Lilybeth Schultz is querying

Still don’t quite know what my friend meant when she said I wrote a US romcom with a voice and humor that’s more the UK. 🤔

Sarcastic wit? ✅
Understated wry & dry humor? ✅

Does the UK want that? 😵
Does the US NOT want that?! 😵‍💫

Crap. 😆

#whatdoreaderswant
#writingcommunity #amquerying

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THIS IS THE MOMENT, THIS IS THE MONTH!

Sorry About Your Luck ART!

Sam & James arguing while Charlie slides in there on the sly, just for those pets!

I love it!
Thank you to my artist, Nemmie!
You can find them here:
toyhou.se/millipedes

Either “not the right fit” or “I don’t know where to sell this to.”
I had one say they wished the tropes had been “done in a different way”. Nothing substantial.

Just did a manuscript eval with my (personal) editor and made some minor changes.

I remain hopeful and determined.

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🥹
Surprises around every corner!

Dwight D. Eisenhower cries before an audience of veterans in 1952 as he recalls the sacrifices soldiers made on D-Day.

a man in a tuxedo and bow tie is standing in front of a microphone . ALT: a man in a tuxedo and bow tie is standing in front of a microphone .

Ok, that rejection stung a bit!

- Veteran agent (& #1 on my list)
- 5 months with my full
- Personalized but no feedback

I will go find a sweet treat, pout about it for an hour or two, then it’s back to fighting for 4yo me’s dream.

#Writingcommunity #amquerying #reportsfromthequerytrenches

Thanks!😊

"I'm looking for fantasy novels with shorter word counts and immersive worldbuilding. Ex: GODKILLER by Hannah Kaner, EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES by Heather Fawcett.”
@mariavicente.com #MSWL

psliterary.com/submissions/

“YA author White’s adult debut is brutal... but encapsulates the best of the modern horror genre.”

It's a Booklist star for YOU WEREN'T MEANT TO BE HUMAN by @ajwhiteauthor.bsky.social

🌟 “YA author White’s adult debut is brutal... but encapsulates the best of the modern horror genre.”

Read the full review here

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Querying update:
5.5 months into the process for the lightly speculative romcom

Queries Sent: 100
Rejections: 58
Referrals: 5
Requests: 14 (3 partial, 11 full)

Romcom is hard to break into with a saturated market, but I’m still making a run at it!

#amquerying #writingcommunity #booksky

Just giving this lil’ workshop a bump. Still have some space! 👇🏽

a cartoon bull terrier is laying on its back with a lot of needles sticking out of its head . ALT: a cartoon bull terrier is laying on its back with a lot of needles sticking out of its head .

Chilling with 10 needles in my ears for the next 3 days is METAL AF.

It’s also pain management aka Battlefield Acupuncture for the win.

That is all.

a woman is making a funny face and saying `` my brain is like do it . '' ALT: a woman is making a funny face and saying `` my brain is like do it . ''

Have I mentioned that the exercise of “describe your book badly” is what helped me figure out my blurb?

It forces you to break your manuscript down into (hilarious) pieces but also shows you the themes and incidents that stand out the most!

#unsolicitedwritingadvice #writingcommunity #writingtip

I wrote a book, Darth, and I’m working on a second one while looking for representation as an author.

I’m also retired military (20 years) and I am still here. Kind of proud of that.

AFTER THE EVENT Agents and editors won’t have access to pitches until September 16, so you won’t receive any requests before then. Requests will be sent out as they come in. • If you receive a request: o Make sure the agency or publisher is on the list of registered participants. If not, contact #PitchDis to verify (contactpitchdis@gmail.com, @pitchdis on Twitter, or @pitchdis.com on Bluesky). o Research the agent/editor. If you have any doubts, feel free to reach out. o Please follow any submission guidelines included in the request email. • If you don’t receive a request: o Remember that the number of requests during a pitch event is not indicative of the quality of your work. o Keep querying – most people still connect with their agents this way.

Who’s ready to send in their #PitchDis entry this week?! Here are a few things to remember after you hit submit.

Stop autocorrecting to add “that” into my perfectly adequate sentences, you weird grammar checking app!

You can leave “that” out of 90% of a manuscript and still have it make sense!

*bows, jumps off box of soap and exits stage left in unlaced combat boots*

#writingcommunity #adhdwriter

Winter Workshop: Building the Nonfiction Book Proposal — ERIC SMITH Hey friends. So my first attempt at a self-run workshop this summer was a really wonderful success. A few dozen folks signed up, we worked on query letters and opening pages, and at the end of the si...

Since my summer query one went so well, I’m doing another workshop in the winter.

Come hang! The goal is to help get a nonfiction book proposal wrangled up and polished.

These workshops will help fund my free events in the New Year. www.ericsmithrocks.com/blog/2025/9/...

As a first time querying author, this journey has been banana-pants!

I’ve had some “this is unheard of” good moments and some crushing lows.

Still waiting to see how it ends. 🤞

Now, back to my *other* manuscript, already in progress. 😉

#amquerying #writingcommunity

🤣 Poor James.
So, determined to live he’ll fight off whatever cryptid that just came through his cabin door with a frying pan if he has to.

Now Querying: Sorry About Your Luck, a lightly speculative romcom

#amquerying #adhdauthor

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When one agent refers you to 5 others after passing on your manuscript.

Working on a story this close to my heart leaves me with tears in my eyes every chapter. Emotional tears.

That’s how much of me is in this manuscript.

It’s excruciating and cathartic.

This is storytelling and nothing makes me feel more myself: scars, trauma and all.

#writingcommunity #authorsky

First wilderness settings and now, unusual jobs?
👀 I’ve got a manuscript for that.

#PitchDis Practice Form Please enter the following information to participate in #PitchDis 2025! Your pitch will be displayed to editors and agents exactly as it is entered, so make sure you have entered it correctly. No c...

The #PitchDis practice form is now open!
Remember - this is ONLY for practice purposes.

forms.gle/jHQRPfbUXLqk...

Shelf…space? Sounds made up. 😆

A female author with purple hair takes a picture of herself in a full length mirror. Black ripped leggings with boots are topped with a patterned shirt and black blazer. She uses a cane.

Quietly kicking my feet alone in my dark living room because I’m having a gratitude moment.

I finished writing a WHOLE book this year.

Querying (while stressful) has gone better than I could have ever imagined (for a debut).

I finally AM who kid/teen me always wanted to be when they grew up. 😉

👀

I love visiting my friend’s books when at B&N or indie bookstores!

Hi @danicanava.bsky.social !

I survived WorldCon 2025!

And by survive, I mean I made it through 2 whole days before my body betrayed me and demanded rest.

So unfair!

Back home now after a lovely drive through the mountains. 🏔️

Queries to wait on, notes to decipher & plot holes to fill!