Alyssa Jennette
Literary Agent
Stonesong
I ask a lot of questions. Painfully earnest. Art school grad (MICA '10). Literary agent at @StonesongNYC . Silence is not peace.
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q5. MG. I'm not the person for an animal protag beyond picture books. MAYBE if you have the next Charlotte's Web, but otherwise... #10QAJQ6. Horror. Set in the future for no real reason? This premise could just as easily be 50 years ago. Not bad, but not thrilling me. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q4. Fantasy. This has a really Pratchetty vibe, which I love, but I don't think we need ANOTHER male-led, femme-fatale fantasy. #10QAJQ5. MG. I'm not the person for an animal protag beyond picture books. MAYBE if you have the next Charlotte's Web, but otherwise... #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
I want to clarify that these books have been written before, and the canon is full of them. Give me something new and brilliant.Q4. Fantasy. This has a really Pratchetty vibe, which I love, but I don't think we need ANOTHER male-led, femme-fatale fantasy. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q2. YA. This is like The Descendants...but not...and where's the plot? Pass. #10QAJQ3. I don't really care to read books about tortured young men written by formerly tortured? old men. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q1. YA. Very hooky, but has the potential to be REALLY on-the-nose and cringey...or really cool. So let's ask for pages! #10QAJQ2. YA. This is like The Descendants...but not...and where's the plot? Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q8. Self-help. This book literally exists. They just added a couple words to the actual title. Pass. #10QAJQ9. Suspense. Too short and not terribly interested in the premise. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q7. PB. It's a satire on the President, but there are a million of those right now, and we're all sick of seeing that orange face. #10QAJQ8. Self-help. This book literally exists. They just added a couple words to the actual title. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q6. Mystery. IDK how to react when a non-Millennial author describes a character as a Millennial for marketing reasons. #10QAJQ7. PB. It's a satire on the President, but there are a million of those right now, and we're all sick of seeing that orange face. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q4. PB. ...it's a no. #10QAJQ5. PB. Sort of a nonsense rhyming book, which can be fun, but I have no doubt a zillion of these already exist. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
(TBH I probably won't want your memoir at all unless it's about reconciling faith+real life, archaeology/art conservation, or being a spy.)Q2. MG. Has a Dahlian vibe, but I can't locate the plot...pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Welp we skipped a day, so let's catch up! #10QAJQ1. Memoir. I don't typically rep them, and the market is flooded, so it has to be REALLY special + platform. Sorry! #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q9. MG. I...don't know if we can handle a book about a fictional fixed election right now. #10QAJQ10. MG. I'm often turned off by mentions of tech/culture meant to appeal "to the kids." Not a dealbreaker overall, but pass here. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q8. Comic...thriller? Sort of? I don't really get it. Pass. #10QAJQ9. MG. I...don't know if we can handle a book about a fictional fixed election right now. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q7. YA. Word count is too short for the subjects it's trying to tackle, which means it's not very developed. Pass. #10QAJQ8. Comic...thriller? Sort of? I don't really get it. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q6. A Menoir (a memoir for men). And it's not even complete! No thanks. #10QAJQ7. YA. Word count is too short for the subjects it's trying to tackle, which means it's not very developed. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q5. MG. I'm all for making a grand statement with your art, but you have to give your readers a good story too. Pass. #10QAJQ6. A Menoir (a memoir for men). And it's not even complete! No thanks. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q4. I'm not the girl for animal protagonists outside of picture books. Sorry! #10QAJQ5. MG. I'm all for making a grand statement with your art, but you have to give your readers a good story too. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q3. Fantasy. Word count, ya'll. And absurd=/=randomness & nonsequiturs. Even the odd needs logic. (Take it from Wonderland!) Pass. #10QAJQ4. I'm not the girl for animal protagonists outside of picture books. Sorry! #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q2. LitFic. This query is so opaque! It's definitely trying to be ~mysterious, but this is impenetrable. Pass. #10QAJQ3. Fantasy. Word count, ya'll. And absurd=/=randomness & nonsequiturs. Even the odd needs logic. (Take it from Wonderland!) Pass. #10QAJ