Guide to Literary Agents

If you've never heard of Google Alerts, they're just about the best thing ever. You tell Google a word or phrase, and Google will alert you daily when that phrase is used on the Internet. For example, whenever someone writes the words "Chuck Sambuchino" on a page or blog, Google will tell me.

Agents have these, too, so when you're praising an agent online, or badmouthing them, or simply discussing them - an agent may very well know. Check out this story from Jenn Nixon, a blogger and agent-seeking writer:

------

"Well, the weirdest thing happened to me yesterday.

I logged onto my website email account, which I hardly use because it's ALL spam. There was one email in it. A real one. So I read it. It was from a literary agent. Apparently her google alerts told her I wrote her name down. She read my blog about agents who didn't respond, and asked me to resubmit.

Shocked?

Yeah, so was I. She actually took the time to write me so I'd take her off my list! Wow. Okay, so I sent her the submission again.

She didn't like it so much.

But she did say "You've got skill, I'll give you that."

I've heard that so many times before. *sigh*

I took her name off, I'll add her to the rejection list. Ah well. It's still an interesting story, huh?"

------

Crazy story. So the agent found her and asked her to resubmit the work for a yes/no answer. Ultimately, this paid off for Jen - and gave her a second chance (although that second chance didn't pan out). Let this be your warning: Google Alerts exist, so be careful what you're saying on the Internet. You never know who's listening.

Want more on this subject?

Literary agents talk blogging, Twitter, and more.

How to create a simple writer blog.

So you've set up a blog - now what?

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

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

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

Guest Columns

Friday, January 30, 2009 1:42:35 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [13]

A Pitch vs. A Synopsis: The Difference and Definitions (and 'What is a Good Synopsis Length?')
Posted by Chuck

Q. In a query, should the synopsis tell the whole story in a short form or should it leave mystery to the story like on the back of the book?

A. Queries and synopses are different things. You would never find a synopsis in a query.
        A query is a one-page letter that explains what you've written, who you are, and why the agent should represent you. In a query letter will be a pitch, which is a explanation of your story in 3-8 sentences. It's like the text you see on the back of a DVD box. It's designed to pique your interest. A pitch, like the back of a book or DVD, will not spill the beans regarding the ending.
       A synopsis is a front-to-back telling of what happens in your story. It's like sitting down with a 12-year-old and explaining your entire story in about five minutes. You explain who the characters are, what the conflict is, the three acts, and finally, what happens at the end (e.g., the villain dies). So, in a synopsis, you do indeed give away the ending. You would not do so in a pitch, and a pitch is what appears in a query.

FOLLOW-UP QUESTION FROM ANN:

Q. What length is a good synopsis? I recently sent out a query & synopsis. I managed to reduce the synopsis to one page, but now I'm wondering if it was too short for a multivoiced novel.

A. I recommend having TWO versions of your synopsis - a "long synopsis" and a "short synopsis." Let me explain.
       In past years, there used to be a fairly universal system regarding synopses. For every 35 or so pages of text you had, you would have one page of synopsis explanation. So if your book was 245 pages, double-spaced, your synopsis would be seven pages approximately. This was fairly standard, and allowed writers a decent amount of space to explain their story. I recommend doing this first. This will be your "long synopsis."
       The problem is: Sometime in the past few years, agents started to get really busy and they want to hear your story now now now. They started asking for synopses of no more than two pages. Many agents today request specifically just that - two pages max. Some may even say one page, but two pages is generally acceptable. You have to draft a new, more concise synopsis - the "short synopsis."
       So which one do you submit? Good question. If you think your short synopsis (1-2 pages) is tight and effective, always use that. However, if you think the long synopsis is much more effective, then you will sometimes submit one and sometimes submit the other. If an agent requests two pages max, send the short one (because, naturally, you've been instructed to). If they just say "Send a synopsis," and you feel your longer synopsis is far superior, and your long synopsis isn't more than eight pages, I say just submit the long one.
       Long answer. Hope it helps.

