Top 5 Blog Posts: Prologues, Literary Snobs, & Unagented Submissions

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Time sure flies! Since this blog’s launch on Feb. 15, 2014, I’ve published 255 articles on writing, reading, publishing, books, and movies. The five most popular articles focus on effective prologues, signs of a literary snob, and publishers that accept unagented and unsolicited manuscripts.

The ranking excludes my bio and announcements of time-sensitive writing contests. As we wrap up 2017, I want to thank you for visiting my blog. Come back again soon!

Top 5 Blog Posts, 2014-2017

In Praise of the Vilified Prologue: Top 10 Novels with Prologues (Dec. 11, 2014)

In Elmore Leonard’s famous 10 rules for writing, the second rule is: Avoid prologues. “They can be annoying,” he wrote. “A prologue in a novel is back story, and you can drop it in anywhere you want.”  While it’s true that in many cases, prologues don’t work, it doesn’t mean prologues are always bad. In fact, there are many writers who have pulled it off.

Here are 10 novels off the top of my head that prove prologue critics wrong. I’m sure there are many others I haven’t read. How about you? Share your favorite novel with a prologue; leave a comment below. Read the entire article.

Small Presses: 2 Publishers that Accept Unagented and Unsolicited Submissions (Jan. 5, 2015)

Small and independent publishers offer an option for unpublished writers who don’t want to self-publish. Quirk Books and Köehler Books are among those that accept unagented and unsolicited submissions.

While big publishing houses only accept manuscripts submitted by literary agents, small and independent publishers like Quirk Books and Köehler Books are more open. An “unagented” submission means a manuscript from a writer without a literary agent, while “unsolicited” refers to a manuscript that was not requested by the publisher. Read the entire article.

2 Small Publishers Accept Unagented Submissions of Literary Fiction and Genres (Sept. 7, 2016)

If you have an unpublished manuscript, gear up for submission this fall. Black Balloon Publishing is open to unagented and unsolicited submissions of literary fiction and nonfiction in October, while Indigo Sea Press welcomes submissions of mainstream fiction and various genres throughout the year. Read the entire article.

3 HarperCollins Digital Imprints Accept Unagented & Unsolicited Submissions (Jan. 4, 2016)

Three digital imprints owned by HarperCollins, a Big Five publishing company, are seeking manuscripts for romance, mystery, suspense, thriller, and visionary or “transformational” fiction. If you have an unpublished manuscript in those genres, start the New Year right and prepare your work for submission. HarperCollins doesn’t accept unagented and unsolicited manuscripts except for these digital imprints. Read the entire article.

Are You a Literary Snob? 6 Signs to Watch For (July 30, 2014)

Is reading literature a form of snobbery? Literature has always been associated with the upper class because traditionally only rich people have access to it. They are also more likely to have the education necessary to appreciate literature. But in this day and age of global communication, when you don’t have to be able to read or understand a single word of French to appreciate Proust, is it still snobbish to read “Remembrance of Things Past?” Read the entire article.

Wishing you all the best in 2018!

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Posted by cindyfazzi on December 27, 2017

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