Literary Agent
Elissa McColl @ElissaMccoll
@UweStenderPhD What's some approximate numbers for # of queries, # of request and # of new clients signed in a given time frame for you and/or your agency?I can't speak for the agency. For me, and my incredible assistant @l_e_thompson, 15,000 or more a year *about 41 daily, likely more*. The rest depends on variables. Maybe 20-40 monthly requests. The rest depends on other variables.
Literary Agent
Rebecca Treasure @RebeccaSchibler
@UweStenderPhD I have two completed/polished novels - a historical fiction and a YA fantasy. An agent at a conference recently told me I should query both simultaneously. (Currently only querying the YA) What are your thoughts on that? Thanks! #askagentTough question. Not sure. Maybe both but to different agencies, and then go from there.
Literary Agent
Joanne Machin @heyjomachin
@UweStenderPhD What would you say are agent "red flags?"Signs of insanity and spelling errors.
Literary Agent
Joanne Machin @heyjomachin
@UweStenderPhD What is your suggestion for how many queries to send out at once, and then how long to wait between bursts of queries?Who are your Top 20 favorite agents? Go to them first simultaneously. How long to wait, I don't know. No more than a month.
Literary Agent
Elissa McColl @ElissaMccoll
@UweStenderPhD Is it better to have a comp title that's 5 years old and fits your book quite well or to have a more recent comp that doesn't fit as well?5 years seems to be a recent enough comp to me.
Literary Agent
Tonia A. Polak Ⓥ @toniapolak
@UweStenderPhD If an agent asks for a partial, do I send it as an attachment with a title page, or send within the body of an email?The agent should have made it clear in their request. If they, bizarrely, did not, I'd send it <again, as long as it WAS ACTUALLY requested>, as an attachment. IF you, hypothetically, were to send me a 30 page sample in the body of an email, I would delete it instantly.
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Somebody wrote to tell me that my latest "Best of #AskAgent " newsletter about personalizing queries was confusing. Which... part? I'm happy to clarify but I honestly THOUGHT I was being as clear as it was humanly possible to be. Maybe not! 😬 Sorry???
literaticat.substack.com/p/best-of-ask-…
Literary Agent
At least you’ll know. And it’ll only help you be a better writer if you try new things and practice your craft.
Literary Agent
If you do decide to revise based on feedback and the market, keep the old version. You can always have that version for yourself.
However with time and contemplation of the ways you can improve, you might end up loving it more. Play with new ideas. If they don’t work...
Literary Agent
that you don’t have to take their advice. As the author you have the right to reject any feedback, including reviews if you’re published.
But know your story (theme, plot, world and characters) well enough to know why it would or wouldn’t be improved by the feedback.
Literary Agent
Excited to be with @scbwi_ksmo in St. Louis today!
A quick reminder:
Not all editing styles wil fit you or your manuscript. Sometimes an editor’s best intentions can kill your love for a project. So go into it with an open mind but realize...
#amwriting #askagent #askeditor
Literary Agent
Diba @DibaB_
@UweStenderPhD Is there a 'maybe' pile for some queries you get, and what do you find usually determines your decision to go ahead and pursue it?No. I either reject the query or request the full. For me, it's like music, I either listen to the whole song or skip to the next one. Totally subjective.
Literary Agent
Adrianne Karasek @AdrianneKar
@UweStenderPhD How helpful/useful do R&Rs tend to be? I've heard very different rates of success.Of course there are different rates of success as some people do them very well, and others don't. Case by case, ability by ability.
Literary Agent
Adrianne Karasek @AdrianneKar
@UweStenderPhD If a writer has queried an agent a couple of times with mss that she really liked but didn't love enough to offer rep, is that a sign the writer should try again with a new ms or understand that 2 misses make it unlikely for the agent and writer to "click" enough to offer rep?EVERY rejection is for THAT PARTICULAR book ONLY. You can query me with a hundred different books. Maybe I will say YES to book 101.
Literary Agent
Thereza Dos Santos @TherezaDSWrites
@UweStenderPhD @whitney_DG Is that common to query different agents for different genres? I have wondered that as a YA and PB writer. Thx.I don't know how common that is. Our agency represents everything, so that has NEVER come up. BUT, I have signed nonfiction clients in the past when THEIR agencies did not represent nonfiction (WITH their agencies' approval and verification!)
Literary Agent
author whitney d. grandison @whitney_DG
@UweStenderPhD What do you do when your client writes something you don’t represent?That is fairly unlikely as I represent almost everything. But if I don't, then I will check with another #Teamtriada agent to see if they do. IF they don't, then I would tell the client to query THAT book (or potentially THAT genre) to another agency.
Literary Agent
I got really fired up about this #AskAgent question. Like, I want to reach through time and space and beat somebody up. I'M STILL MAD. "An editor said being young and attractive helps people get book deals. REALLY?!" 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡
literaticat.tumblr.com/post/190894824…
Literary Agent
What Happens After You Sign with an Agent #askagent bookendsliterary.com/2020/02/13/wha…
Literary Agent
Shalana Battles @shalanabattles
@UweStenderPhD Hello. :)My novel is about a soul, and discusses the afterlife but is not religious. There's also romance. Would I pitch as paranormal romance? I wasn't sure between that, fantasy, or speculative. Thank you for your time!
My guess is paranormal romance, but don't bet your life on it.