Literary Agent
š·š¼š·Marshmallow Bardš·š¼š· @MarshmallowBard
@RebeccaLMatte Hi Rebecca, how would you determine if a book is YA or MG? I feel my writing falls in between the 2 age categories & often go back on fourth on what to go with. I'd describe my target audience as 11-16; something close to the demographic for shows like Owl House or Avatar: TLASo, for me itās what the themes and challenges are. MG is like ATLA when itās about Aang and YA is ATLA when itās about Zuko. The emotions are different, the struggles are different, and the tone is different. Think start of Percy Jackson 1 and end of Heroes of Olympus
Literary Agent
juniper_calle @JuniperCalle
@RebeccaLMatte I see agencies stating they'll want a book proposal if interested in a manuscript. How much material do you expect in a book proposal's marketing plan? Driving traffic on my own, independently, seems difficult, much less getting publishing credentials without having an agent.A book proposal? Do you mean NF? This is not standard for fiction queries. Iād never ask you to make your own marketing plan; itās something weād discuss far down the line once a pub contract is signed
Literary Agent
Rae @rae_rae_go
@RebeccaLMatte Can you give just a little insight to what happens after signing with an agent? I'm specifically wondering about the editing process. Is it a team effort? I've recently overhauled my MS & getting some positive feedback/requests, and realizing I don't know anything about that partSure! After paperwork, usually agents give an edit letter with feedback. I foreshadow this when offering, and then give more detail. Then I step back and let the author write, offering support as needed. Iāve done brainstorm calls and looked at chapters, or wait for a new draft.
Literary Agent
Dinah writes š„ Over the Golden Sea @RedFishies
@RebeccaLMatte What reasons are there if an agent says they love the manuscript but declines it anywayI hate doing this, but I have. When I do it, it means either 1) I recognize this is good but itās not my thing, or 2) thereās potential here but I donāt know how to move it forward. #1 is how I feel about Sondheim - incredible art, but I donāt want to listen every day.
Literary Agent
Jason Noble @JayceNobleAuth
@RebeccaLMatte I'm working on a series of educational videos where I edit my book as I go to showcase the process and help people out.Would this hurt me in the querying process bc I'm showing text from my initial drafts? I heard agents don't like this kind of thing.
For me it wouldnāt. Honestly I probably wouldnāt even know upfront unless you told me. If you are rigid in how you believe editing works that may be tough, as agents may not think youāll take their feedback. But showing early drafts has nothing to do with where you are now
Literary Agent
Emily is QUERYINGāļøšāļø @BequetteEmily
@RebeccaLMatte Hey Rebecca! I so look forward to when you open āØļø š šHow do you feel about dialogue? Do you enjoy it as a tool for characterization and plot development? Banter to build dynamics?
Or do you prefer more sparse dialogue and heavy character introspection?
Thanks ā¤ļø
Me? LOVE dialogue. Iām super character focused, so dialogue is huge. But, make the dialogue matter. Extraneous detail or pleasantries can go, unless it highlights a strained dynamic, cause it slows pacing down. Banter is great, but also should serve a purpose.
Literary Agent
Elizarah O'Neduncan is querying @ElizarahO
@RebeccaLMatte Do agents like books that are part of series?Are superhero books repped often?
Depends! I know thatās not helpful, but series can be great for reliability, but can also be harder to sell bc fewer houses want them. More common in SFF than other adult categories. I donāt think thereās a trend per se in superhero, but itās not uncommon, esp in kidlit
Literary Agent
Diane Owen @DianeOw69576207
@RebeccaLMatte If I queried an agent a year ago and received a pass, could I query again? The novel has been revised and edited multiple times. The synopsis has not changed.I would say that if it feels like another book entirely (major structural changes, not small edits), it might be okay. Flag it in the first paragraph and see if thereās guidance on the website. If itās just small thingsā¦probably not, unfortunately.
Literary Agent
Leah Nova @Bookish_Harpist
@RebeccaLMatte What do you think the ideal day job for a literary agent is? Are other publishing jobs allowed? (probably not in editorial, but what about other areas of publishing?)Ha! Oh boy. Some places are okay with other jobs that have no control over book buying. Some arent so thereās no appearance of conflict. Other writing or editorial is fine, but I say do what pays bills. Nothing will prep you to agent other than doing it, so play to your strengths
Literary Agent
Jessica Jonas @JessicaMJonas
@RebeccaLMatte How many setting changes feel right in the opening 10 pages, rule of thumb? Do you need to feel grounded in a specific place while you get to know the MC/stakes, or can they move between settings? Eg, my MC is in 3 distinct places in 10pp (same day) -- prob ok, or too busy?Thatās tough. First 10pp should give a good idea of character & stakes. How much can you do if theyāre moving? Like, if itās a person reflecting on 1 thing as they go through a day, thatās different from 3 scenes. You want agents to focus on whatās key, not try to track location
Literary Agent
Judah Mahay @judahmahay
@RebeccaLMatte How important is an authorās unpublished backlist when considering representation? Do you ask about other projects when in initial discussions or focus solely on the book queried when considering whether to rep a client?I ask only to understand what they write. So if itās all MG horror, and this is Adult SF I want to know cause then weād not be the best match. Some people may want to see more, but I figure weāll get there after this book.
