Guide to Literary Agents - Graphic Novels

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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

New Agent Alert: Myrsini Stephanides of the Carol Mann Agency

Chuck — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:18:52 GMT

Myrsini Stephanides
of the Carol Mann Agency

About Myrsini: She has 10 years of experience as a nonfiction editor and book packager specializing in highly illustrated books. Most recently, she worked as an Acquisition Editor at Sterling Publishing, where she developed the pop/culture and music category with titles including Woodstock: Three Days That Rocked the World, Canyon of Dreams: The Magic and the Music of Laurel Canyon, The British Invasion, and Record Store Days. Myrsini was the editor of the Weird travel series (Sterling), senior editor of The Duke Encyclopedia of New Medicine: Conventional and Alternative Medicine for All Ages (Rodale, 2006) and developmental/series editor of the first three books in the Men’s Health Best series (Rodale 2005). She has also collaborated on projects with The Smithsonian, Archaeology magazine and YANKEE Magazine and was a contributing writer to the fifth edition of the Hammond World Atlas (Langenscheidt, 2007).

Nonfiction areas of interest: pop culture and music, humor, narrative nonfiction and memoir, cookbooks.

Fiction areas of interest: offbeat literary fiction, graphic works, and edgy YA fiction. Can fiction be offbeat and commercial? She thinks it can. She is NOT looking for: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance (adult); MG (middle grade) fiction

How to contact: For fiction, paste the first 10-15 pages of your manuscript into the body of your e-mail. Please e-mail your query letters to myrsini (at) carolmannagency (dot) com. If your query has a graphic component, attach it to your email as a low-res PDF or JPG.

Tips: Myrsini futher delves into what she wants and doesn't want on the CMA website. "Hook me with your query and keep me hooked with your proposal. If you’d like to connect via the magic of social networking, you can follow me on twitter or check out Goodreads to see what I’m reading now."

Want more on this subject?

How many agents should you query?

How to write a query letter: The 3 parts

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

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 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 2010 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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice: Joe Monti of Barry Goldblatt Literary (Part I)

Chuck — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:44:24 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 I 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: How did you become an agent?

JM: I wanted to marry the unique retail experiences I acquired as a children’s fiction buyer at Barnes and Noble along with my publishing experiences in sales and editorial in a creative way that would also let me utilize my skills in advocacy for my clients.

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

JM: Eisner and World Fantasy award winner Charles Vess’s next picture book, written by Neil Gaiman, titled Instructions, coming late Spring 2010 from HarperCollins Children’s Books. Bits on the creation of the book can be seen here.

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

JM: Non-genre middle grade fiction, because as much as I love genre fiction, with a fierce passion, there is nothing finer to me than reading a middle grade novel that can accomplish so much, so elegantly, and with minimal word choice. I like to cite Jerry Spinelli’s Loser as my example of this. At the end of the novel, there’s a snowstorm, and the not-as-whimsical-as-he-was protagonist dives outside into it to help a friend. His parents follow suit. On one level, it reads like a desperate search through a blizzard; on another, deeper level, that perhaps only a sophisticated or adult reader can appreciate, Spinelli is plotting out a discourse on the meaning of loss. What is lost? What does it mean to be lost? And how do you know you truly are? And what then signifies you as a loser? Brilliant.
      Another deep interest is YA science fiction aimed at a male readership. I’m a big believer that the going wisdom that boys of a certain age do not read is utterly wrong. I do believe that we lose a lot of boy readers after a certain age because there isn’t a lot for them to read, nor to easily designate as potential reads, after the ages of 11-13. When I was at B&N, I was fortunate enough to be in the position as a children’s fiction buyer when everything was changing, and thus be a part of it. In YA, while I think Burgess’s Smack, followed by Anderson’s Speak were the two biggest initial, critical successes, Von Ziegesar's Gossip Girl series deserves equal time as a herald, as it proved to publishers that there was a large female readership here and that they should publish towards it.
      In other words, GG was the gateway fiction the YA category needed to jumpstart it. I feel that smart, high-action science fiction (and action thrillers) will help to do the same for male readers. YA had Paolini, while the books became a phenomenon; oddly not many have tried to write more action-driven fantasy for boys. Give me some smart military science fiction for teen boys and you’ll see that readership start to pick up writers like John Green and Barry Lyga. Then, the category will get even more interesting. So I’m also talking to adult science fiction writers who have shown an interest or a particular appropriate voice in their works to write a YA novel. Whether I represent them or not, I think it’ll be good for the industry as a whole. Doctorow’s Little Brother, which I loved with an intense passion, is a great example.
      Then, there’s another old flame: Steampunk. So, a lot of what I’ve seen is pseudo-steampunk: Quasi Victorian or Edwardian era fiction with some absurdist machinery. What Steampunk really was, and can be, is a rebellion against the mores of society, largely through the utilization of science and education. The rebellion, hence the punk aesthetic, is largely lost in the brass bolt tech or Victorian-ish era setting. I’m looking to put the punk back in steampunk and I hope I get such a manuscript across my desk because the era is such a wonderful mirror to our modern times in many ways. Except for the equality of race. But a good modern steampunk novel should address that as well as have some kick-butt action and tech. A lot is riding on Scott Westerfeld’s forthcoming Leviathan series to help break this subgenre out. But Scott’s got the talent to make it happen, so we may see more of it.

GLA: Why did you choose juvenile literature as your primary area of interest? What is it that draws you to this category?

JM: Honestly, I was lucky. Like many in our field, I fell into it, and within three months of reading it intensely, I was in love and never looked back. In large part, I believe it’s because I can relate to the literature at a deep level. Take my love of middle grade: I had a traumatic experience at the age of nine when I had open-heart surgery. Back then, it was a life or death thing, and they waited to perform the surgery until I was just old enough to survive it. I quickly became the introspective, chubby nine-year-old that enjoyed talking to adults cliché and had a sense of mortality and a level of empathy beyond my years. So when I read books like Because of Winn-Dixie, I not only know that girl, Opal, I also wish I had her story to help me understand what I was going through at that age. Thus, getting behind a book like that is not just a personal advocacy, but also a need to share it in a social sense to pay it forward. Children’s and YA fiction has the ability to transform a reader, and a bookseller, far more than any other category.

