Serene Hakim

There's more and I could really go on and on. I feel so fortunate and grateful to be part of a place like APL. I know there are lots of great agencies out there, but ours really does feel special #AskAPL

I'll also add that you should read often and widely - get to know what books are out there, discover your own tastes, challenge yourself with new genres. Pay attention to who is publishing all these books too. It'll help you determine what type of agent you want to be #AskAPL

Generally speaking, for fiction, social media doesn't really factor much in my decision, if at all. Obviously a big platform helps no matter what but it's not necessary. For nonfiction, platform is much more important and social media can play a big role in that #AskAPL

I'd consider it if I really loved the novel and had an idea of what it needed to be a more manageable length, and if the author is willing to put in the work! It also depends on the genre and what type of book it is #AskAPL

For me, I have to a) love it, b) have a good idea of how I want to pitch it/position it, and c) have enough time at the moment to put in the work. Without these things, I don't think I'd be the best agent for the book #AskAPL

Definitely be familiar with the books of the place you’re applying at. You have to make it clear you want to work there and not anywhere else (even though we all know you’re applying lots of places!) #askAPL

Try to stay positive! But also take it as an opportunity to review what’s going on. No requests for fulls? Maybe you need to tweak your query letter. Listen to the feedback and revise your project as necessary. And keep writing other things. It could just be timing #askAPL

Depends! We usually discuss potential projects & others offer their opinion. We’re collaborative & I value my colleagues’ input but ultimately the agent offering is the one to decide. (This could be different if the agent is starting out & others might do it differently) #askAPL

The mini people in my life are adorable and wonderful but so demanding!! I really want to open again soon, hopefully next month. I’ll announce it on here! I’m hungry to read something new and exciting #askAPL

Read widely in the genre you’re writing! Be patient, play the long game, and try not to take rejection personally. I love working with writers who have lots of book ideas. I like knowing I’m investing in the writer, not just one project #askAPL

More or less! You don’t necessarily need an editor before querying but I definitely recommend having a trusted friend or writing partner take a look. And I’ll add that you’ll probably do even more revision with your agent before they send it out #askAPL

For fiction, have the whole ms done and as polished as you can get it. Nonfiction you only need a proposal (w/ sample chapters). Start by looking online for agents, seek ppl out here & get a sense for what they’re looking for. Do your research before you start querying. #askAPL

Yes I really hope so! I think we at APL at least (and many others!) have been working hard to create this space. Keep writing the story you want to write. The right agent will get it. #askAPL

You can do either! It’s great to find one agent with range who you can really develop with but that’s not always easy to do. It’s not unheard of to find one agent for your adult projects and one for your kids books for example #askAPL