Jerilyn Winstead Encyclopedeia Magica, Jer's Updates, Law of Attraction

I signed with a publisher – first time author!

After three and a half years and two literary agents as a first time author, I finally landed a publisher for my own debut novel series! IT’S HAPPENING! Join me on my journey as I share my progress and the best advice for writers I’ve learned (and am learning) along the way.

Book agents: first time authors

Timeline: in 2017 I was close to finishing my novel draft. Friends talked me into attending BarCon at the Pike’s Peak Writing Conference, since it was too late to get in for the full conference. I’d been studying the Law of Attraction and said a prayer before entering, then I found my friends and networked around the room. A friend from my first writer’s group introduced me to a book agent because he felt she would be a great fit for my unusual book. I had five minutes with her as I pitched my novel, and right away she caught the vision and asked for a full manuscript! I couldn’t believe it! I stammered that it wasn’t quite finished yet, and she told me to take my time and to send it in once it was done.

WOW – I didn’t expect to connect with a literary agent as a first time author before my book was even done! A little over a year later, she became my agent.

My writing advice for authors: join local writer’s groups (find the right one for your needs), and begin attending writer’s conferences as soon as you can, even before your novel is finished. You will learn SO MUCH, make new friends, and some possible vital connections.

My first literary agent as a first time author

I finished my novel draft in a few months, but surprisingly it took me a full year to get through the revision process. In 2018, I won a scholarship to the Pike’s Peak Writer’s Conference and was able to attend the full conference this time. Again the Law of Attraction came through – usually you get to pitch to one agent or acquiring editor at the conference. But this year it worked out that I got to pitch to all five of the agents/editors that I was interested in! I couldn’t believe it!

My debut novel is quite unusual – a real potions textbook, interactive novel, and puzzle workbook. I received some interest mockup cover by Jerilynfrom someone higher up within one publisher, but got all rejections from the actual agents. Still, it was great practicing my elevator pitch.

Writing advice for authors: be sure to craft and hone your elevator pitch for your novel idea. Do NOT start describing the whole story, plot, or characters to people (only amateurs do this and no one likes to sit and listen to more than five minutes of your story – make them want to read it). Just pitch 1-2 sentences to hook them.

I actually finished my novel in June 2018. I queried many agents and also sent the full ms to that first agent from 2017. After many rejections, that original agent got back to me in August and requested to become my book agent – as a first time author, I said YES!

It was such a thrill to be able to say the words “my agent” over the next couple of years. WOW!

How to find a publisher as a first time author

Getting a literary agent as a first time author is a rare thing – you’ve passed your first major hurdle and it means your writing really is quality. Your book agent is like the first test – you passed! They are also sort of like an angel investor – they are taking a chance on you and investing their own free time to help you revise and hone your work until it’s perfect.

For us, it took us another full year going back and forth as she helped me to uplevel my novel. We performed alchemy on my alchemy novel – taking it apart, improving the separate sections, then putting it all back together. It was a truly incredible experience which later led me to become a freelance editor, helping other new authors to perfect their novels via Upwork.

In late August 2019 my husband and I got to spend four days in London, which helped me to fact-check for my novel and make a few important changes as soon as I got back. My book agent was ready and she began pitching my novel to the major publishers in the US. She spent about a year – yes, through the 2020 Covid mess – but by October 2020, after she’d stopped communicating with me, I reached out and found out that she’d given up as she hadn’t been able to sell it. My magical book was now back in my hands and I no longer had an agent!

Writing advice for authors: when you have a book agent as a first time author, don’t wait around too long without hearing from them. Reach out regularly for updates. Agents and publishers are notorious for being really bad at communicating with their authors.

Getting my second literary agent as a first time author

I found myself in a really bad position. I did research and discovered this is a bad place to be. No agent would pick me up now that all the major publishers had rejected my novel – one of the struggles of finding a book agent as a first time author. What to do?

I was at a pretty low point through the rest of 2020 and most of 2021. I basically didn’t do much with my novel. Needing income, I built up my contract writing and editing services on Upwork and met with success on that platform, building a part-time income as well as a robust and varied portfolio. I maintained high reviews and became experienced as a professional contract ghostwriter, writer, editor, developmental editor, proofreader, and more. This later served me well in advancing my author career – I had real “writing cred” in the professional world.

One of my clients had me ghostwriting for him and knew my writing was top-notch. The Law of Attraction came through again and I received the inner guidance to reach out and ask this guy to become my literary agent. He was running three different businesses related to books, book marketing, and turning books into films. He wasn’t really an agent, but he’d been in the publishing industry for a long time. He was an American living in the U.K. and my novel is set in 1665 London.

So I contacted him and proposed the idea. I discovered that he is an agent to a few select authors. He requested my ms and then put it through his process – having his own team of readers to read it first. My novel passed his test – every one of them recommended he move forward – this was amazing! He told me that rarely happens. So then he took the time to read it, and in October 2021 he became my second book agent as a first time author! WOO-HOO!

My confidence restored as once again I could say “I have an agent.” I hoped that with his long-time connections in the publishing world, especially in the U.K., he’d be able to sell my magic school interactive novel/textbook.

