now until the end of 2024, we will take turns answering ALL your questions, pretty much about whatever. The first four will be free for all subscribers; after this week we’ll be opening these to supporters only.
Here’s how this works:
Questions should be submitted as comments on this post by 11:59 pm EDT on Thursday, October 10. I’ll pop back in to answer them in the comments as I can, and I’ll answer them all by 5 pm EDT on Saturday, October 12, at which point I’ll mark the AMA as closed and close the post to comments (although the questions and answers will stay here to be read at any point.)
Here are a few reminders about these events:
Ask anything! All questions are welcome. If you’re wondering, someone else probably is too.
Feel free to comment on other writer’s posts, and to always be kind when you do so. Writing books is hard work and you never know where someone is on the path. We strive to lift everyone up and would ask you to do the same. Connecting with others here is a great way to build community — so jump in!
Please remember that we can’t read anyone’s work.
Please don’t promote your own editorial services or other work here. That’s not what this space is for.
The AMAs are not “live.” The hosts will check in and respond while the AMA is live but they’re not on call—please recognize that responses may be speedy, or may take time.
Ask away!
This is Jennie’s week and Jennie loves to talk about:
The creative process — how you do what you do, what is working, what is not
Book structure in all genres — how does the form of what you are writing support the function?
How to start a project — challenging yourself to ask WHY about everything before you start to write
What to do when you are stuck
The revision process
What makes a book commercially viable
How/when/why to ask for help
Book coaches and book coaching
Lots of other writing topics — try me!
When is the best time to get a book coach? I have a blueprint outline and some essays, but I believe I need to write a good portion of the book before working with a coach. She/he would need to read enough to know whether or not they could be of help. What do you think? Thanks.
Hi, Jenny! Thanks for this opportunity to ask about choosing the appropriate genre. I have queried my debut novel to different agents citing a genre appropriate to the novel and to the agent’s preference: family saga, book club fiction, women’s fiction (hate that designation). Recently, I live-pitched the novel as women’s fiction and the agent remarked that she would have to pass because she doesn’t represent historical fiction, which I never mentioned. Yes, there is a trans generational part to the plot, but I don’t see how that makes it a historical novel. My question: Is there a resource which breaks down the difference between genres, particularly when there can be crossover?