Carly Watters
@carlywatters
Literary Agent
SVP & Senior Lit Agent @PSLiterary MA in Publishing Studies @CityUniLondon Co-host of @TSNOTYAW VP of Professional Assoc. of Canadian Literary Agents
153 MSWL
229 AskAgent
334 Tips

Lisa Hartley Roman @life_with_riley

When is the best and worst time to query an agent (which months or time of year)?is now a bad time due to the holidays? #askagent

I see people put these grandiose "don't query now" statements out and I don't get it really. I am never 100% up to date. So if you query me on thanksgiving I'm not reading it on thanksgiving, I'll always read it after the fact. In bunches of 20-100 or so at a time.

Carly Watters
@carlywatters
Literary Agent
SVP & Senior Lit Agent @PSLiterary MA in Publishing Studies @CityUniLondon Co-host of @TSNOTYAW VP of Professional Assoc. of Canadian Literary Agents
153 MSWL
229 AskAgent
334 Tips

Miles Everett Travis @MTravisimo

@carlywatters You're writing a novel that draws directly from personal experience/actual events. Should you bring this up in the query? Would an agent want to know? #askagent

I would at the end in the author bio section. Most important thing is that it's a great book. Lead with the hook. At the end some agents might like to know extra facts. It depends on what it is. i.e. Did you grow up in a religious cult? Write a novel/fictionalize it? Then yes.

Carly Watters
@carlywatters
Literary Agent
SVP & Senior Lit Agent @PSLiterary MA in Publishing Studies @CityUniLondon Co-host of @TSNOTYAW VP of Professional Assoc. of Canadian Literary Agents
153 MSWL
229 AskAgent
334 Tips

Paul Gleed @PaulGleedWrites

@carlywatters #askagent If an agent has requested full from a writer before, but declined it, is it okay to query that agent with a future project even if they are closed to queries at that future time? Does that assume too much or is there a 'relationship' established?

It depends. I would reach out and ask. Many agents are closed for a good reason (health issues, time management etc). When I was closed to queries I would have looked at something from someone if I sent them a lengthy R&R but that's it.

Carly Watters
@carlywatters
Literary Agent
SVP & Senior Lit Agent @PSLiterary MA in Publishing Studies @CityUniLondon Co-host of @TSNOTYAW VP of Professional Assoc. of Canadian Literary Agents
153 MSWL
229 AskAgent
334 Tips

Marcella Haddad @marcie_via

@carlywatters #askagent at what point when reading a manuscript do you make the decision to represent the author? Is there a type of moment that just makes you go, "I have to have this book"?

Sometimes it's very early. Yes the last one I offered on I knew after 50 pages but I had to read the whole thing to know exactly what I wanted to say on the phone. I don't call after 50 pages. I need a vision for it.

Sometimes I think for a day. But overall it's fast.

Carly Watters
@carlywatters
Literary Agent
SVP & Senior Lit Agent @PSLiterary MA in Publishing Studies @CityUniLondon Co-host of @TSNOTYAW VP of Professional Assoc. of Canadian Literary Agents
153 MSWL
229 AskAgent
334 Tips
Carly Watters
@carlywatters
Literary Agent
SVP & Senior Lit Agent @PSLiterary MA in Publishing Studies @CityUniLondon Co-host of @TSNOTYAW VP of Professional Assoc. of Canadian Literary Agents
153 MSWL
229 AskAgent
334 Tips
Carly Watters
@carlywatters
Literary Agent
SVP & Senior Lit Agent @PSLiterary MA in Publishing Studies @CityUniLondon Co-host of @TSNOTYAW VP of Professional Assoc. of Canadian Literary Agents
153 MSWL
229 AskAgent
334 Tips

ηαтαℓιє ℓσ¢кєтт 25074/50000 @natlckettwrites

@carlywatters #askagent this is more specific to you. Your #MSWL lists YA as a genre you rep, but your website bio doesn't include that. (Creeping over here) Which is correct? Thanks!

If it's the MSWL website I have not updated that in awhile. Also people take old Wishlist blog posts & repost them & I have no control over that. I recently sold YA but that was for an existing adult fic client. Overall I don't seek them unless they're coming-of-age more than YA.

