Guide to Literary Agents

"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 Louise Fury, of L. Perkins Associates. Louise runs her own blog here. You can follow her on Twitter: @LouiseFury.

She is seeking: High-concept young adult fiction and fun, imaginative, and engaging middle grade fiction–-think humor, adventure and mystery. The characters must be authentic and original. Louise really loves historical (especially Regency and Victorian), paranormal, steampunk romance, mystery and epic horror. She’s passionate about connecting with South African authors–anything about South Africa, or by a South African author is on her wish list. In nonfiction, she is looking for pop culture, humor, gift books and witty memoirs.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

LF: Six years ago, my journalist husband wanted to write a book. I jumped in head first and together we set about researching editors and publishing, query formats and synopsis specifications. We spent our time researching the market and the right way to go about a nonfiction submission. We sent out 10 queries and received an offer before the week was up. I have a marketing background and since that first sale, I have been involved in the publishing industry in as many capacities as I could manage: Reviewer, marketing consultant for authors, both e-pub and print as well as for a literary agency. Because of those various capacities I started to take note of market trends and I loved the idea of helping someone make their dreams a reality. When Lori Perkins and I started working together, we discussed various ways to put my talents to use. We brainstormed my dream client list and because she was no longer accepting new clients, she wanted someone who knew the market, had contacts in the publishing industry and would work hard with her current team of agents to maintain the integrity of the agency she had started.

GLA: I know L. Perkins Associates specializes in romance and you are no exception. But within the genre of romance, can you tell us more about what you like and dislike? Regency? Paranormal? Series? Single title?

LF: If it is a well-spun tale, I will probably love it. I am a historical romance fanatic and I love the Regency and Victorian eras. I am also on the hunt for well-written gothic novels. I am always looking for original paranormal ideas and I adore all forms of steampunk.

GLA: Romance follows a certain form. How can writers keep their stories fresh? Is it as simple as good characters and voice?

LF: Good characters are essential to a good story and originality is important. The plot can be tried and true, but your characters have to be authentic. Grammar can be fixed, but unless you have a good voice and a great hook it can’t work. And even then sometimes a perfect manuscript is rejected.

GLA: I didn’t even know there was steampunk romance, but there must be, because it’s on your wish list. Are there any good examples people could seek out to see how this mix of genres works?

LF: I am looking forward to reading The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook. Clockwork Heart by Dru Pagliassotti has gotten some great reviews. Soulless by Gail Carriger is a fun, mild steampunk with a lovely romantic element. I have a fantastic one I am shopping around right now, but there is not much steampunk romance out there. Please ask your readers to send me some!

GLA: Concerning historical romance, is there anything that’s been overdone? Anything undertapped? For example, have people seen too much set in London? (Or can there never be too much set in London?)

LF: I think the fairytale element of London, royalty and fashion creates a fantasy we women have imbibed on since reading Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty as children. I don’t think there can ever be enough London. Historical Romance is like a grown-up fairytale filled with balls and men with titles. I think the underclass is undertapped in historical romance. We all love the Cinderella story, after all it’s like the American dream, and I love stories about people in service: The stories of women who made ends meet as fortune tellers and writers or seamstresses. I know they had scandalous adventures, too. I would love to see more of that.

GLA: What drives your love for kids’ fiction?

LF: I have worked and been surrounded by children my entire life. My mother took in many underprivileged children. I babysat in high school and college. I was the host of a Road show for children. The youth market was my target demographic in my advertising job straight out of college. I spent a year as an au pair; I have worked with underprivileged kids in foster homes and spent my life entertaining this market. It has always seemed natural to include the youth demographic into my job, no matter what the career.

GLA: Besides general YA and MG, what are you really looking for? For example, less vampire, more boy books, etc.

LF: I love a good vampire story. As far as middle grade, I would love to see more mischievous girl characters—girls who have good intentions, but get up to mischief for a worthy cause.

GLA: Tell me about your interest in South Africa. Are you from there?

LF: Yes, I was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and moved to America more than ten years ago. There is so much talent in South Africa, but the publishing industry is almost nonexistent there. People don’t have money to buy books or e-readers; it is really shocking to me. Talented writers who are published in South Africa have very little exposure to the rest of the publishing world. I want to help them break out into the international market.

GLA: Three most common problems you see in query letters?

LF: Sending queries to agents who don’t represent your genre. Queries that are way too long and/or include links to other sites where I am supposed to search for information. Queries that include a list of multiple books, many of which are incomplete.

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming conferences where people can reach meet/pitch you?

LF: The New York City Golden Apple Awards in September. The New Jersey Romance Writers of America Conference in October. Push to Publish in Pennsylvania October 2010.The 2011 DFW Writers' Conference in February in Dallas.

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

LF: E-query me at lfury[at]lperkinsagency[dot]com Include a brief, well-written paragraph describing your work as well as the first 5-10 pages in the body of the e-mail. No attachments please. I also post submission calls on my personal blog at www.louisefury.blogspot.com.

GLA: Something personal about you writers may be surprised to know?

LF: Way back in the ‘90s, I made my screen-acting debut on national television in a South African television series.

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

LF: 1) Be nice. Be gracious. Keep your cool and try not to get involved in the cattiness of online bickering. 2) You cannot write in a vacuum, so get out into the world and work, meet people and interact with other writers. 3) Sometimes the best writing can originate from an overheard conversation. But you have to experience the world in order to write about it. I believe that you have to live in order to write. You have to live. Period!

Looking for some help on your journey to find
an agent? Attend my (Chuck's) webinar on
Aug. 26, 2010: "How to Land a Literary Agent."
Find out much more details here.

Want more on this subject?

How to publicize your book with courage.

The Knight Agency talks book marketing.

Children's agent Sarah Davies talks book marketing.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Romance

Sunday, August 15, 2010 1:15:47 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Agent Advice: Kelly Mortimer of Mortimer Literary Agency
Posted by Chuck

Agent Interview by

contributor Ricki Schultz.

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 Kelly Mortimer of Mortimer Literary Agency. The founder and president of the Christian Media Association, she has received the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers “Agent of the Year” award as well as a spot in 2008’s Top Five on the Publisher’s Marketplace list of “Top 100 Dealmakers” in the romance category. She also has a Web site for writers called Perils of Publishing and a Yahoo group that follows her agency.

She is seeking: contemporary romance, contemporary inspirational romance, mainstream fiction, paranormal, comedy, thrillers/suspense, young adult, and has eclectic tastes in nonfiction. She is not looking for: chick lit, middle-grade, children’s books, picture books, cozy mysteries, erotica or romantica, fantasy, novellas, poetry, sci-fi, or historical westerns.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

KM: I was a writer, and my editing partner kept buggin’ me. She thought I’d make a great agent. Then I got a nudge from The Big Dude Upstairs. Actually, He whomped on my head for nine months, and I finally said, “If You insist…”

GLA: You have described yourself as “the Extreme Agent” and “the un-agent,” and the tagline on your agency website is: “Diabolically Diligent. Maniacally Moral. Defiantly Different.” Can you tell us what you mean? What sets you apart from other agents—other than your masterful use of alliteration?

KM: I’m extreme because I’m fearless. Inside, I’m on fire. There’s no one I won’t walk up and talk to, no risk I won’t take if the reward can be great, and nothing I see as impossible. I’m the un-agent, as I haven’t forgotten the client hires me and I work for the client; it isn’t the other way around.
     My three-sentence tagline explains who I am. By diligent, I mean I answer e-mails and calls right away. When a client sends me work, I edit it and send it out right away. My clients get a monthly report showing them where their work is, and how many times I’ve followed up. When I can’t get to something in a timely fashion, I explain and apologize. Moral means what I do has to be moral as well as legal. I’d rather hack off my arm than cheat someone. Defiantly different means I’m vocal about my views, and my views aren't always the popular ones. What makes me different? Many things, I think.
     1) I only sign pre-published writers (I hate the term “unpublished”), or those not pubbed at a traditional house in the last three years. That doesn't mean I’m looking for newbie writers—I can only mentor so many. I sign writers who are just shy of ready—or are ready, but can’t get a break.
     2) I keep a short list of around 15 active clients.
     3) I’m not in this for the money. When I sign a client, I don’t worry about how soon I can get them published and collect my commission. I make sure their best work goes out, even if it takes longer to make it cleaner.

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

KM: The last two books I sold were for a writer who’s been with me since July ’07, Kelly Ann Riley. I told her to keep writing, and I’d keep editing/submitting, and if we hung in there, we’d get published. She won RWA’s Golden Heart Award in 2009, and I later sold that manuscript, titled Firestorm, to Steeple Hill Love Inspired for their romantic suspense line. I also got her a deal with another publisher, Guideposts, to write for their mystery series. So, now she has contracts with two houses.

GLA: You won American Christian Fiction Writers “Agent of the Year” award in 2008, and you represent several inspirational writers. Would you say you specialize in Christian literature? As well, what draws you to it?

KM: I’m a Jesus-lovin’ woman. Big time. I also have a heart for Jewish people. God draws me to certain writers, and God brings certain writers to me. I think the manuscripts some inspirational writers write are harder to sell. They may need more help than secular writers. I wanna help those who need it most. I wanna give back. In the first half of my life, I charged up a huge debt there was no way I could pay. (Dropped outta high school, ran away from home, and was a drug addict). Then Jesus comes along and says, “Hey, Kel—walk away. I’ve already paid that debt for you. You can still make something of yourself. I want you to help a truckload of people. I’ll give you what you need to succeed. Trust Me.” I trusted Him. No rehab, no AA, no patches required. I’m one stubborn broad. I never fail, because I don’t quit until I succeed. I have God in my corner. By the time I hit my 30s [long gone now…bummer], I’d earned multiple degrees with honors and changed my life. I have a goal for my second half: when I get to Heaven, I want God to say, “Ya done good, Kel. It ain’t about how you started the race, it’s about how you finished it.”

GLA: Inspirational and secular romance can be polar opposites in terms of subject matter, yet one of the areas you seek is contemporary inspirational romance. Can you help define for writers what this is and give a few examples of what you’re looking for here?

KM: People have a misconception that romance novels are all about sex. They aren't; they’re about romance. Secular romances and inspirational romances have a lot of things in common: they deal with emotional attraction, they have characters who fall in love, and they always have a happy ending. There are also differences. Secular romances build more sexual tension and describe the “hot-and-bothered” stuff to different degrees while inspirational romances concentrate on the emotional reasons men and women fall in love—they don't address physical attraction. The characters need marriage to “seal the deal,” and writers haveta close the door on the love scenes. To me, that doesn't detract from the romance; it adds mystery to it. So, if you're writin’ romance for the secular market, I want the love scenes as fiery as possible—short of erotica, which is a sub-genre I don’t rep—and if you write inspirational romance, I want writing that’s squeaky-clean when it comes to sex, although there are exceptions.

GLA: Concerning your interest in young adult literature, what are you looking for right now and not getting?

KM: I’m lovin’ all kinds of young adult right now. I don’t need historical/classic fantasy YA; I have enough irons in the fire there. I’d love to see contemporary stuff: paranormal, suspense, comedy, drama. I like third-person point of view better than first. I get a lot of first-person submissions.

GLA: If a new writer asked you how to build his platform, what would you suggest?

KM: Pray. Okay, more than that. Here are some things editors look for in a platform:

A great hook. An interesting hook holds some weight. Find an angle that’ll perk an editor’s interest.
A national radio or TV appearance pumps the jam. No, it isn’t impossible to get on a show. Believe it or not, producers need to fill tons of TV minutes and are always hunting for interesting guests for their shows.
Get something published. Submit articles to magazines and newspapers. You can start with local publications, and then expand. Writing credits show someone thought enough of your work to publish it.
Have a strong presence in online communities like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, ShoutLife, etc. If you have thousands of “fans” or “friends” and a ton of people are following your tweets, they are all potential buyers of your book.
Ask high-profile authors to endorse your work and sing your praises. [No, publishers won’t consider your mother high profile.]
If you don’t know any such authors, start networking. It’s never too early to meet people who can help you in the future. Hook up with a local writers’ group and attend the meetings. Remember this mantra: Contacts, contacts, contacts = Contracts, contracts, contracts.
Create a blog and drive traffic to it. You need a mountain of hits. [We’re talkin’ Everest, here.] Write on interesting topics. Also, ask well-known writers, agents, and editors to guest blog, and then promote the heck out of it. E-mail everyone you know [and ask them to e-mail everyone they know]. Post announcements on every loop that will let you do so.
Plan a blog tour. It’s like a book signing tour, except you “tour” prominent writers’ blogs.
Be willing to place a Facebook ad. One of my clients did and doubled her sales.
Put up an eye-catching website, and give people a reason to come back. (Excerpts, articles, contests, etc.)

GLA: You have eclectic tastes when it comes to nonfiction; however, you specify that, when dealing with nonfiction book proposals, you prefer conservative writers with purpose and platform (though you also specify you believe everyone deserves representation). Can you talk to us a little more about that?

KM: I list an extensive amount of nonfiction topics because I have an extensive list of interests. When it comes to politics, I prefer conservative topics. I like purpose and platform, meaning I favor proposals that have a higher purpose—possibly to teach, inform, or help others—but, I also like interesting topics, whether they have a purpose or not. I need proposals with a strong platform because editors require one. For areas other than politics, proposals don’t need to have a conservative point of view.

GLA: How hands-on are you in terms of editing? How much input do you expect to have with your clients’ work?

KM: I do what I call “triple-threat editing.” When I sign a new client, I give their manuscript/proposal a content, line, and proof edit. My purpose is to sell my clients’ work, not edit it; yet, the cleaner the manuscript, the better the chance I have to sell it.

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

KM: I have a schedule on my website.

GLA: Best piece(s) of advice we haven’t talked about yet?

KM: “Rise, and rise again; until lambs become lions.” [From Ridley Scott’s 2010 film starring Russell Crowe: Robin Hood.]

This agent interview by Ricki Schultz,
freelance writer and coordinator of
Shenandoah Writers in VA. Visit her blog
or follow her on Twitter.

Want more on this subject?

Interview with Steve Laube, agent who seeks Christian works.

Tips from Cecil Murphey, author of 90 Minutes in Heaven.

Interview with Rachelle Gardner, agent who seeks Christian works.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Christian Agents | Platform | Romance

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 9:59:59 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Thursday, April 08, 2010

How I Got My Agent: Vicky Dreiling
Posted by Chuck

"How I Got My Agent" is a recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings.

To see the previous installments of this column, click here.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics.

Vicky Dreiling writes hysterical Regency
romance. Her debut, How to Marry a Duke,
will be on shelves in January 2011. When
she's not traveling, Vicky runs a blog and
she also tweets.

CONTEST SUCCESS

I met my agent by accident—twice. Several years ago, my first book did very well in contests and racked up lots of requests, but it didn't sell. After a trip back to college and a few years establishing my marketing career, I started my second Regency historical romance. By now, I'd learned far more about craft and the business of writing, but I traveled 70% of the time in the US and Europe. The constant jet lag was a significant barrier to my writing goals. So I negotiated with my manager to cut out most of the travel. Then I took a vacation. Three weeks later, I finished my second book.

My second book also did very well in contests. My goal was to get a great agent, so when friends invited me to tag along to a conference, I decided to go. I signed up for appointments, but was unable to get one with Lucienne Diver because her slots were filled. That night, the conference held a dinner at a local restaurant. My buddy Jo Anne Banker & I got lost on the way there and arrived late. The keynote speaker met us and then realized she'd only saved one seat for Jo Anne. The speaker was horrified, but I told her not to worry. I don't know a stranger, so I strode off in search of new best friends.