Guest Columns | Q&A from Blog Readers | Queries and Synopses and Proposals | Synopsis Writing

Friday, January 30, 2009 10:30:11 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [8]

Should Canadians Seek a Canadian Literary Agent?
Posted by Chuck

Q. If I am a Canadian writer, am I better to seek a Canadian agent or publisher versus a U.S.-based agent?

A. Good question. Look into both.
Some Canadian publishers and agents only want to work with Canadians, so you have an inside track to some pros right there. In fact, I can recall several instances where I have contacted Canadian agencies and they were hesitant to be listed in GLA because they feared a mountain of submissions from American authors, who they do not represent.
That's music to a Canadian writer's ears.

Q&A from Blog Readers

Friday, January 30, 2009 10:19:40 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [10]

Can You Send More Than 5 Pages?
Posted by Chuck

Q. I've noticed that many agents ask for the first five pages of your manuscript in their query submission guidelines. I was wondering what to do if the first five pages cuts off in an awkward place, such as the middle of a scene/chapter or even the middle of a sentence. Should you reformat the manuscript so that you can fit, if not the whole scene, a better stopping point for it? Or should you just leave it as it is, because that's just how it is, and squeezing in more or cutting something out would be deceptive?
       - Sina'i

A. I'd advise just to turn in the first five pages, even if it ends in the middle of a sentence. In fact, that can be helpful to you. If you hook an agent with your first five pages, and then it abruptly ends in mid-thought, they are immediately going to request more because they want to know what happens next.
       That said, if you want to try and squeeze in a sentence or two at the end of page five, you can. But, in theory, it shouldn't be necessary.
       If you're having trouble with the start of your story, check out Noah Lukeman's The First Five Pages.

Q&A from Blog Readers

Friday, January 30, 2009 10:14:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Thursday, January 29, 2009

CWIM Blog: Interview With Agent Elana Roth
Posted by Chuck

Elana Roth is a literary agent at the Caren Johnson Literary Agency. My awesome co-worker, Alice Pope, recently interviewed Elana over on the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market blog. Needless to say, Elana is indeed interested in juvenile work.

In the interview, Elana details a lot of great info about herself and her style, including, but not limited to:

A dirty little secret about meeting her at conferences.
What she's always looking for but rarely gets in a submission.
Advice for new writers regarding queries.

Check out the full interview now!

Want more on this subject?

How to Write a Query Letter.

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

Why Your Manuscript Can Get Rejected, by Hallie Ephron.

10 Hidden Gifts of Rejection Letters.

Google Alerts and Agents.

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

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

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

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Children's Writing

Thursday, January 29, 2009 6:07:10 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Agent Advice: Courtney Miller-Callihan
Posted by Chuck

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

This installment features Courtney Miller-Callihan, of Sanford J. Greenberger Associates. Courtney began her career in publishing at Random House, where she spent a number of years in subsidiary rights sales and in contracts before joining Sanford J. Greenburger Associates in 2005. Courtney holds a B.A. in Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a M.A. in English from The Johns Hopkins University.

She is seeking: She looks for nonfiction projects on unusual topics, science, personal finance, business, pop culture, lifestyle books, and craft books. In addition, Courtney is seeking new voices in literary fiction, historical fiction, and women’s fiction. Solid credentials are a must. She also represents a limited number of children’s book authors and illustrators. She prefers to receive submissions via e-mail at cmiller [at] sjga [dot] com.

Courtney Miller-Callihan

GLA: How did you become an agent?

CMC: I've always loved books - everyone in this business does, which is the best thing about it. I think my interest in publishing stemmed from a stubborn desire to actually use my two degrees in English. I started at Random House, in the contracts department, in 2002, and then spent a couple of years in subsidiary rights before joining SJGA in 2005. I started taking on my own clients shortly thereafter.

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

CMC: The Twelve Days of Christmas in Georgia, illustrated by Elizabeth O. Dulemba (Sterling, fall 2010). Sterling is doing a great series of picture books about holiday traditions in different states.

GLA: You seek "unusual" nonfiction topics. Kind of like "miscellaneous"? Could you give me some examples of books out there in the market you wish you'd repped?

CMC: "Miscellaneous" is good, or "weird." I want to see proposals for books on subjects I've never really thought about or even heard of, as well as really creative takes on subjects that have already received a lot of attention. I love narrative nonfiction and investigative journalism, and anything that teaches me something new.