GLA: Cultural diversity also interests you. What subjects are you tired of seeing in this area? As well, are there any subjects you feel are untapped and would, therefore, be a refreshing change from the typical multicultural story?

JM: As our president famously said, I’m a mutt. My parents both immigrated here, my mother from Argentina (and her mother a full-blooded Quichua), and my dad from Italy. My wife, also a child of immigrants, is Chinese-American, and our son is all these things and more. So there’s our family history that colors so much of how I perceive the world, as a lens, not a filter.
When I was a buyer, I was tired of certain subject matters only because those subjects have been explored so well, so often, that you really needed to bring something special to the page to make anyone take notice. The Book Thief is a recent example of a Holocaust story done so well that it transcends and sits alongside some of the other great WWII works. Send me a story about some modern immigrant stories, some multi-generational stuff, like the forthcoming (in the US) YA novels of Carlos Ruiz Zafon. There are deeply rich stories about being an outsider, and yet how assimilation means a compromise and loss. I’d also love to see more issues of race discussed in modern terms, where there is the melting pot happening across the US, yet the tensions are still there, like the fear of the other. I think these stories, when done well, are universal stories, as we all feel that way at some point. Look at Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao as exhibit A.

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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

New Agent Alert: Beth Fleisher of Barry Goldblatt Literary

Chuck — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:10:21 GMT

Beth Fleisher

Barry Goldblatt Literary is based in Brooklyn. 320 7th Ave., #266, Brooklyn, NY 11215.

About Beth: She is a former editor, working for The Berkeley Publishing Group. Her passions are science fiction, fantasy and graphic novels, though she handles all kinds of kids stuff.

Fiction areas of interest: She welcomes kids work and graphic novels. She is particularly interest in finding new voices in middle grade and young adult fantasy, science fiction, mystery, historicals and action adventure.

Nonfiction areas of interest: "select children's and adult nonfiction."

How to submit: Send an e-query to query@bgliterary.com. Include the word "query" in the e-mail subject line. This agency accepts simultaneous submissions, but exclusive ones (designated with the word "exclusive" also in the e-mail subject line) will likely get priority. In the e-mail body, paste your query, your synopsis, and the first five pages of your book. No attachments please. Responds in four weeks to queries and eight weeks to manuscripts.

Also: The agency has a blog. See it here.

Want more on this subject?

Along with Beth, another new agent at BG Lit is Joe Monti.

I've written about plenty of new agents seeking children's work, including Adriana Dominguez of Full Circle Literary and Brenda Bowen of Sanford J. Greenburger. See all new agents under the "New Agency Alerts" 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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today! >

Successful Queries: Agent Bernadette Baker-Baughman and 'War is Boring'

Chuck — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:05:05 GMT

I've meant to start this new series on the blog for a while now, but am just now getting around to it. It's 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 fourth installment in this series is with agent Bernadette Baker-Baughman (Baker's Mark Literary Agency, LLC) and her author David Axe, for his graphic novel, War is Boring.

TO: info@bakersmark.com
CC:
SUBJECT: Query from graphic novelist David Axe

Dear Ms. Baker,

Street battles with spears and arrows in sweltering Dili, East Timor. Bone-jarring artillery duels between the Dutch and Taliban in the mountains of Afghanistan. Long, tedious patrols with British troops on the sandy wastes of southern Iraq. For three years war was my life. For three years I was alternately bored out of my mind … and completely terrified. It was strangely addictive.

As a military technology writer, and later a freelance correspondent for The Washington Times, C-SPAN and BBC Radio, I jetted from conflict to conflict, with only short pauses in between. While I reveled in death, danger and destruction in Lebanon, East Timor, Afghanistan, Somalia and Iraq, back in Washington, D.C. my apartment gathered dust, my plants died and my relationships with friends, family and lovers withered. I had set out to cover war believing that my reporting would make me wiser, sexier and happier. But I was blind to the violence my work was inflicting on my loved ones … and on myself.

War correspondence was expensive; physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting; and disillusioning. In late 2007 I returned from Somalia and Iraq a broken person; and, taking stock of the remains of my former life, I began the long process of rebuilding. In the summer of 2008 I returned to war, this time to Chad, where half a millions survivors of the Darfur genocide struggled to survive amid some of the most brutal conditions in the world. I had begun my sojourn as a sort of “war tourist” – politics weren’t an issue. But I ended up a deeply political man: over time my work became less about me, and more about the true victims of the world’s conflicts.

WAR IS BORING, a black and white graphic novel of around 120 pages, is about the journey through the world’s most dangerous places, en route from naïvete to contrition by way of maxed-out credit cards, broken relationships, near-death experiences and the mind-numbing boredom of waiting – and, perversely, hoping – for the next battle. It’s also about the reasons people and nations go to war, and the absurd, often comic, situations that result.

The book begins in Lebanon, continues through Okinawa, East Timor, Afghanistan, Somalia and Iraq – with layovers in Washington, D.C., at various arms bazaars across the U.S and in Detroit as I try to reconnect with my family – and ends in Chad, as I attempt to help bring some attention to the victims of the Darfur genocide.

My name is David Axe. I am the author of the graphic novel WAR FIX (NBM, 2006) and the nonfiction book ARMY 101 (USC Press, 2007). WAR FIX made Amazon’s and the ALA’s end-of-year lists for 2006, won first place for graphic novels in Foreword Magazine’s 2007 book contest and will be excerpted in Houghton-Mifflin’s America’s Best Comics for 2008. The sequel, LOVE & TERROR, will be published this year. I get a thousand unique hits a day at my blog www.warisboring.com, where some of the pages in WAR IS BORING first appeared as comic strips. I also blog for Wired and have contributed to Popular Science, The Village Voice, Salon, Good, Vice, Columbia Journalism Review and many others. I am a frequent TV and radio guest.

Artist Matt Bors’ editorial cartoons are distributed by United Feature Syndicate three times a week and appear in The Village Voice and other newspapers across the country. He draws a bi-weekly comic for the ACLU's website.

