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

· 12 Sep 2016

🐉 Lee A. Everett 🖋 @LeeA_Everett

@LZats @tracijowrites Another followup question! Should MSWL mention go at end with bio, first thing in query, or in email subject line...?

Replying to @LeeA_Everett

beginning! And maybe subject line #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Keith Yatsuhashi ⛩ @KeithYatsuhashi

@LZats last one: querying is hard On authors. What's the hardest part for agents?

Replying to @KeithYatsuhashi

saying no! Most of our nos are not because the book is bad. it's because we're not a great fit #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Mike Douton @mikedouton

@LZats legit question... I share a name with a felon who hosed my Google results bad. Pen name unavoidable or can I save with middle initial

Replying to @mikedouton

I'd use a pen name if you're a little worried about it, TBH. it's better to be confident! Use first+middle initial? #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Keith Yatsuhashi ⛩ @KeithYatsuhashi

@LZats Question: have you gotten a query from a genre you don't rep, but the book sounded SO good. What did you do?

Replying to @KeithYatsuhashi

Request! But tell them I might not be the best person to sell it necessarily! #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Od_ette_ @od_ette_

@LZats Milk or no milk? Ha. My question is: after revising a rejected MS, how long can one wait to read query an agent?

Replying to @od_ette_

NO MILK! Don't requery the same agent with the revised MS. But a few months! #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Replying to @deannaroney

nope! We get busy, plus things do get lost. Only a no response is a no if they say it is on their site #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Diana Hicks Author @diana_hicks

@LZats If you offer an R&R on a full, what are you looking for in the finished MS, and what would make you pass on the project?

Replying to @diana_hicks

mostly that 1—the author has done what I asked & 2—it gives me the feels I thought it would. no = 1 & 2 not fulfilled #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Traci Jo Stotts @tracijowrites

@LZats more specifically, do you like small talk or just get down to the query?

Replying to @tracijowrites

Just get down to it, unless you have a specific reason for sending me a book (response to a #MSWL, for instance) #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

🐉 Lee A. Everett 🖋 @LeeA_Everett

@LZats @thought_stained Thanks a lot! Query is almost unrecognizable & even ms title's different. Only character names the same, basically.

Replying to @LeeA_Everett

Then you have my blessing! #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Jeff Hagkull @jhagkull

@LZats Classification question: realistic YA set in the 1980s --> historical fiction? Contemporary fiction? Just YA?? #askagent

Replying to @jhagkull

it's terrifying that the 80s is history. Just say YA set in the 80s. Look at Eleanor & Park and Althea & Oliver as ex #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

🐉 Lee A. Everett 🖋 @LeeA_Everett

@thought_stained @LZats Follow up! If an agent passes on query, then ms is heavily heavily revised/altered, kosher to re-query 1.5 yr later?

Replying to @LeeA_Everett

yes IF AND ONLY IF it's changed enough so that the query is very different #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Traci Spice Latte📖✏ @traciannecan

@LZats what advice would you give on crafting a query letter

Replying to @traciannecan

write for skimming eyes. Follow the formula (it's online) and don't deviate. Show me stakes! #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Krystle Matar @KrystleMatar

@LZats If you submit a MS and agent says "I liked but X doesn't work for me", is it safe to resubmit if you fix X or is that just pesty?

Replying to @KrystleMatar

not unless they specifically ask for a revise and resubmit #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Kaitlyn Johnson @kaitylynne13

@LZats synopsis question. Are you looking for main details of whole ms or more looking for character/plot arcs?

Replying to @kaitylynne13

remember those elementary school book reports where you basically just paraphrase everything? That, in 2 pages. #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Kim @_KimChance

@LZats if an agent has your full and you'd like to send them a revised version, does that bump you down in the reading queue? #Askagent

Replying to @_KimChance

Yessss. Please don't do this unless you absolutely have to #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Morgan the Magician Rhodimer @mrhodimer

@LZats if your book is 2 genres spliced together how do you know who to query?

Replying to @mrhodimer

query someone who does both! & think of what your book is MORE of. Historical romance is more romance than hist w/ rom #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Nicole Evans @thought_stained

@LZats Thank you! Is it considered a negative thing to query an agent who passed on previous work with new work? #askagent

Replying to @thought_stained

Not at all! But if you're at 3 or 4 Mss with form rejects, you're likely just not a good fit #askagent

· 12 Sep 2016

Anne Nerison @AnneRasset

@LZats Not sure if this is exactly what #askagent is for, but any advice for someone who might be looking to get into that side of things?

Replying to @AnneRasset

read a ton. Develop your own taste and know WHY you like what you do. Pay attention to why things are successful! #askagent

· 1 Sep 2016

Neicole Crepeau 👁️ You watching me? 👁️ @neicolec

@LZats How often do you read queries on your phone and do you prefer less paragraphs or more when reading on your phone?

Replying to @neicolec

never. Unless I'm at a con or something. HOWEVER, we ALWAYS skim, so keep the paras short #askagent

· 1 Sep 2016

Kaelan Rhywiol-Disillusioned Autistic @KaelanRhy

@LZats What types of diversity are actually selling to the big 5? Ethnicity? M/m? Something else?

Replying to @KaelanRhy

ALL THE KINDS. diversity isn't a trend. It's a fact of the world and editors finally have leave to buy it #askagent