Kelly Peterson

Depends on if it’s lower or upper middle grade and what genre it’s in. Contemporary trends lower. I’d say for contemporary, a safe spot is about 30-45k words, with fantasy going up to about 55k in upper MG. Everyone differs in this though!

Don’t query series, but do query THE FIRST BOOK of the series. There’s a difference. :) Make sure you query focuses only on the first book and that it’s stated that it’s part of a planned series! Make sure you don’t try to cover the arc of the entire series in query or synopsis!

In nonfiction, that could work. Most agents will want to see a full manuscript in order to make that decision though. :)

It depends on the way you want to publish! In order to be published by many larger publishers in a traditional sense, you would need an agent.

Because you already started the series self published, unless you have sales in the tens of thousands, it’s very unlikely to be picked up by an agent or editor because it’s already been published and out there to the world.

It should be stated in the query that it has series potential! And some people hate ending on cliff hangers while others love it. It’s subjective and fully dependent on the agent and editor tastes. :)

It could literally mean anything, unfortunately. It’s a subjective phrase, so depending on the agent and what they’re looking for, it could mean anything.

It’s mostly just depending on how agents run their boxes, how much help they have, and what their current life is like. We read queries during our free time mostly, and our clients have to take up that time first and be priority!

Agents represent what they know and enjoy. If we don’t know and enjoy a genre, we won’t be a good option to work on it or know what it needs in order to sell!

Voice and commercial hooks!

Usually not. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Authors don’t have a lot of say in many things publishers do, including cover designs and such!

YES. You will need something to keep your nerves and patience in check! It’s TOUGH being on submission and having more work to do helps to keep the nerves at bay.

Everyday. 😂 Did you see the mass email that went out to agents the other day asking for bidders for each word in the query?! And usually if the first page is no good, and the query is no good, it’s an automatic rejection. :(

Usually agents can and will know if it’s not for us within the first 25-ish pages. But there’s also the manuscripts that are amazing until about the 100 page mark and then start falling apart. Those are the toughest. :(

Agents and agencies. Find ones you get a good vibe from. Read their websites, their #MSWL pages and tweets, their “about me” and what they stand for. Write all the ones down that appeal to you and who rep manuscripts and books similar to yours. :)

Is it fiction or nonfiction? The best way is to really dig deep into what your manuscript is and what type of person you work well with. Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses and what you would want in a working partnership! Then go and honestly google the crap out of

Trending UP! YA is super saturated right now and a lot of publishers have been asking for more MG projects. Positive side for MG authors. :)

Yes, query simultaneously! Usually authors query in rounds (some 10-15 agents at a time, I’d assume?) and when they get enough rejections, move on to another round. If multiple agents offer, then yes, you will have to turn some down by the deadline given!

Meaning from the same person? Yes. @briston_brooks is my perfect example of this! She sent me 3 manuscripts before being signed, and we’re now going back over the other two and talking about revisions and how to best sell them in the market. :)

I’d say don’t mention it, in all honesty. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Let the reader figure it out for themselves!