Emmy Nordstrom Higdon
Literary Agent
Westwood Creative Artists
π lit agent @WCA_LitAgency π advisor @TheFOLD_ β faculty @MSWLMA πβπ¦Ί recovering PhD π they/them; Sal: Dr. βΏ clients #SpineSquad π
Literary Agent
I always get disappointed when I get queries, especially PB queries, about disability from people who work with or care for disabled people. How is this your story to tell? Tell YOUR story, and let disabled people tell ours. #QueryTip
Literary Agent
Recently, almost every querying author who I ask about their goals says they want to quit their job and write full time. This is a fantastic goal, but please do your research, because the financial realities of this industry may not be what you think! #QueryTip #WritingCommunity
Literary Agent
emmy, purveyor of spines @emmy_of_spines
Hey folks! BBB is back - and instead of writing about my reading slump, I wrote about the difference between developmental editors, editorial agents, and acquisitions editors! #WritingCommunity, this one's for you!booksbeyondbinaries.blog/2021/06/21/ediβ¦
Literary Agent
It's veggie burger night in the Nordstrom household, and I can smell the burgers but they're not ready yet. I'm going to do one of those threads where I tweet about my queries and try to get through a handful before the burger lands in front of me. Ready? #QueryTip
Literary Agent
For authors querying me personally: I get a lot of stuff where folks are worried about triggering content in my inbox. My past life is as a crisis social worker, so I'm good to read what you send me, and I put detailed CWs on all my submissions to editors! #QueryTip #AmAgenting
Literary Agent
WeNeedDiverseBooks @diversebooks
We Need Diverse Books will no longer use the term #OwnVoices to refer to childrenβs literature or its authors. Moving forward, WNDB will use specific descriptions that authors use for themselves and their characters. ow.ly/su9w50F3IiJ pic.twitter.com/drlw4B3R0KI will also be removing this verbiage. Please note that for queries, I prefer diverse and inclusive, identity-driven stories, that reflect the first-hand, lived experiences of the author/s. βοΈ #QueryTip #AmAgenting #WritingCommunity
Literary Agent
emmy, purveyor of spines @emmy_of_spines
I'm elbow-deep in our slush pile today, so expect some #QueryTips over the next little while. The first may seem intuitive to some of you, but if your book is previously published (even for free), it often isn't eligible for agent representation! #WritingCommunityI've received three queries so far today that are for books that are already published, so, #QueryTip:
Literary Agent
#QueryTip: I get a lot of query letters that tell me a lot about the characters in a book, but not what they actually do. What is the plot? What are the stakes? Where does it happen? What makes it important? There is so much more to a book than just who it's about.
Literary Agent
#QueryTip: I get a lot of queries that are not properly addressed. I understand that - especially when you're querying widely. But it's ideal if you can get the agent's name and salutation right, and do your best to get a date close to the one you've actually sent out on!
Literary Agent
This is a reminder to read submission guidelines before querying an agent, as they can and do change over time, and RELATEDLY, that I personally do not represent books with prominent law enforcement protagonists or themes, and that that is unlikely to change with time. #QueryTip
Literary Agent
#QueryTip: Will never cease to be surprised by the number of people who forget to put their names in their query. It's... really helpful! Please do that!
Literary Agent
#QueryTip: Whenever I'm in the slush pile, I'm just surprised by the number of folks who emphasize that they don't know what they're doing - not in an asking for support way, but in a glib tone. Don't be that guy. Do your research, and be honest about your experiences. Please.
Literary Agent
#QueryTip: One question that every good query letter should answer is, why does this book matter RIGHT NOW?
Literary Agent
#QueryTip: When I respond to an author saying that I'm open to future queries from them, I don't typically mean in the same week or the same month. Developing a project usually takes a long time, and I'm not always able to take a second look immediately.
Literary Agent
emmy, purveyor of spines @emmy_of_spines
#QueryTip: manuscripts should be formatted in a standard and easy to read way, either Chicago Style or something that's pretty similar. When I'm sorting through hundreds at a time, I'm grateful to the helpful and professional authors who take the time!1/ I want to rephrase this #QueryTip, thanks to @a_h_reaume who took the time to explain the exclusivity of my language use here.
When possible, agents definitely appreciate it when MSs are formatted in a standard and easy to read way, to the best of the author's ability!
Literary Agent
#QueryTip: If your book is the novel you wrote during the pandemic, that's fine, but your query letter is probably not the time to share that! Most novels take years to get right, so an agent may be rightfully skeptical if your work is just a hatchling.
Literary Agent
#QueryTip: I've been corresponding with authors just this week who have been asked for exclusivity by an agent on a query sub, and who have been asked to pay a signing fee to join an agency. These are NOT standard requirements! πΊRed flag! π»
Literary Agent
#QueryTip: If you want to pitch an agent, do so through their preferred channels - not off the cuff at a conference, or on social media, or during a lunch date! It's totally appropriate to let someone to know to EXPECT your query, but following protocol keeps us organized!
Literary Agent
I guess this is a #QueryTip, but it applies mostly to me as an agent: Something that will always draw me in is really good food descriptions. It's such a powerful worldbuilding element for me! #WritingCommunity
Literary Agent
#QueryTip: Know the conventions of the genre that you're pitching in. Don't pitch a fantasy book that doesn't have magic, or a romance book that doesn't have a HEA! This can comes across as you not having done enough industry research. #WritingCommunity