Matt and I would like to interest you in representing WAR IS BORING. We can provide a synopsis and a full illustrated chapter on request.

Cheers,

David Axe

Commentary From Bernadette

As an author, first impressions are not just important; they are critical. Since I associate being an agent to being a matchmaker for creators and publishers, I might say that a query letter is your one chance to get a first date. It is your first (and possibly only) chance to make a good impression. In the course of one letter, you can influence how someone looks at you: Are you funny, compelling, interesting? More importantly, can you write? And that impression will set the course of a possible working relationship. Before I delve into the reasons why the enclosed query was so compelling, I’d like to explain the results of this one excellent query.

On July 28, 2008 at 4:45 p.m., this query came into my general agency inbox, where I request all queries be sent. That same day, I requested that the materials be sent via e-mail, and David Axe sent along the materials the same evening. Within 48 hours, our editorial director and I had reviewed the material and were offering to represent the author and illustrator. We spent about a month working with the authors to create a proposal and polish the materials, and a month after we began shopping the book around to publishers, we had a deal with Penguin. Wow, that was easy.

Here are the nuts and bolts of what makes this a great query: You can see in the subject line that the author, David Axe, mentions that this is a graphic novel. Since I have a specialization in this area, the subject jumped out at me immediately. I wouldn’t have recognized the title of the work, and though I didn’t recognize his name, he at least had two touchstones in his subject line. Now, this particular subject line is really important because if I had opened the query without knowing that this was a graphic novel, I would have thought it as a war memoir, which is most likely not something our agency would represent. But, since Axe did mention that this is a graphic novel in the subject line, he had me at hello, so to speak.

The first paragraph was interesting but the last line of the first paragraph really clenched it for me. “For three years war was my life. For three years I was alternately bored out of my mind … and completely terrified. It was strangely addictive.”

Who is this person that finds war alternately boring and terrifying? What is his experience? What is he addicted to? This is something I really want to know more about. Now he has me, and then he immediately displays that, not only does he have credentials, but that he also has experience in media and a platform, and he is savvy enough to appear on television. Things are really looking up. As Axe spends the next two paragraph’s explaining the highlights of the story (perfect), he doesn’t forget to mention the crux, or the real tension that is driving this intimate story along:

“I had begun my sojourn as a sort of ‘war tourist’—politics weren’t an issue. But I ended up a deeply political man: over time my work became less about me, and more about the true victims of the world’s conflicts.”

This is an incredibly poignant thought and an important part of this query. In addition to sharing insight on his own personality, this sentence also shows that the author has a message to share with the reader, and his message happens to be something that resonates with me (yes, agents are humans too). But more importantly, Axe is intimately familiar with the crux of his own story. This is what will keep the readers turning pages.

In paragraph four, the author tells me what I need to know logistically: This is a black and white graphic novel of approx. 120 pages. This, in some way, provides an anchor for the query. The vision for the final book allows the agent to envision what, up to this point, is just an idea. Immediately following, Axe gives the rundown of his impressive credentials, and then instantly lets me know that he also has an illustrator (with some chops of his own) on board to draw the book. This is all shaping up to be one impressive query.

Finally, at the end of the query, the author let’s me know precisely what material he can provide me with (a synopsis and sample chapter) and gives me the details I need to contact him.

When I think about it closely, the fact that this query has not a single spare word is a real pleasure. It doesn’t begin with the line “I am an author who…” or “I am writing because…” The query speaks for the book the whole way through. If I can be this intrigued with a query, then I figure the book must be a great read.

Editor's note: War is Boring will be published by New American Library in 2010. For more information, visit warisboring.com or the Baker's Mark agency page.

Agent Advice: Lilly Ghahremani of Full Circle Literary

Chuck — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:20:13 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 Lilly Ghahremani of Full Circle Literary in San Diego. Lilly is an attorney now "using her powers for good" as a literary agent with Full Circle Literary (co-founded with Stefanie Von Borstel).

Seeking: "A wide range of nonfiction, driven by a compelling narrative voice (even if it's a how-to). She is interested in YA, and is open to reviewing chick lit or literary fiction. As a rule please know that Full Circle does not represent genre fiction (thriller, mystery, romance, suspense, horror, western, historical), poetry, or screenplays. She also takes on some graphic novels. A sampling of her recent sales include Raina Lee's karaoke book Hit Me with Your Best Shot (Chronicle Books), Joseph Sommerville's Rainmaking Presentations (Palgrave), and Cal Patch's Patternmaking (RH/Potter Craft). Lilly particularly enjoys books about pop culture, crafts, the rest of the world (with a soft spot for the Middle East), music and the performing arts, and topics that connect with a female readership."

GLA: How did you become an agent?

LG: I joined a law firm/literary agent straight out of law school, so I quickly learned the art of finessing a publishing deal, protecting authors' rights, and understanding what the market responded to. I met Stefanie, then a fellow agent at the company, and upon realizing our shared vision for a young, energetic agency, we joined forces to launch Full Circle in 2004.

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

LG: This week I'm selling renown hypnotherapist Debra Berndt's Let Love In (calling all single girls!) to Wiley. Other recent sales in the past couple of weeks include Baby Sing and Sign by Penny Warner to Three Rivers

GLA: Online, your fiction "wants" say "multicultural, literary or by referral only." What does this mean exactly? Does this mean any adult fiction not multicultural or literary can only be submitted through a referral?

LG: Yes. We have really done quite well within nonfiction and children's, so that's our main focus for new clients. As avid fiction readers ourselves, we are open to representing fiction and certainly do on occasion, but we prefer that it fall within our pronounced interests. There are so many fantastic agents out there aggressively representing fiction, so we've tried to outline what 's likely to get strong consideration with us.

GLA: You just attended the Writers League of Texas Agents & Editors conference. Besides writers being too nervous, what is the most common mistake(s) you see writers making during an in-person pitch?

LG: That's a great question, Chuck, thanks for asking! I think the mistake of the pitch is to read. You have 5, or possibly 15 minutes with an agent. This is their chance to see you as a person. Many of us (at the very least I can say this is true for myself) feel it's important to connect not just with the work, but with the author. Your work will speak for itself once we have a chance to sit down and read it - take this time to make eye contact with us, show us why you'd be easy and wonderful to work with, show us your passion for your project. And to qualm the nervousness, remember that, no matter how agents behave, without writers we have no job!

