Fiction Agents – Writer's Digest

“Agent Advice” (this installment featuring agent Maria Vicente of P.S. Literary Agency) is a series of quick interviews with literary agents and script agents who talk with Guide to Literary Agents about their thoughts on writing, publishing, and just about anything else. This series has more than 170 interviews so far with reps from great literary agencies. This collection of interviews is a great place to start if you are just starting your research on literary agents.

MariaVicente

What are you seeking?

Nonfiction projects in the pop culture, geek culture, pop psychology, design, and lifestyle categories; young adult (any genre), middle grade (any genre), and illustrated picture books; literary and commercial fiction (including fiction with a touch of genre). You can view her up-to-date manuscript wish list here.

How did you become an agent?

I started as an intern, first with literary agent Bree Ogden and then at P.S. Literary Agency, before joining PSLA as an associate agent. As for my educational background, I have a B.A. in English Literature, a B. Ed., and a post-grad publishing certificate.

Tell us about something you sold that just came out or comes out soon?

The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy by Sam Maggs (Quirk Books) comes out May 12. We are all very excited about this handbook for ladies living a nerdy life; it’s a fun and feminist take on the often male-dominated world of geekdom.

What are you specifically looking for in the slush pile right now and not getting?

Middle Grade manuscripts! I am hoping to add some incredible middle grade writers to my list this year. I’m looking for middle grade books in all sorts of genres, but mainly contemporary, horror, and fantasy.

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

What are you tired of seeing by way of submissions?

There is an upswing in contemporary young adult queries (which is fantastic because I love contemporary YA), but the majority of them don’t focus on what makes their book stand apart. With so many realistic stories about teenagers in high school, your manuscript really needs to have a great hook! I’ve also been noticing quite a few manuscripts about pirates… and the pirate’s life is really not for me.

What are the websites you try and visit every day?

Oh, this is fun! An alphabetized list: Comics Alliance; Feedly (for my daily dose of the wonderful blogs I follow); The Mary Sue; Pub(lishing) Crawl; Publishers Marketplace; Quill & Quire; Tumblr (both my personal website and my fandom blog); Twitter; Women Write About Comics. I also subscribe to many e-newsletters and podcasts that I read/listen to on a daily basis.

What is the best way for writers to submit work to you?

Send a query letter, addressed to me, to query@psliterary.com. You can read the P.S. Literary Agency submission guidelines here.

What’s on your nightstand to read? Or what recent releases have blown you away?

My next few books will be: I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes, and Ms. Marvel. Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson & Adrian Alphona. Books from last year (2014) that I really, really loved: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton, Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire, Through the Woods by Emily Carroll, Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham, and How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran.

And finally, you run a standing feature on your website, #ASKMAR—what kinds of questions do you answer there and what gave you the idea?

I’ll answer questions about anything, but most are related to publishing, querying, writing, agenting, etc. It’s like #AskAgent on Twitter, which many agents do (and I do too, on occasion), but I added the feature to my website because it allows me to answer questions in more detail (I don’t have a character limit), and those asking have the option to do so anonymously—an important feature for those who hated raising their hands in class.

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This interview conducted by Gail Werner, a freelance writer
and committee member of the Midwest Writers Workshop.
You can visit her website or follow her on Twitter.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Your new complete and updated instructional guide
to finding an agent is finally here: The 2015 book
GET A LITERARY AGENT shares advice from more
than 110 literary agents who share advice on querying,
craft, the submission process, researching agents, and
much more. Filled with all the advice you’ll ever need to
find an agent, this resource makes a great partner book to
the agent database, Guide to Literary Agents.

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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Kurestin Armada of P.S. Literary) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

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About Kurestin: Kurestin began her publishing career as an intern with Workman Publishing, and spent time as an assistant at The Lotts Agency before joining P.S. Literary. She holds a B.A. in English from Kenyon College, as well as a publishing certificate from Columbia University. Kurestin is based in New York City, and spends most of her time in the city’s thriving indie bookstores. She reads widely across genres, and has a particular affection for science fiction and fantasy, especially books that recognize and subvert typical tropes of genre fiction. She can be found on Twitter at @kurestinarmada.

(Book Genres Explained: Insights, Tips and Definitions From Literary Agents.)

She is seeking: “Kurestin Armada is actively acquiring Upmarket and Commercial Fiction, Magic Realism, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Alternative History, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ (any genre), select Young Adult and Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, Mystery (including mystery with elements of SF/F), and Romance. In nonfiction, she is looking for Design, Cooking, Pop Psychology, Humour, Narrative, Photography, and Pop Science.”

Submission Instructions: P.S. Literary only accepts queries via e-mail (query [at] psliterary.com). Please limit your query to one page and include the following: an introduction (the title and category of your work and an estimated word count), a brief overview (similar to back-cover copy), and a writer’s bio (a little bit about yourself and your background). Do not send attachments or submit a full-length manuscript/proposal unless requested. In your email subject line, have it read “Query for Kurestin: [Book Title].”

(If you’re writing non-fiction, know what an agent wants to see in your proposal.)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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This is an interview with Victoria Lowes of The Bent Agency. She was born and raised in Queens, New York and graduated from the City University of New York, Queens College. Before joining the Bent Agency, she completed internships at Serendipity Literary and the Carol Mann Agency. She now lives on Long Island and in her spare time can be found teaching dance classes for young students or watching re-runs of The Office.

She is looking for both commercial and literary fiction as well as young adult titles. Her favorite genres are historical fiction, suspense, mysteries, upmarket women’s fiction, and romance.

literary-agent-victoria-lowes-bent-agency

How and why did you become a literary agent?

I started at the Bent Agency in 2013, first as Jenny Bent’s assistant and then gradually building my client list. Before that, I received my degree in Media Studies at CUNY: Queens College and completed internships at a couple of other literary agencies. As for the why, I think it’s the usual answer: I’ve always loved to read and I still need to pinch myself every now and again to make sure that this is really what I get to do.

