Literary Agent
Noreen @naziaso
@readbystephanie #askPSLA if you liked my pitch during a pitch event is it okay to submit to you after revisions? Do I mention the pitch event even though it was a couple months ago?Absolutely send it my way! Do mention the pitch event since that lets me know why you're sending me samples and reminds me that I've already liked part of your creation. #askPSLA
Literary Agent
Francesca Donlan @fdonlanVCB
@PSLiterary @maureen_moretti @ericsmithrocks @readbystephanie Thank you for sharing your time. Are memoirs still viable in the industry - when you are not famous and don’t have a big following but a good story. #askagent #askpslaIt depends on the story! A good story needs to translate into something that readers will pick up and buy. A following demonstrates a preexisting market for the book. #askPSLA
Literary Agent
KD FIELD @FieldKelli
@PSLiterary @maureen_moretti @ericsmithrocks @readbystephanie Sent query letter and synopsis. Was asked for a partial manuscript and then heard nothing back. Is if bad form in the industry to follow up via email or should I assume after 16 weeks its a hard no?I'd just double check what their submission guidelines say?
Some agency websites say they'll get back to you in 6 to 8 weeks, etc. If they haven't, nudge away! #askpsla
Literary Agent
Ashley Jean @missashleyjean
#askPSLA Is it frowned upon to nudge an agent with an updated ms if they have not responded to the initial full request?I'm a big fan of nudges. I say go for it.
Although, if you're nudging with an updated manuscript like... two weeks later? That's maybe telling me the book wasn't ready to pitch in the first place.
Just dish a little bit of the why. I've signed folks who nudge. :-) #askPSLA
Literary Agent
K. Belvedere @kbelvedere
#askPSLA Hi, agents! Thank you for answering these questions. I'm wondering what immediately puts you off a query letter or sample? Are these industry standards or personal peeves?This is a tough one. I want to give every query a chance! If the word count is significantly too long or short, I am less likely to request. This one is more industry-related, as I'm looking for an author who knows their genre! #askPSLA
Literary Agent
Angie Hawkins @th_littlebirdie
#askPSLA Are all manuscript requests followed up with a reply, or is a no-response considered a “No” from the agency?If an agent has requested to see more of your work but ultimately passes (or not), you will absolutely get an email! It may just take time. 🙂 #askPSLA
Literary Agent
Vanessa @vanessaepeay
do you prefer for queries to have personalization or jump right into the pitch? #askPSLAWhen it comes to personalizing your query, don't feel like you HAVE to force it. Not all agents have a personal website, a social media presence, etc. where you can learn those fun little tidbits.
Just jumping in with "I hear you're looking for X" works just as well. #askPSLA
Literary Agent
Vanessa @vanessaepeay
do you prefer for queries to have personalization or jump right into the pitch? #askPSLABoth! I'd love a line somewhere that briefly lets me know why you think I'd be a fit. Maybe you saw something on Twitter. I already know the genres I represent so the "I think we're a fit b/c you rep x genre" is less effective with me. 🙂 #askPSLA
Literary Agent
Elishia @elishia_e
#askPSLA #askagent How do you think publishing is being affected by Covid-19? Do you think acquisitions will slow down? Also... are you pumped or dreading all the post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction that’s about to flood your inboxes? 😆Like every industry, publishing is evolving daily in response to C19. I've seen pub dates pushed back, layoffs, cancelled tours, and more but it's hard to predict what the new landscape will look like. As long as it's tasteful/original, I'm looking forward to reading! #askPSLA
Literary Agent
Daniel M. Clark @danielmclark
#askPSLA is there room for optimism in sci-fi/fantasy? After a long stretch of grim n’ gritty, are agents looking for optimistic queries?Absolutely. I've seen people refer to it as "hopepunk" here on the Twitter dot com.
I'm lucky enough to work with @mikechenwriter, and his novels are packed full of optimism and hope. Like a sci-fi golden retriever. #askPSLA
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Eric Smith @ericsmithrocks
With platform, it depends.You can have a big social media following and that's great, but I need to see you're an expert in what you're writing. Platform in publication (essays, articles) help prove that.
Most of my NF authors don't have a huge social following. #askPSLA twitter.com/JulieSHasson/s…
I have a post about putting together a non-fiction proposal that digs into platform, that I think might be helpful. cc @JulieSHasson
Shout out to @slaughterwrites for being open and vulnerable with this, cause we put the whole thing up here. ericsmithrocks.com/blog/2019/5/21… #askPSLA
Literary Agent
Brianna Lynne 🏳️🌈 is writing/editing/querying @BriannaLynneYA
@kianangu Is a rejection with “this isn’t the right fit for me” just a nice way of saying it won’t sell?I wouldn't take too much stock in it unless you're getting a lot of form rejections. It can also simply mean it's not a right fit. If an agent likes the concept/pages but doesn't take it on bc they think it won't sell, they'll probably say it.
Literary Agent
leandra ✨ @leandrashay1
@kianangu if someone says “this didn’t connect with me” is that a nice way of trying to say something else or is that just a matter of personal taste and it just not being the right for for that person?I would look at it as a matter of personal taste and not look too deeply into it. If you’re getting form letters more than personal feedback on work, I’d take it to mean something’s not working in your query or sample pages.
Literary Agent
I'm about to go on an #AskAgent question answering spree. So if you have questions, provided they are not ridiculous, hit up the tumblr. Please for the love of god no word count questions thx love you xo
literaticat.tumblr.com/ask
Literary Agent
Natascha Morris @SoCalledYALife
@Anushi_mehta @bookendslit Can I circle back to you? I am not in my office and I am terrible at titles, and my chapter books are on my rolling cart. #askagentOkay, JADA JONES: ROCK STAR, PRINCESS IN BLACK, MEET YASMIN!, CHICKEN SQUAD, are some of mine #askagent
Literary Agent
Anushi Mehta @Anushi_mehta
#askagent @bookendslitWhat are your top chapter book reccos- particularly stories that are culturally diverse / based on POC
Can I circle back to you? I am not in my office and I am terrible at titles, and my chapter books are on my rolling cart. #askagent
Literary Agent
Chad & Dad Richardson @ChadandDadRich
@NaomisLitPix @nicolebeawrites How many at a time? Six to eight? More? Less? #askagentEvery agent will have a different opinion on this. Make a spreadsheet of all the agents who are a good fit for it. Are there 20? 40? Choose a percentage & query them, but not all at once, because if you get feedback and want to change something, you can b4 sending more. #askagent
Literary Agent
Karen McCrae @farmfreshkaren
@bookendslit How important is my assessment of a genre in the query letter? For example, my MS is adult, but could be considered commercial, contemporary, and possibly others all at once. How to narrow down, or do I? #askagentYou need to know where your novel would sit in the bookstores. B/c it is only going to sit in 1 place. Take Outlander for example. Originally, it was shelved in romance. Now it is shelved in fiction. But it is also historical and sci-fi. But it is mostly romance or fic #askagent
Literary Agent
Karen McCrae @farmfreshkaren
@bookendslit How important is my assessment of a genre in the query letter? For example, my MS is adult, but could be considered commercial, contemporary, and possibly others all at once. How to narrow down, or do I? #askagentDon't have to exclude any of that. I pitch things "an adult upmarket historical mystery" or whatever. When it gets bad/weird is queries that say it's an adult romance/mystery/scifi thriller (where would it be shelved!?) #askagent