Guide to Literary Agents - Genre Writing

How to Start Your Mystery Novel

Chuck — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 16:31:37 GMT

No pressure, but the opening of your book is the gatekeeper in determining whether your novel will sell. If your opening is weak, it won’t matter if chapter two is a masterpiece. Editors and agents will stop reading before they get to it.

This column excerpted from Hallie Ephron's
Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel.

Hopefully you’ve already scoped out a dramatic scene to open your novel. You know who’s in the scene and what’s going to happen to propel the novel forward. Your opening scene can be long or short. It can be action packed or moody, rich in description, or skeletal and spare. It may contain a vivid sense of setting or a strong shot of character. Regardless of what’s in that scene, the reader should have some idea what the story is going to be about after reading it, or at least have a good sense of the theme and be eager to turn the page.

Think about:

How does the opening sentence set up the scene?
What’s the out-of-whack event, and how does it pull the reader forward?
In what tense is this told, and from which character’s point of view?
What do we know about the setting?
What’s the weather and time of day?
What do we learn about Russ Van Alstyne?
Why does this event matter to this protagonist?
What does this opening scene suggest that the book is going to be about?
Does this opening develop plot or characters?

THE DRAMATIC OPENING

A good way to start the opening scene is by jumping right into the action. Here are some opening lines that catapult the reader into the story:

"When the first bullet hit my chest, I thought of my daughter."
        - No Second Chance, Harland Coben)

"Gordon Michaels stood in the fountain with all his clothes on."
        - Banker, Dick Francis

"The house in Silverlake was dark, its windows as empty as a dead man’s eyes."
        - The Concrete Blonde, Michael Connelly

"I was fifteen years old when I first met Sherlock Holmes, fifteen years old with my nose in a book as I walked the Sussex Downs, and nearly stepped on him."
        - The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, Laurie R. King

"They were thirty-five nautical miles off the coast of Rhode Island."
        - The Mayday, Bill Eidson

Your opening line is important, but don’t obsess about it. Just write an opening line that puts the reader into the scene, get past it, and keep going. You can make it “perfect” later.

HOW TO WRITE IT

The first scene of your book presents some unique problems. Your primary job is to get your story moving while at the same time introduce your reader to the characters and setting. Keep your eye on the story you’re setting up—something intriguing has to happen. Lay in just enough character and setting description to orient the reader. You have the rest of the book to fill in the blanks. Write the opening scene using the elements you sketched out. You can make revisions later as you learn more about topics such as setting the scene, introducing characters, writing dialogue and internal dialogue, and creating action.

Want more info on writing a great mystery novel? Check out the book.

Want more on this subject?

6 Keys to Revising Your Fiction.

The Different Stages of Querying.

4 Ways to Beat Writers Block and Write From Anywhere.

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 Irene Goodman On: How to Write a Thriller

Chuck — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:40:25 GMT

Irene Goodman is the founder of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency. She represents memoir, narrative history, music, social issues and commentary, animals, parenting, food, Judaica, Anglophilia, Francophilia, crafts, and lifestyle. Her fiction list includes historical fiction, women's fiction, thrillers, literary fiction, and mysteries.

Irene offers manuscript critiques on eBay every month, starting on the first day of each month, with all proceeds going to charity. Click on the link for more details on these critiques and charity auctions.

What do I look for in a thriller?

1. I look for something that jumps out at me in an original way. So many thriller queries sound the same that they all start to blur. I lean toward things that have a romanticized air to them, such as finding Noah's Ark or chasing down some ancient legend or artifact. But so much of that has been done that you need to be careful. Try for something that is fresh and appealing without being too off the mark.

2. So many thrillers are male-driven. No matter how smartass the obligatory female character may be, if she always needs to be rescued, it's a drag. I would love to see a series starring a female Israeli ace pilot who is an expert in the exclusive and difficult martial art, krav maga, practiced mostly in Israel. This would be interesting and it would be encouraging. One of the foremost practitioners of krav maga in Israel today does happen to be a woman. She's tough and she's beautiful, and you wouldn't want to mess with her. That's my idea of a heroine. I don't mean to suggest that this kind of novel should be political or choose sides or stand on a soapbox. That wouldn't be fun to read. But a kickass woman who can hold her own would be delightful.

3. I look for clear, discernable plots that don't have to be untangled for me to understand them. I want to be fully engaged in a story without having to stop to figure out what's going on.

4. A thriller should be thrilling. It should have a larger-than-life quality, even if it's about regular people in extraordinary circumstances. I want to be scared, excited and hopeful that everything will work out, even if it doesn't.

5. I want to like the characters. Too many thrillers have competent plotlines, but the characters are just pawns being moved through a plot. If I can really care about them, and you put them in jeopardy, that's what it's really all about.

Want more on this subject?

Read an interview with agent Meredith Kaffel (Charlotte Sheedy Literary)

Read an interview with agent Lucienne Diver (The Knight Agency)

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!

Successful Queries: Agent Christine Witthohn and Rochelle Staab's ''Hollywood Hoodoo''

Chuck — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:26:40 GMT

This 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 38th installment in this series is with agent Christine Witthohn (Book Cents Literary) and her author, Rochelle Staab, for the murder mystery novel, Hollywood Hoodoo.

In lieu of a cover (not available yet), this is a
nice picture of author Rochelle Staab.

Dear Ms. Witthohn,

I am pleased to submit for your consideration, Hollywood Hoodoo, a witty murder mystery with a voodoo curse, set in contemporary Los Angeles. It's complete at 71,000 words.

In Hollywood Hoodoo, mysterious tarot cards, a cursed voodoo spell book, and the falsely accused team of L.A. Clinical Psychologist Liz Cooper and Religious Philosophy Professor Nick Garfield come together in the hunt for the real killer of a voodoo initiate.

Hollywood Hoodoo is the first of a series of supernatural themed murder mysteries, featuring Liz—the pragmatic shrink, and Nick—the broad-minded occult expert.

My professional background includes Top 40 radio station programming and 28 years of executive marketing positions at Warner Bros. Records where I remain a consultant. Writing one-line headlines is fun. Writing novels is bliss. [Some personal info here was removed.]

I’m a member of MWA, RWA, SinC, and KOD. Hollywood Hoodoo has been submitted in the 2010 RWA Golden Heart contest. I understand the value of marketing and am motivated and ready to focus my efforts.

This is a multiple submission. The first chapter of Hollywood Hoodoo is copied below. Thank you for considering my work. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Rochelle Staab

Commentary from Christine:

I like queries that are short and sweet. A query should give the agent/editor the “bones” of the story. If the writer does a good job, the agent/editor will ask to see the “meat.” What I particularly liked about this query was this: the writer gave me the genre, word count, and the hook in the first two sentences. Notice how short these two sentences are?

Paragraph 1: gives the vitals; Paragraph 2: gives the bones; Paragraph 3: shows extended life—part of a series; Paragraph 4: author background/platform; Paragraph 5: organization affiliations; Paragraph 6: thanks me. The entire query is less than a page in length. Short and sweet.

Within 60 days, I signed the author and sold the series (three books) to Berkley Prime Crime. The first book comes out in 2011. Oh—and Hollywood Hoodoo was chosen as a finalist in the Golden Heart contest. We'll know if she won in July :)

Writing your query? Check out The Writer's
Digest Guide to Query Letters. It's a great,
up-to-date resource for query letter writing.

Want more on this subject?

Successful Queries: (Romance) "Proof by Seduction"

Successful Queries: (Mainstream/Literary Fiction) "The Art of Racing in the Rain"

Successful Queries: (Upmarket/Women's Fiction) "Simply from Scratch"

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!

7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Alan Orloff

Chuck — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:49:51 GMT

This is a recurring column I'm calling "7 Things I've Learned So Far," where writers at any stage of their career can talk about seven things they've learned along their writing journey that they wish they knew at the beginning. This installment is from mystery writer Alan Orloff.

Alan Orloff's debut mystery, Diamonds for the Dead,
was published in April 2010 by Midnight Ink.
He also has a new mystery series coming
in 2011. Visit his website here or see
his blog here.

1. Things move slowly in the publishing world. Be prepared to wait. A lot. For your critique group to get through your manuscript. For your queries to be answered (if you're lucky). For your partials and fulls to be read. For editors to weigh your submissions. For your book to wend its way through the production process as it heads toward the bookstore shelf. Best advice: Have some other projects to work on while you wait!

2. Getting help really helps. Critique groups can help you with your writing. An agent can help polish your submission and will know where to send it. An editor can help massage your manuscript into its optimal form. Ignore these "helpers" at your own peril. Getting published really is a village effort (so make sure you have plenty of food on hand).

3. You need a thick skin. Rejections are the norm—don't let them "spin you out." Otherwise, you'll never get any writing done. Persistence and perseverance are key.

4. Your book doesn't "belong" to only you anymore. While you were writing your manuscript, it was your baby. You could feed it what you wanted, dress it how you wanted, play with it whenever you wanted. Now, you have to share and listen to other people's "baby-raising" advice. Once you sign a contract, your book gets slotted into a release date and tossed onto the production conveyor belt. Flap copy, cover design, titles, internal and external sales pitches, copyediting, publicity, sales. It all gets done on schedule, without emotion and (mostly) without you. Get used to it.

5. Online promotion takes a lot more time than you think. Website, blog, Google Reader, Facebook, Twitter, listservs, Yahoo groups, nings, and a kajillion other social sites lure you in and won't let go. These connections are valuable, but you need to exercise discipline or you'll look up and four hours will have elapsed with nothing to show for your "writing" time except a few Mafia War hits.

6. Other writers are extremely generous. I've found other writers (published, unpublished, bloggers, Twitterers, etc.) to be very helpful with their advice, comments, and time. The sense of community among writers is unbelievably amazing!

7. Take time to enjoy every bumpy, thrilling, uncertain, joyous, nail-biting, wonderful, anxious minute. No sense getting stressed about stuff you can't control (and that encompasses a lot!). Getting your first book published is a very exciting time—be sure to stop and smell the ARCs!

Writing a mystery like Alan? Writing and
Selling Your Mystery Novel (by the very
talented Hallie Ephron) shows writers
how to build their story.

Want more on this subject?

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

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: Marlene Stringer of The Stringer Literary Agency

Chuck — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:06:05 GMT

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!

Successful Queries: Agent Jessica Faust and 'Murder on the Rocks'

Chuck — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:36:45 GMT

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 29th installment in this series is with agent Jessica Faust (Bookends, Inc.) and her author, Karen MacInerney, for the book Murder on the Rocks, the first of Karen's Gray Whale Inn mystery series.

Dear Ms. Faust,

I enjoyed meeting you at the conference in Austin this past weekend. As I mentioned, I have had my eye on BookEnds for quite some time; when I discovered you would be at the conference, I knew I had to attend. We met during the final pitch session and discussed how the series I am working on might fit in with your current line of mystery series. Per your request, I have enclosed a synopsis and first three chapters of Murder on the Rocks, and 80,000-word cozy mystery that was a finalist in this year’s Writers’ League of Texas manuscript contest and includes several bed-and-breakfast recipes.

Thirty-eight-year-old Natalie Barnes has quit her job, sold her house and gambled everything she has on the Gray Whale Inn on Cranberry Island, Maine. But she’s barely fired up the stove when portly developer Bernard Katz rolls into town and starts mowing through her morning glory muffins. Natalie needs the booking, but Katz is hard to stomach—especially when he unveils his plan to build an oversized golf resort on top of the endangered tern colony next door. When the town board approves the new development not only do the terns face extinction, but Natalie’s Inn might just follow along. Just when Natalie thinks she can’t face more trouble, she discovers Katz’s body at the base of the cliff and becomes the number one suspect in the police’s search for a murderer. If Natalie doesn’t find the killer fast she stands to lose everything—maybe even her life.

I am a former public relations writer, a graduate of Rice University, a member of the Writers’ League of Texas, and founder of the Austin Mystery Writers critique group. I have spent many summers in fishing communities in Maine and Newfoundland, and escape to Maine as often as possible. The second Gray Whale Inn mystery, Dead and Berried, is currently in the computer.

If you would like to see the manuscript, I can be reached at (phone number). Thank you for your time and attention; I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Karen Swartz MacInerney

Commentary from Jessica

Let’s start by looking at the first paragraph. Flattery can get you everywhere and Karen used it well here. She wasn’t over the top, but stated what I can only hope are facts. We had met at the conference and she had been watching BookEnds grow. She was smart to remind me immediately how we had met and that we had a personal connection.

I like that Karen put the title in italics. Bold, italics, whatever, but something to make your title jump out a little helps. I’m not sure why, but it does. The word count is right there with the standards for cozy mysteries, and since that’s what she’s targeting she’s headed in the right direction. I also want to point out that her description actually fits her genre. All too often I’ve received submissions in which the author named a genre for the book, but the description didn’t seem to match the genre.

Typically I would say that Karen’s blurb is a little long and I suspect she could probably have tightened it to one paragraph, but it does work. What really works about it for me is that it gives a sense of Karen’s voice and the feeling for the book. I like the sentence, “But she’s barely fired up the stone when portly developer Bernard Katz rolls into town and starts mowing through her morning glory muffins.” There is so much that’s said in that one line and so much we learn. I get the sense that Karen’s voice is light with a touch of humor and I get a real feel for the hominess of the bed-and-breakfast as well as the arrogance of Bernard Katz.

Karen’s credentials are impressive. She’s obviously been writing for a while and I really like the addition of her summers in Maine. I think it’s a personal touch, but one that’s perfectly related to the book. Book note: We did in fact sell Murder on the Rocks. It was the first title to launch her Gray Whale Inn series. So this query letter truly did launch an exciting career for Karen.

This query featured in the book
Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript, 3rd. Ed.
To see dozens of query letter examples (novels,
nonfiction, short stories, kids books and more),
seek out this title.

Want more on this subject?

Successful Queries: (Romance) "Proof by Seduction"

Successful Queries: (Mainstream/Literary Fiction) "The Art of Racing in the Rain"

Successful Queries: (Upmarket/Women's Fiction) "Simply from Scratch"

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: Robin Rue of Writers House

Chuck — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:35:43 GMT

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 Robin Rue of Writers House. Robin Rue began her career as an editor at Dell, but has since spent more than 30 years as an agent.

She is seeking: mystery, commercial fiction, fantasy, romance, young adult, thrillers/suspense, with a specialization in paranormal and suspense romance authors. She does not seek nonfiction. She does not accept e-mail queries. See full submissions guidelines here.

GLA: Why did you become an agent?

RR: I was in editorial for eight years and worked for four different publishing houses before becoming an agent in 1984. I wasn’t happy working for a corporation and realized I preferred working as a writers’ advocate. That said, my in-house publishing experience has served me well these many years.

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

RR: I’ve been doing this for over 25 years and represent at least 12 New York Times bestselling authors. I’ve done many deals recently! Not all “notable,” mind you—sometimes, the best and sweetest deals are the smaller ones. And, in this market, all deals are notable!

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

RR: I’m always looking for a fresh voice, a good story, and compelling characters.

GLA: You specialize in paranormal and suspense romance authors. In your opinion, are vampires here to stay, or is there something new on the horizon?

RR: Paranormal seems to be a lively trend with readers staying loyal to the classic authors, but I do feel it might be harder to break into that market now, as it is quite filled up on publishers’ lists. My list includes many paranormal and suspense romance authors, but I also work with historical romance, mysteries, men’s thrillers, young adult fiction and even illustrated children’s books.

GLA: Do you still take science fiction? Have you noticed any trends in what you tend to represent?

RR: I do very little science fiction, and the authors that I work with who write in that field are essentially fun to read. I’m not involved enough in the genre to be able to anticipate new angles. I think, just like all genres, a good story, well told, with wonderful characters is the best way to compete with trends.

GLA: Speaking of vampires: Edward or Jacob?

RR: As Writers House (and my good friend, Jodi Reamer) represents the Twilight books, I will stay loyal to both Edward and Jacob.

One of Robin's clients is JoAnn Ross.
Check out her book, "Shattered."

GLA: There is some confusion among writers concerning urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Is there more of a distinction between the two than simply an urban setting? In your mind, what separates these subgenres?

RR: Urban fantasy versus paranormal romance is always a fine line. I think urban fantasy lingers a tad longer on the wider plot, and paranormal romance lingers a tad longer on the chemistry between the two main characters.

GLA: With regard to romance, do you accept both category and single titles?

RR: I like all forms of romance. My client list includes a very wide variety of authors who write very different types of romantic fiction. I do not tend to represent category anymore, although I certainly have authors who have written category!

GLA: Where do you notice writers are going wrong in chapter one?

RR: If I’m bored in chapter one, I rarely read further. I don’t like sloppy presentations (grammatical errors, typos). Writing is such an organic gift—I usually see something worthwhile pretty quickly that makes me want to read on, or not.

GLA: What is the one thing you wish you could tell writers pitching you in person?

RR: Relax. I’m not the only authority. If something is not for me, it may easily be just right for another agent/editor.

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

RR: Be focused, be patient, and find an agent you trust. Listen, and be pragmatic as well as ambitious. Have fun, and don’t forget what got you into this business in the first place—your love of books and your love of writing.

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?

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!

How I Got My Agent: April Henry

Chuck — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:23:32 GMT

"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 mystery and thriller writer April Henry.
She has published eight books, and will have
two more out this year. The paperback of
Face of Betrayal comes out tomorrow (Feb. 1).
Learn more at her website and also see her blog.

I STILL HAVE MY EARLY REJECTIONS

I started trying to get in 1991—before there was a World Wide Interweb. I had a literary agent guide with a green cover that I poured over religiously. I think it was called Literary Agents of North America, as if it were a guide to infrequent sightings of a rare species. I got over a hundred rejections total for my first novel and then my second. Some agents rejected a book as soon as they read my query; others after they read part or all of the book.

I still have the file of those rejections, which I called Submissions & Rejections. And it still fills me with a mix of anxiety, shame, and self-pity to page through them. “I’m afraid I can’t provide the necessary enthusiasm,” wrote Anita Diamant about my second novel. (Anita ended up becoming an author herself and writing the bestselling book The Red Tent.) Sterling Lord, who at that point had been an agent for 40 years and whose clients included Jack Keroac and Ken Kesey, also “did not feel enthusiastic enough.”

Another agency offered to look at my manuscript—if I would pay $400 first. Some gave thoughtful responses, like the agent who found my writing “effective,” but then added that the structure was “unwieldy.” One sent me two pages of comments about characters and plot. Even the mixed messages, like the agent who said I had “real talent” but then added she hadn’t felt compelled to keep reading, gave me hope. I got typewritten responses, handwritten notes, letters from dot-matrix printers, form rejection letters addressed to “Dear Author” that had clearly been photocopied dozens of times, and one memorable “No!” scrawled on the top of my query and sent back in my self-addressed stamped envelope.

A DEAD END

I tried reaching out to a few authors: Marge Piercy, Beth Gutcheon, and Elinor Lipman (who was just starting out, but I had met her cousin at a business seminar). Again, since this was before the Internet and author websites, my letters first had to find their way to the publisher and then to the writer. All tried to offer advice, but they weren’t agents and often their own agents weren’t taking on new clients.

I brought Elinor’s letter with me to a signing of hers a few years ago. While she didn’t remember writing it, she marveled at the fact that it was handwritten.

