Anna Sproul-Latimer

Agent #pubtip soapbox time! Today's unsolicited lecture for authors is on COMPARING YOUR EXPERIENCE TO OTHER AUTHORS', something I need to gently discourage one or more of my clients from doing every day. I am subtweeting all of you. And myself. It's so tempting.

Today’s #pubtip wisdom comes from an unrelated post on @RachelJSimmons’s excellent Insta. Selling and publishing a book can be, ah, intense reminders of how little control you have over other people’s opinions and purchases.

Re the Nora Roberts title mess: authors, if you ever want to serve a publishing beef, bring it to your agent before Twitter, please. Less chance of embarrassing yourself; greater chance of satisfying sympathy rage and behind-the-scenes gossip. #pubtip

Eternal #pubtip: when you get a pass from an agent, please don't ask them for names of other agents they should talk to. And if they are nice enough to do so, *please* don't exaggerate this as a professional endorsement in your next query.

Like most lit agents, I only use Twitter to network professionally. I don't respond to friend requests or messages on FB, Insta, or (existential shudder) LinkedIn unless I know you. Not personal! I just don't want to share Fam Anna with strangers. #pubtip

A real winner of an opening line in my query box this AM: "I’m exploring literary agents to see if they are mentally equipped to understand and market my book." Sounds like I'm far too stupid for this one! #pubtip

...And he who has a "why" to read can bear almost any filler paragraph. Writers, particularly of nonfiction: there's no more important thing you can do to sell your work than explicitly tell your reader why it matters. #pubtip

Thing I am thinking about again today: I don't think I've seen a single good book idea in my career that hasn't been at least medium-similar to 2-3 other ideas I see within 3 months. The zeitgeist is so real, and platform and voice are 98% of everything that matters. #pubtip

Very similar to the thought process agents like me go through when thinking about what to rep - and useful for writers to read. #pubtip

#pubtip: If you're submitting to an agent, using "dear Publisher, or something" is maybe not the best salutation.

Today's cranky #pubtip: authors, before you submit something, for the love of God make sure you've turned off Track Changes.

Calling it now: rainbow paint smear is to 2017 book covers what neon green was in 2016. #pubtip

Writers, feel free to submit me you IT'S A SUPER DUPER BAD TIME books about 2016. #pubtip

When writers who aren't literally Ed Snowden slap "privileged & confidential" all over their subs, that's a big red flag for me. #pubtip

When I open a submission and each chapter is in a separate Word file, a small part of me screams into the void. #pubtip

Submission in my inbox this morning: proposal about how to stalk celebrities, with attached aerial photos of their homes. Eek #pubtip

NB: not the way to format a query letter. (I was one of 277 agents cc'ed...) #pubtip

NB: not the way to pitch an agent #pubtip

What your lit agent doodles during your publicity conference calls #pubtip

Am I the only agent who never includes a "competing titles" section in NF proposals? I think they hinder more than help the cause. #pubtip