Laura Zats

@LZats

Literary Agent

Headwater Literary Management

Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit. Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast. Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!

querytracker.net/agent.php?agent=5659

manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/laura-zats

· 1 Sep 2016

Elijah Beahm @ParadigmFallen

@LZats What are ideal sample chapters for novels? Intro + a portion of the middle, or something else?

Replying to @ParadigmFallen

no sample chapters!!!!! If you get a req for a partial, send them the first x chapters asked for. #askagent

· 1 Sep 2016

Replying to @anneeterpstra

if they don't say one no is a no for everyone, then feel free to query multiple. Just do one at a time! #askagent

· 1 Sep 2016

Elijah Beahm @ParadigmFallen

@LZats What's one important thing you wish potential client authors did but often fail to do?

Replying to @ParadigmFallen

think long term. You're querying one book, but I care as much about #2 and on. I want to know your career plan #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Rebecca Thorne @novelarnia

#askagent Good / bad idea to include a website / Twitter name in your query if you don't have a huge following?

@novelarnia Good. We'll find it anyway #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

V E Hust @VirginiaGHust

@LZats MC suffers from migraines, it's not really part of the plot. She's a princess dealing with life, do I mention it in a query #askagent

@VirginiaGHust Nah. #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Alexis Daria @alexisdaria

#askagent How much do you expect voice to come through in the one page synopsis?

@alexisdaria As much as possible. Focus on small details of character/story that set the tone #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Samantha Eaton All The Sugarplums ❄️ @Samantha_Eaton3

#askagent even though it's very unlikely, might an agent still take on a dystopia/post apoc if it was truly truly unique from the rest?

@Samantha_Eaton3 Yes. Just avoid calling it that. #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Rebecca Thorne @novelarnia

@LZats Any specifics for chapter titles? I typically bold them for easy reference. #askagent

@novelarnia That's fine! #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Maureen O’Cheery @Maureenow

#askagent What's the energy in the market towards realistic, contemporary YA, esp. characters of diverse economic, and cultural backgrounds?

@Maureenow OMG WANT SO BADLY #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Melissa L Davis @redcoatfollower

#askagent Is historical fiction a hard sell right now?

@redcoatfollower not that I know of! #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Rebecca Thorne @novelarnia

#askagent Is there a reference for how sample pages should be formatted when requested below the query letter?

@novelarnia double space, 12 pt TNR. Pretty standard. #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Erik ☃️ Hane @erikhane

@KelseyDL @LZats @JoEatsFood Why are YOU the exact person to write the book? How do people know you? Why are you an authority on the topic?

@erikhane @KelseyDL @JoEatsFood Relatedly, who knows you? What author/pub connections/exp do you have? #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Adana K. Washington @adanawashington

During the pre-offer stage, would it be a turn off if a client would like to submit to certain pubs b/c of the pub's reputation? #askagent

@adanawashington not strictly, no. It IS a turnoff if an author wants to tell me where to sub and wants to do my job for me #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

S.H. Marr @SH_Marr_Writes

#AskAgent Are soft sci-fi and light sci-fi the same thing, and if not, what's the difference?

@SH_Marr_Writes soft SF has less realistic elements, Light is light on the science #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Bronwen Fleetwood @bronniesway

#askagent Is YA paranormal doing better than adult? Or is the genre just plain tapped out?

@bronniesway Eh. Depends if you're talking para romance, but it's not about trends, it's about indiv books and breaking the mold #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Travel Movie Guide @750GMT

Ideal length of query e-mail for non-fiction, measured in short paragraphs? Which is worse, too much or too little information? #askagent

@750GMT 3-4 paragraphs: hook, book, book, bio. Both are bad bad bad. #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Alexis Daria @alexisdaria

@LZats Incorporates Greek mythology (less than Percy Jackson). It's okay to tell me I have to call it paranormal. I can take it :) #askagent

@alexisdaria maybe a light contemporary fantasy! #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Samantha E. Williams @SEdenWilliams

@LZats #askagent Tied into that: best to mention series potential in a query or leave it out? (I've read advice to do both :P)

@SEdenWilliams Mention it. Won't hurt! it's the POTENTIAL that's important #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Adana K. Washington @adanawashington

Generally speaking, how long will an agent keep a client if they haven't sold any of their books? #askagent

@adanawashington That is entirely subjective, and depends on the gameplan of the author's career #askagent

· 9 Feb 2016

Lucretia @lucretiastories

@LZats #askagent Feelings on comps from diff genres if ms combines them? Like pure spy novel and tech oriented thriller for a techno spy #T?

@lucretiastories That's a pitch, not a comp. Okay for a description of the work, but don't confuse it w/ competition #askagent