Kate McKean

It might be anecdotally true but there's no actual data on that. Agents aren't looking for authors who already have or had agents to fill their rosters. The book matters more!

Ans: It has to be a trade bk & not an academic bk, which I know is overly simplistic. It should appeal to a broad audience who read books on that subject, as well as approachable & have a clear "so what?" It shouldn't just be "cool stuff I learned." Paging @lportwoodstacer again!

? from Dms: if an agent asks for, say, the first five pages of your manuscript copied into the body of an email, how much formatting are you supposed to preserve?

Ans: don't worry abt formatting as long as it is readable! Just copy the 1st 5 pp from your book & paste. It's ok!

? from Dms: what if your word length changed a little from your pitch? What's an allowable differential (e.g., I pitched at 90K words, but I'm at 94K

Ans: I would barely notice unless it changed like 50%. This is fine!

? from Dms: When you get a request for a full, how long may you take to submit it (I'm trying to give it one last go-through, but life is getting in the way of that!)

Ans: I would be ready to send a full right you have a request. If you need more time or whatever, tell the agent

Yes! There was just something I saw on instagram about it this weekend but can't find the link! Harper has a union!

Fiction, yes. Non-fiction, you need a book proposal, but not always the whole book.

? from DMs: Are in-person pitches more effective than mailed/emailed queries?

Ans: In person pitches (when they exist) are the LEAST effective way to pitch a book IMHO. I need something to read!

I think it's good to say "Thanks for your time on X book. We weren't a match, but I'm excited to send you Y." Short and sweet! A slight reminder can help, not hurt. (If it hurts they are not the agent for you anyway.)

Ans: I would think so! You don't HAVE to have your WIP critiqued any amount of times. If you're getting useful feedback and you implement it and you're happy with the book, send forth!

? from DMs: Is it frowned upon to look for a new agent before you've cut ties with your old one?

Ans: Yes. Break up w/ your current agent before you go find a new one. I know it's scary! But it's the ethical and fair thing to do. Read the agency agrmt for the Termination clause

There's no one SINGLE format, but this is the general one! katemckean.substack.com/p/whats-a-book…

Awards never affect my decision whether or not to ask for more. They're icing. I guess if you won a Pulitzer/Nobel/Congressional Medal of Honor that would be different.

3 months is a good benchmark, imho

There is no rating in YA books. You can do/say whatever you want. There are some venues that don't sell YA novels with Content (as we call it, i.e. swears/sex), like Scholastic Book Fairs, but not like B&N, Amazon.

If you know it's not there yet, don't query. It's too tough a market out there to hope that an agent will take a chance on something that needs work.

That's tough. You can be upfront with the full-requesting agent and see what they say. They may disagree with you! Just don't revise and send a new version weeks later saying NO NO NO READ THIS ONEEEEE

Use 12pt font, one inch margins, standard font (like TNR) and don't try to cheat the system. :) Use your best judgement. If an agent asks for 30 pages and your ch. 2 ends on page 32, send 32 pp. You won't get booted out of the system.

Why the main character did what they did and what's at stake if they DIDN'T get to do it.

It's tough. You have to start with one book. If you get an offer, talk to that agent about the other genres you want to do. See if you're a match. Avoid having multiple agents. Of course, you have to pub in 1 genre first, before you can pub in another. :)