Stephanie Guerdan

I think this sort of thing would be challenging in YA now as we're not seeing strong anthology sales even when big authors are attached. That said, if you were submitting, the ms should be done but you can just have sample illustrations (rather than all finished) #askdvpit

Not an agent myself, but imo using comp titles shows that you're familiar with the target market and already have a sense of where your book will sit when it's published, which is a good thing to signal. #askdvpit

Typically platform is a bonus, not a dealbreaker--at least for fiction. For nonfiction, it can be far more important because you need to be able to prove your bona fides for why you're speaking to a topic. #askdvpit

Similar to another answer I gave, but I'd trust someone from a specific culture to adapt their culture sensitively to a fantasy setting than I would someone who's an outsider, which to me means the author's identity is crucial to the storytelling and thus ownvoices #askdvpit

Hm, this is tricky, but in my experience I'd trust a writer from that background to sensitively predict how the religion/culture will adapt far more than I would a writer who wasn't, so imo your identity would still be imp't to the story and I'd still call it ownvoices. #askdvpit

So your agent typically represents you in all territories, and their agency will handle subrights deals overseas/outside North Am. That kind of statement usually refers the actual book deal with a publisher, which may only cover certain markets. #askdvpit

There was recent YA anthology called IT'S A WHOLE SPIEL that features a ton of Jewish authors--that would be a great jumping off point to find their other works. @Bibliogato (who edited that anth.) would prob have even more recs (incl. their own books!) #askdvpit

Absolutely, and this is a priority for publishers/editors too. I want to publish books that represent our world in all its diversity! If your book is a picture book, it's totally cool to include art notes that say so, or illustrator notes in an illustrated MG, etc. #askdvpit

While these can be good portfolio pieces (and I know that this has led to deals at places like Marvel where all their work is work-for-hire), I wouldn't be able to acquire a fanart/fanfiction-type story for ©️ reasons (unless the orig. source was in the public domain) #askdvpit

While some publishers are having a difficult go of things right now financially, at least in my experience we are still acquiring at a regular if not increased rate. #askdvpit

You don't need to capitalize the description--the capitalization should only include the book title itself (imo, it's a way to get around the issue of not being able to do ital or underline in certain text settings like twitter, etc.) #askdvpit