Carly Watters
@carlywatters
Literary Agent
SVP & Senior Lit Agent @PSLiterary MA in Publishing Studies @CityUniLondon Co-host of @TSNOTYAW VP of Professional Assoc. of Canadian Literary Agents
153 MSWL
229 AskAgent
334 Tips

TheScribblingDragon @ScribblingDrake

@carlywatters What are (in your opinion) the most important qualities of a good query letter? #askagent

Concise! I like them short.
Professional. I don't like them too friendly.
Good comp titles. Are they recent? Did I like them?
Proper length of a book. Not too long (120k) not too short (60k)
Book that knows what it is. Get to that hook immediately.

Carly Watters
@carlywatters
Literary Agent
SVP & Senior Lit Agent @PSLiterary MA in Publishing Studies @CityUniLondon Co-host of @TSNOTYAW VP of Professional Assoc. of Canadian Literary Agents
153 MSWL
229 AskAgent
334 Tips

Susan Allison-Dean,MS,RN @TheNatureNurse

@carlywatters What metrics do you recommend using to see how much of a need there is for a non-fiction book? #askagent

It's really about engagement on the topic. If it's niche does it have a massive following in a niche. If you have a big platform are people highly engaged (commenting/RT/repost) w topic. Is there a demand for more of your voice? You have to know it's a book & not a blog post.

Carly Watters
@carlywatters
Literary Agent
SVP & Senior Lit Agent @PSLiterary MA in Publishing Studies @CityUniLondon Co-host of @TSNOTYAW VP of Professional Assoc. of Canadian Literary Agents
153 MSWL
229 AskAgent
334 Tips

Jen’s a 2-tail...Are you a 1-tail or 2? @Jen_D_Davenport

@carlywatters If an author queries international agents what kind of questions might they ask that are different from querying agents in their home country? #askagent

You want to make sure they have a track record of success in the book's main market. So even if you don't live there--where's the book going to be sold (US vs UK).
Whether the $ gets converted or stays in same currency.

Lauren Spieller
@laurenspieller
Literary Agent
LitAgent @FolioLiterary + @FolioJr - Full Adult + Kidlit wishlist on Pub Marketplace! ~ Author w/ S&S ~ I love dogs like it's my job ~ She/Her
633 MSWL
98 AskAgent
2 Queries
91 Tips
Lauren Spieller
@laurenspieller
Literary Agent
LitAgent @FolioLiterary + @FolioJr - Full Adult + Kidlit wishlist on Pub Marketplace! ~ Author w/ S&S ~ I love dogs like it's my job ~ She/Her
633 MSWL
98 AskAgent
2 Queries
91 Tips
Lauren Spieller
@laurenspieller
Literary Agent
LitAgent @FolioLiterary + @FolioJr - Full Adult + Kidlit wishlist on Pub Marketplace! ~ Author w/ S&S ~ I love dogs like it's my job ~ She/Her
633 MSWL
98 AskAgent
2 Queries
91 Tips
Lauren Spieller
@laurenspieller
Literary Agent
LitAgent @FolioLiterary + @FolioJr - Full Adult + Kidlit wishlist on Pub Marketplace! ~ Author w/ S&S ~ I love dogs like it's my job ~ She/Her
633 MSWL
98 AskAgent
2 Queries
91 Tips
Lauren Spieller
@laurenspieller
Literary Agent
LitAgent @FolioLiterary + @FolioJr - Full Adult + Kidlit wishlist on Pub Marketplace! ~ Author w/ S&S ~ I love dogs like it's my job ~ She/Her
633 MSWL
98 AskAgent
2 Queries
91 Tips
Lauren Spieller
@laurenspieller
Literary Agent
LitAgent @FolioLiterary + @FolioJr - Full Adult + Kidlit wishlist on Pub Marketplace! ~ Author w/ S&S ~ I love dogs like it's my job ~ She/Her
633 MSWL
98 AskAgent
2 Queries
91 Tips
Lauren Spieller
@laurenspieller
Literary Agent
LitAgent @FolioLiterary + @FolioJr - Full Adult + Kidlit wishlist on Pub Marketplace! ~ Author w/ S&S ~ I love dogs like it's my job ~ She/Her
633 MSWL
98 AskAgent
2 Queries
91 Tips
Jessica Faust
@BookEndsJessica
Literary Agent
President & founder of BookEnds Literary Agency, author advocate, optimist, & professional pain in the ass. Runs on coffee, wine, & kettlebells. She/Her
396 MSWL
574 AskAgent
191 Tips