Maria Vicente

I typically shy away from projects over 100k. But keep in mind, I work mostly in children’s books so the word count is shorter. It would have to be a very special YA novel for me to want to read 100k words of it.

Also (I’m cheating and giving two pieces of advice), agents are just as eager to find and connect with the right potential clients as you are to find the right representation. We need you and your work!

Your query letter is your first (and sometimes only) impression. Spend time revising it. Make sure it’s as stunning as your actual project.

That the day is often filled with negativity! Editors saying no to client projects, writers deciding to sign with other agents, having to deliver bad news to clients, sending out rejections to requested material... Some days are tough.

That’s something you bring up later on. It’s not so important in a query letter.

FYI: it’s often the publisher that decides on an illustrator for a book, so be aware that you may not have a say in the matter.

You should have a pitch package put together, as well as a polished sample chapter or two of the script (at least).

I’m going to write a longer blog post on querying graphic novels, because I agree that there isn’t as much info out there.

You need to decide what success looks like for you as a published author. Can you achieve those things on your own? Do you have the skills and/or resources to tackle all the various publishing roles? Or do you need assistance?

It needs to bring something new to the table. When you read so many pitches, the stories all start to sound the same. I’m always looking for something I haven’t quite read about before.

Illustration notes can definitely help with this. Read this blog post for more on this topic: mariavicente.com/blog/visual-th…

I would just ignore the buzzwords and pitch it as “awkward queer millennials fall in love.” (Which sure sounds like my kind of romance novel!)

Totally normal! Technology makes communicating with my clients easy, whether they prefer emails, phone calls, video chats, etc.

I want both! The hook is what grabs me right away (should only be a sentence or two), but after that I want the pitch to tell me about the actual plot.

I put all the weight on ‘hell yes that sounds like a good story’ tbh. Trends change. What’s hot now won’t stay that way for long.

With how long agents can sometimes take to respond, I think writers are better off submitting to a handful of agents at a time. Exclusive submissions just delay the process for you IMO.

Read as many (recently published) books as you can in the same category & genre as your novel. Not only will this help you with comp titles, but it will help you understand the market—and make you a better writer.

Sometimes! At conferences, through lot magazines, online publications, etc. It can be hard to find the time though. #askagent

I've read manuscripts over the weekend and offered on Monday. I'm not usually so caught up on requests though! #askagent

Sure! As long as it approaches a universal topic through a new angle. #askagent

Working on my editorial calendar tonight! Let me know what topics you'd like to read about on the blog. mariavicente.com #askagent

Thanks for reading my blog all year! Here are my top posts of 2015: mariavicente.com/post/135773403… #askagent #writing #publishing