Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

LivMacy @MacyLiv

@RedPenKaitlyn How forgiving are you on the query if the concept is intriguing? Do you always read the sample work or do you just pass? #askagent
Replying to @MacyLiv

Very. I have clients who didn't have great queries but the concept grabbed me and writing was good. If you intrigue me, I keep going #askagent

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

H.W. Johnston @hwjohnston7

@RedPenKaitlyn #askagent
How well is adult fantasy doing? Is there a market for fantasy not set in medieval times?
Replying to @hwjohnston7

Adult Fantasy is hard. It's worth it, but hard because it really needs to be a great story w/ great worldbuilding and characters. There are far fewer editors for A Fantasy so sometimes it's harder to find the right fit #askagent

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Elizabeth Holden @LizHolden1981

@RedPenKaitlyn Ooo, another one: thoughts on chapter length? Ideal length in Upper MG and YA? Also, how much do you think chapter length can vary in one book?
Replying to @LizHolden1981

There's no real limit here. Often, MG is shorter than YA but it depends on voice/style. I see all the time the chapters jump back and forth b/w long and short #askagent

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Suzanne Grove @suzannegrove

@RedPenKaitlyn Any tips/thoughts on querying same agent/agency with a new manuscript years later? I read somewhere that the same email address popping up more than once might get flagged as spam.
Replying to @suzannegrove

Query Manager tells us if you've queried us before. BUT, if it's years later or you've done a significant revision on the title, you should be ok querying that same agent again #askagent

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Elizabeth Parman @e_parman

@RedPenKaitlyn Is it ok to address agents by their first name to avoid assuming gender? Dear Ann vs. Dear Ms. Smith?

Should we say,"because of your interest in X, I am querying you with TITLE." Agents know what they are looking for, but we also want to show we did our research.

#askagent
Replying to @e_parman

Yes and I say do this every time! I tell writers use Dear First Name Last Name so you don't run the risk of misgendering

I would only use personalization if you have something specific. Just "because you want fantasy" isn't really necessary #askagent

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Elizabeth Holden @LizHolden1981

@RedPenKaitlyn Are there any topics in MG that you see all the time and are sick of? (Particularly, are there some that querying authors may not realize just how common they are?)
Replying to @LizHolden1981

I see a lot of bullying storylines where that's all there is to it. I want it to be a bit deeper than simply dealing with bullies. Also still seeing a bunch of "suddenly having powers awaken" in a kid #askagent

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Deborah Byington @ByingtonDeborah

@RedPenKaitlyn @JoleneHaley What is the key to a good query?
Replying to @ByingtonDeborah

Show what is unique. What sets your story apart from those on shelves? Give us a reason to really want to dig into those pages #askagent

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Michelle Young @michelle13136

@RedPenKaitlyn 1) What is the recommended word count for a YA fantasy?
2) Do you have any author pet peeves?
Replying to @michelle13136

Try to stay b/w 100-110k right now.

Mine really are authors who either really fight on every edit or aren't good at keeping up communication. Makes it very hard to do my job #askagent

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Jamie Lee Tucker @500daysofjamie

@RedPenKaitlyn Thank you for doing this!

1. What is the highest wc you’d find generally acceptable for YA Fantasy if you saw it in a query? I’m looking at coming in around 110k and nervous that will be too high.

2. Do you feel like YA publishing is moving away from fantasy right now?
Replying to @500daysofjamie

Try not to go over 110k. Many editors are asking for nothing over that. It's hard and there are outliers, but shoot for b/w 100-110k

Fantasy is always a hard sell, but it's worth it for fantastic pieces. I don't think it's so much looking away as taking a harder look #askagent

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Laken Slate @LakenSlate

@RedPenKaitlyn Hello! Many agents say they allow a submission of another manuscript after a rejection, but is this actually off-putting? If not, should one mention that they recently queried with another ms, or just start the letter fresh, without referencing the last query? Thank you!!
Replying to @LakenSlate

I don't think it is unless we see we've passed on multiple from the same author. We know writers grow with time and with each new work so we don't judge based off passing on a past title #askagent I would start the letter fresh, though, and not mention the past rejection

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Michelle Young @michelle13136

@RedPenKaitlyn How much say does an author have in the cover design for their novel? What can an author do if they don't like it?
Replying to @michelle13136

Depends on the publisher. In my experience, the editors have talked with the author to get a sense of their vision for character, color scheme, type of cover they've pictured. But end decision is usually in the hands of the editor #askagent

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

Amalie/A.R. Frederiksen @ARFrederiksen

@RedPenKaitlyn Thank you for doing this! What's an overdone cliché/trope in SFF that you're tired of seeing, even when it's done with a fresh, twisty perspective?
Replying to @ARFrederiksen

Hmmmm that's tough. I feel like I see a lot of "reluctant hero" lately or "person suddenly has powers awaken in them". I'd love to see things that have the hook built in more to world/character instead of forced in #askagent