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

Susan, A Graham @Grahamophones

Hello! Please remember that an agent doesn't work for/with you unless you're a client. Haranguing them in submissions for not being at your beck and call doesn't serve your time or theirs, & it doesn't serve your work. #querytip #subtip

To be clear. This does not mean do not follow up or nudge them politely. I am talking about long, angry, yelling emails, or spamming that gets increasingly passive aggressive. That sort of thing. #subtip #querytip - please feel free to follow up and nudge us.

Marie Lamba
@marielamba
Literary Agent
Author of GREEN GREEN, A DAY SO GRAY, WHAT I MEANT..., DRAWN, and OVER MY HEAD. Literary Agent at Jennifer De Chiara Literary. My opinions are my own.
43 MSWL
20 Queries
43 Tips
Leonicka Valcius
@leonicka
Literary Agent
she/her 🇭🇹. Christian ✝️. JD Candidate 2024. Literary Agent @TransLitAgency . Closed to queries.
87 MSWL
51 AskAgent
5 Tips

Léonicka @leonicka

Slowly taking a machete to my query inbox. It is MUCH HARDER than I anticipated to give feedback to writers individually but maybe I can give a few tips here?

I fall in love with characters first and foremost. All the other writing elements are important, yes, but you can win me over (or lose me completely) with your characters. So when pitching me, lead with them. #querytip

Uwe Stender
@UweStenderPhD
Literary Agent
Founder @triadaus , Literary/Film Agent. Herthaner. Berliner Schnauze. Westend. Qualität kommt von Qual. 1982,1991, 2013, 2017. Books, Films, Music. ❤ Berlin ❤
79 MSWL
1203 AskAgent
44 Queries
81 Tips

#querytip #lifehack Kindness goes a long way in work, and in life. Rudeness will sooner OR later backfire. It may not seem like it at the moment, but it will.

Melissa Edwards
@MelissaLaurenE
Literary Agent
Literary Agent at @stonesongNYC . Lawyer. Lover of TV, movies, and books. Slow runner. Let Bartlet be Bartlet.
217 MSWL
10 Queries
58 Tips

Evergreen #querytip: if you’re horribly rude or inappropriate to one of us, many of us will find out. Thankfully, the majority of queriers are professional and courteous, and we appreciate it immensely.

Kate Nash
@katenashagent
Literary Agent
Literary agent.
19 MSWL
223 AskAgent
33 Queries
15 Tips

"As a concept this shows lots of promise but what is missing is the emotional aspect of the plot." I did the pitch surgery in this month's Mslexia magazine. Read my advice on this pitch for a Romantic Comedy novel #askagent #querytip #publishing #romcom

Elana Roth Parker
@ElanaRoth
Literary Agent
Kidlit agent w/ @LDLiterary . @aalitagents communications committee. Avid quilter. Still not Elena. Open to queries. She/her.
103 MSWL
3 AskAgent
196 Tips

It’s cool to reference which of my clients' books you enjoy reading, but don’t waste precious word count in your query comparing your book to theirs. Just be your own thing. #querytip #pubtip

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

Don't spam agents with your queries. Don't spam agents with your queries. Don't spam agents with your queries. Don't spam agents with your queries. Don't spam agents with your queries. This is a huge red flag for lots of agents. #subtip #querytip

Jennifer March Soloway
@marchsoloway
Literary Agent
Jennifer#4 @AndreaBrownLit | she/her | @MillsMFALit alum | PB+MG+YA+Adult | In love with all things story | ✨Revision is magical!✨
183 MSWL
45 AskAgent
105 Tips

#QueryTip When querying me, if your first chapter is slightly longer than 10 pages and you'd like to include the entire chapter, please do in the body of the email--as long as it isn't 15+ pages. Best of luck! #amquerying

