DONT BE AFRAID TO MENTION IT!!! It’s nothing to be ashamed of. That agent that said that is weird! #askgzla

I can only speak for me, and it is often part of a form letter. For me, yes it is genuine but also part of a form letter. I NEVER want to miss the opportunity to read something new from an author no matter why I rejected on the 1st place. #askagent

YA vs A comes down to not only age, but the manner in which characters interact with authority and the maturity with which they approach things like conflict, confusion, fear, and doubt. Think of how teens handle these things vs adults. #askagent

Name matters early on, but make sure it is introduced organically. Age can often be subtle and implied by showing activities, setting, or family config. Nothing "told" to the reader in a way that is not organic in the scene. Organic is challenging, but important! #askagent

In general, "upmarket" refers to things with a stronger literary feel vs commercial. Horror itself does seem to be climbing, but I'm not sure I'm qualified to differentiate between upmarket and commercial with respect to that. #askagent

Absolutely there is. The market wants a FRESH take on fantasy stories without relying on Tolkien-esque tropes and worlds that feel generic based on previous saturation in fantasy. Also fresh, never seen before POVs #askagent

Prologues are often a way of telling rather than showing. I'm not personally averse to them, but if the story functions just fine without it, sometimes it's best to get right into the rhythm the reader can expect from the whole book. #askagent

I can only speak for myself.
If you're a debut, a long word count = more expensive book to print = greater financial risk for publisher. If something is 20-50k over word count guides for genre, I might hesitate, but I never rej on that alone. #askagent

Varies agency to agency! In our agency, you may always query multiple agents, but only one at a time. #askagent

I really prefer a text document, double spaced. The content itself matters more than the presentation, to me. #askagent

You DO NOT have to have your manuscript professionally edited.
Join a writers group. Find critique partners and beta readers. Support other writers so they can support you. ❤️
#WritingCommunity #askagent

I probably wouldn’t even notice the original typo... #askagent

I'm a big advocate of write what you love. If the MS that you love isn't a "trend" write it anyways. Trends change, and writing isn't a race. Keep writing, keep querying, and keep doing what you love. That's how you will grow as a writer as well. I hope that helps. #AskAgent

Not too short, but borderline short. I think if the primary plot is the romance, then it's just right. I'd aim for 65k or 70k if you can. :) #AskAgent #querytip #amquerying

Absolutely.

Write a great book and query.

You need to put your best foot forward, so you need to have an error free book.

I always respond, but I have no idea what other agents do.

I can't speak for others, but I personally would start getting concerned at 110k at the latest in SFF. In contemporary, at 100k. But it depends on the project.

IF they are great at all genres, that's awesome. If not, then stick to your strengths.