Dan Cramer
Literary Agent
Flannery Literary
Associate Lit Agent. I go by Dan. PB/MG/YA Please follow submission guidelines. Thanks 🏳️🌈 he/him A book can inspire a child. A child can inspire the world.
Literary Agent
FayeC @Siennafrst
@FlanneryLitera1 For full requests, is it a guarantee that we would eventually get a response at some point? I don’t want to bug agents unnecessarily, or should I? How far do you read on average before you reject a full? What’s the percentage of a full rejection?I can only speak for myself here. I will respond to every full MS request, typically in 3-6 months. It's dependent on how much other work I get. I do have to pass on far more than I request. We're a small agency so there is only so much I can take on.
Literary Agent
D.S. Allen @keepersoftalamh
@FlanneryLitera1 I've heard opposite advice on this--should I specify "upper" MG in my query if that's the intended audience? I've gotten feedback that the narrative voice might not be MG, but there's a broad range and my ms is definitely not intended for the lower rangeI use upper and lower when I pitch my clients' books for pb, mg, and ya. Kids reading level isn't dependent on age.
Literary Agent
Nicole Boik @nikkiboik
@FlanneryLitera1 Thank you for offering to answer questions!I have 2 manuscripts for PBs that are specifically for children with relapsed cancer. I have years of experience working with this population, but no writing experience. Is this likely too narrow for an agent or publisher to accept?
Children who are experiencing a relapse in cancer won't be the only kids reading. We read to learn, develop empathy, and understand the world outside our own experiences. Focus more on the quality of your writing.
Literary Agent
Deborah Williams @Chamamama2000
@FlanneryLitera1 Are PB biographies on hold til the school and library market gets back to normal?The market was saturated with PB bio - however markets change and I'm seeing PB bios on editor MSWL. If you have a polished MS ready, query.
Literary Agent
Jeannette Lee @jnetalee
@FlanneryLitera1 Will an agent be interested in representing an author who has only one completed/polished PB ms? Or are agents only looking for PB authors who have a handful of polished manuscripts?For me it's not about quantity of MS, but the quality of the MS.
Literary Agent
Malia Maunakea Writes @MaliaMaunakea
@FlanneryLitera1 Thanks for this! If you pay for a critique from an editor at a publisher your (future) agent is still able to sub to them, right? Paying them for a critique that they offer at conference doesn't ruin your chances of subbing to them in the future when your MS is polished, correct?Correct. Let your agent know this info. Could be helpful in the pitch letter.
Literary Agent
Kathryn Faye @KathrynFaye007
@FlanneryLitera1 How long do you think an author should wait until nudging agents on fulls and partials? Not all agencies list time ranges on their websites.If a full MS is requested, when you send it ask when you can follow up. If no answer is given, follow up in 3-6 months. I try to let writers know when they can expect to hear from me and, if they don't, to follow up.
Literary Agent
Joel Chalmers 📚🌲 #amquerying @PBWriterJoel
@FlanneryLitera1 Thanks for taking a few questions!📚What has drawn you to represent #kidlit?
What is your favorite part of being an agent?
If a PB query checks all your boxes in a good way, do you ask for more PB manuscripts? If so, do you like to see a range of stories or more of the same? pic.twitter.com/uSYl00yENM
I love kidlit because it is fearless and sparks the love of reading for many. I love watching a story go through a metamorphosis, getting better with each draft. I don't ask for more PB if I like one. I will usually set up a meeting to have a discussion 1st about the original MS.
Literary Agent
Cass Andres @CassTrous
@FlanneryLitera1 Do “unconventional” (i.e. not what writing books recommend on ‘how to query’) query letters interest you or make you roll your eyes?Unconventional could be a lot of things. If the unconventional query has a hook, stakes, and character(s) - I'd be fine with it. What does make me roll my eyes are queries that ignore submission guidelines. Always follow submission guidelines for each agent.
