Kaitlyn Johnson
Literary Agent
Belcastro Agency
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
Literary Agent
Mackenzie Reed @mackenziemreed7
@kaitylynne13 Awesome thank you! I'm hoping for that too🤞🏼 if you don't mind one more question, I noticed there aren't really urban or contemporary fantasy books set in college (like Hogwarts, magic-school style). Could you see a potential spot in the market for it? #askagentI'd love that. We're still working on trying to get New Adult (these ages) to expand. It's a growing struggle lol But I definitely want to see more of this and think there's potential #askagent
Literary Agent
Rachael Bell-Irving @rbellirving
@kaitylynne13 How do you feel about receiving queries from self-pubslished authors? (that are pitching a brand new story to you). I’ve been told I shouldn’t mention previous books that are indie published if they haven’t sold 10,000s copiesPerfectly happy to hear you've self published before and are now pitching a new story. Doesn't affect my choice in the least. We're not judging your self published work. You've grown. Moved on to new stories. It should be about THIS story #askagent
Literary Agent
Melissa Bergum-Operation Make Jeni Proud @writingbubbly
@kaitylynne13 Thoughts on male MCs in YA? Someone in my writer's group is losing hope that there's interest in male protagonists. Sci-Fi if that factors into it too. Thank you!! #askagentOMG no, we want them!!! We need them! Tell your friend there's definite hope! #askagent
Literary Agent
The Self-Care Enthusiast: prepping for DEC #PitMad @carleelynnlloyd
@kaitylynne13 Are works similar to GOOD OMENS trending at all? As a writer sometimes you can convince yourself a specific fantasy genre is timeless/trending when it actually isn't. Although you must believe before anyone else, of course.ever since the TV show, people have been trying to compare their story to that. But it needs to be incredibly strong and unique to really land. Angels/demons hasn't been a huge hit apart from that, so it depends what element of the show/book you're similar to #askagent
Literary Agent
Emily Locklin @emlocklin
@kaitylynne13 @StephanieNBolla Ooh, I've got it.What question/s are you hoping we ask you? Is there anything you want those of us in the query trenches to know?
haha oh that's a list. I would just say be sure to always look at agent submission guidelines/twitter posts to be POSITIVE they are taking your genre/age. that's a bit deal lol #askagent
Literary Agent
Kaitlyn Johnson @kaitylynne13
@TRittershaus That's info we don't need. Give us publication credits if you have them. If not, but you have a connection to the plot/character (like it's about a social worker and you are a social worker) state that. #askagentIf none of this, give one or two lines about you: town you live in, job, college you graduated from, how many dogs you have. I just want a bit about you. It should never be longer than the pitch letter itself. #askagent
Literary Agent
Tamara Rittershaus, author & editor @TRittershaus
@kaitylynne13 #askagent How much bio info is too much? When I critique queries I see lines like “I’m active in the writing community on Facebook and Twitter,” and I wonder if that’s the info agents really care about. Any tips?That's info we don't need. Give us publication credits if you have them. If not, but you have a connection to the plot/character (like it's about a social worker and you are a social worker) state that. #askagent
Literary Agent
Audra York @AudraYorkAuthor
@helenahoayun @kaitylynne13 @chels_of_harper To add to this, would you state the specific editor name at XYZ publishing, or just mention “an editor has requested...” #askagentThanks!
