John Cusick, who formerly worked for Greenhouse Literary, just became part of Folio Literary Management/Folio Jr. With that in mind, please get to know a little more about John and see if he’s a good fit for your query. (Find him on Twitter.)

John M. Cusick is the author of GIRL PARTS and CHERRY MONEY BABY (2010 and 2013, Candlewick Press), as well as a regular speaker at writers conferences. His clients include New York Times bestselling author Tommy Wallach (WE ALL LOOKED UP, March 2015, Simon & Schuster), Courtney Alameda (SHUTTER, February 2015, Feiwel & Friends) and Hannah Moskowitz (A HISTORY OF GLITTER AND BLOOD, August 2015, Chronicle Books) You can find him online and on Twitter, @johnmcusick.

How did you become an agent?

Craigslist! I answered an ad for an agent’s assistant/dog walker and began my career at Scott Treimel NY. To begin with, I focused on selling foreign and sub-rights and negotiating contracts, and soon began representing my own clients. In 2013, I had a small stable of excellent writers, including Ryan Gebhart (THERE WILL BE BEARS, Candlewick Press), Sharon Biggs Waller (A MAD, WICKED FOLLY, Viking) and Hannah Moskowitz (NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, Simon Pulse). I moved over to Greenhouse Literary, where I became a full-time agent, focusing on middle-grade and young adult with a  few picture books thrown in. This July, I started at Folio Jr. with the same focus, and am eagerly looking forward to bringing on new talent as I continue to work with my phenomenal crew of authors and illustrators.

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

This spring, Tommy Wallach’s gorgeous debut WE ALL LOOKED UP was published by Simon & Schuster, and since its release, it’s become a New York Times bestseller, sold in thirteen countries, and been optioned for film by Paramount Pictures. Tommy’s follow-up, THANKS FOR THE TROUBLE, is coming out next year and I cannot wait. I’m also excited for Hannah Moskowitz’s new book, A HISTORY OF GLITTER AND BLOOD, which is coming from Chronicle Books in August. It’s a gritty fantasy that follows a group of fairies in a war-torn city, and is truly unlike anything I’ve ever read. Chronicle’s done a beautiful job with the cover and internal artwork; I can’t wait to hear what readers think.

You just made above to Folio Literary Management/Folio Jr.. Tell us about the move. 

I’m delighted to be working alongside Folio’s team of top-tier agents. This is my first time working at a larger agency, and the energy in the office is infectious. It’s also great to bounce ideas around with my fellow-agents, all of whom have such excellent taste and insight. Above my desk are shelves upon shelves of books by Folio clients, so many bestsellers and award winners; just seeing them all up there gives me a little thrill.

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

I am currently open to subs. I’m particularly focused on finding great fiction for middle-grade and teen audiences. I love contemporary realism, fantasy, realistic stories with a fantastical twist, and really anything with imagination and heart. I work with first-time authors as well as veteran writers, and am always on the prowl for fresh voices. I’m seeking for author/illustrators and artists as well.

My full submission guidelines can be found at http://www.foliojr.com/john-cusick/

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

I’ll be at the SCBWI Inland Northwest conference in Spokane on September 18^th, the SCBWI Central-Coastal California conference on October 17^th, and with SCBWI Kansas City on November 6^th. I also post my conference schedule on a Where to Find Me page on my blog.

Any final pieces of advice for writers seeking an agent?

Finding an agent is a bit like dating—it’s all about the right match. Find the agents who represent the books you love (the author’s Acknowledgements section is a good place to start), and find out whether that agent is accepting queries, and what his or her submission guidelines are. It’s a very competitive market, but targeting agents who represent your brand of writing, and following their query directions, will help separate you from the pack.

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:

• How a Critique and Accountability Partner Can Help Your Writing Career.
• Agent Spotlight: Rachael Dillon Fried/Greenburger Associates.
• Writing Across Gender: How I Learned to Write From a Female POV.
• Character Development: Finding a Friend for Life. 
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.

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.

The post Get to Know Literary Agent John Cusick, Who Just Moved to Folio Literary Management appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

 
About Sue: Sue Miller is an Associate Agent at Donaghy Literary Group, with a special love for young adult books, fantasy and literary fiction. Her publishing career began in Toronto working with Fidalgo Books in PR and in sales at Scholastic Canada. This quickly progressed into literary consultations with published and unpublished authors who sought her penchant for preparing a body of work to be submission and publication ready. She has also prepared numerous social media marketing strategies centered on specific author branding. She holds a BA in English from York University along with a Publishing Certificate from Ryerson University. She is delighted to be a part of the Donaghy Literary Group, which mirrors her belief in the importance of results driven, quality and sincere author representation.

(Just starting out as a writer? See a collection of great writing advice for beginners.)

She is seeking: Young Adult (all genres), Literary, Upmarket and Commercial Fiction, character-driven Romance (all subgenres).

How to submit: Sue is currently accepting queries through the Donaghy Literary Group submissions page. Please follow the submission guidelines on the DLG website.

(Tips on how to find more agents who seek your genre/category.)

———

Check Out These Great 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. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
• Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
• March 5, 2016: Toronto’s “How to Get Published” Conference (Toronto, CA)
• March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
• March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)

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:

• 10 Keys to Becoming a Successful Writer: An Agent Spills Secrets.
• Agent Spotlight: Clelia Gore (Martin Literary Management) seeks Young Adult and Middle Grade.
• How I Found My Literary Agent: Sara Polsky (young adult fiction).
• Polish Your Work Before Submitting: 6 Revision Tips.
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.

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.

The post New Literary Agent Alert: Sue Miller of Donaghy Literary Group appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

This is an interview with Alec Shane of Writers House. Before he became an agent, he was a professional stunt man in Los Angeles who earned a degree in English from Brown University. Realizing he preferred books to breakaway glass, he moved to New York City in 2008 to pursue a career in publishing and quickly found a home at Writers House Literary Agency.

He is looking for nonfiction reads in humor, biography, history (particularly military history), true crime, “guy” reads, and all things sports. And in fiction: mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, historical fiction, literary fiction, and books geared toward young male readers (both YA and MG).

How and why did you become an agent?

I wish I had better advice for people looking to get into publishing. I basically cold called a bunch of publishing houses and agencies based on a Google search of “book jobs.” The only place that didn’t hang up on me after laughing when I asked if they were hiring was Writers House; I was invited to interview for an internship here, and I ended up getting it. Jodi Reamer happened to be looking for a new assistant as I was finishing up my internship, and the rest is history.

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

I recently sold the SEAL memoir of a good friend of mine from high school turned badass turned actor. He was featured in the American Sniper movie and will be recounting his experience during his 2006 deployment in Ramadi. It’s a pretty cool story, and it comes out in 2016. I also have a sports book about the New England Patriots I just sold that I’m also looking forward to getting out there.

(Hate writing synopses? Here are nuts & bolts pointers for you.)

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

I’m seeing a lot of everything right now, which is nice…but as for what I’m not getting: a) thrillers that don’t feature CIA/FBI/Special Forces/police/PI/some kind of agent trying to track down some kind of terrorist and b) horror that doesn’t feature zombies/vampires/demons/werepeople. So while I love both genres, I haven’t seen anything that’s stood out to me for quite a while. I’m hoping that changes extremely soon. On the nonfiction side, I’m really hoping somebody sends me the definitive book on what went down in that New York jailbreak that just ended. I’m infatuated with that entire story.

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.

You have said you enjoy “bad-ass protagonists with a chip on their shoulders.” Who are your favorite protagonists?

I’ll always love Jack Reacher—he’s kind of the original badass. The problem is now everyone is trying to emulate Jack Reacher in their thrillers, and I want to scream “Jack Reacher already exists! We already have that guy!” I also love [Michael Connelly’s] Harry Bosch—kind of gruff, unapologetic, and gets the job done. If have my way and the submissions process plays out the way I’m hoping, people will hear the name Duck Darley very soon. He’s the protagonist in a new crime novel I’m out with right now.

You’re an agent who offers writers advice on Twitter. Can you tell us about your inspiration for your #TenQueries posts?

I completely ripped that off from another agent. I’d love to give him/her credit for it, but I don’t remember who it is. But doing stuff like that is helpful for me as well, as authors learn how to do it right and not waste anybody’s time.

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

I’ll be at the Unicorn Writers Conference on August 15, 2015, and then at the Slice Magazine Conference on September 12, 2015. I’m doing the Rutgers One-on-One Conference on October 17, 2015, and then Killer Nashville the last weekend in October. There might be another one or two in there, I can’t remember. I really need to keep better track of these things.

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

Any suggestions for writers at conferences when it comes to interacting with agents?

First and foremost, remember agents WANT to be there and they WANT to hear about your book; it’s the entire reason we go to these things! So as long as you follow the proper etiquette (ie not sliding manuscripts under the bathroom stall or dressing up as housekeeping and sneaking into our room), we’ll always be willing to take your pitch. At the same time, it’s important to do your research, know what each agent is/isn’t looking for, and plan your time accordingly. Going up to your pitch session and saying “I have a YA, a thriller, and a nonfiction proposal—which one do you want to hear about?” isn’t doing your job as a writer; your main goal at a pitch session/agent interaction is to get that agent as excited about your work as you are. If you walk away from me and I’m thinking, “Can’t wait to see that!,” then you win. Let your enthusiasm shine through.

What’s something about you that writers would be surprised to hear?

Ummm… I have never taken a selfie, nor have I ever taken a picture of my food. I’m not sure if that comes as a surprise in this day and age or not. But in case it doesn’t, I have also never seen any of the Star Wars movies and thought “Breaking Bad” was just OK. (I’m almost scared to admit that last one, because people have gotten legitimately angry with me and completely discredited every opinion I have ever had after hearing it.)

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

I really wish there was some kind of magic formula or great untold secret I could share with writers looking to get published—but there isn’t. You just need to write a great book. Every rule, every do and don’t, every cliché, every everything—all of that goes away in the face of a great book. At the end of the day, nobody has any clue what’s going to hit and what isn’t, so find a story that you’re completely in love with and work your ass off to share it with the world in the best way possible. If you do that, everything else will fall into place. Trust me.

——-

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• How a Critique and Accountability Partner Can Help Your Writing Career.
• Agent Spotlight: Rachael Dillon Fried/Greenburger Associates.
• Writing Across Gender: How I Learned to Write From a Female POV.
• Character Development: Finding a Friend for Life.
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.

Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social
media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.

The post Literary Agent Interview: Alec Shane of Writers House appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

This is a recurring column I’m calling “7 Things I’ve Learned So Far,” where writers (this installment written by John A. Connell, author of RUINS OF WAR) 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.

GIVEAWAY: John is excited to give away a free, signed copy of his 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).

Column by John A. Connell, author of debut novel RUINS OF WAR 
(May 2015, Berkley/Penguin). Connell has worked as a cameraman
on films such as Jurassic Park and Thelma & Louise and on TV shows
including The Practice and NYPD Blue. The second book in the Mason
Collins series, SPOILS OF WAR, will be released in February 2015. He
now lives with his wife in Paris, France, where he is at work on his third
Mason Collins novel. Visit him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. 

1. To forgive myself. Bet you didn’t see that coming … It took me a while to embrace this: Forgive yourself for a day of bad writing. If you don’t, it could stifle your creativity. Some days you’ll shine, but more often than not, what ends up in the page is far from what you imagined in your head.

Hemingway said (I’m paraphrasing here for delicate ears), “The first draft of anything is crap.” Turn off that inner-critic and keep writing, and remember that most every bestselling author will gladly warn you: Your writing, your manuscript will only shine after ruthless edits and countless rewrites. So don’t fret the first words that spill out onto the page. There are golden nuggets in there; you just have to mine for them.