You’re acquiring titles intended for digital-first publishers. Can you explain more about this platform and how it differs from traditional publishing? Are certain genres more conducive to it?

Digital-first publishing is exactly what it sounds like. You agree to sell your book in digital format only at first, and then usually if your sales hit a designated threshold, your book goes into print, whereas traditional publishing offers print deals right at the start. So far, romance has been the trend in digital-first, though more publishers are also looking for mysteries and thrillers. It’s also important to know that this format lets publishers take more chances on debut authors and can even be used to breathe life into an author’s backlist.

Also, I should note that I don’t only acquire projects intended for digital-first. I’m also very much looking to take on clients and pursue the traditional publishing route.

For a debut author, does publishing digital-first mean they may have a harder time getting future work published traditionally?

Not at all!

You mention on the Bent Agency’s blog wanting a contemporary romance with a touch of magical realism, like The Time Traveler’s Wife. What is it about Henry and Clare’s story that makes you want a query for a book like it in your inbox?

Oh, this is such a good story. I loved how Henry’s time-travelling was once something that added wonder & adventure to Clare’s life and then as their relationship matures, it eventually loses its magic for her and creates this distance in their relationship. I just really related to the evolution of their dynamic even though (unfortunately) I’ve never had any magical boyfriends.

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

What else would we find on an updated version of your manuscript wish list? Any specific plots or themes you’d like to see?

I’m really on the hunt for a suspenseful domestic thriller that both keeps me on the edge of my seat and picks apart a complicated and perhaps volatile marriage. Also, TBA has started posting monthly wish list blog posts so you can always tune into our blog to see our most up-to-date requests!

What’s a recent book that’s been published that you wish you could have represented? Why?

Hmm, well like everyone, I read and loved Girl on the Train. It was beautifully written and so very suspenseful.

What’s something personal about you writers might be surprised to hear?

That up until my junior year of college I had every intention of being an architect. But then I found out literary agents existed and I could read for a living and immediately changed course.

Will you be attending any writer’s conferences coming up where people can pitch you?

Yes! I will be at Washington Writers Conference: Books Alive! on April 25, 2015, then RWA National July 22-25, 2015, and the one and only Writer’s Digest Pitch Slam on August 1 [the conference itself is July 31 – Aug. 2].

What’s on your nightstand to read next?

The next few books I have in my queue are: M.O. Walsh’s My Sunshine Away, Katherine Heiny’s Single, Carefree, Mellow, and Heidi Pitlor’s The Daylight Marriage.

Finally, you and fellow Bent Agency agent Beth Phelan have been participating in an Ask Us Anything feature on your agency’s blog. What question (or two) seems most on the minds of today’s writers?

I think writers are always curious on agents’ takes on current trends—whether a particular genre is on the upswing and whether we think their genre is more or less viable in the current marketplace, which is totally expected and understandable!

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This interview conducted by Gail Werner, a freelance writer
and committee member of the Midwest Writers Workshop.
You can visit her website or follow her on Twitter.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Linda Camacho of Prospect Agency) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

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About Linda: Linda joined Prospect Agency in 2015 after nearly a decade in publishing. After graduating from Cornell University, Linda interned at Simon & Schuster and Writers House literary agency, and worked at Penguin before happily settling into children’s marketing at Random House. She has an MFA in creative writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Follow her on Twitter: @LindaRandom

(Everything you need to know about signing with a new/newer literary agent.)

Linda is seeking: In terms of submissions, Linda is pretty omnivorous. She enjoys a variety of categories and genres, ranging from clean and lighthearted to edgy and dark. She is currently seeking: Adult, middle grade, and young adult fiction across all genres (romance, horror, fantasy, realistic, light sci-fi, and graphic novels). Select literary fiction (preferably with commercial bent). Diversity of all types (ethnicity, disability, sexuality, etc.). Linda is NOT seeking: Early readers/chapter books, screenplays, poetry, and short stories. For more specific ideas of her taste, check out some of her Top Reads.

How to submit: Linda is currently accepting queries through Prospect Agency’s Submissions page. Please include three chapters and a brief synopsis. Do not query by email or letter mail and do not submit unsolicited manuscripts or inquire about the status of submissions via email.

(11 Frequently Asked Questions About Book Royalties, Advances and Money.)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Noah Ballard of Curtis Brown Ltd.) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

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About Noah: Noah Ballard is an agent at Curtis Brown, Ltd. He received his BA in English from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and began his career in publishing at Emma Sweeney Agency where he sold foreign rights for the agency in addition to building his own client list. He has appeared across the country at graduate programs and writing conferences speaking about query letters, building nonfiction platforms and submission etiquette. He lives in Brooklyn. Follow him on Twitter: @noahballard

(In the middle of querying? Here are some helpful tips.)

Noah is seeking: Noah specializes in literary debuts, upmarket thrillers and narrative nonfiction, and he is always on the look-out for honest and provocative new writers. Noah mainly represents books geared toward adults, but is open to YA and middle grade that breaks the mold. Check out what’s on his Manuscript Wish List.

How to submit: Noah is currently accepting e-mail queries only. Please send your query letter and contact information along with the first ten pages of your manuscript or proposal to nb@cbltd.com with the word “query” in the subject line. He reviews all queries sent to him within three to four weeks, but will respond only if interested.

(Which writers’ conference is the BEST to attend?)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Eve Porinchak of Jill Corcoran Literary) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

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About Eve: Eve Porinchak graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor’s degree in Psycho-Biology. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education from Colby-Sawyer College and attended medical school at the University of New England. Eve has always worked with children in some capacity. She has taught Pre-K through First Grade, with a specialty in reading, formerly worked as a state foster care case manager, currently teaches creative writing to incarcerated teens, and serves as an aid worker in Tijuana orphanages. An active member of SCBWI for 15 years, Eve interned at the Jill Corcoran Literary Agency where she was recently promoted to Junior Agent.

(Everything you need to know about signing with a new/newer literary agent.)

