Jessica Faust

@BookEndsJessica

Literary Agent

BookEnds Literary Agency

President & founder of BookEnds Literary Agency, author advocate, optimist, & professional pain in the ass. Runs on coffee, wine, & kettlebells. She/Her

querymanager.com/query/jfaust

publishersmarketplace.com/members/BookEnds

querytracker.net/agent.php?agent=4

· 13 Jun 2018

Anne Raven @ARaven_writer

@bookendslit @BookEndsJessica @mh_klump Is there a general timeline for when writers should follow up? #askagent

Replying to @ARaven_writer

I would base your follow-up times on the agent's publicly stated response times #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

KatyL @KatyLapierre

@BookEndsJessica Say an agent requests your full manuscript and after 14 months she still hasn't gotten back to you, do you give up? I mean, she's got the WHOLE manuscript...

Replying to @KatyLapierre

I think you move on. Anything can happen, but it seems you should have an offer from someone after all this time. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Essa Hansen @EssaHansen

@BookEndsJessica I’m curious what the economy is of requesting a partial rather than a full (of which an agent can choose to read only part). It seems like it sometimes creates extra emails/steps for author & agent. #askagent

Replying to @EssaHansen

Now obviously there are extra steps, but I think for some agents it feels less daunting to have a stack of partials v. fulls. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Essa Hansen @EssaHansen

@BookEndsJessica I’m curious what the economy is of requesting a partial rather than a full (of which an agent can choose to read only part). It seems like it sometimes creates extra emails/steps for author & agent. #askagent

Replying to @EssaHansen

This is very old school. Back in the early days of @bookendslit everything was submitted via snail mail. The thinking was that it costs less to submit a partial so we were saving authors money. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Rebecca R. Pierce @RebeccaRPierce

@BookEndsJessica On average, how long should a writer wait to hear back from a query before assuming it's rejected?

Replying to @RebeccaRPierce

I think that depends on the agent and her workload. With the "no means no" agents I think I might assume they are rejected after 2-3 months. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Denise Beeman @dbeeman73

@BookEndsJessica Thank you. Peiple in a writing group told me I'd never find an agent with my first book veing part of a series and I suddenly felt like I was doomed. This was helpful and I feel releived. #askagent

Replying to @dbeeman73

Sending eye rolls to those people. Good luck! #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Shelby Tench @ShelbyTench

@BookEndsJessica When agents ask for the first x-number of a manuscript's pages sent with a query, do they want those double space? #askagent (Sorry if this shows up in your notifications twice--I had to delete and re-post with the askagent tag. 😳 )

Replying to @ShelbyTench

Yes. When in doubt, double-space. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Raquel Curvacheiro @RCurvacheiro

@bookendslit @BookEndsJessica Not living in the Country you're submitting to (and writing in a second language) is an handicap? I mean, would you reject someone based on that? #askagent

Replying to @RCurvacheiro

I will reject based on the writing, but not because it is a second language. And I have clients all over the world so I don't care where you live. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Alicia (she/her) @demiurgent_G

@bookendslit @BookEndsJessica Thank you! I was confused because although the agents say how much to send when emailing queries, they don't always say *how.* Choosing which way to default to was extra complicated by my day job where brief email with attachments is the way to go. :-)

Replying to @demiurgent_G

Typically the order of submissions is query written in the body of the email. Attached materials only if material was requested. It's why @bookendslit uses Query Manager. Makes our lives easier #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

KatyL @KatyLapierre

@BookEndsJessica I'm sorry, I don't mean to be obtuse (and thanks so much for all this one-on-one), but then why do they bother asking for a bio in addition to the query letter if it's just the same info? #confused

Replying to @KatyLapierre

Sometimes agents just want everything in one place. If the book is nonfiction what they're really asking for is platform--Twitter followers etc. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Stacy Nockowitz @snockowitz

@BookEndsJessica Is it okay to hand them my business card?

Replying to @snockowitz

Yes, I think so #askagent but remember the most effective way to meet people is to make a connection, to talk about real things

· 13 Jun 2018

Rebecca R. Pierce @RebeccaRPierce

@BookEndsJessica @TammyLuck This post makes me wonder .... Is there a best time to query?

Replying to @RebeccaRPierce

Not really. Query whenever you're ready. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Stacy Nockowitz @snockowitz

@BookEndsJessica Sorry to sound like such an idiot. I’m just a conference newbie who doesn’t want to make cringe-worthy mistakes.

Replying to @snockowitz

lol. You don't sound like an idiot at all. I think it was a great question and once conference veterans often ask #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

KatyL @KatyLapierre

@BookEndsJessica If an agent asks for a bio in addition to the query letter, what should that include beyond what I would normally put at the end of my query letter? #askagent

Replying to @KatyLapierre

nothing unless you have something extra to include #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Jason Ehlen @JasonEhlen

@BookEndsJessica Other than romance and politics, what genres are selling currently? #askagent

Replying to @JasonEhlen

Mysteries, suspense, thriller, domestic suspense/thriller, SFF, picture books, YA, middle grade, nonfiction, women's fiction---all genres we've recently sold btw. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Jason Ginsburg @Ginsburg

@BookEndsJessica Do you think a Twitter account with lots of content (lists on Facebook, images, hashtag contests, a music video) has a chance at becoming a book? Obviously it would require a full proposal, but would the social presence play a part in the decision? #askagent

Replying to @Ginsburg

I don't think a Twitter account with just lists makes a book, but I think a strong media platform can help sell a book. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Alicia (she/her) @demiurgent_G

@BookEndsJessica Hey just a quickie #askagent Online advice is don't attach files to submission queries. But when you've written a letter, a synopsis and the first X pages you're asked for, the email body seems far too long. Is "don't attach files" right?

Replying to @demiurgent_G

If it's requested material you will be expected to attach the material #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

Denise Beeman @dbeeman73

@BookEndsJessica If you are trying to get published for the first time are agents more likely to say no if you are trying to query a first book of a series? I've heard its harder to get agents to take on series. #askagent

Replying to @dbeeman73

I think this depends so much on the book, the genre, and the sub-genre. in some genres a series is expected (cozy mysteries), others are more trilogy oriented (YA). I don't think any agent will say no just because it's a series #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

MHKlump @mh_klump

@bookendslit @BookEndsJessica Not trying to be snarky, just curious-why do some agents not respond at all when they could send a form rejection? #askagent

Replying to @mh_klump

The policy at @bookendslit is to respond to every query, no matter how long it takes. #askagent

· 13 Jun 2018

MHKlump @mh_klump

@bookendslit @BookEndsJessica Not trying to be snarky, just curious-why do some agents not respond at all when they could send a form rejection? #askagent

Replying to @mh_klump

I don't know. It drives me bat-shit crazy. I think it's just inconsiderate. #askagent