GLA: What are you looking for right now and not getting? For example - an adventure novel set in Iran. A nonfiction book proposal about massage therapy...

LG: I am very interested in doing more books that will preserve our environment and that introduce readers to "green" issues in a non-cliche way. I'm also interested in hip crafting books. I would love to do some children's, YA, or middle-grade books about the middle east. Multicultural books are appearing about a variety of ethnicities, but I'm not seeing them about Middle Easterners as much as I'd hoped. I'm also interested in pop culture, always and forever!

GLA: Do you consider yourself to have any weird quirks as an agent? In other words, have you ever been on an agent panel and heard all the other agents agree on something while you yourself thought differently?

LG: I seem to differ with my colleagues on the likeability of an author. I came to publishing from law because I don't want to work for a client just because they're a client or they pay me. I wanted to work for clients because I believe in them and their work and because we have an energetic partnership. I feel that one of the benefits of running my own company is the opportunity to handpick who I work with, and I make use of that privilege regularly. In other words, I'm not a Diva Management Firm. I take the author and book as a full package!

GLA: You look for multicultural fiction, and books set in the Middle East are of special interest. Concering these submissions you see, what are the most common places where writers go wrong? What makes you stop reading a multicultural fiction submission?

LG: The biggest mistake I've seen is people who want to write about the Middle East because they think it's a hot topic, but then not educating themselves enough about it. For example, one woman submitted a project to me that just briefly mentioned a heavy dresser that the character's parents had brought over during the Revolution. Well that caught my eye, because people who left Iran during the Revolution did so under duress, traveling over mountains by car or animal, or leaving all their worldly possessions and hopping on one of the last flights out of Tehran. This is a fact that cursory research would have uncovered.
Another common mistake is folks who present genre fiction to me. Even if a genre novel takes place in the Middle East, my interest in those doesn't surpass my need to stay within what we can sell well for you!

GLA: I know your co-agent, Stefanie, reps kids books, but do you as well?

LG: Yes, I do. And readers may not know this, but Stefanie and I work together on all the projects at Full Circle - many agencies have one agent designated to a project, but we pool our resources to give authors the strongest footing going forward. Even if I acquire a project for us, they will benefit from Stefanie's superior years in the children's book industry.

GLA: What are you looking for in a graphic novel? What are the elements of a perfect GN query?

LG: In a graphic novel (I have yet to take one on!), I'm looking for stylized, professional artwork, but more than that - a fresh, compelling story. My mind was opened to graphic novels after reading Marjane Satrapi's incredible Persepolis. I myself hadn't realized how emotional and powerful a graphic novel could be as a medium to tell a tale until the moment I opened that book.

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

LG: I don't have any on deck at the moment, but we try to keep an updated list on our website.

GLA: Any blogs you want to plug?

LG: Yes! Two in particular. First, ours - fullcirclelit.blogspot.com. Secondly, our author Jon Yang. He's the author of the Rough Guide to Blogging, and his insights are hilarious. To be honest, I first found him as a blogger online, and that's how we parlayed the first book deal. His YA novels, beginning with Exclusively Chloe, are forthcoming from Penguin.

GLA: Other bit of advice on something we haven't discussed?

LG: Yes! Did you know Kirkland Vodka is actually Grey Goose, produced for generic packaging? You can thank me later.

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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice: Bernadette Baker of Baker's Mark Literary

Chuck — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:28:21 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 Bernadette Baker of Baker's Mark Literary. Bernadette deals in many subjects, but her passion and specialty is for graphic novels and comics.

GLA: Tell us a little about yourself. How did you come to be an agent?

BB: In 2005, I was finishing up my master’s degree and working as the marketing director for Beyond Words Publishing, now an imprint of Simon & Schuster. I had been accepted to law school in Chicago and had every intention of leaving Portland for Chicago in the fall, but three things happened in early 2005 that directly resulted in the development of Baker’s Mark.
        The first thing that happened was that I met Gabriel Boehmer, the author of City of Readers: A Booklovers Guide to Portland, Oregon. Gabe had simply one of the best proposals I have seen to date, and so I arranged a meeting between him and the publishers of the (then) new publishing house Tall Grass Press. Because of my experience in publishing, Gabe asked me to help him in negotiations and management. This ended up being my first book deal. Simultaneously, I had been approached by an investor who was interested in growing an agency with me. And finally, Janet Hill of Doubleday’s Harlem Moon imprint introduced me to my long-time colleague and mentor Victoria Sanders. These three things really happened in a matter of about 90 days, which was a huge indicator that something was going on, pointing me to launch Baker’s Mark.
        A couple of months after I had established Baker’s Mark, I met my business partner, Gretchen Stelter. She showed an incredible amount of enthusiasm for publishing, is a voracious reader, and very intelligent. It was clear that she and I really had a lot to offer one another in business. She also possessed a number of strengths that I did not have. My background is in Marketing and Sales, while Gretchen’s background is in editing and journalism. Our varied expertise really became an asset to our company. We are just approaching our three-year mark.

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

BB: Our agency sold two books immediately after the New York Comic Con in April. Oddly enough, neither were comics! The first book, however, does have its roots in the comic book world because it is written by veteran comic book creators Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett. World English and first serial rights for Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel, the definitive history of the world's first robot soldier, were sold to David Cashion at Abrams Image.
        The second book that we sold after NYCC is our first fiction sale as an agency, and it is a debut fiction for the author, 18-year-old Dan Elconin. Neverland is a modern and gritty retelling of the story of Peter Pan, where Peter is the antagonist. The retelling captures all of the original elements of the classic with very dark, witty storytelling that will change how everyone thinks of Peter Pan. Look out for this book in hard cover in Fall 2009.

GLA: You specialize in graphic novels - something the blog has not touched on much. When a writer queries you and submits something, does the writer compose both the text and the illustrations, or just the text?