She is seeking: Eve has eclectic literary tastes and is open to everything from picture books to adult novels. Specifically looking for edgy, psychological thrillers, gang-lit, realistic contemporary. Some of Eve’s favorite books are: True Notebooks by Mark Salzman, Monster by Walter Dean Myers, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, You Shall Know Our Velocity by Dave Eggers, The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson, This Is For The Mara Salvatrucha, Inside The MS-13 by Samuel Logan.

Eve is not a fan of high fantasy; however, she loves the Hunger Games and Science Fiction. Also a huge fan of true crime, and loved NPR’s SERIAL. If your story reads like a Tuesday night episode of “Dateline,” send Eve your pages!

How to submit: Please send a query letter with a synopsis and the first ten pages of your work (or entire picture book manuscript) to eve [at] jillcorcoranliteraryagency.com. Please include your submission text within your e-mail. Attachments will not be opened.

(11 literary agents share what NOT to write in your query letter.)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Amanda Rutter of Red Sofa Literary) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

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About Amanda: Amanda is a literary agent at Red Sofa Literary. She is a book reviewer, and produces work for her own blog, Floor to Ceiling Books, but can also be found reviewing for Tor.com, Hub Magazine, Vector and Fantasy Literature. Before becoming an agent, Amanda was an editor with Angry Robot, helping to sign books and authors for the Strange Chemistry imprint. In her free time, she is a yarn fiend, knitting and crocheting a storm. Find her on Twitter at @ALRutter.

(How many agents should you contact at one time?)

She is seeking: adult fantasy and science fiction, as well as young adult fantasy and contemporary.

How to submit: E-query Amanda [at] redsofaliterary.com, featuring the novel pitch, the genre, whether it is adult or YA, and the word count. Send only the query to start. No attachments. Responds within 1 month.

(How much should an outside edit cost writers?)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Jennifer Johnson-Blalock of Liza Dawson Associates) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

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About Jennifer: Jennifer Johnson-Blalock joined Liza Dawson Associates as an associate agent in 2015, having previously interned at LDA in 2013 before working as an agent’s assistant at Trident Media Group. Jennifer graduated with honors from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in English and earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Before interning at LDA, she practiced entertainment law and taught high school English and debate. When she’s not reading, Jennifer enjoys film, food, and travel. Follow Jennifer on Twitter @JJohnsonBlalock.

She is seeking: Jennifer is focusing on nonfiction. She is looking for seasoned writers with strong platforms and is excited by narrative nonfiction and memoirs that use a unique story to explore a larger issue. Particular areas of interest include current events, social sciences, women’s issues, law, business, history, the arts and pop culture, lifestyle, sports, and food, including cookbooks and health/wellness. She is actively seeking a political book on the liberal/progressive end of the spectrum, and she loves books that explain why we act the way we do and/or how we can live life better.

(If you’re writing non-fiction, know what an agent wants to see in your proposal.)

In fiction, Jennifer is interested in thrillers, especially ones that are psychological or have a literary bent, and she is also looking for smart upmarket women’s fiction and contemporary YA with a unique voice.

How to submit: E-mail queryjennifer [at] lizadawsonassociates.com. Please send just a query letter (no supporting materials) in the body of the e-mail.

(How to pitch a self-published book to an agent.)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Saba Sulaiman of Talcott Notch Literary ) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

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About Saba: Born to Pakistani expatriates in Sri Lanka, Saba double-majored in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies at Wellesley and studied modern Persian Literature at the University of Chicago, where she got involved with editing the department’s academic journal. “And it finally hit me—working closely with writers to hone their craft; seeing a piece of writing from its inception through to its eventual publication; and advocating for what I believed was stellar prose worthy of recognition—this was my calling. So I interned at various newspaper and magazine publications, worked as an editorial intern at Sourcebooks, and then wound up at Talcott Notch, where I’m excited to begin my career as a literary agent. When I’m not reading, you’ll probably find me learning another foreign language, playing Scrabble, watching a Bollywood movie, or singing in the bathroom (the acoustics, am I right?).” Find her on Twitter: @agentsaba.

(Wait a moment before you send out that query. Look over submission dos and don’ts.)

She is seeking: In adult fiction, she seeks upmarket literary and commercial fiction, romance (all subgenres except paranormal), character-driven psychological thrillers, cozy mysteries, and memoir. In young adult, she seeks all subgenres except paranormal, fantasy, and sci-fi. She’s particularly interested in contemporary realistic stories, fast-paced mysteries, or lush historicals. She also seeks middle grade fiction. In nonfiction, she accepts humor books.

Does not want: picture books, cookbooks, self-help books, diet books, military themes or travel writing.

(Literary agents examine and define complicated book genres & definitions.)

How to submit: Send a query to ssulaiman@talcottnotch.net and paste the first ten pages of your manuscript in the body of your e-mail. “If it’s been longer than 8 weeks, feel free to follow up with me.” For more detailed and up-to-date instructions on how to query me, visit sabasulaiman.com

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Jennifer Chen Tran, who formerly ran her own agency called Penumbra Literary LLC, just became part of Fuse Literary. With that in mind, please get to know a little more about Jennifer and see if she’s a good fit for your query. (Find her on Twitter.)

Jennifer obtained her Juris Doctor from Northeastern School of Law in Boston, MA, and a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from Washington University in St. Louis, with a minor in Legal Studies. Originally a visual arts major turned English major, Jennifer appreciates creativity in all its incarnations. She was also Managing Editor of Student Life, Washington University’s Independent Student Paper and studied comparative literature with Emma Kafalenos while she was an undergraduate.

How did you become an agent?

I have a legal background and graduated from law school in 2008. It was an interesting time to enter the legal market and I tried to become a government attorney. Although there weren’t positions available to me, I always had an interest in publishing and was an English Major in college. I was able to secure a one-year fellowship with The New Press where I learned the ins-and-outs of publishing contracts, permissions etc. From there, I interned at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth literary agency and learned more about the role of a literary agent. I opened my own literary agency, Penumbra Literary in mid-2012 and haven’t looked back. As an entrepreneurial person, I wanted to start my own company and also leaned on a few more seasoned agents for advice. Now I’ve made the transition to Fuse Literary and couldn’t be happier.