Kelly Peterson
@LitAgentKelly
Literary Agent
Literary Agent at @reesagency . Twitter Valkyrie. Philadelphian. Pisces. She/her. Multitasks #LikeABoss . Gandalf of #TheFellowship . Tweets are my own.✌🏻
263 MSWL
217 AskAgent
40 Queries
115 Tips

#querytip Another great conversation and clarification that's come about tonight: Third Person Omniscient vs. Third Person Limited! It's important to know the difference and which one you're writing. :) Make sure you do your research with other books, too! thebalancecareers.com/third-person-p…

Naomi Davis
@NaomisLitPix
Literary Agent
Eternally optimistic Literary Agent at @Bookendslit Genderqueer 🏳️‍🌈 ND; I laugh & love relentlessly. Repped by the phenomenal @4triciaskinner
208 MSWL
214 AskAgent
183 Tips

Psst... #amwriting #amediting #amquerying authors. I would like you read this thread, and then I would like you to make every effort to lift up another creative person who might be struggling today in this challenging, competitive industry. #querytip #writetip

Kelly Peterson
@LitAgentKelly
Literary Agent
Literary Agent at @reesagency . Twitter Valkyrie. Philadelphian. Pisces. She/her. Multitasks #LikeABoss . Gandalf of #TheFellowship . Tweets are my own.✌🏻
263 MSWL
217 AskAgent
40 Queries
115 Tips

#querytip I'm seeing so many people who don't have a strong, enthralling voice for three reasons:
1. You're not varying your sentence structure.
2. You're not telling the story from your MC, but rather a narrator.
3. You're not utilizing all of your MC's senses to tell the story.

Kelly Peterson
@LitAgentKelly
Literary Agent
Literary Agent at @reesagency . Twitter Valkyrie. Philadelphian. Pisces. She/her. Multitasks #LikeABoss . Gandalf of #TheFellowship . Tweets are my own.✌🏻
263 MSWL
217 AskAgent
40 Queries
115 Tips

#Querytip I've seen many authors who have no idea how to write a query recently. My box is filled with writers who only put a few sentences down or put their synopsis in the query section instead. If you're unsure how, @JaneFriedman is an excellent source! janefriedman.com/query-letters/

Kate Nash
@katenashagent
Literary Agent
Literary agent.
19 MSWL
223 AskAgent
33 Queries
15 Tips

At @Writers_Artists conference. @bellaeditor talks about how writer’s voice is vital, how voice is engagement. Comes with confidence. #getpublished #querytip

Kate Nash
@katenashagent
Literary Agent
Literary agent.
19 MSWL
223 AskAgent
33 Queries
15 Tips

At @Writers_Artists #getpublished conference. @bellaeditor who acquired Boy in Stripped PJs: editor has to love x3 story and expects to work with writer to shape #querytip #publishing

Jessica Faust
@BookEndsJessica
Literary Agent
President & founder of BookEnds Literary Agency, author advocate, optimist, & professional pain in the ass. Runs on coffee, wine, & kettlebells. She/Her
396 MSWL
574 AskAgent
191 Tips

Psychological Suspense, for example, is not a hook, it's a genre. The hook is what makes it stand apart from other books in the genre. THE OTHER WOMAN (who is the mother) is the hook. #querytip

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

Ok, I cannot say this enough #writers:

Your query is NOT your synopsis. These are two completely different documents and you need to understand how to write both. #amagenting #amquerying #querytip

Madelyn Burt
@madelynvburt
Literary Agent
agent/contracts manager @stonesongnyc beach bum; book lover; medievalist at heart. she/her
35 MSWL
5 Tips

#querytip: we understand that it's a frustrating process -- there are things about it that frustrate us, too! -- but extolling the evils of agents/publishing in general in your query is probably not the way to go

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

Make sure you delete all the inline comments before sending a query or pages.
On a side note- this reviewer is spot on. I wonder if they are looking for an agent.
#querytip #SlushInsight

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

If you are going to name a person who referred you it might be wise to make sure the agent knows that person. 😳 Hint: I have no personal connection to this person at all
#SlushInsight #querytip