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

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

Column by Camille Griep, author of LETTERS TO ZELL (July 2015, 47 North). 
Camille lives and writes north of Seattle, Washington. Her short fiction, poetry,
and creative nonfiction have been featured in a number of online and print venues.
She is the Editor of Easy Street also serves as a senior editor at The Lascaux Review.
Her second novel, NEW CHARITY BLUES, will be released in Spring 2016. Follow her
on Twitter. 

The beginning of the quest
Once upon a time, a long time ago in 2013, it was a sticky summer weekend in Portland, Oregon where I was attending and volunteering for a small, local conference. The workshop group I was assigned to was to be led by agent Cameron McClure of the Donald Maas Literary Agency. Already thrilled at the possibility of glimpsing just what agent might be looking for within the array of manuscript samples in my group, I was even more excited when I was tasked with picking Cameron up from the airport.

The conference hotel was no more than a mile away from PDX and I climbed into my red car and took it through the carwash, banishing the evidence of my serious Junior Mint addiction. I made an airport sign like the limo folks, put on my conference t-shirt, and strode into baggage claim with a cold bottle of water to retrieve her from her long haul from New York.

My mind raced. She was bound to be very hip, being from New York. Perhaps I shouldn’t have worn a t-shirt. What if I couldn’t find her? What if she didn’t even like water? Or red cars?

My fears were for naught. When I found Cameron, which was easy—as she is in possession of quite possibly the coolest hair in the universe—she was gracious and kind. Having already read the samples for our workshop group on the plane, she immediately asked about my own manuscript and my ideas. While locating her bag and extricating ourselves from the parking garage, I tried to explain my book as elegantly and as non-panderingly as I could while navigating the unfamiliar streets surrounding the airport.

I almost got us back to the hotel.

The access road to the hotel had one exit, which I mastered easily, but the hotel  driveway itself was a strange left hand turn which I missed, looped around, then missed again, causing us to drive the PDX access road not once but twice. On the plus side, it gave me plenty of time to talk about my manuscript. On the other hand, I was sure she thought she’d been stuck with the biggest idiot at the conference. I felt pretty lucky that she’d already asked to see my manuscript once it was completed.

Meeting my Agent in Shining Armor
Throughout the rest of the weekend, I paid attention to what Cameron had to say about everything. I tried to listen to the comments she made on the other manuscript samples in our group, hoping to avoid pitfalls as I completed my own. It turned out she had interesting feelings on when to break the rules. We even had similar tastes in popular literature, eschewing some of the same big names and loving some of the same smaller ones.

Someone once told me the relationship with an agent is almost a work-marriage of sorts. By the time the weekend was finished, I knew I would be broken-hearted if I didn’t eventually win Cameron’s favor. I asked her a few more questions about my manuscript and how to proceed. She gave me an important piece of advice: Take all the time you need to get it to me, just make sure it’s right.

I took five months to do just that. I wrote for three more months, collected beta feedback, and edited for another month, finishing just before the end of the year. I sent the manuscript off and started to counsel myself on a backup plan, just in case. I researched other agents, so that—as with short story submissions—I could send the manuscript right back out in case of rejection.

Happily Ever After
Luckily, Cameron asked me to take the next step. We did an intense round of edits, in part to make the book stronger, but also in part to test how we would work together as a team. When those edits were complete, she offered me representation for LETTERS TO ZELL and I happily accepted.

These days Cameron is my champion and my first reader. She challenges me when I take the easy way out, she redirects me when I go wandering toward writing that is not my own. She is supportive and tough, demanding excellence and helping to bring out the best in my writing as well as my novels as whole narratives.

I’m thrilled to have Cameron as my teammate and support, even if she has a little fun at my expense from time to time. When we interviewed with the publisher I’d eventually sign with, we had an affable discussion with the acquiring editor. “She’s great to work with,” Cameron said. “Just don’t send her on a book tour without giving her a map.”

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

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:

• Agent Spotlight: Siobhan McBride (Serendipity Literary Agency) seeks Literary Fiction, Horror, Mystery/Crime, YA and Nonfiction.
• Successful Queries: Literary Agent Katie Shea Boutillier and “The Art of Falling.”
• 5 Mistakes Writers Make (And How To Avoid Them).
• Agent Spotlight: Catherine Luttinger (Darhansoff & Verrill) seeks Science Fiction and Fantasy.
• 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 How I Got My Agent: Camille Griep appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Kara: Kara Leigh Miller is a new agent at Corvisiero Literary. Find her on Twitter, and see her official website here. She began her venture into the publishing world as a wet behind the ears author back in 2010. She started as an intern for a small press and worked her way up to Senior Editor within months. From there, she moved on to become the Editorial Direct at Anaiah Press, LLC. Now, as a well versed author and editor, she’s excited to switch sides to become an agent.

(Querying? Read advice on how to find the most target agents to query.)

She is seeking:

— romance for adults or teens or new adult (contemporaries and romantic suspense are her forte, but she’s willing to consider just about anything as long as it’s well written [except things comparable to 50 Shades of Grey], including paranormal and urban fantasy
— mystery (teens and adults)
— thrillers (teens and adults)
— horror (teens and adults)
— inspirational fiction (open to all forms of inspirational fiction, not just those that are focused around the Christian faith, for teens and adults).

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 not interested in: Picture books, Children’s books, Middle Grade, Comic books / Graphic Novels, Non-fiction, Memoirs, Biographies, Creative non-fiction, Devotionals, Historical fiction, Adult Fantasy or Science Fiction that can be classified as epic. (i.e. Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, etc.), Short Story Collections / Anthologies / Poetry, Scripts / Screenplays.

How to submit: E-mail your query letter, 1-2 page synopsis, and the first chapter of your manuscript pasted into the body of the email to Query@Corvisieroagency.com. In the subject line, please include: “Query for Kara – Category/Genre – Book Title” {Ex: Query for Kara – Adult Romance – LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT}. Kara will respond to all queries within 8 to 12 weeks. (Please note: Partials and fulls will generally take longer.) If you have not heard from her by the 3 month mark, please email to check on the status of your submission.

(What if an agent requests an exclusive submission?)

———

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)

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: Kara Leigh Miller of Corvisiero Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Jaida: Jaida Temperly of New Leaf Literary & Media is very excited to be building her client list. Current clients include Kody Keplinger, Kirsten Hubbard, Eric Telchin, Amber McRee Turner, and Maggie Heinze. She also represents illustrators Betsy Bauer, James Lipnickas, and Genevieve Santos. After a brief stint in medical school at UW-Madison, Jaida moved from Wisconsin to NYC for an internship at Writer’s House. After five months, Jaida joined New Leaf Literary & Media, assisting Joanna Volpe for the past three years before starting to build her own list of clients.