2. Connections are important. I had the false precept that I couldn’t call myself a writer until I was published, that I would make connections and go to book festivals once that was accomplished. Don’t do this. Go to book festivals and author events. Meet other writers. Introduce yourself to booksellers, reviewers, bloggers, and librarians. These connections can be invaluable to you and your career. And what better way to reinforce your dreams than to meet others who share your passion!

3. The importance of speaking well in public. Nothing created more gut-wrenching tension for me than speaking in public. Whether it’s speaking at your first book launch party, a book signing event, or a live radio interview, it’s about making a good presentation for you and your book. After some fumbling the first few times out there, I took a crash course in public speaking, especially for live radio interviews, and it helped me immensely. Get some public speaking advice or take a class, and practice your presentations, before your book comes out.

4. The number one strategy for promotion. Keep writing good books. You might be surprised at how many bestselling authors published five, six, or more books before their career took off. This is not meant to discourage, but to encourage you. Each successive book creates more momentum, gains more fans, and the word of mouth spreads exponentially. Yes, promote the heck out of your current book, but don’t spend all your time and energy on promoting. Write an even better book than the last one.

5. Authors help other authors. This one surprised and delighted me. Established authors will almost always offer a helping hand to new and aspiring authors, despite the brutal competition. I come from the film business, where some would help, but just as many (or more) hoped you would fail. But in the book world, I’ve received some incredible support from new writers and bestsellers. Plus, there are a number of organizations and societies that offer support for new and aspiring writers.

Then return the favor. Cheer other authors on. Join, volunteer, contribute to those organization. Tweet or post or blog about other authors. Not only does this create good karma, the mutual promotion reaches far more readers. And you just might forge some deep and long-lasting friendships.

6. The book business is truly subjective. You hear that from agents when considering your manuscript. Well, once you have an agent, the same goes for your agent querying acquiring editors. An acquiring editor has to not only think you’re a talented writer and have a good, marketable story, they have to personally love it. Love it enough to expend all the energy it takes to woo the executives, the marketing and sales teams, and see your book has every chance of a successful launch. And the subjectivity doesn’t stop there: reviewers and readers have their turn, and there will be those who love it, and those who don’t. Take a deep breath when a rejection or a bad review comes your way, and recite the mantra, “it’s all subjective.”

7. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. There’s a phrase in traditional publishing houses:“One month and done,” meaning that you have about one month for your debut before your publicist, booksellers, and readers turn their attention to the next tsunami of books coming out.

That isn’t as true anymore. Print books can live for a long time on virtual shelves, and e-books last forever. But it’s up to you, dear writer, to maintain that book’s life. Promote and market. Do giveaways. Contribute to blogs and write articles. Enter your book for awards. If you want to build a writing career, think of it as a marathon, not a sprint. The first month or two after launch is only the beginning.

GIVEAWAY: John is excited to give away a free, signed copy of his 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).

Hook agents, editors and readers immediately.
Check out Les Edgerton’s guide, HOOKED, to
learn about how your fiction can pull readers in.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• Stretching The Facts In Historical Fiction.
• How To Write A Fast-Draft Novel.
• Published Authors Are Unpublished Authors Who Never Gave Up.
• Agent Spotlight: Allison Devereux (Wolf Literary Services) seeks Nonfiction, Literary and Upmarket Commercial Fiction.
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.

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.

The post 7 Things I’ve Learned So Far, by John A. Connell appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Matthew: Matthew is the newest member of the Bresnick Weil Literary Agency. He is one of only a handful of literary agents in Boston. With ten-plus years of publishing experience under his belt, he’s edited, anthologized, and published many books across many platforms. Matt has a BFA in English & Textual Studies from Syracuse University and an MA in Publishing & Writing from Emerson College. Find him on Goodreads for a sense of his taste in books, or Twitter for a taste of his sense of humor.

Matthew is seeking: Matt is looking for ace-level literature that dots a Venn diagram in the shade between unforgettable character, unpredictable plot, and prose that really hums. For nonfiction, he is a sucker for original research and journalistic instinct. Subjects include but are not limited to music, American history, sports, politics, weird science, food, pop/alternative culture, and video games. Matt does not represent YA, middle grade, or books for children.

How to submit: E-query matt [at] bresnickagency.com. For fiction, include first two chapters. For nonfiction, include a complete proposal. Full submission guidelines here.

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 Great 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. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
• Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
• March 5, 2016: Toronto’s “How to Get Published” Conference (Toronto, CA)
• March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
• March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)

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.

The post New Literary Agent Alert: Matthew DiGangi of Bresnick Weil Literary Agency appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

It’s time for another debut author interview! I love interviewing debut authors because they give writers the opportunity to see what successful authors did write in order. This interview is with Amanda Linsmeier, author of the women’s fiction novel DITCH FLOWERS (September, 2015, Penner Publishing).

Amanda Linsmeier’s work has appeared on Brain, Child Magazine, WOW! Women on Writing, and Portage Magazine. She works part-time at her local library and brings home more books than she has time to read. Amanda lives in the countryside with her husband and children, two dogs, and half-wild cat.

(Why writers should put their e-mail online for all to see.)

 What is the book’s genre/category? (For example, mainstream, literary, fantasy, YA…)

It’s Women’s Fiction.

 Please describe what the story/book is about in one sentence.

 A woman struggling with recurrent pregnancy loss meets a little boy who looks suspiciously like her husband, and begins to question whether it’s a case of infidelity, or just her imagination.

Where do you write from?  (Where do you live?)

 I live in a teeny house in the Midwestern country and I generally write there. We’re surrounded by cows, and lots of trees, and I tend to write at the dining room table, looking right out a window. Sometimes I prefer to write in a coffee shop or something, but only when I can devote at least two hours to it. I love the hustle of a public place, and the slight noise of conversation. I always write with music when I’m at home. If it’s too quiet, I find it difficult to get going.

Briefly, what led up to this book? What were you writing (and getting published, if applicable) before breaking out with this book?

I hadn’t gotten anything published before writing it, but I had already written my terrible first novel, which is stored safely and privately away, and will hopefully never be read by anyone other than me. I knew I wanted to write, but I didn’t know what. I was working at a daycare and met a little boy who looked like my husband. I went home and told him about it, and we had a good laugh. But it got me thinking. And that’s where the idea for Ditch Flowers came from. It hit me and I went for it.

 What was the time frame for writing this book? Tell us an interesting detail or two, if applicable. For example, did you finish first draft after one week? Or did you pick it up after 20 years and finally rewrite it?

It took an embarrassingly long time. I started it in 2007, but I was not disciplined, and I took breaks from writing. Really big breaks, I mean. Probably even up to a year at a time. I sent my first query in February 2012.

How did you find your agent (and who is your agent)? (If you do not have an agent, tell us how the deal came about sans agent.)

I knew querying would potentially be a harrowing process, and I set out to get 100 rejections. I knew getting that many meant I was sending Ditch Flowers “out there.” I passed 100, and eventually 200, within a span of three years, with three sets of breaks to revise.

My first query ever resulted in a full request. And I had dozens of fulls and partials during the three years, and would revise in between. Near the beginning of querying, I got positive feedback on the concept, on the writing itself, but there were several issues with the pacing and structure. And the majority of rejections were generic. At the end of the querying process, the rejections were near misses and more often than not, were personalized and helpful. I had agents saying they really loved this or that, but just didn’t feel passionately enough to represent. Or that there was nothing they could pinpoint that didn’t work for them, it just didn’t strike them as “the one.” I had to re-assess at that point. I could make another list of agents and hope someone fell in love, or I could move in another direction. I still felt strongly about trade publishing for this manuscript, and wanted to see if perhaps I’d have better luck with a small press. I loved the idea of a small press for many reasons, and thoughtfully ended my agent search at that point. I queried two small publishing houses out of a list of maybe a dozen, one of them being Penner Publishing. They requested my manuscript, and very quickly made me an offer. And I happily accepted.

What were your 1-2 biggest learning experience(s) or surprise(s) throughout the publishing process?

 The first: I made that newbie mistake of querying too soon. Of course, I didn’t think so at the time. And I didn’t think so in year two of querying. But my manuscript was not ready. When I think of what I sent initially, I’m actually embarrassed. After completing all my edits with Penner, I can see clearly now, that even after all my previous revisions, it still wasn’t the best it could be when I queried the last round of agents, and publishers. If I could go back I would write faster, and edit slower. I had critique groups read chapters here or there, but nobody read the manuscript in full for the first two years I queried, and I think it was the poorer for it. Feedback is so crucial. And secondly, I learned that though I’m not a plotter, full-on pantsing is too laidback for me. Writing took me so much longer than I expected because I didn’t know where I was going. For current (and future) work, I am at least having a slight idea of what comes after that initial spark of an idea.

(Book Payments and Royalties — Your Questions Answered.)

 Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in?

I didn’t give up. Also I took the time to make lists of agents that I believed would be a good fit for my novel. I had a solid query. I was organized with spreadsheets and Querytracker, and also lists on Word. That way if one of my lists was wrong, I had two others to compare it to. I was so anxious about querying the same agent twice by accident!

On that note, what would you have done differently if you could do it again?

Again, send a more polished manuscript And I’d not waste so much time, either querying something before it’s ready, or by lagging on the actual writing.

Did you have a platform in place?  On this topic, what are you doing the build a platform and gain readership?

 I have a Facebook page I’m fairly active on, a Twitter account I’m still trying to get comfortable with, and a website as well as Pinterest. I even have a Pinterest board for Ditch Flowers, which I think is fun because I’m such a visual person. As far as marketing and building a platform, I believe it’s important to be out there, but not in everyone’s faces with BUY MY BOOK all the time, or even every day, or even every week. There’s a fine line between being visible and being spammy. And I never want to be spammy.

Favorite movie?

 Ah, it’s a tie between Somethings Gotta Give and Lost in Austen. Add in Return to Oz for a three-way tie.

Best piece(s) of writing advice we haven’t discussed?

 I’ve heard so many, but one that really resonates this year is ‘Write the book you want to read.’  I read books like Ditch Flowers, and I wrote it because I couldn’t not write it, but my current work-in-progress is something I’d pick up lately for fun, to lose myself in. And the words are pouring out of me. It’s lighter and yet darker in ways. It’s been easier writing in more ways than one.

Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?

 I’m really shy. And being shy and trying to market your work is often contradictory! Also, I love thrift shopping. Probably 90% of the things in my house (including my closet!) are second-hand. I’d love to do a non-fiction book on thrifting someday.

What’s next?

 The aforementioned WIP is a paranormal women’s fiction, dealing with a great-grandmother and her great-grandaughter who both have magical powers, in two different story lines—one set slightly in the future, and one set in the early 1970’s. It is witchy, sexy, fun, yet there are serious subjects intertwined—religion, post-partum depression, murder, and betrayal.

Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social
media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• How To Write Middle Grade Horror: 7 Tips.
• Agent Spotlight: Taylor Haggerty (Waxman Leavell Literary Agency) seeks YA, Historical Fiction and Historical Romance.
• How To Critique A Friend’s Writing.
• Agent Spotlight: Allison Hunter (Inkwell Management) seeks Literary and Commercial Fiction and Nonfiction.
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.

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.

The post Author Interview: Amanda Linsmeier, Author of Women’s Fiction Novel DITCH FLOWERS appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Welcome to the 18th (free!) “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest on the GLA blog. This is a FREE recurring online contest with agent judges and super-cool prizes. Here’s the deal: With every contest, the details are essentially the same, but the niche itself changes—meaning each contest is focused around a specific category or two. So if you’re writing mystery or thriller or suspense, this 18th contest is for you! (The contest is live through EOD, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015.)

WHY YOU SHOULD GET EXCITED

After a previous “Dear Lucky Agent” contest, the agent judge, Tamar Rydzinski (The Laura Dail Literary Agency), signed one of the three contest winners. After Tamar signed the writer, she went on to sell two of that writer’s books! How cool! That’s why these contests are not to missed if you have an eligible submission.