Writing advice for authors: listen to your inner guidance and take a bold move when you receive inspiration. Have courage and do it!

Letting go of my literary agent as a first time author

For the following year I had an agent, but he was so busy and spread thin that he never got around to pitching my novel to anyone. I’d read of one woman who’d begun querying directly to publishers as a first time author – there are some smaller publishers which do allow direct queries. She landed her own publisher in two weeks after having had and lost three agents!

I gave my second agent a little over a year, but also began pitching it directly to small publishers myself. When one – a sci-fi publisher who I’d just interviewed with for a job and were willing to look over my ms – wanted to communicate directly with my agent, my agent did the job of talking it over with that publisher – it was another polite rejection. (I didn’t get the job either, although I was in the top three).

By now I was working through Lacy Phillips’ To Be Magnetic courses online, learning to build my Law of Attraction magnetism, working through subconscious blocks, etc. As the year 2022 turned into 2023, I realized I had to take the courage to “fire” my agent. He’d had health issues and just didn’t have time for everything on his plate. We parted amicably, both agreeing this was the right move. Once again I was without a book agent as a first time author!

By now I’d taken a highly detailed and well-done course by Sara Cannon (on YouTube as Heart Breathings) all about self-publishing. I had the information, but I couldn’t shake my inner knowing, which stayed with me without fail, that my novel was going to be traditionally published.

Writing advice for authors: be sure to learn everything you can about the three main paths to publishing: “trad” (traditional publishing, usually with a literary agent); “indie” which means self-publishing, becoming an independent author where you do all the work of publishing and marketing, every step as a small business owner; and “hybrid” where you pay a publishing company to handle many of the nitty-gritty publishing tasks. There is a slight difference, I believe, between “vanity publishers” which just want to take your money, and a true “hybrid” publisher which works with you, handles the cover art and publishing details (which you’d have to find and pay for a la carte in any case), who help you come up with a marketing plan, etc.

How to find a publisher as a first time author – without an agent

There are lists online of many small publishers which do accept queries by unagented authors. I recommend the Reedsy website’s articles on this. Also, you will meet publishers and editors at writer’s conferences – attend these! (I go every year now, saving up all year.)

I had made my “List” – a list of all the specific traits I was looking for in a publisher. Six months later the Law of Attraction (and all the years of inner work I was doing) used my own mother to help me find my perfect publisher! She heard of a small publisher in her state, Kentucky, and told me about them. In March 2023 I looked them over and submitted my manuscript. Within DAYS they reached out and told me they were interested in signing with me, and would I look over their sample contract?

OH MY GOODNESS – after all these years, it was FINALLY happening! I had a full uplevel experience in my whole being as I consulted with a lawyer friend, who looked over the contract (since I had no agent), I made a couple of tweaks and then signed with my own perfect publisher! They matched every single thing on my list. I also found out that they specialize in publishing unusual books. They sell their books at cons (like I’m planning to do) and the Kentucky Renaissance Festival every summer – wearing medieval garb like me! They are small but agile and will launch my book in six months – WOW – that’s unheard-of in the publishing industry. That means I could potentially publish one book a year of my magic textbook series! They are called Line by Lion Publishing on Facebook under the company Pixel & Pen Studios.

And what is my debut novel? Do you remember in the first Harry Potter movie when he opened a book in the Restricted Section and a face screamed out at him? I wrote that book. 😉 Okay, at least something in my creative mind triggered the idea for what that textbook could be – and I wrote it. It’s my answer to wishing I could go to Hogwarts and take a Potions class. I wrote a real beginning Potions textbook, only there’s something wrong with it (just like many things found in magic schools). It’s called Encyclopaedia Magica – Volume 1: Alchemy. Pre-orders are coming up and the book should be available Fall 2023! WOO-HOO!

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Jerilyn Winstead Jer's Updates, Writing Hacks

Get a Book Agent – I’ve been signed!

This journey of becoming a novelist and writer has been so fascinating. After working on my great big idea, my very unusual novel, on and off for sevearl years, I finally finished and got a book agent (also called a literary agent). This author can’t stop dancing!

Becoming a Writer

From the beginning and throughout the entire process I’ve been studying, learning and practicing the principles of the Law of Attraction – reading all the books by Esther Hicks, the original source of this material. There are also a ton of YouTube videos where you can listen to Esther Hicks answer all kinds of questions. You can also search under Abraham Hicks.

Through these principles I first asked for an original idea for my own novel. The next morning I awoke with the first few sentences in my head. The whole idea was full of magic and I’ve been enchanted with it ever since, even though my work on it was on again – off again, for many years.

Finishing the Novel

At a sci-fi/fantasy conference I took an author’s workshop. When she learned about my idea, she became so excited she offered to write the blurb on the back for me. Her enthusiasm acted as a catalyst and I began writing in earnest. I joined a local writer’s group whose main goal is to get our novels done. In about a year, and with the help of NaNoWriMo virtual camps, I finally finished my novel. Then I spent another whole year plus a few months revising and editing the novel, studying and applying the craft of writing from recommended books like The GMC, My Story Can Beat Up Your Story, and Editor-Proof Your Writing.