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

Jaida is seeking: Jaida is open to all middle grade and young adult titles, although she has a particular love for quirky, dark stories (The Mysterious Benedict Society, Coraline, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library). For Adult Fiction, she loves those with strong mystery, high fantasy, or religious undertones (The Westing Game, A Discovery of Witches, A Game of Thrones, The Da Vinci Code). She’s also open to picture books by author-illustrators with completed dummies.

How to submit: Submission guidelines 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)

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 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.

The post New Literary Agent Alert: Jaida Temperly of New Leaf Literary & Media appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Tara: Tara Carberry has nurtured a lifelong passion for books of all kinds. In her career as a literary agent, she is thrilled to be spending her days seeking out exceptional authors and helping them to achieve the highest degree of creative and financial success in today’s dynamic publishing marketplace.

(How NOT to start your story. Read advice from agents.)

Tara completed her undergraduate degree at Bucknell University and went on to earn a Masters degree in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University. She subsequently held editorial positions at both Weinstein Books and W.W. Norton before coming to Trident to work for Kimberly Whalen and Erica Spellman Silverman.

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

At Trident, Tara has worked closely with top agents, editors and many New York Times and internationally bestselling authors to fine tune her skills and interests. Using this experience and working diligently with Trident’s excellent foreign rights, audio rights, and digital services teams, she is poised to help authors form a comprehensive strategy to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the landscape and thrive in their careers. Above all, Tara believes steadfastly in each of her client’s talent and enjoys the work of sharing this talent with readers around the world.

She is seeking: Tara is building a client list of authors at all stages of their careers. She is primarily seeking women’s commercial fiction, romance, new adult, young adult, and select nonfiction.

How to submit: Use Trident’s online submissions form here.

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

———

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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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 New Literary Agent Alert: Tara Carberry of Trident Media Group appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Rachel: Rachel Burkot of Holloway Literary has been in the publishing industry since 2009. After completing an internship with two literary agencies, reading mostly young adult and thrillers, she then worked as an editor for Harlequin, acquiring category romance, contemporary romance, multicultural romance and women’s fiction. She has decided to transition her skills to the agenting world in order to be an advocate and champion for her authors because she loves finding new talent and helping authors’ dreams of publication come true. Rachel’s career highlights include helping her authors achieve prestigious romance book nominations and two selective awards, including the National Readers Choice Award, and several top reviews in Romantic Times magazine for her books. Follow Rachel on Twitter at @Rachel_Burkot.

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

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

She is seeking: Rachel is drawn to voice-driven fiction, particularly in young adult; quirky, three-dimensional, flawed characters, including and especially secondary characters; beautiful writing; books that explore good people in morally complicated situations; and complex, detailed plots. Rachel is interested in representing:

• Women’s fiction
• Upmarket/book club fiction, i.e., Emily Giffin, Liane Moriarty and Diane Chamberlain
• Young adult (no fantasy or paranormal unless it’s very light)
• Contemporary romance, i.e., Kristan Higgins
• Category romance with unique, memorable plots, i.e., Natalie Charles
• Southern fiction
• “Dark” women’s fiction/thrillers, i.e., Gillian Flynn or Mary Kubica
• Urban fiction
• Literary fiction

How to submit: Send your one-page query to submissions [at] hollowayliteraryagency.com. Email a brief query and the first five pages of your manuscript pasted in the body of your email. In the email subject header, write “Query: [Title/Genre].” If Rachel is interested, she’ll respond with a request for more material. If she’s not interested in your query but thinks it will be a good fit for others at the agency, she’ll share your submission. Due to the number of emails the agency receives, Rachel will only respond if she’s interested.

————–

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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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 New Literary Agent Alert: Rachel Burkot of Holloway Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

This is an interview with Pete Knapp, formerly an agent at The Park Literary Group, is now an agent at New Leaf Literary & Media. Knapp began his career as a story editor at Floren Shieh Productions, consulting on book-to-film adaptations for Los Angeles-based movie and TV entities. His clients include Melanie Conklin (COUNTING THYME, Putnam/Penguin), Soman Chainani (author of the New York Times bestselling THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL series), Lucy Keating (DREAMOLOGY, HarperTeen), Brenda Drake (THIEF OF LIES, Entangled Teen), Anna Michels (26 KISSES, Simon Pulse) and Will Walton (ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN, Scholastic). He graduated from NYU summa cum laude and lives in Brooklyn. You can find him online and on Twitter,@petejknapp.

He is looking for middle-grade and young adult fiction and high-concept adult fiction. For middle-grade, he prefers high-action, epic adventures, and spooky and irreverent fiction. For young adult, he likes stories that are character-driven, magical realism, epic fantasy, or stories that are highly realistic. For adult fiction, he is looking for high-concept, voice-driven stories.

How—and why—did you become an agent? (maybe the why should come first!)

My first job out of college was at a scouting agency that consulted on book-to-film adaptations for Los Angeles-based film companies, and a huge part of that job was talking to agents and editors to see what manuscripts they were selling and buying. Almost immediately, I gravitated toward the job of an agent: agents hunt for exciting new voices, work closely with authors to develop material, and then have the fun of pitching and selling the books they love. They get to work closely with publishers, but they largely have a great deal of autonomy: while we can’t control what the market is buying, we do ultimately get to decide what we want to take on, and that ability to act on a creative instinct definitely appeals to me. Plus, I love the business side of it, particularly the big picture stuff: long term career strategy, author branding, web strategies and the like. Agents get to work across so many different disciplines, so it really never gets boring!

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

Can you tell us a more about something that’s recently sold for one of your clients?

Most recently I’ve sold a YA fantasy series and a YA historical mystery with a magical twist…but neither are announced yet, so that’s all I can say for now.

My clients have a few books coming out in the first half of 2016. In January, Brenda Drake’s THIEF OF LIES, the first in a fun new YA romantic fantasy series, publishes. Melanie Conklin’s debut  COUNTING THYME and Lucy Keating’s debut DREAMOLOGY both publish on April 12th. Melanie’s book is a beautiful, voice-driven middle grade contemporary about a girl whose younger brother has cancer. Lucy’s debut is about a teen girl who has fallen in love with a boy she only sees in her dreams—until one day she starts at a new school and finds the boy of her literal dreams sitting in her classroom. After that, Anna Michels’ debut 26 KISSES comes out in May—this is a really fun, smart summer romance about a girl who tries to get over recent heartbreak by kissing her way through the alphabet; it’s great.

Join the Writer’s Digest VIP Program today!
You’ll get a subscription to the magazine, a
subscription to WritersMarket.com, discounts
on almost everything you buy, a download,
and much more great stuff.

You recently moved agencies—what it’s like now to be on the New Leaf team?

The New Leaf team is fantastic—and truly a team. Though there are now fifteen of us, we all work extremely closely with one another, constantly comparing notes on industry trends and changes, discussing marketing plans for each other’s clients, talking about web strategy and branding initiatives, and so much more. It’s truly a collaborative environment, and I think this is a huge part of the success the agency has had since opening.

