Real Talk for Writers

with Isabel Sterling

Author & Master Certified Coach
Essential Writing Skills for Authors copyedits craft talk email templates writing skills Mar 02, 2026

Welcome to the first in a four-part series of essential skills for published novelists!

Full-disclosure: I started this as one big post of essential skills for debuts... and then quickly realized a two things:

1 - I had way too much to say to confine this to one post

2 - These are skills that a...

Continue Reading...
How to Query Agents Mid-Contract agent email templates querying Dec 01, 2025

So. You've found yourself in need of a new agent -- either because you decided to leave your current agent (check out this previous issue of Real Talk for Writers for details on when, why, and how to do that) or your agent has retired/left the industry. 

Except... you're in the middle of a book con...

Continue Reading...
When, Why, & How to Leave Your Agent agent email templates Jun 23, 2025

Something must be in the air, because over the past few weeks alone, I've supported half-a-dozen authors through the process of breaking up with their agents.

Since I've had so many of these conversations recently -- including "is this really bad enough to be worth leaving" and "how exactly do I do...

Continue Reading...