Molly Ker Hawn
Literary Agent
The Bent Agency
Literary agent. American/British. Always curious. No pitches here, please; submission info is here: thebentagency.com/submission-gui…
Literary Agent
Jade M. Loren 🔮 @jadewritesbooks
#AskAgent this is mostly a UK vs US thing, but cover letters/query letters -- same format as each other? As in strong hook, book, cook?Or is the UK cover letter more like you'd get in a CV?
Same as it'd be in the US -- just a difference in terminology. #askagent
Literary Agent
Michelle M McGrath @MichelleMMcGr
@mushenska @julietpickering I was really taken aback when I heard this comment as it was supposed to be encouraging - and just wasn't so thank you! #AskAgentI worked this out recently and slightly over 80% of my clients came in via unsolicited submissions without referrals from colleagues. 'Slush' is bread and butter for many of us. #askagent
Literary Agent
Meg Small @LiminalAce
Hi everyone! Something I've been wondering: is there much demand for LGBT+ Middle Grade stories? What kind of reception do they get from publishers/readers? #askagentWell-written LGBT MG+ projects are often highly sought-after #askagent
Literary Agent
Simon Granville @SimonGranville
Sorry, #askagent twitter.com/SimonGranville…A reputable publisher would, in my experience, *expect* you to find an agent. #askagent
Literary Agent
Andrea Fazackerley @andreafaz08
#ASKAGENT Info for my WYP MA @bathspa. Could you tell me if you've noticed if books from the US get more publicity in the UK than UK books? Any thoughts greatly appreciated.Good question. It depends on the kind of publicity you mean, I think. Tours? Rare for all authors. Festival appearances? Easier and cheaper to set those up for UK authors. Print coverage? Well-known US authors often get a lot of that. #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Candice E Hart @CandiceEHart
do you see submissions you ever think are completely unpublishable, or is it just a case of not being for you? #askagentI've learned not to be surprised by what gets published. #askagent
Literary Agent
Lucy Rogers ☽ @LucyRogersxo
Are there any big mistakes to make when submitting which will cause instant rejection? #askagentAn obnoxious query letter is my #1 turn-off. (Scroll back a bit for more on this from me) #askagent
Literary Agent
Juliet Mushens @mushenska
@MangoBBZ @mollykh Yes, just don't submit same manuscript to someone else at the agency #askagent(at TBA, you *can* submit same ms. to another agent -- check each agency's submission guidelines!) #askagent
Literary Agent
Molly Ker Hawn @mollykh
@ssharifbooks If you've been in touch with them before, you could email & ask if they know when they'll be opening to subs, or whether (more) #askagentyou should try someone else at their agency #askagent
Literary Agent
samia @ssharifbooks
If an agent is closed to queries but from previous conversations you know this is a concept they'd want to see, what should we do? #askagentIf you've been in touch with them before, you could email & ask if they know when they'll be opening to subs, or whether (more) #askagent
Literary Agent
Mango Bubbles Books @MangoBBZ
@mushenska @mollykh If an agent rejects one MS, is it ok to submit a new and v different one to someone else at the same agency? #askagentIt's definitely fine at the Bent Agency; can't speak for others... #askagent
Literary Agent
Elizabeth MacKinney @Elizabe62668090
What is the market like for YA Sci-fi with two female leads that fall in love? #askagentIn my experience: YA sf can be a hard sell to editors, f/f love story or not. #askagent
Literary Agent
my name won’t make a christmas pun @tinycharlotte72
Hello. Does a long wait for a response from an initial submission or a full request generally mean it will be a no? #askagentIt only means the agent is behind on answering queries/fulls and/or hasn't read it yet. Try not to read into it. #askagent
Literary Agent
Hayley Gullen @HayleyGullen
@mushenska @mollykh Hello! Is it helpful to mention other published writing in unrelated fields (including nonfiction) in query letter for a novel? #askagentI don't think it can hurt. Good to know you're no stranger to editing, deadlines, etc. #askagent
Literary Agent
Unlikely, I'm afraid. Finishing a novel is harder than it looks, and I need to know they can do it. #askagent
Literary Agent
Charlie of Castle @ScribeCharlie
@mushenska I hear some people get offered rep days after a full req. But no news is also said to be good news. What's your take on this?There isn't a magic formula to reply times. Sometimes no news is 'agent has been too busy and hasn't even read it yet.' #askagent
Literary Agent
Juliet Mushens @mushenska
@VeronikaKrellis I'm afraid it's not really my area of expertise! Lots out there, check testimonials and prices #askagentSame--look for someone with experience in your category (age group, genre, etc) #askagent
Literary Agent
Candice E Hart @CandiceEHart
#askagent what gets you really excited in a query?For me, it's all about the writing, in the letter as well as the sample pages. #askagent
Literary Agent
Emma Clarke Conway @EmmaCConway
@mushenska @mollykh How important is the synopsis in how you decide whether to read the full ms? I feel this is really hard to get right. #askagentThat's why I don't ask for synopses. They're hard to write and I don't find them useful. #askagent