Naomi Davis

Literary Agent

BookEnds Literary Agency

Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

But when you crack open the pages of your next manuscript, you'll realize that those first relationships taught you HOW & WHY. Those first plots showed you WHEN, WHAT, & WHERE. That book in the drawer isn't a failed endeavor; it's a steppingstone, a learning process, a class. /4

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

These books are NOT WASTED TIME. These books are the ones where you more deeply, thoroughly explored your creativity. Where you fell in love w/a character & learned how potent those author-character relationships can be. Of COURSE you want to see every project on the shelves. /3

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

Some of these books may get requested & rejected, or never requested, or represented and then shelved when they fail to sell, or published and sell an unimpressive number of copies no matter what you try to do to make it fly. You wonder why? & it's so very hard to move on. /2

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

Dear #amwriting #amquerying authors THREAD #querytip
There will be books that you write&love,that you poured your soul into through every late night writing&painful slash of the editing pen,that do not ever see publication. It's hard to swallow this, I know. You love this book.1/

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

1more reminder: only include character description relevant to scene. Nestle it in moment that matters.

Do: "Mom pointed to the twisting tornado touching down way too close, my long, black hair whipping in the violent wind."

Don't: "I had long, black hair."
#amwriting #querytip

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

A reminder: bored characters make for bored readers. Characters need DIRECTION, even if story dramatically changes that.
Catalyst for action MUST be something more engaging than "Character was bored to death so an interesting plot started happening to him." #amwriting #querytip

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

What is your favorite outlining tool? I often recommend the One Page Synopsis guide (on publishing crawl website) by Susan Dennard, and Story Genius by Lisa Cron. What other tools do you find instrumental when plotting a new novel? #amwriting #querytip #askagent

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips
Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

To answer an #askagent question more broadly - Yes, you absolutely can comp characters/settings in addition to full titles: "If Harry Potter were thrust into the patriarchal world of The Handmaid's Tale..." when showing us your book's hook in a query. #querytip

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips
Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

#querytip using too many proper nouns like names of ppl & places muddles a query. No matter how creative your names are,they aren't what makes me request. Show me plot. Show me stakes. Show me relationships & arc. Make me need the STORY - I may ask you2 change names later anyway.

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

Here's how I see showing vs telling. THREAD
Tell: "He felt defeated."
Incompletely shown: "His shoulders sagged."
Shown and immersed: "His shoulders sagged in defeat."
#amwriting #amediting #querytip

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

Erin Hahn @writer_ep_hahn

My New MC Luke is the cutest and I want to write him forever. pic.twitter.com/ryhmtPKNn0

A great example of what makes "voice" stand out in a manuscript. Give a character personality through narrative. It doesn't have to be funny (tho it can be, as in this example), just FULL OF PERSONALITY. #querytip

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

S. L. Valentine @SLValentine1

@NaomisLitPix Thank you, I understand. I'm just aware of the SFF "everyone's writing a series" trope and I'm thinking there is a stereotype there for some agents that I want to avoid (maybe I just spend too much time on Reddit!) I've also got another standalone WIP to pitch first as well.
Replying to @SLValentine1

I see. Well,I don't speak for other agents, but I would not request a 400k word book subbed to me. I need word count of the book I will ask to read: bk 1, if a series. I don't need total series wordcount in query, nor all requested books sent at once b4 I've read first. #querytip

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips
Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

A #querytip re: evolving equality in fantasy:
Plz don't send me evil creatures w/defining feature of "black."There are so many ways to represent evil w/o resorting to features readers associate w/society's perception of dark color=evil/dangerous. Readers of color deserve better.

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

I truly love it when a query tells me the personal connection that drove you to write the book. Just one (seriously: 1) line telling me why you care about the story, or where the idea came from. It helps me see what you wanted to accomplish,&if I can help you reach that #querytip

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips
Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

On a serious note, #querytip - I get even more excited to read your book when you mention which Hogwarts House you are in.