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Tell us about something you’ve sold that was released recently.

I was very excited to sell Broken Homes and Gardens by Rebecca Kelley last year. It was just released by Blank Slate Press in late April of this year. The book is a fresh take on relationships and love. We’re calling it When Harry Met Sally for the millennial generation. It is set in Portland, Oregon, which is also the home of the author, and charts the course of the friendship and romantic ups-and-downs between Joanna and Malcolm, both twenty-somethings trying to navigate where friendship mixes with love and lust. The book has generated some buzz and I’m working with a film agent to sell dramatic rights. I’m very excited about it and hope you put it on your summer reading list!

You just made a move to Fuse Literary. Tell us about the move.

For some time now I’ve been wanting to join another literary agency to better take advantage of opportunities available to my authors, such as subsidiary rights and dramatic rights. As much as I consider myself a hard-working and pro-active agent, I realized that working with a team would truly benefit my clients. I had my eye on Fuse Literary and was impressed by their hybrid, smart outlook on publishing in today’s landscape. When another agent at Fuse stepped down from her agenting role, I reached out to Laurie and Gordon. Things happened rather quickly behind the scenes and we just officially announced my move on Monday, May 27th. The timing was perfect both professionally and personally and I am so happy to find a new home at Fuse.

(What should you do after rejection?)

Help writers understand what kind of fiction and nonfiction projects you take queries for. Any you open to subs right now?

I’m open to submissions right now, so please feel free to query me at queryjennifer [at] fuseliterary.com For both fiction and nonfiction, I request a query letter. For fiction, please send the first 20 pages copied and pasted into the body of the e-mail. I’m looking to acquire literary fiction, commercial fiction, women’s fiction, upmarket fiction, contemporary romance, mature Young Adult, New Adult, suspense/ thriller and select graphic novels (adult, YA or MG). As a second-generation Taiwanese-American, I am particularly interested in voices from underrepresented and marginalized communities, strong and conflicted female characters, war and post-war fiction, and writers who are adept at creating a developed sense of place. I also admire writers who have an ear for dialogue and who are not afraid to take emotional risks.

For nonfiction please copy and paste the sales proposal into the body of the e-mail. In non-fiction, I’m looking to acquire memoir (but you must have a sizable platform), narrative non-fiction in the areas of adventure, biography, business, current affairs, medical, history, how-to, pop-culture, psychology, social entrepreneurism, social justice, travel, and lifestyle books (home, design, fashion, food). I believe in creating books that will have a positive impact on the world, and that inform and entertain.

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

In the Fall, I’ll be at the Seventh Annual San Francisco Writing for Change Conference on September 12, 2015 and Tahoe WordWave a Festival of Story on October 9 through 11, 2015. You can keep up to date on any future events that I’ll be attending on the Fuse Literary website under the tab “Conferences” or visit my individual agent website at http://agentjen.co and click under “Events.”

(Which writers’ conference is the BEST to attend?)

Any final pieces of advice for writers seeking an agent?

Make sure your query letter sings, is in the proper format (i.e. don’t send me a query letter in iambic pentameter, please), and explains how you would position and market the book. Typos matter in terms of making an initial impression, so make sure you proofread. Also, don’t query an agent in areas that he or she doesn’t represent. That will get you an automatic pass. On the more encouraging end, don’t give up and always continue to work on improving your craft. Having a social media presence is almost always a must, so make sure I can find good things about you on the internet, whether that be essays you may have published or even your witty Twitter account. Remember that this is a business, like anything else, professionalism, courtesy, and respect will serve you well.

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Moe Ferrara of BookEnds, LLC) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

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About Moe: Becoming a literary agent was fitting for the girl who, as a small child, begged her dad to buy her a book simply because “it has a hard cover.” Growing up, she had a hard time finding YA books outside of Christopher Pike and R. L. Stine, and instead tackled Tom Clancy or her mom’s romance novels. Though her career path zigzagged a bit—she attended college as a music major, earned a JD from Pace Law School, then worked various jobs throughout the publishing industry—Moe was thrilled to join the BookEnds team as a literary agent and the foreign rights manager. Find her on Twitter at @inthesestones.

(16 things to do prior to sending your work out to agents & editors.)

She is seeking: Moe is interested in science fiction and fantasy for all age groups (no picture books). She loves a bit (or a lot!) of romance in her fiction, so the right contemporary or historical romance will spark her interest. She’s LGBTQ friendly, so send her that male/male erotic romance in your back pocket! At this time she’s not looking for nonfiction, women’s fiction, or cozy mysteries.

How to contact: E-query MFsubmissions [at] bookends-inc.com

(What to write in the BIO section of your queries.)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Eric Smith of P.S. Literary) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

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About Eric: Eric Smith is an associate literary agent at P.S. Literary, with a love for young adult books, sci-fi, fantasy, and literary fiction. He began his publishing career at Quirk Books in Philadelphia, working social media and marketing on numerous books he absolutely adored. Eric completed his BA in English at Kean University, and his MA in English at Arcadia University.
A frequent blogger, his ramblings about books appear on BookRiot, The Huffington Post, Barnes & Noble’s Teen Reads blog, Paste Magazine’s Books section, and more. A published author with Quirk Books and Bloomsbury, he seeks to give his authors the same amount of love his writing has received. Follow him on Twitter: @ericsmithrocks

(Adapt your book into a movie script — here’s how.)

Eric is seeking: Eric is eagerly acquiring fiction and nonfiction projects. He’s actively seeking out new, diverse voices in Young Adult (particularly sci-fi and fantasy), New Adult, and Literary and Commercial Fiction (again, loves sci-fi and fantasy, but also thrillers and mysteries). In terms of nonfiction, he’s interested in Cookbooks, Pop Culture, Humor, essay collections, and blog to book ideas. You can view his detailed manuscript wish list at http://ericsmithrocks.com/mswl/

How to submit: Eric is currently accepting queries through PS Literary’s Submissions page. Limit your submission to a query letter and do not send attachments (use text within the body of your e-mail). All queries to him should be directed to query[at]psliterary.com

(Query letter FAQs answered.)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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This is an interview with Greg Aunapu of the Salkind Literary Agency (part of Studio B). Before he became an agent, he was a freelance journalist for TIME magazine and many other major publications. He is the writer/co-author of three non-fiction book and once ran a successful book-editing service that allowed him to help a number of writers become published authors.