BB: Every book is different. We do represent single creator books, but not all comic book writers can draw, and not all illustrators can (or want to) write, so submissions for graphics come in many styles and formats. Short of a completed work, we typically request a full script and/or a fully developed synopsis, 15 pages of representative artwork, a full bio for the author/illustrator, and other materials that may be helpful in our decision making process, such as thumbnails.
        Typically (and there are exceptions to this rule), when it is a separate artist and writer, we are looking for projects where a team is already established. We represent the amazing team of Jamie S. Rich and Joëlle Jones. While Jamie also writes prose, and while they both do work for hire, they came to us after their wildly successful 12 Reasons Why I Love Her with more ideas for collaboration. Another great example is Jesse Post and Ted Slampyak, who teamed up specifically for a brilliant book called Small Plans (deal news to come). Post and Slampyak shared a vision for the work and were able to team up in a way that makes a lot of sense for the full realization of the graphic novel.
        Then again, we also did two book deals in a co-agenting arrangement with Victoria Sanders, for writers Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan. Their scripts are brilliant, they both have an amazing platform, and we were able to place these books with no art attached at all.
        All that said, the answer to this question also depends on the types of publishers we will be approaching with the work. But generally speaking, it is a long shot that we would acquire something without art attached.

GLA: What makes a subject matter or plot "worthy" of a graphic novel format?

BB: I think all subjects are worthy of the graphic format, but the success of a comic is all in the execution. The story, or the subject matter, should be served by the marriage of illustration and writing. It is a huge letdown to read a comic and feel no influence from the illustration. On the other end of that, a well executed comic can provide some of the most poignant, satisfying reading I have ever experienced. For each comic, there must be a reason to tell the story in sequential art style, an advantage that you gain only by telling the story in comic format. It is really clear when a creator has conscientiously used the art and writing together to convey the story.
        When I first started really reading graphics, I remember being surprised at the broad range of material that was being published. I first met Scott Allie, an editor at Dark Horse comics, shortly after Gretchen and I decided to represent comics. I remember that he scolded us for referring to graphic novels as a genre—“Comics can be written in any genre, you see”—which was really an eye opener for me. While I immediately fell in love with “classic” memoirs like Maus, Blankets, and Persepolis, there were also things like Capote in Kansas and Deogratias (though that came a little later) which were completely unexpected. Now, more and more, I look for comics that are trying new things with genres of all types.

GLA: You say you're looking for comics "with an indie bent or that will appeal to women." Can you give a few examples?

BB: These are really two different things, so I will talk on both. When I talk about comics that appeal to women, I am really talking about myself. I know it is selfish, right? But I am a woman reader. And I love reading comics. There is something about the format that works so well for me. And I could put this same statement out there when it comes to prose, except there is a lot more material geared toward women readers in the prose world than in the comic book world. When I say that I want to rep more comics that appeal to women, I primarily mean that I want more comics with female lead characters (especially for the YA market), but I also want to rep books that are character and emotion driven. I want to represent comic literature. I want something that I could give my sister, who probably has never even cracked a comic book page, and she could really fall in love with. It is a hard sensibility to describe because I couldn’t really see myself representing Lara Croft books, even though she is a kick-ass female lead. I guess I want things that experiment more with the format as new literature and that quite frankly keep me interested as a woman reader.
        When I talk about an idie style of art, I am talking about an organic feel that generally results from having only a single artist or a couple of artists illustrating a book. I typically don’t really like art that is overly digitized, even though it can be really clean and in some cases quite beautiful. I enjoy comic art that has the clear identity of the creator behind it. For instance, when I look at my client Farel Dalrymple’s art, he has a very distinct style.

GLA: Let's say you're talking to someone who has very little knowledge about starting as a comic writer. What are three invaluable tips you can give them as they start out?

BB: Usually, when asked this question, I tell people to begin reading comics voraciously. I would also definitely recommend Scott McCloud’s books on creating and understanding comics and Douglas Wolk’s new book Reading Comics. And later this year, I will recommend Chris Ryall and Scott Tiption’s forthcoming book from F+W Tow Books, Comic Books 101 (that is right, Chuck, I am plugging you and my clients, all in one sentence).
        Then, read more comics. Learn what you like, what you don’t like. Read books that are similar to the ones you want to write and study them. What is working and what is not? Figure out which art styles appeal to you most; even if you never ever have to work directly with an artist (unlikely), you will be giving the artists direction in your script. You must develop your understanding of sequential storytelling. Some of the Slave Labor books have sample scripts in the back of the book. Take a look at what the scripts look like. I also think comic book conventions are a great way to network with other creators, fans, and publishers, and there are a lot of hidden opportunities there. Comic book conventions take place nationwide, so try and find the one closest to your region to start.

GLA: What upcoming conferences will you be at where writers can pitch you?

BB: Gretchen Stelter and I will both be attending the Writer's Digest Books Writers' Conference and BookExpo America, as well asthe San Diego Comic Book Convention. We also attend the New York Comic Book Convention, Stumptown Comic Book Festival, and Emerald City Comic Con. Our hope is to make it to the shows abroad in the near future.

        The comics that most interest Bernadette Baker right now are historical stories, biographies, fables, mythology, memoir, and urban fantasy. But she is also a great fiction lover, and would really like to see more psychological thrillers in the comic format; I don’t think that area has been explored enough. And more, more, more books with females as the main character.
    See her agency website here. Submission information is available online.

Agent Advice: Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management

Chuck — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:17:52 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 Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management (formerly of Wendy Sherman Associates). Michelle has been with Wendy Sherman Associates since 2004, and has also previously worked with Joelle Delbourgo Associates. She enjoys working directly with emerging writers. She has a MA in Literature from New York University.

She is seeking: literary and commercial fiction, YA, memoir, pop culture, humor, graphic novels, popular science and narrative nonfiction. Books that capture elements of the strange and wonderful will always pique her interest, and she also looks for those that offer a unique perspective of the world. Submissions to her by mail and e-mail are equally OK. Please include a SASE for snail mail response, and no attachments in an e-mail.

GLA: Tell us a little about yourself. How did you come to be an agent?

