Literary Agent
J.W. Berwyn @berwyn_j
@LitAgentKelly @CooksUpAStory I'm self publishing my first book, writing my second. Should I wait to see how sales are from my first book before I think about getting an agent for my second?Well you don’t want to query agents with an incomplete manuscript! So finish your second book first, but make sure you’re not trying to have an agent represent a second book in a SERIES. They need to be two separate stories/series completely. :)
Literary Agent
𓂀 Sam Nicholson @samapplepie
@LitAgentKelly @CooksUpAStory How did you become an agent?I started as an Intern and then move dup to an assistant/apprentice! Before the internship, I started as a book blogger. :)
Literary Agent
M. Joan Morgan @mjoanmorgan
@LitAgentKelly Any trends you are seeing in your query box right now?Thrillers and horror at the moment, which I’m totally down for! I’m so ready for the fall spook season! I’d love to see more ghosts too, and MG and Adult stories!
Literary Agent
Deidre Huesmann @DeidreHuesmann
@LitAgentKelly Compared to pages, how much does synopsis weigh on your desire to read more? Can it change your mind if you're on the fence?I’m the black sheep in this and I know it. I don’t like to read your synopsis unless I AM on the fence about requesting more pages. I know that a synopsis showing how your story unfolds can have a large impact on other agents though.
Literary Agent
Jacqueline Stefanowicz @J_PlainandFancy
@LitAgentKelly Why is it that some agents want a book proposal and others don't?Book proposals are usually utilized for non-fiction only! And sometimes if agents believe they can sell your next book (because they already sold one or a few) quickly, we may ask for a proposal and sample chapters in order to garner some interest in your next idea.
Literary Agent
NLMcLaughlin @NMclaughlin9053
@UweStenderPhD When submitting a series, should there be a synopsis for each book in the series or should there be one synopsis that covers the entire story arc? Also, do you want spoilers or no?Not necessarily, but IF you have all of that, that is awesome. I personally don't mind spoilers, but that may be a NO NO for others.
Literary Agent
Traci-Anne [wip = 38,483] @traciannecan
@UweStenderPhD With a lot of YA authors heading to MG, do you predict that will become as oversaturated as YA soon?Likely, but again, I am the wrong person to ask. I rep what I love.
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Belinda Grant @belindagrant80
@UweStenderPhD If you come from a Non-American English speaking country, should you Americanize your spelling for querying?In my opinion IF it is grammatically correct in either/or US or UK English, it is fine.
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Shanice Littlejohn is revising @twixsftbl
@UweStenderPhD How long is typically too long of a wait to hear back from an agent? Is a gentle inquiry welcome or unprofessional?Give people 14 weeks, after that they ought to be open to a nudge. IF they are disrespectful to you because of a gentle nudge, YOU should not want to work with them anyway. They may not have had a chance to consider yet, but they should not be CRANKY about a nudge.
Literary Agent
Julie Shattuck @JulieShattuck
@UweStenderPhD Do you have any plans to close temporarily for submissions anytime soon?I will NEVER close to submissions. That is how I started my business, and I will die on that hill.
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Brett Jonas @BookSquirt
@UweStenderPhD If you are preparing to write a cookbook, do you write it first and query, or write a proposal first and query that? (I know about fiction, but this cookbook thing for my mom has me totally lost lol)Anything non fiction will work on a detailed proposal with sample chapters.
Literary Agent
Belinda Grant @belindagrant80
@UweStenderPhD What is your take on the discussion re the need for more books for older MG/Young YA? How hard are they to sell? Is there a market?I have no opinion. I take on what I love (I am 100% gut feeling, and don't follow trends). IF that is a real discussion, then I am sure they're is an emerging trend. But I am the wrong guy to ask.
Literary Agent
Shanice Littlejohn is revising @twixsftbl
@UweStenderPhD Do you typically have a word limit that you prefer for ya speculative fiction submissions?Not necessarily, but less than 100k would always be welcomed.
Literary Agent
Lolis Aguila @lolisaguila
When an agent requests more pb manuscripts on a query what are they looking for? I overthink what to send since the query is for a serious pb bio and my other pb projects are lighter. Do they want something similar to the query or something different? #AskAgentBLAIt's going to vary. I'm looking for a sense of your range and what YOU want to be publishing. If your focus is on serious pb, then submit just those. If you want to do more than one kind, submit a few. Same for fiction/nf. #AskAgentBLA
Literary Agent
Patrick Ross @PatrickRwrites
#AskAgentBLA Is it a problem for a debut novelist to pitch a novel that while a good read by itself (complete story/protagonist arc) is intended to be the first of a trilogy? Should that fact even be revealed up front?You can call it a standalone with series potential. I like to know if you have a plan for more, but that there is a satisfying conclusion. #AskAgentBLA
Literary Agent
Mackenzie Reed @mackenziemreed7
@KariSutherland Also, when pitching a crossover, would that be pitched as YA and NA? And to an agent, does that mean it could be marketed to both genres?#AskAgentBLA
If the characters and themes feel more suited to YA, then query it as YA. I tend not to use NA, just call it a YA with crossover appeal. Unless the themes are really more on the adult side. #AskAgentBLA