Maybe look at this a different way (as when to pull is so personal) but as you query you should be writing the next book. So if you come to the point where that one is ready and the 1st hasn’t been picked up maybe it’s time to switch gears

My crystal ball is in the shop, but I’m hoping it’ll come around sooner than later. That said if you have a unique spin on it you might not have to put it away at all

I’m totally open to it

At least 3 months IMO but don’t be surprised if it takes longer than that

Yes, I’m open to looking at any book that deals with issues teens/kids are dealing with today.

I love a little personality in bios. I also love to hear about why an author was called to write the story. If they have any similarities to the MC or their experiences.

Sounds like a form rejection. (Sorry) If you are just getting form rejections something might not be working with the query &/or first pages.
If you are getting asks and it’s still not getting any offers something is most likely off with the middle of the book.

Hmm... stories that deal with relationships whether that is romantic, or siblings, or friendships. Stories that don’t back away from dealing with difficult topics but do it in an appropriate and nuanced way. Voice!

Using bestsellers are difficult because you are setting the bar really high for yourself and no one really knows if a book will become a bestseller or not. It’s usually best to use mid list books and/or explain why they make a good comp

There are so many paths into this industry. I’m was a Communication major. Some people study Creative Writing or Publishing or English or even Law. Another way is to get an internship

For me, voice is very important. I want to feel like I'm reading a novel, not a school text book. The concept of the story should be grabbing too, but it's voice that will ultimately have me keep reading or not

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it. Just right a damn good book we can't say no to (and of course a good query to go with it)

Brainstorming new book ideas with my clients.

We look at one book at a time

For me it doesn’t really matter. If they jump right in and I’m lost immediately, I’ll look for the bookkeeping info, but a good query is a good query so order doesn’t matter

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I always look up authors before I even ask for pages. Not to see if they can market themselves, but to make sure they aren’t an asshole

The majority of querying authors are unpublished! Post-apocalyptic is difficult rn, but keep at it. Meanwhile get yourself a good critique partner (or several) and make sure your ms and query are as polished as you can make them.

Ideally you want one agent who reps all the things you write & can handle your whole career, so first step is researching to find agents who cover that range. Then query with your best ms & a short bio of pub credentials. Don't try to pitch 3 ms at once; that convo is for later.

TBH there's no one answer for this, it's different for every manuscript. I read as long as it holds my interest, I stop when I know it's not a good fit for me or my list. I do try to read at least 50 pages of each manuscript.

Ideally you query before the offer comes in from a publisher; otherwise you're dealing with a very tight turnaround. If you do have an offer already in hand, be upfront in queries that you have an offer from a publisher but would like an agent to advocate for you and your career.