HOW TO SUBMIT

E-mail entries to dearluckyagent18@gmail.com. Please paste everything. No attachments.

WHAT TO SUBMIT (AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA REQUIREMENTS)

The first 150-250 words (i.e., your first double-spaced page) of your unpublished, completed book-length work of thriller / mystery / suspense fiction. You must include a contact e-mail address with your entry and use your real name. Also, submit the title of the work and a logline (one-sentence description of the work) with each entry.

Please note: To be eligible to submit, you must mention this contest twice through any any social-media. Please provide a social-media link or Twitter handle or screenshot or blog post URL, etc., with your official e-mailed entry so the judge and I can verify eligibility. Some previous entrants could not be considered because they skipped this step! Simply spread the word twice through any means and give us a way to verify you did; a tinyURL for this link/contest for you to easily use is http://tinyurl.com/nk2pk9e. An easy way to notify me of your sharing is to include my Twitter handle @chucksambuchino at the end of your mention(s) if using Twitter. If we’re friends on FB, tag me in the mention. And if you are going to solely use Twitter as your 2 times, please wait 1 day between mentions to spread out the notices, rather than simply tweeting twice back to back. Thanks. (Please note that simply tweeting me does not count. You have to include the contest URL with your mention; that’s the point. And if you use Twitter, put my handle @chucksambuchino at the middle or the end, not at the very beginning of the tweet, or else the tweet will be invisible to others.)

Here is a sample TWEET you can use (feel free to tweak): New FREE contest for writers of thriller / mystery / suspense http://tinyurl.com/nk2pk9e Judged by agent @michrichter1, via @chucksambuchino

WHAT IS ELIGIBLE?

1. Completed adult thriller novels.
2. Completed adult mystery novels.
3. Completed adult suspense books.

Please note that these are all adult genre categories. So if your book is fundamentally a romance or sci-fi or literary fiction but happens to have some thrills in it, it would not qualify for this contest. Sorry.

Please note that YA fiction is not eligible for this (i.e., no teen/kid protagonists).

CONTEST DETAILS

1. This contest will be live through the end of Sept. 17, 2015, PST. Winners notified by e-mail within three weeks of end of contest. Winners announced at the top of this blog post thereafter.
2. To enter, submit the first 150-250 words of your book (i.e., your first double-spaced page). Shorter or longer entries will not be considered. Keep it within word count range please.
3. You can submit as many times as you wish. You can submit even if you submitted to other contests in the past, but please note that past winners cannot win again. All that said, you are urged to only submit your best work.
4. The contest is open to everyone of all ages, save those employees, officers and directors of GLA’s publisher, F+W: A Content and E-Commerce Company, Inc.
5. By e-mailing your entry, you are submitting an entry for consideration in this contest and thereby agreeing to the terms written here as well as any terms possibly added by me in the “Comments” section of this blog post. (If you have questions or concerns, write me personally at chuck.sambuchino (at) fwmedia.com. The Gmail account above is for submissions, not questions.)

PRIZES!!!

Top 3 winners all get: 1) A critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your work, by your agent judge. 2) A free one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com ($50 value)! 3) A copy of my 2015 book, Get a Literary Agent.

MEET YOUR (AWESOME) AGENT JUDGE!

Michelle Richter joined Fuse Literary after eight years at St. Martin’s Press. While there, she edited nonfiction including MELISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL by Melissa Joan Hart and RENEWABLE by Jeremy Shere, and worked on women’s fiction, memoir/ biography, pop culture, cookbooks, and diet/health books. She has a M.S. in Publishing from Pace University, and a B.A. in Economics with a minor in Russian from UMass Boston. Michelle is primarily seeking fiction, especially book club reads, women’s fiction, literary fiction, and mystery/suspense/thrillers. Her favorite authors include Ann Patchett, Emma Straub, Laura Lippman, Richard Russo, Tom Perrotta, and Gillian Flynn. For nonfiction, she’s interested in fashion, pop culture, science/medicine, sociology/social trends, and economics. You can follow Michelle on Twitter at @michrichter1.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SOME OF FUSE LITERARY’S SALES

YOU’RE AS GOOD AS DEAD
By E.A. Aymar

RIP TIDES
By Toby Neal

BROKEN HOMES & GARDENS
By Rebecca Kelley

Check Out These Great 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. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
• Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
• March 5, 2016: Toronto’s “How to Get Published” Conference (Toronto, CA)
• March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
• March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)

The post 18th Free “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest: Thriller / Mystery / Suspense appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Although Julie is not a new literary agent, this post is similar to a New Agent Alert because Julie reached out to me in an effort to get more submissions. That brings us to this call-out. Read on below to see if she is a good fit for your query. Good luck!

About Julie: Julie Stevenson is an agent at Waxman Leavell Literary. “I hold a B.A. in English from Washington University in St. Louis and an M.F.A in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. Before joining Waxman Leavell, I worked at Sobel Weber Associates and in the editorial departments of Tin House and Publishers Weekly. As an agent, I enjoy being on the writer’s side every step of the way—from providing feedback on early drafts, to matching the work with the right editor, to acting as a guide through the complicated and changing world of publishing. The writing life can be a solitary experience, and I love being the writer’s connection to a wide world of readers. I enjoy thinking about fiction in terms of craft. You’ll find well-worn copies of books by Anne Lamott and Charles Baxter on my bookshelf.” Connect with Julie on Twitter here.

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

She is seeking: While she represents different categories, Julie’s call-out right now is for the following:

• upmarket fiction
• literary fiction
• adult thriller/suspense
• memoir
• young adult
• middle grade
• picture books

(Submission Checklist: Double-Check These 16 Things Before Sending Your Book Out.)

Some of Julie’s recent books/clients include:

1. THE SASQUATCH HUNTER’S ALMANAC by Sharma Shields (Holt) – literary fiction
2. GIRL IN PIECES by Kathleen Glasgow (forthcoming from Delacorte, Fall 2016) – young adult/ crossover
3. SPEED DREAMING by Nicole Haroutunian (Little A) – literary fiction/story collection
4. I DO NOT LIKE AL’S HAT by Erin McGill (forthcoming Spring 2017, Greenwillow) – children’s picture book
5. THE SYMPATHIZER by Viet Thanh Nguyen (Grove) – literary fiction

How to contact: juliesubmit [at] waxmanleavell.com. To submit a project, please send a query letter ONLY. Do not send attachments, though for fiction you may include 5-10 pages of your manuscript in the body of your email. Please do not query more than one agent at this agency simultaneously. Due to the high volume of submissions, agents will reach out to you directly if interested. The typical time range for consideration is 6-8 weeks.

(How to create an effective synopsis for your novel or memoir.)

————

Check Out These Great 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. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
• Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
• March 5, 2016: Toronto’s “How to Get Published” Conference (Toronto, CA)
• March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
• March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)

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.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• How I Got My Literary Agent: Kirstin Chen (Fiction).
• Pros and Cons of Getting a Creative Writing MFA.
• Agent Spotlight: Lara Perkins (Andrea Brown Literary Agency) seeks YA, MG and Picture Books.
• Good Stories Have The Same Bone Structure.
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.

The post Literary Agent Julie Stevenson of Waxman Leavell Seeks Queries NOW appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

The book is out and available everywhere books or sold — in major bookstores and online (WD Shop, Amazon, Bn.com)!

The new 2016 edition of the Guide to Literary Agents is out, all updated and packed with info. I realize there are other places you can turn to for information on agents, but the Guide to Literary Agents has always prided itself as being the biggest (we list almost every agent) and the most thorough (guidelines, sales, agent by agent breakdowns, etc.). That’s why it’s been around for 25 years and that’s why it’s sold more than 340,000 copies. It works—and if you keep reading, I’ll prove it to you below with proof from 50 people.

Buy it here at on WritersDigestShop.com a discount! Need more reasons to buy? How about some testimonials below from these very cool people.

THE GIVEAWAY!!! Comment on this post and just say anything nice about any element of Writer’s Digest you enjoy — from a blog post to a class or a book or anything else. In two weeks (deadline extended to EOD, Sept. 23, 2015), I will pick 3 winners randomly to win a copy of the book! It’s that easy. And if you optionally tweet news of this giveaway, you will get 2 entries into the contest instead of just 1. Just post the following tweet, and leave your Twitter handle in your comment when you comment below: Giveaway: Writer’s Digest is giving away 3 copies of the new 2016 GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS http://tinyurl.com/pahr35q via @chucksambuchino

1. Renee Adhieh, author of the THE WRATH AND THE DAWN (Penguin/Putnam 2015) and 2 more books:

“The first book I ever bought when I began my publishing journey was the Guide to Literary Agents. And it’s one of the first things I recommend to any aspiring writer.”

2. Andria Williams, author of the debut novel THE LONGEST NIGHT (Random House):

“I actually owe you a debt of gratitude.I was writing a novel on my own, no real literary-world connections. But when I had a polished draft of the novel, I went to the bookstore and got your Guide to Literary Agents. Wrote a bunch of ‘cold’ query letters, found my agent, and she got my book published for me. It felt like a fairy tale! I owe it in large part to your book!”

3. Robert Glinski, author of the debut novel THE FRIENDSHIP OF CRIMINALS

“I know the Guide to Literary Agents quite well! I pored it over [when I was trying to get published].”

4. Camille Griep, author of the debut novel LETTERS TO ZELL

“Thanks so much for reaching out. Your timing is a wonderful coincidence — just yesterday I recommended the GLA to a couple of friends who are starting the process of agent hunting. It’s the best resource out there for authors wanting to keep a pulse on the who, where, and how of agenting.”

5. Lee Kelly, author of the debut novel CITY OF SAVAGES (Saga Press), which she sold in a two-book deal:

“The Guide to Literary Agents has been on my nightstand for years and I swear by it. GLA is an invaluable guide to navigating the publishing world. I used it on my road to finding my agent, and would recommend it to any writer at the beginning of her own journey.”

6. Lindsay Cummings, author of the YA thriller THE MURDER COMPLEX (Greenwillow) and several other novels:

“I got my agent, Louise Fury of The Bent Agency by using Guide to Literary Agents.”

7. Caroline Carlson, author of THE VERY NEARLY HONORABLE LEAGUE OF PIRATES: MAGIC MARKS THE SPOT (HarperCollins) and its sequels:

“I used the Guide to Literary Agents in my agent search!”

8. Annie England Noblin, represented by Lotus Lane Literary:

“Anytime anyone asks me where to find a list of agents, I always direct them to the Guide to Literary Agents. It has been an invaluable resource. Thank you so much.”

9. Kim Baker, author of the middle grade debut, PICKLE: THE (FORMERLY) ANONYMOUS PRANK CLUB OF FOUNTAIN POINT MIDDLE SCHOOL (Roaring Brook)

“I read the Guide to Literary Agents religiously when I was planning submissions”

10. Kate Maddison, author of debut THE INCREDIBLE CHARLOTTE SYCAMORE (Holiday House)

“The Guide to Literary Agents was the very first book I bought on the business of writing, several years ago. I remember the bookstore, the time of day, and what the young cashier looked like who sold it to me because she struck up a conversation, as she too hoped to get published one day. I read that thing from cover to cover!”

11. Jeri Westerson, author of the fantasy BLOOD LANCE: A MEDIEVAL NOIR and several other novels

“The whole writing industry is so confusing. Where to start? I started with the Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents, where I not only created my list of agents and game plan, I received all sorts of excellent information in crafting my winning query letter. I recommend it to anyone starting out. And yes, I did get an agent through the Guide.”

12. Gennifer Albin, author of young adult novels CREWEL and ALTERED (FSG)

“I’m a big fan of the Guide to Literary Agents. I got a lot of mileage out of mine, when I was looking for an agent, and I frequently recommend it.”