FINDING "THE ONE"

I read this article, which appeared 18 years ago. I read it a couple of months after it came out, because my officemate used to bring me her old New York Times. After reading the article, I looked up Harold Ober in my green book. That was it. There was no other way to figure out more about them. (Sometimes I try to recreate how I used to learn about things before the Internet, and it gives me a headache.) I typed up a letter (no e-mail, remember?) to an agent there, Wendy, and got ready to send it off. At the last minute, I double-checked the spelling on her name. I had to re-type the letter and envelope when I realized there was no T on Schmalz.

Wendy replied (by letter) and asked for a full manuscript. Then she contacted me (by landline phone) and offered to represent me. Now, years later, we’ve been together longer than some couples have been married. I’ve had eight books published, with five more on the way. During that time, I also wrote two books that did not find a publisher. Both were books I loved. I could have been crushed. But by then I was hooked, too stubborn to stop. Instead, I kept writing.

And what if I had given up years ago, after my hundredth rejection from a literary agent? Around the same time, I took a writing class. At least two of the folks in that class—T. and J.—were far better writers than I was. They both gave up after getting a few rejections from agents. As far as I know, they haven't been published. So don't you give up, too. Keep going!

No matter what kind of agent you're aiming
for, the best all-around database is
Guide to Literary Agents. Buy it here.

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!

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing Mysteries

Chuck — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:14:34 GMT

“What I like in a good author is not
what he says, but what he whispers."
~ Logan Pearsall Smith

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 on writing mysteries.

1. What a girl wants. In an interview on the GLA blog, Agent Stacia Decker discusses what she’s looking for in a mystery, as well as some ins and outs of the genre.

2. Hook ‘em Dano. On the working writers blog, they list 3 ways to make your mystery stand out.

3. Follow the rules. On the About.com fiction writing site, they list 10 rules for writing mysteries.

4. Look at all the angles. On her mystery writing site, Elizabeth Craig discusses how writers can improve an idea.

5. It begins on Page 1. On his blog, mystery writer, Bill Cameron debates the use of a Prologue.

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!

Agent Advice: Stacia Decker of Donald Maass Literary

Chuck — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:46:14 GMT

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 Stacia Decker, an agent with the Donald Maass Literary Agency, which she joined in 2009 after agenting at Firebrand Literary. A former editor at Harcourt and Otto Penzler Books, Stacia began her career at Farrar, Straus & Giroux after earning an MFA in nonfiction writing at Columbia University.

She is looking for: mystery, suspense, noir, and crime fiction and is looking for a strong voice, dark humor, fast-paced plotting, and unpredictable violence.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

SD: After I was laid off in the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt merger, I decided I wouldn’t be happy without the flexibility to purse the writers and projects I believed in, and that meant agenting. I started at Firebrand Literary, and when that agency closed a few months later, I called Don Maass and we started talking about me joining the agency. Needless to say, my authors were thrilled when I announced we had a new home with Don. I cannot say enough about Don’s editorial insight, ethical judgment, and professionalism.

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

SD: Joelle Charbonneau’s Skating Around the Law will be published by St. Martin’s Minotaur in Fall 2010. This is the first book in the Rebecca Robbins series, which features a spunky Chicago heroine trying to sell her mother’s small-town roller rink, her combative romance with a hunky large-animal vet, and her inevitable foray into crime-solving with the help of her oversexed grandfather, Pop, and a retired circus camel, Elwood. You can learn more about Joelle at www.joellecharbonneau.net and hear her podcast with the editors of Tyrus Books.

GLA: Just so writers understand—you used to look for nonfiction but aren’t currently? Is that correct?

SD: Yes. I started my career as a nonfiction editor, and as an agent I was originally accepting nonfiction queries. I soon decided to concentrate on mystery and crime fiction, however, and made it official when I moved to the Maass agency, which represents primarily fiction.

GLA: What falls under the umbrella that of “crime fiction”?

SD: Crime fiction can include a detective or cop character—he’s just usually not the hero. I would say that crime fiction is less about the whodunit than about the protagonist’s dilemma in a criminal milieu. The protagonist may not have all the information—so there is a mystery in that he is trying to find something out—but the story is really about how he solves his problems, which are often as much about his lifestyle as about the particular crime that spurs the plot. For instance, in Ray Banks’ brilliant Saturday's Child, Cal Innes is forced by a local mob boss to find a former employee and the money he stole, but in many ways the story is about Cal trying to find a place for himself and form an adult life within a socioeconomic stratum that offers very few options.

GLA: Does “Suspense” really exist as a category? For me, the classic Suspense book is Silence of the Lambs, yet you still see a lot of blurbs in that book calling it a thriller.

SD: I believe that psychological suspense very much exists as a subgenre—and one that crosses genres as varied as literary, women’s fiction, and horror. For example, over the years I’ve seen quite a few nervy novels (particularly from the UK) featuring a female protagonist, sexual obsession, and the building threat of madness and violence rather than an initial crime that must be solved. These, to me, are best labeled Suspense.
     Not that that’s what I’m looking for. Yeah, sorry. When I say I’m looking for suspense, I’m deliberately being a bit vague because I never know when a thriller will catch my fancy—thriller being another famously ill-defined term. The properties I represent are typically more male-oriented and action-packed than strictly psychological. As for Silence of the Lambs, I would classify it as a leader in the serial killer subgenre.

GLA: Speaking of Silence of the Lambs, I remember how that book did not start out very fast. It was interesting but lacked some kind of super-interesting jump-start that you offer see in genre novels these days. What do you like to see at the beginning of a book you’re considering?

SD: A super-interesting jump-start. My books typically start with a broken nose, a dead dog, a hold-up, a body falling through a windshield, or the protagonist on his way to breaking someone’s arm.
     Because I read to live vicariously though another person’s worldview, I want a very strong voice. I want to hear someone speaking to me from the start—which is incompatible with a boring first sentence. Most of the time, I expect to start in medias res with the story unfolding with very little exposition. I should be able to pick up what I need to know from the storytelling itself. Good writing is all about what isn’t said, about what the reader infers or interprets. If something needs to be said, say it quickly and simply in the character’s voice rather than dragging me through a long scene to prove a basic point.
     A lesson I’ve learned from Don is that writers should also be aware of giving the reader a reason to care about the protagonist from the start. I’m partial to dark humor and antiheroes, but there must be something fundamentally human in the protagonist that allows the reader to care about him—and the reader has to see it early in order to keep reading.
     So, as a writer, don’t count on your reader getting to the good part. Frontload and keep on loading. You’ve got to bring your A Game from line one.

GLA: You seek these big categories—crime, suspense, mystery. But within the categories, what do you like to see?

SD: I have a real soft spot for neo-noir and crime—subgenres that typically feature protagonists who are, existentially speaking, screwed from page one, who break rules or make the wrong choices (as we’d all like to), who allow us to play out our dark fantasies and fears, who exhibit dark humor and self-deprecation, who give voice to a lower or working class existence that is under-represented in our news and art. These characters, to me, give us a window onto contemporary society and the human condition. Plus they’re fun to read.
     I’m charmed by any author who captures the nuances of human interaction and dialogue. My client Steve Weddle nailed my in-laws without even knowing it. My client Frank Wheeler recreates an Arkansas Ozark dialect that immediately puts the reader into the head of his sociopath protagonist. My client David Thayer illustrates, through his detective’s elocution, the social constraints of the mid-twentieth century. I really value this attention to language, this ability to capture a person’s history and location through his speech. The absence of this—through cliché, through generic language, though pastiche—is deadly.
     I am not often interested in characters who are extraordinarily attractive, wealthy, intelligent, accomplished, well-dressed, and confident. These characters are wish-fulfillment constructs; they’re not relatable and they’re boring. Many serial killers in fiction are also boring. Their motivations and unreliable narratives feel overly familiar, and their obvious evil requires no work on the part of the reader. Most of us understand traditional definitions of right and wrong, good and bad, success and failure. I’m more interested in stories and characters that blur those distinctions and force us to think about those categories.
     I’m also interested in issues of masculinity and male identity and the way that these issues play out in these stories. While the male experience has disproportionately dominated the historical record, I feel that the vulnerability of that identity has been unfairly underrepresented. It’s an important subject and it’s one organically addressed in genre fiction. Didacticism is a turn-off, but I notice symbolism and motifs and appreciate a genuine portrayal of the dilemmas inherent in the male gender construct.
     I want the story to keep moving—in this genre, that often means violence. And if you’re going to have violence, it—as with any plot element—had better be unpredictable. Much of what I represent is unabashedly violent, but I feel it’s organic to the plot, realistic to the characters, and relevant to the reader’s interest in what the human experience can contain. That said, I’m not particularly interested in stories that highlight violence against women or children; rape and molestation are, to me, the stuff of news rather than entertainment. In the end, this is entertainment. I want to live vicariously through a physically damaged yet resilient, less morally constrained character who experiences drama uncommon to my daily life. And it helps if he’s funny. Dark humor keeps a story surprising.

GLA: Top three mistakes you see in a query letters?

SD: The number one mistake is not telling me what the book is about. This includes being so vague that after a paragraph of description I still can’t identify basic plot elements. It includes pasting the first fives pages of the novel into the body of an email with absolutely no cover letter. It includes sending me an email informing me that your cover letter and synopsis are in the attached documents. It includes letting me know that you’re writing a novel but, in place of a pitch, you would like to send me a short story featuring the same protagonist. It includes telling me all about you and your reasons for writing the novel but nothing about the book itself. These are all query letters that do not function as query letters.
     Most other “mistakes” are forgivable or let me in on legitimate reasons why I am not the right agent for you. For instance, querying me for genres I don’t represent (YA, fantasy, science fiction) is a waste of your time, but there’s probably nothing wrong with the query letter itself. Letting slip personality characteristics or sales expectations that clash with my own—again, only a mistake if you want to embark on a professional relationship destined for failure.
     A good query letter should mimic the hardcover flap copy or paperback cover copy you would expect to see on your book should it be published. That’s because, ideally, your query letter becomes your agent’s pitch letter, which becomes your editor’s catalogue copy, which becomes your book’s flap copy. Agents and editors are overworked and nobody likes to reinvent the wheel. Make it easier on them by giving them what they need to sell your book. Go look at some copy—it includes a snappy description of the plot (the hook and one significant twist that ups the drama, not a blow by blow synopsis), relevant information about the author, and maybe blurbs. That’s it. If you happen to dog-sit for Stephen King and he promised to blurb your book, let me know. Otherwise—and, really, even then—keep it short, pithy, and professional.
     That said, I’ve signed plenty of clients whose query letters were flawed or contained outright pet peeves of mine. Do your research and do a halfway decent job on your query letter and the strength of your writing and your personality will shine through and matter most.

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

SD: I will be at Bloody Words in Toronto and at Bouchercon in San Francisco, but writers are better off pitching over e-mail.

GLA: Do you realize you share the same last name as the protagonist in Blade Runner, a fantastically awesome noir movie? How does this make you feel?

SD: Actually, it’s Rick Deckard. A fact that I find horribly, horribly disappointing, as I am a huge Blade Runner fan and misheard his name as Decker when I first saw the movie at a young age. (I also thought Billy Idol played Roy Batty—or Roy Baty, as in the novel.) I must now go on record as saying that I prefer the original theater release version (complete with voiceover and full eye-gouge) to the director’s cut and that my father has the perfect action hero name: Jack Decker. That is all.

GLA: (I feel stupid about the Decker-Deckard thing considering I love that movie.) Moving on, what's something about you readers would be surprised to know?

SD: I like the Sylvester Stallone version of Get Carter—a controversial position, but one I’ll take. Other than that, if you follow me on Twitter, you know all there is to know.

GLA: Best way for writers to contact you?

SD: E-mail me at sdecker(at)maassagency(dot)com with the query letter and first 5 pages pasted into the body of the e-mail.

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

SD: Wear sunscreen, take care of your teeth, and don’t go to MFA school.

Want more on this subject?

Interview with agent Jeffrey McGraw (The August Agency).

Agent interview: Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management.

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: Josh Getzler of Russell & Volkening, Inc.

Chuck — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:52:43 GMT

"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 Josh Getzler of Russell & Volkening, Inc. Josh was previously with Writers House.

He is looking for: mysteries, thrillers, literary and commercial fiction, young adult and middle grade (particularly adventures and mysteries for boys). E-mail queries only. josh@randvinc.com.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

JG: I have an odd story. I was at Harcourt in the early 1990’s right after college, working with a senior editor and starting to work on books myself. I then went to business school at Columbia, really in order to begin to understand the business of publishing, but was sidetracked into a 13-year detour in minor league baseball. I owned and operated two minor league franchises—the Watertown (NY) Indians and then, from 1999-2006, the Staten Island Yankees. When it was time to leave that world—and it was time!—I knew I wanted to go back to publishing, and I also knew I wanted to be an agent rather than going back to the publisher side. So I joined Writers House and stepped all the way back to assistant—to Simon Lipskar and Dan Lazar, then just Simon—and started taking on clients in March of ’08. Since then I’ve sold a decent number of books—largely novels, mostly suspenseful, but also some literary fiction and a few (and growing) nonfiction books. In November of this year, I moved from Writers House to Russell and Volkening, where I’m an agent responsible for (again mostly, but not exclusively) frontlist fiction, with an emphasis on suspense. It’s a marvelous place—old and venerable, small, and when I look on the shelves I see Eudora Welty, Nadine Gordimer, Barbara Tuchman and George Plimpton, and that ain’t shabby!

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

JG: This summer I sold a terrific novel by Josh Gaylord (Hummingbirds), writing under the pseudonym Alden Bell, called The Reapers Are The Angels, to Marjorie Braman at Henry Holt. It’s literary and beautiful ... uh, with zombies. But really literary and beautiful. I also sold New Zealand rights to Penguin NZ for a sequel to MacBeth called Banquo’s Son by TX Roxborogh. It’s now out to publishers in the US, and I’m terribly excited about it—it’s got love, swords, knights, and, of course, the three witches.

GLA: You say you like commercial fiction. Just mysteries and thrillers, or all of the pop fiction genres?

JG: I like many of the pop fiction genres, though I have a real soft spot for suspense and crime. Not so crazy about the “I’m 23 and living in Brooklyn with my disaffected girlfriend, smoking too much dope and going to see Vampire Weekend while I think about what a great time I had in college and eat curry.” Some of those writers can actually write, but need a second book.

GLA: Let’s say you’re reading a partial for a mystery or thriller—where are people going wrong? What are the most common Chapter 1 mistakes you see?

JG: 1) Telling me what the weather’s like in order to set atmosphere. OK it was raining. It’s ALWAYS raining. 2) Not starting with action. I want to have a sense of dread quite quickly—and not from rain! 3) Sending me anything but the beginning of the book; if you tell me that it “starts getting good” on page 35, then I will tell you to start the book on page 35, because if even you don’t like the first 34, neither will I or any other reader.

GLA: Staying on these subjects for a second—mystery and thriller—do you have any specific subgenres that you lean toward? Technothrillers? Cozy mysteries?

JG: I actually don’t particularly love technothrillers, but I do love cozies (I feel like there are around 10 of us who love them, and yet there are a bazillion of them out there!). I like puzzles and historical and international (and international historical is great!), but I’m not crazy about Florida Keys Houseboat mysteries or dust bowl or Native American stories. Not that many of them aren’t great; they’re just not me. And although I’ve done some incredibly dark, and sometimes even extreme stuff, I actually am not typically a fan of what I call intimate violence—when you can really feel the knee hit the kidney and know our hero is going to be pissing blood by page 10. But I read those a lot, and take some on, because sometimes that’s how you get a voice that sparkles—like Charlie Huston’s in Caught Stealing or Angela S. Choi’s in Hello Kitty Must Die.

Josh repped Smasher by Keith
Raffel. Buy the book here.

GLA: A lot of people are writing kids books these days. What kind of kids novels are you looking for and not getting?

JG: I’m into YA and middle grade mysteries and adventures. I loved Encyclopedia Brown while growing up, and Ellen Raskin’s wonderful mysteries.

GLA: What do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?

JG: When I tackle the slush pile I pray for obvious decisions and a book that makes me sit up and take notice. I read my slush, typically, from 5-6:45 in the morning, when my kids are asleep and the house is quiet. I’m relaxed and really looking to find something great, but also trying to be efficient. So I’m looking for a voice that will make me put down my coffee and make an exclamation point on the paper. That could be a unique or fun subject, a compelling voice, or a character that comes alive right away. You have five pages max to make that first impression, and the good ones do it in less than that!

GLA: Do find a lot of NaNoWriMo submissions in December? What advice to you have for writers who are coming out of NaNoWriMo?

JG: Not a huge number in December—most NaNoWriMo authors sleep in December! I think writers coming out of that sprint/marathon need to really look it over and see if what they put together is coherent and finished, and not simply a stream of consciousness that needs to be edited.

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

JG: I just got back from the terrific New England Crime Bake outside Boston, and I’m organizing a trip in Feb to the Left Coast Crime conference. I’ll be in Oklahoma City for their conference in May, and Thrillerfest in the summer.

GLA: What's the best way for people to contact you?

JG: I am always reachable via e-mail query at josh@randvinc.com. And even though my timeframe for response has been extended a bit due to the move and trying to settle in, I do read everything and respond. I need a letter and the first five pages of the manuscript. No CV, no synopsis.

GLA: Something about yourself writers would be surprised to know?

JG: I have my own bowling ball and shoes, I love goats, and I think Tofurkey is underrated.

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

JG: Query letters are very important, and are often ruinous. When I get a query letter, I want to know a few specific things: 1) What kind of book is it—historical mystery, literary YA, middle grade romance? I don’t need to know how long it is unless that number is unusual—If your thriller is 30,000 words or your picture book 180,000, I ought to know. But if your cozy is anywhere from 60k-120k (and that’s 95% of them), then it’s “Book-sized”. Might be short or long, but it’s a book. 2) Is it fiction or nonfiction? 3) Is it your first book?—what is your publication history (briefly)? 4) Two to five reasonably-lengthed sentences describing the plot. 5) What’s your educational background? And do you have anything in that background that makes you particularly qualified to write it, or gives you a platform? The lack of either does not disqualify you by any means, but if I see that a canine agility-training mystery is written by a top-ranked canine agility trainer with 18 published nonfiction books on dogs (Hi, Sheila!), I take notice. That’s it. I don’t need to know if you’re married, unless that’s relevant, or that you like spelunking (ditto).

Want more on this topic?

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

See examples of Successful Queries that agents liked.

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: Alex Glass of Trident Media Group (Part I)

Chuck — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:55:25 GMT

Agent Interview by

contributor Ricki Schultz.
This is Part I of II.

"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 Alex Glass of Trident Media Group. Alex came to Trident as Chairman Robert Gottlieb's assistant in 2001 and was promoted to literary agent shortly thereafter. He has a BA in political science from Johns Hopkins and an MFA in creative writing from American University, and has worked in the literature program at the National Endowment for the Arts and in the marketing department of the Putnam Berkley Publishing Group.

He is looking for: debut literary fiction, crime fiction and literary thrillers, middle grade and young adult fiction, and pop culture, humor, and narrative nonfiction.

Alex Glass

GLA: How did you become an agent?