I would say the editor name and house. All details help #askagent
Literary Agent
Merril Elizabeth @natural_wizard
@kaitylynne13 Are agents more likely to work with the same publishing houses over and over? Or put another way, if you want a particular publishing house do you have to find an agent that has sold to them beforeAn agent should be trying to get you in any reputable house. We don't focus on just certain houses. We create a list and are continuously sending you to new people. and just because an agent hasn't sold to a house, doesn't mean they can't #askagent
Literary Agent
Sierra @sierrapung
@kaitylynne13 Hi @kaitylynne13! Thank you for taking the time to do this! Can you share about your process? How often do you stop reading mid-query? If you like the query, do you read the pages next or synopsis? Thanks!Sure! Normally, unless the query is 100% no (like about rape or something I strictly say I don't take), I read the pages. I don't often read the synopsis unless I like the pages and want to see where the story goes #askagent
Literary Agent
Zan Lowell @zanlowell
@kaitylynne13 Thank you for this! Regarding submission length. If the page count ends in the middle of a scene (or a few lines away from the scene) do we smudge for clarity, end as is (assuming it’s not mid-sentence), or reel it in to under the page count?I would just end it at the nearest sentence. Not going over. Like, we ask for 5 pages. So it should end on the final full sentence of the 5th page #askagent
Literary Agent
If I believe in dinosaurs, then they believe in me @SquirrelTheWR
@kaitylynne13 What's a reasonable full request rate to expect with a good query- like, what % query rejections is an indication the query/first pages need work? Thanks for doing this!Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for that. It varies writer to writer. I've seen people with great queries not get picked up for months and months; others who had average query, got picked up fast. There's no fast and hard number #askagent
Literary Agent
Kaitlyn Johnson @kaitylynne13
@iza_sultan I would research genres and figure out what is right for yours. A list of genres shows us you're confused on what you're writing. If it's a YA Romance, I'd be confused why you felt you needed to tag action to that #askagent (1/2)If the hook/pages are super strong, an agent could overlook the mess-up in genre and help you, but it's all dependent #askagent
Literary Agent
Iza Sultan @iza_sultan
@kaitylynne13 Hi Kaitlyn!Any tips for how to describe your genre? And how specific should you be in a query? Is it okay to write something simple like YA action romance and then after the agent reads the synopsis and if they like it they can help you figure out the specific genre?
I would research genres and figure out what is right for yours. A list of genres shows us you're confused on what you're writing. If it's a YA Romance, I'd be confused why you felt you needed to tag action to that #askagent (1/2)
Literary Agent
Donna is finally querying the damn thing @PIXY727
@kaitylynne13 What are your biggest pet peeves in the first 5 pages?Waking from a dream. Describing weather. Beginning after a big event and reflecting on it rather than starting in the moment. Starting in the midst of sex scene (it happens!) lol I could go on and on #askagent
Literary Agent
Cortney Winn @CortneyWinn11
@kaitylynne13 What are the biggest most common weaknesses you see in MS? What are the biggest strengths you look for? 😊♥️Passive voice! Where we fall into memories too soon or the character has no agency of their own. Kills me lol Biggest strengths are voice and worldbuilding that I could just slip into, it's that 3D #askagent
Literary Agent
jamespmurphywrites @jimmurphynovel1
@kaitylynne13 I have a general question. I know many agents a large number of queries. I have some agents who never respond while others may say that the project is not for them. For agents that don't respond, should the writer follow up? What is general timeframe for response?Dependent on agent. Check their profile. Some say that no answer is a pass. Others say to check in after 3 months. I think it's ok to check at 3 months, but that depends if they've publicly said no answer is a no #askagent
Literary Agent
TheBrokeCollector @BrokeCollector
@kaitylynne13 If I'm writing a multi-book story, at what point should I begin sending out query letters to agents? Is there a specific word count or is it more about completing the first book?It's deff about finishing the first book. Never query an unfinished/unedited book, and never query multiple books in 1 query. Focus on Book 1, because you never know if Book 2 will be picked up in the future. Book 1 is the important one right now #askagent
Literary Agent
JoeBianco @TheDriveToKill
@kaitylynne13 #askagent self published been told it’s a great story, query after query goes kaboom what makes an agent see the same vision that I have?If it's self published, it may be hard to get an agent to take it on, because it's already out in the world. Depends on sales numbers, really. I can't tell you how to share that vision, because it all depends on the agent who clicks with you #askagent
Literary Agent
Mackenzie Reed @mackenziemreed7
@kaitylynne13 Is it possible for a book set in college (beginning of freshman year) to be marketable as YA? Or will it always get categorized in the murky NA area just because it's set in college, even if the themes correlate with YA better? #askagentWe've noticed, depending on voice, this gets labeled as "crossover potential". Either YA with adult crossover, or A with YA crossover. But I'm still crossing my fingers for NA to come out of the shadows and be the fabulous age it is #askagent