MB: I pretty much always knew that I wanted to work with books in some way, but I started out in academia rather than publishing. While I was discovering that studying literary theory was actually not keeping me involved with contemporary writing, I happened on a Craigslist post for an agency assistant position with Wendy Sherman Associates. I've been here ever since, and started representing my own clients about two years ago. Every day, I wake up and am excited to go to work- I get to read and develop the work of exciting new authors, match them up with editors, and see their books hit the shelves! Who wouldn't love that?

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

MB: Most recently, I sold Breathers: A Zombie's Lament by Scott Browne to Broadway Books - it's an amazing debut novel narrated by a loveable zombie who just wants a little respect. I love zombies and see a lot of zombie-oriented books, but this one stood out to me for the amount of heart and humor Scott was able to put into the story.

GLA: You rep both memoir and literary fiction. These are two categories where cold submissions tend to be a lot more bad than good. What do you look for? What gets you to keep reading?

MB: Memoir and fiction are both difficult categories to get editors excited about right now - they just see so much, and it's much easier for them to sign up a miss than a hit. So I, too, must be really selective. In both, I'm always looking for a really good hook or well developed concept that makes the book immediately interesting, even if I haven't read a word of the sample. Unfortunately, an extremely well written, lyrical book without a pitchable subject just won't work for me. For memoir, there really must be something unique about your life, or you have such an amazing voice that you can turn the normal into the riotously funny. Once I have something with an interesting hook, I need the material to deliver on that promise.
        In literary fiction, I often look for a track record of previous publications. If you've been published in Tin House or McSweeney's or GlimmerTrain, I want
to know. It tells me that the writer is in fact committed to their craft and building an audience out there in the journals. But if you have a good story and are a brilliant writer, I wouldn't mind if you lived in a cave in the Ozarks. For the record, I have yet to sign anyone who lives in a cave in the Ozarks.

GLA: You also rep narrative nonfiction. What gets mistaken for narrative nonfiction but is definitely not?

MB: To me, narrative nonfiction is a true story about a subject that is from the perspective of the author. Memoir and narrative nonfiction have a lot of overlap, but I see narrative nonfiction as reaching out into the world more so than memoir. For example, a client of mine is writing about her experiences farming in downtown Oakland. It's her personal tale, but she also incorporates farming history, the history of her city, and a portrait of the people around her. When I see an article that I love or read about an interesting person, I try to reach out and see if the author is interested writing a book. How-to is definitely not narrative nonfiction.

GLA: What are you looking for that you're not getting? What never seems to be in the slush pile?

MB: I would love to see more accomplished literary fiction in my slush pile - a good story with the writing to match. With most of my literary fiction, I tend to read a story I like and then find out if the author is working on anything of book length, but I have seen some lovely surprises in the slush and really welcome more. I'm always on the look out for what's being called "book club fiction"- fiction that has a central issue or story that sweeps you off your feet and gets you talking. I adore slipstream fiction that mixes elements of genre with literary execution, and want to see more of that too. Commercially, I like genre with breakout potential, a la Neal Stephenson and Neil Gaiman - something that a non-genre reader can pick up and really enjoy.
        I also am actively building my YA list, and want to see YA that doesn't necessarily have to take place over a trilogy. Trilogies are fine, but that first book has to persuade me on its own.
        Some specific wishes running through my brain right now: a literary ghost story, a book club novel that explores another culture, and a YA that I can really sit down and enjoy as an adult.

GLA: Do you feel like the economic recession is hitting the publishing industry?

MB: I have noticed a little bit more of a squeeze from publishers on what they're buying. In the past few years, it seemed a little easier to sneak an interesting but atypical project into an editor's line up. It still happens plenty, though, it's just more of an uphill battle. We're seeing the biggest impact in bookstores, where sales are slowing and independents are often shutting down. But as long as there are books out there that find their audience, I think we can be optimistic.

GLA: Do you have any strong likes or dislikes when it comes to queries?

MB: My main dislike is when the author doesn't tell me what their book is actually about. That's why the query letter is there in the first place! And if you find that you can't distill the story into a pitch, that might signify a larger problem.

GLA: What is the most common problem you see in a synopsis?

MB: Sometimes I'll see a synopsis with too much detail. Focus on the main conflicts and turning points, not the color of your protagonist's outfit (unless that is in fact a major part of the story!).

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

MB: I'll be at Thrillerfest and Sewanee this summer, both in July.

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

MB: The writers who are dearest to my heart are those who've gone out and done a little bit of legwork by making a website/blog, belonging to organizations, publishing in magazines, podcasting, etc. Once your book is published, it takes that sort of self-promotion to make it work anyway, and it helps if you are laying the groundwork ahead of time. If I can present you to an editor as a promotional whiz, they are more likely to consider working with you.

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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

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: Michael Murphy of Max & Co.: A Literary Agency & Social Club

Chuck — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:57:56 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 Michael Murphy, founder of Max & Co.: A Literary Agency & Social Club in Cincinnati, Ohio. Michael has worked in the book publishing industry for 30 years. His first 13 were with Random House-Ballantine, where he was a vice-president. Later, he ran William Morrow & Co. as their publisher until the company’s acquisition by and merger with HarperCollins. He formed Max & Co.: A Literary Agency & Social Club in the fall of 2007.

He is seeking: He is looking primarily for narrative nonfiction, memoir, and eclectic visual books. Additional information can be found on his agency’s Web site.

Michael Murphy

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

MM: My most recent sale was a novel, Concord, Virginia, by Peter Neofotis. I had been the novella competition judge at the recent Words & Music festival in New Orleans. Work is sent with the author's name removed, so it wasn't until after I chose Peter as the winner that I learned anything about him. By day, he works in environmental biology at Columbia University. By night, Peter performs in small clubs throughout Manhattan performing monologues from his ever-evolving tales of the people and events in the fictional Southern town. I met Peter in November, sent out his manuscript in January, and sold it in February to Michael Flamini at St. Martin's.

GLA: The name of your agency is completely, intentionally out of the ordinary. Do you actually host a salon, or is the allusion tongue-in-cheek?