AG: I was a bookworm as a kid and always gravitated to stories and the written word. That continued through high school and college, but I didn't realize it could have anything do with a career until I was a second-semester senior in college, when I took a creative writing course on a whim.
      After graduation I tried several different jobs related to writing and publishing. I worked at a major publishing house in the marketing department, got an MFA in fiction writing, worked as a writing teacher, worked in nonprofit literature, worked in a bookstore. In 2001, I became the assistant to Robert Gottlieb, the founder and chairman of Trident Media Group, and I've been here ever since.
      I love being an agent because it gives me the freedom to work on any kind of book projects I want and champion the novels and nonfiction ideas I believe in. My list is very diverse and eclectic and reflects my sensibilities, and I think that this is one of the few publishing careers that allows you that freedom.

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

AG: One recent deal is Jay Clark's first YA novel, The Edumacation of Jay Clark, which was sold at auction and will be published by Christy Ottaviano Books, an imprint of Henry Holt. Another is Stegner Fellow and O'Henry Award-winner Eddie Chuculate's first book, a story collection entitled Cheyenne Madonna, which will be published by David R. Godine.

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

AG: I am always looking for a transporting first novel. A book that engages my attention from start to finish and has enough of those elements—originality, emotional resonance, compelling subject matter, innovative writing—to set itself apart from the crowd as deserving of a wide audience.

GLA: One area in which you specialize is debut literary fiction. What advice do you have for writers looking to break into this tough category? Is it just about the writing, or are there other factors you often see overlooked?

AG: I think authors can drive themselves crazy worrying about genre and marketability. I don't think new fiction authors are going to connect with readers unless they write about something that's meaningful to them. Writing for the market usually doesn't work. To me, the most important thing when looking at a debut novel that doesn't fall into an obvious commercial genre is how well and deeply it engages the reader.
      Does it grip the reader from the beginning and make it impossible for us to put it down? Literary fiction does not equal boring fiction; it must be infused with the same kind of forward momentum and narrative pull that a commercial novel has. Does it provide a transporting reading experience and make the reader forget we're reading a book and take us fully into another world? Does it create a strong emotional reaction in the reader? Is it funny? Do I care enough about the characters? Does the book stay with me after I put it down? If the answers to enough of those questions are yes, it doesn't matter if the book doesn't have a big one-sentence pitch or a big marketing angle.
      So how do you break into the "literary fiction" category. If a literary novel is one that relies on the quality of the writing, it stands to reason that you'll want to show agents some proof up front of the quality of your writing, the same way a thriller writer might lead with the strength of their concept. So if your novel is about a family in a farmhouse in Missouri or a twenty-something guy coming of age in the city, don't despair. But to make up for your "small canvas" or the fact that your story sounds quiet or familiar, you have to figure out other ways to get my attention.
      With a literary novel, the way to do that is to have your talent validated elsewhere first, and come with a calling card and some credentials. Submit short stories to journals and magazines. Go to conferences. Apply for grants and awards. Take continuing education writing classes, join writer's groups, hone your craft. Network. Meet other authors and people who can introduce you to agents. If you have a short story published in a literary magazine I've heard of, or have an endorsement from a writer I've heard of, it can make the difference between a query deleted and a query taken seriously.
      There are so many hopeful first novelists that come in that I have to be able to filter them—there is not enough time to consider them all—and if your idea sounds small or everyday and you have no credentials, it's tough to get in the door. A referral can be invaluable. Given that so much is asked of writers now when the book is actually published, as far as self-promoting and getting involved in publicity and marketing, why not start at the very beginning in your search for an agent?

GLA: Tell us about your interest in crime fiction and literary thrillers. What draws you to these categories? What are some subjects you see as overdone in these areas?

AG: I love crime fiction. There's nothing like a great fast-paced read with a lot of action, and I especially like the pulling-back-the-lid-on-a-subculture aspect. Cops and criminals and people living on the fringes of society are a fascinating subculture.
      An author who can bring the reader into that world, create compelling characters who live there, and make us root for them, (while at the same time taking the reader on a rip-roaring yarn) is the best. The market has room for lots of different kinds of detective novels and crime fiction and thrillers, and the subgenres are constantly rotating in and out of favor.
      My favorite are the tough-guy anti-hero novels and books that expose the dark underbelly of society—some favorites are John D. MacDonald, George Pelecanos, Richard Price, Stephen Hunter, and one of my own to watch out for, Dennis Tafoya. His second novel, The Wolves in Fairmount Park is due out next year from St. Martin's Minotaur.

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?

Need to write your query to Alex and want some guidance? Check out The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters.

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: Ann Collette of the Helen Rees Literary Agency

Chuck — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:22:02 GMT

"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 Ann Collette with the Helen Rees Literary Agency. Ann has agented for 10 years. She previously wrote for Fiction Writer magazine, and contributed to The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing.

She is looking for: "Adult fiction of all types, with the exclusion of sci fi and fantasy. I also do a certain amount of nonfiction, including memoir, military and war, and pop culture."

GLA: How did you become an agent?

AC: I spent fifteen years as a freelance writer and editor before meeting the head of the agency I'm with, Helen Rees. She initially hired me to go over her slush pile; she liked my work, and so asked me to become an associate.

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

AC: The Vampire Empire trilogy, by Clay and Susan Griffith. My assistant Rachel was going through my slush pile, and pulled out something that intrigued her—I'd never done a vampire novel before, but Rachel, who's considerably younger than me, thought it had a steampunk element that would appeal to younger readers. With or without steampunk, I knew it was a terrific story that drew me in from the first page with its mixture of politics, romance, and vampires both sexy and terrifying. Lou Anders at Pyr Books agreed, and bought the entire trilogy.

GLA: You handle adult fiction. All kinds?

AC: I'm open to all kinds of adult fiction, with the exception of sci-fi and fantasy. (I don't do children's books or YA at all.) I particularly love what's known as "category fiction"—meaning mystery, thriller, suspense, Western, and horror. I'm always on the lookout for commercial women's fiction, particularly novels that can be thought of as "book club" books. And of course, I would absolutely love to discover the next great National Book Award winner, so I'm always open to literary submissions. I have a strong interest in race and class, and a special weakness for books concerning Southeast Asia. Right now I'm actually trying to expand my list beyond adult fiction and into nonfiction: again, race and class are issues I'm interested in, along with military and war books, pop culture and biography.

GLA: On Publishers Marketplace, I saw three crime/fiction sales from Clea Simon. Tell us a little about what draws you to Clea's work so writers can understand some of your tastes.

AC: I'm not in the habit of posting all my deals on Publisher's Marketplace, though perhaps I should! Clea's not actually my client anymore, but in general, I like dark fiction, the darker the better. The first thing I usually look for, though, is strong prose. In category fiction, I like to see terse, punchy language where every word counts. In women's and literary fiction, I've got an eye out for lyrical prose. I like strong protagonists, clever and unusual plots, and lots of twists and turns in category fiction. For women's and literary, I like character-driven stories.

GLA: On this subject—crime fiction: If you had to give your best three tips on how to write effective crime fiction, what would you say?

AC: 1) Every word has to count. Every word and sentence and paragraph has to be there for a reason, or else the plot starts dragging and I put it down. 2) Every chapter has to end on a page-turning note. 3) Either the plot or the protagonist has to offer something fresh and new.

GLA: Let's say you're looking at queries in the slush pile. Where are writers going wrong?

AC: Two of the most common problems I see are pedestrian prose and predictable plots. The wonderful thing about category fiction is that you can learn how to write a great mystery or thriller—it's a matter of paring your language down to the bone. With literary fiction, you either have the gift or you don't, but category fiction really is all about rewriting so that every word is there for a reason. Editors today are real thrill-seekers, so are constantly looking for as many twists and turns as can possibly be crammed into a plot, so even if your idea isn't all that new, if the execution of it is, it'll catch my eye. And if it catches my eye, there's a good chance it'll catch an editor's.

GLA: You recently attended two conferences—SEAK and one in Maine. Tell us some of your thoughts on what writers are doing wrong when attending conferences—specifically, when pitching agents.

AC: First, don't waste your time or mine if your novel isn't finished. Agents aren't willing to invest time in an author who hasn't finished his or her book, because anything could happen, and that writer may never finish the novel. (Of course, it's different for nonfiction. Here, I want to see a completed proposal.) I, for one, would rather hear you talk about your book than yourself. If I'm not interested in your book, then I don't care what your background is. I know it's difficult to hear criticism, and it's hard when an agent turns you down, but try to keep your mouth shut and not get defensive. The agent may actually be giving you some really good advice on how to make your book more commercial that you can't hear if you're too busy defending a work the agent's made it clear he or she doesn't want to represent at that time.

GLA: At a prior writers' conference, practically at gunpoint, I was asked to predict what would be the next big thing. I said "War books" because of the Iraq War and the 150 year anniversary of the Civil War coming up. I see you look for war fiction. Any chance I was on to something?

AC: In general, editors feel there's a lot out of nonfiction out there on the Iraq War, so unless the book is offering something really special, such as fabulous writing, they're not terribly interested. I think they'd sing a different song if the book was on Afghanistan, though. Great fiction on either war would probably be of interest. As for the Civil War, I can count on getting a couple fiction queries on the subject every week. So yes, definitely the 150th anniversary is probably going to mean a couple of important books.

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

AC: I'll be at CrimeBake (I believe this is my sixth or seventh year attending) this November, and at the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association in May of 2010.

GLA: What's the best way to contact you? What do you want to see and how do you want to see it?

AC: E-mail me at agent10702@aol.com. If it's a fiction submission, send a terse query with the first chapter of the novel included in the body of the e-mail. (No attachments please.) For nonfiction, send a query only. I respond to every one of my e-mails personally, so you can be sure you'll hear from me about whether or not I'm interested in your work.

GLA: What's something people would be surprised to know about you personally?

AC: Other than books, my two greatest loves are opera and martial arts movies.

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

AC: I'm a great believer in writer's workshops. Feedback from other writers can help you improve your manuscript tremendously. It's to your advantage to always send me your best work, because the truth of the matter is I've only got time to give you one chance. You don't want to blow it with a manuscript that no one else has read over. I don't need to know who your other readers were (unless they're published authors willing to give you a blurb) but it's to your advantage to have gone over your manuscript one more time with someone's editorial feedback that you respect in mind before you submit to any agent.

The Bone Factory by Steve
Sidor was repped by Ann.
Buy it here.

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!

Does 'Commercial' Mean All Genres?

Chuck — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:33:38 GMT

Q. If an agent lists "commercial" as what he handles, can I assume that would cover all fiction genres?

A. “Commercial” means “genre fiction,” so your assumption is a good one, but I would look through some guides and sites (and look at sales on Publishers Marketplace) to see if this agent handles ALL the genres – because there are eight of them: mystery, suspense, thriller, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and western. Hardly any agents handle, and sell, all these genres. And keep in mind that if an agent says they handle commercial, that does not include some fiction categories, such as literary, Christian or children's.

Check out Leigh Michaels's
On Writing Romance

Want more on this topic?

Online course: Essentials of Romance Writing.

Online course: Essentials of Mystery 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!

New Agent Alert: George Bick of the Doug Grad Literary Agency

Chuck — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:43:57 GMT

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.

About George: Prior to joining the Doug Grad Literary Agency as an associate agent, George was a sales and marketing veteran of over twenty years at Warner Books, Random House, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins. (Previously, I blogged about the opening of the DGLA. See that post here.)

Seeking: Bick is actively looking for narrative nonfiction, business, science fiction, horror/paranormal, thrillers, military, comics and graphic novels, diet/self-help, memoir, pets/animals, romance, science, humor, pop culture, and travel.

How to submit: "Query by email letter first at query@dgliterary.com. Please do not send more than a brief letter explaining your book--no sample material unless requested. And your patience is greatly appreciated. The agency is receiving over 100 queries a week and our time is limited--our first priority is to our clients and their books."

Want more on this topic?

For other posts about graphic novels, click 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!

Agent Advice: Matt Bialer of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates

Chuck — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:45:59 GMT

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 Matt Bialer of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates . Matt has been in the publishing community since 1985, including 14 years in the book division of the William Morris Agency.

He is looking for: fantasy, science fiction, thrillers, and mysteries as well as a select group of literary writers. He represents many veteran authors, but also enjoys finding unique new voices. He also loves smart narrative nonfiction including books about current events, popular culture, biography, history, music, race, and sports. See full submission guidelines here.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

MB: I had been an English major at Vassar College. I thought I might pursue being an academic, but then I realized I wanted to be out in the "real world," so to speak. It was 1985. I sent my resume to publishers. But then a dear friend of mine (an assistant to an editor at Crown) told me that a literary agency was looking for an assistant. I didn't even know what a literary agency was! So Jane von Mehren (she is a VP and head of trade paperbacks at Random House—the assistant grew up) helped me get my first job, and it was at Curtis Brown, Ltd. in New York. I was Perry Knowlton's assistant. And then, I went on to William Morris for many years, and I eventually became a book agent there. But to answer your question, I kind of fell in to being an agent and being on that side of the fence. I realized that I enjoyed it and that we offer a kind of stability for authors, and I can take on whatever projects I please. I enjoy the freedom. I enjoy handling all different kinds of books. And I get paid for it, too.

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

MB: I just sold a big, new prehistory project by my clients W. Michael and Kathleen O'Neal Gear to Tor/Forge. Mike and Kathy are masters of the prehistory genre, and they have sold many copies of their books over the years. I also sold an exciting new series by Tad Williams to DAW Books titled Sleeping Late on Judgement Day. It is a fantastical noir about a dead man caught in a war between heaven and hell. I sold a first novel titled High Before Homework by Maya Sloan. It's a riot. It's about a boy named Doug in a small town in Oklahoma. He is pretty bored and cynical and wise beyond his years. He works at a shopping mall and has crush on a girl named Laurilee who works at the mall, too. She likes all of the stupid big guys. So what does Doug do? He becomes a crystal meth addict so he can get put in rehab, impress Laurilee, and live happily ever after.

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

MB: I am looking for something supernatural that fits into this whole paranormal craze going on. But I want something fresh and with a world pretty mapped out. I found something in the slush titled Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland. Well, my assistant Lindsay Ribar, found it. We sold it to Bantam. But I like what is really good and new. I always like a great fantasy or a great thriller that has a new twist on something. In thrillers, I like either the Harlan Coban kind of domestic suspense (ordinary people in trouble), or I am looking for thrillers that have some crossover into the fantastic or supernatural. I like literary fiction, too, but that is a tricky area. I think novels that take place in more exotic places are what sell in that area.

GLA: One area of interest for you is women's fiction. What draws you to this category?

MB: It is a healthy area of publishing, and a career can be nourished and grow. It also deals with "real issues" that women face in their everyday lives often crossed with an element that make the story more surprising.

GLA: You also seek multicultural pieces in both fiction and nonfiction. What subjects are you tired of seeing in this category? Are there any subjects you feel are untapped and would, therefore, be a refreshing change from the typical multicultural manuscript or proposal?

MB: In more upscale fiction, I like stories set in more exotic locales. I think it is no surprise that some of the better selling literary fiction is written outside of this country or set outside of here. In nonfiction, I am struggling with that question myself. I think reader taste here has grown more inward due to what has been going on. I am not sure if there is the same interest in reading about other cultures, unless it is a form of escape.

GLA: What are three things that make you stop reading every time they crop up in a manuscript?

MB: The story is not grabbing me. The writing is flat. I feel like I have read this too many times before.

GLA: In a query or book proposal?

MB: A lack of knowledge about the publishing world. Many people just put on their blinders and shotgun their queries out there. It shows. I think it is good for a writer to come across like they follow trends, they know what sells, who they would compare their work to, why they chose to write to me in particular. Presentation makes a big difference. Only a small percentage of queries have a savvy.

GLA: Specifically within science fiction, what themes that particularly hook you—such as time travel, post-apocalyptic, or first contact?

MB: I think post-apocalyptic stories can have possibility if the story is set in a world that is not too far a stretch from the world we live in now. I always believe in science fiction stories that can cross over into mainstream. They're rare, but they do happen. Look at Michael Crichton or The Traveler. A time travel book can always sell if it is really good and fresh. I would love to sell a great time travel book. I still love Time and Again. Editors would love to see a story like that.

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

MB: I hope to be at the World Fantasy Convention in October. And I like to go to the Thrillerfest in New York.

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

MB: Just keep writing. And pay attention to the business. If something becomes a bestseller, check it out and ask yourself why. But the most important thing to do is to keep writing. It might not happen with your first or even second or third novel. You have to develop. I think one of the biggest changes in the business over the years is that there isn't really a "farm system" for writers anymore. It's like you make it to the Majors or you don't. That means the writer has to develop a good game and let yourself mature as a writer. It takes time to develop the skills.

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 topic?

Agent Lucienne Diver is also a big fan of science fiction and fantasy.

The Rappaport Agency is another agency that likes science fiction and fantasy.

If you're writing women's fiction, check out all posts in that category.

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: Kate Douglas

Chuck — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:50:13 GMT

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!

Agent Advice: Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency

Chuck — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:16:01 GMT

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!

Successful Queries: Agent Barbara Poelle and 'A Bad Day For Sorry'

Chuck — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:39:44 GMT

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 11th installment in this series is with agent Barbara Poelle (Irene Goodman Literary) and her author, Sophie Littlefield, for her crime book, A Bad Day For Sorry.

A Bad Day for Sorry

Dear Ms. Poelle:

I am seeking representaton for my 75,000-word thriller, A Bad Day for Sorry.

Three years ago, rural Missouri housewife Stella Hardesty stopped her wife-beating husband in his tracks for good. After being acquitted of his murder, Stella launched a career helping other abused women put an end to their problems. When Stella's on the job, abusive husbands and boyfriends disappear - sometimes to the far side of town, and sometimes forever.

When young mother Chrissy Shaw asks Stella for help with her no-good husband, it seems like a straightforward case. Until Roy Dean Shaw disappears with Chrissy's 2-year-old son from a previous relationship. Now Stella and Chrissy must battle two-bit crooks and deadly Kansas City mafia to get the boy back - all the while staying one step ahead of the law.

I have written professionally for 10 years, publishing articles in computing, parenting, and women's magazines, and most recently working as a copywriter and editor for C&T Publishing. My short story, "Anything for You," was a runner-up for the Crime Writers' Association's 2007 Fish-Knife Award. Other short stories will appear in upcoming issues of Thuglit and Pulp Pusher.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my work. My first 10 pages and synopsis follow. Upon your request, I would be happy to provide the complete manuscript.

Sincerely,
Sophie Littlefield

Commentary From Barbara

This query is an interesting one for me as far as, at first glance, it isn't terribly extraordinary. But when broken down, you can see why the request for further materials was a no-brainer. First, I like the simple opening line explaining the genre and word count. I know exactly what I'm getting and I am absolutely on the hunt for thrillers, and very public about it, so she's got me pegged already.

The pitch begins and it taps into the synopsis - and at this point, I realized what appeared to be a standard straightforward query holds a wildly unique and extremely concise plot, as well as an original female protagonist. Now she has me. That is why I am using this query as an example. In the end, it should be the plot that gets me, not the mechanics of the query itself.

