Guide to Literary Agents - Illustrators

Agent Advice: Erin Murphy of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency, Inc. (Part II)

Chuck — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:14:15 GMT

This interview with Erin is
Part II. Read Part I here.

"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 kids agent Erin Murphy of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency, Inc . Erin specializes in kids book and has agented for 10 years. She's based in Arizona.

She is seeking: Erin has a unique submission policy and only likes queries from writers she has met at one time or another, or writers who come through an impressive referral. She seeks kids books—young adult, middle grade and picture books.

How Do You Wokka-Wokka?
is a picture book Erin represented.

GLA: Let's talk picture books. These are very difficult to get published, it seems. What can writers do to enhance their chances?

EM: I know it sounds simplistic, but write the very best picture books you can. I think the market contraction has been a good thing, for the most part. I'm only selling the very best picture books my clients write—but I'm definitely selling them. Picture books are generally skewing young, and have been for some time, so focus on strong read-alouds and truly kid-friendly styles. I'm having a lot of luck with projects that have the feel of being created by an author-illustrator even if the author is not an artist, in that they're fairly simple, have all kinds of room for fun and interpretation in the illustrations, and have a lot of personality.
    A year or two ago, I had an early inkling that meatier, more story-based picture books might be coming back around, but then the economy crashed and that went out the window. It will happen eventually, and I will be glad, because I love those stories, too, but they're darned hard to sell right now.
    I see a lot of picture book manuscripts that depend too heavily on dialogue, which tends to give them the feel of a chapter book or middle-grade novel. The style isn't a picture book style.

GLA: Kids writing is one of those worlds where plenty of people still go straight to editors and sell things. Do you find that agented writers can secure better deals and advances?

EM: Well, I'd hope so, or we agents aren't doing our jobs! But having an agent is definitely not required to be successful in children's books, and advances aren't the only (or even the best) way to measure success. It's a very personal decision.

GLA: Do you also take submissions for juvenile nonfiction?

EM: I do represent nonfiction projects; Chris Barton is a primary example from my client list. One of the sales I'm currently negotiating for another client is for a middle-grade nonfiction piece. I don't ever picture a time when a huge percentage of my clients are focused in this area, though, and I already work with a few writers of nonfiction, so the odds are lower there for new writers subbing to me.

GLA: You have an associate agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette. Does she have different tastes readers need to know about? Same submission procedure?

EM: Same submission policy. Our tastes overlap quite a bit, so the agency identity didn't drastically change when Joan came on board, but of course we do have some differences. I'd say the main similarity is that we both love heart-driven stories. Joan is really talented with rhymed and metered picture book texts; I know a good one when I see it, but Joan is terrific with these and getting them into really strong shape. She is more drawn to paranormal YA, dystopian, and the like than I am; I am more open to historical (so long as it's not purely historical-for-the-sake-of-the-setting).

GLA: You've been in business for many years as an agent and editor. How do you see the industry and kids books changing? What do serious writers need to know?

EM: I think the thing I'm most focused on now is that the industry requires you to hone your craft. For many years, SCBWI was all about learning the market, and that's definitely important—but it seems to be harder and harder to find writers who have really let themselves sink into their craft, into developing as writers, and give the process the time that it takes.

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

EM: I am not scheduled for any conferences in 2010, I'm afraid—and I hope to keep it that way so I can conquer this reading pile at last! The next conference I'm scheduled for is SCBWI Florida in Miami in January 2011. Joan will be at Missouri SCBWI on March 20, 2010, and NESCBWI on May 14-15, 2010.

GLA: Will you accept queries from those who don't meet you at conferences? Or is it best to meet you first or have a connection? Either way, what do you want to see and how do you want to see it?

EM: I have a pretty closed submission policy, which allows me to spend most of my time focused on my current clients. I don't accept unsolicited queries or submissions. If you go to a conference where I speak, or if you have a referral from someone I know, I will be happy to take a look. I prefer queries via e-mail.
        By the way, I don't put an expiration date on the offer for conference attendees. I'd much rather that a writer wait until a submission is truly ready than rush and get something undercooked to me in a certain window. I've received queries and submissions from people I met at conferences years ago, and I really respect the confidence it takes to reach out after all that time. I also find that those people have had long enough to get to know the business and develop their craft that they are generally more ready for representation.

