This installment of "How I
Got My Agent" is by
Lisa Janice Cohen, author
of both YA and adult novels.

EARLY ATTEMPTS & THREE BOOKS

I completed my first novel in the summer of 2005 and, with only a minimal understanding of the process of publication, began to search for an agent.  Between August 2005 and August 2006, I sent out queries to 50 agents who represented fantasy novels, who had profiles on agentquery.com, and were considered legitimate by Preditors and Editors.  (At least I knew enough to not get scammed in those early attempts.)  Those attempts garnered one request for a partial, many form rejections, and the rest never responded.
      As I was racking up the rejections, I was also hard at work writing novel No. 2, a near-future thriller.  Figuring I had given the fantasy novel its best shot, I began to query the thriller.  I sent out 42 queries.  This query received a handful of personal rejections, and the odd assortment of form rejections and non-responders.
      By that time, I had completed novel No. 3, a YA urban fantasy called House of Many Doors.  I knew my writing was stronger and I was better able to see what was not working in my first and second novels.  I started querying the YA novel in March of 2007, almost by accident (as I was still actively querying the thriller).  A writer friend of mine contacted me asking me if she could pass my info on to a poet friend of hers who was also a literary agent.
         The agent was interested on the basis of my teaser and asked for a partial, then the full ms.  She requested edits, which I thought were all excellent suggestions and I was over the moon, assuming that I had finally figured it out and was about to get an agent.  Months passed and she finally called me to let me know she did not feel the manuscript was commercially viable without massive rewriting and that she was going to pass.  I was devastated and confused.  
      But I continued to query novel No. 3, sending queries to an additional 28 likely agents.  One of those agents was Nephele Tempest of The Knight Agency.

SUCCESS WITH NEPHELE

I initially queried Nephele in September of 2007, as part of her Back to School query contest on her blog. There had been an announcement of this contest and a link to her blog through Forward Motion for Writers (fmwriters.com).  Nephele blogged that she was specifically looking for YA urban fantasy and, lo and behold, I had a completed manuscript in that genre (novel. No. 3).
      She liked my query and asked for sample pages within 24 hours. About a month later (October 2007), she requested the full ms. After not hearing back from her for four months, I sent a polite status check e-mail and Nephele was quick to respond that she was swamped and current clients needed to be her priority. About every 3 months, I would correspond with her, asking for a status update.
      In the meanwhile, I had the good fortune to be asked to submit the manuscript to an editor at a YA imprint of one of the NY publishing houses.  (This was through a personal connection - the editor's fiancee worked with my husband.)  While the editor loved the story, she felt it was ultimately not right for her imprint. But, she sent me wonderfully detailed editorial notes on her impressions. Those notes translated into a further revision of the manuscript.  After completing the revisions in the fall of 2008, I e-mailed Nephele wondering if could I send her the revised manuscript. As she hadn't yet read the original, she agreed.  Within a few weeks, she had read the revised manuscript and offered me representation.
      So while it took from September of 2007 to January of 2009 from query to acceptance with an agent, the process actually began in August of 2005 when I sent my first unsuccessful query for my first novel.  Since then, I have finished a total of 4 novels, and am on track to finish novel number five this summer.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

KS: My career in publishing actually started in academic publishing.  Before I knew it, I was the editor of Soil, Plant, and Insect Science textbooks and while I worked with fantastic and brilliant authors, trade literature has always been my passion (with children’s literature my real dream). I found out about an entry-level job at the Dijkstra Agency and while it was entry-level (and meant a huge pay cut), I could see that there were a lot of opportunities I could take advantage of.  I started agenting my own books within my first year there and haven’t looked back!

GLA: You recently moved to Andrea Brown Literary.  What are you looking forward to about this new venture?  (Did you move to the Bay area?)

KS: I’m looking forward to working with such a dynamic team of super-smart and savvy colleagues who really know the children’s market.  Each member of the team has a really great and unique perspective on children’s literature so there’s a lot for us to learn from one another.  (And no, I’m still in San Diego.)

GLA: What’s the most recent thing you’ve sold? 

