I personally alternate between reading from the top down and the bottom up, depending on volume--it's really luck of the draw #askagent

One I just sold! That we will announce soon! Omg that was so unhelpful, sorry! 💩 Fave MG dark comedy is @HollyMMGrant's LEAGUE OF BEASTLY DREADFULS. Hard to come up with YA comps, what's yours? #askagent

When it's well written, personally directed, and something fresh, that I haven't really seen before! #askagent

Not necessarily, but I would definitely mix in some genre-appropriate, successful but perhaps not HUGE-huge comps. If you tell me that your book is TWILIGHT meets HARRY POTTER, I might give you just a liiiil side eye 👀 #askagent

Not necessarily, but I find a romance--or sexual exploration of some kind--often helps. It definitely doesn't have to be the central relationship! It can be a secondary, or even tertiary element. And it definitely does not have to be happily ever after. #askagent

Yes ma'am! One of my favorite parts of the job is going to lunch with editors. We're all book nerds, and it's always fun. I get to know what they're looking for and try my best to deliver it #askagent

I would stick with SFF agents, or write another book. Or just keep querying until you find the right match. Never give up. Sometimes genre is putting writers in a tough spot. So ist das Leben.

It's a crowded field, but not necessarily. If you feel yours is fresh/brings something new to the table, lead with that angle in your query letter #askagent

I think so! Some of my current clients queried me with earlier drafts/books. Be up front and say "oops I initially sent this three drafts too soon, would love to have you re-consider" #askagent

That's a tough one. Teens don't typically "read down" re: protagonist age. You can get pretty dark in MG as long as there's hope, why not make it MG? Or just not include genre in your query, and trust your eventual agent to help you shape/decide? #askagent

I don't know. Except what is not marketable for one agent, MAY be marketable for another.

I would not worry about the tense. I would focus on the plot, the story, the characters, the writing.

You can call me Uwe. Or Dr. Stender. Mr. Stender is my father. Ms. Stender is not I.

I would say probably yes! #askagent

Not necessarily, BUT I would focus on the MG kids, and not the parents.

6 weeks, unless you get interest from elsewhere! #askagent

Not that I know of (if they do, I'm pissed I'm not on that list!) but I DO notice funny trend bubbles in my slush. If there's lots of VERY similar published work, it can be hard envision breaking out a new author. I gotta be able to answer "what's new & different here?" #askagent

I LOVE it when a query-er has researched my list and my fabulous clients! Definitely let me know. "I see you rep ___ and ___, and I thought you might love my work because ___" don't bury the lede, tell me right off the bat! #askagent

I usually ask for a partial to start and then a full if I read and love the partial. It's a natural trigger for me to be in touch with authors that I'm getting excited about and start building good communication. #askagent

When scouting, I work the opposite way--I skim query letter v briefly and then skip down to the 10 page writing sample. If I love the writing, I go back and read the query letter SUPER carefully. Everyone works differently! #askagent