APPROACHING LUCIENNE

There was only one vacant chair next to an agent. I'm an extrovert, but even I was a bit nervous when I approached Lucienne. She gave me a warm welcome. To my surprise, Lucienne asked me what I wrote. I said Regency historical romance and shut my mouth. I believed she only asked to be polite. Then she asked me what my book was about. I gave her a sheepish look and said, "Oh, it's the bachelor in Regency England, minus the hot tub and camera crew." She whipped out her card and requested a partial. I couldn't believe my good fortune. Then we started chatting and hit it off. We’d traveled to some of the same places in Europe and swapped funny stories. After the conference, I sent her the partial and not long afterwards, she requested the full.

Fast forward to another conference. While riding an escalator, I heard someone call out my name. I looked back and saw a familiar face. Yes, it was Lucienne. She asked about the manuscript she'd requested, and I told her I was doing revisions. I'd found a flaw in the book and I was determined to get it right. I believed too much in my story to send out anything but my very best work. Lucienne and I talked for a bit, and I wondered if this was some kind of sign (cue eerie music). What are the odds of meeting an agent accidentally—twice?

THREE OFFERS FROM AGENTS

I returned home energized and finished those revisions. Then I sent the book off to requesting agents, including Lucienne. Soon afterwards, something unexpected happened. Three agents offered representation. Of course, I was excited and flattered. It's a good problem to have, but it's also terrifying because you have to choose. I knew this was one of the most important career decisions I would ever make. How did I do it? I compared and contrasted each of them. I also did additional research. Here are some of the key points I investigated:

Their styles of communication. I wanted an agent who replied in a timely manner and also someone who listened to my goals.
How and to whom they envisioned submitting my manuscript.
Their editorial feedback and whether or not it resonated with me immediately.
The agency contracts, especially termination clauses.
Their agent experience, including the number of years in business.
Promotional efforts for their authors.
Their deals on Publisher's Marketplace (# of deals, which publishers, etc.).
Most importantly, I spoke to at least one of their authors.

In the case of the two other agents, I knew authors they represented. I didn't know any of Lucienne's authors. I asked if I could speak to one of her clients. She referred me to her wonderful author, Michele Lang. As it turns out, Michele had also gotten multiple offers of representation and understood what a difficult decision I had to make. She gave me a thorough and objective description of how Lucienne works with her authors. Lucienne's excellent reputation and enthusiasm for my writing were two of the many reasons I chose her. So far, she has exceeded my expectations over and over again. Best of all, we sold that book in a three-book deal to Grand Central in June 2009! Merci beaucoup, Agent Awesome Sauce!

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 Query Letter Tips.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent Columns | Romance

Thursday, April 08, 2010 10:00:37 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [3]

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Agent Advice: Marlene Stringer of The Stringer Literary Agency
Posted by Chuck

She is seeking: Fiction interests include mystery, thrillers, contemporary and urban fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, women’s fiction, romance, and YA/teen. Nonfiction interests include history, military history, parenting, music, sports, and science.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

MS: I met Barbara Bova socially, and after we got to know each other, we decided to work together at her agency. My editorial and writing background was good training, and I really enjoy the business side, and being an advocate for writers. My mission was to broaden the scope at that agency, and bring more romance, women’s fiction, thrillers, etc., to the agency, which I did. I formed my own agency in December of 2008, so we celebrated our first anniversary in December.

GLA: What’s something coming out that you’re exciting about?

MS: I am thrilled as each book comes out! Something brand new is The River Kings' Road, by Liane Merciel, a debut fantasy that received a starred review in PW. Alex Bledsoe will have a new series coming from Tor featuring the Tufa, amazing contemporary fantasy, and next year Michelle Diener has a new Tudor thriller series debuting from Gallery. On the YA side, Shari Maurer has a debut novel, Change of Heart, coming in May, Alyx Harvey’s Blood Feud, second in The Drake Chronicles, arrives in June. In romance, Gabi Stevens has a paranormal romance series The Time of Transition, with The Wish List released end of April. I love variety!

GLA: You represent (and sell!) a lot of paranormal/urban fantasy. What draws you to this category?

MS: I love contemporary fantasy, and urban fantasy just works for me. I think it’s a lot more accessible than traditional fantasy for a lot of readers as it deals with a "contemporary" world. There’s a lot of energy in all fantasy, and a willingness to stretch boundaries that I find irresistible. I also seem to receive a lot of really good urban fantasy submissions.

GLA: Within urban fantasy, are you looking for anything in particular?

MS: I like novelty. Anything can work as long as it’s a fresh take. However, it would take a really special vampire story to appeal to me now, though, as there are so many.

Marlene represented Alex Bledsoe's
urban fantasy, Blood Groove

GLA: Taking that same question more broadly, what are you seeing pour in through the slush pile? And what would you love to see more of?

MS: I’m seeing a lot of recycled concepts that don’t really bring anything new to the table. “New” doesn’t mean merely different character names and settings. I would love to see more romance, women’s and book club fiction, and thrillers.

GLA: I was looking over your recent sales on Publishers Marketplace and (I could be wrong), but I saw a lack of science fiction. It just seems that I see very little science fiction on anybody’s list. Is this a tough sell? Is it tough to find good writers?

MS: Not for lack of looking! I have a particular fondness for earth-based science fiction. Good stories are hard to find. I think in speculative fiction there’s been an emphasis on fantasy over the past decade. I would like to see more science fiction.

GLA: Are you looking for some of the more unique fantasy subgenres, like cyberpunk, splatterpunk and steampunk, etc?

MS: I love steampunk, and I am looking for it.

GLA: Three most common problems you see in query letters?

MS: 1) Query isn’t targeted. With the ease of e-mail queries, writers tend to send to agents who are not looking for what they’re pitching. They rely on second or third-hand online information regarding the agency, when they should take the time to look at each agent’s website or sales history.
2) Query is sloppy. The query letter is usually the first intro to the agent. I often compare it to a cover letter for a resume—would you send something out without really proofing it? Yet writers do, again and again, and wonder why they are rejected.
3) Query includes wrong information or is incomplete. Again, just look at the websites. Agents are not interchangeable. We have different tastes and ask for different materials in submissions. More apt to yield a successful result if you include what is requested.

GLA: It says you rep “YA/teen.” Do you also take middle grade?

MS: I do. I’ve always represented YA. When I went out on my own, I started accepting middle grade submissions. I love middle-grade, and have sold two fabulous debut authors who will be released soon. Randi Barrow’s Zasha, the Last German Shepherd to Scholastic, and Jen Blom’s Possum Summer recently to Holiday House. I’m a sucker for animal stories as long as they have no “Bambi” moments! I love the middle grade age group. It’s the time kids really begin to form their own taste in reading. If you turn a child onto reading then, you've got them for life. I’m always looking for middle-grade, and would love to find something that appeals to boys, too.

GLA: Your website is undergoing a makeover. Any idea on when the site will be overhauled and up?

MS: Soon. Very soon.

GLA: How should writers contact you if seeking representation?

MS: One of the things I’m changing is that I will no longer be accepting snail mail queries. It is much easier and quicker to respond on e-mail. So writers should contact me at stringerlit@comcast.net. If you query by e-mail, make sure your e-mail account accepts responses. Bounce-back emails due to filtering will be discarded, as will queries sent to mass recipients. Place the word "query" in the subject line of your e-mail. Include contact information, the first five pages of your manuscript and a short synopsis within the body of the e-mail.

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

MS: I will be attending The Writers Institute in Madison, WI in April; and RWA National in Nashville.

GLA: Something personal about you writers may be surprised to know?

MS: I’m a NYC native.

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

MS: Writing is an art and a craft. It takes time to master any craft. An agent should not be the first reader. Understand that, and don't submit your material before it's ready, and the odds of success increase.

Want more on this subject?

Word Count Guidelines for Novels and Children's Books.

Check out agent Don Maass's popular book, The Fire in Fiction.

20 Tips on Writing a Query Letter

How Money Works: Book Royalties, Advances and Flat Fees.

What are the BEST writers' conferences in the country?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Genre Writing | Romance | Science Fiction and Fantasy | Women's Fiction

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 9:06:05 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Writing Erotica (But Were Afraid to Ask)
Posted by Chuck

As an erotica author, I’ve found that many people have preconceived notions about the art of writing erotica and erotic romance. Before I became well versed in writing the genre, I had misconceptions of my own, and that led to much trial and error as I worked to refine my craft and learn how better to please my audience. Following are 10 tips I’ve accrued for those curious about writing erotica:

Lisa Lane is an eclectic writer who works in
multiple genres and formats; she writes
novels, original screenplays, short stories
and essays. Four of her erotica novels and
six erotic romance short stories are published
through Ravenous Romance. She also has one
“sweet” romance published. See her website here.

1. It’s not all about the sex—really. While sex does play a key role in erotica, the sex itself is secondary to the development of the characters and plot. A good erotica writer knows that, no matter how great the sex is, there still needs to be a good, solid story if one wants to hold a reader’s interest.

2. Dynamics sell. Flat characters never go far, but in erotica, you really do have your work cut out for you when it comes to creating believable and entertaining character dynamics. Dashing heroes make for great romance and passionate love-making, but they won’t keep the story going. Think about the characteristics that you find most entertaining, and then brainstorm: Readers like characters who use fun dialog, have a good sense of humor, and make interesting choices. What types of hobbies, beliefs or interests might help to develop your characters--and give them something in common? The hero must be worth pursuing, and the heroine must be worthy of her hero.

3. Perspective is pivotal. Most readers prefer erotica shown from the female perspective, unless the work is written specifically for readers of M/M (man on man). If you have an idea for a heterosexual erotic story with the hero taking full lead, consider ways you might revise it to focus more on the female’s point of view. Some (very limited) authors have found success in shifting through both points of view, and it works well in some circumstances, but many editors will frown on the “head hopping” of internal dialog.

4. Mixed-genre erotica and erotic romance are all the rage. While many readers still enjoy straight erotica, mixed-genre erotica is a great avenue to take for writers looking for their niche. Use your literary interests to your advantage and write what you like, letting the erotic aspects work as an added feature to your work. You’ll have more fun writing, and that will shine through to your readers.

5. Know your target audience and make sure you brand your work accordingly. Are you writing for fans of erotic romance or other subgenres? Make sure that romance is a strong part of your plot if you’re planning on marketing to erotic romance readers, and make sure you’re clear about your subgenres. Let your audience know what they’re in for before they read your work: if you are including kinky or gay/lesbian aspects to your story, or if you are incorporating audience-specific subgenres such as horror, steampunk, or hard science fiction, be clear about those aspects in your marketing. Readers do not respond well to these types of surprises.

Buy "Love in Space" Buy "Lust in Space"

6. Don’t be afraid to take chances. One point that I cannot stress enough is the importance to be innovative and unique in your erotica. There are only so many ways to write a traditional sex scene, and they can become repetitive and boring. Use your subgenres to your advantage. What is it about your characters or their circumstances that you can use to make your erotica different? What limits can you break, without crossing the line?

7. Don’t be too quick to relieve your audience of the romantic and/or sexual tension. Let it build, let it fall, let a heart or two break, and then give the readers what they’ve been waiting for.

8. Great sex doesn’t always have to include love. While erotic romance is a hot market right now, don’t underestimate the power of pure, raw, primal sex. It can be fun and interesting to develop characters that make their moves based on pure attraction, the love/hate dichotomy, and revenge or rebound.

9. Don’t forget the foreplay. Just as it is important to build sexual tension, it is also important to make sure your characters don’t jump into the act of lovemaking too quickly. Foreplay helps to add to the sexual tension you’ve already built between your characters, and it makes that final “climactic” release all the more satisfying.

10. Be tactful about your ending. Like romance, erotica and erotic romance readers tend to expect a “happily ever after” or “happy for now” ending. Don’t let your audience down by offering them a great story, only to leave them hanging or disappointed by the characters’ outcomes. Even cliffhangers in series need to give the readers hope that all is well, if at least for the time being. If the main couple does not end up together, make sure there is a good reason for it, and that they are better off going their separate ways.

Writing erotica can be a fun and rewarding venture, but as with any genre there are rules to which the author must adhere. While rules can sometimes be stretched or even broken, knowing your audience and your market will go a long way in helping you to promote your work. Have fun, write what you like, but make sure that you’re also writing with your target audience in mind. Good luck!

Want more on this topic?

5 Articles on Romance Writing.
Agent Scott Eagan explains the difference between women's fiction and romance.
Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.
Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.
Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Guest Columns | Romance

Wednesday, January 27, 2010 10:34:26 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [5]

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Romance Writing
Posted by Chuck

"You write to communicate to the hearts and
minds of others what's burning inside you.
And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke."
~Arthur Polotnik

Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on said topic. This week I’m serving up five articles that focus on writing romance.

1. Before the loving, bring on the fighting. Heather Massey explores physical fight scenes between characters on Romancing the Blog. Even though the keepers of this blog are on hiatus, you can still mine the archives for great information.

2. No shortcuts here. On her blog, Brenda Coulter de-mystifies the writing life.

3. Molly Blake’s writing tips. On her website, Liz Fielding lists eight writing tips from her popular heroine Molly Blake.

4. She’s not watching television, she’s doing research. Jennifer Crusie lists five things she’s learned about writing romance from watching television.

5. They’re just not that observant. Over at the Free The Princess blog, writer Matthew Delman serves up his opinion on writing romance from the guy’s perspective.

This guest series by writer
Nancy Parish, who runs her
blog, The Sound and Furry.

Want more on this topic?

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing First Pages.
Footnotes: 8 Articles on Revising Your Work.
Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.
Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.
Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Footnotes | Romance

Wednesday, January 20, 2010 12:53:56 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Monday, January 04, 2010

Agent Scott Eagan on Romance vs. Women's Fiction
Posted by Chuck

When I first opened Greyhaus Literary Agency in 2003, I decided to focus simply on romance and women’s fiction. Since that time, I honestly don’t know how many times I have been asked “What is the difference between romance and women’s fiction?” It seems that, in my humble opinion, the line has really been blurred between these two genres. There is fiction with romantic elements. There is literary fiction told from a female perspective … the list goes on and on. Considering Greyhaus focuses exclusively on romance and women’s fiction, I felt it was necessary to really define the two genres and make it clear to both myself, as I looked at new proposals, and to the readers that submit to me.

This guest column by agent
Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary

I do have to say, however, that I have received a lot of criticism from writers that claim you really can’t categorize writing. Often, I am electronically screamed at by writers who claim writing can’t be categorized like this. I laugh at this comment. My undergraduate work was in Literature and anyone who remembers anything from any literature class they took will remember that we do indeed divide writing into stylistic differences. There is a huge difference between the writings of Coleridge and Wordsworth and the writings of Locke and Jefferson. One is from the romantic period and one is from the Age of Reason. In both cases, the writing met certain criteria, other than simply being written during a time period. There are stylistic elements.

For those of you that might not be on board with literature, let’s try music? Baroque, Classical, Romantic? Get the idea. I could go on an on with this but I think you understand where I am coming from. Writing is going to do the same thing.

LET'S BEGIN WITH ROMANCE

At Greyhaus, I really like to stick to a traditional definition of the romance genre. In this genre, the writing will have two key traditional elements.

• The relationship is the central plot arc of the story.
• There is a happily-ever-after.

In romance, a writer needs to see the growing relationship of the hero and the heroine. There may be other elements going on in the story but the romance is still the central focus of the story. We want to see the two characters come together through whatever adventures they may be dealing with. Romance, of course, can be written in a variety of sub-genres (paranormal, historical, suspense and mystery) but the relationship has to be the central focus of the story. This is easy to spot. If you tell someone what your story is about, and the focus is only on the characters and their growing attraction toward one another, then you are likely in that romance. Please understand that if your story doesn’t revolve around that, it does not necessarily mean that you have women’s fiction. We will get to that later. This genre also has a second element. There is a happily-ever-after. And yes, the same rule applies here as did with the prior point. If a story doesn’t have that happily-ever-after, it does not mean it's suddenly women’s fiction.