The next paragraph is a real corker, and not for the reasons you may think. The articles are excellent, and I could certainly request a full list of publications, but it was her technical writing experience juxtaposed against her publications in Thuglit and Pulp Pusher that flicked the light from yellow to green. Here you have someone who clearly works within the realm of proper narrative and technical execution at her day job, but is also in forums where gritty, pulpy stories are ripe with violence and sass. At this point, I had to take a peek. (The first 10 pages were attached, and they were very, very, very good.) After I read the full, I told Sophie I would "get into a monkey knife fight" to represent her.

In the end, what works here is the concise query telling me the hook, the book and the cook. It opens introducing the hook: A formerly abused housewife "helps" other women in need. The book: a brief two-paragraph look at the story. And the cook: Littlefield and her writing credits.

This "Real Query That Worked" was
pulled from the current issue of Writer's
Digest (Sept. 2009) Order it online
to see more queries as well as our exclusive
list of 24 Agents Who Want Your Work.

7 Reasons Why Your Work May Be Rejected, by Hallie Ephron

Chuck — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:19:18 GMT

At Killer Nashville, a trio of extremely knowledgeable publishing pros held a panel on the most common reasons why a manuscript is rejected by an agent. Below you'll find part one of this post series.

Keep in mind that the panelists were discussing why a manuscript will be rejected, not a novel synopsis or query letter. They were talking about problems within the writing.

Writer Hallie Ephron

Author of several mystery novels
Book reviewer for the Boston Globe
Author: Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel (WD Books)
www.hallieephron.com

Hallie's 7 reasons why your
manuscript can be rejected:

1. Profligate use of adverbs. For instance, saying "She looked at me and smiled happily." That's telling, not showing. Instead of using adverbs, use action to show the characters' feelings and emotions.

2. Predictability—using the same plot as others. For example, a cliche mystery plot opening hook is this: A P.I. picks up his office phone and his ex-wife is on the line. She's in trouble, but can’t say why. They agree to meet later at a bar or parking lot, but she never shows because she’s been murdered.
"I want twists. Surprise me in the first chapter and I'll keep reading."

3. Too many killers. A recent manuscript she read revealed six people were actually complicit in the book's murder. It’s convoluted, confusing, and shows that the author had to pull six rabbits out of a hat at the end to wow us. This problem is likely because of earlier problems in Act II—a.k.a "the muddy middle."

4. Point of view that’s out of control. If you’re in a character’s head, stay there until the scene is over.

5. Prologues that don’t work—where writers have a boring opening, so they simply pluck out an exciting scene from the middle, put it at the beginning, and call it the prologue.

6. A plot with no spine. When the scenes seem to jump around—you’re here, you’re there, now you’re there—the book has no backbone. "You have to get me to care about the main plot for me to keep reading."

7. Getting stuck to an outline. "Don’t let your plot trap your characters." If you write an outline and, in the middle of the story, the protagonist is supposed to run into a burning building, that’s fine. But as you begin the flesh out your protagonist and write the book, you may craft a character who wouldn’t realistically run into a burning building—perhaps he’s too smart, or too cowardly or whatever.

Her final tips: "Surprise me. Make me laugh. Make me care about your characters. Don’t let the frustration get you down. We all go through the 'It’s a piece of sh*t' stage."

Hallie Ephron's
Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel.

Want more on this subject?

Agents tell how to start a story right.

10 Query Letter Tips.

Check out Hallie's book, Writing and Selling the Mystery Novel.

I'm hosting a webinar on "How to Land a Literary Agent," Oct. 8, 2009.

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!

Stacia Decker Finds a New Home at Donald Maass Literary

Chuck — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:47:14 GMT

Word round the campfire is that agent Stacia Decker has joined the Donald Maass Literary Agency. Stacia was an editor for a while, then joined Firebrand Literary earlier this year. Firebrand kind of abruptly closed in summer 2009, and three agents formed Upstart Crow Literary while Stacia moved over to Donald Maass.

Stacia Decker

Fiction areas of interest: She represents mystery, suspense, noir, and crime fiction and is looking for a strong voice, dark humor, fast-paced plotting, and unpredictable violence.

How to contact: E-mail her at sdecker@maassagency.com with the query letter and first 5 pages pasted into the body of the e-mail. "If we like the sound of your novel, we will request sample chapters and a synopsis. If we like your sample chapters, we will request the whole manuscript. If we like the whole manuscript, you will hear from us! No reading fees or expenses are charged at any time. To answer your query letter, up to four weeks. To read your sample chapters and outline, about the same. To read your whole manuscript, overnight to a few months. (If we request it, please check with us.)"

Want more on this subject?

See my article about Upstart Crow Literary forming.

Agent Donald Maass explains your tools for character building.

Like genre writing? Check out this online class, Essentials of Mystery 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!

Agent Advice: Emily Forland of The Wendy Weil Agency

Chuck — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:42:47 GMT

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 Emily Forland of The Wendy Weil Agency, Inc. Emily is in her twelfth year at The Wendy Weil Agency, Inc. In addition to representing her own list of authors, she also handles the agency's foreign rights. Originally from Texas, she has a B.A. in English from the University of Chicago, an MFA in Poetry from Sarah Lawrence College, and an MFA in Graphic Design from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

She seeks: The Wendy Weil Agency, Inc. represents fiction and nonfiction for the trade market. We work with literary and commercial fiction, mystery/thriller, memoir, narrative nonfiction, journalism, history, current affairs, books on health, science, popular culture, lifestyle, and art history. We do not handle screenplays or textbooks. See full submission guidelines here.

Emily Forland

GLA: How did you become an agent?

EF: By accident. I needed a summer job after my first MFA year at Sarah Lawrence College. I met Wendy Weil and became an intern, which means I spent a summer reading manuscripts at the agency, answering the phone, and dragging packages to the mail truck. This was just after Wendy had been profiled in Poets & Writers sounding like herself, an approachable agent who champions writers. This resulted in a huge flood of submissions and it was my job to go through those manuscripts. Out of that unwieldy stack, I hit upon one that stood out, and that became an Oprah Pick, Mother of Pearl by Melinda Haynes. It was tremendously exciting to watch that happen. I got hooked. It was supposed to be a summer job, but it is 12 years later, and I am still here.
      I like writers, and I like working with writers. I think having a bit of a writing background makes me empathize with the vulnerability of writers and what they go through in putting their work out into the world.
      Also, lunch is a nice thing.

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

EF: In fiction, a transfixing debut called Stiltsville by Iowa MFA grad Susanna Daniel. A love song to Miami, this episodic novel follows the life of a marriage, starting in the 1960s and ending in the 90s. It will be published by Jennifer Barth at HarperCollins next summer.
      Nonfiction: Playwrights at Work, by Rosemarie Tichler and Barry Jay Kaplan, a lively collection of interviews with great American playwrights of the day, to Northwestern University Press.

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

EF: I’m looking for a distinctive voice. That can mean a lot of things, but I look at every submission wanting to be gobsmacked on the first page (and those that follow!) by original, compelling, well-crafted sentences. I like character-driven stories. Humor helps, though it isn’t a requirement.

GLA: Within commercial fiction, can you tell us about two or three manuscripts you recently agreed to represent and what grabbed you about each to the point where you knew you had to represent them?

EF: I guess I tend to be most interested in commercial fiction with literary qualities.
      I took on a novel that made me laugh out loud on pretty much every page, at the same time that every sentence is so polished as to almost be some kind of perfect haiku. The structure is idiosyncratic, and the subject is an extremely timely take on the spiritual estrangement of contemporary culture. I was wowed by the writer’s originality and craft.
      One novel is set on a hardscrabble subsistence farm in the Australian outback during World War II, beautifully and slyly told in the salty first person narration of the main character, a farmwife named Gin Toad. It is extremely accomplished.
      Another novel follows an immigrant Russian family with three daughters of marriageable age. The writer’s approach is playful and original. She pokes fun at her characters, but she handles them with real affection. The dialogue is fizzy and hilarious. That dialogue got me. It jumps off the page.

GLA: Specifically within the thriller genre, do you prefer any particular subgenres, such as legal, psychological, or supernatural thrillers, etc.?

EF: I like a psychological novel. I have a knee-jerk reaction against the fantastical and supernatural (my own limitation) that I can get past when the story is grounded in strong writing.

GLA: Where do you notice most nonfiction book proposals fall short?

EF: Voice again. I want a proposal to be thorough, meticulously researched, well-organized, etc., but it also needs to be a compelling argument for the subsidized existence of this particular book. And the most convincing way for an author to demonstrate that is by being good company on the page. Also, there is that whole thing about platform (groan).

GLA: One area of nonfiction you seek is journalism. With the Internet pushing us toward an increasingly paperless society, many see the world of journalism as changing. Do you think printed newspapers and magazines will be obsolete one day? What should a journalism proposal look like in order to stay current with the times as well as catch your attention?

EF: I like paper and the tactile nature of books and magazines and newsprint. That said, I do read most of my news online. It is hard to deny that the magazine and newspaper business is heading that way. Ultimately, though, I suppose the story is what’s important and the medium of delivery is secondary.
      Because of the way a publishing timeline usually works, a journalism book proposal should anticipate where the news is going and what we’ll be interested in a couple of years. The writer needs a solid platform, an area of expertise, to have done the research, and to convey it in a lively manner that convinces me I’m interested in a subject I didn’t necessarily previously know I wanted to read about. I once heard a nonfiction editor say that a journalistic book should either be the first book on a subject, or the last (definitive) book on a subject.

GLA: Is there a particular angle to explore or avenue to attempt for writers without celebrity status who wish to break into memoir?

EF: It depends on what you mean by ordinary people. If you mean a non-celebrity, yes definitely. But if you mean a common experience written in unextraordinary prose, probably not. What makes a successful memoir is a distinctive story, or else a distinctive take on a common life experience, combined with highly readable prose. And I’ve found that you really need both. Both the story and the voice. It doesn’t work when you have just half.
      An example of a memoir that really worked is Jennifer Traig’s Devil in the Details (Little Brown). It tells about the author’s girlhood as an obsessive-compulsive religious fanatic. Books had been written about OCD, but at that time nobody had written about the disorder called scrupulosity. And Jenny’s writing is sympathetic, smart, and FUNNY. She has the distance on this period in her life to render it an insightful and very enjoyable reading experience.
      Another was Margaret Sartor’s Miss American Pie (Bloomsbury), which, through compelling, moving, and sometimes unintentionally humorous diary excerpts, traces the author’s evolving girlhood, which was rife with romantic, identity, and spiritual crises in 1970s Louisiana. The authenticity of her voice crackles on the page.

GLA: Would you say your MFA in Graphic Design influences your acceptance of art pieces? For example, are you more interested in graphic design books? As well, what topics are you drawn to most in this category? Least?

EF: I am a visual person with an affinity for visual texts (art and design books, picture books, graphic novels, etc.) but have represented very few. Art books can be expensive to produce and challenging to get published, but I am always open to being wowed by a project.

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

EF: In terms of submitting material, we always talk about the importance of writers putting their best foot (feet?) forward. Because we’re all (editors and agents) inundated with reading, we don’t usually have time to see potential in work and nurture it until it becomes a polished finished piece (which isn’t to say that there isn’t some editing, and there are always exceptions). It is always a good idea for writers to ask another trusted reader to take a look before sending out their materials. It is to authors’ advantage to make sure their work is far along when it is goes out into the world for consideration.
      In terms of writing, I once heard Tony Hillerman give a talk at the Taos Writers Conference and he spoke about how each person is the world’s expert on their own life experience (whether it be following the crime beat as a news reporter in the Southwest, or something else). He talked about the breakthrough in his own writing when he decided to mine the territory in which he was the world’s smartest. I guess that’s not new advice, but I thought it was a good way of thinking about it.

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?

Check out all the agents I've interviewed here.

Want to query Emily? Check out How to Write a Query Letter to an Agent.

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: Joe Monti of Barry Goldblatt Literary (Part II)

Chuck — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:43:53 GMT

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 is part II of II, and features Joe Monti of Barry Goldblatt Literary. Joe has been in the business for more than twenty years. He started as a bookseller, became the children's fiction buyer at Barnes & Noble, worked at Houghton Mifflin, and recently at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers as their editorial director of Paperbacks.

He seeks: children's and young adult and takes a special interest in multicultural and boy-centric books. As well, he represents graphic novels, picture books, and some adult genre fiction, with particular regard to fantasy and science fiction.

Joe Monti

GLA: Do you notice any trends in what you tend to represent? Subgenres or elements that particularly sucker you into accepting them?

JM: There’s a lot of paranormal or urban fantasy out there—too much that’s not innovative or challenging to the reader to either transport or help to lift the veil of possibility in the mundane world we live in. I’ve been a reader and fan of this sort of fiction for decades now, and you really need to stand out to impress me. Fortunately, I’ve found some. I am a sucker for that well-done magical realist and urban fantasy novel because it just opens up the world of possibility.
      And then there’s the middle grade novel aimed at a male reader. As I mentioned above, I’m desperately looking for books that would attract that kind of reader, but the male coming of age experience is one I hope to help bring to light more often. (In fact, give me a searching for a father figure themed novel, and I’m yours.)

GLA: Tell us a little bit more about your interest in graphic novels and picture books.

JM: Picture books can be difficult. Right now I’m only looking to represent writer/artists. It’s not any easy market to break into, and then succeed within, and I feel that being able to represent a whole package to an editor makes for a stronger proposal and opportunity for acquisition. That said, I think the picture book market is secretly more vibrant than it seems at first glance, and that makes the possibility of a new artist succeeding more possible than not. But here, it’s the smart picture book, like Jon J. Muth’s, that I think tends to rise to the top most often, from obscurity.
      The same actually goes for graphic novels, or more accurately, sequential artists and cartoonists. Although I am far more open to representing a writer who does not illustrate his graphic novels, I’m particularly interested in writer/artists. One client, Mike Cavallaro, who was nominated for an Eisner for his Parade (With Fireworks) has done illustrations only in addition to his own work. (His forthcoming YA urban fantasy graphic novel, Foiled, written by incomparable Jane Yolen is an example.) Then there’s Charles Vess, who has done all of the above and more.
      And I am very excited about the changes in the graphic novel world, the expansion of it to a general readership through the bookstores, and then particularly in children’s literature. While YA graphic novels are still in their infancy, largely because some of the range of topics that are explored, and explored so well in fiction, when illustrated raises the target audience to an adult section placement. I think several publishers, like First Second and Henry Holt, are publishing smart works for the YA category. Paul Pope’s forthcoming THB is dream come true!
      And then for the younger reader there have been some tremendous successes, the best of course being Jeff Smith’s Bone series. But I’m very interested in finding writer/artists who can create for a six- to 10-year-old readership as I think the demand is there; but the supply is scant, so it’s hard to see it.

GLA: You represent some adult genre fiction as well. Can you be a bit more specific about what you’re looking for (or not looking for) here?

JM: Right now I’m mostly looking for genre writers of fantasy and science fiction. Specifically, in the genre world, I’m looking for challenging works that do not tread on the same ground the genre has gone through the past few decades. In many ways, I think the adult fantasy and science fiction world has lost some of its vibrancy and innovative hubris. There’s been a lot of self-reverential works out the last decade or so, but the opportunity and demand for fresh works is rewarded when they arise. I’m tempted to give a list of some favorite writers here from Bradbury, de Lint, Beagle, Sturgeon, Le Guin, Herbert, and Zelazny to Buckell, Bacigalupi, Stephenson, Blaylock and Gibson, but then I’d only scratch the surface.

GLA: Name three things that make you stop reading every time they crop up in a manuscript.

JM: Not following our submission guidelines.
Reading a cliché within the first paragraph. (They usually crop up within three sentences.)
Poor dialogue.

GLA: What is the number one mistake you see in queries?

JM: "I see you represent Author X, my book is just like/similar to Author X’s, so I know you’ll love it."

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

JM: I will be attending the Rutger’s One-On-One Plus Conference in October 2009; others are slated for later in 2010.

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

JM: Don’t hold back from your passion. Too many folks get caught up in what the marketplace is supposedly looking for, and they lose sight of what they’re trying to write. That and read your drafts (Note the plural usage!) aloud for imperfections of language and cadence. It’s an old horse, but not done enough because it may take you days to finish—but the results are astounding.

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?

Along with Joe, another new agent at BG Literary is Beth Fleisher, who I profiled before.

See all children's related posts and agent info here.

Need to write your query to Joe and want some guidance? Check out The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters.

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: Susanna Einstein of LJK Literary Management

Chuck — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:11:23 GMT

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 Susanna Einstein of LJK Literary Management. Susanna has worked in publishing since 1995 and is one of the founding agents at LJK, where, since 2005, she has been building a client list and selling projects ranging from children’s picture books to adult literary fiction.

She is seeking: She is interested in: crime fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, and women’s fiction, as well as the occasional narrative or practical nonfiction book. She is particularly interested in finding great middle-grade or young adult books. Her primary requirement for any project she handles is having a distinct voice.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

SE: I had worked as an editor and as a scout, and while I loved both of those jobs, I wanted to work on the books that interested me, as opposed to the ones I needed to acquire for a particular list or ones I needed to read for a particular client. As an agent, I don’t have to work within a niche—I can work on crime novels, young adult novels, practical nonfiction, memoir, literary fiction—whatever I think I can sell!

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

SE: I just sold a second novel by a super-talented young-adult author, Lara Zielin, to Putnam Books for Young Readers. Her first book, Donut Days, comes out on August 6, and is getting terrific reviews and word of mouth. The new novel is called Promgate and is based on a true story about a high school scandal in which a pregnant teen was elected Prom Queen.

GLA: What is it that draws you to the middle-grade and young-adult age group?

SE: I love middle-grade and YA books for many reasons. For one thing, the books I read as a child and young adult are the ones that made me love reading, that transported me and made me into the bookworm that I am today. So the opportunity to be involved in that process, where kids and teens discover their own favorite books, is one that I couldn’t pass up. And there’s a joy and creativity in the children’s/YA market that is less present, or at least less visible, in the adult market. I also think, perhaps naïvely, that there’s a sense of purpose, of good work being done, in finding and selling books that young people will want to read, and that’s important to me. Last but not least, the children’s/YA market is flourishing and expanding in terms of subject matter, kinds of books, and sales. What’s not to like?

GLA: You also seek crime fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, women’s fiction, and sometimes nonfiction. This leaves a lot of wiggle room for authors wishing to query you. Do you have particular "likes" or "dislikes" as far as subgenres for any of these categories?

SE: If a book tells a good story, I am all for it. To me, that means a book I can’t put down because I have to know what happens next, or one in which I’m so seduced by the world the author creates that I just want to stay there. I’m reluctant to say “never” vis-à-vis subgenres, but that said, I am probably not the ideal person for books of military history or military fiction—if battle details and hardware play a huge role, I tend to zone out. I’m also not particularly drawn to what I think of as the MFA novel—a book which has exquisitely chosen words but a plot I’ve read a gazillion times before.

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

SE: I pray for excellence. I see lots of books that are perfectly adequate. They tell a good story, they observe the conventions of their genre, etc., but they don’t stand out. In this market, it’s not enough for a book to be just fine. It has to be superlative.

GLA: Within all your areas of interest, you say you are looking for anything so good you “can’t put it down.” Have a you noticed any trends in what you tend to represent—things you are particularly a sucker for—that prevent you from putting down a manuscript?