GLA: You seek solid credentials. Is that just for nonfiction? Or do you want some kind of a platform even when getting a fiction query?

CMC: If the query is for literary fiction, I like to see a strong record of publication - short stories in literary magazines. For more mainstream fiction, the platform doesn't matter if the writing is terrific.

GLA: Do you find that you have any weird quirks as an agent? Perhaps everyone likes a query presented in such-and-such a way, but you prefer something else?

CMC: I respond poorly to clip art, whether it's the "writerly" scroll of parchment on the letterhead or simply an attempt to add illustrations to a proposal. Better to leave it out.

GLA: Regarding the juvenile work you will accept - can you elaborate a bit? Mid grade? Picture books?

CMC: I'm feeling more drawn to middle grade and YA at present, but I've always got my eye open for really wonderful illustrators. I don't like talking animal books or picture books done in rhyming couplets.

GLA: Literary fiction, historical fiction and women's fiction are unique in that none of them fall under "pop" or "genre" fiction. What do you like to see when you sit down to read a partial?

CMC: Introduce me to a character I want to get to know. Get me invested in the story, fast. And, everyone always says this but it's true, I live for the times I get so absorbed that I almost miss my subway stop.

GLA: What are you looking for now and not getting? For example, a 18th century story set on the high seas...

CMC: I'd love to see more historical fiction with a non-Western setting. As with my taste in nonfiction, I relish the opportunity to learn something. I'd love to see more compelling, character-driven women's fiction. And I'm on the lookout for a book on homesteading - DIY, frugality, eco-conscious.

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

CMC: Nothing on the schedule at the moment (but I'd love to hear from writers' conferences looking for more agent participants/speakers!)

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

CMC: I can't emphasize enough the importance of making a good first impression. Agents are inundated with queries, and for me, the ones that follow my guidelines (a proposal and CV for nonfiction, a synopsis and the first three chapters for fiction), spell my name right, and maybe reference my existing clients' projects, really do stand out from the pack.

Want more on this subject?

Word Count Guidelines for Novels and Children's Books.

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

20 Tips on Writing a Query Letter

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

What are the BEST writers' conferences in the country?

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

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

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

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Children's Writing | Literary Fiction | Nonfiction | Women's Fiction

Thursday, January 29, 2009 12:16:03 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [6]

Writing Conferences: 4 Things to Know
Posted by Chuck

A writer friend of mine who does a lot more than write, Kerrie Flanagan, has a nice blog post up about what it's like to go to a writers' conference for the first time, and her "Four Rules" for getting the most out one. It's up on her blog, which is called "The Writing Bug."

Here's an excerpt:

"I remember the first one I attended. I felt like Captain Kirk landing the Spaceship Enterprise on some alien planet. I felt out of place, I didn't speak the language and at times I wanted Scotty to beam me up. BUT, once I made it through, I realized all my doubts and apprehensions about whether or not I belonged were self-inflicted. No one cared that I hadn't published anything yet. It was clear we were all there for the same reasons; because we were passionate about writing and because we wanted to continue to hone our craft. Over the years, I have attended many other conferences and found them to be a valuable investment of my time and money."

Want more on this subject?

5 articles on making the most of a writers conference.

How to pitch an agent at a conference.

The next Writer's Digest Editors Intensive event is Sept. 11-12, 2010. All attendees receive a critique of 50 pages of their work.

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

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and writers conferences? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Writers' Conferences

Thursday, January 29, 2009 12:02:36 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Monday, January 26, 2009

Classifying Your Work
Posted by Chuck

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

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

Genre Writing | Q&A from Blog Readers

Monday, January 26, 2009 4:51:11 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [5]

Agent Katharine Sands On Book Proposals
Posted by Chuck

So I finished a book proposal in December and passed it on to my agent. Just a few days later, when talking to Katharine Sands (superagent extraordinaire), she mentioned that she would look it over for me as a favor to try and ID any weaknesses, etc.

She came back with one major note, and I wanted to share it with you because it was so good.

The book is a humor (gift) book. Her critique was this: She wanted to know, "What is the benefit to the reader? What have they gained by reading your book? What are they now that they weren't before?"