Remember that the goal of romance is to show a growing and developing relationship. We want that “fantasy” world. While the real world may have pain and hardship, we want to escape to that “better” world every now and then. We can have tears, anger and pain along the way, but the readers want to know, that when they close the book in the end, we know the characters are going on with their lives, happy and content.

I do get a lot of writers that say their story is really set during a romantic period, or they have added a romance to the story, but I think you can see that doesn’t quite meet the genre. Yes, it is a fine line, but there is still a line.

BUT WHAT ABOUT WOMEN'S FICTION?

In women's fiction, is there no happily-ever-after? Does this mean there is no romance? No. Women’s fiction is about something much more. I have always tried to define this genre as a story that shows the female journey. The goal and the intent of this genre is to be able to relate to the character and understand her own life. We want to know what it is to be a woman. Like romance, this can occur in any time period, but the goal is still the same – to understand the female psyche. The story can be multicultural, like Amy Tan, or historical, like Philippa Gregory. It really doesn’t matter other than making the heroine the central focus of the story. It may be contemporary. One of my favorite stories that I believe fits this the best is A Summer All Her Own by Rosanne Keller.

I often think about these stories as the type women will sit around and talk about. The stories that allow women to say, “Hey, I’ve gone through that.” Readers are learning they are not alone, and hopefully, through that story, they can learn new ways to cope with struggles that seep to be daunting at the present time.

For those of you submitting to Greyhaus, you can now see where I am coming from when dealing with submissions. I'm accepting queries again, so check my website for exact submission guidelines.

Want more on this subject?

Previously I interviewed Scott on the blog.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Interested in romance? Dorchester editor Leah Hultenschmidt gace a great interview on this blog. See Part I and Part II.

Guest Columns | Romance | Women's Fiction

Monday, January 04, 2010 7:52:38 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [5]

Sunday, January 03, 2010

Agent Advice: Lori Perkins of L. Perkins Agency
Posted by Chuck

Agent Interview by

contributor Ricki Schultz.

"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 Lori Perkins, founder of the L. Perkins Agency (no website). Lori graduated from NYU with a B.A. in art history and journalism.

She seeks: horror, social science fiction, dark fantasy, dark literary novels and erotica. In nonfiction, she handles books about pop culture (music, art, film, TV, etc) and she is also interested in architecture and design. She does not want to receive straight romance, Westerns, non-quirky mysteries, children's books, plays, screenplays, articles or short stories.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

LP: I was the publisher of a newspaper in Manhattan, and my editor left to become an agent. He told me that I was like an agent, giving my reporters ideas for stories and then telling them where to send them and how to pitch them. The agent he worked for wanted someone to run his office while he was on the west coast, and I took the job. I worked for him for six months, and then trained with another agent for three years before I went out on my own.

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

LP: Hungry for Your Love: An Anthology of Zombie Romance to St. Martin's Press for Ravenousromance.com. I am currently selling Jenna Jameson's second nonfiction book about her transformation from porn star to mother. She was just on "Oprah."

GLA: I read an interview where you said you were looking for the Latino Gone with the Wind. Would that still jump to the top of your slush pile? Other than that, what are you looking for right now and not getting?

LP: I'd love a Gone with the Wind that's about Scarlett's battle for self in a paternalistic society undergoing sweeping change, not Rhett or Ashley's adventures. I can't tell you the number of books that have come in with male protagonists. The only things that are selling right now are paranormal romance and young adult fiction. I personally love vampires, zombies, the vampire zombie Apocalypse, and kick-ass female characters. Female-centered erotica and erotic romance are always considered as well.
I take on very few new clients, as I have 80 existing clients and am the Editorial Director of ravenousromance.com, which publishes 120 books a year, but I have two junior agents who specialize in mysteries, thrillers, literary fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy/paranormal romance, YA, pop culture, dystopian past and future, and horror.

GLA: I know ravenousromance.com is a new digital epublishing company? What else can you tell us about it?

LP: Well, we started the company in July 2008, and launched Dec. 1, 2008. I've been working two jobs for a year and a half, but I love what I'm doing and believe that I am getting more writers published this way, and am on the cutting edge of a revolution in publishing. As an agent, digital publishing is all about getting writers read, so any way that can happen, I encourage.
The three principals of the company—myself, Holly Schmidt and Allan Penn—are a formidable publishing trio with over 55 years of book experience. Allan does our covers and coordinates the audio program. He is an amazing photographer who trained under Cosmo's Francesco Scavullo, which is why we have such award-winning covers. Holly was the publisher of Quirk and Marketing guru at Rodale, so she knows how to get our books in places you can't imagine. That's how we launched the Ravenous Romance Home Shopping network program. And the fact that I am an agent, and know so many writers, has helped us bring more than 300 authors to Ravenous Romance. We've also sold sub-rights to about a third of the 150 titles we've published this year, which is unheard of for epublshers.

GLA: What are you looking for at Ravenousromance.com?

LP: Our best-selling titles are paranormal romance, the kinkier stuff, and our Male/Male titles, but we are looking for everything in erotic romance. We pay advance for both short stores and novels, unlike most epublishers. We buy about 300 short stories a year (between 2000 and 5000 words), so go to our blog, to look for calls for stories in our in-house anthologies. Our novels run between 50,000 and 60,000 words. Send submissions to submissions@ravenousromance.com.

GLA: Can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in social science fiction? Perhaps give some examples of books you repped that fit into this category so writers can get a sense of what you’re looking for here.

LP: Soft science that deals with changes in society. Things like 1984, Gattica, Jennifer Government.

GLA: With most of the fiction you seek, you’re looking for "dark dark dark." What draws you to the dark side?

LP: I don't like happy endings. I like twists and twisted stories. I especially like revenge stories.

GLA: You do not handle romance—you’re looking for what you call “feminist smut” and “very sexy” chick lit. Is there a difference between this and straight-up erotica? In your mind, how can one give erotic romance a feminist spin?

LP: Straight up erotica has been based on years and years of male sexual fantasy—what I call the Spank Me Baby books. Feminist smut is women-centered erotica that focuses on both the sexual and self-esteem journey. It makes you feel good and feel good about yourself, and even makes you feel good about feeling good, if you know what I mean.

GLA: Where are new writers most commonly going wrong in chapter one?
LP: They have not reviewed The Elements of Style by Strunk & White; that, and they and overwrite.

GLA: What topics would you classify as overdone in the nonfiction area of pop culture?

LP: It's almost impossible to sell an unauthorized biography today because biographies go on the Internet.

GLA: How do you prefer to be contacted by writers seeking representation?

LP: E-mail and e-mail only. lperkinsagency(at)yahoo(dot)com.

GLA: You mentioned other agents at the agency. How many other agents do you have at L. Perkins Agency?

LP: Three other agents and two interns.

GLA: Do they have different tastes readers need to know about?

LP: Sandy Lu is actively looking for thrillers, mysteries, literary fiction, and urban fantasy/paranormal romance. Max Ximenez will be handling comic books and graphic novels as well as gaming-related titles.

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

LP: I attend Necon and KillerCon every year, as well as Writer's Digest Pitch Slam at BEA, Romantic Times, and RWA. I usually attend World Fantasy.

GLA: Best piece(s) of advice we haven’t talked about yet?

LP: Finish the book. Keep it to 80,000 words.

This agent interview by Ricki Schultz,
freelance writer and coordinator of
Shenandoah Writers in VA. Visit her blog
or follow her on Twitter.

Want more on this subject?

How can you improve your query letter?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Romance

Sunday, January 03, 2010 1:32:22 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

How I Got My Agent: A.C. Arthur
Posted by Chuck

"How I Got My Agent" is a new recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings.

To see the previous installments of this column, click here.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics.

This installment of "How I Got My Agent"
is by romance writer A.C. Arthur

(who also writes under the name Artist Arthur).
A.C. has more than a dozen romances
published in several series. See her
website here.

Buy "Indecent Exposure"

NOT ON THE SAME PAGE

Since my first book was published in 2003, my search for an agent has been a long and tedious one. One of the first obstacles I faced was that I didn’t really know what the job of an agent was and therefore, didn’t have a clue what I was looking for. Of course that led to my first choice not necessarily being the right one (meaning I signed with the first agent who showed any interest in my work). And three years and three additional contracts later, I released that agent. Why? Because we wanted different things from my writing career—and that is a recipe for disaster in an agent/writer relationship.

I continued to get publishing contracts and to write books, all the while knowing there was something or someone missing from taking my career to the next level.

"WHAT ABOUT CHRISTINE?"

One day in 2006, during a routine rant about not having an agent, an editor friend of mine suggested Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency. My friend's exact words were, “She’s a new agent, but she’s smart. She knows what she’s doing and how to work for you.” This sounded fantastic so I sent Christine an e-mail and she in turn asked for a proposal. Now, the phone call I received from her about two weeks later was not what I’d been expecting. You see, I thought since I had a referral and because Christine had immediately responded by requesting material, that I was a shoo-in. Not so!

Christine’s exact words were, “You don’t need me.” I was devastated, but had to respect her honesty. Besides, she was so nice to talk to, the fact that she was actually rejecting me stung just a little less. I couldn’t really figure out why she said I didn’t need her because I was convinced I did. But I accepted her decision and tried to move on. This meant the search was still on, and I sent out numerous queries to more agents—some that I’d queried in the past and other new ones. This is a very subjective industry; it all depends on the right editor seeing the right manuscript at the right time. Some, I’m persistent if nothing else.

A FATED CONNECTION

In early 2008 when a very reputable agent expressed interest in my work, I was overjoyed. Again, I was convinced I’d found the right agent. Again I was wrong. What was it about me that I just couldn’t find the right person to represent my work? The funny thing was, after only a couple of months with this agent, I had a feeling I’d once again missed the mark. There was no real connection. And while I thought I’d done a good job of explaining what I wanted, where I wanted my career to go, we still came out on opposite sides. That’s not to say that this agent wasn’t good, they just weren’t the one for me.

At this point I still had the same problem; I was sans agent. There were publishing houses that I would have loved to write for but they would only accept agented submissions. Besides that, the contracts were changing—the language becoming increasingly more technical and I knew I wasn’t getting the best deals for myself. So on this agent search, I researched and researched and sent only material that I thought specific agents would be interested in. Meanwhile, in April 2009, I finally got to meet Christine at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention. I didn't pitch her; I just wanted to meet her. (Plus, I figured how many times did I want this woman to reject me.)

A little while later, I had another proposal and needed some honest feedback—so I called on Christine again for advice. Again, she responded immediately, which I’d always been impressed by because I know how busy agents are. And her response was more like a friend would to another friend’s messages, rather than an agent to an author, so it was very cool! Two months later, I was signing a Book Cents Literary Agency contract. We finally decided we were right for each other. It had taken three years, but I firmly believe in timing especially in this industry. I also believe in fated connections. From the first time I talked to Christine I think we clicked, and while it took another three years for us to actually work together, it was well worth the wait!

Buy "Full House Seduction"

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 Query Letter Tips.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent Columns | Romance

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 11:36:43 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [12]

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Should You Start With Plot or Character(s)?
Posted by Chuck

Whether plot or character comes first when composing a novel is sort of like the chicken and egg thing. It greatly depends on the author’s point of view. Plot and character are so entwined that it’s often hard to even separate the two. Like all elements of a novel-dialogue, exposition, description, pacing-plot and character are woven throughout. I think writing can be compared to weaving, where the threads are blurred within the composition of the overall pattern.

Guest blog by Kathryne Kennedy, author of the
Relics of Merlin series; she is best known
for her historical paranormal romances. She
has also written a fantasy romance and
a new Victorian historical romance,
titled My Unfair Lady.

After several books I’ve found that, although there are guidelines to writing, there are no hard and fast rules. That’s why the best authors appear to break them. So I would hesitate to give a definitive answer to that question, and can only offer what I personally do as a writer when starting a new novel.

I start with plot. I’m probably breaking the romance guidelines, as romances are known for their character driven stories. But then again, most of my books are a mix of fantasy and romance, so they’re a bit different anyway.

For me, I have to know where I’m going before I create my characters, even if it’s only a general idea of the plot. Once I have my external conflict (plot) I can then create the characters who would suffer the worst internal conflict within the story. So, if I have a storyline where the heroine must leave her village to find her missing father, who is tangled up in all sorts of political intrigue, I will create a character who is not an adventuress at heart. She’d prefer a cozy, quiet life of knitting and cooking and raising babies. The last thing she would want is to leave her peaceful home and go wandering about the dangerous countryside, eventually becoming tangled up in the same intrigues that cost her father his life. Her internal conflict will be so much greater than creating a character who longs for adventure and excitement. And her growth would be much more rewarding and life-altering.

And then this is where it gets interesting. Because once I create the characters, and plunk them into the story, they will take over, sometimes changing the plot drastically from what I’d first envisioned. And I let them. Because isn’t that the magic of writing, when the words aren’t coming from you, but the characters that you’ve created?

My upcoming release, My Unfair Lady, is a Victorian romance, and probably more character driven than any other book I’ve written. Inspired by Shaw’s Pygmalion, I knew the plot would involve a brash American who comes to London and hires an impoverished duke to turn her into a lady. I knew that someone would be trying to kill the duke, and why. And then I created the characters. The heroine’s reasons for wanting her transformation seemed obvious at first, but then I gave her a secret, one that made her want the things she did, without knowing why, at least at first. When I created my hero I gave him a superficially glamorous life, and a boredom with it that would make my heroine seem like a breath of fresh air-that would make his desire to change her conflict with his growing attraction for her just the way she was. And then the magic happened. The internal conflict became so pronounced that it overwhelmed the external conflict, and I let them loose to figure out each other’s secrets. However, the external plot continued to throw them together time and again to give them a chance to do so. And it was pure joy to watch these two characters discover the truth about themselves, and fall in love with each other while doing so.

So should you start with plot or character? That’s all up to you, and the story you envision writing. But if you’re not quite sure, try starting with a general plot outline or idea, and create characters who would hate to be put into the situation you’ve created. And see where the magic takes you.

My Unfair Lady by Kathryne Kennedy,
a Library Journal Editors pick, and
a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly.

Want more on this topic?

5 Signs a Literary Agent is a Good Match For You.

See examples of Successful Queries that agents liked.

Check out The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters.

How to Write a Synopsis for a Novel.

Facebook, Twitter and Literary Agents.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Craft and Story Beginnings | Guest Columns | Romance

Thursday, December 24, 2009 2:59:45 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [6]

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Successful Queries: Agent Kristin Nelson and 'Proof by Seduction'
Posted by Chuck

This new series is called "Successful Queries" and I'm posting actual query letters that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting the actual query letter, we will also get to hear thoughts from the agent as to why the letter worked.

The 22nd installment in this series is with agent Kristin Nelson (Nelson Literary) and her author, Courtney Milan, for her book, Proof by Seduction, a historical romance.

Buy "Proof of Seduction"

Dear Ms. Megibow:

I met Ms. Nelson this last weekend at a pitch appointment at the Chicago Spring Fling conference. She had spoken with Sherry Thomas earlier about my historical romance, Proof by Seduction. Ms. Nelson asked me to send you the full, which is now attached.

As one of London's premier fortune tellers, Jenny Keeble knows all about lies. After all, the fastest way to make money is to tell people what they want to hear. It works—until Gareth Carhart, the Marquess of Blakely, vows to prove what he and Jenny both know: that Jenny is a fraud.