KS: I just sold a graphic novel by James Burks, titled Gabby and Gator to Yen Press, the graphic novel division of Hachette.  They’re starting to work on juvenile graphic novels, and this was one of their first acquisitions for this initiative. It’s a brilliant piece of work.
      As for other notable news, during my first day at ABLA, I found out that my author Steve Watkins won the Golden Kite award for his novel Down Sand Mountain (Candlewick, 2008). His was one of my first projects and I’m thrilled that he’s receiving this honor. It’s a book that has a really special place in my heart.

GLA: You take all kinds of children’s works – young adult, middle grade, picture books, etc.  What are  you looking for right now and not getting?  What do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?

KS: I’d love to see more well-written and clever middle grade fiction. There’s a need for it right now and I see a lot of potential in this market.  I’d also love to see more memoir for kids – especially cultural memoir about growing up in different countries, identity, and living across cultures. We are a colorful world, and I’m not sure that’s reflected adequately in children’s lit quite yet.

GLA: You accept YA and MG.  Specifically, do you specialize in any subgenres?  Multicultural?  Edgy stuff? 

KS: I really don’t confine myself to one area; I enjoy having a variety. I will admit a particular soft spot for picture books but there’s only so many of those I can take on at a time. I really love literary, coming-of-age YA, as well as quirky and smart MG. I’m also particularly loving graphic novels for kids these days. We’re living in a time that is ripe for them, and it’s exciting to help shape that.

GLA: With picture books, I suspect you get a lot of submissions and most of them get rejected.  Where are writers going wrong in picture book submissions?

KS: Rhyming! So many writers think picture books need to rhyme. There are some editors who won’t even look at books in rhyme, and a lot more who are extremely wary of them, so it limits an agent on where it can go and the likelihood of it selling.  It’s also particularly hard to  execute perfectly.  Aside from rhyming, I see way too many picture books about a family pet or bedtime.

GLA: When you’re reviewing a juvenile fiction partial, what do you hate to see in Chapter 1? 

KS: I hate to see a whiny character who’s in the middle of a fight with one of their parents, slamming doors, rolling eyes, and displaying all sorts of other stereotypical behavior. I hate seeing character “stats” (“Hi, I’m Brian, I’m 10 years and 35 days old with brown hair and green eyes”).  I also tend to have a hard time bonding with characters who talk to the reader (“Let me tell you about the summer when I...”).

GLA: When you get a graphic novel submission, what do you like to see in the submission itself?  Just the query?  10 pages?

KS: At the AB Agency, we only accept e-mail submissions, so I would want to see the query letter e-mailed to me (listing any credentials), and then the first 10 pages copied into the body of the e-mail. If there is accompanying sample art, that can be pasted into the message as well.

GLA: Do writers have to finish a graphic novel before querying you?  Or can they just have a good synopsis?

KS: The text needs to be completed but the art shouldn’t be since there are sure to be future changes suggested by myself or an editor.

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming writers’ conferences where writers can meet and pitch you?

KS: Yes! I’ll be at the Charlotte Huck Children’s Festival in Redlands next week, and then I’ll also be at the Western Washington SCBWI meeting in May, Comic-Con (I’m speaking at the Project Impact event before the Con starts) in July, SCBWI National in August, the Southern California Writers meeting in Irvine in Sept, and the La Jolla Writers Conference in November. Phew!

GLA: Best piece(s) of advice we haven’t discussed?

KS: Know who your competition is and read and study the books your intended readers will also be reading. During difficult economic times, support your fellow writers and buy books!

      "As an agent, Kelly specializes in all types of children's literature (picture books, middle grade, young adult, and graphic novels). In picture books and middle grade fiction, Kelly looks for a good sense of humor, stories that stretch a young reader's imagination, and an authentic voice. In young adult, she appreciates literary voices and character-driven stories with heart. In non-fiction for children, she enjoys projects that inspire and stimulate the minds of our younger generations. At this time, Kelly is not accepting unsolicited submissions in adult fiction or adult nonfiction."

Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market editor Alice Pope was at the winter SCBWI conference in Manhattan this past weekend and blogged all about it.

Maybe my favorite part of everything I read on the blog was a children's agent who said that the juvenile market is still decently healthy in this economic downturn.

But ... Why is that so?  How is that possible?