When agents discuss career moves with their clients, what do they want/need them to know? 

Each situation will be different, depending on the agreement between both the author and the original agency and between the agent and the original agency. One of the important things I communicated to my clients, all of whom I’m still working with at New Leaf, is that I hoped and planned to continue working with them at my new position, and that the new agency is excited to bring them on board. There is, understandably, nervousness around the transition, and so a huge part for me was just walking each client through the transition, what they could expect in terms of formally moving over to New Leaf, and what to expect once they landed. I was sure to be available at all odd hours to answer any questions or otherwise make myself available to the clients. And then, of course, I communicated why I was making the change and how I felt it might benefit my clients given their particular needs.

(Querying? Read advice on how to find the most target agents to query.)

What kind of work are you interested in taking on right now? Are you open for submissions?

Yes—I am open for submissions. At New Leaf, am continuing to look for exciting new voices in middle grade and young adult, across all genres. I am looking for cool ideas, big worlds, and voices that standout—things that feel new, unexpected, or unfamiliar. I want stories that feel specific to the author–that express an author’s unique viewpoint and sensibility. On the adult side, I’m looking for smart, high-concept manuscripts: character-driven stories with cool premises and cinematic plotting. You can learn how to query me here. And you can find more about my wish list here.

Are you attending an upcoming writers’ conferences this fall where writers can meet/pitch you?

I will be at SCBWI Austin in May 2016!

And finally, any last piece of advice for writes seeking an agent?

While you are waiting to hear from agents, start working on the next project. Some authors sign with an agent for the first book they send out, others won’t sign with an agent until the second, third, fourth, or more. When in your journey you sign with an agent has no bearing on how successful the book will be—but if you get stuck on one book, you can lose your forward momentum. It doesn’t mean you have to give up on that book, but sometimes it is best to get some distance and then come back to it later. In this business, there is so much you can’t control, but what you do control is your output, so keep working on your craft, and keep writing new stories.

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.

 —————-

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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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 Interview: Peter Knapp of New Leaf Literary & Media 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 James Tate Hill, author of ACADEMY GOTHIC) 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.

Column by James Tate Hill, author of debut novel, ACADEMY GOTHIC
(Oct. 2015, Southeast Missouri State University Press), won the 2014
Nilsen Prize for a First Novel for his debut novel. . His fiction has appeared
in Story Quarterly, Sonora Review, The Texas Review, The South Carolina
Review, and he serves as Fiction and Book Reviews Editor for Monkeybicycle.
Find out more at www.jamestatehill.com or follow him on Twitter.

1. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. No matter how fast you write, in the age-old showdown of the tortoise versus the hare, we are all tortoises in the race to be published. Also, there is no finish line, only a series of checkpoints. The writers I know do it because they have to, not because they’re trying to get somewhere. When I realized I’d be writing for the rest of my life, I finally stopped asking “Are we there yet?” and “How much longer?”

(Literary terms defined — the uncommon and common.)

2. Read what you love. I spent too many years trying to love what I read rather than the other way around. My own writing started to improve when I realized I could read for pleasure and read to learn at the same time. This isn’t to say I haven’t stretched my taste along the way. I regularly pick up books of different styles and genres, but I decided a while back that life was too short to finish books that don’t bring me some form of joy. Ultimately, you’re trying to write a book you yourself would love to read, and you want the shiver you get when you open whatever you’re reading to be the same shiver you get when you open that Word file.

3. Your early readers are probably right. Assuming your early readers are thoughtful people whose taste you admire, it’s more likely than not that what they say has merit, both good and the bad. If the people reading your early drafts aren’t people whose opinions about fiction you value, there’s not a lot to be taken from anything they say. When I was younger, my default reaction was to question criticism before gradually acknowledging its value. Years later, I’m instinctively skeptical of the “Atta boys” and “way to gos” when they aren’t accompanied by constructive criticism.

4. Join a writing community. This doesn’t necessarily mean get an MFA or move to New York. To borrow a line from Thomas Friedman, the writing world is flat. The community of writers online is as real and vital as any big-city coffee shop or academic setting. Opportunities exist for writers at every level to put ourselves out there. Over the years, I’ve reviewed books for Bookslut, interviewed writers I admire, read slush for Electric Literature, as well as a literary agency. For the past year or so, I’ve served as Fiction and Reviews Editor for the literary journal Monkeybicycle. Not one of these has been a paying gig, but each has been rewarding in so many ways beyond monetary compensation.

5. Social media isn’t a numbers game. People on Twitter and Facebook are actual humans, not coins to be gobbled up to increase one’s score in a video game. If you’re not making friends, are you really networking? Reach out to writers you admire, tell them you love their work. Since becoming active on Twitter, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know so many fellow writers, genuine people with a genuine love of stories and words, friends who have become sources for advice and reading recommendations; a few have become valued readers of my own work in progress. Having other writers in your corner makes the necessary solitude of writing itself so much more bearable.

(Definitions of unusual literary terms & jargon you need to know.)

6. Your first book probably won’t sell.  See also: perseverance. See also: rejection + time = gratitude that whatever got rejected never saw the light of day. My first, and to this day only, agent was an incredibly kind, old school gentleman whose client list included names most English majors would recognize. In our first phone conversation, when he called me “old chap,” a warm hand seemed to welcome me to the secret society of published novelists. I was lucky to have had such an esteemed advocate for that first book, a horribly underdeveloped romantic comedy partly set in the wacky world of professional wrestling, because when it didn’t sell I knew it wasn’t him but me. Taste is subjective. Perhaps the only objective truth in publishing is that the writers who do get published are the ones who never stop writing.

7. It’s worth it. The past year leading to the publication of my first novel has been a series of reminders that yes, it’s really happening, but nothing prepares you for the all-over tingle of opening the box containing copies of your first book. Sometimes the heart of a writer seems to have an entire chamber set aside for self-doubt, and why wouldn’t it? Writing is a never-ending series of decisions, and separating the right from the wrong—also known as editing—can be an exhausting affair. But when you reach the checkpoint of publication, especially that elusive book, it’s worth it to watch the fog of self-doubt disappear, if only until the next time you turn on the computer.

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:

• Agent Spotlight: Paul Lamb (Howard Morhaim Literary Agency) seeks Nonfiction, Crime, Mystery and Literary Fiction.
• 5 Essential Tips For Writing Killer Fight Scenes.
• Begin Your Pages With Conflict.
• How I Found My Literary Agent: Cassandra Dunn (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 James Tate Hill appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Alexa: Raised in New York City, Alexa Stark earned her B.A. in Comparative Literature and Society at Columbia University, where she was an Editor of the Columbia Journal of Literary Criticism. Before coming to Trident, she interned at PEN American Center and worked at Curtis Brown as a literary assistant. Alexa joined Trident in 2012 to work with Ellen Levine, and she has gained invaluable experience working with Ellen’s illustrious and bestselling authors. She also handles first serial rights for Ellen’s authors, and has sold stories, essays, and book excerpts to The New Yorker, Harper’s, Paris Review, The Atlantic, Tin House, N+1, and The New York Times, among others. Alexa continues to work closely with Ellen Levine while building her client list.

