Alex Slater

It’s attractive. It’s not everything. STORY is everything. #okscbwichat

Oh wow you guys should prepare yourself for @jblecher’ debut OUT OF PLACE and @JanaeMarksBooks FROM THE DESK OF ZOE WASHINGTON, two #mg with luminous hearts. ZOE is a good example of blending with #mystery too. #okscbwichat

No, it should not make a difference. Online presences, social media use, etc, is different for everyone, and if an agent loves your story but passes because you have 20 followers? You dodged a bullet. #okscbwichat

I edit the book and we dig deeper when necessary, but I know when to step aside and bring a professional on board when the manuscript is ready. I share the submission list and rely on my clients input if they have connections too. #okscbwichat

I keep my clients in close contact during the editorial, submission and negotiation process. My job is to find the right editor, a champion for the book, who shares our vision, and I’m there to nurture that relationship and help guide the author along her career. #okscbwichat

I loved SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS by Jack Chang. It’s heartbreaking and told in such a unique way. #okscbwichat

They know instantly if they’re being talked down to or coddled. A part of me sometimes thinks that the best children’s stories are told with no audience in mind. #okscbwichat

For a query, definitely run on sentences, excess of character names, an overbearing bio, my name spelled wrong...#okscbwichat

I stop reading when I see unnatural dialogue, excessive exposition, books that don’t seem to really trust the reader. Children can spot that a mile away, and it just doesn’t make for good fiction. #okscbwichat

Rhyming is more difficult because it needs to be SO perfect. In today’s market, PBs seem to be more experimental and meta, and editors are shying away from traditional. However, it’s always a matter of just finding the right team that loves the work as much as you do.#okscbwichat

Definitely query letter. I’m like a catcher waiting for the pitch. The most important thing is that the query poses a question that I need the answer to. The only way to get the answer then is to read. #okscbwichat

I would love more standalone contemporary #MG novels. Books about real kids and real life. #okscbwichat

Right now most are author/illustrators. However I am working on projects that are text only, and a search for the right illustrator-the next member of the team-is on going. That’s to say, it varies. #okscbwichat

A voice that’s confident, clear, unique, alive. I look for characters who I NEED to spend more time with, either because how they see the world is irresistible or their story is too engaging to ignore. #okscbwichat

Definitely looking for an engaging story that takes full advantage of the medium. Having a comics platform is also very attractive. My fav GNs are THIS ONE SUMMER, ASTERIOS POLYP, NIMONA and more #okscbwichat

Being the first to read a project before any one else. I always loved the idea that agents have to find and nurture talent. It’s a big responsibility and I cherish it. #okscbwichat

I love middle grade and YA and graphic novels in both categories. I rep contemporary, fantasy, and am always eager to read new stories from diverse writers hoping to inspire young hearts. #okscbwichat

Sure! I’ve been a #kidlit agent with @Trident_Media since 2014 but started as an assistant in 2010 and worked my way up to Foreign Rights Agent after that. #okscbwichat