Great tip. I'm used to saying "This is what the book is." She's saying not to forget including "This is what the book will provide for readers." Considering this was a gift/humor proposal, that didn't occur to me too much. Luckily, the revision will only take a few sentences here and there.

Katharine Sands of the
Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency

See an older GLA interview with Katharine Sands here.

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Nonfiction | Queries and Synopses and Proposals

Monday, January 26, 2009 4:47:49 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Friday, January 23, 2009

Agent Advice: Sammie Justesen of Northern Lights Literary Services
Posted by Chuck

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

This installment features Sammie Justesen, of Northern Lights Literary Services, LLC. She represents genre fiction and all areas of nonfiction.

Sammie Justesen

GLA. How did you become an agent?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Genre Writing | Nonfiction

Friday, January 23, 2009 4:00:10 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Cover Band Soap Opera: Which John Mellancamp Song Should We Play?
Posted by Chuck

At my last cover band gig (here in Cincinnati), band members decided it was time to learn a few more new songs, such each of the four of us get to pick two songs a piece.

I definitely want to get a Mellancamp song. But should it be Jack & Diane or should it be Hurts So Good? I'm definitely leaning one way but I don't want to say what it is. I want to see if anyone has a passionate opinion about it. Which one would be better for a bar where we get people up and dancing?

Cover Band Venting

Thursday, January 22, 2009 2:13:17 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [17]

Speaking of Agents and Self-Published Books
Posted by Chuck

A few days ago, I got word from agent extraordinare Sharlene Martin about a self-published book she picked up and sold for big money in an auction. (Congrats, Sharlene.)

Media Bistro has the entire story, but I can sum it up by saying that the book is about a family's experience with their daughter who died at the age of 6. Before the girl died, she got to experience all kinds of "wishes" (swim with the dolphins, etc.) and write notes to her loved ones. The family self-published a book, had good sales (8,000) and Sharlene took notice. She signed the family as clients and sold the book.

Self-published books don't often get agents, but this is a great success story!

Self-Publishing and Agents

Thursday, January 22, 2009 2:04:50 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Querying Agents for a Self-Published Book
Posted by Chuck

Q. What is the proper procedure for a self-published author, who is interested in finding an agent and going to a second printing with a mainstream publisher? Is it a faux pas to send previously self-published material to an agent?
- Xavier

A. Xavier, you're in luck because I wrote a big feature all this. It examines how to submit self-published work to agents. I point you to this September blog post below.

----------

One article in the issue is all about life after self-publishing. See the whole thing online here. It's written for those who have self-published a book and want an agent to get it a traditional publishing deal. The article also speaks to those who have self-published pretty much everything to this point and need to know how to address those previous books when querying an agent for a new project.

Here are some snippets from the article:

Many agents will indeed consider representing self-published books, but they are only looking for the best of the best.
Agents want to know sales numbers of your book, and they're looking for impressive figures.
Fiction is tougher to sell than nonfiction, so smaller sales numbers for the former will be considered, just as larger sales numbers for the latter will be expected.
Just as it's important that your book is selling and has a distinct market(s), selling too many books is a bad thing as well, as you may have maxed out your sales. There would be no reason to give it a second life via traditional publishing.

There is plenty more to read, and lots of agents chimed in with good advice, so see it all here online at WritersDigest.com!

Q&A from Blog Readers | Self-Publishing and Agents

Thursday, January 22, 2009 1:37:05 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [4]

Are Older Agents Better?
Posted by Chuck

Q. Can you tell me how I can find an agent with experience who is over 50 years old? I'm an experienced, published, academic writer (over 50) transitioning into lyrically-written fiction from scholarly, i.e., footnoted writing. I write literature with analytical, literary theory underpinnings and subtext, and feel that agents under 50 won't be able to understand my work. Any advice on this? And, in the guide books, do agents indicate their experience level? (Also, unfortunately, I cannot afford to travel to conferences, since I've been a low-wage adjunct.)
        - Tamara

A. Tamara, I gotta say that this is one of the most unique questions I've ever gotten on the blog.
       You can find an agent's experience level by looking at what books they've sold. This is the type of information you will have to look in multiple places for - namely WritersMarket.com, the agency's Web site, and Publishers Marketplace. It's not easy researching who sold what. Younger agents might have plenty of sales. Older agents may be brand new to the game.
       Pretty much the only way to target "older" agents is to find pictures of them on their agency pages (or using Google images) and take a guess at who is over 50. But I don't think this is a good plan in the first place. It sounds like you're writing literary fiction, so I suggest you simply target agents who handle this category and strike your interest. Some may "get" your writing style while others don't.   Something as unique as your project might require a lot of queries and sample pages e-mailed out before you find your perfect match.