(How many literary agents should a writer send their work to?)

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: Alexa’s interests are wide-ranging, but she is particularly drawn to literary fiction, upmarket commercial fiction, young adult, memoir, narrative nonfiction, popular science, cultural criticism and women’s issues.

How to submit: Use the agency’s online contact submissions form, and choose Alexa from the dropdown menu.

(What types of novel beginnings get an agent or editor to keep reading?)

———–

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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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: Alexa Stark of Trident Media Group appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

When your submission materials arrive in an agent’s inbox, they land among hundreds of others. At that point, one of two things will happen. Either the agent will like the submission and request more materials, or they will reply with a rejection. Authors who get rejected tend to fall in one of two categories when submitting materials: they try too hard, or not enough. This Writer’s Digest Boot Camp, which starts on January 25, 2016, is designed to help you streamline your submission materials to stand out in a good way.

Attendees will learn how to write a dynamite query letter, tackle a one-page synopsis. The instructing literary agents of Kimberley Cameron & Associates will also explain the importance of author platform in addition to basic etiquette in dealing with an agent and manuscript basics. Lastly, all attendees will have an opportunity to interact one-on-one with an agent and submit the first ten double-spaced pages of their manuscript and a query letter for valuable feedback provided by successful literary agents. Note that there are limited seats for the event, and WD boot camps frequently sell out, so sign up sooner rather than later.

Here’s how it works:

On Jan. 25, 2016, you will gain access to a special 60-minute online tutorial presented by literary agents Kimberley Cameron and Elizabeth Kracht. This tutorial will provide nuts & bolts advice on how to help you streamline your submission materials.

After listening to the presentation, attendees will spend the next two days revising materials as necessary. Following the tutorial, writers will have two days in which to log onto the blackboard and ask your assigned agent critiquer questions related to revising your materials. The agents will be available on the Blackboard discussion boards from 1-3 p.m. (PT) on both Tuesday, Jan 26 and Wednesday, Jan 27, 2016. By end of day (11:59 p.m., PT) on Thursday, Jan 28, 2016, attendees will submit up to 10 double-spaced pages for review to their assigned agents. These pages can include any combination of double-spaced query, synopsis, book proposal, or pages of their manuscript.

The agents will spend up to Feb 19, 2016 reviewing all assigned pages, provide relevant feedback and offer suggestions to help attendees improve upon them. The agents reserve the right to request more materials if they feel a strong connection to the work and want to read more.

(Sign up for the January 25 boot camp here.)

The agents at Kimberley Cameron & Associates are allowing all attendees to individually choose exactly what they want to receive instructor feedback on. You are able to submit the first ten pages (double spaced) of your manuscript and a query letter for review by the agents.

If there are questions about how to submit work for critique, please ask them during the boot camp’s multiple Blackboard Q&A sessions, and either an agent or WD staffer can help you with an answer. Please note that agents cannot edit materials a second time, so please do not send your revisions back to them for a second review, unless they have specifically requested more work from you in an effort to consider your book for representation.

Only registered students can access the discussion boards. You’ll also be able to ask questions of your fellow students. Feel free to share your work and gain support from your peers.

Please note that any one of the agents may ask for additional pages if the initial submission shows serious promise.

Please also note that all attendees should have ten double-spaced pages of the beginning of their manuscripts finished and ready to submit to the agent prior to the beginning of the event. If you are submitting fiction, please send in a one-page query letter and the first ten pages of your manuscript (double spaced). If you are submitting non-fiction, please send in a one-page query letter and ten pages (double spaced) of the same chapter text. If attendees have a preferred agent they want to work with, please notify the assigning WD editor. Though not guaranteed, we will try to link attendees with a preferred agent if they have one. Also, please note that no Additional discounts are available. All sales are final.

About the Agents:

ELIZABETH KRACHT

Elizabeth Kracht represents both literary and commercial fiction as well as nonfiction, and brings to the agency experience as a former acquisitions editor, freelance publicist and writer.

Elizabeth’s career in publishing took root in Puerto Rico where she completed her BA in English and worked as a copyeditor for an English-language newspaper. When she returned to the mainland she found her “vein of gold” in book publishing. She thrives on working closely with authors and researching the potential market for new books.

Elizabeth’s eclectic life experience drives her interests. She appreciates writing that has depth, an introspective voice or that offers wisdom for contemporary living. Having lived in cities such as New York, San Francisco and San Juan, Puerto Rico, she is compelled by urban and multicultural themes and loves settings that are characters unto themselves.

In fiction, she represents literary, commercial, women’s, thrillers, mysteries, and YA with crossover appeal. She is intrigued by untrustworthy narrators, tragic tales of class and circumstance, and identifies with flawed yet sterling characters. In nonfiction, she particularly loves memoir and other narrative nonfiction projects that contribute to the well-being of the self or others in addition to niche projects that fill holes in the market, offer a fresh approach, or make her laugh. She also has a soft spot for nonfiction heroic pet stories.

NO: Fantasy, Science Fiction

YES: Women’s, Historical, Mysteries, Thrillers, Nonfiction (all types)

MARY C. MOORE

Mary started her career in publishing as a writer. She graduated from Mills College with an MFA in Creative Writing. After freelancing for two years as an editor and writer in non-literary sectors, she began an internship with Kimberley Cameron & Associates with the desire to learn more about the literary business for her own writing. During the internship she discovered a passion for helping others develop their manuscripts. Now she balances three jobs: writer, editor, and agent, and finds that the experience in each helps and supports the other. She is looking for unusual fantasy, grounded science-fiction, and atypical romance. Strong female characters and unique cultures especially catch her eye. Although she will not consider most non-fiction, stories about traditional dance or pagan culture may interest her. Above all, she is looking for writing that sweeps her away.

NO: Nonfiction

YES: Fantasy! Science Fiction, Mysteries, Thrillers, Historical, Women’s

DOUGLAS LEE

Douglas came to Kimberley Cameron as a writer in 2014 with the purpose of learning what hid behind the curtain of publishing. While completing his MFA, he found that he loved the work both behind and ahead of the typewriter. At this time, his sole focus is representing science fiction and fantasy that stimulates the imagination.

As an agent he is looking for SFF manuscripts that utilize the craft elements of literary fiction and the best parts of imaginative genre. He is seeking novels with writing just as enticing as the story. Subtle and deft world-building techniques capture his attention; as do characters with raw magnetism and confused moral compasses.

Douglas welcomes all SFF sub-genres. He has a soft spot for Cyberpunk, Weird Fiction in the flavor of China Mieville, Steampunk and noir influenced voices. He seeks writers who write against genre and bend preconceptions. LGBTQ based manuscripts are welcome, as are unconventional SFF protagonists with marginalized voices in their world.