Get a Book Agent

A writer friend highly recommend I attend the local annual writer’s conference. We have a big one here in Colorado Springs: The Pike’s Peak Writer’s Conference. It is so popular and fun that even the speakers often ask to come back.

While I was still writing my novel, not quite finished, I went to the writer’s conference one evening to attend “Bar-Con,” where everyone networks around the bar. A writer friend introduced me to my future agent, though I didn’t know it at the time. But I was able to pitch my story to her and she immediately saw the vision of my unique book. She asked for the full manuscript–a miracle in itself! I told her it wasn’t quite done, and she said to take my time, not to worry. Of course, I didn’t expect it to take over a year later!

Many Queries Later

I completely finished my book, revisions and everything, finally. This year I attended the full 4-day writer’s conference and pitched my story to five agents, receiving five rejections and one literary director and editor who loved it. I sent the full ms to the original agent from last conference, and also queried it out to about 15 agents in the U.S. and the U.K. (my story is set in 1665 London). Then I waited for two months, sending it out to agents here and there.

In August my agent, Natalie Lakosil, told me she loved my book. She arranged a phone call and offered me representation! By now, I’d received enough rejections that I accepted from the original agent who saw the vision.

Next Steps

It was so exciting to get a book agent! Now I’m in the interesting phase of Natalie and I collaborating to make my novel even better with more revisions and edits. I knew going in this would happen somewhere along the line towards publishing, and I’m really enjoying watching my novel get better and better. I’m learning that a good novel is sometimes more about what the author takes out, than what she leaves in. Less can be more, allowing the reader to bring more of themselves and interpretations to the story.

So what is the big idea, what is my unusual novel? It’s a potions textbook that has accidentally gotten out of Hogwarts and into the muggle world. It looks like an old encyclopedeia, with black and white woodcuts throughout. When you start reading Encyclopedeia Magica: Volume 1 – Alchemy, you discover there is something weird and alive in this book. Without giving it away, let’s just say you will be pulled in to becoming the magical hero of the story, if you wish to take on the challenge, and learn about a young girl who had to dress like a boy and became an alchemist’s apprentice, before the book defeated her. Now it is up to you to save her!

What is the take-away to get a book agent?

  • Study and practice the Law of Attraction, to bring the right ideas, circumstances and people into your life – everything by Esther Hicks and Abraham Hicks
  • Join local writer’s groups. Go to your nearest, best writer’s conference (they offer scholarships).
  • Make yourself write, study the craft, and finish your novel.
  • Network with agents and editors at conferences. You can also query your writing to agents with the online service, DuoTrope – worth the $5/month.

Onward and upward, my writing friends!Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

Jerilyn Winstead Jer's Updates

Receiving Inspiration and NaNoWriMo Saves the Day

I learned that several famous authors received their original ideas by inspiration – from a dream or the like. So, many years ago, I prayed to receive an inspiration for a novel. The next morning I woke up with the first couple of sentences in my head, I saw it clearly: “Alpha, first letter of the Greek alphabet…Hello, my name is Alpha, I am trapped, please help me…”  Alpha reached out to me from the ether and told me of her plight.

So I received a tiny germ of an idea, just the first few sentences (I’m not including it all here since I don’t want to give the story away). The idea fascinated me, captured my imagination, sent a thrill through me. What will happen to Alpha? What happens in my story? What is Alpha’s story? I knew the book was like an old encyclopedeia with alchemical terms, like a Potions Class from Hogwarts. This novel is my answer to a deep desire to attend Hogwarts.

Thus began my journey as I worked on my first novel, on and off, for many years. It required a lot of research, which I love to do. I struggled the most with finding consistent time to make myself work on it – the first challenge of all writers. I was also running a business, then started a second, and raising four teenagers. My auburn hair began to gray.

But I continued working on my novel off and on for several years, spending the bulk of my time doing historical research and learning alchemy myself.

Then I met full-time author Susanne Lambdin at GalaxyFest and attended her writing class. I shared my story idea with her and she became so excited she offered to write the blurb on the back and connect me with her book reviewers and network. Her excitement acted as a catalyst, getting me fired up about my story again and finally figuring out how to work on it consistently.

I started participating in the various NaNoWriMo goals throughout the year (National Novel Writing Month plus their virtual writing camps) and joined a more aggressive local writer’s group. They meet every other Monday night to give feedback on each other’s works, to learn the craft of novel-writing, and to push each other to write at least 2,000 words a week and get our books done. I was encouraged to stop researching and get the writing done – the research can continue alongside the writing. I had been stuck in the research hole for a long time so this was what I needed.

I got serious with my writing and spent a year finishing the novel. Whew – I thought the main work was done. I was wrong. It took me two years of working on it steadily to revise and edit. I learned so much.

Finally in June of 2018, I finished my novel and kept dancing all day. I’m now Encyclopedeia Magica Volume 1 Alchemyquerying it out and one agent is reading it!

It’s called Encyclopedeia Magica: Volume 1 – Alchemy.
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