Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Emma N is escaping (INDOORS)🐳 @EmmaNor86796517
@jounwin @mushenska @julietpickering #askagentIf you've had high praise from authors reading your manuscript should you quote them in your cover letter (with their permission) or does it come across as arrogant or just seem irrelevant?
Hmmm I don’t have strong feelings on it - it usually comes down to my own response to the own MS #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Luke Walker @lukewalkerbooks
#askagent One more. With the current global situation, are publishers noticeably less interested in horror subs?I think people always like horror because it is a safe way to scare yourself #askagent
Literary Agent
Asha Hick 🇪🇺 @AshaHick
If you have signed an author who writes in a particular genre are you less likely to sign another who also writes in that genre? #askagentIt depends on the agent - some specialise in crime for example. I would say that I represent a few in each genre but they need to be different from each other within that genre #askagent
Literary Agent
Wei Ting @intewig
@mushenska It’s finished and I’m at Draft #3. Still tinkering tho. Thanks!I think once you finish draft 3 wave it off into the world with crossed fingers! #askagent
Literary Agent
Wei Ting @intewig
@mushenska Hi Juliet!My WIP has received great feedback and interest from agents/publishers asking to read but I’ve hesitated cos—there’s always something to fix? Instinct is to “write best book“, but given agent + publisher will also want edits, should I query now?
#askagent
I’d say finish the novel first (not sure if it’s unfinished from WIP?) and give it 3 drafts - and then send #askagent
Literary Agent
Ian Powell @PugPowell
Hi Agents, #askagent When do you think it might be reasonable to start chasing an agent?Most agents will give you a guideline as to when to expect a response on their website - for a partial I would say 8 weeks generally #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Alexandra Wingate @ahwingate
#askagent How long does it usually take from receiving a submission to lovely book on bookshelves?Usually 12-18 months from me selling it but can be 6 months between signing and selling #askagent
Literary Agent
Katalina Watt @KatalinaWatt
Short story collections seem to be having a renaissance but I’ve noticed many agents explicitly don’t want to be queried with them. From your experience, why do you think that is? #askagentShort story collections can be a tricky sell in the U.K. Whilst in the US there is much more of a clear history and market for them even collections by bestselling authors tend to sell fewer copies than their novels do #askagent
Literary Agent
Vanessa Holburn @vanessaSH
How do you write a killer first chapter without giving it all away too soon? Can you get a balance between that immediate hook and the gradual build up of tension? #askagentI always think about the questions the reader will have and now and when you will answer them #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Vanessa Holburn @vanessaSH
#askagent I was listening to an author talk and she said you need to get a 'mediocre' novel finished and then work on that to make it great (this to avoid the curse of never finishing in a bid to get everything perfect for that first draft). Do you agree with this?I definitely agree you have to push through the misery and just get the words down on the page without endlessly editing them - only then can you refine. But some people have great first drafts! #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Rosie @RosieAn19282458
@mushenska One more if you don’t mind: once you have signed an author, how much input do you expect/want into what they write next? And do publishers expect/want a say in that as well?We normally discuss what they want to write next and same with the publisher #askagent
Literary Agent
Jenny Anthea @jennyanthea
@mushenska Hi Juliet! I've been working on a YA ghost story for 10 ish years but have never submitted. Are there any strong rookie mistakes that would immediately turn you off a ms? #askagentNot knowing the hook at the heart of the story, too slow a pace, lots of grammatical errors #askagent
Literary Agent
Eilís @ishreads
@mushenska #askagent Hi Juliet! Someone interested in becoming an agent (one day, hopefully!) here - any tips or advice on how to get there? Thanks so much! 😊Read as much as you can and learn to read critically! Apply for work experience programmes if possible #askagent