SE: Honestly, not really. I have eclectic taste. All of my clients are wonderful storytellers, though, who create tangible, believable worlds. If a book makes me cry, then that’s a good sign, but that’s not to say I’m only looking for tearjerkers. I do find that I like reading about characters whom I’d like to be, if only for a day. I want characters who are charismatic—which does not mean likeable, necessarily—and I want there to be an arc to their story, some real emotion, something at stake. What do they want and how do they get it?

GLA: On the other side of that, what are some things that make you stop reading a manuscript every time you see them?

SE: Bad dialogue stops me immediately. I’m shocked by how many writers don’t seem to read their dialogue aloud, since if they did, they could surely tell it was stopping the reader cold. I subscribe to Elmore Leonard’s rules of dialogue (“Never use a verb other than said to carry dialogue. Never use an adverb to modify the verb said.”). A good writer will be able to give their characters distinct voices and will be able to convey emotion without spelling it out. Anything too derivative of another writer makes me stop reading, as does anything that’s written to a trend—since, in the amount of time it takes to publish the book, the trend will have ended. And, of course, bad grammar, bad spelling, single-spaced manuscripts—all the usual suspects.

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

SE: I just finished a summer full of conferences, so am taking a break for a while. But I’m sure I’ll be at some in the future—I like getting out of New York City and meeting writers.

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

SE: 1. The best writers I know are the ones who treat writing like a job, whether or not they have another one. They work every day, they revise, they network, they educate themselves. They don’t think of themselves as artists, but as workers, and they take rejection in stride.
        2. Your first book may not be publishable. Really consider that when you’re beginning to look for representation. Is this the best possible book to go out with, or do you just want it to be published because you worked hard on it? There are those books that teach writers how to write—and there’s a lot of worth in that, even if they never reach a wider audience.
        3. Join a critique group—one that does not include your family or friends.
        4. Just because I don’t like something, doesn’t mean another agent won’t.

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?

To see all the many agent interviews on this blog, click 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!

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

Chuck — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:33:56 GMT

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!

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

Chuck — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:52:44 GMT

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.

New Agency Alert: The OnyxHawke Agency

Chuck — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:50:06 GMT

Editor's Note: There's a new agency that opened several months ago I thought I would tell you about. I haven't met Mr. Kabongo, but I've looked over the site and he seems very legit. It's also a pleasure to see someone who specializes in sci-fi and fantasy - not usually popular topics with agents. Give his website a close look, as their are multiple ways to submit to him.

The OnyxHawke Agency

Contact: Michael Kabongo. The OnyxHawke Agency, 141 Newburyport Turnpike, Suite 382, Rowley, MA 01969 (212)433-0141. www.onyxhawke.com.

Looking for: Primarily science fiction and fantasy.

How to submit: "For fiction, send the whole novel. Send it only in Rich Text Format (RTF). Send one novel at a time. Include on the first page of the file your name, your address, your email address (at least one) and your phone number. Format your subject line: Title of Novel - Your Name - Genre - Any special code from the FAQ or given to you by me. Include a brief synopsis of the plot in the email. List the minimum length for consideration of any major publisher as listed on the SFWA "Qualifying Novel Venues" at the bottom of your cover letter, with the name of the publisher. For example 'Forsaken Future Books 95,000 words.' Format your file name with "First initial Last name Title'. "

New Agent Alert: Stephanie Maclean of Trident Media Group

Chuck — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:55:52 GMT

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."

How I Got My Agent: Lisa Dale

Chuck — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:27:08 GMT

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.

Agent Advice: Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency

Chuck — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:10:41 GMT

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: Jennifer Weltz of Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency

Chuck — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:01:38 GMT

"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: Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich

Chuck — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:33:54 GMT

"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!

New Agency Alert: Priot Entertainment Group

Chuck — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:10:12 GMT

I just got word that agent Donna Bagdasarian, who was formerly with both Vigliano Associates and the Maria Carvainis Agency, has started a new agency: Priot Entertainment Group.

She is actively building her list with this new agency.

Fiction areas of interest: general fiction/mainstream, literary fiction, mystery and suspense, thrillers, historicals, contemporary women’s fiction. Nonfiction areas of interest: biography and memoir, history, business, finance, psychology, popular science.

How to submit: "We request that all submissions be with a query plus short sample. All submissions will be responded to within 6-8 weeks, ideally. Send submissions to submissions@priotgroup.com

Agent Advice: Kate McKean of Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, Inc.

Chuck — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:43:46 GMT

"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 Kate McKean of Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, Inc. A native Southerner, Kate earned her Master's degree in Fiction Writing from the University of Southern Mississippi before starting her career as a literary agent.

She is seeking: Her interests lie in literary fiction, contemporary women's fiction, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, mystery, young adult and middle grade fiction, narrative nonfiction, sports related books, food writing, pop culture, and craft. She prefers email queries and can be reached at kmckean@morhaimliterary.com. She is not accepting any epic fantasy, science fiction, or children's picture books.

Kate McKean

GLA: Briefly, how did you become an agent?

KM: I've always loved writing and books, but I'm also a very outgoing person. As an agent, I get the best of both worlds--the creative aspect of helping my clients craft great novels and proposals, and the social aspect of networking with potential clients and editors. There are editors, teachers, writers, and salesmen in my family. Being an agent is like all of those professions put together.

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

KM: Most recently, I've sold audio rights for some agency clients, which is always fun, but the last book I sold was the sequel to the New York Times bestselling I Can Has Cheezburger called How to Take Over Teh Wurld.

GLA: To me, at least, it seems like a lot of fiction stories that writers are pitching at conferences are about middle-aged women who break out of their unsatisfying life to live a life of adventure and/or excitement. As someone who looks for contemporary women's fiction, do you see a lot of these queries? And if so, what advice can you give writers on standing out from the crowd?

KM: I see a TON of novels like these, and haven't signed up any of them. The advice I would give to writers working on this subject would be to focus less on the WHY the characters are changing their lives and more on WHAT they're doing to change their lives. The emotional reasons behind these stories are familiar to readers, but what they do with it can be new, different, and interesting. Bottom line, though, writing trumps all. A well-written novel with this subject matter would catch my eye.

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

KM: I'm looking for a novel to fall in love with. I'm looking for excellent writing, with a plot that keeps me turning pages. I'm looking for the diamond in the rough. I know that that's not a helpful answer to writers looking to query me, but I find that if there's a certain topic I'm looking for, I know how to go out and find it. I'm now just looking for that serendipitous connection of a great story and impeccable writing---just like every other agent and editor on the planet.

GLA: It says you seek paranormal romance, but nothing about any other type of romance. What attracts you to this specific subgenre?

KM: I'm a finicky genre reader, especially in fantasy. I don't want to learn a new language when I read a book, or have to create a completely new universe in my imagination, but I do want to escape my mundane existence. I particularly like that paranormal romance is equal parts a new and interesting, but takes place in a setting that I'm usually familiar with (you know, with the same laws of gravity and such). In the end, I'm a sucker for a romantic story, so paranormal romance satisfies both those cravings for me as a reader.

GLA: No agent has ever really talked about urban fantasy before. If someone asked you for your "Three Tips if Writing and Submitting an Urban Fantasy," what would you tell them?

KM: Frankly, those tips would be just about the same for a writer writing in any genre.
        1. Give me characters I can care about.
        2. Give those characters something to DO.
        3. Be aware of the genre, so you know if you're treading the same path as other authors.

GLA: People say fantasy books tend to be longer than most books and don't abide by normal word counts. Is this true with urban fantasy?

KM: Any story that requires the author to create a new world different from our own is going to need some extra pages to flesh that out. As long as this is done in a way that keeps the plot going and keeps the reader turning pages, the final word count doesn't really matter to me. But yes, fantasy does tend to be a little longer.

GLA: You seek young adult works. You don’t want picture books. Do you accept middle grade?

KM: Yes, I will consider MG.

GLA: You seek sports-related books. Can this be anything? Coaching? Memoir? Weird statistics? Anything?

KM: I'm a huge college football fan and I'm making it my mission to prove to the publishing world that football fans will buy books. (Whether or not I'm tilting at windmills here is another matter.) But I am interested in all sports, and all topics. I have one client writing a memoir as told through baseball cards, and another working on ideas about the NFL in it's early years. Practical nonfiction on sports topics is harder, because the writer needs a major platform to sell books.

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

KM: I'll be in Denver at the Romancing the Rockies conference May 1-2, 2009.

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

KM: I believe that all writers who hope to be published should remind themselves daily that they're writing for their readers, not for themselves. Writing is definitely a personally gratifying experience and can have wonderful therapeutic and self-esteem building results--but if your reader isn't compelled to turn the page because of something the writer is *trying* to do with the narration or theme, then what good does it do? One of my writing professors used to say: "Mean less." To me, that means don't set out for your book to be *about* something, especially an abstraction (love, trauma, homesickness). Just find some characters in your imagination. Make them do something. Make the reader care about what they do.

Want more on this subject?

Kate contributed one of the examples in the "Successful Queries" series.

If you're interested in the Howard Morhaim agency, I previously interviewed agent Brandi Bowles.

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!

If you're into the categories of paranormal or urban fantasy, check out The Encyclopedia or Werewolves, Vampires and Other Monsters.

Agent Advice: Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary

Chuck — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:54:01 GMT

"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!

New Agent Alerts: Stacia Decker and Danielle Chiotti of Firebrand Literary

Chuck — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:13:37 GMT

Editor's Note: Firebrand Literary closed in July 2009. Three agents from Firebrand Literary have broken off to form a new agency: Upstart Crow Literary. It will be headed up by Michael Stearns, who was formerly a prolific children's book editor. Also onboard are agents Chris Richman and Danielle Chiotti. Between the three of them, they handle adult fiction, lots of kids fiction, and some nonfiction, too. Stacia moved on to Donald Maass Literary.

-----

I got word last week about two new agents at Firebrand Literary, but had to kind of sit on it until the official announcement came this morning. Both of these agents will be attending the Writer's Digest conference on May 27 in NYC and taking pitches from writers. Both have backgrounds in editing, and you can learn more about Stacia and Danielle's backgrounds on the Firebrand Web site.

New Agent: Stacia Decker

To see an updated post on Stacia (now at Donald Maass Literary), click here.

New Agent: Danielle Chiotti

Danielle specializes in a variety of trade fiction and nonfiction books. For nonfiction: narrative nonfiction, memoir, self-help, relationships, humor, current events, women’s issues, and cooking. For fiction: commercial women’s fiction and multicultural fiction (with a slightly “literary” edge), romance, paranormal romance, and young adult fiction for girls.

To contact them personally, it's (firstname)@firebrandliterary.com. However - note that these new agents do not take queries over e-mail but rather through an online submission form on the Firebrand Web site.

Firebrand is another one of those agencies that is still relatively new in the grand scheme of things, but has quickly turned itself into an up-and-coming powerhouse of an agency.

New Agent Alert: Willy Blackmore of BLISS Literary

Chuck — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:03:09 GMT

Willy Blackmore

Willy Blackmore, great-grandson of Farrar, Straus and Giroux co-founder John Farrar, has joined BLISS as an associate agent. He is a former editor and co-founder of Impetus Press.

Fiction areas of interests: writing with a pop or urban edge that falls between commercial and experimental, and traditional literary fiction. He prefers narrative-driven novels that construct and develop a real and engaging world. He does not represent straight genre fiction (e.g. fantasy, romance, crime, horror, etc.), but will consider manuscripts that take a new slant on the traditions and tropes of a genre.

Nonfiction areas of interest: pop culture, food/travel writing, contemporary art/culture, memoirs that showcase an intense sense of immediacy and confront difficult realities, and histories and biographies that relate to literature and art.

How to contact: wblackmore@blissliterary.com. Snail mail - BLISS Literary Agency International, Inc., 1601 N. Sepulveda Boulevard, #389, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. www.blissliterary.com. The agency's submissions page online has much more detail on how to submit via snail mail or regular mail.

Check Out Interviews With Two Agents: ICM's Tina Wexler, and Curtis Brown's Ginger Clark

Chuck — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:20:41 GMT

I came across Gretchen McNeil's Seanchai blog recently, and saw it had posted two recent interviews with top-notch agents.

Click here to read an interview with Tina Wexler of ICM.

Click here to read an interview with Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown.

Ginger Clark Tina Wexler

A little more info:

GINGER CLARK represents science fiction, fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal chick lit, literary horror, and young adult and middle grade fiction.

TINA WEXLER specializes in middle grade and YA fiction, with particular interest in adventure stories with boy appeal, contemporary coming of age stories, tall tales, and mysteries. On the adult side, she is looking for narrative nonfiction (religion, memoir, pop culture) and up-market women's fiction.

(By the way, both Tina and Ginger will be at Writer's Digest's own conference in New York on May 27, 2009, if you're thinking about pitching either of them.)

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: Joanna Stampfel-Volpe of Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation

Chuck — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 18:32:41 GMT

She is seeking: Joanna is looking for genre fiction, children's works, and some nonfiction areas. She accepts hard copy or e-mail queries - e-mail address: LiteraryNancy2@gmail.com. Send snail mail queries to 240 West 35th Street, Suite 500, New York, NY 10001. Joanna's interests: "chap books to upper YA (non-fiction, contemporary, humor, historical and fantasy *fantasy/sci-fi needs to really stand out, unique), romance (historical, paranormal, contemporary), fantasy (women's, urban, steampunk, unique), up-market fiction (dark, literary, horror, dark comedies, speculative fic), narrative non-fiction (pop culture, environmental, foodie)." She is NOT interested in "cozies, cookbooks, academic nonfiction, epic fantasy for adults, hi-science fiction, poetry, collections/short stories, screenplays."

GLA: How did you become an agent?

JSV: I started at a small publisher on Long Island, Blue Marlin Publications. I was basically a part-time publisher’s assistant and loved it—I got to do everything! From attending BEA to editing to publicity. It was a great way to start in publishing. At the time, I was taking a publishing course with Peter Rubie of FinePrint Literary Management. Five months later, I was working for both FinePrint and Nancy Coffey, then eventually I got to sign a few clients as a junior agent, made some sales and I started in January of this year as a full-time agent with Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation. I’ve had some great mentors along the way.

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

JSV: The most recent book I sold was in December: Bloomsbury Children’s, Ghost Watcher trilogy.

GLA: What are you looking for right now and not getting? When you read the slush pile, what are you praying that you find?

JSV: I am looking for good historical fiction with female protagonists, strong YA told in verse, and humorous middle grade. I am always praying to find a dark read for boys/young guys that’s Stand By Me meets a modern Catcher in the Rye … I’ve come close with a few, but so far, no perfect fit!

GLA: In my agent interviews, I haven’t really gotten much advice from agents on writing children’s nonfiction. Can you give us some 101 tips?

JSV: You can write about almost anything when it comes to children’s nonfiction, even if it’s been done before. But you need to come at the subject from a different angle. If there is already a book on tomatoes and how they grow, then try writing about tomatoes from a cultural angle. There are a ton of books on slavery, but not many on slaves in Haiti during the Haitian Revolution (is there even one? There’s an idea—someone take it and query me!). Another thing to always consider is your audience. Kids already have textbooks at school, so you shouldn’t write your book like one. Come at the subject in a way that kids can relate to and find interesting. Humor is always a useful tool in nonfiction for kids.

GLA: It seems like a lot of juvenile nonfiction is series stuff. “The 50 States.” “Historical Figures.” Should writers try to add to an already-existing series or should they come up with an original one-shot idea?

JSV: Adding to a series is a great way to get started as a writer of nonfiction, especially for unagented writers (depending on the publishing house, of course). But it can’t hurt to research the market and try to come up with an idea of your own. Every publishing house is on the lookout for good nonfiction for kids. Another great way to build your resume is to write articles for kid’s magazines like Highlights, Ranger Rick, Muse, Ask, Boys Quest, Boys Life, Jack and Jill, Discovery Girl, Pockets, Spider, etc, or even writing pieces up for educational workbooks. If you have a lot of experience writing nonfiction for kids, an agent or editor will know that you know how to reach that audience.

GLA: You give a speech on the “dreaded synopsis.” In your mind, what do you think the three most common mistakes a writer makes when composing a synopsis?

JSV: 1) Including too many characters. 2) Including too many subplots. 3) Making them too long! I usually ask writers to submit a two-page synopsis, but I’d prefer even one page.

GLA: I point writers to Query Shark to let them see query examples and critiques. Do you know recommend any books or websites for seeing and evaluating synopses?

JSV: I actually don’t know of many—which is why I chose it as my workshop topic for a number of upcoming conferences. Lisa Gardner has a very detailed layout though, I’m pretty sure it’s on her website.

GLA: Let’s say you sit down to read an adult fiction partial – the first 50 pages. Where are writers going wrong? What do you hate to see in a ms early in the story?

JSV: Too much backstory. A lot of writers feel the need to tell us all about their protagonist right up front, so we know them like they do. I’d rather be shown who the hero/heroine is throughout the piece. Voice tells me more about a character than any description paragraph.

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

JSV: Yes I will!
      NETWO’s Writers Roundup (Camp Shiloh, TX) 4/24-4/25/09
      CTRWA’s Connecticut Fiction Fest (Meriden, CT) 5/2/09
      LIRW Luncheon (Jericho, NY) 6/12/09
      In Your Write Mind, Writing Popular Fiction (Seton Hill University, PA) 6/25-6/28/09
      Midwest Writers Workshop (Ball State University, IN) 7/23-7/25/09
      South Carolina Writer’s Workshop Conference (Myrtle Beach, SC) 10/23-10/25/09
      Oh … and of course, the Writer's Digst 2009 BEA Pitch Slam!

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

JSV: Don’t try to find out what the next “hot thing” is. Just write what comes to you. Trends or no trends, agents and editors are just looking for solid writing.

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!

The WD Writing Conference in New York! (and Other WD News and Opportunities, Too)

Chuck — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:44:37 GMT

Every year, Writer's Digest Books puts on an awesome one-day writers' conference in conjunction with BookExpo America. This year's BookExpo event is in Manhattan in late May, and our writers' conference is on Wednesday, May 27.

Well have I got some good news for writers. The numbers of literary agents who will be in attendance taking pitches from writers just keeps getting bigger. We are at about 60 agents right now and that number will certainly grow by a few. We'll basically just keep signing up agents until representatives from the Jacob Javits Center in NYC stop us because of fire codes. (Only half joking.)

Below you will find the list of attending agents who will be taking pitches at the conference. Here are the details: The slam is the finale of our event on Wednesday, May 27, at the Jacob Javits Center in Midtown, NYC. The slam goes from 3 to 5 p.m., and pitches last three minutes total. You get to pitch as many agents as you can in that time. I don't care what category/genre of fiction or nonfiction you're writing, we have multiple agents attending who are looking for what you write. Memoir? Check. Children's stuff. Check. How-to business? Check. Romance bordering on erotica? Check. Everything in between? Check.

Prior to the slam, the day is chock full of presentations and panels with authors, agents and editors.

For space purposes, we can't fit the complete agent bios on this blog post; however, you can see everything these agents accept and "want" on the official conference BEA page right here. That link will also show you who is presenting at the conference itself.