Literary Agent
Kathryn Faye @KathrynFaye007
@FlanneryLitera1 I've recently heard that there's a "Maybe " pile in literary agents' emails. What exactly is that and what's reserved in it? Why not just request a partial of an agent is slightly curious?I don't have a maybe pile. I may sit and think about a query/submission pages but ultimately, for me it will either be a pass or request for full MS.
Literary Agent
Leslie Lee Sanders @LeslieLSanders
@FlanneryLitera1 Do you consider yourself an editorial agent? What are your thoughts on agents who are hands-on (or not) with their clients through the revision process?I can only speak for myself. I like to be collaborative in my editing style. Bouncing ideas back and forth. I also like to help develop ideas.
Literary Agent
Melissa Jenson @MelissaSDavies
@FlanneryLitera1 Are any of the following worth mentioning in a query:--you are interested in working with an illustrator for your novel (not PB),
--you know an illustrator whose work you like and who is interested
--you have an inkling of an idea for a sequel, but wrote as a stand-alone.
Unless you're an author/illustrator or an author/illustrator team - the publisher will pick the illustrator. You can mention you have a sequel/series planned.
Literary Agent
Sara Kruger @sarakruger
@FlanneryLitera1 I have no publishing credits. And I've been told to leave out family and geography info from my pb query bio. What should I include?I like bios near the end of the query. For me, I like to see education/experience that's related, if none, that's ok. I like the "When I'm not writing, you'll find me X, Y, and Z." If you're a member of any writing organizations or critique groups. Bios help us get to know you
Literary Agent
Jennifer Concepcion @JenConcepcionCR
@FlanneryLitera1 Are you interested in bilingual Spanish/English PBs? Thanks!💛🥑Yep! Follow submission guidelines at flanneryliterary.com
Literary Agent
Jennifer Mattern 📝 @JEngelMattern
@FlanneryLitera1 If I get zero response from an agent at an “a NO from one is a no from all” agency that also promises to respond to every query, what can I do? I already nudged and it’s been a really long time. Chance blown?I would follow-up again and see if you get a response. The agent could just be behind for whatever reason. If you still get no response & choose to query another agent just be transparent that you queried the other agent but never received a response after X number of weeks.
Literary Agent
Jana Mattern @MatternJana
@FlanneryLitera1 If an author queried you multiple times, and you rejected some manuscripts before signing with them, would you ever consider looking at those rejected manuscripts again in the future to see if they could go on sub?Depends on a few things - are the MS something I represent or feel I can represent well. For example, I'm not the agent for poetry because I don't have that background and wouldn't be a service to that author. Have the MS undergone a rewrite since I last read them?
Literary Agent
Mary Malhotra @MCMalhotra
@FlanneryLitera1 I have a PB ms that doesn’t have a conflict but explores traditions and evokes the mood of the celebration of a less-common holiday in the US. Do you see conflict-less books fitting into the PB market?Without seeing the MS - if it's a NF about the holiday that should be ok. If not NF, there should be plot, stakes, character development, even if it's quiet.
Literary Agent
Amy M. Miller @AmyMMiller1
@FlanneryLitera1 Without a subscription to Publisher’s Marketplace, where can writers learn more about agents’ sales?Some agents are private about sales and some aren't. You can check their social media, website, Google their name, and if they offer representation - ask them.
Literary Agent
Phil Gross @PhilGrossVoice
@FlanneryLitera1 @Abrushwithhumor Out of the PB/MG/YA queries you receive, what are the portions? i.e., 60% MG, 20% YA, 20% PB.Followup - which would you like to receive MORE of?
I don't know the exact percentage breakdown, but my best guess is more PB than YA and MG. I'm not looking for one in particular. I'm looking for writing that gives me feels, an authentic voice, and a hook that makes me want to keep reading, weather it's a PB, MG, or YA.
Literary Agent
Robin Wiesneth - Author/Artist #PB #MG 🚀 @Abrushwithhumor
@FlanneryLitera1 If I have three great PB manuscripts, can I pitch them in the same query?My opinion is it's better to pitch them with separate queries. Also, check each agent's submission guidelines to make sure they allow multiple submissions.