He is looking for general fiction but primarily non-fiction of a wide range (finance and business, biography, history, memoir, true crime, adventure, current affairs, technology, pop culture, self-help, science, travel, relationships and parenting)

(How do you use online social-media websites to sell books and many money?)

greg-aunapu

How and why did you become an agent?

I used to edit manuscripts for friends and colleagues, often helping them find literary agents, and always keeping up on the business of publishing. So, putting those elements together seemed like a natural evolution for me.

What’s something you’ve sold that comes out now/soon that you’re excited about?

A Life of Lies and Spies by Alan B. Trabue. The book reads like a real-life John Le Carré story or like “Lie to Me” meets “Homeland.” Not only is Alan a natural storyteller, with a raconteur’s keen eye for offbeat humor, he shares some amazing insight into the human character. I think the book will do well, and also has garnered strong Hollywood interest.

Besides “good writing and voice,” what are you looking for right now and not getting? What do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?

For both fiction and non-fiction: riveting subject matter, written with authority. By that, I mean that the author is able to communicate an intimate knowledge of the topic and takes command from the first sentence. I want to feel like I’ve parachuted into their world and their world-view from the first paragraph and can’t help but continue reading.

You have such a strong background in journalism. Is that why you’re more partial to fielding non-fiction inquiries in your inbox?

I like both, but do mostly non-fiction because it’s less subjective, with a more obvious target audience, so editors are more apt to make quick decisions. Also, a non-fiction writer can put together a strong proposal in a few weeks. If it doesn’t sell, they can move on to the next project. It hasn’t taken years out of their lives.

What is a non-fiction book—maybe one in your specialty areas of true crime, adventure, and pop culture—that you recently read, loved, and wished you could have represented?

That list would be long! Devil in the White City (both crime and history!) by Erik Larson; anything by Tony Horwitz; and The Unconquered, about a search for uncontacted Amazon tribes by Scott Wallace. I also love forgotten history (think Freakonomics and Guns, Germs and Steel).

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

What do you see people doing wrong with non-fiction proposals that reach you? How could writers improve on them since they play an integral role in catching the attention of publishers?

The major problem is a lack of platform, writing about a subject for which the prospective author does not seem to be an ideal choice.

A strong platform means you have probably appeared in the media, been interviewed in magazines and newspapers, have published widely, and are an expert in the area about which you are writing. If what you are saying is relevant enough to the public debate, you will grow a following. But just having a bunch of Facebook friends and Twitter followers does not qualify as a platform.

(The One Big Reason Some Blogs Succeed, While Others Crash and Burn.)

What is something personal about you writers would be surprised to hear?

I want every query to be brilliant and get no joy from telling people that I have to pass. Also, a “pass” should not be taken as a “rejection.”

You’re a published author yourself, but now what’s the best part about being an agent?

I get a thrill out of every sale, big or small. I know I have made a positive change in the author’s life, and hopefully for a bunch of readers who will love the book or find it useful.

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

I receive a lot of material, so haven’t found it necessary to get out to conferences. Also, I am fast with email, very friendly and approachable, and try to offer advice as often as possible, even if it’s only a sentence or two. So, you don’t need to physically meet me or pay for a conference to get the best from me. (That might change after this interview, so give me time!)

Best piece of advice we haven’t talked about yet?

It seems so basic, but I think most authors should read two short works: The Elements of Style by Strunk and White and Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynn Truss. I will look over some obvious typos, but queries and submissions should be edited and in the ballpark of grammatically correct before you hit the “Send” button.

Also, don’t fall in love with your prose. Faulkner said the hardest part of writing was killing his little darlings and Mark Twain wrote, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” Both things take discipline and care.

And finally, manuscripts should be the right length for their genres. So you shouldn’t be sending out 50k word international thrillers or 200k-word hard-boiled detective novels (I see this every day!). Chuck has a great post on this issue.

I (Chuck) Will Instruct At These Great Writing Events Soon:

June 25-28, 2015: Jackson Hole Writers Conference (Jackson Hole, WY)
July 31- Aug. 2, 2015: Writer’s Digest Conference (New York, NY)
Sept. 12, 2015: Michigan Writing Workshop (Detroit, MI)
Oct 9: San Diego Writers’ Conference (San Diego, CA)
Oct 10: The Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
Oct. 17, 2015: Books by the Banks Book Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
Oct. 24, 2015: Indiana Writers’ Conference (Indianapolis, IN)
Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

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Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Danielle Burby of HSG Agency) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

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About Danielle: Danielle started at HSG (Hannigan Salky Getzler) in 2013 and now serves as a junior agent and the agency’s foreign rights manager. She is actively building her client list. Danielle graduated from Hamilton College with honors and a double major in Creative Writing and Women’s Studies. Before finding her home at HSG, she interned at Writers House, Clarion Books, Faye Bender Literary Agency, Dunow Carlson and Lerner, John Wiley and Sons, and SquareOne Publishers (along with stints as a waitress and a farmers’ market vendor). Danielle was involved in way too many singing groups in college and is always up for karaoke. She also enjoys both tea and coffee, managing to defy the naysayers who claim they’re an either-or thing. She is, however, distinctly a chocolate person. You can follow her on twitter at @danielleburby.

(Literary agents explain and define different book genres.)

She is seeking: young adult, mystery, women’s fiction, and an occasional fantasy.

She gravitates toward stories with a strong voice and particularly enjoys complex female characters, narratives that explore social issues, and coming-of-age stories. Genres that appeal to her include contemporary YA, medieval fantasy, historical fiction, cozy mysteries, and upmarket women’s fiction. She finds it hard to resist gorgeous writing and is a sucker for romantic plotlines that are an element of the narrative, but don’t dominate it.