13. Sharon Gilchrest O’Neill, author of A Short Guide to a Happy Marriage: The Essentials For Long-lasting Togetherness (Cider Mill Press)

“For some time I had been working on queries to publishers that would accept manuscripts directly from authors, with moments of hope, but no contract. I read the Guide to Literary Agents and thought, maybe it’s time to consider an agent! I immediately sent out several queries and later that same day my manuscript was requested by Jackie Meyer of Whimsy Literary Agency in New York. The following day Jackie asked for my okay to send the manuscript on to a publisher she had in mind, and within 24 hours she had sold my book!”

14. Lynne Raimondo, author of the mystery debut, DANTE’S WOOD (Seventh Street Books)

“The Guide to Literary Agents is how I found my agent [Brooks Sherman of FinePrint Literary].”

15. Marisha Chamberlain, author of the literary fiction novel The Rose Variations (Soho):

“Guide to Literary Agents oriented me, the lowly first-time novelist, embarking on an agent search. The articles and the listings gave insight into the world of literary agents that allowed me to comport myself professionally and to persist. And I did find a terrific agent [Stephany Evans of FinePrint Literary].”

16. Eugenia Kim, author of the literary novel The Calligrapher’s Daughter (Holt)

“After so many years working on the novel, the relative speed of creating the query package prodded the impetus to send it out. As a fail-safe measure, I bought the Guide to Literary Agents and checked who might be a good fit for my novel…”

17. Eve Brown-Waite, author of the humorous memoir First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria (Broadway)

“I bought the Guide To Literary Agents… and came across Laney Katz Becker. So I sent off a very funny query. On March 15, 2007, Laney called. ‘I love your book,’ she said. ‘I’d like to represent you.’ Three and a half months (and several proposal revisions) later, Laney sold my book—at auction—in a six-figure deal.

18. Mara Purnhagen, author of the young adult novel Tagged (Harlequin Teen)

“I trusted the Guide to Literary Agents to provide solid, up-to-date information to help me with the process. I now have a wonderful agent [Tina Wexler of ICM] and a four-book deal.”

19. Richard Harvell, author of the mainstream fiction novel The Bells (Crown)

“Guide to Literary Agents contains a wealth of information and good advice, and was crucial in my successful search for an agent. I found a great agent [Daniel Lazar of Writers House] and my book has now sold in 11 territories and counting.”

20. Patrick Lee, The Breach (Harper)

“The Guide to Literary Agents has all the info you need for narrowing down a list of agencies to query.”

21. Karen Dionne, author of the thrillers Freezing Point and Boiling Point (Jove)

“I’m smiling as I type this, because I actually got my agent via the Guide to Literary Agents. I certainly never dreamed that I’d tell my [success] story in the same publication!”

22. Heather Newton, author of the literary fiction novel Under the Mercy Trees (Harper Paperbacks)

“I’d definitely be interested in guest posting—especially since I found my literary agent through the Guide to Literary Agents!”

23. Michael Wiley, author of the crime/noir novels The Last Striptease and The Bad Kitty Lounge (Minotaur)

“The Guide to Literary Agents was very useful to me when I was getting started. I always recommend GLA to writers.”

24. Les Edgerton, Hooked and 9 more books

“Just signed with literary agent Chip MacGregor and I came upon him through the Guide to Literary Agents. If not for GLA, I’d probably still be looking.”

25. Jennifer Cervantes, author of the book for kids, Tortilla Sun (Chronicle)

“Within 10 days of initial submission, I found an energetic and amazing agent—and it’s all thanks to GLA.”

26. Carson Morton, author of the literary novel Stealing Mona Lisa (St. Martin’s / Minotaur)

“I wanted to thank you for the Guide to Literary Agents. After contacting 16 literary agencies, number 17 requested the full manuscript of my historical novel. Within a few weeks, they offered to represent me. Hard work, perseverance, and good, solid, accurate information makes all the difference. Thanks again.”

27. Darien Gee, author of Friendship Bread: A Novel (April 2011; Ballantine Books)

“The Guide to Literary Agents was an indispensable tool for me when I was querying agents. I highly recommend it for any aspiring author—in addition to a comprehensive listing of literary agents, it contains valuable information about the query and submission process.”

28. Stephanie Barden, author of the middle grade novel Cinderella Smith (April 2011; HarperCollins)

“When I felt my middle grade chapter book was finally ready for eyes other than mine to see it, I got some terrific advice: Go buy the Guide to Literary Agents. By the time I was through with it, it looked like it had gone to battle – it was battered and dog eared and highlighted and Post-It Noted. But it was victorious; I had an agent. Huge thanks, GLA – I couldn’t have done it without you!”

29. Lexi George, author of the paranormal romance Demon Hunting in Dixie (April 2011; Brava)

“I positively haunted GLA on the road to publication. The Guide to Literary Agents is an invaluable resource for writers, whether you’re published or unpublished.”

30. Bill Peschel, author of the nonfiction book Writers Gone Wild: The Feuds, Frolics, and Follies of Literature’s Great Adventurers, Drunkards, Lovers, Iconoclasts, and Misanthropes (Perigee)

“The Guide to Literary Agents gave me everything I needed to sell Writers Gone Wild. It was the personal assistant who found me the right agents to pitch, the publicist who suggested conferences to attend, and the trusted adviser who helped me negotiate the path to publication.”

31. Laura Griffin, author of Unforgivable and eight other romantic suspense novels.

“Writing the book is only the first step. Then it’s time to find a home for it. The Guide to Literary Agents is filled with practical advice about how to contact literary agents who can help you market your work.”

32. Derek Taylor Kent (a.k.a. Derek the Ghost), author of the novel for kids, Scary School

“The Guide to Literary Agents was absolutely instrumental to my getting an agent and subsequent three-book deal with HarperCollins.”

33. Tamora Pierce, best-selling author of dozens of novels for teens

“The best guide to literary agents is the Guide to Literary Agents, published by Writer’s Market Books … These listings will tell you the names and addresses of the agencies; if an agency is made up of more than one agent, they will list the different agents and what kinds of book they represent; they will include whether or not the agent will accept simultaneous submissions (submitting a manuscript to more agent than one).”

34. Wade Rouse, author of many books, including It’s All Relative: Two Families, Three Dogs, 34 Holidays, and 50 Boxes of Wine (A Memoir)

“And when you think you’re done writing your book? Write some more. And when you think you’re finished? Set it aside for a while, go back, redraft, edit, rewrite and redraft … Then pick up the Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents.”

35. Brent Hartinger, author of several novels, including Geography Club

“Get an agent. Having a reputable agent means you will be taken much more seriously by busy editors who are eager to find any reason to reject your book (and if you’re agented, editors will offer you more money, more than canceling out the cost of the agent’s commission!). There are hundreds of good agents out there, with all kinds of different tastes (check The Guide to Literary Agents for a complete list).”

”       

36. Jessica Brody, author of several novels (women’s fiction, YA), including The Karma Club

“To put it in perspective: It took me two years to finally find an agent to represent The Fidelity Files [my first novel] and once I did, she sold the manuscript in 10 days. That’s the difference an agent makes. I would recommend purchasing a membership for an online agent directory like WritersMarket.com. You can also use an agent directory in book form like the Guide to Literary Agents.”

37. Dianna Dorisi Winget, author of the middle grade novel A Smidgen of Sky (Harcourt, 2012)

“Guide to Literary Agents is simply the best writing reference book out there. I don’t think I would have landed an agent without it.”

38. Adam Brownlee, author of Building a Small Business That Warren Buffett Would Love (John Wiley and Sons, 2012)

“The Guide to Literary Agents was invaluable for me in many ways. Specifically, the sections on ‘Write a Killer Query Letter’ and ‘Nonfiction Book Proposals’ enabled me to put together a package that led to the publication of my book.”

39. Carole Brody Fleet, author of the self-help book Happily Even After: A Guide to Getting Through (and Beyond!) the Grief of Widowhood (Viva Editions)

“I am not overstating it when I say that Guide to Literary Agents was absolutely instrumental in my landing an agent. Moreover, I wound up with numerous agents from which to choose—how often does THAT happen to an unknown and unpublished author? Thank you again for this book. It not only changed my life forever, but it led to our being able to serve the widowed community around the world.”

40. Guinevere Durham, author of Teaching Test-Taking Skills: Proven Techniques to Boost Your Student’s Scores (R&L Education).

“I was looking for an agent for my book. I had been trying for 7 years to find a publisher. I have enough rejection letters to wallpaper my office. Finally, I researched the Guide to Literary Agents. Three months later I had a contract with Rowman & Littlefield Educational Publishers. My agency is Educational Design Services, Inc.”

41. Kelly Fiore, author of the young adult debut Taste Test (2013, Walker Books for Young Readers)

“There are many web resources for writers – resources about agents, about editors, about craft, and so on. What I love most about the Guide to Literary Agents is that it’s a comprehensive resource – a place to go for information that spans more than just one topic and that covers everything that today’s writers need to know.”

42. Terri Lynn Merritts, writer

“I love the Guide to Literary Agents. I am admin of the Vegetarian page (over 239,000 members) at facebook.com/vegetarianpage and I used the GLA to find a literary agent to represent the vegan cookbook I am working on. The very first agent I approached loved it and now we are working together. The articles in the Guide to Literary Agents showed me how to research the perfect agent and approach her. The listings gave me all the information I needed to find that perfect agent on my very first try. I owe all of this to the help I got from the Guide To Literary Agents and the priceless information it contains. This book really works for writers who need and want to find an agent.”

43. Chana Stiefel, writer

“I am a huge fan of the Guide to Literary Agents. I queried agents for a new humor book and just signed with Laurie Fox at Linda Chester and Associates.”

44. Nicole Steinhaus, writer

“Let’s just say this: when I first jumped into the query process, I was clueless. I bought the Guide to Literary Agents, and scoured for hours through the pages. Two weeks after sending [agent Bree Ogden of D4EO Literary] my full manuscript, I received an email saying she wanted to offer representation.”

45. John A. (Buddy) Howard, writer

“As a first time author, I found the Guide to Literary Agents invaluable, particularly with the ability to screen for agents and publishers by area of specialty. I signed with Whimsy Literary Agency. Getting an agent would not have been possible without your invaluable website, book and support. Keep up your great work and thanks for your past and ongoing help to me and so many other authors out there.”

46. Frank Giampaolo, author of multiple nonfiction sports guides, including CHAMPIONSHIP TENNIS

“I followed the formatting and submitting advice given by Chuck and the Guide to Literary Agents. Within a month I was signed to the Quicksilver Books Literary Agency. My agent, Bob Silverstein, negotiated a wonderful publishing deal for me. My second book, Championship Tennis, is scheduled for release worldwide with hard copies, e-books and phone apps in April 2013. The Guide to Literary Agents is a must have resource!”

47. Emily Saso, writer

“Chuck’s is the reason I landed my thoughtful, supportive agent, Linda Epstein of The Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. I didn’t just discover Linda through the Guide to Literary Agents, his blog also taught me how to write a quality query that would catch her eye. Thanks, Chuck! Keep up the great work!”

48. Tim Bullard, author of the nonfiction book Haunted Watauga County (History Press of Charleston, 2011)

“Buying the Guide to Literary Agents paid off last year with publication of my book. Fighting the urge to quit and admit total failure, I pressed on until all the advice I had received through your books stuck. Now I am about to publish my second book. God bless you!”

49. Noelle Sterne, author of TRUST YOUR LIFE: FORGIVE YOURSELF AND GO AFTER YOUR DREAMS

“Your Guide to Literary Agents and the features from authors on the often-hard lessons learned from the dream of publishing have helped me immensely to keep my feet on the ground, butt in the chair, and fingers on the keyboard. Thank you, Chuck, for taking all the time and effort and for caring!”