Simple, the agent answered.  In a good economy, a parent would go to the bookstore and buy a book for themselves and a book for their child.  Now that times are tough, they skip the book for themselves, but they don't want to skip the book for their cute little loved one.

That's why.  It makes me want to get to work on my MG novel revisions - stat.

Elana Roth is a literary agent at the Caren Johnson Literary Agency.  My awesome co-worker, Alice Pope, recently interviewed Elana over on the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market blog.  Needless to say, Elana is indeed interested in juvenile work.

In the interview, Elana details a lot of great info about herself and her style, including, but not limited to:

• A dirty little secret about meeting her at conferences.
• What she's always looking for but rarely gets in a submission.
• Advice for new writers regarding queries.

Check out the full interview now!

"Agent Advice" is a series of quick interviews with literary and script agents who talk with Guide to Literary Agents about their thoughts on writing, publishing, and just about anything else.

This installment features Courtney Miller-Callihan, of Sanford J. Greenberger Associates. She represents a variety of fiction, nonfiction and children's works. 

Courtney Miller-Callihan

GLA: How did you become an agent?

CMC: I've always loved books - everyone in this business does, which is the best thing about it. I think my interest in publishing stemmed from a stubborn desire to actually use my two degrees in English. I started at Random House, in the contracts department, in 2002, and then spent a couple of years in subsidiary rights before joining SJGA in 2005. I started taking on my own clients shortly thereafter.

GLA: What's the most recent thing you've sold? 

CMC: The Twelve Days of Christmas in Georgia, illustrated by Elizabeth O. Dulemba (Sterling, fall 2010). Sterling is doing a great series of picture books about holiday traditions in different states.

GLA: You seek "unusual" nonfiction topics.  Kind of like "miscellaneous"?  Could you give me some examples of books out there in the market you wish you'd repped?

CMC: "Miscellaneous" is good, or "weird." I want to see proposals for books on subjects I've never really thought about or even heard of, as well as really creative takes on subjects that have already received a lot of attention. I love narrative nonfiction and investigative journalism, and anything that teaches me something new.

GLA: You seek solid credentials.  Is that just for nonfiction?  Or do you want some kind of a platform even when getting a fiction query?

CMC: If the query is for literary fiction, I like to see a strong record of publication - short stories in literary magazines. For more mainstream fiction, the platform doesn't matter if the writing is terrific.

GLA: Do you find that you have any weird quirks as an agent?  Perhaps everyone likes a query presented in such-and-such a way, but you prefer something else? 

CMC: I respond poorly to clip art, whether it's the "writerly" scroll of parchment on the letterhead or simply an attempt to add illustrations to a proposal. Better to leave it out.

GLA: Regarding the juvenile work you will accept - can you elaborate a bit?  Mid grade?  Picture books?

CMC: I'm feeling more drawn to middle grade and YA at present, but I've always got my eye open for really wonderful illustrators. I don't like talking animal books or picture books done in rhyming couplets.

GLA: Literary fiction, historical fiction and women's fiction are unique in that none of them fall under "pop" or "genre" fiction.  What do you like to see when you sit down to read a partial?

CMC: Introduce me to a character I want to get to know. Get me invested in the story, fast. And, everyone always says this but it's true, I live for the times I get so absorbed that I almost miss my subway stop.

GLA: What are you looking for now and not getting?  For example, a 18th century story set on the high seas...

CMC: I'd love to see more historical fiction with a non-Western setting. As with my taste in nonfiction, I relish the opportunity to learn something. I'd love to see more compelling, character-driven women's fiction. And I'm on the lookout for a book on homesteading - DIY, frugality, eco-conscious.

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming conferences where writers can meet and pitch you?

CMC: Nothing on the schedule at the moment (but I'd love to hear from writers' conferences looking for more agent participants/speakers!)

GLA: Best piece of advice concerning something we haven't discussed?

CMC: I can't emphasize enough the importance of making a good first impression. Agents are inundated with queries, and for me, the ones that follow my guidelines (a proposal and CV for nonfiction, a synopsis and the first three chapters for fiction), spell my name right, and maybe reference my existing clients' projects, really do stand out from the pack.

"Agent Advice" is a series of quick interviews with literary and script agents who talk with Guide to Literary Agents about their thoughts on writing, publishing, and just about anything else.

