Lucy Carson
@LucyACarson
Literary Agent
Literary Agent at The Friedrich Agency, New Yorker, Anglophile, dog AND cat person, theater nerd, @girlswritenow mentor 📚 she/her
20 MSWL
32 Tips

Lucy Carson @LucyACarson

Based on the *massive* volume of queries that arrived yesterday, it's clear that this week is the chosen moment for many new authors making their initial approach to agents... great! So I thought a quick #querytip thread might be helpful for some.

It may sound obvious to many, but a glance at the inbox confirms this is worth typing out: please make sure that the agent you are querying actually represents the category and genre of your project (The # of screenwriters I hear from is truly baffling-- I can't help ya! 🥴)

Marisa A. Corvisiero
@mcorvisiero
Literary Agent
Attorney. Literary Agent at @corvisierolit . Producer. Speaker. Coach. #WriteMindset #BeKind 🌎🇦🇷🇺🇸🇮🇹⚖️📚 She/her corvisieroagency.com QueryMe.Online/MAC
12 MSWL
23 AskAgent
58 Tips

Samantha is excited for 2020!!! @SamanthaGassman

#amquerying writers: please don’t harass agents... ever. But especially on Twitter. twitter.com/mcorvisiero/st…
Replying to @SamanthaGassman

Lol yes... a public post has a lot ramifications and most aren’t good. Harassment is never okay. Professionalism is in large part respecting people’s time, privacy, and feelings. #querytip #WritingCommnunity

Marisa A. Corvisiero
@mcorvisiero
Literary Agent
Attorney. Literary Agent at @corvisierolit . Producer. Speaker. Coach. #WriteMindset #BeKind 🌎🇦🇷🇺🇸🇮🇹⚖️📚 She/her corvisieroagency.com QueryMe.Online/MAC
12 MSWL
23 AskAgent
58 Tips

I've recently seen some authors follow up on submissions, and other attempts to communicate with Agents or Editor to try to get them to look at their work or ask for things. Folks, this isn't the forum to do that. Those communications should be private. #QueryTip

Anna Sproul-Latimer
@annasproul
Literary Agent
Founding Partner, Neon Literary. Get in, loser, we’re making it art. neonliterary.com
28 MSWL
95 Tips

Today's lunchtime #pubtip thread is on the most important habit authors (/all of us) should cultivate as we move through the industry, whether we're crafting a book proposal, problem-solving with colleagues, etc.: ENERGIZE OTHERS; DO NOT EXHAUST THEM.

Susan Graham
@Grahamophones
Literary Agent
would love to be stabbed by Jim, professional hype man (agent at @Einstein_Lit opinions my own) #friendship #teamwork art by @anuanew , pn they/them (agender)
122 MSWL
14 AskAgent
128 Tips

Babies, ILY, but when you send queries to the info email, I delete them. If you found our info address, you went to our website where you will ALSO SEE our submissions address. Please follow submissions guidelines. Thank! #subtip #querytip

Heather McCorkle
@McCorkle_Editor
Editor
AQ editor w/City Owl, Editorial Director of Mystic Owl, romance in: SF/F genres for adults only! Love is love. cityowlpress.com enigmaticeditor.bl
95 MSWL
78 Tips

I hate rejecting manuscripts, especially those that are really good, but not right for me. I know how hard writers work on them and it makes me sad to have to pass. But, you must have the right person for you and your work. #pubtip #writetip

Anna Sproul-Latimer
@annasproul
Literary Agent
Founding Partner, Neon Literary. Get in, loser, we’re making it art. neonliterary.com
28 MSWL
95 Tips

Author/artist followers, please read this excerpt from @RachelFriedman's new book, AND THEN WE GREW UP. It's about the nonlinearity of success, the myth of "making it," and the reality that you're probably never going to feel like you can relax. #pubtip

forge.medium.com/theres-no-ladd…

Susan Graham
@Grahamophones
Literary Agent
would love to be stabbed by Jim, professional hype man (agent at @Einstein_Lit opinions my own) #friendship #teamwork art by @anuanew , pn they/them (agender)
122 MSWL
14 AskAgent
128 Tips

If you query me & misgender me I delete it! 😀😀#querytip #subtip psa!