MM: The name is definitely not tongue-in-cheek (I hope). Max & Co. was chosen because, while I was the all and the everything in the company in October 2007, I do not intend this to be true in October 2008. I didn't want the name to be about me. Already, I have retained two people as virtual "scouts" and part-time agents. One is in New York City; her title is East Coast Presence. The other is my Greater Midwest Presence. Both have book publishing experience. I am also partnering with Lisa Queen of Queen Literary to use the benefit of her great experience and reach into foreign markets where mine is limited.
As far as "& Social Club," that refers to a vision I hope to make a reality by 2009. I would love to have an annual retreat—in cabins with screened-in porches, ideally by water—where Max & Co. writers could come to share success stories, new contacts, marketing ideas, and (of course) play cards until 3:00 a.m. while drinking Thai beer and wearing funny hats. In addition, when one writer, say from Seattle, has a new book hit the shelves, my other writers in New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, etc. would do what they could to help launch the title.

GLA: You headed William Morrow & Co. for years before leaving it and New York City behind and starting your agency in Cincinnati. What's the one thing about being a publisher that you don't miss?

MM: The endless meetings that are so much a part of corporate life. Some days, many days, I would be in meetings from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and return to my desk to find an impossible list of phone messages and e-mail that needed attention.

GLA: Your new Web site indicates you're looking primarily for narrative nonfiction, memoir, and eclectic visual books but would make an exception for the right sort of dark and twisted fiction. Can you elaborate on your preferences?

MM: Actually, I already am representing dark and twisted. I sold Tony O'Neill's novel Down and Out on Murder Mile to HarperCollins. Tony, a former heroin junkie, is truly a poet of the grotesque. I sold another book about cocaine and heroin addiction, Jason Peter's memoir, Hero of the Underground (on sale July 2008). Normally, I loathe books like Hero. He was an All-America football player and first round NFL draft pick prior to being a drug addict. But, in this case, Jason was fearless about exposing his Caligula years, and the intense writing brings the book closer to Bukowski or Hubert Selby, Jr., than any sports bio or recovery tale. The exception I would consider would be a commercial (happy ending) novel, if there were something in the writing to grab me.
You captured my areas of interest. I do not represent genre fiction, psychology, science, nature, or business books. However, I would backhand a nun in broad daylight to be involved with a business book like David Dorsey's The Force. The writing was brilliant. Great writing can always change my mind. I have zero interest in Captain Cook and not much more in orchids. Yet, I devoured Blue Latitudes and The Orchid Thief because Tony Horwitz and Susan Orlean are superb writers. I'd follow them anywhere. My preferences are my preferences, but I am always open to what I call the Suddenly, From Across a Crowded Room Moment.

GLA: Are you interested in graphic novels?

MM: This is a great example of the Suddenly, Across a Crowded Room Moment. Until 2000, I did not think graphic novels were for me. I found Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen interesting. But, in no case did I do more than sample a few pages. Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan changed everything. His genius is not just his artistry but that he can tell a story as full and compelling as a good novel. So, while I am not the right agent for most of what people consider graphic novels (Judith Hansen and Denis Kitchen do that really well), I would be interested in something at the level of Chris Ware (a very tall order).
As noted, I am focused on eclectic visual books. Toss a few words on the same page as the artistry of someone like Mark Ryden or Eduardo Recife and, yes, I am very interested. Whether that would be considered a graphic novel I will leave to people arguing on panels at the Comic-Con convention.

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

MM: My answer here is my personal preference and should not be taken in as a guide. I love e-mail. I like to receive chapters as e-mail attachments. Most agents do not. I want, but rarely receive, everything (pitch, synopsis, chapter outline, author bio, sample chapters) in one simple email.

GLA: What kinds of writing credentials or professional affiliations do you look for when you receive a query?

MM: I look for zero credentials but am pleased when I discover some. Sometimes writers’ profiles can be every bit as important as their talent. MFAs in creative writing or publications in obscure journals carry very little weight with me or with most editors. Publisher interest can be piqued by a writer having something that points to a large, ready, and able fan base willing to drop $24.95 on the author's book. This can be a successful Web site, appearances in national media, or being considered the leading voice or "the face" of a company, product, or line of thinking.

GLA: Do you identify and acquire new clients from among contest winners? Whose work is published in periodicals? Through online networking sites for emerging writers?

MM: A short but only partially accurate answer is "No." I do subscribe to and/or read a number of periodicals or writing Web sites. If I were just a reader, or an agent with a lot of time on my hands, I would pore over The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Tin House, or Zoetrope: All-Story (which was consistently brilliant when Adrienne Brodeur was the editor). However, in my work life, the writers who appear in these places are generally already "agented up." I pay more attention to journals like Topic (a version of Granta), The Walrus (sort of Canada's New Yorker), and The Bellevue Literary Review. But this has not proven to be a sweeping success in acquiring client writers.

GLA: If a writer sends you a promising query outside your specific areas of interest, will you pass it along to another literary agent?

MM: In such cases, where I see promise but I am not the right agent to bring that promise to fruition, I do provide the names of specific agents to the writer. Sometimes, I have then contacted the agents to let them know a writer is coming their way. But, in no circumstances do I want to get sucked into brokering a relationship between a writer and another agent. There simply isn't that kind of time.

GLA: Will your newly designed Web site include a blog?

MM: I'm really not sure. I know I definitely do not want a traditional blog, because I don't need the stress/burden to keep the content fresh. I also see no need to add my opinions to the absurd amount of other opinions from other people about practically everything. Though, you should vote for Barack Obama. Also, I would like to see features that constantly update where my authors are appearing or when their books get new reviews.

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

MM: I have attended BEA (BookExpo America) for decades and will be in Los Angeles for the '08 Expo and, like last year in New York, I will be meeting writers at the pre-show Agent Pitch Slam sponsored by Writer's Digest (May 28 at the convention center).
I attend the Words & Music festival in New Orleans every year. I consider this a great conference for writers aspiring to be published. Each attendee gets one-on-one sessions with agents and editors to critique their writing.

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

MM: Choosing an agent should involve as much thoughtfulness and care as choosing a college or a lover. In the case of the latter, probably more care. I have seen young writers too anxious to leap to the first "real" agent to show interest in their writing. If these same people had been contacted in high school by Flatland Community College and told, "We are very impressed with your transcript," they would not have rushed to attend Flatland Community College before applying to colleges more desired.