This installment features Rachel Downes, a new junior agent at the Caren Johnson Literary Agency. 

GLA: How did you become an agent?

RD: I started interning for Caren in the fall of 2007, and I interned at her agency for nine months while attending school.  I was promoted to a junior agent this past spring and have been working as one since.

GLA: Have you sold anything so far?

RD: I haven’t sold anything independently yet, but I’ve assisted on the following projects: Once Again to Zelda by Marlene Wagman-Geller (Perigee, November 2008), Where Am I Wearing? by Kelsey Timmerman (Wiley, November 2008) , How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World by Jordan Chouanard (Center Street/Grand Central Publishing, Summer 2009), You Are So Undead To Me by Stacey Jay (Razorbill, Spring 2009), The Ex-Games by Jennifer Echols (Simon Pulse, Fall 2009), Skin Deep by Annaliese Evans/Anna J. Evans (Summer 2009), and The Briar Rose Series by Annaliese Evans/Anna J. Evans (Tor Books, beginning February 2009).

GLA: What are you looking for in terms of submissions?

RD: I am looking to acquire YA and middle grade fiction of all kinds; science fiction; and nonfiction in the following subjects: narrative, history, pop culture, humor, science, women’s studies and social science.

GLA: What's the best way to submit to you?

RD: I prefer to receive queries via e-mail.  If a query piques my interest, I’ll then request that the author send me a partial manuscript of his or her work.  I’ll accept partial manuscripts via snail mail, but not queries.

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming writers' conferences where writers can meet and pitch you?

RD: I don’t yet know what my conference line-up will be for the near future.  It’s doubtful I’ll be going to anything the remainder of this year, but I’m hoping to go to attend some conferences in 2009.  If writers would like to keep track of any upcoming conferences Caren or I will be appearing at, they can visit this link.

GLA: Any advice for writers who want to pitch you?

RD: Writers need to do their research. The most frustrating part about being an agent is getting a query from an author who clearly didn’t look at what I represent and what I do not.  They also need to make sure they have the latest info on how to pitch me and in what format(s) I prefer to be pitched (see above). They should also remember that this is a business relationship. I am very friendly with all of my authors and often enjoy chatting with them before diving into the work part of conversations/e-mails. Keep in mind that when a writer is trying to land an agent though, he or she should remain as professional as possible.  Do I really need to know a writer has seven kids or bought 20 pairs of shoes in the last year in his or her cover letters and e-mails?  Unless it sells their stories, chances are authors can keep the personal anecdotes to a minimum.

      Query Rachel at rachel@johnsonlitagency.com.

Stimola Literary Studios, LLC, has a new e-mail and Web site.

The new Web site has information on submissions, clients, previous sales and everything in between. It will definitely help if you want to submit to them. According to their submission page, they handle nonfiction and fiction, adult and children's, but they do have a big interest in children's work - middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, etc.

The new submission e-mail is info@stimolaliterarystudio.com.

Reminder: Newer agencies are golden opportunities for new writers because they're likely building their client list; however, always make sure your work is as perfect as it can be before submitting, and only query agencies that are a great fit for your work. Otherwise, you're just wasting time and postage.

Finding one new agent building her client list is a nice treat. But what if you had two at the same agency? That's exactly what's happened at the Prospect Agency. Here's the down-low on these two new(er) agents. Some links at the bottom will help you submit.

      "Rachel Orr (rko@prospectagency.com) joined Prospect Agency in 2007, after eight rewarding years editing children's books for HarperCollins. She enjoys the challenge of tackling a wide variety of projects—both fiction and nonfiction—particularly picture books, beginning readers, chapter books, middle-grade/YA novels, and works of nonfiction.
      "Rachel is currently taking on new clients."

      "Becca Stumpf, (becca@prospectagency.com) junior agent, joined Prospect Agency in 2006 after working as an assistant at Writers House Literary Agency. As a reader, Becca falls hard for sentences that are beautifully crafted, for humor in unexpected places, and for characters that come to life and follow you around for a while. Becca is looking for adult and YA literary and mainstream fiction that surprises. She's also interested in select nonfiction, including narrative nonfiction, journalistic perspectives, fashion, film studies, travel, art, and informed analysis of cultural phenomena. She has a special interest in aging in America and environmental issues.
      "Becca is currently taking on new clients."