Gareth only wants to extricate his naïve young cousin and heir from an unhealthy influence. The last thing the rigidly scientific marquis expects is his visceral reaction to the intelligent, tenacious, and—as revealed by a wardrobe malfunction—very desirable fortune teller. But she enrages him. She tempts him. She causes him to lose his head entirely and offer a prediction of his own: He'll have her in bed before the month is out. The battle lines are drawn. Jenny can't lose her livelihood, Gareth won't abandon logic, and neither is prepared to accept love.

I am a finalist in Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart competition for unpublished romance. I currently work as a lawyer … My romance writing interests may seem rather different from my daily writing, where I focus on law issues. But all good lawyers are, at heart, just storytellers, and I find the two writing practices balance each other.Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions, and thank you for taking the time to consider my manuscript.

Sincerely,
Courtney Milan

Commentary from Kristin

Okay, at first I thought the whole fortune teller angle was a little contrived, but she puts a different spin on it with her insight of how well it works in terms of telling people what they want to hear. It struck me right away that this author might be using this plot set up for a different purpose. I was right.

I’m completely won over by the time I read the second pitch paragraph. Courtney does a great job of outlining the opening plot catalyst that launches the story (removing the heir from her clutches), of giving character insight (rigidly scientific marquis), and adding an amusing touch with the wardrobe malfunction line. I sense this work is going to be witty and it doesn’t disappoint. The crux of the conflict neatly explained. Also, her use of the words “enrages,” and “tempts” leads me to think it will be sexy and I kind of like that in historicals.

I requested the full manuscript right then and there. This novel plus a second book sold for six figures to Harlequin at auction. (By the way, I deleted some bio information in the query at Courtney's request.)

Want more on this subject?

Successful Queries: (Literary/Upmarket Fiction) "Last Will of Moira Leahy"

Successful Queries: (Kids/MG) "Sway"

Successful Queries: (Crime/Thriller) "A Bad Day for Sorry"

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Romance | Successful Queries

Thursday, December 10, 2009 11:27:33 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [3]

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Page 1: How to Start Your Romance Novel
Posted by Chuck

Here on the blog, I don't spend too much time talking about craft, simply because it's a huge subject I can't really do justice to; however, I do like to talk about how best to start your story right and have a compelling Page 1 and Chapter 1, and that's where this guest column comes in, from romance writer Leigh Michaels.

STARTING TO WRITE YOUR STORY

Figuring out where to start telling your story is one of the bigger challenges you face. You have limited time and space—a few pages, at most—to seize your readers' interest. If you start too slowly and include too much of the characters' history, readers may get tired of waiting for the interesting stuff to start. If you start too fast, with too much action, they may get confused. Either miscalculation can make a reader put the book down and never pick it up again.

This column excerpted from
On Writing Romance by
Leigh Michaels.

Page One: Where to Start

You should be able to convincingly answer the question, Why does page one pick up the story at the moment it does? The best beginnings show—within the first few pages or even paragraphs—the main characters under pressure and facing a challenge, a change in circumstances, or a threat that will significantly alter the rest of her life.

There are no hard and fast rules for exactly how to begin your book, but certain starting setups have proven successful over time. When you're deciding where and when to begin, keep the following options in mind:

1. Start with one of your two main characters. Readers expect the first character they meet in the story to be either the hero or the heroine (and most often it is the heroine), and they're immediately prepared to care about this person. In this opening paragraph from her historical novella, The Rake's Bride, Nicola Cornick introduces her hero and gives us a pretty good idea why we'll be rooting for this war veteran to find love: as a reward for the hell he's been through:

     The April sunlight was as blinding as a flash of gunpowder and the rattle of the bed curtains sounded like distant artillery fire. For a moment, Jack, Marquis of Merlin, wondered if he had gone to hell and ended back in the Peninsula War.

2. Start with action. A good option is to show the main character at the
point when that character's life is disrupted by some kind of danger or
threat. The danger doesn't have to be life-threatening, and it's better if
it isn't complex and doesn't require lengthy explanation. Starting with
action is particularly effective when the situation is easily understood or
the peril is something the readers can relate to—as in this example from
Liz Fielding's sweet traditional, The Billionaire Takes a Bride:

     This was a mistake ... Every cell in Ginny's body was slamming on the brakes, digging in its heels, trying to claw its way back behind the safety of the rain-soaked hedge that divided her roof top terrace from the raked perfection of Richard Mallory's Japanese garden ...
     Her boots left deep impressions in the damp gravel. So much for stealth.
     She was not cut out for burglary.

3. Start with an attention-getting statement. When the readers are presented with something they don't expect, as in Maureen Child's single title Some Kind of Wonderful, they will read on to find out what the heck's happening:

     Baby Jesus moved.
     Carol Baker blinked and shook her head. "Okay, Carol. When you start
seeing statues move, it's either a miracle or you've got problems." She
stared hard at the brightly-lit, life-sized Nativity scene that filled one
corner of the town square ...
     "Okay, Baby Jesus is definitely moving."

Within a few paragraphs, we find out that "Baby Jesus" is actually an
abandoned infant, and the heroine finds her life taking a dramatic turn.

Want more on this subject?

Buy Leigh's book: On Writing Romance.

Check out an interview with romance expert and Dorchester editor Leah Hultenschmidt.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Craft and Story Beginnings | Excerpts | Guest Columns | Romance

Tuesday, December 01, 2009 10:16:46 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Monday, October 26, 2009

Agent Elaine Spencer Talks Queries
Posted by Chuck

Agent Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency talked queries at the South Carolina Writers Workshop. Here is what she had to say:

ABOUT HER INDIVIDUAL TASTES:

She likes you to explain the resolution of the story in the query - meaning you say how the story ends. (This is not typical, but important if you are contacting her.)
In queries, skip jargon that will confuse. For example, when writing a fantasy or sci-fi story, lay off species and world-building.
Avoid cast lists in queries.
Specifically, with the "historical romance" she seeks, she is looking for more good work - particularly Victorian era stuff, Edwardian era stuff and Regency.

ON QUERIES:

Give the title, genre and word count upfront.
If you have a reason you chose her (e.g., you met her at a conference or read an interview with her), say so.
When you pitch, get to your protagonist as quickly as possible, and tell us what makes them special or different.
After introducing the protagonist, introduce the conflict or complication or trouble (the "hook").
In the last paragraph, feel free to mention awards or organizations or blogs. This info will not hurt you; it may or may help you.

MORE

Her agency receives 50,000 queries a year and 80 percent are not appropriate submissions for their agency.
Make sure you are querying an agent who reps what you write.
Read cover copy of similar books in the bookstore to help shape your pitch.
Don't write to her after a rejection and tell her she's an idiot and will be sorry when you're a famous writer.
Network at conferences!

Elaine Spencer joined The Knight Agency in September, 2005. Elaine belongs to the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). She is actively building her client list, and is currently accepting submissions of the following types of books: commercial literary fiction, women’s fiction, contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic suspense, high-concept paranormal fiction, young adult and middle grade fiction, and select pop-cultural nonfiction.

Want more on this topic?

What should you write in the bio paragraph of a query letter?

How to write a query letter - the three parts.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Queries and Synopses and Proposals | Romance | Writers' Conferences

Monday, October 26, 2009 1:20:07 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Monday, September 21, 2009

How I Got My Agent: Kate Douglas
Posted by Chuck

To see the previous installments of this column, click here.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics.

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Kate Douglas, who
writes many romance titles. Demonfire
comes out in March and is her
newest line.

NO THANKS

I wrote romances for many years without an agent, submitting my stories and collecting rejections from some of the best editors in the business. However, many of the publishing houses I was interested in refused to look at unagented material.

Finding an agent had crossed my mind, but I’d heard more horror stories than positive ones, and had no idea who I should query. The truth in the statement, “A bad agent is worse than no agent,” kept me from making a serious search. In the days before the Internet, finding a reputable agent to query wasn’t as simple a process as it has become, but luckily, the competition for agents wasn’t as tough, either.

I finally met one agent at a conference and a few weeks later, queried him by mail. I was rejected, but a friend of mine signed with this particular agent. Her blossoming career immediately went into a black hole from which it’s never truly emerged, and my hesitancy over finding an agent increased. Then in 2001, a friend told me of an agent new to the business who had started out as an editor for Berkley.

DESPERATE IS GOOD

Three things led me to query Jessica Faust, co-founder of BookEnds LLC.: 1) the fact she was in New Jersey, and close to the New York publishing world; 2) she had been an editor at Berkley, which meant she still had contacts with one of the publishers I was interested in; and 3) she was new enough to agenting—so, hopefully, was desperate for clients.

Okay ... so that last one was most important, and luckily I must have been right. When I look at the query letter I sent, it’s filled with all the things Jessica now cautions against including, but she was new and looking for clients and I was optimistic enough to think I had a chance. I also, in spite of my history of rejections, still believed in myself. I never doubted I would one day be published, and Jessica seemed to mirror that same optimism. If she was faking, she was damned good at it, but her positive attitude kept me hopeful.

By this time I was building a successful career writing erotic romance for an online publisher. My agent chose not to represent me with the e-publishers, which worked well for both of us, though she continued submitting my regular romances without much luck. Editors were asking to see more from me, but nothing I sent to Jessica sold. Still, she didn’t drop me, and I didn’t quit trying. I would write my sexy romances for Ellora’s Cave and my “vanilla” romances for Jessica to shop around. The sexy stuff was selling like crazy and the category styled romances continued racking up the rejection notices.

In 2004, a good friend founded Changeling Press and asked for something “over the top” to launch her new company. I created an online serial called Wolf Tales. Every six weeks CP released a new 12,000-word Wolf Tales story, and sales grew like crazy. Readers seemed to love my Chanku shapeshifters, and I was having a blast coming up with a new crisis every few weeks, but by then I’d quit submitting to my agent. I figured NY was a lost cause.

ANOTHER CHANCE

About this time, e-book sales of erotic romances began to have an impact on the NY publishing scene. Readers were demanding the sexy stories in print, and while the e-pubs were scrambling to bring out the books in the relatively new print-on-demand format, NY publishers were sending out feelers to the more successful e-book authors and luring them to their houses with promises of print contracts. My ever-patient agent asked for something erotic. I printed out the first five stories from the Wolf Tales serial for her.

The rest is history. Editor Audrey LaFehr at Kensington Publishing loved the stories, CEO Steve Zacharius authorized the new Aphrodisia imprint, and Wolf Tales launched Kensington’s foray into the erotic romance market. The first book is currently in its ninth print run, the sixteenth story just released and I’m contracted through 2011 for more in the series. I credit all of my success to my agent. I write the books, but I understand the serendipitous nature of this business and I know it takes the right agent getting the right manuscript in front of the right editor at the right time. I’m not sure what Jessica saw in that query I sent to her in 2001, but she hung in there, even though it took until 2005 before we finally saw a contract.

Stubbornness appears to be an important trait—in both authors and agents.

Visit Kate's site.

Want more on this subject?

Read all the "How I Got My Agent" columns. Several of them are by other romance writers.

Want to contribute a column like this? Write to me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk.

See all blog posts relating to romance here.

What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

What Agents Hate: Even More Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Genre Writing | How I Got My Agent Columns | Romance

Monday, September 21, 2009 10:50:13 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [11]

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Agent Advice: Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency
Posted by Chuck

Agent Interview by
contributor Ricki Schultz.

"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 Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency. Lucienne joined The Knight Agency in 2008, after spending fifteen years at Spectrum Literary Agency. She has sold more than 600 titles to every major publisher and has built a client list of more than 40 authors spanning the commercial fiction genres. Her authors have been honored with the RITA, National Readers' Choice Award, the Golden Heart, and the Romantic Times Reader’s Choice and have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. She is also a writer, having recently published a YA book, Vamped. See her personal website here: www.luciennediver.com.

She is looking for: fantasy, science fiction, romance, mystery, suspense, erotica, and young adult lit. She does not accept nonfiction. See full submission guidelines here.

Lucienne Diver

GLA: How did you become an agent?

LD: I always knew I wanted to go into publishing, though I was also drawn to forensic anthropology and applied to graduate schools in the field as I was applying for entry level positions in the book world. Originally, I thought I wanted to be an editor. Until I was called in for interviews, I’d never even realized that book agents existed; I’d never really thought about it. However, when I landed my literary assistant job at Spectrum Literary Agency over sixteen years ago, I fell in love. As an agent, I have the freedom to “acquire” anything I fall in love with. I don’t have to worry about the needs of a line, though I do approach my list with the idea of diversity. (I’m an omnivore anyway, and I like to make sure that my authors complement rather than compete with each other.)

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

LD: Just today I did a deal for Japanese language rights to an erotic romance by Jasmine Haynes. I’m also finishing up a UK deal for a young adult series by Chloe Neill that’s already sold in the US. Shortly before that, I did deals for German, Hungarian and Polish language rights to various books in Rachel Caine’s bestselling Morganville Vampires series and sold a new urban fantasy series for her and for Faith Hunter.

GLA: What are you looking for right now and not getting? What do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?

LD: I represent more than 40 authors, so I’m possibly not looking as actively as I used to be. That said, though, I took on a new author just last week whose urban fantasy novel blew me away. I don’t set out looking for a particular genre or theme, really. As mentioned, I’m a voracious and omnivorous reader. I want something, anything, that will impress me and keep me reading late into the night. I love a strong voice and a really unique, well-paced plot.

GLA: You write some young adult lit (Vamped) and have represented it in the past. Do you still accept submissions in this area?

LD: I represent all kinds of fiction—adult and young adult—though I don’t do early children’s and haven’t done middle-grade (not that I’d close that door if the right project came along).

GLA: In science fiction and fantasy, what are a few topics you feel are overdone?

LD: You know, there are some things out there in abundance, but I love them still. Characters who kick-butt and take names, vampires and shape-shifters and demons, oh my! There are few things so done that you can’t find a new angle and a fresh take on them, though it does become harder the more crowded the field.

GLA: Tell us a little bit more about your interest in romance. Do you accept both category and single titles? As well, are there specific subgenres you prefer over others (i.e., contemporary vs. historical romance)?

LD: I love romance. I’m not looking for a lot of category romance, but I have a couple of authors who do it very wonderfully and successfully. Mostly, I’m interested in single title. I love suspense, paranormal and anything quirky. Books don’t need to have all three of those to catch my interest, but if none of the three are present, chances are I’m not the right agent for the work.

GLA: Staying with romance, is there a difference between the subgenre “erotic romance” and straight-up “erotica”? If so, how does a writer know which she’s written?

LD: The difference to me is that erotic romance is primarily between a couple (or sometimes a threesome) that will have a happily ever after. At its heart, it’s the story of people finding their soulmates and exploring the connection via sex. Erotica doesn’t have to end in a committed coupling. The focus (to me, and I’m sure others’ mileage will vary) is more on the voyage of self-discovery … a character or characters learning what it is that makes him or her happy and comfortable and finding the courage to accept whatever might be revealed. It’s almost that erotica is to romantica as chick-lit is to romance. Does that make sense?

GLA: It does. You also seek mystery and suspense novels. How can a new writer break into this category without producing a run-of-the-mill detective story? What are some untapped subjects you feel would make for fresh and intriguing queries in these areas?

LD: Producing a “run-of-the-mill” story is the surest way not to break in. Again, what distinguishes work that sells for that which doesn’t is frequently voice, the way the tale is told. Of course, you do have to develop a strong story with red herrings, a sufficiently diabolical villain (though very definitely not in the cartoonish way) and a sense of urgency driving the plot. Aside from that, though, there are no real “musts.” Untapped subjects? Hmm….I’d love to see more psychological storylines. I’m as big a fan of psychology as I am forensics. Unless you’ve got a really new angle, I’d leave stalkers, serial killers, organized crime and terrorists behind. Whatever that leaves, there’s still room for it!

GLA: Where are new writers most commonly going wrong in the query letters you see?