Literary agents (and some editors)
in attendance at the 2009
Writer's Digest Books Writers' Conference:

EMMANUELLE ALSPAUGH (Judith Ehrlich Literary)
MICHELLE ANDELMAN (Lynn C. Franklin Associates)
BERNADETTE BAKER-BAUGHMAN (Baker's Mark Literary)
MICHAEL BOURRET (Dystel & Goderich Literary Management)
JAMIE BRENNER (Artists and Artisans)
REGINA BROOKS (Serendipity Literary)
ANDREA BROWN (Andrea Brown Literary)
SHEREE BYKOFSKY (Sheree Bykofsky Associates)
DEBBIE CARTER (Muse Literary Management)
JENNIFER CAYEA (Avenue A Literary)
DANIELLE CHIOTTI (Firebrand Literary)
ADAM CHROMY (Artists and Artisans)
VIVIAN CHUM (Prospect Agency)
GINGER CLARK (Curtis Brown, Ltd.)
GREG DANIEL (Daniel Literary Group)
STACIA DECKER (Firebrand Literary)
RACHEL DOWNES (Caren Johnson Literary)
VERNA DREISBACH (Dreisbach Literary Management)
JENNIE DUNHAM (Dunham Literary)
STEPHANY EVANS (FinePrint Literary Management)
SORCHE FAIRBANK (Fairbank Literary Representation)
MOLLIE GLICK (Foundry Literary + Media)
GARY HEIDT (Signature Literary)
BLAIR HEWES (Dunham Literary)
LEAH HULTENSCHMIDT (editor, Dorchester Publishing)
CAREN JOHNSON (Caren Johnson Literary)
ABIGAIL KOONS (Park Literary)
MIRIAM KRISS (Irene Goodman Literary)
MICHAEL LARSEN (Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents)
MEG LEDER (editor, Penguin imprint, Perigee)
SANDY LU (L. Perkins Associates)
DONALD MAASS (Donald Maass Literary Agency)
ALEXANDRA H. MACHINIST (Linda Chester and Associates Literary Agency)
MICHAEL MANCILLA (Greystone Literary Agency)
SHARLENE MARTIN (Martin Literary Management)
JEFFERY McGRAW (The August Agency)
COURTNEY MILLER_CALLIHAN (Sanford J. Greenburger Assoc.)
JUDITH ANN MIRAMONTEZ (Book Cents Literary Agency)
ROBIN MIZELL (Robin Mizell Literary Representation)
CHRIS MOREHOUSE (Dunham Literary)
ELLEN PEPUS (Signature Literary)
LORI PERKINS (L. Perkins Agency)
BARBARA POELLE (Irene Goodman Literary)
ELIZABETH POMADA (Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents)
ALANNA RAMIREZ (Trident Media Group)
JENNY RAPPAPORT (The Rappaport Agency)
JESSICA REGEL (Jean V. Naggar Literary)
JANET REID (FinePrint Literary Management)
CHRIS RICHMAN (Firebrand Literary)
JANET ROSEN (Sheree Bykofsky Associates)
RITA ROSENKRANZ (Rita Rosenkranz Literary)
ELANA ROTH (Caren Johnson Literary Agency)
KATHARINE SANDS (Sarah Jane Freymann Literary)
ALISON SCHWARTZ (ICM)
JESSICA SINSHEIMER (Sarah Jane Freymann Literary)
MICHAEL STEARNS (Firebrand Literary)
NICOLE STEEN (Elyse Cheney Literary)
GRETCHEN STELTER (Baker's Mark Literary)
JOANNA STAMPFEL-VOLPE (Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation)
UWE STENDER (TriadaUS Literary Agency)
KARI STUART (ICM)
BROOKE WARNER (editor, Seal Press)
CHERRY WEINER (Cherry Weiner Literary)
TED WEINSTEIN (Ted Weinstein Literary)
JENNIFER WELTZ (Jean V. Naggar Literary)
TINA WEXLER (ICM)
JOHN WILLIG (Literary Services, Inc.)
TOM WILLKINS (Jeff Herman Agency)
CHRISTINE WITTHOHN (Book Cents Literary Agency)

---------------------

AND OTHER WD NEWS

1. SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBINAR
        Wondering how to become an established author in an online world? Writer’s Digest is here to prepare you to take advantage of all the new online tools (like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), while also showing you the essentials of creating a website that gets noticed. We’re offering an online, interactive presentation that teaches you how to:
        - Easily build a website or blog in an afternoon or weekend. (It’s much easier than you think.)
        - Use social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn. These sites are changing the way authors and publishers can market, promote, and connect.
       - Find success examples of writers using the Internet and examine why their strategies work.
        The online event is on March 31 at 1:30 p.m. EST. All you need is a computer with Internet access. Seats are limited, so register today! [Link to registration page]

2. FREE ARTICLE ON CHOOSING A CRITIQUE GROUP
       See it online here courtesy of Writer's Digest.

Sandy Lu Joins L. Perkins Agency

Chuck — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 19:05:25 GMT

Lori Perkins has an agency in New York. I blogged this agency a while back when Jenny Rappaport left the agency to form her own. Now, Lori has taken on a new agent: Sandy Lu.

L. Perkins Associates doesn't have a Web site, but Lori runs her "Agent in the Middle" blog here. Here are some detail on Sandy:

Sandy Lu
L. Perkins Associates

Prior to her current position: Ms. Lu was with Vanguard Literary Agency. Fiction areas of interest: "literary and commercial fiction, upscale women's fiction, mystery, thriller, psychological horror, and historical fiction. She is especially interested in edgy, contemporary urban fiction."

Nonfiction areas of interest: narrative nonfiction, history, biography,
memoir, science, psychology, pop culture, and food writing. She also has a particular interest in Asian or Asian-American writing, both original and in translation, fiction and nonfiction. How to contact: sllperkinsagency@gmail.com.

New Agent Alert: Sara Megibow of Nelson Literary

Chuck — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:45:07 GMT

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

Classifying Your Work

Chuck — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:51:11 GMT

Q. When classifying your book should you be more general and just consider it 'suspense' vs. 'murder mystery suspense'?

A: More specific is always good! It shows that you have done research and understand how genres and markets work. You should also be able to identify markets better. Look for agents who not only rep mystery, but specifically have a track record of taking on murder mystery suspense. That said, I'm pretty sure murder mystery is one genre and suspense is another.

Agent Advice: Sammie Justesen of Northern Lights Literary Services

Chuck — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:00:10 GMT

Sammie Justesen

GLA. How did you become an agent?

SJ. I began my career as a nurse and moved into publishing as a clinical editor for a medical publishing firm. From there I began editing non-medical books, including fiction.

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

SJ. I’m working on a two-book deal with Wiley for Frank Rumbauskas Jr. These will be follow-up books to his business bestseller, Never Cold Call Again.
        I’m preparing to sign a contract with Sterling Publishing for Thank You For Firing Me, by Candice Reed and Kitty Martini: a practical and inspirational guide to rebuilding one's career after being fired.

GLA. You look for a lot of nonfiction. What are you seeking right now and not getting? What do you wish would turn up in the slush pile?

SJ. I’m open to any topic that will interest to readers and has a wide market. I’ve accepted books on everything from Hip-Hop music to sustainable agriculture. I’d love to see more queries from authors who’ve done their homework and prepared a great proposal.

GLA. Fill in this sentence. "If a book proposal doesn't _________ , I can't do anything with it and say no to the author."

SJ. If a book proposal doesn't address a wide enough market, I can't do anything with it and say no to the author.

GLA: Your fiction interests seem to be mostly genre - romance, women's, mystery, suspense and historical. What draws you to genre categories?

SJ: I lean toward representing the kind of books I enjoy reading, because I have a better understanding of those genres. Also, I find genre titles are easier to sell.

GLA: Do you find that people mis-categorize submissions to you? Do you get "romance" that's really not romance at all, for example?

SJ: Usually the queries I receive are correct with categories, but authors sometimes try to combine categories in a way that won’t sell to publishers. For example: a steamy romance novel combined with a violent spy story. Where would it go in a bookstore? Who would read it? Bookstores need to know exactly where books will be shelved.

GLA: Suspense is a genre we've never really talked about on the blog. Can you throw out a few things that you believe are integral to a good suspense genre book?

SJ: These suggestions come to mind:
        1. Learn the formula by reading and studying this genre. (Of course, you won’t let your readers know you’re following a formula). Analyze your favorite book to see how the writer adds suspense, to the book in general and individual scenes.
        2. Your central problem or issue must be serious enough to engage readers’ attention. What’s at stake? Don’t go overboard (like saving the earth from giant insects), but make sure your protagonist faces a life-changing threat. Make it personal for the hero.
        3. You’ll need a sympathetic protagonist, complete with flaws, quirks, and a reason for us to care what happens to her.
        4. Have a great ending in mind before you start the book.
        5. Your bad guys should be interesting, entertaining, and smart. Don’t use cardboard villians. The hero should be fully tested by his adversaries.

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

SJ: We plan to attend the Writers of the Pacific Northwest Conference in Seattle (July, 2009), the Jackson Hole Writers Conference (June, 2009), and the South Carolina Writers Workshop in Myrtle Beach (October, 2009).

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

SJ: Publishers are struggling to cope with the volatile economy. In 2009, writers and agents must go “lean and mean.” We need to work harder at creating books that are well written and attract a wide audience. Before you send queries, focus on creating a platform and marketing plan.

Sammie Justesen is a literary agent with Northern Lights Literary Services, LLC. She is interested in the following genre fiction categories: romance, women's mystery, suspense and historical. She is open to practically any nonfiction subject that comes with an awesome book proposal.

Agent Advice: Ellen Pepus of Signature Literary (formerly the Ellen Pepus Literary Agency)

Chuck — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:48:23 GMT

She is seeking: "narrative nonfiction, including history, true crime, science, adventure, and memoir, as well as self-help, health and diet, food and cooking, travel, entertainment, popular culture, how-to and humor. She also represents a wide range of fiction, including literary, historical, mystery, women's fiction and romance, erotica, thrillers, fantasy and general commercial fiction. She does not handle science fiction, young adult, children's, short stories, poetry or screenplays."

GLA: How did you become an agent?

EP: My background is in English, writing and law, and I'd always wanted to work in publishing. My introduction to agenting was at The Graybill and English Literary Agency where I was assistant to several agents (including Jeff Kleinman and Elaine English) and sold foreign rights. When that agency disbanded in 2006, I decided to start my own agency, based in Washington DC.

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

EP: The Belly Dancer, DeAnna Cameron, Berkley 2009. Really fun historical fiction by a first-time novelist.

GLA: You say you're looking for women's fiction that transcends chick lit. Can
you expand on what you mean by this?

EP: I love themes and subjects that appeal to women - books about people, relationships, women's lives. I like the funny, lighthearted aspect of chick lit, but I'm more looking for books with more depth, that are original and unpredictable and take a few risks. I would love to find authors who can break out of the formula and still tell a great story.

GLA: You also look for "animal stories," but this seems like a subject where you may get a lot of bad submissions. True? What mistakes are people making?

EP: It's funny; animal books are sort of perennial sellers, so I thought I'd put it out there as something I was looking for - but I do get a lot of misguided submissions in this area, particularly people's "cute pet" stories. I'd like to see books that include animals as a theme or subject, but not necessarily ones about someone's weird dog or cat. Instead, I'd love to see good narrative nonfiction in the science or nature areas or even a memoir/human interest story with an unusual twist and great writing.

GLA: What are the most common problems you see in a query letter from an unknown author?

EP: The most common problems in query letters - first, mistakes in grammar, spelling, word usage, or sentence structure. Anything like that is going to put me right off. Second, not saying what the book is about right away. I am only able to spend a minute at most reading your query letter - tell me exactly what I should know immediately because I may not read all the way to the end. Third, being boring or unoriginal - writers don't seem to realize how many query letters we read in a day or a week, we've seen everything and are looking, more than anything, for our attention to be caught, to be taken by surprise. Be surprising!

GLA: What are you noticing about how the recession is affecting the publishing
world and authors' abilities to sell work?

EP: It's definitely tightened up quite a bit. I think there will still be sales but maybe fewer for a while, and publishers may be less likely to take a chance on an unknown fiction author unless the work has a very strong commercial hook, or, in nonfiction, if the author has a great platform.

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

EP: In 2009, I'll be at the Las Vegas Writers Conference in April and Washington Independent Writers Conference in June. I'll also be taking pitches at the Writer's Digest Books Writers' Conference just before BEA in May in Manhattan.

GLA: When writers pitch you in person, what do they need to do to make their
short amount of time work?

EP: I think pitching is difficult because it's impossible to judge a piece of writing based on a pitch. Having said that, I want to hear about what the book is about, what makes it interesting, why people will want to read it, what one thing will get a publisher excited about seeing it. I also usually like to have a conversation with the writer, to find out their background, why they wrote this particular book, what else they've written, etc.

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

EP: My best advice to writers is to keep practicing, to take workshops and classes, to really learn your craft. Read a lot. Notice things like story structure, character development, how scenes are put together in the books you love. These things can all be learned. I see way too many people who think they can just bang out an unoriginal, poorly crafted novel and get an agent to take it seriously.
Writing is a discipline and it requires dedication, talent, craft and - unfortunately - luck, but the luck part has a lot more to do with the first three than people think. And if you don't succeed with your first novel, write another one. Consider that first one practice. Keep going, but don't get bogged down thinking you've written a misunderstood masterpiece if every agent in the world turns you down. Assume there's something in that piece that isn't working and move on ... but keep 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: Mary Sue Seymour of The Seymour Agency

Chuck — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:45:12 GMT

"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 Mary Sue Seymour, of The Seymour Agency.

She is seeking: Mary is looking for new clients who write any type of romance including historical, contemporary category, contemporary mainstream, suspense, paranormal, regency or inspirational. She wants nonfiction about real life heroes, prescriptive books, cookbooks, and basically any type of nonfiction by credentialed authors. She is looking for Christian books of any type. She does not handle magazine articles, e-published or self-published books, general novels, children's books, poetry, short stories, New Age and books contradictory to fundamental Christian beliefs. E-mail her at marysue@twcny.rr.com. See her Web site before submitting material.

Mary Sue Seymour (left) pictured with
client Vannetta Chapman.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

MSS: When I was teaching elementary school, I wrote and had three different agents. One of them wasn't very good, so I talked to a girlfriend who was a business teacher. She convinced me to start my own literary agency as a hobby back in 1992. The first book i sent out sold a four-book deal to Bantam. God had given me a gift. I could look at a book that was flawed and write a prescription to fix it, like I had to fix the book that sold the four-book deal.

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

MSS: Today, I sold Shelly Galloway's two-book untitled deal to Johanna Raisenan at Harlequin Canada for their Harlequin America line, which I know is weird because its primary offices are in Canada. Yesterday, I sold Shelley Shepherd Gray's three-book deal to Avon Inspire.

GLA: You ask for the first 50 pages of text with a fiction submission. I’m guessing you usually don’t get through all 50 before you stop. What types of things will turn you off in those crucial first chapters?

MSS: The first line and first paragraph should demonstrate great writing ability and the knowledge that the author knows how to write a hook. If it's a romance, it would be nice if the hero/heroine meet on the first page or close to it.

GLA: If you were speaking to someone who was sitting down to write a romance book but had never done so before (they wrote either literary fiction or plain nonfiction), what would you tell them about the necessities of how to write?

MSS: The word count would range from 50K to about 100K. There is a formula to write a good romance. The hero must be a man the reader would like to date and the heroine should be the type of girl that is bigger than life that the reader would like to be like. They should meet, overcome obstacles and in the end get together. There are dozens of different kind of romances - the author could join the Romance Writers of America for support and and get into critique groups. All my published authors have critique groups.

GLA: If someone pitches a romance series to you rather than just one book, does that raise a red flag in your mind?

MSS: No, it's better. Most romance publishers would rather buy a series. Americans are collectors and like series. Publishers would rather pay to publicize one author for three books than pay to publicize three separate authors.

GLA: Concerning Christian fiction, what are you looking for and not getting?

MSS: I would like to see more historical romance that has Christian elements.

GLA: You’ve said before that you are big into the general information books, such as the “Everything” series and the “Idiot’s Guide to” series. What qualifies someone to contact you with an idea for a book in the series? Can you give us an example of when someone pitched one of these books cold to you and it came to fruition?

MSS: Editors from Adams Media e-mail me lists of titles they are seeking authors for. I forward the lists on to my clients who e-mail the editor via me a bio. If the editor likes the bio, she requests a table of contents and then they take it from there.

GLA: In addition to the literary agency, you also have a film agency. Can you tell us more about that? What are you looking for? Are you a script manager?

MSS: Ellen, my film agent, recently retired due to health issues and a poor market. I am looking for a new film agent.

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

MSS: In January, I will be at Space Coast Writers Guild Annual Conference in Cocoa Beach. The beginning of February will be in San Diego, and then at the end of February Naples, Fla, with the Southwest Florida Romance Writers. In March, I'll be in Charlotte for the Carolina Romance Writers Conference.

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

MSS: Writing is a process. People don't usually write books unless they have talent. You dont' take piano lessons if you have no talent. Join an organization for support; for example, if you write mysteries, join the MWA. Enter contests if you can afford the fees - especially ones judged by editors.

Want more on this subject?

See a profile of Christian agent Rachelle Gardner of Wordserve.

Read an interview with Christian agent Chip MacGregor.

Buy the memoir guide, Writing Life Stories.

Read an interview with Christian agent Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary.

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!

Rappaport Agency Opens

Chuck — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:32:47 GMT

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."

Agent Advice: Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary

Chuck — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:39:06 GMT

"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."

Around the WD Properties: 10-2-2008

Chuck — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:41:57 GMT

WD Editor Maria Schneider Leaving

The wonderful editor of Writer's Digest, Maria Schneider, is leaving the magazine after several years of service. She will be greatly missed. You can leave a parting message for her on her blog.

Articles Wanted!

Alice Pope, who will be editing the 2010 edition of Novel & Short Story Writer's Market, welcomes submissions for the next edition of NSSWM. Alice would like pitches for articles and interviews that fit the following sections in the book: The Writing Life, Craft & Technique, Getting Published, For Mystery Writers, For Romance Writers, and For Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Writers.

To get an even better idea of what is wanted, you should check out a copy of the 2009 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market at your local bookstore or library. Queries can be sent to Alice's attention at nsswm@fwpubs.com.

Looking for a Writers' Conference?

As of now, I'm speaking at seven conferences in 2009, so, if you have a moment, check them off if you live nearby and see if you're interested in dropping by! There are some really good gatherings in this list.

Reno Writers Conference at Truckee Meadows Community College
March 14, 2009
Reno, NV

Las Vegas Writers Conference
April 16-18, 2009
Las Vegas, NV

Muse and the Marketplace: Grub Street Writers
April 24-26, 2009
Boston, MA

Writers Digest Books Writers Conference / Book Expo America
May 27, 2009
New York, NY

Southeastern Writers Conference
June 21-25, 2009
St. Simons Island, GA

Jackson Hole Writers Conference
June 25-27, 2009
Jackson Hole, WY

Around the Properties: WD News 9-16-2008

Chuck — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:10:30 GMT

There is a lot going on around the WD properties. Check out the news!

The Don'ts of Books Submissions

At the Maui Writers Conference, WD staffers were at a session where three agent panelists threw out some helpful tips on what not to do when submitting a book.

