Literary Agent
Mike Slade @_MikeSlade
@CortneyRadocaj #askagentIf someone is a healer.
Like metaphysical healing-
And they write a Fantasy story about a healer, using their own exp & feelings as a base point; should they try to convey that in the query?
Is there a type of OwnVoices for that?
Or just don't bother since it's "weird"
that's something you can mention briefly in your bio or something to discuss when you have a more personal convo after an agent offers
i personally ask on my QM form why you're the person to write that story--if an agent has something similar, that would be a good place as well!
Literary Agent
Cortney Radocaj 🏳️🌈💖💜💙 @CortneyRadocaj
@EvanDave8 culture/marginalization isn't the center of your story, you're generally going to be okay (as long as you do research, sensitivity reads, etc.)if you're writing ABOUT a group and their particular struggles/issues/etc., i would stick to letting authors who belong to that
particular group use their own voices to write about their own cultures.
again, this is extremely watered down and i am certainly not the most qualified voice to talk about this particular issue, but that's essentially what i would ask yourself to start!
Literary Agent
Cortney Radocaj 🏳️🌈💖💜💙 @CortneyRadocaj
@EvanDave8 oh man--this is a topic that is extremely nuanced and i can't address everything here. this is a very reduced and short version, but a lot of what it comes down to is what your story is actually about.if you're writing a character that is simply from another culture, but that
culture/marginalization isn't the center of your story, you're generally going to be okay (as long as you do research, sensitivity reads, etc.)
if you're writing ABOUT a group and their particular struggles/issues/etc., i would stick to letting authors who belong to that
Literary Agent
Evan Dave @EvanDave8
@CortneyRadocaj #askagent what if you're writing about groups you're not necessarily a part of? For example, Cohinang's based on Southeast Asian cultures and history (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos), whereas I'm South Asian (3/4 Indian American, to be exact.oh man--this is a topic that is extremely nuanced and i can't address everything here. this is a very reduced and short version, but a lot of what it comes down to is what your story is actually about.
if you're writing a character that is simply from another culture, but that
Literary Agent
Elizabeth Anne @EAMeitzler
@CortneyRadocaj Do you recommend query letters have COMP titles?if you have solid ones yes! however, i personally think that no comp titles are better than bad/incorrect ones, so if you're struggling with them or feel they're off, leave them out!
Literary Agent
Evan Dave @EvanDave8
@CortneyRadocaj #askagent, and building on that, what about older works that see a surge in popularity because of a recent adaptation (i.e. The Witcher)? I think my last queries didn't do so well because I kept mentioning much older works.generally if you're going to use an older title (or something that isn't a book at all) i'd suggest having a recent comp title paired with it.
Literary Agent
Evan Dave @EvanDave8
@CortneyRadocaj #askagent, how long does the "buzz" around a book last? I'm working on a Vietnamese adult fantasy, which has similarities to "The Poppy War," which concluded recently. I was thinking if I bring up similarities to a bestseller from last year ago, is that old news or a smart play?"buzz" and relevancy to the market are different things--buzz tends to swell around release time and fade, rising and falling as new readers find it
relevancy to the market is about 3-5 years and shows agents you're up to date on what's being published right now and are showing
Literary Agent
Juliana Savia Clayton @kidlit_writer
@CortneyRadocaj Thanks for doing this! I'm considering writing a YA romcom that takes place in a ballet school. In your opinion, is this setting/ballet idea done to death? Or with the popularity of, for example, "Tiny Pretty Things" on Netflix, is it evergreen? #AskAgentballet/ballet schools aren't something i /personally/ tend to look for so i'm not 100% certain, but i would just ensure your take on it is unique. so look at books/other media centered on ballet schools and see what your book would do to bring a new angle/aspect to that setting!
Literary Agent
Mckenna @mdgallag
@CortneyRadocaj #askagent I have seen a lot of conflicting advice regarding comp titles-- some people say only books published in the past 3 years, others say popular movies are okay, and most PitMad I have seen use books & movies for comps. Is there a right way to go about it?personally i love seeing other media in comps, but i'd say one of the comps SHOULD be a recent book release (last 5 years). the other can be whatever else! older title, song, movie, TV show, GN, comic, mythology, etc.
Literary Agent
🦉Athena Lambrou🎄 @AthenaLambrou
@CortneyRadocaj #askagent What advise do you have for writers who have written adult fantasy but with so called ‘YA traits’ (like having a young & naive MC or having sex for the 1st time etc) and are worried their novel might not fit in any publishable category or worse be classed as ‘dead NA’?depends on what kind of advice you're looking for; that's a broad issue with a lot of nuance. in general i would just say write your book how it needs to be written--crossover is definitely a thing. and just be strategic in how you pitch it!
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
soup. 🌹 @dumbesttimeline
@UweStenderPhD Appreciate you doing this. If a MS crosses genres, is it better if it does that immediately or slowly (maybe even over two books)?Genre crossing is always potentially problematic.
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Rebecca Danzenbaker @rdanzenbaker
@UweStenderPhD Querying my first manuscript. It’s “done” but I’m wondering how much agents change to get it perfect? Grammar, story elements, suggestions to add more details here and there? All of the above? Not sure what to expect. Thanks and Happy Holidays!First, they have to love it. Then, yes all or any. Happy holidays!
Literary Agent
Derek Douglas @DerekDBooks
@UweStenderPhD If you got a bomb query, a great partial, and loved the story until how the ending played out, would you pass? I wrote an ending that I dont think the market will find publishable and I don't know if I need to charge my vision now to suit getting an agent or try my luckI will always pass if I don't LOVE the entire novel.
Literary Agent
Franziska Macur @FranziskaMacur
@UweStenderPhD Are you still looking for fantasy or is your list full?It's pretty full except for a new masterpiece. But I am not looking until mid January.
Literary Agent
Page Powars @pagepowars
@UweStenderPhD Not a writing question, but an agenting one! I’m an NYU grad student studying publishing and applying to literary agency internships, so I’ve been completing sample reader’s reports. What do you typically like to see in reader’s reports when taking on interns yourself?The ability to offer suggestions for improvement even if you did not love the manuscript.
Literary Agent
Matthew Lin Writes @MattLinWrites
@UweStenderPhD What makes an manuscript stand out to you? Does it have to be perfect in terms of prose and plot, or do you consider the manuscript's overall potential, even if it has some holes that could be fixed with editing?" I know it when I see it" is an annoying answer, but true. If I don't want to do anything else BUT read THAT manuscript, then I want it.
Literary Agent
Lily Mehallick she/her @LilyMehallick
@UweStenderPhD @BiruktiWrites What do you think is a good word count range for a YA novel? I’ve heard some varying thoughts from agents/editors.Depends on the genre. 70-90k for contemporary. Up to 100k or a bit more for fantasy. But in the end: it depends on the book.