your book editor friend 💪📚 formerly at Penguin Random House and The Book Group 🎥 weekly tips on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@AlyssaMatesic 💌 insider publishing tips: https://www.chapter-break.com ✏️work with me: https://www.alyssamatesic.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mvlhms46l22eA friend of mine shared today that she's writing a book...and that she feels absolutely terrified. This is a woman who worked in Big Five publishing for years. She has an agent. And has partnered with writers her entire career. Yet she's STILL scared.15 Sep 2026 20:28 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvlhms46l22ehttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mvaxbxygre2aAs an editor, I deeply believe in the value of getting feedback on your story. But that doesn't mean you should let just anyone read it and give you their thoughts. Because feedback from the wrong person can be actively HARMFUL to your process.11 Sep 2026 16:09 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvaxbxygre2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mv6jsnvxyy2eTo the writer who just got a rejection today: To the writer who has been secretly querying for a year: To the writer who's wondering if it's time to give up: I've sat on the other side of that inbox. And you need to understand that the publishing industry is wildly subjective.10 Sep 2026 17:03 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv6jsnvxyy2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mv4ihdzq6q26Your first page is arguably the most important in your entire novel. It's where your reader — or a literary agent — decides: do I want to keep reading this? After spending years evaluating queries and editing hundreds of books, I've noticed that the best first pages contain these 4 elements.09 Sep 2026 21:33 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv4ihdzq6q26https://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3muzshmb74y2mDo you actually need a prologue? Probably not. First, let me clarify: I'm NOT anti-prologue! But I AM against UNNECESSARY prologues. And most of the time, they're not needed.08 Sep 2026 19:54 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3muzshmb74y2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mupdeopzke2rReceiving feedback on your manuscript can be an emotional rollercoaster. I've seen writers experience the full spectrum of responses:04 Sep 2026 15:58 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mupdeopzke2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mumw5n4svn27Dear writer, If you're deep in the revising trenches, fearing you're not making your story any better (in fact, maybe making it WORSE), here's what I want you to do... And I promise it'll be the MOST effective thing you can do for your story... And you can do it RIGHT NOW...03 Sep 2026 16:56 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mumw5n4svn27https://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mukmaluu542qAfter editing hundreds of manuscripts over my career, I've finally identified the single biggest gap between good writing and truly great writing. It all comes down to what the author DOESN'T say. 🤐02 Sep 2026 18:53 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mukmaluu542qhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3muic34l23r2iI've never done a public query letter critique, but with the launch of THE MODERN GUIDE TO QUERYING LITERARY AGENTS, the timing felt right! See what Patrick of QueryTracker and I think about two query letters — and check if you make any of the same mistakes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_Vsz09AWdY01 Sep 2026 20:46 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3muic34l23r2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mufgqilsxo2yAs a book editor, I'm a firm believer in messy first drafts. No writer — not even your absolute favorite — sits down and produces a perfect first draft. The drafting process is supposed to be exploratory and creative, free-flowing and flawed.31 Aug 2026 17:31 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mufgqilsxo2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mu5mbyaexe2uHere's the part of the query letter that authors tend to get the most (unnecessarily) anxious about: The bio. It's the final day of Query Prep Week, where I'm sharing free querying lessons to celebrate the launch of THE MODERN GUIDE TO QUERYING LITERARY AGENTS! 🎉28 Aug 2026 14:49 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu5mbyaexe2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mu3hfpumvb2iI know many of you are gearing up to query (or send out a fresh batch of queries) after Labor Day, so I've made it my mission to help you ensure your letter is top-notch. It’s Day 4 of Query Prep Week, and today we’re tackling the part of the query letter authors dread most: Comp titles.27 Aug 2026 18:16 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu3hfpumvb2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mtzb3p37yt2gThis launch week has already been a dream come true, from being a No. 1 New Release to seeing so many of you take pictures of the book! But let's get down to business, because I want you all to feel confident heading into querying season.26 Aug 2026 21:18 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtzb3p37yt2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mtw6phubce2iWoke up today a published author, and I can't believe it. The Modern Guide to Querying Literary Agents is OFFICIALLY HERE! 🎉 And it's a Number 1 New Release! 🤯 Thank you, thank you!25 Aug 2026 15:58 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtw6phubce2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mtuccksotu22Tomorrow’s the day I’ve been waiting for for nearly two years: The Modern Guide to Querying Literary Agents is officially out on the shelves! To celebrate, my co-author Patrick McDonald (of QueryTracker) and I are officially declaring this QUERY PREP WEEK.24 Aug 2026 21:57 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtuccksotu22https://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mtm54escrv2uJust FOUR DAYS until my book with QueryTracker is finally out in the world! 