LD: Ever since I started taking electronic submissions, I’ve found that many people don’t put the care into query letters that they would have in a hardcopy submission. It’s as if they see an electronic query letter more as an e-mail than a professional introduction to their work. So I’m seeing the disturbing, “Hey, Bob, I’ve got this manuscript I think is right up your alley. Can I send it?” sort of letters. Writers should think of the query as they would a cover letter that goes along with a resume. You wouldn’t dash that off carelessly (or CC it to everyone in the field, another common mistake), so don’t do it with query letters. Also, I see a ton of queries for material I don’t represent, like nonfiction. It’s important for writers to do their homework on agents so they don’t waste their own or the agent’s time.

GLA: How much does a writer’s platform impact whether or not you agree to represent his or her manuscript?

LD: I think platform counts a lot more in nonfiction than in fiction. It’s wonderful, of course, to find that an author has a great starting point for promotion, but what really sells a work to me is the writing itself.

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

LD: October 17th I’ll be doing a three-hour workshop for the Gulf Coast Writers in Ft. Meyers, FL. October 23rd through the 25th I’ll be at the Kiss of Death Writers Retreat in Albuquerque, NM and I’ll be in San Jose for the World Fantasy Convention the week after. Then, I think, I’ll collapse from exhaustion!

GLA: Best piece(s) of advice we haven’t talked about yet?

LD: The best piece of advice I can give is: Don’t ever rush things out the door. You know the saying, “Act in haste, repent at leisure.” This definitely goes for rushing query letters, synopses and/or manuscripts out the door before you’ve revised and polished them to the best of your ability. To borrow on yet another cliché, you may not get a second chance to make a first impression.

This agent interview by Ricki Schultz,
freelance writer and coordinator of
Shenandoah Writers in VA. Visit her blog
or follow her on Twitter.

Want more on this subject?

Interview with agent Jeffrey McGraw (The August Agency).

Agent interview: Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management.

Interview with agent Phil Lang (Reece Halsey North/Kimberly Cameron).

What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

What Agents Hate: Even More Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Children's Writing | Genre Writing | Romance | Science Fiction and Fantasy

Thursday, September 17, 2009 11:16:01 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [3]

Monday, August 31, 2009

Query With Only Five Chapters Finished?
Posted by Chuck

Q. I have almost 5 chapters done of a romance novel. Is it too soon for me to try to find an agent? If not, can you please advise me as to how to proceed in doing so? Thank you for your time and your help.
- K.K.

A. Whenever you writing a novel or memoir, the first rule is to complete it before contacting agents. If you query with only five chapters done and then an agent requests the full manuscript, what are you going to do? There are no good options, and you've essentially wasted your opportunity with that agent.
      There are no super-secret tricks to revising. 1) Finish the story. 2) While it's still fresh, do a second draft - looking for small things. 3) Give it out to some peers to edit - people you trust ("beta readers") who can provide advice that is both honest and valuable - cause you need both. 4) Rewrite an overhaul of a third draft incorporating big suggestions that your peers threw out. 5) Do a fifth draft, looking for grammar or other small content mistakes.
      Obviously, there is a lot more than goes into rewriting, but this is just a skeleton to help. Rewriting and the whole publishing process in general is a step-by-step process. But once you climb all those steps, you get this:

Awesome...

Want more on this subject?

Like romance writing? Check out my interviews with agent Scott Eagan, editor Leah Hultenschmidt, and agent Laura Bradford.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Have a burning question about agents or publishing? E-mail it to me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and I may answer it on this blog.

Questions Submitted by Readers | Romance

Monday, August 31, 2009 10:53:56 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Successful Queries: Agent Mary Sue Seymour and 'A Widow's Hope'
Posted by Chuck

This new series is called "Successful Queries" and I'm posting actual query letters that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting the actual query letter, we will also get to hear thoughts from the agent as to why the letter worked.

The ninth installment in this series is with agent Mary Sue Seymour (The Seymour Agency) and her author, Mary Ellis, for her book, A Widow's Hope.

A Widow's Hope

Dear Ms. Seymour:

Although I was unable to attend this year’s ACFW conference, I studied the list of agents who had participated. I was excited to see your name among the attendees since I’d heard many wonderful things about your agency. I have taken the liberty of enclosing the synopsis and first three chapters of A Widow’s Hope with my fondest hope you will select it for representation. A Widow’s Hope is a 95,000-word Christian Inspirational set in Holmes County, Ohio, the largest Amish community in the country.

After the death of her husband, Hannah Brown is determined to make a new life with her sister’s family. But when she sells her farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and moves with her sheep to Ohio, the wool unexpectedly starts to fly. Her deacon brother–in–law finds just about everything about Hannah vexing. When his widower brother shows interest in the young and beautiful widow, the deacon turns to prayer for guidance.

Hannah thought she could never love again, until she meets the strong, gentle farmer. Unfortunately, Seth Miller’s only interest is in Hannah’s sheep. He is content in his bachelor state and slow to recognize his daughter’s need for a new mother. Yet God offers Seth the perfect solution to their problems if he could only open his heart again ... and love.

My two previous manuscripts placed in the “Labor of Love” contest, sponsored by the Heart of Louisiana chapter, Baton Rouge, and the “Hot Prospects” contest sponsored by Valley of the Sun chapter, both chapters of RWA. I am a former middle school teacher, currently working in marketing and sales. I have spent many weeks and weekends in Holmes County, researching and enjoying the simpler way of life. I am currently working on the second in the series.
If you’d like to see the full manuscript, please contact me at the above address. It would be my pleasure to send A Widow’s Hope immediately. Thank you very much for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Mary Ellis

Commentary From Mary Sue

Mary Ellis actually went to my site to see which conferences I attend and that caught my attention right off the bat. She did research and had a reason for querying me rather than just sending out e-mails to every agent online.

Her pitch - the two middle paragraphs - worked well. The plot intrigued me. Everything was presented - the protagonist, the challenges, the conflict. Christian inspirational is a genre I represent often, and this was a good summary in a category that I like.

She mentioned contests she'd placed in so I knew her writing had potential. The awards were mentioned briefly and humbly without much hurrah or details, which is exactly the way to do it.

Finally, she was wise enough to complete the book beforehand and say so in the letter. You'd be surprised how many first-time authors don't finish (and polish!) their work before sending it out.

Requesting the full manuscript was a no-brainer for me - and I'm glad I did.

Want more on this subject?

To see the other posted letters in this "Successful Queries" series, click here.
If Christian/inspiration writing is your thing, check out the agents I've interviewed who specialize in this category, including Greg Daniel and Joyce Hart.
Take a peek at Writing the Christian Romance, by G.G. Martin.
Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.
Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.
Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Christian Agents | Romance | Successful Queries

Thursday, August 20, 2009 10:08:32 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

How I Got My Agent: Delilah Marvelle
Posted by Chuck

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent is by Delilah Marvelle,
who writes romance. Check out
her blog here. On it, she writes
about sex in the context of
history.

Mistress of Pleasure

DROPPED BY MY PUBLISHER

A few months before the release of my second book, Lord of Pleasure, I discovered that my publisher, Kensington, was not going to be renewing contracts. It's a writer's worst nightmare to be rejected by your own publisher once you thought you've made it. What could possibly be worse than being rejected by your own publisher? Letting go of your agent beforehand, which, yes, I did.  Just after my agent and I parted ways, I got the bad news from Kensington.

So without a contract and without an agent, I basically started over. I queried 15 agents and every single one of them came back with the same answer, "Love the writing but it's a tough market." Seeing it took me 11 years to get published and that during those 11 years, I had garnered over two hundred rejections, I knew I needed to keep trudging onward. So I did the one thing I could do. I submitted to publishers on my own.  Or at least those that would let me query without an agent (which isn't very many...). I queried Avon, HQN, and Sourcebooks and waited.

WHOOPS

Two weeks later, I went to the National Romance Writer's of America Conference which I attend every year. It's an amazing writing haven where connections and education abounds for all romance writers, published or not. I went with no expectations, just the high hopes that I could push my upcoming book.

At one of the luncheons, I sat at a table with a group of lovely women I didn't know and we all started to talk. About the same time, a gentleman nabbed the last empty seat at the table and quietly sat there listening to our conversations. I happened to touch upon the topic of my blog, which I post to every first of the month on topics of sex in the context of history. That is exactly when the gentleman spoke up and said, "That sounds very fascinating.  Might I have a card?" Seeing I was discussing my blog, I thought "Perve" (because I attract them), so I drawled, "And you ARE?" He paused, then graciously replied, "Donald Maass." Needless to say, I choked, gave him my card, feeling much like a dolt and thought, "Well...there goes that chance." Then, the night before the conference was over, my life completely changed.

Though there's usually tons of desserts available after the Golden Heart and Rita Ceremony, for some reason, this year, there was none to be had as the staff wasn't refilling the platters. Being a chef, I immediately flagged down a waiter, handed him an empty plate and kindly asked him to go into the kitchen and bring me whatever dessert he could find. While I waited by the kitchen door, the editor from Sourcebooks approached me and on the spot offered me a four book contract based off of the proposal for the new series I had submitted.  As I stood there in complete shock, that's when the waiter came back and delivered a huge piece of chocolate cake. All for me. So yes, I had my cake and ate it, too. I hardly got home and immediately called up the two other publishers who had my series to let them know I had an offer. Avon passed with glowing compliments but HQN counteroffered. And that's when I realized, "Holy Cow, I need an agent."

CALLING DONALD

My good writing buddies, Lisa Hendrix and Kristina McMorris quickly offered up their fabulous agents which I called immediately. My husband, however, kept pestering me and saying, "Why don't you call Donald Maass?" I cringed. After I had insulted the man? I think not.   My husband, however, kept pressing and needless to say, I caved and called Donald Maass. Lo and behold, Donald not only offered representation, but assistance in honing my writing. To get an agent and a writing coach all in one?  A complete dream! That said, I signed with him and he helped me through the daunting process of choosing which publisher was best for me.

To receive two offers from two amazing publishers was a nightmare of a decision. Yes, it's what every writer dreams about, but not quite as fun filled when you're actually living it. With some back and forth between the two publishers, I eventually decided on HQN who offered me a three book deal. So what did I learn from my roller coaster experience? Trust your gut and don't ever, ever let an agent decide your career for you.

Lord of Pleasure

Want more on this subject?

See all the posted stories of writers finding agents here.
If romance writing is your thing, check out this article on WD.com all about creating imperfect heroes and heroines for your romance novel.
Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.
Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.
Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent Columns | Romance

Tuesday, August 18, 2009 4:43:58 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [8]

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Editor Advice: Romance Expert Leah Hultenschmidt of Dorchester Publishing (Part II)
Posted by Chuck

This is Part Two of

a two-part interview
with Leah. See
Part I here.

Leah Hultenschmidt is an editor of Romance and Westerns at Dorchester Publishing, where she has worked for nine years. After several years in heading Public Relations and Promotions, she’s now back to doing what she loves most—editing books. Some of her most recent projects include the USA Today best-selling Immortals series and Angie Fox’s New York Times best-seller The Accidental Demon Slayer. Leah has been named among the Who’s Who of Professional Management, and in 2006 was a finalist for PASIC’s Editor of the Year Award.
Leah also founded and edits the (awesome) Romantic Reads blog.

Leah Hultenschmidt

GLA: What are a few recent books you’ve (Dorchester) published?

LH: My romance titles this summer: Siren’s Secret by Trish Albright, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley, The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers by Angie Fox, Where the Wind Blows by Caroline Fyffe (debut), McAlistair’s Fortune by Alissa Johnson, Enchanting the Beast by Kathryne Kennedy, I Shot You Babe by Leslie Langtry, Stolen Heat by Elisabeth Naughton, and Ice by Stephanie Rowe. They really run the gamut from all kinds of historicals to fantasy to dark romantic suspense to light paranormal comedy.
        Other romance authors we publish include Nina Bangs, Christie Craig, Leigh Greenwood, Gemma Halliday, Jade Lee, Marjorie Liu, Connie Mason, Gerri Russell, Bobbi Smith, C.L. Wilson, and loads of others.
        In horror, we’re incredibly excited to present a brand new novel called The Creatures of the Pool from the living legend (literally—he won the award) Ramsey Campbell.
        I also work on Westerns, and I’m particularly proud of the Classic Film Collection we put out this spring, which are novels based on famous Western movies. The lineup includes The Searchers by Alan LeMay, The Man From Laramie by T.T. Flynn and Destry Rides Again by Max Brand. In many cases, the books hadn’t been available for decades.

GLA: What percentage of submissions do you get that are agented vs. unagented? Do you or an assistant read all unagented submissions?

LH: I personally read anything that’s specifically addressed to me. I’d say my submissions are probably just about evenly split between agented and unagented. Maybe a few more on the agented side.

GLA: Romance books, to some degree or another, follow a formula. But yet hundreds of romances are still getting published every year? In your opinion, how are writers still producing good work with a formula that readers know inside and out?

LH: I think writers are bending the rules and blending genres all the time to keep readers hooked. And really, that “formula” only consists of a happy ending.

GLA: How did your blog, Romantic Reads, get started?

LH: I started the blog shortly after last year’s RWA as a way to get information about upcoming releases to booksellers and librarians, and to give the writing community an editor’s perspective on the industry. There are a lot of agent blogs out there, and while much of the basic writing and submitting stuff is the same, I do think I have a different point of view on a number of other topics.
        The Coming Soon page lists titles by month from now through Feb. 2010 and I’ll soon be posting March. It indicates which books are debuts, whether they’re part of a series, and gives a link to an excerpt when available. At the end of each month’s listing, you can click to get to see the full back-cover description, ISBN, subgenre listing, and cover image.
        And the Inside Publishing category covers things like how we schedule books, what reps do on a sales call, production and marketing timelines, and what goes through an editor’s head (or at least mine) when reading submissions.

GLA: Let’s briefly transition to Westerns!   You also recently went to Western Writers of America conference in Oklahoma. What did you learn there that writers should know?

LH: Westerns are small but steadily profitable market for us. A lot of publishers have cut back their lines, but we still do four a month, mixing classic authors such as Louis L’Amour, Zane Grey, Max Brand and Luke Short with contemporary writers such as Johnny D. Boggs, Mike Kearby, Robert Conley, Andrew J. Fenady, John Nesbitt, Robert Randisi, Cotton Smith, David Thompson and more.
        Historical accuracy has to be dead on. The readers will know if you’re not using the right type of gun or if the saddle equipment is off or if your river is running the wrong way. Western writers also need to be just as proactive as the other genres when it comes to marketing and online presence.

GLA: What attracts you to your specialties of romance and Western?   Why these categories?

LH: I acquire in romance and Westerns, but I enjoy a broad range of other genres as well—thrillers, fantasy, mystery, historical fiction and pretty much anything with a great pace and writing that really sucks me into the story. I think that’s why I especially like the books that mix things up, like Western mysteries or fantasy historical romance.

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

LH: After having been to Boston, Oklahoma City, Orlando and BEA, I’m pretty much done with conferences for this year.
        We’ve recently developed a Writer’s Corner on our website so folks who can’t make to conference can still get the same advice we often cover in any presentations or panel. And Dorchester is now accepting submissions via e-mail, so writers can always send something to my attention there.
        Authors might also want to consider entering one of the two contests we’re currently running. Romance writers should check out our America’s Next Best ‘Celler’ Contest, which we’ve created in partnership with TextNovel, a company that distributes original fiction via email and cell phone subscription service. And horror writers can take a look at the Fresh Blood contest, co-sponsored by Rue Morgue magazine and Chiaroscuro. One contestant in each is guaranteed a publishing contract.

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

LH: Oh, I save that for the blog.

Want more on this subject?

