Unsolicited writing advice, no. 36571:
World-buiding doesn't mean describing everything. You can do more with a local fruit, a saying or a custom than you can with a dozen maps and appendices.
Telling yourself "I can't let down my fans" is a beautifully delusional and compelling way to up your word count.
***
It's 85 out in Denver, and I'm inside working on my MS because SIX people liked the #agentsguide I posted this week. 😭
#pitch #romantasy #queerSFF #amwriting
Why is ROMANTASY so POPULAR? 💋
In Ep. 194, guest author @carissabroadbent.bsky.social and co-hosts @adrianmgibson.bsky.social & Greta Kelly discuss the rising popularity of the romantasy subgenre in recent years.
Stream/download/watch Ep. 194:
linktr.ee/SFFAddicts
youtu.be/TFU5bvlF0wE?si
Thank you so much!! 😭 This is my very first post about it. I'm still working on the MS, but I had to get the concept out into the world. I'm just so excited about it!
My inbox is open for tales of woe and commiseration 😜😅
"I want to create an awareness that certain people exist. Let me just put them on paper so the reader can see who they are." —Richard Price
Oof, I needed this. I managed to make it twenty years without a Twitter (or Twitter-adjacent) account, but apparently that's not how you get published. Here in the trenches with you ❤️ - El
Great, there go my evening plans.
As an agent who’s also chronically online, I recommend pinning your pitch/agent guide to your profile if you’re querying. You never know ☺️ #amagenting #amquerying
Accidentally drinking black tea before bed three nights in a row: good for word count, bad for everything else.
Oops.
Black slide with yellow text that says: An agent's guide to The Hands of Fate, a queer, adult fantasy romance
White text on black background describing the pitch for my queer fantasy romance novel. It reads: "In a world ruled by divination magic, where a mandatory palm reading by the Royal Diviners determines one’s path in life, the hands of Fate aren’t the only force running the show, especially when it comes to Ever Olvida. A ruthless assassin bearing line-free palms and a curse to leave no mark on the world, Ever, AKA the Ghost of Kairen, is immediately forgotten once out of sight. Desperate to retire from the Shadow Guild and make Cali, the girl she loves remember her, Ever agrees to a final assignment: find a memory stone, rescue a hostage, and deliver both to the King of Veyra. Only this time? She isn’t working alone, and she can’t do what she does best: kill her traveling companions — especially not Clip Malvar, the wanted fugitive whose very bloodline cursed her... and whose bounty could buy her freedom from the Guild. On her quest, Ever unearths truths about herself, the realms, and the forces of Fate itself, and she must eventually decide which fate she’ll follow — the one she yearns for or the one she was born for."
White text on black background explaining what literary agents can expect with my upcoming queer fantasy romance. The text reads: Sapphic romance, Divination magic, Morally gray assassin FMC, First in series, Steamy, high-stakes tension, Actual enemies to lovers, Multiracial cast; queer & disability representation Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn, found family There are 3.5 chili peppers
Black slide with the book covers of three books and white bullet points under each. They are the comps for my upcoming queer adult fantasy romance. Book 1 is Godkiller by Hannah Kaner. The text under it reads "Hardened FMC with emotional armor; Reluctant companions on a quest; Found family; and BIPOC, queer, & disabled rep" Book 2 is The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri. The text under it reads "Sapphic, character-driven epic fantasy; Complex, morally gray protagonists; Lush worldbuilding" Book 3 is Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. The text under it reads "High-stakes revenge mission; Strong narrative personality; Darkly witty tone"
Agents, if you're looking for a highly marketable, gut-wrenching, QUEER #EnemiesToLovers #FantasyRomance... ...you won’t want to miss THE HANDS OF FATE 👇
Godkiller x The Jasmine Throne x Nevernight, BUT with divination magic 🔮 and 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Querying summer 2026!
#AmWriting #BookSky
I know this itchy-brain can't-settle stare-at-the-blank-page portion of writing is an essential part of the process but it feels like being in the waiting room from Beetlejuice for a million years.
My queer, adult #FantasyRomance ⚔️
A ruthless assassin who’s cursed to be forgotten hunts an artifact that can restore the memories of the girl she loves
...only she must claim it before the king who hired her can—or the next attempt on her lover’s life succeeds
🔮Divination magic
🌶️ #EnemiesToLovers
When you realize the #FantasyRomance you're writing has the potential to become a #BookTok sensation.
- A writer with 12 years of branding & marketing experience
