Juliet Mushens

· 20 May 2020

Hina Malik @dodgyjammer

#askagent if you have two projects that could interest an agent, do you submit as two separate subs or as one email?

I would pick your strongest and just submit that #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

David Garlick @CoveredInHair

@julietpickering @jounwin @LittleHardman @mushenska
#AskAgent what’s the financial cut if an agent takes you on % wise-and does this vary? Or are there too many intricate details to answer this conclusively?

Replying to @CoveredInHair

15% home market, 20% overseas and in film #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

John Huw Evans @JohnHuwEvans2

#AskAgent
Will agents represent people across a political divide.
I'm asking based on an agency representing "celebrity politicians" I personally dislike.
I can't imagine them being a home for me.

Replying to @JohnHuwEvans2

I think it's perfectly fair as a writer to take a look at a client list and feel it doesn't fit your own beliefs/leanings, and take that into account when submitting. #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

Debbi Voisey @DublinWriter

@mushenska Would you (or any agent, do you think?) ever consider reading a submission you have previously passed on again, if the author did considerable work on it? 😊 #askagent

Replying to @DublinWriter

Only if I've specifically requested to see it again after the work #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

tastestrange @lewisjcwilliams

Hi. Do you dismiss queries without reading the attached documents? I write my query letter in an objective manner and therefore it does not reflect the prose of the book. ...(it would sound strange if it did!) #askagent

Replying to @lewisjcwilliams

normally I read some of the pages unless there is a very glaring reason not to! #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

Peter Newman @pajnewman

@mushenska #askagent Thanks for all your tips and answers, glad you’re holding up ok in these times. How/or should authors go about asking other authors for pull quotes or is this something you as an agent would handle?

Replying to @pajnewman

it's something the publisher would handle #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

Clare Zinkin (MinervaReads) @minervamoan

Hello. Thanks for answering questions here. Would you expect to sign a writer before asking them to do major changes to a manuscript? Or would you ask them to do the changes first and then sign? #askagent

Replying to @minervamoan

depends how big the changes are! If they're very big I'd normally ask for a 'revise and resubmit', and might offer rep based on that. Otherwise, I'd need to be sure we were on the same page #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

Sophie Draper @sophiedraper9

@mushenska @skellybacken completely understand - does that change if you have an offer of representation and worried about keeping them waiting too long for an answer? #askagent

Replying to @sophiedraper9

It's normal to let the offering agent know within a week or so, and to tell everyone else you need an answer by then #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

Stewart Clyde @StewartClyde_

@mushenska If my novel is self-published, can I still submit it, and if so, would a publisher still consider it?

#askingforafriend

Replying to @StewartClyde_

you can but I might worry that it's already reached its sales potential. It's not a hard rule of mine though #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

John Huw Evans @JohnHuwEvans2

@mushenska I'm thinking more of unstated dislikes that are just a non-no like combining crime with SFF

Replying to @JohnHuwEvans2

I'd guess those would vary agent on agent, and I'd try and mention them in my submissions page #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

Liz Harvey @lizlaumiere

Hello! Does the current uncertainty around publishing/economics/not knowing what will/won’t sell in the future mean that agents are less likely to offer representation at the moment? Thanks #askagent

Replying to @lizlaumiere

I'm still signing clients and still selling books #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

Lois Johnson @LoisAnneJ

#askagent hi, if the MC is an unreliable narrator, should I say that explicitly in the synopsis &/or query letter? Or let it only be apparent in the m/s? Thanks

Replying to @LoisAnneJ

I'd let it be apparent in the ms #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

E.P. Larrson lives in a dumpster fire @E_P_LWB

#AskAgent I’ve seen different ranges for acceptable adult fantasy word counts (specifically between UK and US agents). For UK, what would you consider to be the acceptable word count for adult fantasy debuts?

Replying to @E_P_LWB

The majority are 100k-120k words. The longest debut fantasy I have sold was 150k #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

John Huw Evans @JohnHuwEvans2

#AskAgent
Are there any categories or combinations of categories that agents will turn down without even reading? Ignoring obvious social taboos

Replying to @JohnHuwEvans2

it depends on the agent! I list the genres I don't represent on my submission page so if I get a submission in one of those genres I wouldn't read it #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

Dr. Sarah Kelly @skellybacken

@mushenska #askagent

I chased up (politely) an agent who asked me for a full MS some weeks ago and have still heard nothing - is it best to assume they’re not interested or worth a follow-up? Thanks 🙏🏻

Replying to @skellybacken

It depends on how many weeks it's been - I think after 8 weeks fine to nudge, and do remember that right now some agents are slower because of illness/childcare etc. #AskAgent

· 20 May 2020

Ruthie Mack @ItsRuthieMack

#askagent What's the best way to approach the cover letter?

Replying to @ItsRuthieMack

90% about the book, 10% about you. Elevator pitch, blurb and some comps. I've actually just written a blog post featuring my own made up subs letter and I'll post it after! #AskAgent

· 13 May 2020

KC Harper @kcharper613

@jounwin @mushenska @julietpickering I’ve written an epic fantasy that’s getting great reviews from beta readers (unknown to me), but it is 136,000 words in length. How strict would you say word length guidelines are for Agents and publishing? #AskAgent

Replying to @kcharper613

It's okay for epic fantasy, though can still be tricky in translation as translated books are even longer than in english #AskAgent

· 13 May 2020

Rebecca E Roberts @BeckyERoberts

@mushenska Thanks for your reply. I was worried because the contributors to the discussion seemed to regard it as true, 'but who cares if it's lowbrow - I love reading them anyway.'

Replying to @BeckyERoberts

there are absolutely definitely literary first person POV novels! #AskAgent

· 13 May 2020

Gal Podjarny @galpod

@jounwin @mushenska @julietpickering I’m sure it’s been asked but is it worth sending a (non pandemic) ms out right now? Or should I wait for when things calm down? #askagent

Replying to @galpod

I'm still reading! #AskAgent

· 13 May 2020

Lynne Arrol @LyndoA

@jounwin @mushenska @julietpickering Hi thanks to all of you for doing an #askagent session. I like using dialogue in my writing as I also like writing plays. What balance of dialogue to prose is acceptable in novels written for children and adults?

Replying to @LyndoA

I like dialogue too but just make sure it's not at the expense of developing setting and character #AskAgent

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