This weekend, at the Space Coast Writers' Conference, I sat down on a large panel of agents and editors.  During the panel, we pretty muched talked about everything.  One particular subject of interest that came up was online writing contests, and whether or not winning such contests was a good way to hook an agent.

The bad news is that all five agents said they never looked online at published contest winners, such as the winners of any Amazon.com contests.  Both audience members and agents remarked about how such contests were gaining popularity and Internet buzz; however, the agents aren't looking online at the winning stories.

The good news is that a few agents present did mention that when they judge a competition, they may indeed contact winners and ask about representing them.  This is not new news, exactly, but it was promising to hear agents confirm that contests will still lead to a contract for representation. (You just have to make sure some awesome agents are the judges.)

And remember: Just because agents are not reading online contests, that doesn't mean that the accolades are worthless. On the contrary, including these awards in your query letter will show an agent that you're a serious and skilled scribe.

I just got an e-mail from someone working at Writers in the Sky Literary Agency, a (practically) brand new agency that was openly looking for clients. They have shut down for good, it seems. I had previously profiled their agency on the blog.

By the way, I have tagged this post "Random Updates." To see more updates, click on this category on the left side of the Web page. "Random Updates" includes changes in information such as 
      - Agency closures
      - Changes in address
      - Agents leaving one agency to join another
      - Etc.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Visit the agency's official submissions page!

It's been way too since my last "Around the Properties." Here are some awesome things happening in the Writer's Digest world.

Writer's Digest Editor Maria Schneider runs the Writer's Perspective blog and she has recently tackled the subject of blogging itself, and even written a great article called "20 Tips for Good Blogging."
      Getting your name out there and developing a readership is essential for writers, especially those who primarily compose nonfiction. Blogs are a great way to reach readers and build a platform, so listen to what Maria has to say.

The WD screenwriting blog, Script Notes, has included some great posts lately for writers who wish to write for TV shows, be it reality shows (yes, they also need writers) or more traditional shows. Blog manager Chad Gervich is a true Hollywood insider, so don't miss his tips if you hope to see Hollywood in your future.

Thanks to Alice Pope's great blog for Children's Writers, I saw that Publisher's Weekly has listed a large number of recent awards bestowed upon juvenile books. This is important because we, as writers, must also be readers. And if you're going to read, you should read plenty of good stuff.  So what constitutes "good stuff"? Check out the PW page if you're writing for children and you should be all set.

Lastly, I will be presenting at the Space Coast Writers Guild Writers' Conference this weekend in Cocoa Beach, FL. I don't think it's too late to sign up if you are in the area. Several agents will be in attendance hearing pitches. Check out the Web site to learn more.  If you are attending, I'll see you there!

Cocoa Beach.
ETA: 48 hours.

Unless you're meeting an agent in person at a writers' conference, a query is your first method of contact with an agent - so it better be good. A query letter, simply put, is a one-page letter that you send to an agent (or editor) that details: 1) What are the details of the work? 2) What is the story? 3) Who are you?

Writing a good query is a crucial step to snagging an agent. With that in mind, here are some Tuesday morning query writing tips for everyone:

• Queries are single-spaced. The paragraphs are pushed left and separated by a blank line.
• Keep the font simple, such as Arial or Times New Roman.
• Always personalize your query. No "Dear Agent" stuff.
• Stick to the basics. You don't need to throw in personal information about yourself, such as your age, the writers you admire, or your history as a dirt bike racer.
• Always include your contact information. Typically, you can put everything at the top of the page, centered.
• Be professional and humble.
• Don't promise anything outside your capability. If you write a nonfiction query and throw in tidbits concerning how you will publicize the book, don't mention you can get on MSNBC if you have no means to do so.
• Avoid saying "My novel is..."
• Don't mention how long it took you to write the novel, or how many other agents you've queried, or that the story takes place in your hometown of Pleasesignme, Ohio.
• Always include the basic info early. Here's a sample line: "I think you would be a great literary representative for my completed 90,000-word thriller, Dead Cat Bounce." Notice that, in one simple sentence, I told the agent the title, the word count, the genre, and the fact that it's completed.