How to submit: Email a query letter and the first five pages of your manuscript to dburby [at] hsgagency.com. No attachments.

(Literary agents share helpful advice for new writers.)

———-

Check Out These Upcoming Writers Conferences:

June 25-28, 2015: Jackson Hole Writers Conference (Jackson Hole, WY)
July 31- Aug. 2, 2015: Writer’s Digest Conference (New York, NY)
Sept. 12, 2015: Michigan Writing Workshop (Detroit, MI)
Oct 9: San Diego Writers’ Conference (San Diego, CA)
Oct 10: The Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
Oct. 17, 2015: Books by the Banks Book Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
Oct. 24, 2015: Indiana Writers’ Conference (Indianapolis, IN)
Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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The post New Literary Agent Alert: Danielle Burby of HSG Agency appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Mallory C. Brown of TriadaUS) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

mallory-brown-literary-agent

About Mallory: Literary agent Mallory C. Brown is with TriadaUS. Some of Mallory’s favorite books at the moment are: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Gone Girl, Outlander, and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

(Everything you need to know about signing with a new/newer literary agent.)

She is seeking: young adult, new adult, women’s fiction, and nonfiction. She is especially drawn to pieces with strong character-driven plots and witty humor. She loves contemporary fiction, low fantasy, and romance. Mallory also appreciates a well-placed comma and hopes you do, too.

How to submit: E-query mallory [at] triadaus.com. When querying, please include the first ten ms pages in the body of the e-mail after your query.

(Writing nonfiction? Hear submission advice from literary agents.)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Check out these upcoming writers’ conferences:

June 25-28, 2015: Jackson Hole Writers Conference (Jackson Hole, WY)
July 31- Aug. 2, 2015: Writer’s Digest Conference (New York, NY)
Sept. 12, 2015: Michigan Writing Workshop (Detroit, MI)
Oct 9, 2015: San Diego Writers’ Conference (San Diego, CA)
Oct 10, 2015: The Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
Oct. 17, 2015: Books by the Banks Book Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
Oct. 24, 2015: Indiana Writers’ Conference (Indianapolis, IN)
Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

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Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

The post New Literary Agent Alert: Mallory C. Brown of TriadaUS appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Amanda O’Connor of Trident Media) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

Amanda-o-connor-literary-agent

About Amanda: Amanda O’Connor joined Trident Media Group from Penguin Random House where she worked as an editor. Previously, she had been a bookseller, ghostwriter, assistant, and volunteer, happily taking on many roles within the publishing industry. Her breadth of experience has proven invaluable to her work as an agent, supporting authors through every step from proposal to publication and beyond. She holds a B.F.A. Writing, Literature, & Publishing with a concentration in poetry from Emerson College. Visit her agent profile here: http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/agents/amanda-oconnor

(Book Payments and Royalties — Your Questions Answered.)

She is seeking: Amanda is continuously building her client list in general-interest and upmarket nonfiction, spirituality and wellness, and literary fiction. She looks for the “wisdom factor” across genres and disciplines, especially authors who have an expertise they are eager to share with the world. Her favored subjects include (but are not limited to) history, religion, popular science, sociology, culinary arts, and creativity. In spirituality, Amanda’s approach is truly ecumenical, seeking leaders of all faith communities from Catholic nuns to Sikh entrepreneurs, from practical self-help to inspirational memoir. Literary fiction is a pursuit of passion. She gravitates towards works that address timeless concerns of the soul through the lens of modern life. Above all else, Amanda loves a well-crafted sentence.

How to submit: Please submit through Trident’s online form here: http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/contact-us, directing its attention to Amanda O’Connor. Unsolicited queries should include a paragraph about yourself, a concise and thoughtful summary of the proposal, and your contact information. Please do not send a manuscript or proposal until you have been requested to do so.

(How can writers compose an exciting Chapter 1?)

Check Out These Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

June 25-28, 2015: Jackson Hole Writers Conference (Jackson Hole, WY)
July 31- Aug. 2, 2015: Writer’s Digest Conference (New York, NY)
Sept. 12, 2015: Michigan Writing Workshop (Detroit, MI)
Oct 9, 2015: San Diego Writers’ Conference (San Diego, CA)
Oct 10, 2015: The Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
Oct. 17, 2015: Books by the Banks Book Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
Oct. 24, 2015: Indiana Writers’ Conference (Indianapolis, IN)
Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

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The post New Literary Agent Alert: Amanda O’Connor of Trident Media appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Laura Mamelok of Susanna Lea Associates) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

laura-mamelok-literary-agent

About Laura: Laura Mamelok is a literary agent at Susanna Lea Associates, where she also sells foreign rights. SLA, which has offices in New York, London, and Paris, represents a range of fiction and nonfiction, both commercial and literary. Laura is French-American and has lived in both Paris and New York. She obtained her BA in comparative literature at Barnard College and her MA in comparative literature and film at Columbia University and the University of Paris 7. Prior to joining SLA in 2009, she worked as a literary scout for Maria B. Campbell Associates. She lives in Brooklyn.

(Writing a synopsis for your novel? Here are 5 tips.)

She is seeking: Laura is primarily interested in literary fiction, high-end commercial fiction, women’s fiction, literary crime/thrillers, and young adult fiction with crossover appeal. On the nonfiction side, she is looking for narrative nonfiction, current affairs/journalism, memoir, and humor. She’s drawn to international stories and settings, in both fiction and nonfiction. Above all, she is on the lookout for fresh voices, strong storytelling, and original ideas.

Submission guidelines: Queries by email only to lmamelok [at] susannalea.com. Please send a concise query letter, including email address, phone number, and any relevant information (previous publications, etc.), a brief synopsis, and the first three chapters and/or proposal. Please include the word “Query” in the subject of your email. She considers all queries received, but will respond only if interested.

