Lauren Spieller
Literary Agent
Triada US Literary Agency
Literary Agent @TriadaUS | Author of Books for Young Adults | Check my website for book info & query status. I love dogs like it's my job. She/Her
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
๐Lily Mehallick she/her๐ป @LilyMehallick
@laurenspieller Typically, how far into a manuscript do you know youโre going to offer rep on a project?I start to get ~a feeling~ around pg50, and I usually ~know~ by 50% #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Nicole is drafting! 27k/90k words @ngriffithbooks
@laurenspieller Is it an expectation for a debut author to have a niche or genre they kind of stay in? Or are you (and agents in general) open to repping a client who writes across genres?Both, actually. You want to build a brand, but you can still write in multiple categories/genres. But you and your agent have to be strategic. #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Bailee ๐ @baileesg
@laurenspieller What is a common mistake that you see often in query letters?Not making your query a PITCH. You arenโt just summarizing, you are trying to convince agents to read! #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Mikhaeyla Kopievsky @MikhaeylaK
@laurenspieller How should writers approach querying a new ms if an earlier ms is still out on full request?First, make sure youโre truly ready to query. Second, follow up w agents who have your first manuscript (assuming you are still interested in working with them), and let them know you are querying something new. Also, query additional agents. #askagent
Literary Agent
Jodi Herlick @JodiHerlick
@laurenspieller I've had an agent tell me the minimum acceptable word count for YA fantasy is 90k. Is that true? And does that apply to contemporary fantasy or can that be shorter? #askagentNope, wrong. First, there is no โruleโ about word count. Second, the first YA Fantasy I sold came to me at ~55k. Your word count is determined by the scope of your story and your world. #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Alexandra Z. Lazar ๐ @alexandrazlazar
@laurenspieller What are your thoughts on prologues? Specifically, in MG fantasy?They have to be necessary and fascinating. Otherwise, cut. #askagent
Literary Agent
Lily Mehallick she/her @LilyMehallick
@laurenspieller Do you think Greek Mythology is dead in publishing?Not dead but it needs to be a very unique approach #askagent
Literary Agent
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ @BOQ0RAD
@laurenspieller what should you do if your first ten pages end in the middle of a chapter?Finish the page at a good spot, but donโt finish the chapter just to finish it. #askagent
Literary Agent
Dark Southern Land @southern_dark
@laurenspieller If outside of US - should manuscript be submitted with US style/spelling conventions? Eg, my title includes the word 'harbour' - is this likely to put agents off or make them assume I can't spell?No one is going to care. Spell it the way you want to #askagent
Literary Agent
Dark Southern Land @southern_dark
@laurenspieller Also... for a manuscript that falls neatly into Crossover territory - should you submit it as such or is it okay to submit to both YA and adult agents, framing it as one or the other?I've heard that use of the term New Adult is somewhat polarising?
Tailor to the agent, but never use NA #askagent
Literary Agent
Elle Grey @ElleGrey9
@laurenspieller What is an acceptable amount of time to send the same agent a different pb ms?Iโd try to wait to hear back on whatever you sent last. #askagent
Literary Agent
Logan Musselman @LoganMusselman
@laurenspieller If I have a manuscript out with an agent at your agency, but another manuscript ready to query which seems to be a good fit for another agent (same agency) would it be best to wait to hear back on the first manuscript before querying the second?You should probably nudge for at agent and get an update. If itโs been more than 3 months, you can send new MS to other agent, but tell them the situation. #askagent
Literary Agent
Alexandra Z. Lazar @alexandrazlazar
@laurenspieller Iโve read a lot of successful 80-100K MG fantasies, but most rules say they should max out at 75K, if not less. Whatโs your opinion on the maximum acceptable length? Also, what are your thoughts on 14-year-old protagonists in MG?I think your safest bet is to stay below 75k for a MG debut.
I think a 14YO can work as long as their wants/wishes/story still feels MG and not YA. #askagent
Literary Agent
KC Harper @kcharper613
@laurenspieller What if what your character wants changes through the story or they get what they want halfway through so the focus changes? Is that problematic?A character changing is the definition of a story, so for the purpose of the query, just include their initial WANT! But if there's a sudden, inexplicable about-face, then you need to really look at your character arc and make sure it makes sense. #askagent
Literary Agent
Kimberly Van Ginkel @VanGinkelAuthor
@laurenspieller A friend of mine is querying a book about a 12- year- old girl in the 60s coming of age. She doesn't feel it's a YA book, because of her writing style, but she keeps getting rejections when she submits as women's fiction. Should she pretend it's YA to get someone to read it?Typically a book about a 12YO is Middle Grade, though there are adult books w/ child MCs. It sounds like she's straddling a few different categories, and needs to think about who her audience really is, and why they might not be connecting to this version of the MS. #askagent