GLA: What's something writers would be surprised to learn about you personally?

EM: Hmm! That's a hard one! Well, I just mentioned to a group at the Southern Ohio SCBWI Conference that I have a famous relative, so this won't be surprising to those folks, but perhaps it will for others: Allison DuBois, the Phoenix psychic who inspires the Patricia Arquette character on the TV show "Medium," is my second cousin through my maternal grandmother. At the beginning of her book Don't Kiss Them Goodbye, she talks about the great-grandfather who appeared to her after he died when she was a child, and was her first experience with the afterlife; that was my great-grandfather, too (and I had my own weird experience at his wife's, my great-grandmother's, funeral a few years later!). If she and I have met, though, it was when I was too young to remember; we haven't crossed paths as adults. I like to claim relational psychic ability when it's handy, though!
        Oh! And I can't wear a watch, because I make it stop, and it can't be started again; my maternal grandmother is the same way, so there's definitely something unusual going on in the DNA on that side of the family.

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

EM: Claim your spot in this world of children's publishing with confidence. Read what is coming out now; take advantages of the industry resources and insights the Internet provides; network how you can; stay in touch with the things that interest kids, and with kids themselves. But write for you, above all else. If you don't appeal to your own inner child, how will you ever be happy writing for kids?

Erin Murphy

Want more on this topic?

Interview: Kids agent Joe Monti of Goldblatt Literary.

Examine great high concept hooks for children's books.

New agency seeking kids work: Rodeen Literary Management.

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: Meredith Kaffel of Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency

Chuck — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:59:09 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 Meredith Kaffel of Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency.

She is seeking: "or children's books, my first love is YA. And my YA tastes run the gamut from the highly literary (especially fish out of water tales, outsider stories told teetering from the edge, high concept novels taking on themes with gravity, up-market historical fantasy and stories involving the arts in some way), to the highly commercial (teen paranormal with a twist, high school dramas and friendship sagas, anything with sass and attitude, etc). I also enjoy smart middle-grade fiction, and I will take on the occasional quirky picture book manuscript. I'm actively looking for new illustrators as well -- for both the picture book and graphic novel/comic markets. As for adult manuscripts, I'm primarily looking for narrative nonfiction (specifically books dealing with food, science, international themes, feminism, cultural trends, art and literary history, music, and general "juicy" history and biography), and the rare literary novel that steals my heart. I tend to be drawn more toward darkly wry and edgy fiction than novels brimming with sugar-and-sunshine, but my rule about taking on a project is that there are no set rules. I just have to love it." I accept both email and snail mail queries. For email, please send to meredith@sll.com, and for snail mail, to: Meredith Kaffel Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency, 65 Bleecker St., Ste. 12, New York, NY 10012. For initial queries, I prefer a query letter along with 1-3 sample chapters for fiction, or a proposal for nonfiction."

GLA: How did you become an agent?

MK: I interned for agent Sarah Burnes one summer, when I was an undergrad at Yale. I watched the rhythm of her day, the intimate author and editor contact, the invigorating daily flurry, and thought "that's what I want to do." After that, I kept interning in publishing until I graduated, and then, after a brief stint as a writer's assistant, I joined the Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency.

GLA: You have a Sterling e-mail, but you're not technically with Sterling, is that right?

MK: Good question. Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency (CSLA) is an affiliate of Sterling Lord Literistic (SLL). Charlotte owns her own agency, but we're a sister company of SLL – a boutique agency within the larger agency. It’s really a best of both worlds situation: the intimacy of a small agency, complete with the wonderful SLL extended family.

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

MK: A hilarious, quirky middle grade novel called Flirt Club by Cathleen Daly. It went to Neal Porter at Roaring Brook exclusively, because I wanted Neal's gorgeous aesthetic on this book. Thankfully, he loved it as much as I did.

GLA: You look for a lot of children's stuff. Specifically, with "fish out of water" stories - do you gravitate toward multicultural tales? Or can it simply be "poor kid gets sent to a rich boarding school" story?