Literary Agent
āØ Prime | Illustrator | Writer āØ @Prime649
@RebeccaLMatte Is it feasible to have a debut novel be the first in a series, even if you have the whole series planned out?Or would that kind of be dead in the water when first querying?
Feasible yes. It is harder. I definitely balk when I see first of (# larger than 3). If it can standalone, thatās great and you can say first of a planned series but stands on its own. itās easier for SFF, but agent is still taking on an unwritten series having only seen 1 book
Literary Agent
Addy is writing āļø @AddytheLopez
@RebeccaLMatte Any advice for writers about to start querying? I'm almost done with the first draft of my book and going to start edits. I've heard lots of stories about being in the query trenches and am nervous šTake your time. Do your research, find resources for identifying problem agencies and agents, and make other querying friends. Make sure you know how a query is supposed to look and that you know the rules for each agency (whether you can query someone new with a no from one)
Literary Agent
š¾SabaceanBabeš¾šāššŗš¦š @sabaceanbabe
@RebeccaLMatte Thank you for doing this!When reading a query for a dual-POV book, do you want to see both POV characters represented or just the main one for a deeper dive into that character?
Oooh this is hard. When I pitched a dual pov book I used one character as focus and hit on other characters themes and arc. Usually one person jives most with the major narrative and themes and so you can use that. But if both are necessary, nothing wrong with using both
Literary Agent
Norees Reads @ReadsToo
@RebeccaLMatte Do you think it hurts the manuscript if it kinds of straddles the YA/Adult line with an mc in their later teens?Definitely not. I think the market is pretty open to those books right now, and it means you can pitch to either adult or YA editors which leaves leeway. Just make sure thematically and voice wise you know which it is. It can change, but to start it should pick one
Literary Agent
Matt Cantor @MCantorWriting
@RebeccaLMatte I have one of those shower-curtains that uses a tension-rod, and it keeps falling down. Do you think I should try and shop for a better tension-rod, or are they all crap and I should just install something with screws?Also, when querying, do you include your prologue or not?
Ah yes I am a tension rod expert. In theory they work but Iāve never seen it happen.
Always include the first pages of your book. If you can exclude a prologue, consider whether you need it. If you need it, include it.
Literary Agent
Madi J. Whitley - Author @madijwrites
@RebeccaLMatte Hi Rebecca! I have my first finished novel, but it is the first in a trilogy. Would agents/editors be more interested in a standalone debut? Is starting with a series making it harder on myself?I know this doesnāt help but it depends. Some agents are wary to take on 3 books that must be sold together, some prefer it.
Can the first book standalone? Does it end on a cliffhanger? Cause you can frame as ā1st in planned trilogy but could standaloneā to split the difference
Literary Agent
Erin Clark is Querying YA @erinclarkwrites
@RebeccaLMatte Tips for writers for building a positive long-term relationship with an agent once you sign?Communication. Set boundaries, discuss preferred timelines, check ins, and expectations. And find out the same from them.
You & the agent need to know to rely on and trust each other, which the above does for you.
And donāt be afraid to ask for what you need, so you can get it
Literary Agent
āØAnima is querying n editingāØ @author_anima
@RebeccaLMatte Thanks Rebecca for doing this. Much appreciated.My Q is- When a book is inspired by a classic and other 20yr old book, how do we comp it appropriately??
I think thereās a difference between inspiration & comp. You can say āa modern retelling of X, My Book explores..ā and then also comp to something more recent.
Comps are about where your book sits in the market/on shelves. You can include both recent comps & older inspiration
Literary Agent
Amber writes a magical gangster opera š¤ @AmHamWrites
@RebeccaLMatte Ooo! Question about POV. Iāve heard 1st person present is really popular right now. But is 3rd past multi okay for adult? Is it gunna turn people off?Omg please use third person multi, if itās right. I think pov sets tone a lot, and one trend may not be right for all books. I actually struggle with present tense, though I see it a lot.
I personally love really voicey third person so it feels like 1st but with benefits of 3rd