Ann Rose
@annmrose
Literary Agent
agent: @TheTobiasAgency & #rosebudauthor wrangler | author: ROAD TO EUGENICA & BREAKOUT | opinions are my own | she/her rep:@evascalzo layout:@ana_scribe
207 MSWL
448 AskAgent
11 Queries
127 Tips

25% of the queries I looked at this morning started with the character waking up.

Authors - You can do better. I promise.

#querytip #SlushInsight

Zabé Ellor
@ZREllor
Literary Agent
Bestselling author of MAY THE BEST MAN WIN🏈| SILK FIRE🐉| ACTING THE PART (12/7/22)🎥| assoc. agent @JDLitAgency | rep @RedPenKaitlyn | opinions mine | he/they
224 MSWL
3 AskAgent
29 Tips

10% had interesting pitches, but the pages didn’t connect with me. These are completely subjective passes

5% weren't for me—good manuscripts but not subjects I cared about, or styles I didn’t know how to represent

Zabé Ellor
@ZREllor
Literary Agent
Bestselling author of MAY THE BEST MAN WIN🏈| SILK FIRE🐉| ACTING THE PART (12/7/22)🎥| assoc. agent @JDLitAgency | rep @RedPenKaitlyn | opinions mine | he/they
224 MSWL
3 AskAgent
29 Tips

Happy HollZABÉs ⛄️🌲❄️ @ZREllor

My 2019 #querystats (#amagenting #writingcommunity) say I had a 5% request rate. Let me break that down...

50% of queries were auto-rejects. Incorrect formatting, no sense of market.

30% were good, but not great. Authors needed further development and practice to produce publishable work. Not ready for representation yet

Zabé Ellor
@ZREllor
Literary Agent
Bestselling author of MAY THE BEST MAN WIN🏈| SILK FIRE🐉| ACTING THE PART (12/7/22)🎥| assoc. agent @JDLitAgency | rep @RedPenKaitlyn | opinions mine | he/they
224 MSWL
3 AskAgent
29 Tips

#querytip The number one reason I pass on SFF queries is a lack of a unique hook. I’ve read SO much SFF—if your pitch doesn’t bring something new to the table, it won’t draw me in

BookEnds Literary Agency
@bookendslit
Literary Agency
A literary agency repping bestselling, award-winning, & int'l published authors and illustrators for children & adults. Empowering creators to achieve dreams.
66 MSWL
53 AskAgent
127 Tips

Our first video of 2020: 10 Things Literary Agents Look for in an Author youtu.be/gYqaF4l1t3w via @YouTube #pubtip

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Cortney Radocaj
@CortneyRadocaj
Literary Agent
literary agent @belcastr • she/they • queer • neurodivergent • query me at QueryManager.com/CortneyRadocaj
111 MSWL
43 AskAgent
74 Tips

A quick reminder that if you want to query me, please don’t DM me to ask if I’m interested!

That’s the whole idea of querying—sending your pitch and pages to an agent in the hopes that they’re interested.

So I’ll let you know either way when you query! :) #querytip

Sharon Belcastro
@SharonBelcastro
Literary Agent
Introvert surviving in an extroverted world. Lover of books, animals, plants, the beach, working out and eating tacos. @belcastr
52 MSWL
50 Queries
17 Tips

#querytip #amquerying Don't purposely point out your shortfalls in your author bio. You are more than qualified to write your story with or without a "writing" degree.

Sharon Belcastro
@SharonBelcastro
Literary Agent
Introvert surviving in an extroverted world. Lover of books, animals, plants, the beach, working out and eating tacos. @belcastr
52 MSWL
50 Queries
17 Tips

#amwriting #querytip I'm seeing a trend of manuscripts way outside the acceptable word counts. Low and High. Learn your genre. This is a good guide. litrejections.com/word-count/

Anaiah Press
@anaiahpress
Publisher
Anaiah Press is a Christian digital-first publisher that provides inspirational fiction for all ages. blog: bit.ly/2pmIkzE
63 MSWL
1 AskAgent
60 Tips