Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

.@ms_lilyanderson's new book has some DNF on goodreads. BC Trixie is mean. Hell yeah she is. it's a Much Ado retelling 11/? #pubtip #pubrant

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

I want to see a mean girl MC who learns that the only way to survive is to cut others down. Then learn she's wrong 9/? #pubtip #pubrant

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

We should NOT have to force ourselves/our kids to have female role models who are always going to be better than we are 8/? #pubtip #pubrant

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

Just like women hold themselves to standards of Mary Sue perfection, so do we for our female characters. 7/? #pubtip #pubrant

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

THEY CAN'T. It's why most romance heroines are "clumsy" and therefore could NEVER get a guy with abs. 6/? #pubtip #pubrant

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

Which limits the agency of your female characters—how can they be "damaged" but also perfect? 5/? #pubtip #pubrant

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

But here's the problem with fiction—your MCs have to fuck up to change and to create a plot is there. 4/? #pubtip #pubrant

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

So this public discourse boils down into fiction in one main way: having your female MC be likable. Esp in YA 3/? #pubtip #pubrant

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

Well, a big part of that conversation also has to do with likability (Hillary Clinton, anyone?) 2/? #pubtip #pubrant

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

Feminists talk a LOT about how "bossy" is a word used ONLY for women, in a negative, to discourage leadership. 1/? #pubtip #pubrant

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

The topic of this #pubrant? UNLIKABLE FEMALE CHARACTERS #pubtip

Carly Silver
@CarlyASilver
Editor
Writer, editor, historian, bespectacled legend. Byline in a publication near you
72 MSWL
27 Tips

If you're submitting a category romance to a Harlequin series, *please* pay attention to themes/word count. Do your research. #pubtip

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

And I think that's it for cons and such. Have fun, wear good shoes, and stay hydrated, everyone! #pubtip

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

20) If you see a group of agents/editors/writers together, let them do their thing. This is often the only time we see one another #pubtip

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

19) Don't just grab free things. Talk to people. Know why you're getting what you are #pubtip

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

17) It's dickish to ask a group their qualifications then ignore some bc theyre "not important" Where will they be next year? #pubtip

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

16) "Hey, I really liked XYZ you did. How do you like the con?" is way better than "OMG YOUR XYZ TELL ME ALLLLLL ABOUT IT! GIMME!" #pubtip

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

15) If someone cuts your convo short to go somewhere else, do not escort them there unless they invite you to do so #Pubtip

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

14) Personal bubbles are a big thing. Especially for women. Even if it's loud, stay at least 2 ft away. #pubtip

Laura Zats
@LZats
Literary Agent
Founder & Agent @HeadwaterLit . Host of the award-winning @printrunpodcast . Publishers Weekly industry MVP. She/her & Ms/Mx. Open to queries!
213 MSWL
176 AskAgent
3124 Queries
162 Tips

13) NO TOUCHING UNLESS INVITED. & Con Crud is a real thing, so don't be offended if we won't shake hands #pubtip