See Part I of Leah's GLA blog interview here.
Check out the resource, On Writing Romance, by Leigh Michaels.
Writers Online Workshops instructor Karlyn Thayer s teaching the online course "Essentials of Romance Writing."
Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.
Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.
Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Contests | Genre Writing | Romance

Thursday, August 06, 2009 10:33:56 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Editor Advice: Romance Expert Leah Hultenschmidt of Dorchester Publishing (Part I)
Posted by Chuck

This is Part One of
a two-part interview
with Leah. See Part II here.

Leah Hultenschmidt

GLA: Thanks for joining us, Leah. How did you become an editor?

LH: I started helping people with their writing in fourth grade, at the recommendation of my teacher. So I’ve always known I wanted to be in the field somewhere. In college, I had internships at the Albany Times Union and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on the copydesk, writing headlines and proofreading articles. But editing is a lot more fun when the stories don’t have to be true. I started at Dorchester as an editorial assistant, moved over the promotions/website side and spent a few years heading up Publicity, then came back to editorial when a spot opened up.

GLA: Tell me about Dorchester and what it does.

LH: Dorchester is an independent publisher of mass-market fiction in the genres of romance, horror, Westerns, thrillers, and noir mysteries. Our imprints include Leisure Books, Love Spell and Hard Case Crime.
        I think what really differentiates us as a house is a willingness to take a chance on something different and the personal attention we give to our authors. A lot of people feel like they’re joining a family when they come to Dorchester.

GLA: What percentage of submissions do you get that are agented vs. unagented? Do you or an assistant read all unagented submissions?

LH: I personally read anything that’s specifically addressed to me. I’d say my submissions are probably just about evenly split between agented and unagented. Maybe a few more on the agented side.

GLA: I have to assume that all or most agented submissions that come in and pretty tight and clean.

LH: Ha! You’d be surprised.

GLA: When you’re dealing with just an author, where do you see writers going wrong in their query letters? In their synopses?

LH: Most writers who have done their research are fine with the query letter basics - the genre, the word count and any major awards (first place in chapter contests) or publishing credits (previous books in the same genre; not magazine articles, etc.).
        It’s the middle where we run into trouble. This is where authors should think of the letter as a tool to get the author or agent excited about reading the proposal. Tell me what makes this marriage-of-convenience (or whatever it happens to be) story different. Make me fall in love with your hero or intrigued by your heroine. Others have said this before, but I can’t emphasize it enough: Pretend you’re writing back cover copy. It’s not easy, but it’s well worth the effort. If I’m pumped by your cover letter, I’ll give your manuscript a longer leash to get me hooked.
        The synopsis doesn’t have to be beautifully written. I don’t even usually look at it unless I’m intrigued by the first few chapters and want to read more. Then I check it out to make sure the ending works and/or there’s nothing completely wild thrown in the middle. I prefer synopses that are about 3-5 pages, long enough to work in the details (including the end!) yet not so long that I lose track of everything that’s going on.

GLA: You didn’t get out to the big RWA conference in DC, but are you already hearing things from the conference? Anything you can tell us about big picture stuff? The industry? New subgenres breaking out? Stuff like that...

LH: Oh, you always hear plenty of things. But depending who you talk to you, you can get a completely different take on the exact same subject.
        Some folks think historicals are finally going to make their big breakout. And a number are getting some great buzz. But until the stores see the actual sales, I still think it’s a bit of an uphill battle for non-brand name authors to make it really big.
        One thing we’ve found is an emerging market is the fantasy romance a la Angie Fox, C.L. Wilson, Kathryne Kennedy or Jade Lee. We’d love to see more of it.

GLA: Do different subgenres of romance have different word counts?

LH: Not officially. We’re looking for 75,000-90,000 words. Within that spectrum, I think the romantic suspense tends to be longer sometimes just because there’s more plot to work in with both the romance and suspense parts. But I don’t think there’s much difference between paranormals and historicals.

GLA: On your submissions guidelines page, you explain how you’re specifically looking for 8 subgenres of romance (e.g., historical). Of these 8, are there any where you’re looking for great submissions for not finding any? In other words, are you going through the slush pile wondering why everyone writes historical but no one writes time travel?

LH: Funny you mention time-travel, because it’s true I don’t see a lot of it in the submission pile. I think perhaps because it’s difficult to come up with a new twist—or a way to get the character back in time that isn’t too hokey. But it’s definitely a genre I’m up for.
        To me, what makes a proposal in any subgenre great is that it stands out in some way yet is still very accessible. I’m really craving something different. For example, I just finished editing A Midwife Crisis by Lisa Cooke, which will be out in February. Her touch of humor and characters are fantastic, but what really sets it apart for me is the Appalachian setting. I haven’t seen too many of those. And when something is different, it really makes me take notice.

Want more on this subject?

Agent Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary gave plenty of great advice on writing romance when interviewed here on the GLA blog.

The new 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market has boatloads of listings for romance and fiction writers, and also has interviews with romance authors Susan Wiggs and Kate Allen.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!
If you've got a short romance story of 4,000 words or fewer, why not throw your hat into the ring with the Writer's Digest Pop Fiction Contest.

Genre Writing | Romance

Tuesday, August 04, 2009 10:52:44 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Leah's '12 Points of Contracts'
Posted by Chuck

Look for an upcoming interview on this blog with Dorchester books editor Leah Hultenschmidt. Typically, I interview agents only, yes, but I met Leah at a conference in Italy last year and you can just tell immediately that this editor knows her stuff inside and out. Very smart lady, and I wanted to get her knowledge on the blog to help writers.

In the meantime, before the interview goes up here, I suggest you check her simple yet informative post on contracts. Leah says that when she calls an author directly (no agent) to offer a book deal, she will always go over 12 important points in the contract. See the list of 12 below, but I suggest you read the entire post on her Romantic Reads blog to get the full experience.

        1. How many books
        2. The advance
        3. Royalty rate
        4. Sales territories
        5. Translation rights
        6. Audio rights
        7. Electronic rights
        8. Reprint rights
        9. Movie/TV/radio/merchandising
        10. 1st serial/2nd serial/digest
        11. Option and first refusal clause
        12. Due dates...

Contracts and Copyrights and Money | Romance

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 12:45:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

New Agent Alert: Stephanie Maclean of Trident Media Group
Posted by Chuck

Reminder: Newer agents 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.

Stephanie Maclean

Trident Media Group, 41 Madison Ave, Floor 36, New York, NY 10010. Fiction areas of interest: Romance, Women’s Fiction and Young Adult. smaclean@tridentmediagroup.com.

How to contact: "Please send queries by email or regular mail (Email is faster). Please include a cover letter, synopsis and the first chapter of the manuscript. I only respond to queries I am interested in."

Children's Writing | Genre Writing | New Agency Alerts | Romance

Wednesday, July 08, 2009 12:55:52 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [3]

Saturday, June 27, 2009

How I Got My Agent: Lisa Dale
Posted by Chuck

This installment of "How I
Got My Agent" is by
Lisa Dale, who writes fiction.

SOME SMUTTY, ILL-RESEARCHED ROMANCE

I wrote my first novel during my senior year of college, while I was working on my senior thesis, "Magical Realism and Post-Colonial Vertigo; The Narrative Strategies of Rushdie's Midnight's Children." While my thesis went on to be nominated for best in my entire graduating class, the “big” project I was working on secretly was a romance novel – a smutty, ill-researched, 500-page whopper of a romance set in Colonial America (which is, incidentally, not a great time for romance).

When I finished, I stepped back, took a look at my heaping (and heaving) doorstop of a book, and I thought, well, it’s bad—but why not try to get it published? I figured I’d learn something about the process, if nothing else. So the summer after I graduated, I began the research to find an agent. I was in up to my eyeballs in market books and Post-it Notes, and when it came time to mail queries, I wallpapered the whole city of New York with them. And that was just the first round.

Oddly enough, I had this feeling something good would happen even though I had a lackluster bio, no publishing credits, and no idea how the industry worked (I figured I’d work that trivial stuff out as I went). And lo and behold, I got an offer from a boutique agency based out of a home office. I went for it. I figured that if getting an agent was so easy, it was only a matter of time before I hit the bestseller lists.

DISAPPOINTMENT

And then … nothing. The agent wasn’t sending the book out and I was too petrified to call her—dialing her number made me feel like Dorothy sidling up to the Wizard of Oz. I agonized. When she did start sending the book out, I suspected she was sending my book along with other writers’ books at the same time, and my rejection letters from editors showed not only my name, but the names of other unlucky writers are well. I ignored my suspicions in favor of feeling optimistic (read: willfully ignorant) about my prospects. Any agent was better than no agent, right? A year later, when my agent still hadn’t sold the book (and I’d written another novel, equally as bad as the first, if not worse), we parted ways.

That’s when I started to realize four important things: 1) I was going to have to learn how to write, not just crap out bad novels as fast as I could, 2) I’d have to learn something about the business of writing, 3) I’d have to build a really impressive bio to prove to people I meant business, 4) I needed to get honest about my true writing voice (which meant soul-searching and time).

ROUND TWO: DOING IT RIGHT

Instead of writing another book, I interned at an NYC literary agency. I worked for free to learn about publishing from the business side, and I even though I kept on writing, I put it largely to the side. A year or so later, when the owner offered to let me become an acquiring agent, I said sign me up! I really liked working with authors and editors; I tried exceedingly hard on behalf of the writers I worked with. But in the end, it was sort of like I was trying to make my head fit the shape of the hat instead of the other way around. I realized I wouldn’t be able to avoid my real passion: writing.

So, I regrouped again. I went back to school for my MFA because I knew I needed to improve my technique. I volunteered for everything, read anything, wrote in all genres, worked tirelessly. I built up my credits with numerous publications in the small press/university market, and even got nominated for some cool awards like the Pushcart Prize and Best New American Voices. And, outside of the MFA program, I wrote my first women’s fiction/romance (Simple Wishes, Grand Central, 2009). The book felt more like “me” than anything else I’d written. I found a way to combine my love of culture, art, and drama with my love of, well, love.

The second time I went agent-hunting, it was a whole different scenario. I had all the ammo I needed: the bio, the technique, the experience—and the proof (in terms of the publications and awards for my poetry and short prose). I sent out some feelers to agents I had met in my travels—people who I thought might remember me from various panels and conferences, people who I thought might enjoy my work. I also sent some queries to agents I had not met but who were interesting to me, though I got more positive feedback from folks who knew me.

Ultimately, I hooked up with Kim Lionetti of Bookends, an agent who I’d sat on a panel with years ago. Kim, you might guess, is a fantastic agent—what an agent should be. She’s also a former editor, and her generosity in sharing her editing expertise with me is—I’m certain—one of the biggest reasons she scored us two different offers of publication for Simple Wishes

It was a long, very convoluted process to finding an agent and getting published—with lots of highs and lows. But I wouldn’t change a thing. The highs keep me going when the lows get the better of me, and the lows are learning processes that I do my best to be grateful for. I’m still working all the time, searching for new opportunities and inspirations. In the end it will always come back to just doing what I love: writing stories. That’s where it begins and ends—convolutions aside.

Want more on this subject?

See all the posted stories of writers finding agents.
Do you have a good story about how you found your agent? E-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll start a dialogue.
If you're interested in romance or women's fiction, agent Scott Eagan is a good man to learn about.
Looking to become a better writer? Check out our online courses at Writers Online Workshops.

Genre Writing | How I Got My Agent Columns | Romance | Women's Fiction

Saturday, June 27, 2009 3:27:08 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [4]

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Agent Advice: Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency
Posted by Chuck

This is a "Blast From the

Past" post. To celebrate the

GLA Blog's 2nd birthday, I am

re-posting some of the best

"older" content that writers

likely missed.

"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 literary agent Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency, who specializes in romance. She has 13 years of professional experience as a literary agent, editor, writer and bookseller. Laura began her career as a literary agent at Manus and Associates Literary Agency and is a member of the Romance Writers of America. As an editorial-focused agent Laura works closely with her clients developing proposals and manuscripts for the most appropriate markets.

Seeking: "The agency specializes in all types of romance (including category), romantica/erotica, women’s fiction, mystery, thrillers and young adult. We also represent nonfiction and other fiction genres. All queries sent to us will be considered with the exception of poetry, children’s books, screenplays and short stories."

GLA: What’s a recent thing you’ve sold?

LB: I recently sold the first three books in a new urban fantasy series by Ann Aguirre to Ace. They feature a woman cursed with the gift of psychometry who, after struggling to sever all ties with her past, is reluctantly drawn into the search for a missing woman along with her former lover (who would rather not be "former" any longer) and an empathic cop with similar romantic designs on her. The series has tons of danger and action, a little romance and bad guys who are are just as likely to hire a warlock as a hitman to even the score. And zombies.
Plus, I just received an offer on an erotic romance novel today, so by the time this interview posts, Out of the Ashes by Beth Kery will be my most recent sale. This one has heat and heart in equal measures, I'd say. Scorching. With a hero who is so Alpha, it hurts.

GLA: You specialize in romance. Aside from writing, what should beginning romance novelists be doing to help their careers?

LB: I think that the most important thing a beginning writer of any genre needs to do is educate him or herself about the market and how they should go about selling their work. This can be done lots of different ways, but romance writers are lucky that there is such a large and extensive group, RWA, where they can easily tap into the collective knowledge base. There is a wealth of information to be shared within that group. There are other online writing groups and loops that can be mined for information as well.

GLA: How exactly do you define “romantica”?

LB: It tends to get defined one of two ways depending on the person doing the defining. 1) It is a romance, with all the characteristics of being a romance, like the "happily ever after" ending and relationship-focused center of the plot, but with extra, extra spicy sexual content. More extensive sex scenes, more frequency, more kink, harder language (no sexual euphemisms here!), etc. If the sex was taken out, you would still be left with a complete, whole romance story. Or some people define romantica or erotic romance as being 2) a sex-centered romance with all the extra spicy elements I mentioned before: frequency, kink, language, etc. In this definition, the sex and the sexiness are fundamental to the plot and if the sex was removed, it would be clear that core of the book was missing. Some publishers consider the first definition to cover what they call simply a very hot (but not erotic) romance.

GLA: Romance can also be tied in with other genres—a romantic mystery, paranormal romance, etc. Is there a line where the writing ceases to be “romance” any longer and has shifted into another genre?

LB: A romance is a pretty specific type of book. At it's core, a romance is story about people falling in love and it always ends on an optimistic, emotionally satisfying note. A book can absolutely be romantic though, and not be a romance, per se. I think that there is room for romantic elements in almost every genre of commerial fiction and as someone who loves a good romance, I find those elements add an additional layer of depth to a novel. I think a novel ceases to be a romance whenever the focus of the book shifts away from the romantic relationship and starts to be more about the other plot elements (finding the serial killer, stopping the alien invation, making peace with the death of the character's father). If a book strays too far from traditional romance rules, it just isn't a romance anymore and that is fine. I think that genre-straddling books are fun and fresh and I love to read them. mixing genres, whether that mix involves romance or not, keeps publishing dynamic and continually evolving.

GLA: Romance has several sub-genres, such as historical romance. Is the genre continuing to fragment? or is it fairly set?

LB: I don't really think of romance as a genre that is fragmenting with all of its myriad sub-genres. The labeling of the sub-genres is really just a way to help romance readers find the books they most want to read by preference for setting and style. As long as the book has that romantic relationship core and heat, romance is romance whether it takes place in medieval times, present day, the Scottish Highlands, a church or the surface of Neptune. I think the fact that both the markets for erotic romance and inspirational romance are blooming is fabulous. I think that there are a few romance sub-genre classics that will be around forever, like historical, romantic suspense, paranormal, but I love the idea that there will always be room in romance for a new and fresh angle on a type of book that is so beloved.

GLA: If a man were to query you with a romance novel, will he likely be published under a pseudonym? If so, should he query you under that pseudonym? How does this work?

