Penny Moore
Literary Agent
Aevitas Creative Management
Senior Agent at @AevitasCreative .🇰🇷혼혈. Cat Mom. Opinions are my own. Here’s a resource if you need it: literaryagentsofcolor.com

Literary Agent
No two pub experiences are the same. It’s important to have author friends who give valuable insight, but there will be things specific to their own exp that won’t apply to yours. That’s OK. Unsure & nervous about something? Talk to your agent. It’s what we’re here for. #pubtip

Literary Agent
Penny Moore @literarypenny
If you work w/ a book packager, try to get an agent, or have a lawyer w/ publishing contract exp to vet any agreement you might sign with them. It can be a mutually beneficial relationship, but you’ll need to make sure there’s someone looking out for your best interests. #pubtipAlso, reputable packagers won’t mind if you bring in an agent or lawyer to advocate for you. #pubtip

Literary Agent
Dear Writers,
Congrats to those who hit the NaNo finish line! Now that it’s over, please put that MS away. Forget about it for at least a month. Then take it back out and revise. Find critique partners and revise. Polish it again and again. THEN start querying agents. #pubtip

Literary Agent
Everything is hard to sell. The market is saturated due to various issues, so just write the project you feel the most passionately about, making it the best it can be before you reach out to agents. #pubtip

Literary Agent
Penny Moore @precociouspenny
I think an important thing to ask an agent when considering an offer is if they submit more than one client’s work to an editor at the same time. Generally, this is a bad practice, unless there’s some sort of special situation and the agent and editor are in agreement. #pubtipThe reason why I say this is because realistically an editor won’t or can’t buy multiple projects from the same agent at the same time, so essentially the agent is pitting their clients against each other for the same editor’s attention. #pubtip

Literary Agent
Also, it’s to a writer’s HUGE benefit to weigh ALL of their options before rushing to accept an offer, especially if you’re being pressured by the initial offering agent. #pubtip

Literary Agent
Penny Moore @precociouspenny
If an agent has your full MS in their submission pile, and you receive an offer of rep, PLEASE let that agent know immediately. It’s never good for an agent to have to spend their valuable time on reading something to find out the writer already accepted an offer. #pubtipIf an agent took the time to thoroughly read your query and request the full MS, the very least a writer can do is keep them apprised of any movement. It’s a professional courtesy that I hope querying writers will keep in mind. Thank you! #pubtip

Literary Agent
If you’re querying an agent with a MS for the first time, or if you’re a writer going on submission for the first time, congratulate yourself. Putting such a huge piece of yourself out there for others to judge is a BRAVE thing to do, so take pride in that achievement! #pubtip

Literary Agent
The best thing for your mental health in publishing is to not compare yourself to others. Everyone has a different situation, and in the end, you’re just going to make yourself miserable dwelling on those who have bigger book deals or more fans. Focus on your own path. #pubtip

Literary Agent
I can't believe I have to say this. Querying an agent and then harassing them through FB messages and Twitter DMs, especially after they've passed on your MS, is totally unprofessional and not the way to get an agent's attention. #pubtip

Literary Agent
There’s a lot of misinformation going around about how/why authors make the NYT list. I’d like to say take it with a grain of salt. If a book doesn’t hit the list, it doesn’t mean the publisher decided from day one that the book was going to fail and not support it. #pubtip

Literary Agent
Writers can get caught up w/ the # of sales an agent has when deciding on rep. Remember it’s the quality of the sales that should count, not quantity. Anyone can sell books to bad and shady publishers, but a good agent knows how to be selective and get you the right deal #pubtip

Literary Agent
When an agent considers a manuscript, not only are they looking for a great story, but they’re also looking for great POTENTIAL in the writer. If an agent can’t get beyond line edits and see the bigger picture, then they probably aren’t the right fit for you. #pubtip

Literary Agent
There’s a misconception going around that having CPs who are agented and/or pubbed is better than CPs who aren’t, and I just want to say that it’s total bullshit. Having an agent or being pubbed doesn’t make any one writer better than another. A good CP is a good CP. #pubtip

Literary Agent
A big pet peeve of mine is when people use words like: chortled, guffawed, and snorted to describe someone laughing in their stories. Just say LAUGHED. People don't actually guffaw or chortle. #pubtip

Literary Agent
Penny Moore @precociouspenny
One thing I’d like conference organizers to keep in mind when inviting PoC agents to do query critiques is that we are agents and not sensitivity readers. Too many times I’ve seen PoC agents given manuscripts by white writers with troublesome representation to critique. #pubtipWe are not meant to be shields for misinformed writers and if you want a PoC agent to double their services in providing a manuscript critique and a sensitivity read, then they should be compensated accordingly. #pubtip

Literary Agent
If you’re considering becoming an agent, be a reader first. Instinct that tells you what makes an amazing story comes from years of reading books, and it’s impossible to be a good agent who reps fiction without that instinct. #publishingjobs #pubtip

Literary Agent
I know it's often said, but Twitter is not a place to pitch agents unless it's part of a contest that they're participating in. I never thought I'd have to add this extra layer, but it's also not wise to have multiple friends spam my feed about how I should represent you.#pubtip

Literary Agent
One thing I can say about publishing is that you should always remember it’s a small industry, and kindness and respect can go a long way. #pubtip

Literary Agent
One thing you should truly take into consideration when choosing an agent is their hunger, drive, & enthusiasm for your work. Passion for a project is so incredibly important, and sometimes it can even surpass experience. So it's good to take a chance on younger agents! #pubtip