Anne Tibbets

Literary Agent

Donald Maass Literary Agency

Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

DawsonEmerich @DawsonEmerich

@AnneTibbets What are the odds someone whose written a more adult humored book could still write a children's book and have a publisher accept their manuscript? Would they just use a pseudonym?
Replying to @DawsonEmerich

Hmm...Adult humored as in sexy time humor? Then probably a pen name is a good idea.
Use your real name in the query, and put "writing as [pen name]" next to your signature.
You can have a convo w/ your agent about if it's necessary when submission time comes

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Amber @Pihkamarja

@AnneTibbets @minerrale I'm not a native English speaker. If I wanted to query to an English publisher, would it cause problems or be more complicated?
Replying to @Pihkamarja

I've not had first hand experience with this, so I don't know. I don't THINK so?
As long as the book is in English, and reads grammatically correct, then it should be fine.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Diane Byington, Ph.D. @dianebyington

@AnneTibbets Is it typical to get a two-book contract from a publisher? How long does the author have to come up with the second book?
Replying to @dianebyington

Depends on the publisher. Fairly typical but not universal.
They usually want book 2 w/n 6 months, which is TIIIIIIIIIGHT. If you need more time, have your agent ask for it. I'd say 12 months is the most they're going to give you, though. Tops.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Skip Ashseed @SkipAshseed

@AnneTibbets Anne,

It seems I see a lot of new books being announced as part of a series. Is that the case, and if so, what do you recommend for authors trying to pitch books that are standalone?
Replying to @SkipAshseed

Stand alones sell too and a great many books work better as a stand alone, imho.
Don't sweat this.
Just pitch your book. No sense in forcing a series if it wasn't meant to be one.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Paul Draper @TheBlackGate

@AnneTibbets Hello Anne. I've sold 250 copies of my first short story indie book in the first month, lots of nice reviews and am now starting a novel. Is now the best time to pitch an agent?

My book - amazon.co.uk/dp/1999663012
Replying to @TheBlackGate

There are some agents who rep self pubbed works. I do not. For me, the best time to pitch me would have been before you self published. Do some research into agents, it's not a deal breaker for others.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Beatrice Mavroleon @BeatriceMavro

@AnneTibbets How important is it to have a social media presence/following? Would you sign someone who didn’t have much of that just because you liked the book? What proportion of your new clients over recent years would you say fell into this category?
Replying to @BeatriceMavro

I don't require social media from my clients & I have signed some who don't participate, but many publishers like to have authors who have one.
I'd say MOST of my clients are on social media. It's not a deal breaker for me & I think the pubs who require it are outdated.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Susan Wheelwright @S_Wheelwright

@AnneTibbets What would you say are the most common mistakes when writing a synopsis?
Replying to @S_Wheelwright

That the writer doesn't send a synopsis, but another pitch paragraph.
I want beginning, middle, and END, spoilers and all.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips
Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Susan Wheelwright @S_Wheelwright

@AnneTibbets Which do you read first, the query letter or the pages?
Replying to @S_Wheelwright

First pass = read query letter. Reject or goes to 'Maybe' pile.
Second pass = read synopsis. Reject or goes to 'To Read' pile.
Third pass = read sample pages. Rejected or requested.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips
Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

JK Young @jkyoung_poems

@AnneTibbets Is there a legitimate market for sports fiction, and would you represent a novel in that genre?
Replying to @jkyoung_poems

I'm very non-sporty, so I'm not the agent for that manuscript. However, I've seen editors specifically request sporty manuscripts, so there's a market for it.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips
Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips
Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

The Scribbling Dragon 🐉 @ScribblingDrake

@AnneTibbets Do you think that pitch events as a whole are getting less attention from agents or perhaps only focusing on the more popular ones?
Replying to @ScribblingDrake

I can't speak to this, b/c I legit have no idea.
There are A LOT of pitch events and agents can and do burn out on them, but I also know some agents who close to queries and ONLY look for stuff via pitch events, so I say, DO BOTH = query and pitch events

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips
Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Jean M. Levasseur @JeanMLevasseur

@AnneTibbets What are some of the common issues in queries that make you say no on the spot?
Replying to @JeanMLevasseur

Bashing other books is a big no no.
Flirting, also a no no.
Categorizing a book incorrectly b/c my QM doesn't have it listed - there's a reason why. That's a no no.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Vincent Morrone Author @Vince524

@AnneTibbets How do you feel about darker material dealing with depression? If you get a book that looks like a seried could follow is that good or bad? What are your feelings on pineapple on pizza?
Replying to @Vince524

Personally, darker material w/ depression is not my fave as I find it a difficult read. I don't enjoy being sad, and tough subject matters have to be handled with hope or I'm not interested.
Series=good
Pineapple= sure, why not?

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Jenna (J.M.) Jinks will #WriteEveryDamnDay @AuthorJMJinks

@AnneTibbets Hi Anne! Thanks for this session!

If we write multiple genres
1) do you suggest using pen names?
2) should you sub to an agent that doesn’t rep both?
Replying to @AuthorJMJinks

1) Depends on the categories/genre. If it's Erotica Romance & Picture Books, then YES I highly recommend 2 diff pen names. If it's Adult Thriller & SF, then use the same.
2) I'd recommend you sub an agent who reps both FIRST. If nothing pops, then try with your strongest cat/gen

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

🏳️‍🌈RacheliMarquardt BLM🏳️‍🌈 @8LeavEmEtOdreaM

@AnneTibbets Maybe this is a dumb question...if I get an agent, and we agree that they'll be my agent for my career, not just one book--does that add pressure on me, the author, to finish more books? Is it okay if I took a year off of writing, or will that annoy the agent?
Replying to @8LeavEmEtOdreaM

I always sign my client for their career and I THINK most do the same - with a few exceptions. Doesn't annoy me how long it takes to write a book. Everyone's process is different. It takes however long it's going to take. No use rushing and delivering subpar work.

Anne Tibbets
@AnneTibbets
Literary Agent
Literary Agent @MaassLitAgency . Author. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID out now. Opinions & sarcasm my own.
43 MSWL
127 AskAgent
5 Tips

Tallie Rose *preorder Sea and Flame now* @_TallieRose

@AnneTibbets 1. What genre/subgenre do you wish you saw more of?

2. What's your favorite kind of cheese?
Replying to @_TallieRose

1. I wish I saw more Latinx anything. But if we're being general, I'm not seeing a lot of YA Thrillers lately. Would love to see more of those...
2. Brie.