Hannah VanVels
Literary Agent
Belcastro Agency
Tara Santora (they/them) @Tara_Santora
@hannahvanvels I queried an agent you were working with when you joined Corvisiero and received a revise and resubmit. I'm now prepping for #RevPit and wondering if this disqualifies me from being able to submit to you or if I still could? #askagentNope! I can't consider a project that I've worked on with you editorially for agent rep, but you're welcome to send anything to me for RevPit and query my colleagues with that! If you work with another editor for RevPit, plz query me b/c your ms is going to be awesome. #askagent
Phoebe Ross is Washing Her Hands 🧼 @phoebeross_
#askagent #TeamCorvisiero are you guys bracing for a wave of “quarantine queries” and have you notice an impact in the pub industry?So far it is business as usual but remotely! We might be a little slower than usual as we all adjust to the world, but we are still signing clients. Publishers are still buying books. #askagent @CorvisieroLit
ding @blueshenlung
@hannahvanvels Thanks! And when you’ve done all that, just keep going? What about for us deeper in the trenches?Yup! And remember, you don't have to accept every offer of rep you receive if you feel something isn't quite right. #askagent
Rachael Bell-Irving @rbellirving
#TeamCorvisiero how would you describe your team spirit? #askagentWe are like a family! We know each other tastes pretty well, and are super supportive of one another and one another's clients too! #askagent @CorvisieroLit twitter.com/rbellirving/st…
Gina 💯 @GBDolfan
In YA, do you have to list the MC's age, or can you just hint at it? #CorvisieroLit #AskAgentIf the age is relevant, please do. It's helpful to know if they're like early teens or late teens, but no need to get too specific. #askagent @CorvisieroLit
💙CT Moor💙 @ct_moor
@CorvisieroLit If an author was to submit to your agency from the UK, would their British English differences impact their submission?For example, the UK's single speech mark use ('), as opposed to the double speech marks used in American English (")? #AskAgent #CorvisieroLit
Nope! Not at all! #askagent @CorvisieroLit
Gregory D. Little @litgreg
@hannahvanvels #askagentWould an agent or publisher frown on a manuscript where a portion of it had previously been published as a short story?
It really depends on how much of it had been published already. We don't want you to compete against yourself in the market. #askagent @CorvisieroLit
HJ Haydt [WIP: 126K] @HJHaydt
American agents, can I query you as a Canadian writer? Will the fact that I'm in a different country play into your decision?#askagent
Yep! A lot of agents rep clients around the world! #askagent #CorvisieroLit
ding @blueshenlung
@CorvisieroLit @hannahvanvels Since finding the right agent is so subjective, what are some tips to help find that fit? #askagentQuery people who you think might be a good fit. Research who you are querying ahead of time. Look at their MSWL, recent sales, their social media, etc. #askagent #corvisierolit twitter.com/blueshenlung/s…
Charlotte Gunnufson @CharlotteGunnu1
@hannahvanvels Hi Hannah! Thanks for the link to your wish list. For PBs, do you accept only author/illustrators?Nope! I'm looking for PB authors and PB illustrators, not only people who can do both. #askagent
Jeremiah Rivera @JeremiahRivera
@hannahvanvels any tips on combating white room syndrome?Character always comes first. So use your characters’ interactions with the world to ground your story. Always foreground character and plot and sprinkle in setting behind them. #askagent
Kelly L. Swan Taylor @KellisLST
@hannahvanvels @JasonHuebinger The most "feedback" I get is that it's not right for their list at this time. Seriously, what does that really mean? I research the agents extensively and write MG fiction (so not as many agents as other genres). I'm perplexed. #askagentThis could mean a few things. First that they didn’t connect in the way that they had hoped. Maybe they also have a similar book on their list and don’t want to offer on a book that might compete. Most agents don’t have time to personalize rejections unfortunately. #askagent
Joel Chalmers 📚🌲 @PBWriterJoel
@hannahvanvels Thanks for offering your time! Here's a couple questions I have:What makes a story and pitch pop off the screen for you?
How editorial / hands-on are you with your clients?
Voice and connection with a character. Before I jumped to agenting, I was an editor at a house, so I am very editorial! #askagent
Abbi Lee @abbilee18
@hannahvanvels #askagent I've looked at your mswl (and am going to query you soon), but is there any specific topic or theme in picture books that you are dying to represent?With PBs, I've been finding lately that I either want to cry or laugh. I love silly topics, I love family themes, I love exploring cultures through food, and I love lyrical prose! #askagent
Sasa Hawk @SasaHawk
@hannahvanvels That's great to know! I'm writing YA fantasy, and I keep hearing that publishers aren't buying it as much...but then again, new books come out and deals are announced all the time! 🤷Yeah, fantasy in general is a little saturated right now, so if you are writing in one of these saturated genres, it's all the more important to make your story fresh! #askagent twitter.com/SasaHawk/statu…
Tristram @TristramAugust
@hannahvanvels And what makes a good prologue?Make sure that your prologue isn't just an excuse to info-dump! Ask yourself if the info in your prologue can better be sprinkled throughout the main plot. #askagent
Madelyn is Revising 🦾❤️🛠✨ @MadelynKnecht
@hannahvanvels I have a follow up question! :) I’m told this varies per agent so I’m curious, if you pass on a project and then later sign the same author for a different project, would you ever help with the first project? Or would it be shelved?Ohhh good q! I'd probably help with the first project b/c I assume I probably passed on it b/c it wasn't quite ready yet and not b/c I wasn't into the author. #askagent
Hannah VanVels @hannahvanvels
Right now it seems there have been a lot of romcoms sold, and I think it's because we all need a laugh at the moment. I've been seeing editors really want YA sci fi but publishers don't seem to be super sure how to deal with it. Trends are so cyclical (1/2) twitter.com/SasaHawk/statu…and so I don't think that writing to a trend should deter you. Remember when everyone said dystopian was done? And now we got a new Hunger Games coming out in a few months. The trends will shift again, so keep on writing! (2/2) #askagent