MK: Charlotte and I both are very interested in multicultural tales, yes. But I'm also interested in any character who feels like an outsider, a misfit, anyone struggling to figure out who he or she is or how to exist outside his or her comfort zone.

GLA: Does "tween" exist as a category? If you got a query for a tween book that clearly straddled the YA-MG line, would you take it on? Or is it too hard to market because it's neither one nor the other?

MK: Tween does exist, and various publishers even have specific tween imprints in place. As for queries, the same standard holds true for me in terms of tween as it does with YA or MG: if the voice is authentic, then I'm probably interested. However, I do look more at plot with tween novels: right now, it's not enough just to have a great tween voice -- the storyline also needs to be unique enough to stand out in the marketplace.

GLA: What's more common? Seeing a juvenile ms that talks down the audience, or one that's a little too purple-prose and over their heads?

MK: Well, typically I'd say the former. But since CSLA is the agency of Lemony Snicket, we also see a lot of queries attempting to mimic Snicket's highly idiosyncratic voice – which sometimes unfortunately results in the latter!

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

MK: Things I cross my fingers for:
      1) High-concept YA novels - especially something as brave as Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why.
      2) YA and adult novels that make me laugh out loud (either light comedy or something really dark and twisted, something that's 'I can't believe I'm allowing myself to laugh at this, I should be arrested' funny)
      3) Science for the trade market, pop sociology, books regarding cultural trends, counterculture histories, books which weave food and/or travel in as a theme, books about escape, about things lost and found, music histories for the trade market, compelling biographies of undersung women in history
      4) Books about the renaissance (fiction or non, and especially YA novels set in the renaissance)
      5) Teen paranormals that subvert and reinvent the genre and aren’t just vampire knockoffs

GLA: Following up on that last question, you seek plenty of narrative nonfiction in a whole host of subjects? Which of these categories, in your opinion, is really under-mined, so to speak? Which category is wide open and hasn't been fully explored yet?

MK: CSLA has long represented works of African-American history, but I think this category remains under-mined. Less crucially, I'd also love to see a book on the internet's effect on radio from a cultural standpoint, having become a recent NPR pod-cast fanatic…!

GLA: Since you seek narrative nonfiction, do you want a book proposal, a full completed manuscript, or both when pitching you?

MK: A really bang-up proposal with a sample chapter or two is often enough for me when it comes to narrative nonfiction -- at least in terms of taking someone on. Though if you’re not submitting many chapters, your proposal should be in the same voice as your book would be – it should leap off the page in the same way and should not be dull just because it’s a proposal!

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

MK: Indeed, I'll be attending the Wyoming Writers, Inc. conference this year in June, 2009, and also the Surrey International Writers’ Conference in October 2009.

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

MK: Try to educate yourself in terms of the current state of the publishing industry, and be ready and excited to help market and promote your own book as much as possible. To this point, having an already-established Web presence helps immensely – in finding an agent and ultimately a publisher.

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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Do You Need to Find an Illustrator Before Querying an Agent?

Chuck — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:37:02 GMT

Q. Good morning! I have written a small collection of short stories designed to read to young children and I have questions about illustrations. I am wondering what the advantages are in finding your own illustrator for your work vs. letting a publisher find one for you? Do publishers often find illustrators for you? What is the common practice for beginning writers?
- Kristin

A. You do not want to find your own illustrator. Publishers and agents will do that for you. Suggesting a potential illustrator is a big no-no. Simply send in the collection query an agent (or editor) about the collection like normal.
It's actually easier than most people think. The downside to working with an illustrator is that you split the advance/royalties with them 50/50 most of the time.

Agent Advice: Regina Brooks of the Serendipity Literary Agency

Chuck — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:38:41 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 Regina Brooks of the Serendipity Literary Agency in Brooklyn. Regina is a veteran agent who handles a variety of fiction and nonfiction. She is the author of Writing Great Books for Young Adults, which came out in 2009.

She is seeking: She represents a variety of fiction and nonfiction and children's. To submit to her, visit her submissions page on her Web site.

