Hope Bolinger is an acquisitions editor for End Game Press and a freelance writer and editor.
Who should attend your “Advanced Career Track” continuing class at Write-to-Publish, and what do you hope they’ll get out of it?
I encourage conferees who are well-published and want to know how to continue to win the hearts of gatekeepers to expand their writing careers. (Gatekeepers being literary agents, publishers, editors, and readers.) My hope is that they will be able to frame themselves as authors who are delights to work with, so they can sign contract after contract.
What do you look for in the first few paragraphs of a manuscript?
I look for something very compelling and a very distinctive voice. I want to be drawn in right away, and I want the book to take hold of me and refuse to let go. Also I look for something that probably has had several eyes on it. First pages are like an audition for the book. And if an audition isn’t strong, a casting director probably won’t give someone the part.
Tell us about End Game Press.
End Game Press is a traditional publisher in the ABA and CBA/CRA markets. We range in genres from children to nonfiction to fiction—working with authors who have a passion, a message, and a drive to market their books. Our founder, Victoria Duerstock, is constantly finding new avenues to get the word out about our authors. And because she was an author first, she has a heart for those whom she works with.
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Interviewed by Susan Miura, speaker, freelance editor, and author of four award-winning novels and a children’s book.
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