🎉 We seriously can't wait to share it with you and help you navigate the querying process.21 Aug 2026 16:02 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtm54escrv2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mtjmpo2lbk24A musician who hits a wrong note doesn't walk off stage. They finish the piece anyway. An athlete who makes a bad pass doesn't walk off the field. They see the game through until the end. So why do so many writers hit one hard scene and decide to give up on their story entirely?20 Aug 2026 16:04 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtjmpo2lbk24https://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mthj7ytktw2wI wish more authors thought long and hard about point of view before they started writing... Because choosing the wrong POV can lead to a near-entire rewrite. And I've seen that happen countless times as an editor. 🫠 Here's a quick breakdown if you're not sure which POV suits your story best:19 Aug 2026 19:56 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mthj7ytktw2whttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mt2qkhaids24A reminder that feels important today: Your worth as a writer is NOT measured by: -Sales numbers -Your follower count -Your number of rejections -How many books you've written -Whether you have a publishing deal If you're writing, you ARE a writer. Full stop.14 Aug 2026 18:02 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2qkhaids24https://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3msvrip2qoy2nI still have SO many questions about the $2.5 million book deal that got cancelled. If the author produced evidence, why did the agents pull it? And is a 97% Pangram score "proof" of anything? Here are my thoughts. What are yours? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvTRLBdebPs12 Aug 2026 18:36 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvrip2qoy2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3msiw7gmjdl25You'd be surprised how many query letters I've seen over the years that make completely avoidable mistakes. ❌ Messy formatting ❌ Way too long ❌ Aggressive tone Here are 5 simple ways to make sure yours hits the mark.07 Aug 2026 15:56 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3msiw7gmjdl25https://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3msgqzj4rfx2kWhy are some books so good that we stay up all night reading — while others put us to sleep? 😴 The difference comes down to a psychological principle known as the Zeigarnik effect.06 Aug 2026 19:17 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3msgqzj4rfx2khttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mseeyq7f7z23A reminder when you're feeling inundated with writing advice: There is no single right way to write a book.05 Aug 2026 20:37 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mseeyq7f7z23https://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mrqazvidzd2zOne of the biggest signs of amateur writing: Overexplaining emotion. The more you explain, the less your reader feels. If you've just shown us a heated fight scene, there's no need to explain afterward that the protagonist is angry and flustered. We just saw it!28 Jul 2026 20:33 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrqazvidzd2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mrfpofpe6i22I spent years at a top literary agency reviewing query letters — hundreds of them every single week. And the ones that made me stop in my tracks all had one thing in common:24 Jul 2026 15:56 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrfpofpe6i22https://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mrda5lfcwo2z"It was all a dream..." 🌙 💭 It's one of the most cliché (and ineffective) novel openings, but I still see it all the time in early drafts. In this week's video, I break down: 🌟 two dream openings that fall flat 🌟 a famous dream opening that DOES work youtu.be/_-l04swWr6M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-l04swWr6M23 Jul 2026 16:12 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrda5lfcwo2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mr45lxtcod22You should know WAY more about your main character than you actually put on the page. I know writers who write 10-page character profiles. And others who interview their character like a journalist. You don't necessarily need to do that, but you should know:20 Jul 2026 20:38 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr45lxtcod22https://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mqu4oxpman2iWhat you put on the page today doesn't have to be good. It doesn't even have to make sense. It just has to be there...because you can't finish a book you never started. So try to show up for your story today, even in the smallest way. Can you write a single sentence? Come up with one idea?17 Jul 2026 16:01 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqu4oxpman2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mqrmbs3m7m2tThe CEO of Hachette just admitted something I never expected to hear from someone in the industry: That authors don't NEED to go through the Big Five to find massive audiences and success. Watch my video breaking down the 6 trends he says are reshaping the future of books. youtu.be/ZMzmaPplg3A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMzmaPplg3A16 Jul 2026 16:02 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqrmbs3m7m2thttps://bsky.app/profile/alyssamatesic.bsky.social/post/3mqp3ni6o2l2rI've edited hundreds of novels and truly believe revisions are where the magic happens. But I get it: revising your novel can feel more painful than pulling teeth. Especially if you've poured months — or even years — into it. So here's my 5-step framework to revise without losing your mind. 👇15 Jul 2026 15:59 +0000at://did:plc:w5govbcwmbfg5nhlxtvwmsld/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqp3ni6o2l2r