Jennifer Laughran

I answered some #AskAgent questions on le Tumblr just now -- mostly Coronavirus related. TL;DR: Publishing is NOT stopping -- but we are all navigating a strange new landscape. Agents are taking this day by day, just as everyone else is.

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Somebody wrote to tell me that my latest "Best of #AskAgent " newsletter about personalizing queries was confusing. Which... part? I'm happy to clarify but I honestly THOUGHT I was being as clear as it was humanly possible to be. Maybe not! 😬 Sorry???

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I got really fired up about this #AskAgent question. Like, I want to reach through time and space and beat somebody up. I'M STILL MAD. "An editor said being young and attractive helps people get book deals. REALLY?!" 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

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I started a (free!) (awesome???) newsletter. This will be one weekly update containing a Best Of #AskAgent question, plus bookish news and whatnot. Subscribe to get it directly.

First up on the Best of Ask the Agent: WTF is an ARC?

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My #AskAgent Tumblr -- it's SO FULL of questions from people who are tying themselves up in knots. Here's the answer for all of you:

YOU ARE SERIOUSLY OVERTHINKING THIS. Please go outside and take some deep breaths of fresh air. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, PLEASE BE GOOD TO YOURSELF.

My #AskAgent Tumblr in a nutshell:
"Is it true you should only get an agent who lives in NYC?"
(I don't live in NYC.)

"If I queried and then I changed two words should I send an updated version?"
(No.)

"How many words are in a book"
(Just make it book length pls.)

(BTW I am all caught up on #AskAgent questions and the inbox is empty! Woooo!)

I spent my lunch answering a bunch of #AskAgent questions (and YEAH maybe also making a poster of a bunch of pretty books to answer one of the questions, what OF it???)

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Somebody on the #AskAgent Tumblr asked about writing an "NA Romance" that doesn't have HEA. But like... then it isn't a Romance...? If it is a ROMANCE, it has to have HEA/HFN. It can be a book with some romance IN IT and have an ambiguous or unhappy ending. But not a ROMANCE.

My sweet darlings: I am very happy to answer #AskAgent questions on the Tumblr. You don't need to ask the same question multiple times: If I haven't answered, I just haven't thought of an answer OR, I already answered it. Probably a lot. xoxo literaticat.tumblr.com

An #AskAgent tumblr question: "Is it true that a no from one editor is a no from all"? -- my answer (in which I explain a bit about Imprints):

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This got long (why do I talk so much omg I will shut up now) -- ANYway, #AskAgent -- how important is "personal chemistry" between an author and an agent?
My answer:

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An #AskAgent question: Why *shouldn't* an author look for another agent while they are still agented? My answer:

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A tumblr #AskAgent question: It seems like more and more agents only want to rep people who write novels rather than just picture books - why is that? My answer: literaticat.tumblr.com/post/186450188…

This #AskAgent question about foreign rights turned really long, sorry
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I love it when people ask me interesting questions on the #AskAgent -- this one is, which is more important, the AGENT or the AGENCY? And also, what sets my own agency apart from others? Well, not to brag, but... *brags*

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Somebody asked on the #AskAgent tumblr if it is necessary for an aspiring author to get a fancy pro headshot, and at what point. I answered... and now my inbox is filled with followup questions from people who never want pic of themselves to exist? Well...
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Woof. If it has been more than six months and it’s a MAJOR revision... sure. #AskAgent

I’d say it includes nonfiction UNLESS they specifically say Fiction only. And, timely topics (feminist, social justice, etc), STEM, and history/bio about lesser-known folks/topics that can still clearly tie into curriculum. #AskAgent

1) I’ll ask for “two or three” — 2) I just want to know you have more than one great idea and high quality work. #askagent