Q&A from Blog Readers

Thursday, January 22, 2009 1:23:31 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [6]

Around the WD Properties: January 22, 2008
Posted by Chuck

Here are some great things
happening around the other
Writer's Digest properties:

Writing a Nonfiction Book Proposal?

WD Editorial Director Jane Friedman is teaching a new webinar titled 3 Secrets to Getting Your Nonfiction Book Published.

       Details: 1 p.m., EST, Thursday, Jan. 29. 90 minutes in length. The first 25 people to register may submit a 100-word summary of their nonfiction book concept (which must include the book’s tentative title), to be critiqued in live time by Jane during the webinar. The second 25 people to register may also submit a summary, and will receive a custom critique within 24 hours of the presentation.

       What It Is: Find out the difference between a nonfiction book concept that gets an immediate, enthusiastic response from agents/editors -- and one that gets no response.
        - Learn to craft a selling handle with sizzle.
        - Learn the one golden rule of nonfiction book ideas, and how it assures         publication every time.
        - Learn about identifying markets, honing your hook, and improving your         platform.
        - Learn the basics of nonfiction book proposal writing (smart authors never write the book first, they always write a proposal)

Selling a proposal is a difficult task, and Jane is a master of proposals, so take advantage of this webinar. Sign up now!

WD Annual Competition

The annual contest, which is WD's biggest competition of the year, is now accepting entries.

GRAND PRIZE: $3,000 cash and a trip to New York City to meet with editors or agents. Writer's Digest will fly you and a guest to The Big Apple, where you'll spend three days and two nights in the publishing capital of the world. While you're there, a Writer's Digest editor will escort you to meet and share your work with four editors or agents! Plus, you'll receive a free Diamond Publishing Package from Outskirts Press.

Entry Deadline: May 15, 2009.

10 Categories!

    * Inspirational Writing (Spiritual/Religious)
    * Memoirs/Personal Essay
    * Magazine Feature Article
    * Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)
    * Mainstream/Literary Short Story
    * Rhyming Poetry
    * Non-rhyming Poetry
    * Stage Play
    * Television/Movie Script
    * Children's/Young Adult Fiction

Learn everything about the contest here.

WritersMarket.com

We have recently relaunched WritersMarket.com! The new site includes improved searching abilities to make sure that you're finding the best markets for your work, whether you're looking for agents, magazines or publishers.

What is WritersMarket.com? Simply put, it's all the information in the Writer's Market book, just online. In fact, all the listings we couldn't fit in the book are available with an online subscription. This listings include thousands of magazines, newspapers, book publishers, literary agents, script agents/managers, theaters (for plays), production companies, and what seems like ten million different contests!

You can sign up for WM.com on a month-to-month subscription or a yearlong sub. Your choice!

Thursday, January 22, 2009 1:12:24 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Do You Need to Find an Illustrator Before Querying an Agent?
Posted by Chuck

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.

Want more on this topic?

How I Got My Agent: Picture book writer Kristyn Crow.

Interview: Kids agent Mary Kole.

5 articles on writing picture books.

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

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

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

Children's Writing | Illustrators | Q&A from Blog Readers

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 3:37:02 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [4]

Monday, January 12, 2009

Conference Spotlight: Reno Writers' Conference
Posted by Chuck

In two months, I'll be off to Reno, NV, to present at the Reno Writers Conference at Truckee Meadows Community College. I first heard good things about this conference from agent Andrea Hurst, who runs her own agency in nearby Sacramento.

A little about the conference:

The whole shebang goes down from 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., Saturday, March 14, 2009, at TMCC's Dandini Campus. If you're coming from out of town, a good place to stay in proximity to the event is the John Ascuaga Nugget Casino Resort.