50. Jessica Lidh, author of the YA debut THE NUMBER 7 (Merit Press, 2014):

“I found Dee Mura Literary in the Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents. Kimiko Nakamura is my agent. She’s honestly an endless supply of support, encouragement, and hard work. I was so lucky to find her. The GLA was the best $25 investment I ever made.”

THE GIVEAWAY!!! Comment on this post and just say anything nice about any element of Writer’s Digest you enjoy — from a blog post to a class or a book or anything else. In two weeks (deadline extended to EOD, Sept. 23, 2015), I will pick 3 winners randomly to win a copy of the book! It’s that easy. And if you optionally tweet news of this giveaway, you will get 2 entries into the contest instead of just 1. Just post the following tweet, and leave your Twitter handle in your comment when you comment below: Giveaway: Writer’s Digest is giving away 3 copies of the new 2016 GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS http://tinyurl.com/pahr35q via @chucksambuchino

Buy the 2016 Guide to Literary Agents here!

The post The 2016 Guide to Literary Agents is Out! Here are 50 Reasons to Buy It (and a Giveaway Contest!) appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

While technically not a New Agent Alert, we wanted to spotlight Caitlin McDonald of Donald Maass Literary Agency because she just came to the agency from Sterling Lord Literistic and is building her client list now. Check out all info on her below.

About Caitlin: Caitlin McDonald joined DMLA in 2015, and was previously at Sterling Lord Literistic. She represents adult and young adult speculative fiction, primarily science-fiction, fantasy, horror, and related subgenres, as well as contemporary fiction about geeky characters. She also handles a small amount of nonfiction in geeky areas, with a focus on feminist theory/women’s issues and pop culture. Caitlin grew up overseas and has a BA in Creative Writing from Columbia University. Find her on Twitter here.

(Classifying Your Book: How to Research & Target Literary Agents.)

She is seeking:

– All science fiction and fantasy fiction (and subgenres) for adult, YA, and MG — especially secondary world fantasy and alternate history
– Genre-bending or cross-genre fiction, and stories that examine tropes from a new angle
– Diversity of all kinds, including (but not limited to) race, gender, sexuality, and ability, in both characters and world-building

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

Do not send:
– women’s fiction
– crime fiction
– picture books or chapter books
– screenplays or short stories

How to contact: To query, please email query.cmcdonald [at] maassagency.com with the query letter, synopsis, and the first ten pages of your novel pasted into the body of the email.

Response times:
Query letters — up to 4 weeks from receipt.
Partial manuscripts — up to 4 weeks.
Full manuscripts — overnight to 4 weeks.

(What if an agent requests an exclusive submission?)

————-

Check Out These Great 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. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
• Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
• March 5, 2016: Toronto’s “How to Get Published” Conference (Toronto, CA)
• March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
• March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)

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.

x

The post Literary Agent Spotlight: Caitlin McDonald of Donald Maass Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Sandy: Prior to joining Spencerhill in September 2015, Sandy Harding spent fifteen years at Penguin Random House and Penguin Group USA, most recently as a senior editor at NAL. In earlier days she earned an MA in American Literature at NYU and taught expository writing. As an editor she was fortunate to work with New York Times bestselling authors, but she also loved discovering new writers in unexpected places and nurturing both their manuscripts and their careers. She’s excited to bring this passion to agenting as she works to build her client list.

(The Do’s and Don’ts of Attending a Writers’ Conference.)

She is seeking: Sandy is seeking mainly upmarket commercial and literary fiction for the adult market. She enjoys women’s fiction for book clubs, smart page-turning thrillers, works of suspense with complex protagonists, mysteries of all sorts (cozies, historical, traditional), and romance. Most of all she’s seeking writing with a voice so penetrating and a story so captivating the reader simply must keep reading.

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

How to contact: “Please send us a query letter in the body of an email, pitch us your project and tell us about yourself: Do you have prior publishing credits? Attach the first three chapters and synopsis preferably in .doc, rtf or txt format to your email. Send all queries to: submission [at] spencerhillassociates.com. Put ‘Query for Sandy: [TITLE]” in your subject line. We do not have a preference for exclusive submissions, but do appreciate knowing if the submission is simultaneous. If we are interested in your work, we will contact you within 12 weeks.”

(What does a literary agent want to see when they Google you?)

——————

Check Out These Great 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. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
• Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
• March 5, 2016: Toronto’s “How to Get Published” Conference (Toronto, CA)
• March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
• March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)

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.

The post New Literary Agent Alert: Sandy Harding of Spencerhill Associates appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Anjali: Before joining Ayesha Pande Literary, Anjali Singh started her career in publishing in 1996 as a literary scout. Most recently Editorial Director at Other Press, she has also worked as an editor at Simon & Schuster, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Vintage Books. She is is best known for having championed Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis after stumbling across it on a visit to Paris. She has always been drawn to the thrill of discovering new writers, and among the literary novelists whose careers she helped launch are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Samantha Hunt, Preeta Samarasan, Zoe Ferraris, Victoria Patterson, Natalie Bakopoulos, Enid Shomer and Brigid Pasulka. She is a member of the International Committee of the Brooklyn Book Festival.

(What does a literary agent want to see when they Google you?)

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

She is seeking: As a literary agent, she is looking for new voices, character-driven fiction or nonfiction works that reflect an engagement with the world around us, literary thrillers, memoirs, YA literature and graphic novels.

How to submit: Use the agency’s online submissions form here: http://pandeliterary.com/queries/

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

——————

Check Out These Great 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. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
• Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
• March 5, 2016: Toronto’s “How to Get Published” Conference (Toronto, CA)
• March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
• March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)

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.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• Writing is More Passion Than Talent.
• Agent Spotlight: Laura Zats (Red Sofa Literary) seeks YA, MG, Romance and Fiction.
• Introvert’s Guide to Attending Conferences.
• Selling A Manuscript Is Like Falling In Love.
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.

The post New Literary Agent Alert: Anjali Singh of Ayesha Pande Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

In celebration of my three new books released this September (what an awesome autumn!), I’m doing a lot of special lists of agents seeking queries right now. I’ve already done lists on picture book agents, thriller agents, and women’s fiction agents. Below find a list for agents seeking adult fantasy novels NOW. (Note that this list is for adult fantasy, not fantasy for kids or teens. That will be a different list.)

1. When Clowns Attack: A Survival Guide is an anti-clown humor book that teaches you how to defend yourself against these red-nosed bozos who plague us. It’s a perfect gift for that clown-hating friend in your life. Find it on Amazon or through Barnes & Noble or anywhere else books are sold. Beware clowns.
2. The 2016 Guide to Literary Agents is a big database of agents — who they are, what they want, how to submit and more. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.
3. The 2016 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market has oodles of markets (agents, publishers, etc.) for writers & illustrators of children’s books — from picture books to middle grade to young adult. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.

——————

All the agents listed below personally confirmed to me as of October 2015 that they are actively seeking fantasy submissions NOW. Some gave personal notes about their tastes while some did not. I tried to only includes agents on here that ruled out no type of fantasy. So that means these agents are fantasy generalists. And to repeat, this list is specifically for adult fantasy — not for teen fantasy (YA/MG).

1. Sam Morgan (Jabberwocky Literary)

Notes: “My tastes in fantasy generally run the gamut of the entire genre, but with a twist. I love epic and urban fantasies, but all of my clients approach those genres with a very weird eye. They see the unending beauty of the world we live in and go “yeah… this is great and all, but what if we had to deal with drunk dragons all the time?” I like fantasy that can be explained clearly in the title (i.e. Ryan North’s ROMEO AND/OR JULIET), brilliantly explained in a sentence (i.e. LAMB: Christ had a best friend named Biff and here’s their story), or can’t be explained at all without a map, index of characters, and a thirty minute symposium on the magic system (Discworld, Song of Ice and Fire, etc.)”

How to submit: querysam [at] awfulagent.com. Send the query and your first five pages pasted into the email. No attachments.

———–

2. Mary C. Moore (Kimberley Cameron & Associates)

Notes: “If you’re submitting urban fantasy, please no vampires, angels/demons, or werewolves.”

How to submit: Query Mary [at] kimberleycameron.com. Include “Author Submission” in the subject line. Attach a one-page synopsis and the first fifty pages of your manuscript as separate Word or PDF documents.

(Secrets to querying literary agents: 10 questions answered.)

————-

3. Lane Heymont (The Seymour Agency)

Notes: Seeks Tolkien fantasy, diverse characters.

How to submit: How to connect: Send all queries to lane [at] theseymouragency.com. The subject line should be “QUERY: (Title)”. Please past the first five pages in the body of the e-mail. Please do not query Nicole Resciniti (also on this list) if querying Lane.

—————————–

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.

————————-

4. Sara Megibow (kt literary)

How to submit: ”Please email your query letter and the first three pages of your manuscript in the body of the email to saraquery [at] ktliterary.com. The subject line of your email should include the word ‘Query’ along with the title of your manuscript. Queries should not contain attachments. We aim to reply to all queries within two weeks of receipt. In addition, if you’re an author who is sending a new query, but who previously submitted a novel to us for which we requested chapters but ultimately declined, please do say so in your query letter. If we like your query, we’ll ask for the first five chapters and a complete synopsis. For our purposes, the synopsis should include the full plot of the book, including the conclusion. Don’t tease us.”

——————

5. Evan Gregory (Ethan Ellenberg Literary)

Notes: “It’s time to break away from medievalism and embrace different mythologies, weirder magic, different worlds, different perspectives.”

How to submit: Please send submissions to agent [at] ethanellenberg.com to the attention of Evan. “For email submissions, we ask that you paste all materials into the body of the email in the order mentioned below. For example, if you were submitting fiction you would begin with a brief query letter, followed by your synopsis, followed by the first 50 pages of your manuscript. We will not open attachments.”

—————–

6. Emmanuelle Morgen (Stonesong)

How to submit: submissions [at] stonesong.com addressed to Emmanuelle. Include the word ‘query’ in the subject line of your email to ensure we receive it and it isn’t filtered as spam. Include the first chapter or first 10 pages of your work, pasted into the body of your email, so that we may get a sense of your writing. Please note that Emmanuelle is closed to queries in December. We welcome queries from independent and self-published authors. If you have self-published your book and are interested in working with a publisher for future works, please include descriptions of published and forthcoming works, as well as information about sales and reviews. Our system is set up so that every email query receives an automatic reply confirming receipt. After that, we will be in touch only in the event we would like to request more material. This is because we receive such a volume of submissions that it is impossible for us to respond individually to every query. If you have not received a request from us within 12 weeks, consider that we have passed. If we request additional material, we will of course respond with a specific reply. Please feel free to follow up with additional news about your submission during the 12-week period.”

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

——————-

7. Nicole Resciniti (The Seymour Agency)

How to submit: Send all queries to nicole [at] theseymouragency.com. The subject line should be “QUERY: (Title)”. Please past the first five pages in the body of the e-mail. Please do not query Lane Heymont (also on this list) if querying Nicole.

——————

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
• Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
• Feb. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• 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)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)
• Summer 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference (NYC)

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

The post 7 Literary Agents Seeking Fantasy Novels NOW appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Arielle Datz from Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

About Arielle: She started as an intern at Dunow, Carlson, & Lerner in 2011, and then worked in the foreign rights department at WME, followed by 2 years at the Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency. She has since returned to DCLA full-time.

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

Arielle is seeking fiction (adult, YA, or middle-grade), both realistic or fantasy/sci-fi. In nonfiction, she is looking for essays, unconventional memoir, pop culture, and sociology.

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

How to submit: Submit a query letter at mail [at] dclagency.com. Put “Query for Arielle: [title]” in the subject line. Do not include attachments. Due to volume of inquiries received, the agency is unable to respond to all emailed queries.