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

RB: I've had a few really cool sales lately. I'm doing a book that will feature Black ballerinas from the Dance Theater of Harlem and will be published during their 40-year anniversary. It will feature text from three-time National Book Award finalist, Marilyn Nelson, and is called Beautiful Ballerina (Scholastic).
A cool origami book called Girligami (Watson Guptill) by Cindy Ng, whose origami has appeared in The San Francisco Museum of Modern art, the Smithsonian and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Also, a business book for women called A Purse of Your Own (S&S Touchstone/Fireside), by Deborah Owens, CEO of Owens Media Group and NPR contributor. It's a savvy guide to financial security that sticks a lacquered fingernail in the eye of the conventional wisdom that women have to act like one of the boys to succeed in high finance, and teaches women to leverage their feminine sensibilities, fashion sense, and purchasing prowess to take control of their financial lives.

GLA: You seek "young adult novels with urban flair." Can you give some good examples of this for readers? Does this subject area bridge off into young adult cyberpunk?

RB: Some examples of these type books that I've represented are First Semester by Cecil Cross, the story of African-American boy's first semester at a historically black college in Atlanta. Also The Making of Dr. True Love by Derrick Barnes, which made the ALA quick pick list last year. I would say this category doesn't bridge off into YA cyberpunk.

GLA: You represent both authors and illustrators. Do you often get queries from authors who have also illustrated their children's book? Are the illustrations usually of enough quality to include them with the submission to publishers?

RB: I do receive many queries from author/illustrators, or from authors who aren't necessarily illustrators but fail to understand that they don't have to worry about submitting illustrations. But most often I find that most illustrators are not the best at coming up with compelling story lines or can't execute the words like a well seasoned writer (or vice versa:The better writers usually are not the best illustrators).

GLA: You prefer to read materials exclusively. About how long does a typical exclusive look from you last?

RB: I actually don't mind being sent queries simultaneously; however, if I request a manuscript I will generally ask the author to give me 2 to 3 weeks to review it exclusively. If it turns out that I'm taking longer than the allotted time period, the author is free to begin submitting their work elsewhere, but it's great if they give me a heads up on that.

GLA: What's the most common mistake you see in fiction query letters? Where do writers go wrong in trying to pique your interest?

RB: Because I participate in numerous conferences throughout the year, I find that even though I request that writers mention in the query that they met me at a conference, they often forget. Also, length is an issue. Even though I accept online queries, I still want the query to come in somewhere close to one page. I think that writers often think that because it's online, I have no way of knowing that it's more than a page. Believe me, I do. Queries that are concise and compelling are he most intriguing.

GLA: Will you be at any conferences in the future where writers can meet (and pitch) you?

RB: Absolutely. The best way to find out where I'll be is to take a look at my conference schedule, which is posted on my Web site. The schedule changes often and there's a strong likelihood that I will be in your area, so check back frequently. I do more than 15 conferences a year and anticipate more over the next two years when my book comes out in June, Writing Great Books for Young Adults.

GLA: What's the best piece of advice you can give regarding a subject we haven't discussed?

RB: I know that everyone lately has been hearing so much about platform. Publishers are asking authors to have a platform when they write nonfiction. Just to shed a little light on this subject: Writers should be able to show in their proposals that they are the best person to write the book and that they have an intimate relationship with the topic and with the audience who might buy the book. Don't be intimidated if you don't have a platform for your book concept; just use the fact that you need one as a motivation to go out and get one; write an article, become a blogger, and speak about the topic in your community. The stronger your platform, the more books you'll sell. At least that's the idea that drives the publishers to request that you have one.

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 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Dwyer & O'Grady: Reminders

Chuck — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:40:40 GMT

Dwyer & O'Grady, Inc., a literary agency that represents juvenile writers and illustrators, recently sent out a reminder that they have moved all offices to Florida. Evidently, they had different locations around the country at different points (and were most recently in New Hampshire), but now do all business at the address below.

Also note that the agency is still closed to unsolicited queries/submissions and has been for some time. The only real reason you would need to use their new address below is if you, per chance, were lucky enough to meet an agent at a writers conference and they OK'd you sending some work to them.

Dwyer & O'Grady, Inc.
Agents for Writers & Illustrators of Children's Books
725 Third Street
P.O. Box 790
Cedar Key, FL 32625-0790
(352)543-9307
(603)-375-5373 - fax
www.dwyerogrady.com