    1. Don't send your full manuscript off the get go. Only send what's requested in the particular agent's guidelines. (They almost always can be found online.)
    2. Don't respond to a rejection letter or ask "why." Just move on.
    3. Don't be rude or disrespectful—rejection isn't personal, it's just part of the business.
    4. Don't submit to one agent at a time. The industry is slow so it's unrealistic for agents to assume you haven't sent it to other people (unless an agent asks for an exclusive read).
    5. Don't resend a query or manuscript a day or two later with a note, "I found a mistake in my proposal and fixed it." Once it's sent, it's sent.

Constructing the Thriller

Also picked up at the Maui Writers' Conference, here are writer Gary Braver's tips on driving a thriller forward. Click here to read the whole thing - all 10 tips and an explanation on each.

    1. You need to have a good story.
    2. Write about the underdog.
    3. Multiple points of view can give you great range in a thriller.
    4. Open your book with an action scene.
    5. Early on, make clear what your protagonist wants and what he fears.

WD Popular Fiction Awards

Deadline: 11/3/2008

The WD Popular Fiction Awards is now accepting entries. Compete and win in all five Categories! The Grand Prize-Winner will receive $2,500 cash.

New Agent Alert: Joanna Stampfel

Chuck — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:11:53 GMT

UPDATE (March 2009): Joanna is now Joanna Stampfel-Volpe and she is with Nancy Coffey Literary. To see an interview with her, click on the "Agent Advice" category on the left.

-------

Joanna Stampfel is transitioning from office assistant to full-fledged powerful literary agent over at FinePrint Literary Management in NYC.

You know what that means: a new agent looking for writers.

(News of her transition was
recently announced by Colleen
Lindsay, another FinePrint agent
who's known as "The Swivet." When
you see things quoted below,
that is material from her.)

"Here's what Joanna's looking for, in her own words:

Actively seeking: Childrens: Chapter books to middle grade - covering any and all topics. If fantasy, it had better be very unique. Loves a good school story, and always looking for humorous boy reads. YA: contemporary to sci-fi and everything in between. Again, if full-out fantasy, it had better be different. Romance: historical, paranormal, multicultural. Other Adult: pop-culture, dark speculative fiction, narrative non-fiction having to do with environment, food, outdoors.

Does not want to receive: mysteries, thrillers, heavy nonfiction, self-help, how-to, hard sci-fi, hi-fantasy, memoirs, true crime, biography.

How to contact: E-queries and snail mail queries accepted. Send e-queries to [redacted]."

New Agent Alert: Josh Getzler of Writers House

Chuck — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:53:28 GMT

Editor's note: "Josh Getzler is moving to Russell & Volkening (Nov. 2009) as an agent. He has been at Writers House for the past three years. He anticipates building his list of literary and commercial fiction, with a particular bias toward suspense and crime novels."

-----

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

Josh Getzler of Writers House

21 W. 26th Street, New York NY 10010. Email: jgetzler@writershouse.com. www.writershouse.com Seeking new and unagented writers. Prior to becoming a junior agent, Mr. Getzler have had 15 years in the business (not all publishing). Currently handles: 75% fiction, 25% nonfiction.

How to contact: E-mail only with query with five or so pages. Synopsis not necessary. Actively seeking: Foreign and historical thrillers. Recent sales: Devil's Thrill by Gerald Elias (Minotaur, Fall 2009).

This new agent tip
provided by GLA blogger
extraordinaire Kristen Howe.

Maria Blogs About Thrillerfest

Chuck — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:02:05 GMT

Maria Schneider, editor extraordinaire of Writer's Digest magazine, recently blogged all about her adventures in Manhattan while she was at Thrillerfest.

Thrillerfest, if you didn't know, is a huge writers' conference for writers of thr thriller genre, and attracts a crazy amount of big-name authors, such as Sandra Brown, David Baldacci and James Rollins. Check her posts out!

Sandra Brown and Maria Schneider.

My Adventures in Smith Mountain Lake...

Chuck — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:19:03 GMT

Last week I got the chance to present for the Smith Mountain Lake Writers Group down in southwest Virginia (think near Roanoke). The talk drew in a decent crowd - considering the holiday so close - and attracted writers from several counties.

I'm still out of town and have been having trouble posting on the blog (sorry for the wait). Below you will find some questions that writers asked at the presentation.

Me (Chuck Sambuchino) and some
of the Smith Mountain
Lake writers. To the right of
me (beige shirt) is group
coordinator Jim Morrison.

Q. What do you do if you're unhappy with how your literary agent is working for you?

A. Complicated question. The standard answer of "Be honest with her" is unfulfilling because you feel like she knows more than you, and she knows how to work. But still, you have to be honest and gently express concern at how things are going.
That said, have patience. As long as the agent is working on your project, then she is indeed working. If it's getting submitted to places with no luck, then examine why this is. Is this work sub-par? Does it need tweaking? What about these submissions she's sending to editors? Does she have relationships with the editors, or are these just cold submissions?
If you have decided to get out of a representation agreement with an agent, you will have to consult your contract, and check out the details (fine print). Contracts have termination clauses and you could be stuck with that agent for several weeks or months, etc. Usually this is not a problem because a reputable agent will want to cut ties with a client who wants to cut ties with them. That said, know that any previous books that you worked with the agent on - and sold - will be tied to the agent forever. For example, if your agent sold Book 1, and now you want to get out because Book 2 is going nowhere, you will always be locked in to that agent for Book 1 because she sold it. For every dollar you make now until forever, she gets 15 cents.

Q. Why is literary fiction a difficult sell?

A. Screenwriter Blake Snyder said that if you can't boil your story down to one super-intiguing sentence (a logline), then you're already in trouble. The reason that so much of what's out now in movie theaters is sequels and remakes and garbage is because it's easily marketable. People know what the story's about.
Genre fiction (also called popular fiction), such as mysteries or romance or sci-fi, has a specific framework - a specific blueprint. People enjoy mysteries because they want to solve a crime. They expect red herrings. They expect a clever villain. These things are integral parts of the mystery blueprint. Literary fiction has no blueprint! I've said before that when you don't know what your novel is genre-wise, it could very well be literary fiction. Because literary fiction has no blueprint, and the stories are often more layered and rich, that tends to make them harder to condense into one super-intriguing line. And that's why they're a hard sell. People just don't know what they're about, and they need to know if they're going to plunk down $27 for it.

New Agent Alert: Guichard Cadet of Serendipity Literary

Chuck — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:41:22 GMT

Serendipity Literary, a cool boutique agency founded by Regina Brooks, has a new literary agent looking for material.

Guichard Cadet is "looking to represent a balanced mix of fiction and nonfiction but is not interested in magical realism, fantasy or science fiction. He has a special affinity for pop culture, sports and Caribbean themed titles."

Previously, Guichard founded the independent press, La Caille Nous Publishing. See his full bio here!

The agency has different submission guidelines for adult fiction/nonfiction than they do for children's and juvenile work. Adjust accordingly.

New Agent Alert: Eddie Schneider of JABberwocky Literary

Kristen Howe — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:37:23 GMT

JABberwocky Literary has a new literary agent: Eddie Schneider.

Contact info:
Eddie Schneider
JABberwocky Literary
P.O. Box 4558
New York, NY 11104
(718)392-5985

Fiction areas of interest: Literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, humor/satire, young adult. How to contact: Send a query with a SASE. No e-mails. He's seeking projects with a greater literary emphasis to his tastes than is typical of many agents who represent authors in these genres.

Tips: "I like things that are dark, that break rules, and that possess wit and humor. I like being thrust into other cultures, and similarly, I go for books that draw me into other worlds that exist on their own terms. Strong, evocative writing is a must."

Prior to his current position, he was an agent with Folio Literary. Do not send Eddie any unsolicited mss. Query him through snail mail and include a SASE.

Eddie Schneider.

Lucienne Diver Moves to the Knight Agency

Chuck — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:11:49 GMT

Lucienne Diver, an accomplished and experienced agent has moved from the Spectrum Agency to The Knight Agency.

I got the chance to meet Lucienne when I was presenting in Florida and she was a joy to be around.

I learned the news by reading the blog of Nephele Tempest, another agent at Knight. If she was on your short list of agents, note this change. Lucienne's main areas of interest include fantasy, science fiction, romance, mystery, suspense and erotica.

Lucienne Diver

Why Can't I Get Past the Query?

Chuck — Sat, 03 May 2008 03:20:49 GMT

Q. I know this will sound trite, but I have exhausted a multitude of possibilities, and have come up with a dismal fact. Unless you are a well-known actor or perhaps a sports personality, having a manuscript even looked at is like urinating on a rope and expecting the flow to reverse itself ... so that it travels against gravity.
I won't bore you with what steps I've taken, but suffice it to say that my lack of success isn't due to the manuscript's quality - or lack thereof, since nobody will even respond to heartfelt pleadings of even a 2-3 page read! What must a person do to become a success? I have paid thousands of dollars to "vanity publishers" on my first two books, and just will not do it again on this - my best and third book. It's a political horror (Is there any other kind?) and the word count is 270K. Entitled: Necromancer, and if you read that alone, and knew anybody with a shred of curiosity, then you've at least digested the title, could you provide the name of an agent for me to e-mail or call? The book is worth it, and promises to entertain even the most selective of publishers/agents.
- David

A. OK, David. Let's tackle this problem one part at a time.
      First off, 270,000 words is not only too long, it's crazy long. A typical horror novel would run aboyt 90K, so if you mentioned the word count in your query, that alone could explain why no one requested more.
      Second: the title. First off, it's "titled," not "entitled." Second, I don't even read horror, but Necromancer seems like kind of a cliche title. I would change it. On this subject, what is "political horror"? I've never heard of that subgenre. Can it just be called "horror"? If you make up your own subgenre, then it might scare agents off.
      If you change your query to meet my suggestions and don't get requests for pages, then it's safe to say the problem lies completely in your query letter. I met a writer the other day in Texas who had a great background in journalism and a great premise for a novel. "Why won't any agents read a sample of my work, Chuck?" he asked. "Well, sir," I told him. "If you have good credentials and a good premise, then it's obvious that your query needs work."
      Lastly, the very fact that you say it will entertain "the most selective of publishers/agents" is not good news. Horror is a very specific niche, and I have never even heard of "political horror." So - on the contrary - very few agents and publishers will be interested in something like this. Your difficult job is finding a horror agent who will be interested.

"It's a lonely life - the way of the necromancer.
Oh yes. Lacrimae Mundi - the tears of the world."
- Merlin, Excalibur

New Agent Alert: Spencer Ellsworth at Lori Perkins

Chuck — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 04:42:17 GMT

APRIL 2009 UPDATE: Spencer is on a hiatus from agenting. (I think he's back in school.) Check with the L. Perkins Associates agency from time to time to see if he has returned.

---------

It's very late here, but I wanted to pass along some information about Spencer Ellsworth, a new agent with L. Perkins Associates (the Lori Perkins Agency).

He sent me a note saying he is looking for "science fiction, fantasy, historical novels, graphic novels, satire, memoir and travel writing. Please, no vampires."

Query him at sellsworthlperkinsagency@yahoo.com.

Here's some holy water, Spencer,
to keep those vampires at bay.

Agent Advice: Phil Lang of Reece Halsey North

Chuck — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:19:35 GMT

Agent interview by
blog contributor Robin Mizell:

"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 Phil Lang, the newest literary agent at Reece Halsey North in Tiburon, Calif.

GLA: You're a new agent, which can be an advantage to authors seeking representation. Tell us a little about how you got started in the business.

PL: I was attending the MFA Creative Writing Program at the University of San Francisco with Elizabeth Evans, an agent at Reece Halsey North. She had interned for Kimberley Cameron and asked if I'd be interested in reading for them a few times a week. That invitation opened me up to a side of the writing equation that I had never even considered.
I knew on the first day that I had stumbled upon a special situation. You don't find places like Reece Halsey North just anywhere, and you rarely find a mentor as wonderful as Kimberley Cameron. I started going through the submissions as an unpaid intern. Before long, I was asked to look at work from existing clients. One thing you can count on in this business is that there will always be something to read, which to an intern means there will always be opportunities to show your worth.
After some time, Ms. Cameron asked if I saw myself making a career out of this. Absolutely, I told her. She offered me a job, and I took it on the spot. Not many people get the chance in this business right out of graduate school. I know how fortunate I am to be in the position I'm in, and I'm hellbent on making the best of it.

GLA: The Reece Halsey North Web site indicates you're seeking literary and commercial fiction, including mysteries and thrillers, as well as nonfiction in the areas of biography, history, current events, music, and sports. Would you consider any other submissions?

PL: When people ask what genres I'm interested in, my answer is always the same: I'm interested in the great writing genre. I'm not seeking fantasy or YA, but if it—whatever it is—is great, then I'm interested.
There is also another aspect to this question that people often overlook. I seek out the genres listed above because those are the genres where I am most confident in my assessment of talent. Asking me to represent fantasy would be like someone asking me to represent his or her punk band. I would like to think that I could hear some undiscovered Ramones and identify them as a great band, but I'm not in that scene, and I am not familiar with the nuances of quality punk music.
Greatness is apparent to most anyone, but it's the separation of everything that falls below the fantasy equivalent of the Ramones where I would have a hard time distinguishing the very good from the everyday.

GLA: What kinds of credentials do you look for when you receive a query?

PL: It depends on the genre. Fiction and nonfiction are entirely different beasts. Platform plays a big role in nonfiction, whereas I'm much less concerned with that on the fiction side of things. Now, I'm not saying a publication credit in The New Yorker means nothing to me, but there's more leeway in fiction. Thank God.

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

PL: E-mail. It's the lifeline of the office. It may take a little while for me to respond, and on rare occasions queries are lost in the junk file, but it's without question the best way for someone to get a hold of me. We've phased out mail submissions in the office, and our response time has been cut in half.

GLA: If a writer submits a promising query that happens to be outside your specific areas of interest, would you pass it along to one of your colleagues at Reece Halsey North?

PL: Of course. I do every day. This is a small office, and the three of us (Kimberley Cameron, Elizabeth Evans, and I) are very tight. We each have a hand in every project that goes out the door, and we all are responsible for every query that lands here. What's good for the agency is good for me. I've heard horror stories of highly competitive agencies, and they always befuddle me.

GLA: How can writers get to know your particular tastes and preferences?

PL: Believe it or not, I labored over writing my bio on our Web site. It's a bit embarrassing, but what the hell. It took me a few days to write that damn paragraph! The reason for that is because I knew it would be the best place for people to get an idea of the writing I seek.

GLA: What's your defining personality trait?

PL: Persistence. I'm about as easygoing as they come, but I quietly go after what I want until I get it. (Is there any way to answer this question without coming off self-indulgent?)

GLA: Good point. It’s not always easy to describe yourself. How would you describe your ideal client?

PL: One whose books sell. I kid, but it's the truth. The ideal client is a person who understands that publishing a book is a collaborative process. This may sound obvious, but publishing a book takes time, many minds, and almost always involves more than a couple rejections. An ideal client, like a veteran ballplayer, never gets too high and never sinks too low. The ideal client knows that we're in this together and no one wants to sell the manuscript more than I do.

GLA: Tell us about your band.

PL: I started Bloomsday Rising with a fellow MFA student a little over a year ago. (What? You didn't think I was going let this prime opportunity for a plug slip away, did you?) It's a no-frills rock ‘n roll band, and it's the most fun I've had since Little League.

GLA: Will you be attending any conferences or events in the future where writers can meet you?

PL: The Santa Barbara Writers Conference (June 23-24); the Willamette Writers Conference in Portland, Ore. (August 1-3); the Book Passage Travel Writers & Photographers Conference in Corte Madera, Calif. (August 14-17); and the North Coast Redwoods Writers’ Conference (TBA).

GLA: Can you tell us about your own writing?

PL: I've spent the last few years working on my novel Home, Approximately. Like everyone and their dog, it's more or less completed, but I'm still making some final adjustments. The basic premise is that a young painter, five miles from a new life in New York City, is called back to the farm when his parents are killed in an accident. He spends the summer tending to his father's crops, stuck in the place and life he's wanted to leave since he was a boy. His greatest inspiration for his paintings is his hometown, Maple Valley, and the images of his father at work. His greatest fear is that he will become his father and never leave Maple Valley. Mix in a love interest, a young priest questioning his faith, and an ominous augur, and you have Home, Approximately.

GLA: To a writer looking for an agent, can you offer any advice about something we haven't discussed?

PL: Above all, remember the following:
      1. You will be rejected.
      2. You will be rejected.
      3. When you're at the stage of catching an agent's eye, your query letter is as important as anything. Polish that baby!
      4. Your first 10 pages hold your fate. Forward momentum is critical. It's not fair, but you have to give an agent a reason to turn the page. Know that you are one of 100 queries he or she will read that day. You don't have the luxury to meander.
      5. Give them exactly what they ask for. If they ask for a one-page synopsis, don't give them a page and a half. If they ask for the submission to be sent as a Microsoft Word attachment, don't send a submission in the body of the e-mail. I know that agents seem like a disgruntled bunch with classic Napoleon complexes, but I assure you that we are diehard fans of writing who want to contribute to the world of books.
      6. Do not call if you haven't heard back from an agent after a week, or even a month. I wish it weren't true, but it takes time to get through submissions. If you haven't heard back in a few months, then drop a polite e-mail, but after that, you have to let it go, which is why...
      7. You should send out simultaneous submissions. There is no reason you should be expected to wait on an agent before you send your work to other agents. It's simply not fair. Do not hesitate to send out submissions to as many agents as possible. What's the worst that could happen? More than one agent is interested in your work. Call me crazy and unethical, but I am willing to bet this is a problem any writer without representation would welcome.
      8. Your writing is worthwhile. Do not listen to the skeptics. They are just jealous because you've found something in this world that you're passionate about.
      9. Oh yeah, you will be rejected.

The Reece Halsey Agency, established in 1957 by Dorris Halsey, represented clients such as Aldous Huxley, William Faulkner, Upton Sinclair, and Henry Miller. In 1993, Kimberley Cameron became a partner in the agency and shortly thereafter founded Reece Halsey North and Reece Halsey Paris. Phil Lang joined Reece Halsey North in 2006 and is actively seeking new clients with “distinct voices and original perspectives.” The agency does not handle screenplays or teleplays. Additional submission guidelines are listed on its Web site.

The Newest Genre: Elegant Erotica

Chuck — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:05:11 GMT

Elegant Erotica: Not romance.
Not Penthouse. But a gentle blend
between the two.

We haven't had a new genre on the blog since "Cyberbilly" back in July, so I was excited to make this post, even if it is 1 a.m.

This genre was coined by Verna Dreisbach at a speakers' dinner. (Verna is the founder of Dreisbach Literary, and I posted about her not long ago.)

As far as what constitutes the genre, I can't give you much more than the short explanation above. Evidently, it's material that has more juicy bits than romance, but isn't pornography. For some reason, I think of British erotica or something like that - naughty writing, but proper at the same time.

New Agent Alert: Verna Dreisbach at Dreisbach Literary

Chuck — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:50:30 GMT

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

New agent at Dreisbach Literary (and she was formerly at Andrea Hurst Literary Management): Verna Dreisbach.