LB: Male romance authors traditionally sell more books when they are published under female pseudonyms ... or so we seem to think. Yes, the standard seems to be to publish male authors under the female pseudonym, but since I have no personal experience in that particular area, I'm not certain if it was the author's choice or the publisher's. An author can query me using their real name or a pseudonym, it makes no difference to me. I review the manuscript and make my decision based on the writing.

Want more on this subject?

How to Write a Query Letter.

What Should You Write in the "Bio Paragraph" of a Query Letter.

Why Your Manuscript Can Get Rejected, by Hallie Ephron.

10 Hidden Gifts of Rejection Letters.

Google Alerts and Agents.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Genre Writing | Romance

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 2:10:41 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Monday, June 01, 2009

Agent Advice: Jennifer Weltz of Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency
Posted by Chuck

"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 Jennifer Weltz of the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency.

Seeking and submissions: To contact her, send an e-query with no attachments to jweltz@jvnla.com. Your query should include a short description of the work and yourself. She specializes in compelling historicals and thrillers that stand out from the crowd as well as women's fiction with a taste of the unusual and an emotional tug. She also works with middle grade and picture books where she looks for a voice that you can't resist to get to know.

Jennifer Weltz

GLA: How did you become an agent?

JW: It seemed like a good idea at the time and I do love to read a good book!

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

JW: Today the answer is By Accident by Susan Kelley - a beautifully written novel about the dramatic shifts that random accidents can render on a family; tomorrow my answer will be a middle grade historical novel about two sisters ... but I can't tell you anything more until we officially accept.

GLA: Talk to us about historical fiction. Do you seek any category? Historical romance? Historical thriller?

JW: I love romance, thriller and just a wonderful story about a great figure in history that we didn't know or know well enough. I love to learn something new and to plunge into a world and live there for a few days. If it's a thriller, it had better be tight on the facts and the resolution, because I'm pretty good at figuring it out and I am a sucker for a wonderful romance but never downplay the importance of anticipation. Check out The Last Queen by CW Gortner to see the kind of historical writing I tend to love. Also Pope Joan by Donna Cross.

GLA: You say you seek "women's fiction with a taste of the unusual and an emotional tug." To give us more perspective on this, can you give us an example (or two) of a women's fiction book you repped and what about it grabbed your attention?

JW: A wonderful example is The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb. This is a present day ghost story with a bit of a mystery and a great love story. One thing I have realized is that I love stories that verge on the fairy tale in their tone but give us a twist we didn't expect. I love to be surprised and also have a bit of a dark sense of humor. I am also a great fan of our books The Last Bridge by Terri Coyne, La Cucina by Lily Prior and Affinity by Sarah Waters.

GLA: You rep mid-grade works and picture books, but not young adult?

JW: Jessica Regel in our office has a great eye for YA's and so I leave it up to her. I do go for YA's if they are more the fun or fantastical. Angst is not my forte.

GLA: A lot of people write picture books but most of them never get published? Where are writers going wrong?

JW: Picture books are actually the hardest market to break into right now. I find myself turning down many books that have nothing wrong with them because I know there is no way I can sell them in this market.
        1. Unless you are an artist, do not send illustrations with your book.
        2. Most picture books that are selling these days have a character you can't resist with a great twist.
        3. Quiet pretty stories are not selling right now.
        4. It's all in the voice
        5. see 4

GLA: Specifically with picture books, are you looking for text-heavy work? Minimal text?

JW: Minimal. A picture book is like a poem. Every word must justify it's existence. No rhymes though please!

GLA: What, in your mind, differentiates a thriller from mystery or suspense?

JW: Great question and one I asked myself when I started agenting 14 years ago. Commonly, in the thriller, our main protagonist is directly involved in the danger and is directly affected by the outcome (they might go to jail or die if they don't resolve) whereas in a mystery the main character is solving a crime that was done to someone else. They might be in peril but the crime originates with another character.

GLA: In general, what are you looking for right now and not getting? What do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?

JW: I pray a lot when tackling the slush pile. I'm looking for something I have never seen with writing that grabs me from the first page and a character that comes to life from the moment I meet him/her. The voice, the originality of the story and a story that takes me out of the world and life I am living (i.e., don't send me a thriller around swine flu!).

GLA: In your opinion, how is the economic climate affecting writers' chances of getting published? Are you seeing smaller advances? Fewer buys?

JW: Yes, yes, yes. A writer needs to be prepared to be in it for the long haul and to give it everything they have got to succeed. And they need an agent who is passionate about their career and their writing. You don't want me unless I am excited!

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

JW: Thriller Fest in June.

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

JW: Make sure to tell me what your book is about front and center when sending me a query, especially if it is fiction. I'll read about the other stuff later but only if the story grabs me. One last thing - I read every query with great hope and desire to find something wonderful that I can love because first and foremost I am a reader!

Want more on this subject?

Word Count Guidelines for Novels and Children's Books.

Check out agent Don Maass's popular book, The Fire in Fiction.

20 Tips on Writing a Query Letter

How Money Works: Book Royalties, Advances and Flat Fees.

What are the BEST writers' conferences in the country?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Children's Writing | Genre Writing | Romance

Monday, June 01, 2009 1:01:38 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Friday, May 01, 2009

Agent Advice: Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich
Posted by Chuck

"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 Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich. Jim interned for DGLM while studying urban design at New York University.

Seeking: "literary and commercial works. He is particularly interested in literary women’s fiction, underrepresented voices, mysteries, romance, paranormal fiction, and anything unusual or unexpected. In addition to fiction he is also interested in narrative nonfiction, humor, memoir, paranormal nonfiction, and anything related to architecture, planning, or real estate." His e-mail address is jmccarthy@dystel.com. To contact him, enclose a cover letter, outline or brief synopsis of the work (with word count if possible), a sample chapter, and SASE for our response. Please type all of your correspondence and double space everything other than the cover letter. E-mail queries are fine (no attachments). Please be sure to query only one agent at this agency.

Jim McCarthy

GLA: How did you become an agent?

JM: I really stumbled into the industry. I was studying Urban Design at NYU and needed a part-time job. Stacey Glick, my now colleague, was the first person to call me back from the forty resumes I sent out. I didn't even know what a literary agent was at the time. Ten years later, I know it was a hell of a lucky break.

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

JM: One of my most exciting recent sales was for a literary novel called Yield by a young writer, Lee Houck. I originally signed it on in 2006. It sold last month to Kensington. It was a long, long process, but it's a book I've always adored, and I'm thrilled that it will be seen in print. I also just sold seven new young adult titles by the outstanding (and New York Times bestselling) Richelle Mead to Razorbill.

GLA: I'm very curious. What constitutes these "underrepresented voices" you
seek?

JM: This is very open for interpretation. What I really mean is that I want to see stories that aren't being told. I think there are a lot of groups that don't necessarily see themselves represented in the literary market as much as they should: whether that means underrepresented ethnic, religious, or even geographic narratives or simply people who feel like they fall out of the mainstream, I'd love to have a look.

GLA: When you're looking at a submission for a literary novel, how much stock do you put into queries and synopses?

JM: I always want to see samples when I'm looking at literary queries. There are tons of books that I probably wouldn't be especially interested in just based on a synopsis that I ultimately end up loving. Coetzee's Disgrace is a great example. The plot didn't appeal to me, but the book was dazzling. Once I see that something is literary, I tend to skip to the sample to see if the voice grabs me.

GLA: When I think of paranormal romance, I think of vampires and more
vampires. What other things do you see would classify the fiction writing to be in this category?

JM: Well, I certainly do love my vampire romances. And zombies, succubi, werewolves, and all of those other glorious fantastical creatures. But what I'm seeing a lot of (and am really encouraged by) is that the boundaries of the subgenre are being stretched. I love fiction that is fantastical--alternate worlds, alternative realities, that sort of thing. It isn't so much about the entities you're writing about as it is the ability to create a world that feels wholly realized and entirely believable in its own right.

GLA: We met recently at the Las Vegas Writers Conference. You took a lot of pitches. What were the most common mistakes you saw writers doing concerning in-person pitches?

JM: Fear. Writers get so caught up in making sure they capture everything about their book in as short a time as possible that they get really worked up and flustered. I'm not looking for a synopsis of everything that happens in a book when I'm getting pitched. I just want to hear someone talk about why they wrote their book and what excites them about it. It should be a much more natural process than a lot of people are ready for it to be.

GLA: Concerning the mystery and romance genres, do you seek anything specific here? Do you have particular "likes" (subgenres, etc)?

JM: I'm really open to anything, but I particularly love serial killer thrillers, ghost stories, and anything hardboiled in mystery. I'd love to find my very own Chelsea Cain or Charlie Huston. On the flipside, I adore a good cozy mystery series, particularly if there is an element of humor. In terms of romance, I skew more contemporary than historical, still love a good sense of humor, and am always on the lookout for writers who pull off sexy really well (it's tougher than it sounds!).

GLA: On the same subject, what do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?
What do you keep looking for and not getting?

JM: I always used to answer this question by saying that if someone would write a novel about Elvis, vampires, and road trips, I would definitely sign it on. Happily, someone finally took me up on it! So now I'm dying to find some great big Gothic thriller or romance. A 21st Century The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is my current dream project.

GLA: I've been talking a lot about memoir on the blog recently. Is there anything you can add when talking to writers about writing and submitting memoirs, since so many people are doing so?

JM: Two bullet points I'd throw out there: first, make sure you're ready to share your story on a major scale. I've seen people write their memoirs and then pull them from consideration and, once, even from publication, when they realized that they weren't prepared to deal with the emotional effects of sharing something so intimate. It's something you really need to be sure you explore personally before you take that step. And when you do decide to write it, my second piece of advice is to find your framing mechanism. It isn't usually enough to just present a snapshot of your life. You need to find a narrative in there--something with a beginning, middle, and end. It doesn't have to be chronological, but you need to give the reader structure. I always find myself recommending three memoirs that I think do this especially well: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Strip City by Lily Burana, and the amazingly funny (and truly moving) I Am Not Myself These Days by Josh Kilmer-Purcell.

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

JM: I'll be at PNWA in Seattle from July 30-August 2, and at the South Carolina Writers Workshop conference October 23-25.

GLA: Best piece(s) of advice we haven't covered?

JM: If you think you can give up writing, then give it up. If you can't ... if you know that no matter how much stress or rejection or frustration you face, that you can never stop writing? In that case, never give up. Publishing is too hard to face if you aren't in it for the right reasons. But it's not too hard to break into if it's what you need to do.

Want more on this subject?

How to Write a Query Letter.

What Should You Write in the "Bio Paragraph" of a Query Letter.

Why Your Manuscript Can Get Rejected, by Hallie Ephron.

10 Hidden Gifts of Rejection Letters.

Google Alerts and Agents.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Genre Writing | Literary Fiction | Memoir | Romance

Friday, May 01, 2009 9:33:54 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Friday, April 03, 2009

Agent Advice: Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary
Posted by Chuck

"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 Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency, LLC.

She is seeking: Fiction areas of interest: Single Title Romance (Contemporary, Romantic Comedy, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense), Women's Lit (must have a strong hook), Young Adult, Mainstream Mystery/Suspense, Medical or Legal Fiction (something that hasn't been done before), Literary Fiction. Nonfiction areas of interest: We are looking for very specific NF. Women's Issues/Experiences, Fun/Quirky Topics (particularly those of interest to women), Cookbooks (fun, ethnic, etc.), Health, Gardening (herbs, plants, flowers, etc.), Books with a "Save The Planet" theme, Entertaining, Reference, How-To Books. Not interested in: Category Romance, Erotica, Inspirational, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror/Dark Thrillers, Memoirs, Short stories/Novellas, Poetry, Screenplays.Christine is looking for romance and other genre, as well as kids works.

Christine Witthohn

GLA: How did you become an agent?

CW: I decided I wanted to do something I enjoyed, yet something challenging. I had always been a book worm and loved to read, and had experience as a fierce negotiator (coming from a family of eight kids) so becoming a literary agent was a natural fit for me. I started by offering myself up as slave labor (all expenses on my own dime) to many literary agencies, only to get the doors slammed in my face! This only made me more determined.
        Four years later, after monthly trips of traveling back and forth to NY to meet with publishing pros, developing and nurturing important industry contacts, taking classes and attending legal/contract workshops on both coasts, and attending a numerous conferences … I finally opened my agency’s doors in 2006.

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

CW: Kathryne Kennedy’s Talismans of Elfhame, her new historical paranormal romance series, to Deb Werksman at Sourcebooks, at auction, in a three-book deal.

GLA: Concerning children's writing, you seek "tween." Do you mean middle grade or true tween?

CW: Middle grade. I am finding that interest in middle grade is really starting to pick up. Many of the editors I talk to are looking for wholesome, character-driven tween stories (for example: a boy and his dog/a girl and her horse). Don’t get me wrong, editors are still looking for great YA (young adult), but don’t overlook middle grade.
        As for marketing middle grade and tween, that can be a little tricky. It can also depend on the subject matter and bookstore. Sometimes I see tween in the teen section of book stores and sometimes it will be displayed in the children’s section.

GLA: In YA and teen, what are some page 1 cliches you come across? What do you see too much of at the beginning of a juvenile ms?

CW: The most common problem I see is a story that’s been told a million times before, without any new twists to make it unique enough to stand out. Same plot, same situations, same set up = the same ole story. For example: abusive parents/kid’s a rebel; family member(s) killed tragically/kid’s a loner; divorced parents/kid acts out.
        Another problem I often see is when the protagonist/main characters don’t have an age- appropriate voice. For example: if your main character is 14, let him talk like a 14-year-old.
        And lastly, being unable to “connect” with the main character(s). For example: characters are too whiny or bratty. Character shows no emotion/angst.

GLA: Speaking of which, what do you come across too much of in romance concerning the hook or on page 1?

CW: 1) Too much backstory in the set up. 2) The hook/heroine’s situation isn’t unique enough to stand out. 3) The story doesn’t grab you from the beginning to make me (or any reader, for that matter) want to keep reading. 4) The writer has a really good plot idea, but the execution falls short.

GLA: You seek romance, but are you looking for single-title or series or ... ?

CW: I rep single title romance (unless a current client writes category, too).
I look for contemporary (esp. with humor), paranormal (no werewolves or shapeshifters, please), and love mystery/suspense.

GLA: What are you looking for right now and not getting? What do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?

CW: Something so entertaining and well written, I can’t put the story down!
If you are a writer and have a story like that… please drop everything and send it to me, along with a synopsis! (cw@bookcentsliteraryagency.com)
        What do I pray for? For Judith Ann (a junior agent) to come and tell me she’s already read through the whole pile! No, seriously… to find a jewel of a story.

GLA: Let's say someone came up to you and said, "I have this story about a woman but I don't if it's women's fiction or literary fiction." What would you say to them to help them decide?

CW: Great question! I won’t take the easy way out and say, “I know it when I see it.” The difference is often subjective, but women’s fiction really focuses more on the voice/narrative and the plot, whereas, literary fiction has more emotional depth and focuses more on style.
        I would ask the person to tell me a little bit more about their story (I need more info than “this story about a woman”). If the story sounded interesting, I’d tell them to send me a synopsis and the first chapter.

GLA: Let's stay on the topic of women's fiction because no agent has ever really delved into it. From reading good books and seeing bad submissions, what can you tell us about the dos and don't of this category? In other words, fill in this sentence, "If you're writing a women's fiction book, three things are of the highest importance ... "

CW: 1) You must have a unique plot with a great hook. 2) The story needs to be single title length (do your homework!). 3) READ - know the market you are targeting.