(Ever wonder what makes agents get excited about a self-published book?)

——————-

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
• Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
• Feb. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• 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)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)
• Summer 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference (NYC)

The post New Literary Agent: Arielle Datz from Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

In celebration of my three new books released this September (what an awesome autumn!), I’m doing a lot of special lists of agents seeking queries right now. I’ve already done lists on picture book agents, thriller agents, fantasy agents, and women’s fiction agents. Below find a list for 13 agents seeking horror novels NOW.

1. When Clowns Attack: A Survival Guide is an anti-clown humor book that teaches you how to defend yourself against these red-nosed bozos who plague us. It’s a perfect gift for that clown-hating friend in your life. (It almost makes a heck of a white elephant gift.) Find it on Amazon or through Barnes & Noble or anywhere else books are sold. Beware clowns.
2. The 2016 Guide to Literary Agents is a big database of agents — who they are, what they want, how to submit and more. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.
3. The 2016 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market has oodles of markets (agents, publishers, etc.) for writers & illustrators of children’s books — from picture books to middle grade to young adult. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.

——————

All the agents listed below personally confirmed to me as of October 2015 that they are actively seeking horror submissions NOW. Some gave personal notes about their tastes while some did not. Good luck querying!

1. Alison Fargis (Stonesong)

How to submit: submissions [at] stonesong.com addressed to Alison. Include the word ‘query’ in the subject line of your email to ensure we receive it and it isn’t filtered as spam. Include the first chapter or first 10 pages of your work, pasted into the body of your email, so that we may get a sense of your writing. Please note that Alison is closed to queries in December. We welcome queries from independent and self-published authors. If you have self-published your book and are interested in working with a publisher for future works, please include descriptions of published and forthcoming works, as well as information about sales and reviews. Our system is set up so that every email query receives an automatic reply confirming receipt. After that, we will be in touch only in the event we would like to request more material. This is because we receive such a volume of submissions that it is impossible for us to respond individually to every query. If you have not received a request from us within 12 weeks, consider that we have passed. If we request additional material, we will of course respond with a specific reply. Please feel free to follow up with additional news about your submission during the 12-week period.”

———————

2. Maria Vicente (P.S. Literary)

Notes: Looking young adult and middle grade horror. (No adult mss.)

How to submit: How to contact: E-query query [at] psliterary.com with “Query for Maria” in the subject line. “Do not send attachments. Always let us know if your manuscript/proposal is currently under consideration by other agents/publishers. If you don’t receive a response to your query within 4-6 weeks it means a no from the agency.”

(Query letter pet peeves — Agents Tell All.)

———————

3. Carlie Webber (CK Webber Associates)

How to submit: To submit your work for consideration, please send a query letter, synopsis, and the first 30 pages or three chapters of your work, whichever is more, to carlie [at] ckwebber.com and put the word “Query” in the subject line of your email. You may include your materials either in the body of your email or as a Word or PDF attachment. Blank emails that include an attachment will be deleted unread. E-mail queries only.

———————

4. Beth Phelan (The Bent Agency)

Notes: Young adult and middle grade horror only. (No adult mss.)

How to submit: E-query phelanqueries [at] thebentagency.com. Paste the first ten pages of your book in the body of your email.

No attachments.

———————

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.

———————

5. Veronica Park (Corvisiero Literary)

Notes: “I would love a YA, contemporary retelling of any of the horror “classics” like Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Picture of Dorian Grey, or anything by H.P. Lovecraft.”

How to submit: E-query query [at] corvisieroagency.com and putting “Attn: Veronica Park – Query – [BOOK TITLE]” in the subject line. She prefers to see your query letter, synopsis and 15-20 page sample pasted into the body of the e-mail. For bonus points, include links to your social media profiles in your email signature.

———————

6. Rebecca Podos (Rees Literary)

Notes: Young adult and middle grade horror only. (No adult mss.)

How to submit: Submit a query letter and the first few chapters (pasted in the e-mail) to Rebecca [at] reesagency.com.

No attachments.

———————

7. Bernadette Baker Baughman (Victoria Sanders & Associates)

How to submit: Send a query letter with the first three chapters (or about 25 pages) pasted into the body of the message to queriesvsa [at] gmail.com, with “Query for Bernadette: [title] in the subject line. “We will only accept queries via e-mail. Query letters should describe the project and the author in the body of a single, one-page e-mail that does not contain any attached files. Please paste the first three chapters of your manuscript (or about 25 pages, and feel free to round up to a chapter break) into the body of your e-mail. We generally respond to queries in one to four weeks, although occasionally it will take longer. We will not respond to e-mails with attachments or attached files.”

(What does a literary agent want to see when they Google you?)

———————

8. Sarah LaPolla (Bradford Literary)

Notes: Young adult horror only. (No adult or MG mss.)

How to submit: E-query sarah [at] bradfordlit.com. Put “Query: [title]” in your subject line. Please email a query letter along with the first chapter of your manuscript and a synopsis. Please be sure to include the genre and word count in your cover letter.

No attachments.

———————

Agent Donald Maass, who is also an author
himself, is one of the top instructors nationwide
on crafting quality fiction. His recent guide,
The Fire in Fiction, shows how to compose
a novel that will get agents/editors to keep reading.

———————

9. Jill Marr (Sandra Dijkstra Literary)

Notes: Adult stories only. No YA or MG. “I’d like to find a horror story like Joe Hill’s Heart Shaped Box, the kind of tale that pulls you in so completely, and yet you feel like you can only safely read it during the day. I’d also love to see more gritty and atmospheric stories with plenty of plot turns–think The Silent Girls by Eric Rickstad. I like weird and creepy like Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Shock me.”

How to submit: E-query jmsubmissions [at] dijkstraagency.com. “If you have not heard back from us six weeks after sending your letter, you may assume that we have passed. Please send a query letter, a 1-page synopsis, a brief bio (including a description of your publishing history), and the first 10-15 pages of your manuscript. Please send all items in the body of the email, not as an attachment.”

———————

10. Alec Shane (Writers House)

How to submit: Send the first 10 pages of your manuscript, along with your query letter, to ashane [at] writershouse.com with “Query for Alec Shane: [TITLE]” as your subject heading.

No attachments.

———————

11. Lane Heymont (The Seymour Agency)

How to submit: How to connect: Send all queries to lane [at] theseymouragency.com.

The subject line should be “QUERY: (Title)”.

Please past the first five pages in the body of the e-mail.

(Never open your novel with a dream — here’s why.)

———————

12. Evan Gregory (Ethan Ellenberg Literary)

Notes: “Alien. Abduction. Whitley Strieber and Fire in the Sky scarred me for life. Also if you can write a contemporary Lovecraftian yarn I want to hear from you (especially if you’re TheBoyInTheClock).”

How to submit: Please send submissions to agent [at] ethanellenberg.com to the attention of Evan. “For email submissions, we ask that you paste all materials into the body of the email in the order mentioned below. For example, if you were submitting fiction you would begin with a brief query letter, followed by your synopsis, followed by the first 50 pages of your manuscript. We will not open attachments.”

———————

Bonus # 13. Heather Flaherty (The Bent Agency)

Notes: “I like really good horror and ghost stories… not gory-for-gory’s sake or overly disgusting, but cringing, dark, bloody twisted, and even lovely. I’m seeking Alice Madness Returns meets Anna Dressed In Blood.”

How to submit: flahertyqueries [at] the bentagency.com. Please do not query Heather if you are also querying Beth Phelan of The Bent Agency, who is also on this list. Paste the first ten pages of your book in the body of your email.

———————

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
• Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
• Feb. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• 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)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

The post 12 Literary Agents Seeking Horror Novels NOW appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

In celebration of my three new books released this September (what an awesome fall!), I’m going to waste no time in bringing you yet another awesome & free Dear Lucky Agent Contest. All details below.

1. When Clowns Attack: A Survival Guide is an anti-clown humor book that teaches you how to defend yourself against these red-nosed bozos who plague us. It’s a perfect gift for that clown-hating friend in your life. Find it on Amazon or through Barnes & Noble or anywhere else books are sold.
2. The 2016 Guide to Literary Agents is a big database of agents — who they are, what they want, how to submit and more. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.
3. The 2016 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market has oodles of markets (agents, publishers, etc.) for writers & illustrators of children’s books — from picture books to middle grade to young adult. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.

——————

Welcome to the 20th (free!) “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest on the GLA blog. This is a FREE recurring online contest with agent judges and super-cool prizes. Here’s the deal: With every contest, the details are essentially the same, but the niche itself changes—meaning each contest is focused around a specific category or two. So if you’re writing any kind of romance or romantic new adult fiction, this 20th contest is for you! (No erotica.) The contest is live through EOD, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015.

WHY YOU SHOULD GET EXCITED

After a previous “Dear Lucky Agent” contest, the agent judge, Tamar Rydzinski (The Laura Dail Literary Agency), signed one of the three contest winners. After Tamar signed the writer, she went on to sell two of that writer’s books! How cool! That’s why these contests are not to missed if you have an eligible submission.

HOW TO SUBMIT

E-mail entries to dearluckyagent20@gmail.com. Please paste everything. No attachments.

WHAT TO SUBMIT (AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA REQUIREMENTS)

The first 150-250 words (i.e., your first double-spaced page) of your unpublished, completed book-length work of romantic new adult fiction or romance (no erotica). You must include a contact e-mail address with your entry and use your real name. Also, submit the title of the work and a logline (one-sentence description of the work) with each entry.

Please note: To be eligible to submit, you must mention this contest twice through any any social-media. Please provide a social-media link or Twitter handle or screenshot or blog post URL, etc., with your official e-mailed entry so the judge and I can verify eligibility. Some previous entrants could not be considered because they skipped this step! Simply spread the word twice through any means and give us a way to verify you did; a TinyURL for this link/contest for you to easily use is http://tinyurl.com/q2wdw2u. An easy way to notify me of your sharing is to include my Twitter handle @chucksambuchino at the end of your mention(s) if using Twitter. If we’re friends on FB, tag me in the mention. And if you are going to solely use Twitter as your 2 times, please wait 1 day between mentions to spread out the notices, rather than simply tweeting twice back to back. Thanks. (Please note that simply tweeting me does not count. You have to include the contest URL with your mention; that’s the point. And if you use Twitter, put my handle @chucksambuchino at the middle or the end, not at the very beginning of the tweet, or else the tweet will be invisible to others.)

Here is a sample TWEET you can use (feel free to tweak): New FREE contest for writers of Romance and Romantic New Adult http://tinyurl.com/q2wdw2u Judged by agent @mcorvisiero, via @chucksambuchino

WHAT IS ELIGIBLE?

Completed romance novels and completed romantic new adult (no erotica).

Please note that this is a contest for new adult fiction and romance only.

CONTEST DETAILS

1. This contest will be live through the end of Nov. 12, 2015, PST. Winners notified by e-mail within three weeks of end of contest. Winners announced at the top of this blog post thereafter.
2. To enter, submit the first 150-250 words of your book (i.e., your first double-spaced page). Shorter or longer entries will not be considered. Keep it within word count range please.
3. You can submit as many times as you wish. You can submit even if you submitted to other contests in the past, but please note that past winners cannot win again. All that said, you are urged to only submit your best work.
4. The contest is open to everyone of all ages, save those employees, officers and directors of GLA’s publisher, F+W: A Content and E-Commerce Company, Inc.
5. By e-mailing your entry, you are submitting an entry for consideration in this contest and thereby agreeing to the terms written here as well as any terms possibly added by me in the “Comments” section of this blog post. If you have questions or concerns, write me personally at chuck.sambuchino (at) fwmedia.com. The Gmail account above is for submissions, not questions.

PRIZES!!!

Top 3 winners all get: 1) A critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your work, by your agent judge. 2) A free one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com ($50 value)! 3) Their choice of any of Chuck’s 3 new books (mentioned at the top).