Verna comes to the agency from a career in writing. She is currently accepting submissions in the following genres:
Fiction: Commercial & literary fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, commercial women’s fiction, young adult, Native American Indian. Do not send sci-fi or horror. Verna’s 13 years of law enforcement experience as a former police officer gives her a genuine interest and expertise in the genres of mystery, true crime, and suspense. Her other interests include horses, having ridden since she was a young girl. Her newest endeavor has taken her into the realm of natural horsemanship training.
Adult nonfiction: Travel writing, self-help, parenting, business,
pets, health, true crime, and any fresh, compelling idea that is
matched with a strong platform.

In her words: "I work directly with packaging authors and ideas for such series books as The Idiot’s Guides and The Everything Guides, and believe in helping authors break into the world of writing through these types of guide books. If you have an idea for a guide book, are an expert in a field that you believe should have a one, or would like to be a writer for one of these projects in conjunction with an expert, please send me your resume.">

New Agent Alert: Colleen Lindsay at FinePrint Literary Management

Chuck — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:39:58 GMT

Got a tip this morning that FinePrint Literary had taken on a new agent: Colleen Lindsay. Prior to becoming an agent, Ms. Lindsay was the director of publicity for Del Rey Books. Also, she was a reviewer for the San Francisco Chronicle.

Fiction areas of interest: Science fiction and fantasy of all kinds, horror, paranormal romance, YA fiction and fantasy, pop culture, graphic novels and LGBT fiction and nonfiction. She also seeks thrillers, literary and commercial fiction.

Nonfiction areas of interest: humor or narrative nonfiction, as well.

Does not want to receive: No category romance, poetry, short story
collections, children's picture books, westerns, spirituality, Christian fiction or non-fiction, self-help, Westerns, politics, history or biography.

How to contact: E-queries preferred. Because her submission instructions are so detailed, you should review them personally here on her blog.

Colleen Lindsay

colleen@fineprintlit.com

Agent Advice: Janet Reid of FinePrint Literary Management

Chuck — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:04:31 GMT

Agent interview by
blog contributor Robin Mizell:

"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 Janet Reid of FinePrint Literary Management. She was formerly with Imprint Literary; before that, she had her own agency: JetReid. Janet runs two successful and popular blogs: one that talks about publishing and agenting, and the Query Shark Blog, which critiques queries that come in. She became a literary agent after working for 15 years in book publicity and hosting an author interview program for an Oregon Public Broadcasting affiliate.

She is seeking: At present, she is reading all types of manuscripts, but she especially appreciates crime fiction and authors with a wry sense of humor.

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

JR: Siesta Lane, by Amy Minato to Skyhorse Publishing.

GLA: The FinePrint Web site indicates you're seeking mysteries and offbeat literary fiction; elsewhere you've said you're also interested in nonfiction: justice and death penalty issues, African politics, contemporary art and music, and how-to books. Do you consider anything else? What about graphic novels?

JR: I'll look at anything people send me. I don't know anything about fantasy or Westerns, so I tend to say no, but I read every query letter.

GLA: If you happened to receive a promising submission that was outside your areas of interest, might you pass it along to one of the other agents at FinePrint?

JR: You bet. And if you query me and I say no, you can still query anyone else at FinePrint.

GLA: How would you describe your ideal client?

JR: Jeff Somers. Mindy Tarquini. Sean Ferrell. Eric Stone, Jake Needham. Bill Cameron. Bob Fate. Oh, you mean generally? They write well. They write really, really well.

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

JR: E-mail. Snail mail is fine. I really, really don't like phone calls.

GLA: What is your defining personality trait? What don't we already know about you?

JR: I'm cruel, unkind, demanding and fierce. And I drink a lot of scotch.

GLA: What publishing industry periodicals or blogs do you currently read that might also be helpful to prospective clients?

JR: 1) Yours (GLA). 2) GalleyCat. 3) Kristin Nelson's Pub Rants blog. 4) Nathan Bransford.

GLA: You've said you don't enjoy traveling, but will you be attending any conferences or events in the future where writers can meet you?

JR: Scene of the Crime Conference, Wichita, Kan., April 11-13. The Muse & the Marketplace, Boston, Mass., April 26-27. Surrey International Writers’ Conference, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, Oct. 23-26, 2008. No one else has been brave enough to ask.

GLA: What's your best piece of advice regarding something we haven't discussed?

JR: Read Stephen King's book On Writing. Read E.B. White's books of essays. Surround yourself with beautiful things when you write, even if you prop open an art book from the library. Expect great things from yourself. Don't talk about what you're going to do ... Do it.

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.

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Susan Ann Protter Seeks Thrillers

Chuck — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:42:38 GMT

AAR Agent Susan Ann Protter is currently looking for a few good thriller writers. She recently updated her listing, saying that she is looking for new mystery and thriller writers.

Susan accepts queries by snail mail: Susan Ann Protter, Literary Agent, 110 W. 40th St., Suite 1408, New York, NY 10018.

Those submitting should make sure their manuscript is not only complete, but edited and polished. Established agents such as Susan don't often open up like this, so make the most of such an opportunity. Check out her Web site for more info. On the site, she also mentions a few other categories where she is looking for good queries.

New Agency Alert: Wolfson Literary Agency

Chuck — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:13:04 GMT

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." >

New Agency Alert: PlainSmart Publishing Agency (Complete)

Chuck — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:55:45 GMT

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."

Agent Advice: John Ware of John A. Ware Literary Agency

Chuck — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 20:51:50 GMT

"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 John Ware of John A. Ware Literary in Manhattan. He has an AB in philosophy from Cornell, and did some graduate work in English and American Literature at Northwestern, Radcliffe Publishing Procedures Course. John was an editor at Doubleday for eight years, (during which time he taught the industry-wide editorial course at NYU), then spent a year as an agent with James Brown Associates/Curtis Brown, Ltd.

How to contact & submissions: To query him, send a snail mail query with a SASE to 392 Central Park W., New York, NY 10025. Fiction wants: detective, police, crime, mystery, suspense and thriller. Nonfiction wants: biography, current affairs, health, history, language, music, nature, pop culture, psychology, science, sports, true crime, women's and investigative journalism.

John Ware.

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

JW: Some of my recent sales include Jon Krakauer's Untitled on Afghanistan to Doubleday, and Jennifer Niven's High School to Simon Spotlight Entertainment.

GLA: You represent a lot of nonfiction, which means you look for authors with platforms. Let’s say a university professor queries you, and this professor is an acknowledged expert in his field. However, he doesn't speak at conferences or have media contacts. Is his expertise enough? Or does he need a bigger platform before you consider him?

JW: I would take this professor on in a minute. If he’s the acknowledged authority on his subject, the publisher’s publicity aces can "build" him a platform.

GLA: What is the most common mistake you see in a nonfiction book proposal?

JW: I guess the most common mistake would be authors repeating material in the sample chapter pages already covered (sometimes verbatim) in the proposal's overview or chapter summaries.

GLA: Your fiction interests lean toward genres such as crime, suspense and thriller. What separates a good manuscript in these subjects from the many bad ones? What, for you, helps a query or story stand out?

JW: A "good" one would be so identified by my not being able to stop turning the pages! And, sure, it’s the writing itself that makes any query or story stand out.

GLA: If you read a fiction manuscript that contains brilliant writing, but is very similar in premise and plot to something else big on the market, would you take it on?

JW: Probably not, if it were that similar, but I sure would be tempted by the quality of the writing.

GLA: What’s your best piece of advice?

JW: My best piece of advice would be this: Work hard at your craft to make your work just as good as it can be. Then, with, the comfort that you’ve done this, you can approach agents with real confidence.

Want more on this subject?

See all agent interviews here!

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!

Contest for Romance Writers

Chuck — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 18:02:18 GMT

Thanks to the Writer Beware blog, I heard about a good writing competition for romance scribes.

It's called the First Chapters Romance Writing Competition, and writers can submit until Aug. 22.

All the nitty-gritty details are online, but the basics are these: The contest calls for full romance mss that have never been published, save those that were self published. There were be online judging early on by peers, then the winners get money and publication (through Simon & Schuster).

See the site and read the details thoroughly. All in all, it sounds like a solid contest. If you were able to prove yourself through winning (or at least doing very well) in such a competition, agents may come a' knockin.

Mystery Writing Conferences and Funny Names

Chuck — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:22:47 GMT

Let me take a moment here to inform readers about helpful writers' conferences for mystery writing, while also laughing out loud a bit. Mystery conferences have the wackiest names, and every new one I hear sounds just a little crazier than the last. See for yourself:

Hardboiled Heroes and Cozy Cats
      Mystery Writers of America Southwest Chapter
Magna Cum Murder
      Muncie, IN; Oct. 26-28, 2007
Scene of the Crime Conference
      Kansas
No Crime Unpublished Mystery Writers' Conference
      Summer 2008; Arcadia, CA
Deadly Ink Conference
      New Jersey
Bouchercon
      Alaska; Sept. 27-30, 2007
New England Crime Bake
      Massachusetts; Nov. 9-11, 2007
Murder on the Rocks
      Denver, CO; March 6-9, 2008
Bloody Words: The Canadian Mystery Conference
      Not till 2008; Toronto
Murder in the Grove
      Idaho; 2008

The crazy thing is I know there are many more and I'm missing some conferences with doozies for names. My favorite name of the ones listed above is Hardboiled Heroes and Cozy Cats.

Remember: Conferences are great opportunities to meet literary agents face to face and establish contact.

The logo for Bloody Words... bwahahaha

Agent Advice: David Hale Smith of DHS Literary, Inc.

Chuck — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:58:28 GMT

"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 David Hale Smith, founder of DHS Literary, Inc. in Dallas . His sales and management work has been mentioned in numerous publications, including Publishers Weekly and Daily Variety. Smith has been a featured speaker and panelist at leading writers' conferences, including the Maui Writers' Conference, Bouchercon, Jackson Hole Writers' Conference, Pacific Northwest Writers' Workshop and more.

He is seeking: He works with literary and commercial fiction - especially mysteries, suspense novels and thrillers—as well as a broad range of nonfiction. His agency also sells film, foreign and all subsidiary rights Representative books handled by Smith’s agency include New York Times bestsellers The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook series (Chronicle Books) and many more. A forthcoming work is Start Strong, Finish Strong by Dr. Kenneth Cooper and his son, Dr. Tyler Cooper.

David Hale Smith.

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

DHS: One of my favorite recent projects is a new novel from the brilliantly twisted mind of Victor Gischler. He has moved over to Touchstone/Fireside with a new two-book deal. The first novel in that deal is called Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse. It offers an insanely funny vision of the American future. And, of course, I’m very excited about Greg Rucka's graphic novel, Whiteout, being adapted as a big-budget movie starring Kate Beckinsale.

GLA: If a writer queries you with a crime novel, and it's the first in a series of three with the other two books already finished, should the author mention this at all? Or should they let such a discussion come up later?

DHS: I like to know that writers are thinking strategically, but I want to know they can put first things first. Write a book that dazzles me. If it's the first in a planned series, it’s OK to mention that in a query. But I do get a little nervous when I start hearing about a number of other finished manuscripts lying around that "no one has ever seen."

GLA: You handle different genre work—crime, thrillers, Western, etc. When an author queries you, should they say their submission is simply a "thriller" or a "Western"? Or do they need to be more specific, saying it's a "legal thriller" or a "police procedural" or a "law and lawmen Western"?

DHS: Again, I want to read the actual manuscript before we get into what section of the bookstore it should land in. Many times, I don't even think about the genre until I'm starting to talk to publishers about how the book will be published. Lately there have been a lot of cross-genre hybrids flying around, and that stuff can be great fun, but keeping it simple often works best at the beginning of a career. Then again, a lot of the best stuff comes from reinvention. How's that for contradictory advice?

GLA: You only take work by a referral. Do you also meet writers at conferences?

DHS: I love discovering new writers and reading first novels. But like everyone else, I just don't have enough hours in the day. The best filter I have found is to limit submissions to those that come in by referral. But when I go out and do a writers conference, if I hear a pitch I like, I will always invite a submission. At that point, you don't need a referral.

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

DHS: I like to feel almost physically pulled into a book. I want to discover a work with some magical combination of narrative voice, creative vision, and artistic ambition that absolutely demands publication.

Want more on this subject?

See all agent interviews here!

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: Janet Benrey of Benrey Literary

Chuck — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:42:12 GMT

"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

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!

Agent Advice: Jonathan Lyons of Lyons Literary

Chuck — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 18:44:14 GMT

"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 AAR member Jonathan Lyons, founder of Lyons Literary LLC, in New York City. He is a graduate of Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (JD) and Washington University in St. Louis (BA). He worked for both Curtis Brown, Ltd. and McIntosh & Otis, Inc., before founding Lyons Literary in January 2007. He is a member of the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR), The Authors Guild, American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, and the New York State Intellectual Property Law Section.

He is seeking: Lyons Literary LLC, represents a select list of writers of narrative nonfiction, history, food writing, biographies, women's issues, pop culture, sports, international themes, true crime, mysteries, thrillers and literary fiction. Jonathan also provides legal services for select agencies and publishers.

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

JL: I just sold The Peach Grower's Almanac, by Elaine di Rollo, to Allison McCabe at Crown. I represent and sell the rights to books in the United States on behalf of a few United Kingdom agents, and in this case the author is repped by Jane Conway-Gordon Ltd. in the UK. I also just did a deal for a novel called The Suicide Collectors, by David Oppegaard, to Michael Homler at St. Martin's. It's an awesome debut by a really promising young author; I've been describing it as the love child of A Wrinkle in Time and The Road.

GLA: If an author has a great concept for a nonfiction book, but lacks a platform, should they query you now and detail how they will build a platform? Or should they build a platform first and then query you?

JL: They don't necessarily have to have built the platform, but their plan has to be realistic and specific for me to be convinced.

GLA: How does your legal expertise and education on intellectual property help you as an agent?

JL: Most obviously, I think it helps when it comes to negotiating contracts. But I've found that my legal training comes in handy in other ways, too, that might seem less apparent. For one thing, I think I communicate well with my clients, keeping in good contact and providing good information and explanations, which is a carryover from my practices as an attorney. Next, I feel that I'm able to be a steady guide to my clients when tensions are high. While I am always a passionate advocate for my client, I try to see both sides of any dispute and use logic as much as possible to obtain an amicable result. Finally, I think my legal experience helps me to see the bigger picture regarding my clients' rights; there is far more to intellectual property than just book publication rights.

GLA: When you receive a submission for a genre book, such as a mystery, should the author call it a "mystery"? Or should they be specific, saying it's a "cozy" or a "supernatural suspense" or "legal thriller"? Is being very specific helpful or hurtful?

JL: I like to hear the author describe the work as specifically as possible, and tell me what books are similar. Of course, it's important to have some humility here—don't say you're just like John Steinbeck but better.

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

JL: Two things—do I love it and can I sell it? It's hard for me to describe what I love, because I do represent multiple genres in both fiction and nonfiction, and each require different elements. A common thread throughout, though, is that the work has a strong and engaging voice that will pull a reader into the story. As for the selling aspect, it's simply whether I think editors would be interested, and whether it has viability in the marketplace.

Want more on this subject?

See all agent interviews here.

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: Cherry Weiner of the Cherry Weiner Literary Agency

Chuck — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:06:34 GMT

In less than a month, I'll be at the 2007 Harriette Austin Writers' Conference in Athens, Ga. The conference has a great list of speakers and agents lined up—and one such agent is Cherry Weiner of the Cherry Weiner Literary Agency (no website).

That's why Cherry is the newest featured agent for "Agent Advice," 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.

Cherry Weiner

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

CW: A very nice three-book deal—hopefully the start of an ongoing series—to HarperCollins. The overall series title is "Skinner" and it is a modern urban fantasy. The author is Marcus Pelegrimas, also known for his terrific Western books as Marcus Galloway.

GLA: You'll be at the Harriette Austin Writers’ Conference. When an author sits down to pitch you, what is some advice you can give them?

CW: One word: Relax. If you're relaxed, you can pitch your story a lot better than if you're in a panic, or scared of the big bad agent sitting in front of you. And I will want to know three things before getting into the story line:
      1. Is it finished?
      2. How many words?
      3. What is the genre?
Then give me about three sentences on the story. And, if you can, tell me what makes your book different from all the others out there of the same ilk—and don't tell me your voice because I know this—all voices are different. I want to know if you have a different hook.

GLA: What subjects or genres are you actively seeking at this time?

CW: Actually, I'm not "actively seeking" any specific genre. If I talk to an author who impresses me and whose story line sounds interesting, you can be sure I'll ask for it.   I do handle all the fiction genres, and some nonfiction but not a lot. I handle very little YA and very little children's as well as no poetry.

GLA: Will you be speaking in Georgia?

CW: I don't speak at conferences. I do a three-minute (presentation) to give you information and help you understand publishing. Then I host a large Q&A where you ask and I will answer. I throw the whole time open to any kind and every kind of question the audience members want to ask.

GLA: You request that writers not cold query you, but instead meet you at a conference before querying—why?

CW: I have been in the business for 30 years now, and I am not a new agency looking for authors. I have my established ones, but leave room for new people that I meet at conferences. By talking to the author first, I get a sense of the person and if we can work together. More importantly, though, I think that an author should meet the agent that is going to handle their "baby." I do tell the authors to try and meet all the agents that are at a conference, get a sense of them as agents and people, and then decide who they would like to work with, and then contact them.

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!

Agent Advice: Laurie McLean of Larsen/Pomada Literary Agents

Chuck — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:09:23 GMT

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

This installment features Laurie McLean, a literary agent with Larsen/Pomada Literary Agents in San Francisco. McLean is a member of the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR).

Laurie McLean

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

LM: A romance called Extra-Sensory—a paranormal romance—to Harlequin.

GLA: Bottom line: What attracts you to a book?

LM: It’s got to be the writing—the quality of the writing.

GLA: Do you think beyond the project when you consider it, in terms of foreign rights, film rights and stage rights?

LM: Absolutely. I try to keep as many rights as I can myself because I have a whole network of subagents; also, I have 25 years of marketing and public relations experience, so I really feel like I can have my authors go for movie deals and go for merchandising deals.

GLA: Can that influence your decision to take on an author? If the work isn’t as good as it should be, but you see potential down the line in terms of rights across the spectrum?

LM: Absolutely. When I ran my own business, the thing I did most was edit. If I think someone has a lot of promise but there’s a problem with the plot, characters or writing, I tell them where they should go to get help—to a conference, buying a book, whatever—or I edit it myself. I’ll edit the first couple chapters, then I give it back to them to finish it out.

GLA: You were part of the Writer’s Digest Books conference Agent Pitch Slam. What do you think is the most common mistake writers make when they give a short in-person pitch to an agent?

LM: They get into too many details right off the bat. They should think of a pitch like a movie trailer. So as they’re going to blockbuster movies this summer, they should look at the trailers ahead of time—not for entertainment, but for education. How do the trailers get the message across about what that movie’s going to be about?

Laurie McLean represents adult genre fiction—romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, Western, mysteries, etc.—and graphic novels, as well as children’s fiction and nonfiction. She loves quirky, dark, edgy fiction and prefers her queries and submissions via e-mail. Check out her blog at agentsavant.com.