Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Shayna Grissom @ShaynaGrissom

@kaitylynne13 How do agents feel about small press writers?
Replying to @ShaynaGrissom

I think they love them? lol I don't see why that would be a problem or negative at all =] #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Dana Brown @DanaRBrown16

@kaitylynne13 Is it possible to query a book with a notable artist attached to doing the artwork for the cover? Would this turn away an agent or would they welcome it? #askanagent
Replying to @DanaRBrown16

If you have someone attached to the illustration/artwork already, I'd state that. That shouldn't be skipped unless you aren't committed to working with them for the piece #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Stephanie Escobar @pokemonpatronus

@kaitylynne13 What is a tasteful way to respond to a rejection? I want to know their reasons for rejecting me; I know I can become a better writer from it, but am not sure how to ask the agent in a professional way.
Replying to @pokemonpatronus

honestly, if the agent doesn't provide feedback, I wouldn't respond asking for more. It's unfortunate, but some don't have time to give more than a form rejection or some simple yet helpful feedback #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Sierra @sierrapung

@kaitylynne13 Thanks for answering! I love hearing behind the scenes stuff like this. Follow up Q. How often do you reject for query? For pages? For concept? For something else? Thanks again :)
Replying to @sierrapung

Don't really have numbers for that, but often it's if the query is just something I'm not interested in, or if the pages are just not strong enough writing. Sometimes it's synopsis, but that varies #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

H.W. Johnston @hwjohnston7

@kaitylynne13 @KJHarrowick Are novellas something agents stay away from?
Replying to @hwjohnston7

Not all of them! Check their preferences. I don't take novellas, but another agent in the agency might, so deff do research #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Metra Kootsikas @Nice2Meecha

@kaitylynne13 Hello Kaitlyn! I see lots of agent tweets on major query mistakes...what % would you say are actually good, researched, strong queries? Even if the MS is not for you, is your inbox filled with competitive, well-written queries?
Replying to @Nice2Meecha

I have a Maybe pile of around 60 queries right now. All decent or great. Sometimes I request, sometimes I don't. I have CLIENTS right now who didn't have the best queries. I don't have %, but it's more about the plot or writing that grabs me even if query is sub-par #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Mackenzie Reed @mackenziemreed7

@kaitylynne13 Last question from me! If an editor likes your pitch (like from Pitmad), is that something that should be mentioned in an initial agent query?
Replying to @mackenziemreed7

Keep a list of any editor that liked your pitch. You can mention in the query, or you can just save it for when you get an agent offer and let them know, so they can reach out to the editor #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Jennifer Kinzler @JenniferKinzler

@kaitylynne13 What do you think about the gray area between MG and YA? Is there a place for a 14yo MC starting high school?
Replying to @JenniferKinzler

We want to see more in this age. It's a murky area and we don't have nearly enough. It would most likely by MG or YA dependent on voice/plot #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Biciido @DeeqaJibrell

@kaitylynne13 Do you have any suggestions on how to tackle a query hook when you have multiple main characters? Do you focus on the main plot or on one BIG main character? Thank you!
Replying to @DeeqaJibrell

if 1 character feels like the main one the plot revolves around, focus on them. It's hard to do more than 2 characters in a query. Things often get complicated after that #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Cierra McGee @CDGMcGee

@kaitylynne13 @iza_sultan Follow-up: I've read tips from agents (specifically thinking of Donald Maass) advising only to use shelf-specific genres in queries. For example, I'm writing a space western--but since that's not a "real" genre you'd find in bookstore, am I better-off calling it sci-fi?
Replying to @CDGMcGee

Um, I love space western. We can read between the lines lol just do research on the agency. If they've stated they prefer shelf-specific, edit your query for them. But for others, if it's not super vague, something like space western works #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Stephanie Bolla @StephanieNBolla

@kaitylynne13 @emlocklin I read that having a large social media presence is a key factor when agents are choosing who to represent. Is this true? And how much does this effect your decision making process?
Replying to @StephanieNBolla

Platform matters for nonfiction, because you should be involved/have experience in topic. For fiction, social media doesn't bother me. I will work with you on bulking that, but it's not necessary to have a big platform #askagent

Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Katsoupis
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
290 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Shay Emms @ShayEmms

@kaitylynne13 I have a longish list of publication credits but half of them are small press and the others are for VERY old graphic novels from bigger name companies. One friend told me agents won't be interested in small press books from publishers they've never heard of- is this true?
Replying to @ShayEmms

You could state you've published graphic novels with NAME and also had publications through various small presses. If they want to know more, they'll ask who those presses are (it's still a great accomplishment, though! Congrats!) #askagent