MEET YOUR (AWESOME) AGENT JUDGE!

Marisa A. Corvisiero is the founder of the Corvisiero Literary Agency and their Senior Literary Agent. During the few years prior to starting her own agency, Marisa worked with the L. Perkins Agency, where she learned invaluable lessons and made a name for herself in the industry. Marisa is seeking creative stories with well developed plots and rich characters with unique voices. She will consider  Contemporary Romance, Thrillers, Adventure, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, or any combination thereof, unique concepts in Fantasy, Adventure and Science Fiction for middle-grade and Picture Books with special stories to deliver a subtle non didactic message. In non-fiction, she enjoys out of the box and high concept spiritual, self-improvement, science, and business books for all ages. You can visit her on Twitter at @mcorvisiero.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CORVISIERO LITERARY’S SALES

MAKE IT COUNT
By Megan Erickson
A college sophomore is on danger of flunking out until she is assigned a sexy, nerdy math tutor, the one man on campus who turns her inside out and sees the real her — but he’s her boyfriend’s best friend.

TELL ME WHEN
By Stina Lindenblatt
About a young woman trying to keep life simple while she pull herself together after being abducted and meets someone who is anything but simple.

THE HURRICANE
By R.J. Prescott
A modern day Rocky story in London, where the fighter falls in love with a brilliant mathematician with a secret past that comes back to haunt them both.

HENDRIX
By MJ Fields and Chelsea Camaron
About the work-hard play-harder, super focused, determined, and steady voice of reason among the wild brothers, who falls for a woman in a mask during an erotic interlude at a charity event and again when fate makes their worlds collide.

TRUST THE FOCUS
By Megan Erickson
A college graduate embarks on a cross-country road trip with his best friend to spread his father’s ashes, but as the summer progresses he realizes he can no longer deny who he is, the future he wants, and his growing feelings for the man by his side.

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
• Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
• Feb. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• 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)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (NYC)

The post 20th Free “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest: Romance and Romantic New Adult Fiction appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

In celebration of my three new books released this September, I’m doing a lot of special lists of agents seeking queries right now. I’ve already done lists on picture book agents, thriller agents, fantasy agents, horror agents, and women’s fiction agents. Below find a list for 30 agents seeking diverse books for children/teens NOW.

(This post is so big I broke it up into 3 sections. This is Part I. See Part II here and then see Part III here.)

1. When Clowns Attack: A Survival Guide is an anti-clown humor book that teaches you how to defend yourself against these red-nosed bozos who plague us. It’s a perfect gift for that clown-hating friend in your life. (It almost makes a heck of a white elephant gift.) Find it on Amazon or through Barnes & Noble or anywhere else books are sold. Beware clowns.
2. The 2016 Guide to Literary Agents is a big database of agents — who they are, what they want, how to submit and more. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.
3. The 2016 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market has oodles of markets (agents, publishers, etc.) for writers & illustrators of children’s books — from picture books to middle grade to young adult. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.

——————

All the agents listed below personally confirmed to me as of October 2015 that they are actively seeking diverse kidlit submissions NOW (young adult, middle grade, picture books). Some gave personal notes about their tastes while some did not. Good luck querying!

1. Amaryah Orenstein (Go Literary)

Genres: young adult, middle grade.

How to submit: E-query only to begin: submissions [at] go-lit.com.

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2. Carrie Pestritto (Prospect Agency)

Genres: picture books, upper middle grade (contemporary), contemporary young adult, historical middle grade or young adult.

How to submit: “We request a query letter, three chapters and a brief synopsis. If you are submitting a picture book text, please submit the entire manuscript. Illustrators should provide a link to their URL. We only accept submissions through our website. Please go to our SUBMISSIONS page to upload your materials. Please do not send submissions via email or mail. Responds in 3 months if interested. Illustrators and author-illustrators should refer to the guidelines in PROSPECT PORTFOLIO regarding submissions.” (Please do not submit to Linda Camacho [also on this list] if submitting to Carrie.)

——————

3. Mark Gottlieb (Trident Media)

Genres: picture books, middle grade, young adult.

How to submit: Use the online submission form here. Make sure you direct your inquiry to Mark.

——————

Writing books/novels for kids & teens? There are hundreds of publishers, agents and other markets listed in the latest Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market. Buy it online at a discount.

——————

4. Linda Camacho (Prospect Agency)

Genres: middle grade, young adult.

How to submit: “We request a query letter, three chapters and a brief synopsis. If you are submitting a picture book text, please submit the entire manuscript. Illustrators should provide a link to their URL. We only accept submissions through our website. Please go to our SUBMISSIONS page to upload your materials. Please do not send submissions via email or mail. Responds in 3 months if interested. Illustrators and author-illustrators should refer to the guidelines in PROSPECT PORTFOLIO regarding submissions.” (Please do not submit to Carrie Pestritto [also on this list] if submitting to Linda.)

——————

5. Shannon Hassan (Marsal Lyon Literary)

Genres: middle grade, young adult.

How to submit: E-query Shannon [at] MarsalLyonLiteraryAgency.com and put “Query” in the subject line. “In all submissions, please include a contact phone number as well as your email address.”

——————

6. Laura Bradford (Bradford Literary)

Genres: young adult.

How to submit: queries [at] bradfordlit.com. Put “Query: [title]” in your subject line. Please email a query letter along with the first chapter of your manuscript and a synopsis. Please be sure to include the genre and word count in your cover letter. (If you submit to Laura, please do not submit to an of the other Bradford Lit agents on this list — Monica Odom or Sarah LaPolla.)

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7. Clelia Gore (Martin Literary Management)

Genres: picture books, middle grade, young adult.

Notes: “I seek protagonists we don’t see enough of — minorities, mixed race, heroes with disabilities, etc.”

How to submit: “Please send your queries to Clelia [at] MartinLiteraryManagement.com. In the subject line of your email, write ‘QUERY’ followed by the title of your work. In your e-mail, provide the text of your query letter, followed by a short sample of your writing pasted into the text of the e-mail (only illustration attachments will be opened). Kindly indicate if this is a multiple submission. Your query letter should include publisher submission history and previous publishing credits, if applicable. If you receive an offer of representation from another agent, please let us know immediately.”

PICTURE BOOKS: Query letter + full manuscript text pasted in email.
ILLUSTRATORS: Query letter + 2 to 3 illustration samples (attached in jpeg or pdf format), link to online portfolio, and text of picture book pasted in email, if applicable.
FICTION: Query letter + text of first ten pages pasted in email.

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In this on-demand webinar, “Writing Great Books for Young Adults,” literary agent Regina Brooks of Serendpity Literary explains you’ll learn the key elements that should be included in your query, how to make your novel’s first paragraphs entice an agent/editor to request your full manuscript, the five key elements necessary for engaging the young adult reader, and much more.

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8. Kaylee Davis (Dee Mura Literary)

Genres: middle grade, young adult.

Notes: “Seeking diversity in class, culture, gender, race, family structure, and disability.”

How to submit: Send query, synopsis, and first 25 pages to query [at] deemuraliterary.com. No attachments please.

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9. Rachel Brooks (L. Perkins Agency)

Genres: young adult.

Notes: “I am looking for YA diversity of all shapes and sizes.”

How to submit: rachel [at] lperkinsagency.com. Paste the first 5 pages of your ms after your query in the e-mail.

——————

10. Emmanuelle Morgen (Stonesong)

Genres: middle grade, young adult.

How to submit: submissions [at] stonesong.com addressed to Emmanuelle. Include the word ‘query’ in the subject line of your email to ensure we receive it and it isn’t filtered as spam. Include the first chapter or first 10 pages of your work, pasted into the body of your email, so that we may get a sense of your writing. Please note that Emmanuelle is closed to queries in December. We welcome queries from independent and self-published authors. If you have self-published your book and are interested in working with a publisher for future works, please include descriptions of published and forthcoming works, as well as information about sales and reviews. Our system is set up so that every email query receives an automatic reply confirming receipt. After that, we will be in touch only in the event we would like to request more material. This is because we receive such a volume of submissions that it is impossible for us to respond individually to every query. If you have not received a request from us within 12 weeks, consider that we have passed. If we request additional material, we will of course respond with a specific reply. Please feel free to follow up with additional news about your submission during the 12-week period.”

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See Agents 11-20 on the list here.

See Agents 21-30 on the list here.

——————

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
• Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
• Feb. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• 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)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

The post 30 Literary Agents Seeking Diverse Books NOW — Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Books appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

In celebration of my three new books released this September, I’m doing a lot of special lists of agents seeking queries right now. I’ve already done lists on picture book agents, thriller agents, fantasy agents, horror agents, and women’s fiction agents. Below find a list for 30 agents seeking diverse books for children/teens NOW.

(This post is so big I broke it up into 3 sections. This is Part II. See Part I here and then see Part III here.)

1. When Clowns Attack: A Survival Guide is an anti-clown humor book that teaches you how to defend yourself against these red-nosed bozos who plague us. It’s a perfect gift for that clown-hating friend in your life. (It almost makes a heck of a white elephant gift.) Find it on Amazon or through Barnes & Noble or anywhere else books are sold. Beware clowns.
2. The 2016 Guide to Literary Agents is a big database of agents — who they are, what they want, how to submit and more. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.
3. The 2016 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market has oodles of markets (agents, publishers, etc.) for writers & illustrators of children’s books — from picture books to middle grade to young adult. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.

——————

All the agents listed below personally confirmed to me as of October 2015 that they are actively seeking diverse kidlit submissions NOW (young adult, middle grade, picture books). Some gave personal notes about their tastes while some did not. Good luck querying!

——————

11. Andrea Somberg (Harvey Klinger, Inc.)

Genres: young adult and middle grade.

How to submit: E-query andrea [at] harveyklinger.com. Put “Query: [title]” in your subject line.

——————

12. Nicole Resciniti (The Seymour Agency)

Genres: middle grade, young adult.

How to submit: Send all queries to nicole [at] theseymouragency.com. The subject line should be “QUERY: (Title).” Please past the first five pages in the body of the e-mail.

——————

13. Carlie Webber (CK Webber Associates)

Genres: middle grade, young adult.

Notes: “I would like MG and YA books about LGBTQ and Jewish characters, and characters with learning difficulties.”

How to submit: To submit your work for consideration, please send a query letter, synopsis, and the first 30 pages or three chapters of your work, whichever is more, to carlie [at] ckwebber.com and put the word “Query” in the subject line of your email. You may include your materials either in the body of your email or as a Word or PDF attachment. Blank emails that include an attachment will be deleted unread. E-mail queries only.

——————

In her guide, WRITING PICTURE BOOKS, author Ann Whitford Paul discusses the picture books market, creating characters, point of view, plotting, tips on writing rhyme, and more—all the lessons beginning and experienced writers need in order to write great picture books that will appeal to both editors/agents and young readers/parents.

——————

14. Taylor Haggerty (Waxman Leavell Literary)

Genres: middle grade, young adult.

How to submit: taylorsubmit [at] waxmanleavell.com. “To submit a project, please send a query letter via email. Do not send attachments, though for fiction you may include 5-10 pages of your manuscript pasted in the body of your email. Due to the high volume of submissions, agents will reach out to you directly if interested. The typical time range for consideration is 6-8 weeks.”

——————

15. Katie Grimm (Don Congdon Associates)

Genres: middle grade, young adult.

Notes: “I’m looking for previously mis- or underrepresented voices.”

How to submit: E-query dca [at] doncongdon.com. Put “Query for Katie: [title]” in the subject line. No attachments. Paste your query and first chapter into the email.

——————

16. Maria Vicente (P.S. Literary)

Genres: middle grade and young adult.

How to submit: query [at] psliterary.com with “Query for Maria” in the subject line. “Do not send attachments. Always let us know if your manuscript/proposal is currently under consideration by other agents/publishers. If you don’t receive a response to your query within 4-6 weeks, it means a no from the agency.”