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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Editor Interview: Nick Eliopulos of Random House Children's

Chuck — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:54:02 GMT

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

Associate Editor at Random House Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Random House Children's Books), Nick Eliopulos started out at the University Press of Florida, where a college internship led to a full-time job as an acquisitions assistant. Eventually, he moved to New York and subsisted on freelance for a few months before landing at Random House.

Two of Nick's projects will be published in 2007: Squirrelly Gray, a picture book by indie-comics superstar James Kochalka, and The Hound of Rowan, first in a middle-grade fantasy trilogy by newcomer Henry H. Neff. His comics work appears in the anthologies Stuck in the Middle (Viking, 2007) and First Kiss (Then Tell) (Bloomsbury, 2008). He has survived three consecutive winters in Manhattan.

Nick Eliopulos

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NE: Yes—the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature in October 2007.

Want more on children's writing?

Examine Great High-Concept Hooks for Children's Books.

New children's agent seeking submissions.

How to write picture books for kids.

Buy the kids writers' bible: the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market.

Interview with kids agent Joe Monti of Barry Goldblatt Literary.

Read a successful young adult query: "Wake" by Lisa McMann.

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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice: Michelle Andelman of Lynn C. Franklin Associates (formerly of Andrea Brown Literary Agency)

Chuck — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:59:00 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 Michelle Andelman, of Lynn C. Franklin Associates (formerly of Andrea Brown Literary), holds a BFA in Dramatic Writing and an MA in English Literature from NYU. Her publishing and film background allows her to offer clients guidance at every stage of story development.

She is seeking: all children's categories, from picture and chapter books to middle-grade and YA fiction, with an interest in fantasy, sci-fi, thriller, adventure, romance, graphic novel, and serious literary projects. She's drawn to high-concept, commercial tween and teen lit if it's edgy, gritty, and daring or all sweetness and light. Stylized but authentic voices, magical realism, Jewish themes, interesting story structure, freak and geek protagonists, identifiable quests, and fully realized storyworlds always catch her eye. Her adult categories are literary and women's fiction, narrative nonfiction, and memoir.

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

MA: I’m very proud that my most recent sales will launch the careers of two brand new writers. Debut author Jenny Meyerhoff’s chapter book, Third Grade Baby, and contemporary YA novel, Girl in Waiting, both went to Farrar, Straus & Giroux. And, Cheryl Peevyhouse’s dystopian middle grade novel, The Melancholy Chronicles of Keen and Rodder, went to Hyperion. So, unpublished writers should take heart. Editors and agents are certainly looking to nurture and invest in new talent.

GLA: You specialize in children's writing. What are some subjects or styles of writing that you rarely receive in a submission and wonder why more writers don't tackle such a subject/style?

MA: So far goes style and execution, I'd love to see more MG and YA submissions use innovative narrative strategies deliberately and well. For example: alternating voices/POVs, or a structure that plays with narrative time. Kids are sophisticated readers. Books that engage them on the level of storytelling, as well as story, could break out. So far goes subject matter, I don’t see as many stories as you’d think about multicultural families and friendships. I’d also love to see more YA submissions depict awkward, funny and real—rather than flat and glossy—teen romance.

GLA: Simply put, concerning middle grade and young adult—how should they differ? Subject matter? Length?

MA: As a disclaimer, there are exceptions to these rules, with the fantasy genre being a big one. But, typically, MG novels run between 20-40K words and feature protagonists aged 9-13. YA novels run between 40-65K and feature protagonists aged 14+. The type of relationship at the core of a project can also tell you how to characterize it: MG often revolves around a protagonist’s relationships with family and friends, while a story heavily driven by a romantic relationship is going to be YA.

GLA: What are the most common mistakes you see with new writers trying to compose a graphic novel?

MA: Graphic novels are such a fresh format. I adore DC’s Minx line, and I think YA novelist Cecil Castellucci did a wonderful job on The Plain Janes. That said, not all novelists are natural graphic novelists. You need to be a visual storyteller. You need to be able to reveal information via image and gesture, rather than dialogue. You need to be a tight, swift and sparse plotter who favors action over exposition.
Common mistakes I’ve seen: too much text, humdrum rather than spectacular illustrative opportunities, and a graphic novel that doesn’t "need" to be one.

GLA: Many people tend to try their hand at children's writing and picture books, but it's often said that writing such books is much more difficult than writers first consider. Why is this so?

MA: I suspect the common thinking goes that if a writer "knows" children, she can write for them. But a successful children’s author doesn’t simply "know" children—what makes them tick, what their internal and emotional lives are like—but she also knows children’s literature. She's an avid reader, so she's familiar with what’s age-appropriate and authentic to her category of the market. If she's writing a picture book, she’s a skilled visual storyteller and can offer up a plot, character, relationship, or emotional arc in miniature—but still, and this is the difficult part, in full.

GLA: Some publications have said that the picture book market is flat, and publishers aren't interested in new picture book ideas. Any truth to this?

MA: The first half of that statement has been true and, as a result, picture books have proven to be tougher sells in recent seasons. But, importantly and thankfully, the second half of that statement is false. Like any market, the picture book market tightens and trends, so it’s important to know some publishers now want character-driven picture books with less text, meaning lower word counts. But, they’re always interested in new ideas.

GLA: What's your best piece of advice for new writers who wish to submit children's work to agents?

MA: My best one word of advice: professionalize. A new writer who has done her homework on the children's market ahead of time, and submits to agents in a way that suggests a professional approach to a writing career, is going to stand out. Professionalizing may mean doing a few different things that make all the difference: joining a critique group that can help you polish your manuscript before you query, researching and approaching agents according to submission guidelines, crafting a query that aims to pique interest in—rather than fully explain—your project, and joining the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).

A book sold by Michelle:
Dreaming Anastasia

Want more on children's writing?

Examine Great High-Concept Hooks for Children's Books.

New children's agent seeking submissions.

How to write picture books for kids.

Buy the kids writers' bible: the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market.

Interview with kids agent Joe Monti of Barry Goldblatt Literary.

Read a successful young adult query: "Wake" by Lisa McMann.

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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!