(Before you send out your query, look over a submission checklist.)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

I (Chuck) Will Instruct At These Great Writing Events Soon:

June 25-28, 2015: Jackson Hole Writers Conference (Jackson Hole, WY)
July 31- Aug. 2, 2015: Writer’s Digest Conference (New York, NY)
Sept. 12, 2015: Michigan Writing Workshop (Detroit, MI)
Oct 9: San Diego Writers’ Conference (San Diego, CA)
Oct 10: The Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
Oct. 17, 2015: Books by the Banks Book Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
Oct. 24, 2015: Indiana Writers’ Conference (Indianapolis, IN)
Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

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Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

The post New Literary Agent Alert: Laura Mamelok of Susanna Lea Associates appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring DongWon Song of Howard Morhaim Literary) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

dongwon-song-literary-agent

About X: DongWon Song is a literary agent at Howard Morhaim Literary. He was formerly an editor at Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. There, he launched multiple New York Times bestselling series, including FEED by Mira Grant and LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S.A. Corey. He was the first hire at a publishing startup, Zola Books, and while there oversaw content and eventually became the head of product for the ecommerce and ebook apps. He is a graduate of Duke University with a BA in English and Economics.

He is seeking: science fiction and fantasy – especially epic fantasy or high fantasy for both adults and teens. He is also interested in nonfiction, especially food writing, science, and pop culture.

How to contact: E-query along with three sample chapters (for fiction) or full proposal (for nonfiction) to dongwon [at] morhaimliterary.com. Average response time is 6 to 8 weeks.

Check out these upcoming writers conferences:

June 25-28, 2015: Jackson Hole Writers Conference (Jackson Hole, WY)
July 31- Aug. 2, 2015: Writer’s Digest Conference (New York, NY)
Sept. 12, 2015: Michigan Writing Workshop (Detroit, MI)
Oct 9, 2015: San Diego Writers’ Conference (San Diego, CA)
Oct 10, 2015: The Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
Oct. 17, 2015: Books by the Banks Book Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
Oct. 24, 2015: Indiana Writers’ Conference (Indianapolis, IN)
Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

Screen Shot 2014-12-17 at 3.39.23 PM

The post New Literary Agent Alert: DongWon Song of Howard Morhaim Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

“How I Got My Agent” is a recurring feature on the Guide to Literary Agents Blog, with this installment featuring Sarah Elizabeth Schantz, author of FIG. These columns are great ways for you to learn how to find a literary agent. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings. If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we’ll talk specifics.

GIVEAWAY: Sarah is excited to give away a free copy of her novel to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (Please note that comments may take a little while to appear; this is normal).

Fig-book-cover Sara-elizabeth-schantz-author-writer

Column by Sarah Elizabeth Schantz, debut author of FIG
(April 2015, Margaret K. McElderry Books). FIG was praised
as “achingly gorgeous” by Kirkus Reviews. Schantz grew up in
a bookstore named The Rue Morgue—one of the first mystery
bookstores in the U.S. She is an accomplished short-storyist,
with many awards under her belt. She holds an MFA in Writing
& Poetics from Naropa University. Connect with her on Twitter.

A strong beginning

I started to submit my work to literary journals about ten years ago. In retrospect, I don’t think I understood why I was doing this other than I wanted to be published. As is the typical story of any novice sending her work out, I received a lot of rejections. Every time I received another standard rejection slip, I forced myself to accept it, and to then send the work back out again. Eventually, I started getting little hand-written notes on said rejection slips from editors encouraging me to send more work, and this was reassuring, and then I got my first acceptance letter. After I’d been published in a few different journals, I decided to shoot for the moon, and I started entering various different literary contests. I was surprised to find I had a lot more luck with this process.

One of the stories circulating the contest circuit was, “The Sound of Crying Sheep.” Told from the point of a view of a young woman, the narrator recollects her childhood, and what it was like to grow up with a schizophrenic mother. This story placed as a finalist for New Letters, but with my name at the very bottom of the list, I really didn’t think anything of it. Apparently, while I had scoured the guidelines to make sure I’d followed all the rules, I’d somehow missed the not-so-fine-print that said all finalists’ work would be sent to twelve different major literary agencies for consideration.

To be honest, I knew very little about agents—I definitely wasn’t seeking one; I didn’t even have a book. When the editor emailed to say he’d sent the story to the agents, he also warned that almost no one ever actually heard from one afterward, so when an agent did reach out to me the following week, I was shocked. She asked if the story was the basis of a book and I took my former writing teacher’s advice, and lied—I said, “Yes,” and then I wrote as fast as I could (the agent gave me six weeks “to get the book in shape”).

(Can you pitch a self-published book to an agency? Yes, and here’s how.)

Pushing through rejection

I truly shudder to think of the mess I sent to her, but it was the genesis for Fig, and I will be forever grateful for the motivation this allowed. In response to the mess I sent, the agent was nice and told me to keep working on the book—to send it to her again whenever it was really ready.

Meanwhile, “The Sound of Crying Sheep” had placed as a finalist several more times and won first place for an award hosted by Third Coast, who nominated it for the Pushcart Prize. By now, I understood what agents did, and why I wanted one, especially because I now almost had a book completed. I also knew how lucky I was not to have to go the query route as yet another agent had approached me, and I was convinced I’d end up signing with one of them once the book was done. I thought wrong: In the end, both agents passed on Fig, and it was devastating.

But I picked myself up and started the query process. I received some interest, but mostly just rejections, which was far more painful with a book than with a shorter piece as more of my soul was exposed, but I kept trying. I was still sending excerpts from the book that worked as stories to various contests, and in that arena, continuing to do well. I not only placed as a finalist several more times, but I won first place for three more awards.

(What are the BEST writers’ conferences to attend?)

Fairytale ending

When I placed as a double finalist for two contests hosted by Hunger Mountain, the editor Miciah Bay Gault, who’d been following the progress of Fig, wrote to say they were publishing the story online.

