This can wait, IMO. Long-term career goals are something you should discuss w/ your eventual agent, but many factors influence this; if you do well in one genre starting out, you might want to build that audience; in other situations you might want to gear shift, etc. #askDVpit

we rec 3 weeks bc the of-the-moment excitement but we hope that agents/editors will still be interested even if it doesn't come in immediately. that said, if it makes more sense to just wait for the next dvpit then that might be the better option, depending #askDVpit

It’s best to respond to requests within 2 months. It’s never too late, IMO, but after a certain point you forget the excitement you had when requesting. #askDVpit

You do want to be close, but it's never going to be perfect--your book is your own after all! Try to think of books that match the tone and themes of your project. You do want to pick a book with good numbers to comp to, but don't limit yourself to the latest bestseller #askDVpit

listen to @KatCho! #askdvpit

youtube.com/watch?v=Km6A_J…

Start with something broad like genre (what's a recent bestseller in your area?) or tone (funny/angsty/cozy/tense?), and see what jumps out to you. It can help to clarify WHAT you are comping, too--"the ensemble cast of X" or "the breakneck pacing of Y" #askDVpit

It absolutely does. There are always exceptions to rules but being 30K and over general estimates is a red flag. That said, I still look at sample pages. #askDVpit

You want your comps to be both relevant and recent. If you can’t find any, you either need to keep looking or think about why that might be. #askDVpit

paranormal romance is its own subgenre so i think you can just say that! #askDVpit

I would still say it's paranormal romance or romantic suspense...it's not necessarily cross-genre, more sub-genre. Hope that helps! #askDVpit

i've ignored word counts before but really depends on the book and whether i have a good feeling in my bones about it #askDVpit

I'm pro-cross-genre myself! It helps me understand the overall tone of the project a little better. #askDVpit

Yes! Me! Please! More diversity in Adult Romance is my DREAM! #askDVpit

#AskDvpit This sounds cool. #STEM and author mention 🤪 Bet lots of agents would love to see this pitch.

Unless it's a wildly successful self pub book (100,000+ copies), I wouldn't. Comp titles should show your book has a strong market #askDVpit

Can't speak for all (& trends change quickly—don't write to fit), but I want #ownvoices space opera, epic fantasy, magical realism #askDVpit

#AskDvpit most pubs do not accept directly from a writer. Agents are more than a vehicle to pubs, they represent your best interests.

Game of Thrones, for example, has teen protagonists & strong coming of age stories. But the adult perspectives + themes = not YA. #askDVpit

#AskDvpit If a story needs work it is unusual for me to offer before seeing how writer manages R&R. To offer and be agent I have to be in 😍

YA = books from teen perspectives, not just books about teens. Adult perspectives mean the book is not YA. #askDVpit