NO: YA

YES: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Speculative, Horror and Literary Fiction

LISA ABELLARA

Lisa Abellera joined Kimberley Cameron and Associates in 2013 with a background in management, marketing, and finance. She has studied creative writing, design and business, earning her B.A. in Strategic Management from Dominican University of CA and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from University of San Francisco.

She is actively building her client list with both debut and established authors. She is looking to form long-term, collaborative relationships with writers who are committed to putting forth their best work.

YES: Upmarket Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Speculative or Medical Science Thrillers, Science Fiction, Fantasy, NA, YA and Middle Grade.

Sign up for the Jan 25 boot camp here.

The post “How to Craft Query Letters, Opening Pages, Synopses, and Nonfiction That Get Noticed” — Jan 25 Agent One-on-One Boot Camp with Kimberley Cameron Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Mitch: Mitch Hoffman joined the Aaron Priest Literary Agency as a Senior Agent in 2015. A 20-year veteran of the publishing industry, he was most recently Vice-President, Executive Editor at Grand Central Publishing. As an editor, Mitch published over 200 books, more than 60 of which were New York Times bestsellers. He has nurtured the careers of debut novelists as well as global #1 bestselling authors, and has worked with journalists, memoirists, scientists, historians, and members of the military and intelligence services. His list of authors included David Baldacci, Sara Blaedel, Harlan Coben, Jeffery Deaver, Roger Ebert, Senator Al Franken, Linda Grant, Dr. David Grinspoon, Raymond Khoury, John Lescroart, Brad Meltzer, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Tom Rob Smith, Daniel Stashower, and Don Winslow. Their books have won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Orange Prize for Fiction, the Edgar Award, the Anthony Award, ITW’s Thriller Award, The Barnes & Noble Discover Award, and have been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, among many other honors.

(When will an agent want to be the ONLY one reading your work?)

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

He is seeking: Mitch is actively building a client list of authors writing across the spectrum of fiction and nonfiction, including thrillers, suspense, crime fiction, and literary fiction, as well as narrative nonfiction, politics, popular science, history, memoir, current events, and pop culture.

(Once you sign with a literary agent, can you get out of the deal?)

How to submit: “Please submit a one page query to queryhoffman [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. Please do not submit to more than one agent at this agency. Due to the tremendous number of queries we receive, we are not able to respond to everyone. We will get back to you within four weeks, but only if interested.”

—————-

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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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 New Literary Agent Alert: Mitch Hoffman of Aaron Priest Literary Agency appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

This is not a typical New Agent Alert, because Eric Myers of Dystel & Goderich is not new. However, he did just join D&G from The Speiler Agency, so now that he’s found a new agency home, give him a look and see if you should query him.)

About Eric: Eric Myers joined Dystel and Goderich Literary Management in 2015 after thirteen years at The Spieler Agency. A graduate of UCLA and the Sorbonne, Eric entered publishing as a journalist and author. His books include Screen Deco: A Celebration of High Style in Hollywood, Forties Screen Style: A Celebration of High Pastiche in Hollywood, and Uncle Mame: The Life of Patrick Dennis, all published by St. Martin’s Press. His writing has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine and Arts and Leisure sections, as well as Time Out, Variety, Opera News, and Art and Auction.

(What if an agent requests an exclusive submission?)

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

He is seeking: As an agent, Eric has a strong affinity for young adult and middle grade fiction, as well as adult nonfiction, especially in the areas of history, biography, psychology, health and wellness, mind/body/spirit, and pop culture. He also loves a good thriller, and is open to memoir from authors with strong platforms.

(4 ways besides query letters you can contact literary agents.)

How to submit: E-query emyers [at] dystel.com. “We prefer email queries, as most do nowadays, so please make sure your cover letter is in the body of the email. Synopses, outlines or sample chapters (say, one chapter or the first 25 pages of your manuscript) should either be included below the cover letter or attached as a separate document. We won’t open attachments if they come with a blank email, by the way. Please do double space your samples for reading that’s easy on the eyes! We will respond to most query letters within a six to eight week period. If you don’t hear from us within that time frame, chances are we did not receive yours. Feel free to resend it.”

————

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• 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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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 Spotlight: Eric Myers of Dystel & Goderich appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Leigh: Leigh Eisenman joined HSG Agency in the fall of 2015. She graduated from Dartmouth College and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. After ten years of practicing law in the New York offices of several international firms, she decided to follow her dream of becoming part of the New York City literary landscape. She worked for a year at Folio Literary Management prior to moving to HSG. Leigh now combines her legal background with her love of books as a junior agent with HSG, actively building her own client list, and as an associate with the Salky Law Firm, providing legal counsel to authors and publishing professionals.

(Ever want to adapt your novel/memoir into a screenplay? Here are 7 tips.)

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: Leigh seeks submissions in the areas of literary and commercial fiction for adults, and is particularly drawn to: flawed protagonists she can’t help but fall in love with (Holden Caulfield was her first crush); stories that take place in contemporary New York, but also any well-defined, vivid setting; and given her background, novels set in law firms or involving lawyers (but not legal thrillers).

On the nonfiction side, Leigh is interested in foodie/cookbooks (especially baking and – maybe conversely – healthy cooking), health and fitness, lifestyle, and select narrative nonfiction.

How to Submit: “We prefer that you query only one agent within HSG. Please send a query letter and the first five pages of your manuscript (within the email–no attachments please!) to leigh [at] hsgagency.com. If you were referred to us, please mention it in the first line of your query. We generally respond to queries within 4-6 weeks, although we do get behind occasionally.”

(How long should you wait before following up with an agent?)

————

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• 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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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 New Literary Agent Alert: Leigh Eisenman of Hannigan Salky Geltzer (HSG) Agency appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Stacey: Stacey is an associate agent for Red Sofa Literary after years of being on the other side of the literary blanket. She is the author of four books, as well as being a freelance editor, ghostwriter, screenwriter, and works closely with Boundary Stone Films.

(Do agents Google writers after reading a query?)

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: Humor books, humorous memoir along the lines of Jenny Lawson or John Cleese, dark middle grade, New Age with a strong platform, quirky nonfiction (YA/MG and adult), history, and horror. She is not looking for YA fiction or adult fantasy.

How to submit: Please query Stacey at stacey[at]redsofaliterary.com. If it’s a good fit, she will request the first three chapters or a finished book proposal.

(How do you make money writing articles for magazines?)

—————

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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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: Stacey Graham of Red Sofa Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

I love featuring interviews with debut authors on the blog, because it gives aspiring or new authors the opportunity to learn from others who have had success on their journeys. This interview is with author TJ Turner, author of LINCOLN’S BODYGUARD, released in April 2015 by Oceanview Publishing. Publisher’s Weekly says that “The plot twists of this imaginative what-if will keep readers guessing.”