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

CW: Yes, and I go out of my way to be approachable and make myself available to writers. I try to participate in many festivities at most of the writers' conferences I attend and I never leave early. I encourage people to introduce themselves to me at conferences and I always make time for them when they do.
       Upcoming conferences: RT Convention (April 23-26), MWA Edgar Symposium (April 29-30), The Writer's Digest Books Conference Pitch Slam (May 28), BookExpo America (May 29-30). I will be at many more. Check my website.

GLA: Speaking of conferences, tell us a little about this conference you co-sponsor in Italy...

CW: In 2007, I was invited to the Women’s Fiction Festival (WFF) in Matera, Italy. I attended, and loved it! So much so, I became a sponsor. By far, it was the best conference I had ever been to. Believe it or not, it’s not just the shopping, food, or wine that makes this conference stand out. It’s the people! The festival is an international writers' conference. Writers have access to agents and editors from the American, British, German and Italian markets (soon to include French and Spanish). I have never been to a conference where writers have so much one-on-one access to industry professionals. This is particularly valuable to someone who is already published and wants to promote themselves in a foreign market.
        As if that isn’t enough, the municipality of Matera (a UNESCO world heritage site and popular film locale) holds its own town festival around the writers' conference so attendees can taste local foods. Booths are set up with free samples of: breads, wines, cheeses, olives, produce, and pastries. They also provide entertainment with live bands on Friday and Saturday nights. What’s not to love?

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

CW: Writing is a process - Writing IS re-writing. Hone your skills (take classes/study the craft). Believe in yourself and your work. Maintain a sense of humor. Never give up. And most important ... Keep writing!
        The very best of luck to everyone

Want more on this subject?

5 Signs a Literary Agent is a Good Match For You.

See examples of Successful Queries that agents liked.

Check out The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters.

How to Write a Synopsis for a Novel.

Facebook, Twitter and Literary Agents.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Children's Writing | Genre Writing | Romance

Friday, April 03, 2009 9:54:01 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [4]

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

New Agent Alert: Sara Megibow of Nelson Literary
Posted by Chuck

Kristin Nelson, of Nelson Literary in Denver, has announced that her long-time assistant, Sara Megibow, is now a full acquiring agent. Sara has worked with Kristin for some time (and therefore has probably learned everything she ever needed to know about agenting), and has helped sell several books.

Below you will find Kristin's
"wants" in terms of fiction:

"Science Fiction and Fantasy = This is probably my all time favorite genre. For me, it is important to create a vivid, intense world that is incorporated seamlessly into an engaging story with complex characters. Here are some recent reads which I feel capture these qualities: Old Man's War by John Scalzi, The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch and His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik.

Romance = I love super sexy, intelligent romances. My favorite authors are Sherry Thomas (I know, I know, I'm biased) and Pamela Clare (everything she's written). I'm a romantic, so about any subgenre works for me (except inspirational) as long as the writing is superior and the characters are solid.

Young Adult and Middle Grade = I have to admit, vampires and werewolves are not top on my list right now. I know it can still be done, but I am secretly on the look-out for books set in the real world (with a multicultural spin or a historical spin would be great).

Finally, that all-encompassing genre of commercial fiction. For me, just about anything goes as long as it's well written. I couldn't put down Mistress of the Art of Death by Arianne Franklin. Bring on the historicals and the multiculturals in this area too."

Sara Megibow

Children's Writing | Genre Writing | New Agency Alerts | Romance | Science Fiction and Fantasy

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 1:45:07 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Rappaport Agency Opens
Posted by Chuck

Jenny Rappaport recently left L. Perkins Associates to form her own agency: The Rappaport Agency. Her new Web site is up, and she recently held a query contest to kick off the new venture.

Here are some query instructions
from Jenny. See more information
on her Web site.

"Only email queries are currently accepted. Please send your email to queries@rappaportagency.com. Be sure to include the world 'Query' in the subject line, and your contact information in the body of the e-mail.
       Jenny primarily represents science fiction and fantasy, horror, young adult fiction, and romance, along with a few select nonfiction titles. In science fiction and fantasy, her tastes are very broad, but be careful for cliches. There's so much wonderful material out there to explore that every fantasy novel doesn't need the stereotypical elf, dwarf, and farmboy-turned-world savior, all of whom start their adventure in a bar with tavern wenches. Regarding horror, she prefers the darker, psychological side of things, and she very firmly does not like splatterpunk.
        She represents all types of young adult fiction, but her favorites are the ones that fall into the SFF or horror genres. Regarding romance, she is only looking for historical romances and paranormals (contemporary or historical). She also handles a bit of women's fiction, and is always a sucker for a very good historical novel. Literary fiction is difficult to place with us.
        The Rappaport Agency does not represent picture books, most types of nonfiction, or religious fiction."

Genre Writing | New Agency Alerts | Romance | Science Fiction and Fantasy

Tuesday, November 18, 2008 3:32:47 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Monday, October 06, 2008

Agent Advice: Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary
Posted by Chuck

"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 Scott Eagan, founder of Greyhaus Literary Agency near Seattle.

He is seeking: Scott Eagan represents writers of romance and women's fiction. See more online at his website. In his words: "I am ACTIVELY (can I make that any louder?) looking for Hot and Steamy contemporary romances for the Mills and Boon Modern Heat Line."

GLA: How did you become an agent?

SE: I had been teaching English for more than 10 years and had just moved from the K-12 system to the collegiate level. At that time I had also done some work with my own writing (I write poetry on the side). I was looking for a change of career and everything sort of fell into place at the right time. With my background in English, degrees in English Literature, Creative writing and Literacy, this seemed to be the right move.

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

SE: I have been doing a lot of work recently with both SourceBooks and with Harlequin Mills and Boon. In both cases, the work has been primarily in the historical romance market. Right now, my top two writers are Michele Young from Toronto and Bronwyn Scott from the US. Michele has come out with No Regrets and The Lady Flees Her Lord, both stories with unconventional but very real heroines. The men fall in love with them for who they are not what they look like. As for Bronwyn Scott, she has been active with the new Harlequin Historical undone line releasing Pickpocket Countess and Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady. She is also part of the new e-book line they are releasing.

GLA: Your specialties are romance and women's fiction. What attracted you to these areas?

SE: First of all, I have to say, I just love these stories. Both romance and good women’s fiction tend to make you feel pretty good when you finish a great book. Business-wise, I chose these lines simply due to supply and demand. Although a lot of agencies represent these genres, few only focus on the genre. I believe it is important to focus on one area and do it well.

GLA: How does a writer know she's writing women's fiction, as opposed to literary fiction?

SE: I think I have a fairly good definition of women’s fiction. These are not simply stories with female characters but stories that tell us the female journey. Women’s fiction is a way for women to learn and grow and to relate to others what it is to be a woman. When I think of literary fiction, the emphasis is placed more on the telling of a good story instead of making the female journey the centerpiece.

GLA: There is a lot of romance out there. What can set a story apart from the many bad ones?

SE: What I find separates the good from the bad is the depth I which the stories go to be unique and real. There are a lot of stories out there that are just copying a template. Sure the story is a fun read, but I just wouldn’t put it up there with the “good” stories. When I find an author that does that, I just can’t put the book down. I really hear the voice of the author coming right off the page.

GLA: Let's talk queries. Specifically - the pitch paragraph. What must be in there for you to be interested?

SE: The pitch is simple. I want to know not only the basics (the genre, word count and title) but I want to really know what makes this story unique and different from everything else out there. Anymore, it is not so much a matter of being a good writer, you have to have a story that makes us stand up and take notice. Along the same lines, I want an author to show me he or she understands the business and their place in the world.

GLA: When pitching a romance, should a writer have more books lined up or planned out? I know that romance writers usually pen multiple books (and sometimes even have multiple series). From a career standpoint, what must a writer know if they want to write romance? On this note, if a writer came to you and said "I have one book and don't plan to write another," would you take it on if it was good?

SE: As an agent, I am looking for someone to be in it for the long haul. Unless the story is such a breakout novel (which you really don’t find very often), a writer will need to have more books ready to go. Now, does this mean the author should have the books written? Not necessarily. The author may simply have an idea of how they are going to become a “brand.”

GLA: From that career standpoint, a writer needs to have a clear picture of where they want to be in the next 5 years and even in the next 10. This needs to be a realistic picture and not the belief that she will retire immediately from all the proceeds of the book.

SE: As far as the writer with one book. The odds are, I would pass on it. Again, since I am working with the romance and women’s fiction genre, they will not make enough money off that one book to make it worth our time.

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

SE: I have very little things on my agenda right now. I’m tentatively heading to the Silicon Valley RWA chapter in May and will be at the RWA national conference in Washington D.C. in 2009. When it comes to conferences, I go to where I am invited.
Another great place to meet me would be via my blog or even taking my online Marketing Your Fiction Novel Class (information on my website).

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

SE: I would simply tell writers to do their research and don’t rush into the publishing. Be ready to make the move both with your manuscripts and mentally. Know exactly who you are sending your works to and why. The more you know, the better off you will be.

Want more on this subject?

See all agent interviews here.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Interested in romance? Dorchester editor Leah Hultenschmidt gace a great interview on this blog. See Part I and Part II.

Interested in romance? Check out our online course: "Essentials of Romance Writing."

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Genre Writing | Romance | Women's Fiction

Monday, October 06, 2008 7:39:06 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [3]

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

New Agency Alert: Wolfson Literary Agency
Posted by Chuck

Michelle Wolfson has recently left Artists and Artisans to form her own literary agency. Her new agency Web page is under construction, but she already sent her info over, mentioning that she is "actively seeking clients."

Wolfson Literary Agency

P.O. Box 266, New York NY 10276. E-mail: query@wolfsonliterary.com. Web site: www.wolfsonliterary.com/. Contact: Michelle Wolfson. New agency actively seeking clients. Prior to forming her own agency, Michelle spent two years with Artists & Artisans, Inc. and two years with Ralph Vicinanza, Ltd. Established: 2007. Adheres to AAR canon of ethics. Currently Handles: 40% Nonfiction Books, 60% Novels.

Nonfiction areas of interest: Business, Child Guidance, Health, How-to, Humor/Satire, Popular Culture, Self-Help/Personal Improvement, Women's Issues/Studies. Fiction areas of interest: Action/Adventure, Detective/Police, Erotica, Family Saga, Mainstream/Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense, Romance, Thriller, Young Adult, Women's.

How to Contact: E-queries only! Accepts simultaneous submissions.
Responds in 2 weeks to queries; 3 months to manuscripts. Does not return submissions. Obtains new clients through: Recommendations from others and submissions. Actively seeking: commercial fiction, mainstream, mysteries, thrillers, suspense, women's fiction, romance, YA, practical nonfiction (particularly of interest to women), advice, medical, pop culture, humor, business. Terms: Agent receives 15% commission on domestic sales; 25% commission on foreign sales. Offers written contract. Writer's Conferences: SDSU Writers' Conference; New Jersey Romance Writers of America Writers' Conference. Tips: "Be persistent."

Genre Writing | New Agency Alerts | Romance | Women's Fiction

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 2:13:04 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [4]

New Agency Alert: PlainSmart Publishing Agency (Complete)
Posted by Chuck

Previously, I posted some info on a new literary agency, Plainsmart Publishing Agency. Below you can find complete and updated information that was sent to me today.

PlainSmart Publishing Agency

520 Kerr St., #20033, Oakville ON L6K 3C7, Canada. E-mail: query@plainsmart.com; info@plainsmart.com. Web site: www.plainsmart.com/contactinfo.html. Contact: Curtis Russell. Seeking new and established writers. Established: 2005. Represents 8 clients. 25% of clients are new/unpublished writers. Specializes in: "We take on a very small number of clients per year in order to provide focused, hands-on representation. We pride ourselves in providing industry leading client service." Currently Handles: 50% Nonfiction Books; 50% Novels.

Nonfiction areas of interest: Biography, Business, Child Guidance, Cooking, Current Affairs, Government, Health, How-to, Humor, Memoirs, Military, Money, Nature, Popular Culture, Science, Self-Help, Sports, True Crime, Women's Issues/Studies. Fiction areas of interest: Action/Adventure, Detective/Police, Erotica, Ethnic, Family Saga, Historical, Horror, Humor, Juvenile, Literary, Mainstream, Mystery/Suspense, Picture Books, Romance, Sports, Thriller, Young Adult, Women's.

How to Contact: Query with SASE. Submit: Synopsis (for fiction) and Author Bio. Accepts e-mail queries. No fax queries. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 6 weeks to queries; 6 weeks to manuscripts. Does not return submissions. Does not want: poetry or screenplays. Recent Sales: World Famous, by David Tyreman (AMACOM); What Burns Within and The Frailty of Flesh, by Sandra Ruttan; The Road to a Nuclear al-qaeda, by Al J. Venter (Potomac). Terms: Agent receives 15% commission on domestic sales; 25% commission on foreign sales. Offers written contract. Termination notice: 30-day This agency charges for postage/messenger services only if a project is sold. Tips: "Please review our Web site for the most up-to-date submission guidelines."

Genre Writing | New Agency Alerts | Nonfiction | Romance | Women's Fiction

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 1:55:45 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Agent Advice: Janet Benrey of Benrey Literary
Posted by Chuck

"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 Janet Benrey, founder of Benrey Literary in New Bern, N.C. Janet founded Benrey Literary in 2006. Previously with Hartline Literary Agency, Janet worked several jobs that have had two common themes: marketing and publishing. A published novelist, she's co-written seven cozy mysteries with her husband.

She is seeking: For fiction, she is currently seeking contemporary women’s fiction for both markets, romance for both markets, and suspense/thriller for the secular market. She does not handle science fiction, fantasy or erotica. For nonfiction, she's looking for Christian Living books and self-help books for both markets. She's also keeping her eyes open for a unique project that captures her interest.

Janet Benrey

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

JB: Just this week, my client, Brenda Minton, received an offer from Harlequin's Steeple Hill Love Inspired for her second book, Making It Right.

GLA: When writers send you a nonfiction book proposal, what are the most common things you see lacking?

JB: Nonfiction proposals should be fairly easy to write. There's a lot of information available to writers on how to write the greatest, the most compelling, the "no-fail" nonfiction proposal, so I'm often surprised when authors fail to mention their reasons and credentials for writing the work. Like publishers, I often jump to the credentials section of the proposal before getting to the meat of the proposal. I need to know why an author is qualified to write what they're writing and how their work differs from what has already been published on the topic they've chosen.

GLA: One of your specialties is "Christian Living." Can you help define this and give a few book examples?

JB: The Christian Living category of books represents a huge umbrella that covers a multitude of topics. Christian Living works can include books on issues of importance to women, men and teenagers; Christian Living books can be about parenting, marriage, family life, divorce, breast cancer, healing, health, faith journies, spiritual challenges, leadership and devotionals. (One) series that I've contracted is for three books with a theme of taking faith to the next level. These were written by a pastor of a large church and the audience will be members of churches across the country who are interested in working through a study program that deals with parenting and other topics.

GLA: You handle different genre work—mystery, romance, Christian. When an author queries you, should they say their submission is simply a "mystery" or a "romance"? Or do they need to be more specific, saying it's a "cozy" or a "Christian romance" or a "sensuous contemporary"?

JB: Please tell me in which genre you're writing. An amazing number of authors fail to do this, leaving me to scratch my head. Please be specific. For example: This is a (insert word count) cozy mystery written for the Christian market. This is a (insert word count) contemporary/historical Christian romance. This does two things. It tells me that you read in your chosen genre and that you have a grasp of the requirements of the marketplace.

GLA: Bottom line—what attracts you to a work?

JB: Voice. Ain't got voice, ain't gonna sell. Voice is craft. Voice is dialogue. Voice is creating a fictional dream. Voice is the narrator you chose for your story. Voice is doing everything well. Voice is point of view. Voice is the sound of the novel