At least two literary agents will be in attendance: Verna Dreisbach of Dreisbach Literary, and Amberly Finarelli of Andrea Hurst's agency. In addition, there will be authors, editors (like me), book designers and more to give talks. The agents will be taking pitches, and my first speech of the day will take writers through how to sit down and pitch agents face to face.

The conference seems pretty intimate, and I mean that in a good way. It's short and sweet - one day packed with stuff. Attendees get the chance to meet with me or agents if they wish. Plenty of topics - including fiction work, freelancing, self publishing and self-editing - are addressed. We'll all be sitting at lunch together, chatting, probably eating something scrumptious.

To learn more, or sign up, or check prices, visit the TMCC Web page.

"I've made a huge tiny mistake."
- Arrested Development
Thank you to the LVTB for this pic.

Writers' Conferences

Monday, January 12, 2009 10:49:46 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Friday, January 09, 2009

Joanna Stampfel Moves From FinePrint to Nancy Coffey Literary
Posted by Chuck

Joanna Stampfel-Volpe (just married, formerly just Stampfel) has recently moved from her junior agent position at FinePrint to a full-fledged agent position at Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation.

Joanna is looking for:

    - lower MG to upper YA (nonfiction, contemporary, historical and fantasy *fantasy/sci-fi needs to really stand out, unique)
    - romance (historical, paranormal, contemporary)
    - fantasy (women's, urban, steampunk, unique)
    - up-market fiction (dark, literary, horror, dark comedies, speculative fic)
    - narrative nonfiction (environmental, foodie)

She accepts hard copy or e-mail queries. Her snail mail address is 240 West 35th Street, Suite 500, New York, NY 10001.

Children's Writing | Random Updates

Friday, January 09, 2009 2:34:49 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Regarding E-Queries to Agents
Posted by Chuck

Q. When an agent asks that a "query letter" be submitted "by e-mail," does that mean that I should send an appropriately-formatted letter on my stationery as a pdf, or should it be an actual e-mail?
- Timothy

A. She means you need to send it in an actual e-mail. The text should be the text of an e-mail, formatted like a letter - with text centered, italicized, etc. If you simply send a e-mail saying "Hey, my query is attached in a Word doc or PDF," then she probably won't read it.
Bottom line: Agents hate opening unsolicted attachments. Send your work as text in the e-mail itself.

Q&A from Blog Readers | Queries and Synopses and Proposals

Friday, January 09, 2009 2:25:10 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [6]

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Agent Stephen Barbara Moves to Foundry Literary + Media
Posted by Chuck

We just reported a few months ago that literary agent Mollie Glick left the Jean V. Naggar Lit Agency and headed to Foundry Literary + Media. Now, the word from Galleycat is that agent Stephen Barbara of the Donald Maass Agency is headed to Foundry, as well. Naturally, he's taking his list of authors with him.

That makes eight agents at Foundry now. It's turning into quite the little powerhouse.

Some info about Stephen:

"He represents all categories of books for young readers (from YA to middle-grade to chapter and picture books) in addition to servicing writers for the adult market. His clients include Texas Blue Bonnet finalist Lisa Graff, acclaimed middle-grade novelist Lynne Jonell (Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat), Newbery Medal winner Laura Amy Schlitz, popular YA author Todd Strasser, and on the adult side Bram Stoker Award finalist Paul Tremblay (The Little Sleep) and leading fat loss expert Tom Venuto (The Body Fat Solution)."

To submit work:

Address your materials to one agent only and include the following materials in your submission. For fiction, send a query, synopsis, the first three chapters and your author bio. For nonfiction, send a query, sample chapters, a table of contents and an author bio. Send your materials to: Foundry Literary + Media
Submissions, 33 West 17th Street, PH, New York, New York 10011.

Stephen Barbara

Children's Writing | Random Updates

Wednesday, January 07, 2009 1:46:32 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Formatting Queries Question...
Posted by Chuck

Q. Hi Chuck. I noticed in your book, Guide to Literary Agents, you say writers should include their contact information in the upper righthand corner of the query letter, but in the Writer's Market both examples of a "good query" for books have the contact information at the bottom left, more like a conventional letter. Is this an important detail? Are both places acceptable?
- Jason

A. I would say put your contact info at the top of the letter. My preference is to center it and bold your name. But you can also push it right - that's no big deal. You can also put some contact info at the bottom of the letter, such as repeating your e-mail and phone, but I would not recommend putting your info only at the bottom. Keep it at the top, and you'll be fine. It's not a big deal.