Author TJ Turner is a novelist, research scientist, and a Federal Agent. He graduated from Cornell University, where his love of writing was almost snuffed out by a 350 page doctoral dissertation. After rekindling his passion for the writing life he has written three novels, the most recent (and the first to be published) is LINCOLN’s BODYGUARD. Outside of writing he enjoys time with his wife, Nancy, their three children, a huge white dog, a crazy collie, and a pair of cats. Connect with him on Twitter.

What is the book’s genre/category?

LINCOLN’S BODYGUARD is a thriller. It’s a work of historical fiction, but at the heart of it, the story is all thriller. I also tend to describe the novel as historical fiction, which is important to note because it also fits into the genre of revisionist historical fiction—a reimagining of history.

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

Imagine if President Lincoln had lived—the America that might have been!

Where do you write from?

I’m from Yellow Springs, Ohio—smack dab in the middle of the Midwest, and of course, in the middle of all the political fury that’s about to unleash itself in this election year as Ohio will once more be a swing state. Is it bad to admit that despite a book about a president, that I’m already sick of Presidential politics and we’re still a year from election day?!

(Querying? Read advice on how to find the most target agents to query.)

Briefly, what led up to this book? 

I had finished a couple of earlier novels, both of which will likely remain buried in my proverbial bottom desk drawer. I had come close with the second novel, one set in Afghanistan very loosely based on one of my deployments there. But ultimately I just couldn’t find representation for it, and after a long talk with a freelance editor who had taken me under his wing and looked at my work pro-bono, he suggested that I move along and write my next project. I left work early that day, quite depressed. Driving home, I happened upon Fresh Air with Teri Gross. She had a guest on the program that was discussing some aspect of Lincoln’s presidency, and she said something to the effect of: “Wouldn’t it had been great if Lincoln had a real bodyguard that night in the theater.” Immediately that title—LINCOLN’S BODYGUARD—stuck in my head, and the story evolved from there.

What was the time frame for writing this book? 

The first draft of LINCOLN’S BODYGUARD took me just about 6 months to complete. That’s light speed for me! My other two attempts at a novel had each taken several years, but this story just wanted to be told and came out almost faster than I could write it. I’ve heard authors talk about characters that led them down the path, and this was the first time I experienced something similar. Joseph Foster kept driving me back to the keyboard until I had it all down on paper…or in the computer.

How did you find your agent? 

After my fist experiences of trying to land an agent, I fine-tuned my approach. By that I mean that I really researched who might be best for the project—cyber stalking! I looked at recent projects sold, what other authors each agent represented, and listened or read every interview I could find from those I narrowed down in my search. From there I wrote very specific queries to the three agents I thought would be the very best fit, and I was so lucky to land in Liz Kracht’s (Kimberly Cameron & Associates) slush pile. Liz’s assistant, Mary Moore, pulled me from the pile and passed my query along to Liz. I remember receiving a request from her for the first 50 pages the day before I deployed on my third tour to Afghanistan. I sent them out, and then promptly forgot all about it! I know that sounds crazy, but I had bigger things to worry about. About half-way through my deployment, I received an e-mail from Liz saying she wanted to talk! So our first conversation was over a phone, connected by satellites with an annoying 2-second delay, while I sat in Parwan Province, Afghanistan. I remember telling her I might have to hang up and run in case we took incoming fire, which we did most nights—I’m not sure she actually believed I was in Afghanistan! For whatever reason, the Taliban left us alone that night, and by the end of our conversation Liz sent a contract my way!

Do you have an idea for a great novel? Are you at a loss
for where to start? Look no further. You Can Write a 
Novel, 2nd Edition, gives you concrete, proven
techniques to get from idea to manuscript to bookstore.

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

How much editing I had left to do! And how much Liz would help guide me through it all. A good agent is amazing, and Liz is an amazing agent! She’s so well read, and sees the trends in the marketplace, that she could zoom into the exact spots in the manuscript that needed work. I couldn’t have done it without her. After Liz helped me polish, the rest was really smooth. She handled everything, and the waiting was the worst part. I can’t over-stress how important a literary agent is.

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

I made my manuscript as polished as I could, then with all the research, I approached the right people looking for that next step. A careful study of who to query—what they represent, who they are, what they like, really helped me hone and craft personal queries. I’m convinced that was what made me stand out, and then the story took me to the next level. It’s a process, and you have to prepare as best you can at every step.

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

Honestly…I don’t think anything. It’s been a magical ride, from signing with Liz, to finding a publisher, to seeing the cover art come out, to getting a box of advanced reading copies, to seeing the final book out, and to signing that very first edition. Amazing. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything—I would have loved if it happened 10 years earlier, but other than that, it’s been amazing.

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

Almost all of it is through social media. I have a blog that I post to (and am in bad need of updating!), but mostly I reach out through social media. I’m fascinated by historical fiction, specifically American history, and at least in the near-term I see myself developing more historical fiction works and getting known as a historical thriller writer!

Website(s)?

www.tjturnerauthor.com

Favorite movie?

Man, that’s tough. There are so many…but if you’re making me choose just one, then I’d have to go with Shawshank Redemption. Or maybe Forrest Gump, or The Unforgiven…see, I can’t choose just one!

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

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

Find someone who doesn’t love you to read your manuscript! That’s the only way to get some honest feedback.

Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?

I don’t like to be bored, so I get myself into all sorts of trouble. In my free time when I’m not getting myself deployed with my reserve military job, I like building acoustic guitars. I dream of a day when I can quit my day job and just write, build guitars, and occasionally still get mobilized to chase after the bad guys.

What’s next?

Oceanview Publishing has just purchased the sequel to LINCOLN’S BODYGUARD. So I’m writing under a deadline and loving every minute of it! Then I have a standalone historical thriller set in New York City during the American Revolution. And somewhere in there I have a guitar to build for someone I deployed with. Never a dull moment…

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• Agent Spotlight: Whitley Abell (Inklings Literary Agency) seeks YA, MG and select Upmarket Women’s Fiction.
• The Thrifty Person’s Guide To A Successful Book Launch Party.
• Self-editing Advice: Tackling Character Consistency.
• 11 Steps To Finding The Agent Who’ll Love Your Book.
• 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: TJ Turner—Federal Agent by Day, Writer by Night appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

Column by Aline Ohanesian, author of debut novel ORHAN’S
INHERITANCE (April 2015, Algonquin Books). Her novel was a
finalist for the PEN Bellwether Award for Socially Engaged Fiction,
an Indie Pick, an Amazon Editor’s Pick, and a Barnes & Noble Discover
Great New Writers Pick for spring 2015. It has also been long listed for
the Center for Fiction’s First Book Award. It is an international bestseller
and has been translated into ten languages. Ohanesian, a descendant
of genocide survivors, lives and writes in Orange County, California with
her husband and two young sons. Her website is www.AlineOhanesian.com.

