Literary Agent
Nat Graves 🏳️🌈 @graves_nat
@Megan_Manzano What level of "this still needs work" do you still offer to? What parts do you want nailed down, and what parts are you willing to support the writer with through revisions?For me personally, I've done significant development edits with my clients.
The biggest thing that factors into me signing a client despite revisions is being able to see how the pieces can be rearranged and knowing the right ways to fix it.
#askagent
Literary Agent
LivMacy @MacyLiv
@Megan_Manzano @JessShaut What exactly is significant revisions? Or what qualifies as?Overhauling the plot or altering how the plot is set up, changing character arcs, significant word count changes due to improvement of pacing, etc.
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Literary Agent
Andi @andi_art15
@Megan_Manzano @AnneTibbets How does someone know if they are ready to start querying?#askagent
I've actually filmed a video about how to know when you're ready to query with the wonderful @MegLaTorre ! It goes over ten things to consider.
youtube.com/watch?v=O89f-b…
#askagent
Literary Agent
Pınar Yaşar // Ez Kurdim @pinaryasar_
@Megan_Manzano are you likely to consider a query from a previously unpublished author that—while a standalone manuscript—has trilogy potential/is the first book in a trilogy? do you have any advice re: how to successfully query in this situation?You usually always query a potential series as "standalone with series potential." I've signed clients with these kinds of stories.
As long as the first book can stand on its own, you should be fine querying wise.
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Literary Agent
Jessica Shaut @JessShaut
@Megan_Manzano If you already queried a little (got some partial and full requests who all ultimately passed), then proceeded to do a full gut job/re-write of the story, can you go back and re-query agents? Or is it safer to assume that it's still a pass and move on?If you've done significant revisions, you can query again. Just make sure to put in your query that you heavily revised.
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Literary Agent
C.J. Listro 🖤 reading A SONG BELOW WATER @sarcasmlemons
@Megan_Manzano What questions do you recommend asking an agent when they make an offer? #askagent- What's their communication / editing style?
- What did they love about your book?
- Can I see a draft of the agency contract?
- Can I speak to some of your clients?
- Foreign / sub rights?
- Is my MS sub ready or do we need to revise?
- Next steps if I sign?
#askagent
Literary Agent
Melissa See is querying 💖🎻 @melissasee
@Megan_Manzano What makes you request a full? #askagentMost of the time character voice.
Other times if I really love a premise and want to see how the story builds.
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Literary Agent
Maz Evans @MaryAliceEvans
Thinking about the response to my royalty tweet, and @nikeshshukla's research that the mysteries of the publishing process are creating barriers, here is a very general guide to the trad pub model from an author's perspective. Contracts vary, these are broad strokes, stay calm...This is a great thread for new/hopeful authors re the payment structures in traditional publishing...#amwriting #submissions #askagent Thanks @MaryAliceEvans
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Lots of times people ask "why do chapter books seem to always be series" so I wrote down everything I know on the topic! #chapterbooks #askagent
literaticat.tumblr.com/post/622449862…
Literary Agent
Angela C-M @AKCM30510837
@jounwin Hi Jo and team. Do you think that’s there’s still a place for ‘quiet’ dramas? Mine is a dual narrative family drama set in 1938 and 2017 and that’s the kind of thing I like to read but it’s not very ‘trendy’ these days! #askagentI personally think dual narrative family dramas are a bit of an evergreen so I wouldn't worry about it! If it also features secrets -oh, and if it happens to be set somewhere remote and grand, I am basically sold.
#askagent
Literary Agent
Michael Handrick @MichaelHandrick
#askagent, I’ve heard from a few writer friends that they had agents say they love the submission but don’t sign the author. What may be reasons behind this?Several reasons: it could be that they represent something too similar, that they just don't think they'd be able to sell it, that their lists are very full, or that it's in an area they don't really work.
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Literary Agent
Ms Barney Harper @MsBarneyHarper
How do I choose an agent for my non-fiction book? Does it have to be complete? How do I find which agent represented a similar book in my genre. #AskAgentDo some research. The Writers & Artists yearbook and websites like Jericho Writers are great resources.
Non-fiction doesn't always have to be finished but you would need a clear outline and sample chapters.
#askagent
Literary Agent
Cesca Major (C.D.Major) @CescaMajor
@mushenska @MyRejections I remember thanking you for your rejection on a book that was later published. You were kind enough to then offer to re-read if I did work on it. It was so encouraging so I was pretty pleased I didn't reply, 'screw you Mushens I'm the next JK!' #justsayin #AskAgentYes worth remembering that a no for that book doesn’t mean a no for the next one! Several of my clients had projects I had passed on before the one I signed them for #askagent
Literary Agent
The Columnist @Sime0nStylites
@jounwin @mushenska @MyRejections A related question, out of curiosity, when you’re reading a submission how quickly do you tend to get a sense for whether it’s potentially really interesting (ie read on) or regretfully perhaps move on?I read as much as I need to! Sometimes that can be the pitch letter before realising it isn’t for me, sometimes it can be 50pp before I realise the writing doesn’t work, or the concept isn’t strong enough etc #askagent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Feargus Woods Dunlop @thisactorslife
How do you strike the balance between already having something too similar & it being too far out of your remit/interests? #AskAgentI would say that I represent books in the same genre for sure but the pitch can’t be too close. So two novels which are thrillers set in Cornwall, fine, two novels which are thrillers set in Cornwall where a nun is the detective - not fine #askagent
Literary Agent
Rebecca E Roberts @BeckyERoberts
#AskAgent If you're approached by someone who has already been published, would you check out their previous work, or is your decision based entirely on the MS submitted?The decision would be based purely on what is in front of me but, if interested, I would check out previous books - both because it would be relevant if pitching and because I'm nosey! 🕵️♀️
#askagent
Literary Agent
Ben Edge @bnedge
#AskAgent If I’ve previously submitted to a few agents, and based on feedback have gone back and changed the book entirely (setting, time period, title, pretty much everything except the core themes and structure) would I be able to resubmit to agents previously submitted to?Not usually, but certainly try new people! #askagent
Literary Agent
Elizabeth Frattaroli @ELIZFRAT
Do you prefer your authors to have a brand and stick to one genre/target age range, or would you encourage people to try and diversify once they are established? (I'm thinking particularly of YA writers at present, as I know some have been asked to write up or down) #askagentIf I sign someone for a novel in X genre, I know it's likely that the publisher will want to build them in that area - readers tend to be loyal to genre rather than author, unless they are successfully established already. However, you can diversify with pen names etc #AskAgent