Ann Rose: What Agents Really Want (And What's Breaking Publishing)

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Writers Community Posts

How to Publish Nonfiction: Agent Alia Hanna Habib's Guide (summer encore series)
June 30, 2026

How to Publish Nonfiction: Agent Alia Hanna Habib's Guide (summer encore series)

WRITERS WITH WRINKLES | Encore EpisodeGetting Your Nonfiction Book Published with Literary Agent Alia Hanna HabibBeth and Lisa welcome literary agent and debut author Alia Hanna Habib, whose book Take It From Me is a practical behind-the-scenes gu…
Literary Agent Ann Rose: What Your First Chapter Needs
June 22, 2026

Literary Agent Ann Rose: What Your First Chapter Needs

What Literary Agent Ann Rose Wants in Your First ChapterIf you're querying right now, you already know the truth: publishing is hard, and it feels harder than it did even a year ago. In a recent episode of Writers With Wrinkles, hosts Beth McMulle…
How to Revise Your Novel: A Developmental Editor's Phase-by-Phase Checklist
June 17, 2026

How to Revise Your Novel: A Developmental Editor's Phase-by-Phase Checklist

Drafting a novel is hard. Revising it well is harder, and it's where most manuscripts either come alive or fall apart. In this re-released episode of Writers With Wrinkles, developmental editor Joel Brigham returns to break down exactly how he …
Stop Making Videos Nobody Watches — Here's a Way to Actually Sell Books
June 8, 2026

Stop Making Videos Nobody Watches — Here's a Way to Actually Sell Books

WRITERS WITH WRINKLES  •  SEASON 5, EPISODE 16Stop Making Videos Nobody Watches — Here's How Authors Actually Sell Books If you've ever spent hours crafting the perfect Instagram reel, posted it to near-silence, a…
Back by Popular Demand: Words on the Page with editor Joel Brigham
June 1, 2026

Back by Popular Demand: Words on the Page with editor Joel Brigham

Joel Brigham runs Brigham Editorial (developmental edits, manuscript critiques, query help), teaches high school English in Illinois, and is an editor for RevPit — a community that gives away free developmental edits each spring.REVPIT…
What Agents Really Want: Inside the Query Process with Nikki Carrero
May 25, 2026

What Agents Really Want: Inside the Query Process with Nikki Carrero

If you’ve ever stared at a rejection email wondering what you did wrong, this one’s for you. Literary agent Nikki Carrero of The Rights Factory joined Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid on Writers With Wrinkles to pull back the curtain on wha…
How to Write Better Stakes & Tension in Your Novel
May 11, 2026

How to Write Better Stakes & Tension in Your Novel

We tackle a publishing debate, draw writing wisdom from Taylor Swift, and dig into one of the most common craft problems in fiction — weak stakes and missing tension. Plus a community book shout-out.THE HARDBACK DEBATEBeth shares a Guardia…
We Read Your First Pages So You Don't Have To Guess
April 27, 2026

We Read Your First Pages So You Don't Have To Guess

First Page Feedback: Charlotte's Hunt for GloryBeth and Lisa critique the opening page of a middle grade fantasy submission and pull out craft lessons for any writer working on those critical first pages.The SubmissionCharlotte's Hunt for…
Rolling With It (And Then Not)
April 22, 2026

Rolling With It (And Then Not)

Writers with Wrinkles — S5E11The One Where Nobody Ordered the Books  |  Beth McMullen & Lisa SchmidLisa Schmid shares a cautionary tale from the Sacramento Book Festival, where a series of logistical failures turned what shou…
Imprints Are Closing. Now What?
April 13, 2026

Imprints Are Closing. Now What?

Literary agent Vicki Weber on the state of publishing, querying smarter, and why you shouldn’t stop writingIf you’ve been paying attention to publishing news lately, you know it’s been rough. Roaring Brook shut down. Dial Books f…
The Truth About the "Second-Time" Query: Life After Losing a Literary Agent, with Amy Trueblood
March 23, 2026

The Truth About the "Second-Time" Query: Life After Losing a Literary Agent, with Amy Trueblood

In the world of publishing, we often celebrate the "big win": signing with that first literary agent. But there is a quieter, more daunting topic that many authors face but few discuss openly—what happens when you and your agent part ways?…
Is Self-Publishing "Legit"? We Have Thoughts.
March 16, 2026

Is Self-Publishing "Legit"? We Have Thoughts.

When an agent recently claimed on social media that indie authors aren't "real" authors, hosts Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid had a lot to say about it — and the numbers back them up.The Business Case for Going IndieThe royalty gap between …
Cracking the Code: Why Mysteries are the Key to Keeping Kids Reading
March 2, 2026

Cracking the Code: Why Mysteries are the Key to Keeping Kids Reading

In our latest episode of Writers with Wrinkles, we were thrilled to welcome back author and literacy advocate Fleur Bradley. Fleur joined us to dive deep into the world of middle grade (MG) and young adult (YA) mysteries, sharing her expert ins…
Book People are the Best People!
Feb. 26, 2026

Book People are the Best People!

In our latest Season 5 bonus episode, we decided it was finally time to clear out our "insanely long" laundry list of burning topics. From the magic of local book swaps to the shifting landscape of digital hangouts, we’re diving into how to fi…
First Pages!
Feb. 16, 2026

First Pages!

Mastering the Middle Grade Opening: Lessons from "Beyond the Moon"Capturing the attention of a middle-grade reader is a unique challenge. You aren’t just competing with other books; you’re competing with short attention spans, school s…