Natascha Morris
@SoCalledYALife
Literary Agent at BookEnds, representing kidlit. Literary Mentor at Media Mentors. Query me at QueryMe.Online/1067 Closed to YA Scifi and MG Scifi.
#YearofNatascha
- #mswl (461)
- #tenqueries (194)
- #querytip (29)
- #pubtip (1)
- #querystats (11)
- #askagent (12)
- #1st5pages (22)
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 31 Aug 2018
Lara D. Elliott @lara_d_writer
@SoCalledYALife Do you like to see an age range given for picture book queries?I think an age range can bite an author in the ass, particularly if they don't understand it. So if an author is like "I have a picture book for 10-15 year olds" I know they don't know the category. So personally, I think it can hurt you. #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 31 Aug 2018
Traci Piescki @tpiescki
@BookEndsJessica @jamerrson @bookendslit #askagent Generally speaking, would an MG with no human characters (think An American Tail) be marketable these days or would it be better to establish one’s self with a story about human characters?Personally, I don't connect with talking animals in MG. We still see those books on the marketplace on occasion, but I suspect since it's something of a classic int he genre, people are pickier about them #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 31 Aug 2018
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife
@KristanaArp That goes person to person. Ask yourself if you have looked at the rejections and seen a common theme or if there is something about your work that is making it a harder sell. When to retire a manuscript is different for everyone. But the general rule of thumb is retire it whenit no longer is an accurate reflection of the writer you are now. #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 31 Aug 2018
P.K. Merlott @PKMerlott
@SoCalledYALife If you know other agents are interested in a project (eg, in a pitch contest), does that make you more or less interested in that project? Is it more exciting, as an agent, to land a hot property, or to find what others might be missing?Pitch contest are kind of not an accurate reflection. Someone who gets alot of likes might write for shit. So it comes down to pages. And that is a 1 on 1 thing. #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 31 Aug 2018
Melissa Charles @2TheImp
@BookEndsJessica @jamerrson @bookendslit #askagent Speaking of MG, I'm working on my 2nd. Are creepy dolls that may or may not be possessed an overdone trope? Or is it like anything else that it all depends how it's done?It depends on how it is done, but I will also say DOLL BONES was published a few years ago, so it might be a harder sell. As long as you manage your expectations, nothing ventured, nothing gained. #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 31 Aug 2018
Jessica Faust @BookEndsJessica
@ValdezBrittanym @jamerrson @bookendslit I think you mention that it's the first book in a trilogy. Most everyone will assume that each book can still standalone. It's sort of a requirement. #askagentAs much as I hate the phrase "Standalone with series potential" that is a fan favorite for alot of agents. #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 31 Aug 2018
Allie Greenberg @absolutestartup
@BookEndsJessica @jamerrson @bookendslit #askagent what YA themes are you looking for these days? Seems like this genre is a lot of the same!I was just talking about how we need something new to re-energize us. But thematically, it's the same themes as always. It's just the new way of telling.
I will say that I am looking for first gen issues, college set stories that are YA themed, and historical fiction. #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 31 Aug 2018
Erin Price @Super_Weenie
@absolutestartup @BookEndsJessica @jamerrson @bookendslit I would ask the same about MG? Any topics you're itching to see covered?#askagent
I'd love to see immigration issues and first gen issued covered! #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 8 Aug 2018
Swati Hegde @SwatiTheGeek
@bookendslit How long should you wait after one rejection to query the same agent/agency again with a different book? Weeks? Months?I would say you want to consider what the agent said in their pass and then see if you can address that in your next mss. How long that takes depends in the author. #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 6 Aug 2018
Tracy Marchini @TracyMarchini
@bookendslit @BookEndsJessica @ellen_press @NaomisLitPix @SoCalledYALife With today's shorter, snappier text, if it's fiction I feel like I rarely see full paragraphs. Short lines for effect are fine, and also make it easier to see page breaks. #askagentI agree. Attention spans for children are shorter so I don't mind a 2-3 word line. #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 27 Jun 2018
T. L. Sherwood @TLSherwood1
@BookEndsJessica Should a writer check back with an agent if they get no reply and no confirmation the email query went through?If you didn't get a confirmation, I would check in with the agent because it might not have gone through. But no reply from a @bookendslit agent is not a no. We respond to all queries we receive, regardless of how long it takes. #askagent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife · 27 Jun 2018
Shan Nawaz @_ShanNawaz
What's a day in the life of an agent like? #askagentIt is always changing. Only guarantees is that there will be emails and things that need to be read. #askagent