Laura Zats
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!
Literary Agent
š¦Vianna Goodwin ŁŁŲ§ŁŲ§ š¦(she/her) āŖļøš³ļøāš @GoodwinVianna
@LZats When we're listing accomplishments in query letters, would you appreciate former ghostwriters sharing their publishing stats (x number of book in x genre with avg star rating) in the query?#askagent
I honestly donāt care about star ratingāitās more about experience in working with editors, etc. so yes, mention! But ratings are eh #askprintrun
Literary Agent
Lynn Lovegreen @lynnlovegreen
@LZats Thanks for offering! I have been working on a book that is upper MG or younger YA. Any thoughts about the difference between those categories? #askagentWell in publishing distinction is mostly salesāmarket-wise MG is a bit more open, but the difference is relatively slight. Academically, MG is about finding a place w/in immediate social structures and YA is about finding it in a community #askprintrun
Literary Agent
Andy/P. Andrew Floyd @pandrewfloyd
@LZats As an agent, since you get to read things obviously before they're published or even repped - do you have favorite books that you have no one to talk about with or that you can only talk about to a few people?I mean, all the books Iām on sub with I LOVE (editors, get on it!) But since Iām trying to sell them I talk about them all the time! I do get ARCs but donāt usually get time to read them until theyāre already pubbed. #askagent
Literary Agent
Hey folksāthis is a fun @printrunpodcast! We talk about the unwritten rules of working in publishing. Plus #askagent soundcloud.com/printrunpodcasā¦
Literary Agent
i would mention that you've been pubbed before! On the Call you can go into details! #askagent
Literary Agent
KiKiNikko @KiKiNikko
Hello @LZats - (1) how much will an agent read before deciding to decline? (2) top things you look for to *not* decline? Thx! #askagentThe only thing I'm looking for is to fall in love #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Sean Robinson @Kesterian
@LZats how do you feel about a MS with multiple first-person narrators?I'm not against it, nor for it--it just has to be good for me to read it! #askagent
Literary Agent
It's up to you--what else do you have in your bio? If you don't want to get into deets, say "previously pubbed" #askagent
Literary Agent
Katie @msynergy
@LZats Out of your current client list, what % would you say queried you more than once before you fell in love with one of their books?only one of my authors sent me more than one book before I signed them, but many did R+Rs! #askagent
Literary Agent
yes, but not a lot, especially if we're switching genres! Then it's a whole new ball game #askagent
Literary Agent
Stormy Smith @stormysmith
@LZats Thanks for the response. Here's another...I've heard other agents say New Adult is dead right now. Agree or dis? #askagentAgree for us. If you're self-pub, disagree! #askagent
Literary Agent
Stormy Smith @stormysmith
@LZats When reviewing an MS, do you typically go solely on "I like it or I don't" or do you see potential and talk revisions? #askagentI only talk revisions if I really, really like it. R+Rs are rare, but are always rooted in love #askagent
Literary Agent
Keith Manuel @KeithAManuel
@LZats How much romance can I put in a SF novel? My characters keep kissing, and more. Tangled web of feels and scars.lots! As long as it's still SF at its heart, not transforming into speculative romance. #askagent
Literary Agent
Jarrod MacKay @ExMachinawful
@LZats Have a Bachelor's in film focused on screenwriting. Worth including in a query bio for a novel or not relevant? #askagentHonestly it's not going to make a huge difference. If you have room for it, sure! If you have better things, skip! #askagent
Literary Agent
Elanor Porg Smith @SaintAlia10191
@LZats If someone has a light bio (no awards, no lit degree) do you still want writing resume or prefer to hear motivation for writing ms?ugh. Never motivation. A light bio isn't a bad thing! Have you been in a crit group? Conferences? Those count! #askagent
Literary Agent
Jim Cangany @JimCangany
@LZats Thoughts on Patterson's Bookshots initative? #askagentI love the idea as a way to get more people to read. I hate that they can't be called novellas. #askagent
Literary Agent
Kirtida Gautam @KirtidaGautam
@LZats While writing an #ownvoices book, should the writer use the dialect of language from place of origin (E.g. India) or the USA English?A combo. If your readers are American, present the content in a way they can get, but also isn't stripped away #askagent
Literary Agent
Kristi Adams @KAdamsBooks
@LZats Top reasons partials/fulls are a pass? Thank you! šCliche opening. Telly. Info dump. Just overall kind of meh in either voice or craft. #askagent
Literary Agent
Keith Yatsuhashi ā© @KeithYatsuhashi
@LZats Ha: another Q. What do you wish authors understood about querying and landing that agent? #askagent #amqueryinga bad agent is worse than no agent! Be patient and commit to the right fit! #askagent