Literary Agent
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Hazel Compton @HJCompton
What is the one thing authors can do to help you when reading their queries, or something you wish more authors did when submitting? (I.e. name their attachments clearly) #AskAgent1. Personal preference but keep your submissions letter short. A couple of paragraphs is fine.
2. Include your phone number.
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Literary Agent
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Jessie Atkinson @jessieatkinsonx
Hi! An agent has asked for my full manuscript. What kind of timeline could I be looking at for a reply?Is asking about what else you hope to write in the future along with the request a positive sign or standard?
Thanks x #AskAgent
Congratulations! I'd say three months is the time to wait before politely nudging.
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Literary Agent
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Joyce Butler @JoyceBWriter
@katenashagent Hi Kate, Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm currently just submitting to Literary Agents. Is there any you could possibly recommend? And should I include in the covering letter that I'm seeking an Agent who can shape my book for the market?Its been edited professional twice.
The members directory of the Association of Authors' Agents is a brilliant place to start researching different agents and finding the one that would be best for you.
agentsassoc.co.uk/members-direct…
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Literary Agent
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Alex Hawley @HawleyReviews
As a fan of crime fiction who is intending to write crime fiction in the future, what would be the panel's best advice on how to come to the possibility of writing cross genre and how to decide where to pitch yourself in such a large field of fiction. #AskAgentThe benefit you have in crime is that it is a wide genre but one with lots of well defined niches. Be clear where in the market your story would sit re other authors / sub genres. @CrimeReaders has lots of info. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
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C S Chamberlain @CS_Chamberlain
@KNLitAgency @katenashagent @RobbieGuillory @JustinNashLit @NickChapLit #AskAgent thanks for the opportunity! My Q: Is it worth re-subbing to agents you subbed to before you realised your query docs could be hugely improved, or is that a burned bridge now? 😆(a.k.a. how much do the query docs matter if the MS is strong?) TIA!You shouldn't really submit the same book to the same agency more than once. We receive so many submissions that we would be overwhelmed otherwise. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Katie Ginger @KatieGAuthor
@katenashagent My question is, what's the best way for a more established author to approach an agent?Should we have a new book ready, or would you be up for a chat if we're contracted to a publisher but looking for an agent moving forwards?
#askagent
Hi Katie, we'd always be up for a chat. Your publishing history is enough to show us that you can write, and we can talk about how best we can support that in the future. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Katy M @nightspunwriter
@KNLitAgency @CS_Chamberlain @katenashagent @RobbieGuillory @JustinNashLit @NickChapLit #AskAgent thanks for this opportunity! I'd like to ask how you weigh an exciting concept vs a polished MS. Is it worth querying a book that may sell in the current market even if it's not quite perfect?A great concept AND quality writing is needed. A polished manuscript is always nice but it's the writing - storytelling ability and voice - that really matters. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Emma Prunty @emprunty
@RobbieGuillory @katenashagent @keithapearson What would be the average word count for memoir? Are you averse or friendly to the term flash memoir? #AskAgentWe don't represent any flash writing, fiction or non- I'm afraid. I'd say that a memoir needs to be at least 70k words, though it really does depend on the story being told. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Hattie Clarke @HattieLC
#askagent Are you interested in historical fiction at the moment? If so, are there particular time periods or themes you'd like to see in your submissions?I love all periods of history and novels that allow you to mentally time travel. WW2 is always popular, plus anything that brings back to life through great characters the past in all its exotic splendour! My original muse was the medieval and agent worlds. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Katy M @nightspunwriter
@KNLitAgency @CS_Chamberlain @katenashagent @RobbieGuillory @JustinNashLit @NickChapLit #AskAgent thanks for this opportunity! I'd like to ask how you weigh an exciting concept vs a polished MS. Is it worth querying a book that may sell in the current market even if it's not quite perfect?For me, as long as the writing is really good and I can see a market for it, that can be enough. We can work with you to get the plot/ms in shape for submission. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Danielle Devlin @snoochems
@KNLitAgency @katenashagent @RobbieGuillory @JustinNashLit @NickChapLit Hi all, thanks so much for this. I’m part of a mentorship with an editor at the moment and have been advised to start thinking of agents to submit to, would it put agents off that I’ve already been through a mentorship with the MS I’m submitting? #askagentI would think most agents would be positive at the demonstrable effort you are showing at shaping your writing so do mention this in your cover email. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Danielle Devlin @snoochems
@KNLitAgency @katenashagent @RobbieGuillory @JustinNashLit @NickChapLit Hi all, thanks so much for this. I’m part of a mentorship with an editor at the moment and have been advised to start thinking of agents to submit to, would it put agents off that I’ve already been through a mentorship with the MS I’m submitting? #askagentAbsolutely not! Being able to have some editorial input before you start submitting is a lovely thing to have, and we wouldn't penalise you for it. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Catherine Ogston 💙 @CatherineOgston
#askagent Are you taking on YA at present? I have a complete manuscript, with positive feedback so far. TYWe do take on some YA, but not a huge amount. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Christine Howie @fused_femme
@katenashagent Should you have your manuscript professionally edited before submitting to an agent? #askagentI wouldn't expect this, no, since agents generally like to help shape manuscripts ready for submission to publishers. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Christine Howie @fused_femme
@katenashagent Should you have your manuscript professionally edited before submitting to an agent? #askagentAbsolutely not - we have taken authors on from all walks of life and for a number of reasons people don't have the money to be able to spend on an editor. But it is a good idea to get teh manuscript in as good a shape as you can before submitting. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Amy Doust @ascdoust
@NickChapLit are you open to submissions and if so, are you interested in women's literary fiction? #askagentWe would be most interested in literary fiction that is accessible to the bookclub market. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Anne M Martin @AnneMMartinIrl
What is the best time of year to submit? I'm planning to query this year as am currently almost finished draft three of my novel #AskAgentWe're usually open for submissions all year round. I don't think that there is a good time, but I'd avoid the weeks around London Book Fair, Frankfurt Book Fair and Christmas, as we're pretty busy then! #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Anne M Martin @AnneMMartinIrl
What is the best time of year to submit? I'm planning to query this year as am currently almost finished draft three of my novel #AskAgentAgents are busy all the time so there really isn't good or bad times of year to submit. #AskAgent
Literary Agent
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Alex Wholey @alex_wholey
In terms of rom coms, are you looking for a particular theme or setting? #AskAgentI'm looking for well rounded, great characters with a real problem in front of them in a story rather than particular themes and settings. Having said that settings are important in romcom, quirky is good and familiar settings equally good. #AskAgent