Taking a business approach

I come from a long line of merchants and entrepreneurs. My family members have sold everything from undergarments in a wheeled wagon on the streets of Beirut to loose diamonds in downtown Los Angeles. So when it came time to find an agent, I treated it like searching for a business partner. After all, my agent would be responsible for pitching my book to several editors, negotiating a book contract, and so much more. I spent six years writing my first novel, and I wasn’t about to trust it to just anyone who came along. I took a two-pronged approach. The first step in the process was writing a killer query letter. I searched the Internet and read every piece of advice on query letters I could find. This took weeks. Distilling my 350 page novel into one concise tantalizing paragraph was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. The time was well spent, however, because my agent used my words in her pitch to editors, and my editor borrowed them for the book jacket.

The second step was determining who to query. In the years I spent writing my novel, I read voraciously and each time I read a novel I admired, I turned to the acknowledgments page to find the name of the agent. When this didn’t work, I used my subscription to Publisher’s Marketplace to search for the book’s agent. Before long, I had a spreadsheet with agent names and contact information. I started noting which agents represented novels that were, like mine, literary and historical. I scanned the internet and craft magazines for interviews they’d done. I even stalked a few on Twitter. I wanted to know as much as I could gather about each one. What books did they like? What were they most proud of? How did they go about acquiring new authors? Did they have a sense of humor?

Tailoring the queries

I began to tailor each query letter to the specific agent’s likes and dislikes. This was a lengthy process and only allowed me to send one query letter every few weeks. For example, in an interview with a writer’s magazine several years ago, one agent had mentioned her love of exotic locations. I began my query letter with, “In an interview with X magazine in 2010, you mentioned you loved novels with exotic locations. Since then, I’ve read and loved some of the novels you’ve represented, like Novel X and Novel Y.”

Everything in that first paragraph was true. This agent would know that I wasn’t just sending queries willy-nilly. She knew that I was not only familiar with her literary preferences, but also that I’d read the last book she represented. I then went on to tell her about my own novel, set in the waning years of the Ottoman Empire.

Five of the ten agents I queried asked to see a partial manuscript. I couldn’t believe my luck. I’d been told that getting an agent to ask for a partial was a rare and near miraculous occurrence. I immediately sent my first chapter, which was approximately 40 pages, to all five agents. That first chapter had been worked and reworked until I knew I couldn’t possibly improve it anymore. It was the best I had to offer and I hoped it would be enough. Days, then weeks went by and I didn’t hear back from any of the agents who had requested to see my first chapter. How long did it take to read forty pages, I wondered. My confidence began to wane.

Continued persistence

After about a month, I sent a brief email reminding each agent that they’d asked to see my first chapter. I used a friendly tone, asking them if they’d received my attachment. One agent replied that he hadn’t received my email and asked me to resend it. Three stated that they had indeed received my chapter and would get back to me “soon.” One agent didn’t get back to me at all. Months later, four of the five agents who’d received a partial, asked to see a full manuscript. I sent each of them a draft of my novel. What followed was one of the most stressful waiting periods I’ve ever experienced. Three months into my wait, one agent who ran a very successful boutique agency, told me she would not be offering representation. Though she liked my novel, she was worried about its commercial viability. I was crushed. What if the other agents felt the same way? Unlike people who query dozens of agents at once, I had placed my eggs in a select number of baskets.

In the end, three agents offered me representation. I chose the one who seemed most excited about my work. She was also the one I felt most comfortable talking to. Today, my agent, Eleanor Jackson of Dunow, Carson & Lerner, is not only my biggest advocate, she is also a dear friend. She managed to sell my first novel, Orhan’s Inheritance, at auction and she’s been there for every step of my journey to publication. I may not have queried extensively, but I did query strategically and so far it’s made all the difference.

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 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.

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 How I Got My Literary Agent: Aline Ohanesian appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Shaun: Shaun Dolan previously worked with award winning authors – including National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists, Story Prize Winners, and B&N Discover Award Winners – as an assistant at WME. Shaun is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

(When will an agent want to be the ONLY one reading your work?)

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

He is seeking: As an agent at Union Literary, he’s interested in both muscular and lyrical literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, pop culture, and sports narratives. He’s willing and able to dive into the trenches editorially and looks to foster new, exciting voices. (The agency does not represent romance or science fiction.)

How to Submit: sd [at] unionliterary.com. “Due to the high volume of submissions we receive, we will only be in contact regarding projects that feel like a match for the respective agent. Rest assured, every incoming query is being read and evaluated. We prefer to receive submissions by email with sample pages attached in .doc or .docx format. Please do not send .pdf files. Nonfiction submissions should include a query letter, a proposal, and a sample chapter. Fiction submissions should include a query letter, a synopsis, and either sample pages or a full manuscript.”

(Meet 13 literary agents seeking Southern fiction.)

——————-

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• 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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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:

• Agent Spotlight: Carrie Hanjian (Waxman Leavell Literary Agency) seeks New Adult, Fiction, Suspense and Contemporary Romance.
• To Text Or Not To Text: How Much Should Technology Show Up In Fiction?
• 3 Tips For A Better First Revision.
• Agent Spotlight: Patricia Nelson (Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) seeks YA and Adult 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.

The post New Literary Agent Alert: Shaun Dolan of Union Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Tanusri: Tanusri had a somewhat unorthodox transition into publishing. A lawyer by training, she has a PhD in legal philosophy & human rights from Oxford University, and a Master’s degree from Harvard Law School. Along the way she worked in the legal department of the World Bank in Washington and as a teaching fellow at Columbia Law School. An avid fan of children’s literature, Tanusri joined a book club devoted to kidlit in 2012, which sowed the seeds of her decision to become a literary agent specializing in children’s books. To this end, before joining HSG, she gained valuable experience interning at Knopf Young Readers and Foundry Literary+ Media.

(Why writers must make themselves easy to contact.)

Tanusri was born and raised in India and although she has lived in the UK and then in New York for the past fourteen years, she has strong roots in the Indian sub-continent. She lives with her husband and two children in a household of multiple languages and religions; together they cover all four houses of Hogwarts (even Slytherin). Given her varied professional and personal background, Tanusri is also eager to find writers who can authentically articulate diverse voices and communicate the beautiful complexity of the world around us in their stories. You can follow her on twitter at @TanusriPrasanna.

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: She is interested in all sorts of kidlit, ranging from picture books and middle-grade to YA (including YA/Adult crossovers). Tanusri is drawn to storytellers who deftly inveigle readers into their intricately-crafted plots with great voice and a touch of humor, and to writers with a vivid sense of the absurd. And while her primary interest is kidlit, she is also open to selective domestic suspense (Tana French and Sophie Hannah are two of her favorite authors in the genre) and voice-driven narrative nonfiction on social justice issues.

(Book Payments and Royalties — Your Questions Answered.)