——————

17. Brent Taylor (Triada US)

Genres: middle grade and young adult.

Notes: “I seek diverse stories, including LGBTQ.”

How to submit: E-query brent [at] triadaus.com. Please include the first ten pages in the body of the email.

——————

Writing books/novels for kids & teens? There are hundreds of publishers, agents and other markets listed in the latest Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market. Buy it online at a discount.

——————

18. Melissa Edwards (Aaron Priest Literary)

Genres: young adult.

How to submit: queryedwards [at] aaronpriest.com. “The query letter should describe your work as well as your background. Please do not send attachments. However a first chapter pasted into the body of an e-mail query is acceptable. We will get back to you within four weeks, but only if interested.”

——————

19. Mary C. Moore (Kimberley Cameron & Associates)

Genres: Young adult sci-fi and fantasy.

Notes: “Particularly female lead fantasy. If you’re submitting urban fantasy, please no vampires, angels/demons, or werewolves.”

How to submit: Query Mary [at] kimberleycameron.com. Include “Author Submission” in the subject line. Attach a one-page synopsis and the first fifty pages of your manuscript as separate Word or PDF documents.

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20. Taylor Martindale (Full Circle Literary)

Genres: middle grade fiction and nonfiction, young adult fiction and nonfiction.

Notes: “I’m seeking diverse characters and stories written by diverse authors.”

How to submit: Contact Taylor through the agency’s online submission form. (If you are querying Stefanie Von Borstel of FCL [also on this list], do not query Taylor.)

——————

See Agents 1-10 on the list here.

See Agents 21-30 on the list here.

——————-

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
• Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
• Feb. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• 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)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

The post 30 Literary Agents Seeking Diverse Books NOW — Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Books (Part 2) appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

In celebration of my three new books released this September, I’m doing a lot of special lists of agents seeking queries right now. I’ve already done lists on picture book agents, thriller agents, fantasy agents, horror agents, and women’s fiction agents. Below find a list for 30 agents seeking diverse books for children/teens NOW.

(This post is so big I broke it up into 3 sections. This is Part III. See Part I here and then see Part II here.)

1. When Clowns Attack: A Survival Guide is an anti-clown humor book that teaches you how to defend yourself against these red-nosed bozos who plague us. It’s a perfect gift for that clown-hating friend in your life. (It almost makes a heck of a white elephant gift.) Find it on Amazon or through Barnes & Noble or anywhere else books are sold. Beware clowns.
2. The 2016 Guide to Literary Agents is a big database of agents — who they are, what they want, how to submit and more. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.
3. The 2016 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market has oodles of markets (agents, publishers, etc.) for writers & illustrators of children’s books — from picture books to middle grade to young adult. Find it in the Writer’s Digest Shop or anywhere else books are sold.

——————

All the agents listed below personally confirmed to me as of October 2015 that they are actively seeking diverse kidlit submissions NOW (young adult, middle grade, picture books). Some gave personal notes about their tastes while some did not. Good luck querying!

——————

21. Beth Campbell (BookEnds Inc.)

Genres: young adult.

How to submit: E-query bcsubmissions [at] bookendsliterary.com. No attachments. “If you haven’t received a response to a query after 8 weeks, we ask that you simply resend the query. It’s possible that it was eaten by a spam filter on either our end or yours.”

——————

22. Sara Megibow (kt literary)

Genres: young adult — all subgenres and categories.

How to submit: ”Please e-mail your query letter and the first three pages of your manuscript in the body of the email to saraquery [at] ktliterary.com. The subject line of your email should include the word ‘Query’ along with the title of your manuscript. No attachments. We aim to reply to all queries within two weeks of receipt. In addition, if you’re an author who is sending a new query, but who previously submitted a novel to us for which we requested chapters but ultimately declined, please do say so in your query letter. If we like your query, we’ll ask for the first five chapters and a complete synopsis. For our purposes, the synopsis should include the full plot of the book, including the conclusion. Don’t tease us.”

——————

23. Laura Biagi (Jean V. Naggar Literary)

Genres: picture books, middle grade, young adult.

How to submit: Follow the instructions on the agency’s Submissions page here.

——————

Writing books/novels for kids & teens? There are hundreds of publishers, agents and other markets listed in the latest Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market. Buy it online at a discount.

——————

24. Sarah LaPolla (Bradford Literary)

Genres: young adult (contemporary, science fiction, urban fantantasy, supernatural, NOT high fantasy), and middle grade (contemporary only).

How to submit: E-query sarah [at] bradfordlit.com. Put “Query: [title]” in your subject line. Please email a query letter along with the first chapter of your manuscript and a synopsis. Please be sure to include the genre and word count in your cover letter. (If you submit to Sarah, please do not submit to an of the other Bradford Lit agents on this list — Laura Bradford or Monica Odom.)

——————

25. Jessica Watterson (Sandra Dijkstra Literary)

Genres: young adult romance.

How to submit: jessica [at] dijkstraagency.com. “If you have not heard back from us six weeks after sending your letter, you may assume that we have passed. Please send a query letter, a 1-page synopsis, a brief bio (including a description of your publishing history), and the first 10-15 pages of your manuscript. Please send all items in the body of the email, not as an attachment.”

——————

26. Elana Roth (Red Tree Literary)

Genres: picture books, middle grade, young adult.

Notes: “I seek books featuring under-represented voices and backgrounds. Non-Christian points of view, especially Jewish, would be especially great.”

How to submit: elana [at] redtreeliterary [dot] com. “Include the word QUERY in the subject field. (I suggest “QUERY: Book Title” as a nice model for a subject line.) Your query letter should include a short pitch, a short plot summary, and a short bio. Please also include publisher submission history and previous publishing credits, if applicable. After your query letter, paste the FIRST 5-10 PAGES of your novel into the body of the email. Your writing sample MUST be pasted into the email. I do not open unrequested attachments of any kind. And if there are no sample pages, I am far less likely to request material. If you are an author/illustrator and have not yet realized it’s a necessity, I highly recommend creating an online portfolio, which you can link to in your query instead of attaching sample artwork to an email. (Recommendation: If you like the way this site looks, then you’ll love Squarespace.) Please do not query me on a second, or third, project until I have replied to your first query.”

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WD’s 2nd Draft Critique Service provides a high-level review of your work, pointing out reasons your work may be getting rejected, or may not meet the standards of traditional publication. It offers an evaluation of the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses, thoughts on use of language and style, a clear idea of how to revise, and much more.

——————

27. Stefanie Von Borstel (Full Circle Literary)

Genres: middle grade fiction and nonfiction, young adult fiction and nonfiction.

How to submit: Contact Stefanie through the agency’s online submission form. (If you are querying Taylor Martindale of FCL [also on this list], do not query Stefanie.)

——————

28. Melissa Jeglinski (The Knight Agency)

Genres: young adult and middle grade.

Notes: “Diversity for me means characters with diverse religious, racial or sexual orientation backgrounds.”

How to submit: Submissions(at)KnightAgency(dot)net. “Your submission should include a one page query letter and the first five pages of your manuscript. Attachments will not be opened. Queries must be addressed to Melissa. The response time for queries is two to three weeks from the time of receipt. If you do not hear back after three weeks, it’s possible that our email security filter has blocked your email, so please send us a brief note following up on your initial query.”

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29. Alison Devereux (Wolf Literary)

Genres: picture books.

How to submit: Send a query letter addressed to Allison along with a 50-page writing sample (for fiction) or a detailed proposal (for nonfiction) to queries [at] wolflit.com. Samples may be submitted as an attachment or embedded in the body of the email. More information can be found on the agency submission page.

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30. Monica Odom (Bradford Literary)

Genres: picture books, middle grade, young adult.

Notes: “Genuine depictions of diversity, please.”

How to submit: E-query monica [at] bradfordlit.com. Put “Query: [title]” in your subject line. Please email a query letter along with the first chapter of your manuscript and a synopsis. Please be sure to include the genre and word count in your cover letter.” (If you submit to Monica, please do not submit to an of the other Bradford Lit agents on this list — Laura Bradford or Sarah LaPolla.)

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See Agents 1-10 on the list here.

See Agents 11-20 on the list here.

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Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
• Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
• Feb. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• 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)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

The post 30 Literary Agents Seeking Diverse Books NOW — Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Books (Part 3) appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

This is an interview with Elise Capron of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. A graduate of Emerson College, Elise holds a BFA in writing, literature and publishing. She has been with the Dijkstra Agency since late 2003.

She is looking for adult literary fiction, multicultural fiction, debut novels, story collections, and, on the non-fiction side, trade-friendly cultural and/or environmental history.

How did you become an agent?

I had always been interested in publishing and writing, and did several internships during my college years (including at the Dijkstra Agency). I was particularly interested in the agenting side of things because I enjoyed working with a small team and being able to do a lot of creative work directly with writers. I was lucky enough to get a position at SDLA right as I was graduating college, and have been here ever since!

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

I’m particularly fond of one of my non-fiction books that has just published: Meera Subramanian’s A River Runs Again: India’s Natural World in Crisis, from the Barren Cliffs of Rajasthan to the Farmlands of Karnataka, published by PublicAffairs. Meera is a brilliant journalist, and brings her story-telling and investigative talents together with fascinating environmental science and personal stories in this gorgeous and important book.

One of your recent sales, Tiphanie Yanique’s Land of Love and Drowning, received a lot of positive buzz in 2014. What’s that like to see a project of your client’s be met with such positive reviews?

It’s thrilling! The best thing one can hope for is to see your client’s book get the attention it deserves, and, then, to continue to build on that success over a long, rewarding career.

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

Really compelling, fresh ideas. I latch onto a proposal or manuscript immediately when I feel like the writer is doing something truly new.

Literary fiction is one of your specialties. What makes a work literary to you and what are some recent titles in the genre that you love and wish you could have represented?

“Literary” fiction generally means that the narrative arc is driven more by character than plot. There is plenty of crossover out there, of course!

Some recent literary novels I’ve enjoyed (but didn’t represent) include The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters; Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese; The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty (published in 2012); Threats by Amelia Gray; and Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. I’ve also been revisiting some literary classics lately, such as Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair, which is such a brilliant and moving novel.

What makes a manuscript stand out on a first read?

A distinctive and confident narrative voice. I want to feel myself sink into that voice and the novel’s world in the first five pages.

What misconceptions do you think people have about agents?

That we spend our office time reading! Most agents only get to read manuscripts on their evenings and weekends. During the work days, we’re busy taking care of all the other business that goes into managing our authors’ careers.

What’s something about you that writers would be surprised to hear?

I am often asked whether I still enjoy personal reading when I read so many manuscripts. Of course I do! After editing manuscripts on a Saturday, there’s little I enjoy more than immediately picking up a published novel and diving into that world. Working on a manuscript and reading a finished book are very different experiences, and take different kinds of thinking. And by keeping up with enjoyable personal reading, I can also stay in tune with what’s working in the commercial market.

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

My next conference will be Words & Music in New Orleans, taking place over Halloween weekend this year! After that, I’ll be at my home town’s conference, the SDSU Writers Conference held in San Diego in January.

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

Spend time educating yourself on where you fit in in the publishing world: Define your genre, your audience, your identity as a writer. The more confidence you can convey on this front, the better.

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.

Are you a subscriber to Writer’s Digest magazine
yet? If not, get a discounted one-year sub here.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• How a Critique and Accountability Partner Can Help Your Writing Career.
• Agent Spotlight: Rachael Dillon Fried/Greenburger Associates.
• Writing Across Gender: How I Learned to Write From a Female POV.
• Character Development: Finding a Friend for Life. 
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.

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.

The post Literary Agent Advice: Elise Capron of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency appeared first on WritersDigest.com.