Uwe Stender
Literary Agent
Triada US Literary Agency
Founder @triadaus, Literary/Film Agent. Herthaner. Berliner Schnauze. Westend. Qualität kommt von Qual. 1982,1991, 2013, 2017. Books, Films, Music. ❤ Berlin ❤
Literary Agent
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Bonnie Maisen is brainstorming @BonnieMaisen
@UweStenderPhD @Michelle4Laughs 1. What are the qualities of a good hook?2. If a writer has no writing credits, how much information is useful in the bio section of a query?
1. Essentially, it's personal. I may get hooked on something, and another agent won't. Some people like Taylor Swift's music, I prefer Rihanna's.
2. Just say something general about you <i.e. I live in xyz with my pets.. >
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RealCRich @RealCRich
@UweStenderPhD How would agents receive ensemble casts? Collection of short stories but written as a novel?I personally would find the odds against it high. I would only rep current clients for those, as publishers generally don't seem to want to buy such projects. YET, there may be agents who would disagree with me and love just THAT.
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Michelle Renee Stimpson @Stimpy8
@UweStenderPhD When providing comp titles in a query, I imagine the more recent m, the better, but what's the cut-off? When is a comp title too outdated?I don't know, it depends on the project. I wouldn't worry about it too much as long as the comps are still relevant.
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Lily Mehallick she/her @LilyMehallick
@UweStenderPhD Oh no sorry to hear that! My question is if a book with Greek mythology (a Medusa retelling) is a hard sell right now?At Triada, we just sold one. Don't believe in generalizations, though some publishing *Gods* seem to know better. <unrelated reference >
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Sarah Kaake @SarahEKaake
@UweStenderPhD @AnnDevon1 Glad you’re okay! I’ve gotten stuck a few times in the winter—no fun!My question:
If it’s been a few years since querying an agent and receiving a rejection, and since that time you’ve edited and revised the story quite a bit, is it okay to query again?
I would say: sure.
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Diane Nichols @DNicholsAuthor
@UweStenderPhD @RobertPolk2 I wish I could share my Florida palm trees with you! How important are prior sales if an author has books traditionally published? Would you reject a good story if a previous book did just meh?Maybe, but that's what pen names may be for.
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🦭 Sarah Nour 🦕 @SaCha1689
@UweStenderPhD Do you need to have a specialized genre pinned down before querying?I write YA, children's books, and adult fiction. My genres range from realism to magical realism to fantasy. Should I pin it down or find me an agent who can do all of those?
Query the book you love the most and go from there.
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Dr Brooklyn Stinson 🚀📚💻 @abandonedladder
@UweStenderPhD Oh my. So glad you’re okay.But, I’ll also take advantage of the largesse: what do you prefer to see in the way of comp titles? A certain number/format? Or is it one of those situations that changes with each submission?
It changes. I like 2 or 3. Could be books or film/TV for me.
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Tash -wannabe author- Broom @writtenonthepag
@UweStenderPhD Is there such a thing as "too unique" of a plot?Hmmm...it sounds a bit pretentious, as pretty much everything and anything has been done before, but maybe, unlikely, not.
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Brekke El 👩🏻🎤🌈🧘🏼♀️ @BrekkeWrites
@UweStenderPhD Yiiikes! I am glad that you’re okay!As a PhD yourself, what advice would you give an academic who’s interested in writing commercially (both nonfiction and fiction)?
This is for my professor spouse! I didn’t have the attention span for anything last my masters! #askanagent
This is not going to sound helpful, but: write a strong commercial book. Don't fall victim to the pretension of academia, ie Derrida and Foucault blabla.
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Loretta Chefchaouni is a hopeful ball of anxiety! @Writerly_me
@UweStenderPhD What do you new trends do you see becoming popular in YA, currently or near future?I am the wrong person to ask, as I don't, and never have, followed trends. Write the book of your heart, and you will be fine.
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Ming @Mingshuwrites
@UweStenderPhD 1. Hope you’re okay! But glad you were able to shovel it out!2. Accidentally wrote a YA high fantasy which I know is a hard sell right now. Keep querying? Trying writing something new? (And shelf book for when YA high fantasy opens up a little more?) Do both? 😂
1. Thank you.
2. Keep querying, & also write more. Don't listen to detractors,write what you feel compelled to write. In 2009 publishing "experts" claimed "print books are dead." Gutenberg won. Those who claim to KNOW the market are fools. They don't. There're always exceptions.
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Madeleine Richey @Madeleine_jo
@UweStenderPhD Do you like trigger warnings in queries? If so, where in the query do you recommend including them?It makes me no nevermind, as my grandma used to say, but in German.
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Susan Burdorf @sburdorf
@UweStenderPhD #askagent How much research (if any) do you do on authors before signing them once you have decided you like their work?I used to do none, but after some bad experiences, the necessary ones.
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E R Hoffer (@🏠) @erhoffer
@UweStenderPhD Oh no! Was this because of snow and ice? But my real question is — does mentioning a writer’s short story publications make a query more interesting. Or is it all about the novel description and the pages?Yes, ice under snow. As long as you don't go on and on and on, it makes it interesting to me.
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Mark Freeman @FreemanMD
@UweStenderPhD Is there anything you’re really wanting and looking for right now (Other than better snow tires. Sorry, too soon?)? #askagent Driving on snow can be tricky, especially if you don’t have to often.I drive in it a lot, but I overestimated my ability to drive over ice covered by snow..lesson learned. I really want YA graphic novels, and YA Contemporary friendship stories. And a celebrity memoir, preferably Rihanna's.
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Briannica Lynn @briannicalynn
@UweStenderPhD What do you think is missing on shelves right now for YA readers?A lot of things, primarily more diverse books by diverse writers, plus foreign translations.