Q&A from Blog Readers | Queries and Synopses and Proposals | Formatting

Wednesday, January 07, 2009 1:35:10 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [5]

Can You Continue Writing Someone Else's Series?
Posted by Chuck

Q. I just want to know if it is legal to continue a series of books that the author has pretty much said the he/she is planning on writing anymore books to the series. What I want to know is: Is it possible for me to start my own series off of a series that has already been published?
    - Jared

A. Basically, no.
       You don't own the characters so you can't do anything with them. What you're talking about may be "fan fiction," but this is unclear. Unless you're trying to sell a Star Trek or Star Wars novel where various people write books in that universe, then this is not a route to go. You can't sell such work, and no one will look at it. The only place this is appropriate is writing a sample episode for a TV show in hopes of being a staff writer on that show or a similar program; but in those instances, the show is alive and well, not dying or dead as you described.
       Your best hope is to sell an original book that is successful, and then, when you have the ears of important publishers, you can bring up possibly continuing a dead series. At that point, it's a super small chance, but at least that's better than no chance.

Who HASN'T wanted to sit
down and starting writing the
next Tron movie? Alas, if
only it were that easy...

Contracts and Copyrights and Money | Q&A from Blog Readers

Wednesday, January 07, 2009 1:29:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

How to Word a Follow-up Query to an Agent
Posted by Chuck

A co-worker of mine is about to follow up on a query to an agent and asked what the proper way to word such a message was. I realized that we had talked about this subject before, but never seen an example. That said, let's look at one. Following your info at the top, centered, and the agent info on the left, it would be something like this:

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

Dear [Ms. Agent]:

Hi, my name is Chuck Sambuchino and I am just following up on a query that I sent 8 weeks ago for my 90,000-suspense novel, October Surprise. Since I had not heard back, I'm afraid my initial contact got lost in cyberspace, so I am resubmitting the query below.

Thank you for your time, and I hope to speak more with you soon about the project.

Sincerely,
[Author]

[Repasted Query in Full]

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

Nothing fancy - that's about it. The biggest rule is to be nice and humble, and not get upset or antsy that you haven't got a reply yet. Just resubmit. It sucks that you may have to wait another six weeks to hear back (and worse, to hear back a "no"), but it is what it is. Just note that, as an editor myself who gets queries, we hate to get these letters because they are reminders that we failed to stick to our own guidelines on how long we take to reply. So when someone gets a humble, simple follow up like this, it can serve as a kick in the pants to reply.

Formatting | Queries and Synopses and Proposals

Wednesday, January 07, 2009 1:22:33 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Friday, January 02, 2009

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

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

GLA: How did you become an agent?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Want more on this subject?

How to Write a Query Letter.

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

Why Your Manuscript Can Get Rejected, by Hallie Ephron.

10 Hidden Gifts of Rejection Letters.

Google Alerts and Agents.

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

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

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

Friday, January 02, 2009 1:48:23 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [3]

Back in Black: The Start of 2009
Posted by Chuck

Happy New Year! I hope your New Year's Eve was cool and no DUIs were involved.

The door on one year closes, as another opens. All sorts of exciting possibilities await. Nothing is impossible. (Insert your own generic comment here.) Personally, I'm buzzed about the year because I accomplished a few of my 2008 goals just in time for the year to end, so now I have the wind at my back.

I hope you are setting goals, too. I can tell you a few of my resolutions for 2009:

Find an agent to represent my juvenile work. I have an agent right now - Sorche Fairbank - but she handles adult fiction and nonfiction.
Finish at least two more book proposals.
Finish that screenplay I started last year.
Naturally, lose weight.

My rock cover band played
out at a killer show on
New Year's Eve. That's
me in the black shirt
on the right.

Friday, January 02, 2009 10:04:46 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [7]

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Test Post
Posted by Chuck

Test Post

Contests

Thursday, January 01, 2009 9:48:28 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [3]

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