Literary Agent
Michelle Lindo Rice @mlindorice
What are some reasons that an agent might reject a full manuscript request #askgzlaSometimes it’s a really strong opening that gets us to request, but maybe the rest of the book didn’t get enough polish or the plotting went somewhere that didn’t resonate ultimately #askgzla
Literary Agent
Katie LaRae 🏳️🌈 @The_Katie_LaRae
What factors do you consider when requesting an R&R versus offering on a project? #AskgzlaI don't really do R&Rs these days, but I did a few when I was in my first year of agenting. I did them when I saw promise, but the manuscript was not quite there. #askGZLA
Literary Agent
Erik Thurman #ChileDespertó #AsambleaConstiyente @ErikThurman
#askGZLA #askagent How do you combat language used in our industry that work set outside the US or with non-American characters is “a hard sell?” Especially to editors and agents who currently represent this work?F*ck em i sell them anyway #askgzla #PatronSaintsofNothing #WickedFox
Literary Agent
Katie LaRae 🏳️🌈 @The_Katie_LaRae
What factors do you consider when requesting an R&R versus offering on a project? #AskgzlaI don’t do many r&r’s really so someone else will have to take this but it’s a good question #askgzla
Literary Agent
Thereza Dos Santos is NaNoWriMoing! @TherezaDSWrites
@GalltZackerLit @erin_michelle_C @LindaRandom @AgentZacker @beth_phelan Yay - hello! I hired an editor (children’s lit prof I knew) after years of slogging away. The experience was excellent and I learned how to write a novel. Should I NOT mention the editor in my query? Thx! 🙂 #askGZLA#amquerying
#WritingCommunity
DONT BE AFRAID TO MENTION IT!!! It’s nothing to be ashamed of. That agent that said that is weird! #askgzla
Literary Agent
Sasa Hawk @SasaHawk
@NaomisLitPix Thanks for doing this! When a query rejection says that the agent would be interested in seeing your future work, is that genuine or just a polite nicety?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
Literary Agent
Jacob Tedrow @jatedr
@NaomisLitPix What are the easiest factors for differentiating between young adult and adult fantasy?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
Literary Agent
Tiana Torres @tiananicole15
@NaomisLitPix Hi Naomi. When you’re world building and introducing your mc in a ms, how soon should info like name, age, setting, etc. be revealed? Is there any sort of golden rule (e.g. name + age by page 10)? This is for ya contemporary if that helps!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
Literary Agent
MattiOGreen🐝 @mattiOgreen
@NaomisLitPix I've been seeing the term "upmarket horror" a lot lately, & if it means what I think it means, it should fit the manuscript I'm working on. I'm wondering if you could talk about how you're seeing it defined, and if it's a genre that's sales are on the rise?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
Literary Agent
M.R. Kistler @MRKistlerWrites
@NaomisLitPix Is there any hope for Heroic Fantasy in the market? I’m getting a lot of love for a manuscript, but nobody seems keen on adding the genre to their list right now. What’s the outlook?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
Literary Agent
Stacy A. Alderman @StacyAnneWrites
@NaomisLitPix Why do so many agents (and readers and writers) discourage prologues? So many books I read have them! What’s the difference if it’s called a prologue or chapter one?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
Literary Agent
The Bi Shoulder Angel @Jonah_C_Byers
@NaomisLitPix How often is a longer-than-normal word count a dealbreaker, not just for you but other agents you know?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
Literary Agent
Dan Fitzgerald @DanFitzWrites
@NaomisLitPix Is it okay to re-query the same agent (or another agentin the agency) after a substantial revision (of both query letter and first 50 pages)?Varies agency to agency! In our agency, you may always query multiple agents, but only one at a time. #askagent
Literary Agent
Allison Lane @AllisonLane
@NaomisLitPix Howdy Naomi! Here’s my ? Assuming you like the nf query, when you request more, how much of the proposal and manuscript do you want to see? What elements make it easier for you to absorb the content? Do you prefer a pretty graphic-designed pdf? Or a simple doc with text?I really prefer a text document, double spaced. The content itself matters more than the presentation, to me. #askagent
Literary Agent
Natasha Raulerson - Signing Author at #Shameless19 @RaulersonWrites
Agents + Agented Authors please weigh in. I have someone telling authors that in order to get an agent they have to pay to have their manuscript professionally edited. #amwriting #amediting #askagent #writingcommunityYou 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
Literary Agent
Chloe Seager @ChloeSeager
It breaks my heart when people resend their queries with a small error, profusely apologising for their 'unforgivable mistake.' Guys it's ok agents are just people, I for one am not going to cast you out of my inbox because of a typo😅I probably wouldn’t even notice the original typo... #askagent
Literary Agent
Becca Ehrlich @BeccaEhrlich
@Megan_Manzano What is one thing agents always look for in submissions that can end up being a deal breaker? #askagentAlways follow submission guidelines and be respectful and you're off to a great start. Not doing so can lead to a rejection.
#askagent
Literary Agent
GL Francis @merelecroix
@Megan_Manzano #askagent When agents state they only respond if interested in a project, what's a reasonable amount of time to wait before querying another agent in the same group?Some agencies say a pass from one is a pass from the whole, but others allow querying different in-group agents.
I'd say 60 days is often the waiting time for a lot of agents, 90 if an agent is really busy. Some agencies have the information on their site so I'd double check that before querying another agent.
#askagent
Literary Agent
Janet pearson @stellasaysme
@Megan_Manzano Is using a bestseller author as a comp title a definate no-no?It's not a firm no-no but I'd be semi cautious about using bestsellers since they can set up high expectations. If you want to use one, I'd say, "with elements of X" and pick another title as the prominent comp.
#askagent
Literary Agent
Jordan ⚔️🐰 Simonson @JordieLee_
@Megan_Manzano What’s a common “no-no” that authors may not be aware of when sending in their submissions?If a query gets rejected, only resubmit if it has gone through significant revisions!
If an agent uses QueryManager, they can see repeat submissions.
#askagent