As someone who prefers to read in print, I was bummed, but then Miciah explained how she knew this agent—Heather Schroder, currently working for ICM—who only looked at the electronic version, swearing that said agent would be interested in my novel. I thought Miciah was sweet, but I was no longer as confident as I’d been once upon a time, and I didn’t expect anything to come from this—I certainly didn’t expect to hear from Heather Schroder’s assistant that week, or to have a phone date with Heather herself three days later, or to find myself signing the necessary papers to be represented by such an extraordinary agent—someone who not only sold my book to Simon & Schuster, but first made sure I’d made it the best book it could ever be. In the end, Miciah and Heather combined, are the two-headed fairy godmother of my particular fairytale, and I am forever humbled.

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This is a recurring column I’m calling “7 Things I’ve Learned So Far,” where writers (this installment written by Karim Dimechkie, author of LIFTED BY THE GREAT NOTHING) at any stage of their career can talk about writing advice and instruction as well as how they possibly got their book agent — by sharing seven things they’ve learned along their writing journey that they wish they knew at the beginning.

Karim-dimechkie-author-writer lifted-by-the-great-nothing-book-cover

Column by Karim Dimechkie, author of debut novel LIFTED BY THE GREAT NOTHING
(May 2015, Bloomsbury). His novel was called “quirky, funny, often poignant”
by oprah.com and included in the Best Books of Spring. The Paris Review
claimed “It’s sharp and frank—and, like any good family, it stays with you.”
Karim Dimechkie was a Michener Fellow. Before that he taught English in
Paris. He lives in New York City. Connect with him on Twitter.

1. I Need to Trust My Subconscious. It took me a while to understand that my subconscious mind is the creative foundation of a book, not my conscious mind. In other words, “trying” to build a novel from scratch is counterproductive.

Writing like the wind, letting my relatively doubt-free subconscious do the driving, has proven crucial to completing the first leg of the marathon: Draft 1. Only when that first draft is down, is it time for the conscious work–– the crafting, the cutting of the irrelevant, and the sweeping for gems my dream-mind has left for me, and that I couldn’t possibly have recognized as such until I saw the whole. If I hadn’t surrendered to that first stream of sloppy storytelling, I would still be working on my first book today. Concerning myself with pretty sentences or perfected concepts too early in the process is a guaranteed recipe for stagnation.

2. When I Think It’s Done, It’s Not. I honestly can’t count how many times I’ve thought my novel was complete, both while writing Lifted by the Great Nothing and the current book I’m working on. It only requires a short break to realize how far from done the book really is. My rule of thumb is to work everyday until I’m either wearied, scraping at the bottom of the barrel and in calamitous need of rest, or I’m under the impression that the whole thing is finished–– and then I put it away for a week. After that week, I’ll invariably see it’s not finished at all, and that it is still in need of substantial effort. Once I get exhausted or think it’s finished again, I put it away for another week. Next time, I put it away for two weeks. And the time after that, I put it away for three months. My promise to myself is to be four or five times as patient as is bearable, with the logic that I won’t ever regret taking the time necessary to make something great.

3. Be Careful with Feedback. Feedback is essential. But it took me a while to realize that I don’t want everyone and their father to read my drafts. It’s important to find readers who seem to really get my personality and what my book wants to be. I need to trust these readers in a very particular sense: Do we like similar books? Movies? Do I like the way they talk about art? Do our senses of humor agree with each other? Are they good at an element of writing and story that I’m not? Is our communication very clear and efficient? Are they unafraid to be totally honest, both in telling me what might hurt to hear and in what’s working well? Do they want it to be the best novel it can be?

4. Be Patient Finding an Agent. I had friends with agents, so it seemed obvious that I would get one of theirs. They would pass my manuscript on, and I’d have representation within the week. Well, it turned out getting an agent was the toughest part of the process for me. All of my friends’ agents rejected my manuscript, which was humiliating at first. Some of the agents said thanks but no thanks and others went into unnecessary detail to explain why my book didn’t move them in the least. I gave up for a while and revisited the novel. Ah yes, once again, it proved to not be quite finished after all.

A couple of months later, an agent who I’d never solicited contacted me out of the blue to tell me he loved my book. Apparently my girlfriend, to protect me from having to cope with further rejection, had forwarded it on to him in secret. Flattery and renewed confidence quickly trumped feeling deceived by my partner. This agent said all the right things about the novel, and I signed about a week later. The point is that it’s not because you have friends with agents or that your book is bubbling with potential genius that everyone will be clambering to represent you. Agents have to be extremely excited about your work to want to invest their time, energy, and reputation in it. Even if they recognize it’s a smart book, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re personally thrilled enough to take you on. And that’s okay. As readers, we know that most of what we read does not thrill us.

5. Keep Your Publisher Excited About You. Once I got a deal, I thought my work was done. Not so. I learned a little late that self-promotion, something that’s particularly painful for me, was one of the most important ways to stack the deck in your favor. The obvious reason is because the more people hear about you, the more they want to buy the book. The less obvious reason has to do with keeping a good in-house buzz at your own publisher’s. The time between selling the book to them and it being released into the light of day is at least a year for fiction. During that window it’s important to keep your publisher enthusiastic about you. It’s an incredibly fickle industry and a lot can happen in-house. Another book due out at the same time as yours can suddenly get an amazing pre-pub review or a blurb from a literary celebrity, inspiring the publisher to see it as the new winning horse that they should invest more of their marketing resources into rather than your book. So it’s important to remain likeable and to show them that you, too, can get attention, and that your novel is worth all of their best efforts.

6. Read Slowly in Public. When nervous, it’s common to do a fast reading of your book, usually with the good intention of not wasting your audience’s time. But the truth is, your audience would much rather a good reading than a speedy one. When you read fast, people zone out. Take your time, and let your audience hear the story you’ve worked so hard on.

7. Life Doesn’t Change All That Much. Aside from the existential void that I felt after finishing my novel, life wasn’t dramatically altered by its publication. My world today is comparable to what it was when I was doing my MFA, working on my manuscript. I maintain the same quality of life as I did as a grad student and I spend most of my time in my room writing, reading, or planning to write and read. I believe this is the case for many of us, and it’s vital to learn not to be disappointed and to return to what’s long proven to be nourishing for the soul: the work.

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