Visit the agency's official submissions page!

The GLA blog has a special treat this week—an interview with Nick Eliopulos, editor for Random House Children's Books. He fits right in with our recent focus on agents and editors for children's writing, which includes picture books, young adult and middle grade works.

GLA: What are some subjects or some styles that you don't see tackled often, and wonder why more writers are not tackling such a subject/style?

NE: Thoughtful, literary novels with boy appeal. Newbery-caliber stuff. These books are few and far between. And if we're worried that boys don't read enough, not making books for them won't help the problem.

GLA: Do you ever turn down work because it's too "smart"—meaning either the concept is too complex or the language is too advanced?

NE: I recently read The Golden Compass, and you know what? It's way too smart. The language, the premise, the roaming POV ... but it's such a wonderful book and it's obviously found an audience.

      I hope I'm never in a position where I have to turn down a submission because it's smart or challenging. I can imagine, as an editor, asking for edits to broaden the appeal: Can this concept be clearer? Does the language seem like too much here? Does the work benefit from limiting the POV? But never in the interest of talking down to the audience.

      (I'm thinking mainly of novels here, of course. If you're working with an established format, like the Random House Stepping Stones line, then it's essential that the language fit the guidelines of that format. And I think picture books have limits, as well, though mostly in terms of content.)

GLA: What is the most common reasons you and your fellow board of editors turn down a project (manuscript)?

NE: We have to think in terms of our list—where our strengths lie. But it's a fine line. We want something that is somewhat familiar, but that offers something new.

      That's really the best way to find a publisher--look at who's publishing work similar to your own. If my group is having success with fantasy novels and you submit a teen cookbook, chances are we won't have the resources to make your book a hit.

GLA: When you sit down to read a manuscript, what do you want to see (or "feel") in the first 10-20 pages?

NE: A strong sense of character—through action and dialogue as opposed to narration.

      Much of what I read is slow to get to the actual plot. That's OK in a draft; it (will help) if there's some kind of synopsis so that I know what to expect. But voice and character should be front and center from the start.

GLA: Many YA books follow a similar formula. With that in mind, is a big part in the concept? Like writing the standard "Girl feels awkward in high school and likes boy" except "Girl turns into a werewolf at night"? Does it need a hook like that, or can you still write a good story that no big hook?

NE: Hooks help—a lot. Even once I've signed on a book, I have to pitch it to sales and marketing, who have to pitch it to retailers and librarians. If you've got a unique and memorable spin, that's half the battle won.

      But different books come with different expectations. If you've written a story about an awkward girl with not a werewolf in sight, but with a strong and believable voice—well, there's likely an audience for that book. Notice that a lot of the award-winners are quiet tales that you can't do justice in a one-line pitch.

GLA: What advice would you like to give concerning a topic we haven't addressed yet?

NE: Read! Read a lot. And not just children's books. It definitely helps to know what's out there for your target age group—but if you're up on current events or quantum physics or the cultural history of deodorant, then you have a better chance of bringing something altogether new to the table.

GLA: Does Random House Children's ever take unagented submissions?

NE: Officially we don't, but it's certainly happened before. Chances are that a blind submission will eventually be seen by somebody—but having an agent is really the way to go. For one thing, it guarantees your submission will be read. For another, it truly pays off to work with someone who knows the ins and outs of the business (and who can give you objective feedback before your work lands on an editor's desk).

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming conferences where writers can meet you?

NE: Yes—the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature in October.

      Associate Editor at Random House Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Random House Children's Books), Nick Eliopulos started out at the University Press of Florida, where a college internship led to a full-time job as an acquisitions assistant. Eventually, he moved to New York and subsisted on freelance for a few months before landing at Random House.       
      Two of Nick's projects will be published this fall: Squirrelly Gray, a picture book by indie-comics superstar James Kochalka, and The Hound of Rowan, first in a middle-grade fantasy trilogy by newcomer Henry H. Neff. His comics work appears in the anthologies Stuck in the Middle (Viking, 2007) and First Kiss (Then Tell) (Bloomsbury, 2008). He has survived three consecutive winters in Manhattan.

Nick Eliopulos