How to Submit: Query only one agent within HSG. HSG only accepts electronic submissions. Please send a query letter and the first five pages of your manuscript (within the email–no attachments please!) to tprasanna [at] hsgagency.com. If it is a picture book, please include the entire manuscript. “If you were referred to us, please mention it in the first line of your query. We generally respond to queries within 4-6 weeks, although we do get behind occasionally.”

————-

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• 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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)
• Sept. 10, 2016: Chesapeake Writing Workshop (Washington, DC)
• Nov. 19, 2016: Las Vegas Writing Workshop (Las Vegas, NV)

The post New Literary Agent Alert: Tanusri Prasanna of Hannigan Salky Geltzer appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Danielle: Following her completion of the Denver Publishing Institute after graduation, Danielle began interning at Writers House. While there, she realized she wanted to put her English degree and love of the written word to work at a literary agency. She worked as a full-time assistant for three years, and continues to help keep the New Leaf Literary offices running smoothly in her role of Coordinator of Team and Client Services and Associate Agent. In her downtime, she can be found with a cup of tea, a bar of chocolate, or really good book…sometimes all together.

(When can you refer to yourself as “a writer”? The answer is NOW, and here’s why.)

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

Danielle is seeking: Upper middle grade, YA, adult, and nonfiction manuscripts. She’d love to find an amazing MG epistolary, engrossing YA realistic contemporary stories like THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE and ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, well-crafted fantasies, and retellings that truly twist a story from its original version. Adult family dramas akin to THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU and upmarket women’s fiction are also high on her wish list. A strong romantic subplot, especially with expertly crafted tension, is never a bad thing, and she’s particularly fond of historical romance (especially set in England). For nonfiction, she’s excited about unique and poignant lifestyle and cookbooks.

How to submit: “Do not query more than one agent at New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc. Send query to query [at] newleafliterary [dot] com. The word ‘Query’ must be in the subject line, plus the agent’s name — for example ‘Query for Danielle: [title].’ You may include up to 5 double-spaced sample pages within the body of the email. No attachments, unless specifically requested. We respond if we are interested in seeing your work.”

(Writer’s Digest asked literary agents for their best pieces of advice. Here are their responses.)

——————–

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• 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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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 New Literary Agent Alert: Danielle Barthel of New Leaf Literary & Media appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Paul: Paul Stevens joined the Donald Maass Literary Agency in 2016. He has worked as an editor for 15 years, primarily at Tor Books, where he edited science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. Paul has worked with authors such as Alex Bledsoe (The Hum and the Shiver), Marie Brennan (A Natural History of Dragons), Robert Brockway (The Unnoticeables), Tobias S. Buckell (Crystal Rain), Adam Christopher (Made to Kill), Hilary Davidson (The Damage Done), David Edison (The Waking Engine), Michael Livingston (The Shards of Heaven), A. Lee Martinez (Gil’s All Fright Diner), and Patrick Taylor (An Irish Country Doctor). During his time at Tor he also managed Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time and Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive. Paul is an Ohio native and a graduate of the Ohio State University. He spent a year in Chile as a high school exchange student.

(How do you get people to read your blog posts? Here are 2 tips.)

He is seeking: Paul is looking for science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and humor (both fiction and nonfiction). He’s looking for strong stories with interesting characters. Well-rounded LGBT characters and characters of color are a plus.

Concerning Science Fiction and Fantasy: Paul would love to see stories that take tried-and-true genre tropes and turn them on their heads in an inventive way. Epic fantasy should stretch the boundaries and shake things up. For example, if your book is about a group of characters going on a quest, be sure you have an inventive take on the quest fantasy subgenre. Show us something that we’ve never seen before.

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

Concerning Mystery and Suspense: Ideally your book should have an intriguing concept that makes the reader think, “Oh, that’s a cool idea.” Paul is interested in historical mysteries (set in both the past and the future), mysteries with a speculative element (ghosts, magic, monsters), and mysteries with an unusual setting. Again, strong, memorable characters are key.

Concerning Humor: Paul is interested in humorous fiction, nonfiction, and “other.” Humor is very subjective, but if he’s inspired to rush into a coworker’s office to show them a funny passage, that’s a very good sign. Humorous fiction: Think Terry Pratchett, Christopher Moore, and A. Lee Martinez. Humorous nonfiction: Think David Sedaris. Humorous other: Think along the lines of The Book of Bunny Suicides by Andy Riley, It’s Happy Bunny by Jim Benton, or Bent Objects by Terry Border.

Paul is not looking for poetry, memoirs, screenplays, picture books, or chapter books.

(Exclusive Requests From Literary Agents—What Are They and How Do They Work?)

How to submit: Paul only accepts email queries. Please query at query.pstevens [at] maassagency.com. Include a cover letter and a synopsis pasted in the body of the email. (If your book has a twist at the end, please don’t reveal the twist in the synopsis. Paul needs to judge how well a twist works in the actual manuscript, and it’s better to read the ending cold without spoilers.) Please also include the first 5 pages of your manuscript pasted into the email. No attachments. For humor books that include images, please send a cover letter and synopsis pasted in the body of the email and attach one or two representative images. Please make sure that the image files are low resolution so the files are of reasonable size. Response times: Query letters – up to 3 weeks; Partial manuscripts – up to 6 weeks; Full manuscripts – up to 2 months.

———————-

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• 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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)
• Sept. 10, 2016: Chesapeake Writing Workshop (Washington, DC)
• Nov. 19, 2016: Las Vegas Writing Workshop (Las Vegas, NV)

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: Paul Stevens of Donald Maass Literary Agency appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

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

About Mike: Michael Hoogland joined Dystel & Goderich after completing a foreign rights internship at Sterling Lord Literistic. Before pursuing a career in publishing, Mike studied at Colgate University and graduated with a degree in political science and the intention to work in government. He interned with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, but soon realized his interests and passions were better suited to a career in the publishing industry. After Colgate, Mike went on to gain a valuable education at the Columbia Publishing Course and discovered his passion for the agenting side of the business.

(Exclusive Requests From Literary Agents—What Are They and How Do They Work?)

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

He is seeking: sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers, upmarket women’s fiction, and some children’s books (picture books, MG, and YA), as well as a wide variety of narrative nonfiction, including science, history, and politics. He is particularly interested in seeing thought-provoking, realistic speculative fiction.

How to contact: E-query mhoogland [at] dystel.com. “Synopses, outlines or sample chapters (say, one chapter or the first 25 pages of your manuscript) should either be included below the cover letter or attached as a separate document. We won’t open attachments if they come with a blank email, by the way. We will respond to most query letters within a six to eight week period. If you don’t hear from us within that time frame, chances are we did not receive yours. Feel free to resend it.”

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

——————

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• 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)
• May 14, 2016: Chicago Writing Workshop (Chicago, IL)
• June 4, 2016: The Writers’ Conference of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)
• Aug. 12-14, 2016: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)

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 New Literary Agent Alert: Mike Hoogland of Dystel & Goderich Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.