Tag Archives: Agents

Why Do Literary Agents Google Potential Authors?

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Authors aren’t the only ones utilizing the internet for their careers. Literary agents are searching for information about authors who query to help them decide whether to follow up with the writer.

One of the top reasons they search is to see if they can verify what the author says about their credentials.

Agents also look at the author’s social media pages to check how active they are (and to verify any numbers the authors has provided in their pitch materials).

They also judge how the author’s web presentation looks…sloppy or professional, all sites up to date, and other indicators that tell them they’re dealing with a serious author.

Spruce up your web presence before sending out that first query.

Book Agent Info: Brandt and Hochman

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Emma Patterson of Brandt and Hochman is looking for literary and commercial fiction, upmarket women’s fiction, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, memoir, food writing, and YA and MG fiction and nonfiction. 

Book Agent Info: Barer Literary

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William Boggess of Barer Literary is looking for fiction with strong voices and a fresh perspective. He loves Southern fiction and story collections.

In nonfiction, he’s interested in literary memoir, popular science, narrative history, and smart sportswriting. 

Book Agent Info: Dunham Literary

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Bridget Smith of Dunham Literary is looking for middle grade and young adult novels in a variety of genres, ncluding fantasy and science fiction, historical fiction, romance, and contemporary. She’s also looking for books that bends the rules of genre or any books with underrepresented or minority characters.

In adult fiction, Bridget especially wants fantasy and science fiction, historical fiction, and literary women’s fiction. For nonfiction, her needs include informational, literary nonfiction, especially science or history written by experts for a general audience.

Book Agent Info: Nancy Yost Agency

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Sarah Younger of Nancy Yost is interested in romance / women’s fiction: contemporary, historical, Western, sports, regency, inspirational, urban fantasy, paranormal, young adult and any combination. Actively seeking a contemporary military romance, a great/quirky historical, or a fantastic inspirational romance. She also enjoys stories with a strong supporting cast of animal characters: horses, dogs, cats.

Words of Hope from Book Agent Amy Rennert in Poets & Writers

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Agent Amy Rennert was quoted in Poets & Writers as saying:

“I predict that people will continue to write [books]. I do feel that there is a persistent and insatiable desire for long-form prose–that there is something about the experience of disappearing into a long piece of writing that has enormous appeal to enough people in the world to maintain the publishing industry through the foreseeable future.”

Agent Info

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Roz Foster of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency likes literary and commercial fiction, women’s fiction, literary sci-fi, and literary YA. She looks for a resonant, lively voice; rich, irresistible language; complex characters with compelling development arcs; and a mastery of dramatic structure. Roz is also interested in nonfiction: current affairs, design, business, cultural anthropology/social science, politics, psychology and memoir. 

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This agent caught my eye because I’ve worked with several preteen and teenage authors who have gone on to reach wide audiences.
Steven Hutson of WordWise Media wants fresh ideas, particularly from young authors. He also represents fiction and nonfiction books for adults and children, especially those with spiritual themes.

Words of Hope

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Eric Simonoff of William Morris Endeavor, says of publishing:

“What I see is an industry in which we want nothing more than to discover an amazing voice. Who wouldn’t? If you actually have a great book, it matters who sends it out, because you want someone who understand the business, who has the best possible relationships, and who can negotiate the right deal for you as a client. But your book will get discovered regardless. It might just be a question of when.”

What to Do When an Agent Asks for an Exclusive Look

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As you look for an agent, you will likely find at some point that an agent will ask for an exclusive look. That means they want to be able to read the manuscript and consider representing you without any other agent reading the manuscript at the same time.

This is standard practice. Agents don’t want to spend time reading and falling in love with a work only to discover they lost you to the competition by a single day.

However, you have your own needs…and you don’t want to wait weeks or months for the agent to respond.

When you are asked for an exclusive, set a timeframe. Tell them yes then ask if two weeks is enough time. It’s very likely they will ask for three weeks. But if you offer three weeks they’ll ask for four. So set your own limit right from the start. Three weeks is plenty of time. And you’ll come off as a professional because you knew to set a time limit from the beginning!

Do Agents Rep Juvenile Authors?

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The work I offer through Writer’s Resource covers a range of age groups and genres including juvenile works. Juvenile is defined as anything from children’s picture books through young adult (YA).

Authors are often surprized to learn two things…that they should have a submissions packet for their juvenile works, and that agents will represent fiction and nonfiction targeting younger readers.

Fifteen years ago, the landscape was much different. It was much more difficult to locate agents who represented works for young readers outside the academic market. Today, things have changed so much that juvenile works are well respected…and agents want to represent the works whether they’re for the academic market, the mainstream reader, or both.

It used to be that when a client asked me to put together a list of agents for their juvenile works, the research turned up only a handful of agents. Nowadays, it is common for those lists to include dozens of names…often a hundred or more.

If your project has a wide target, consider adding an agent to the team of individuals you work with to help you along your publishing journey.

Agent Info

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Agent Christa Heschke of McIntosh & Otis seeks picture books, middle grade, YA and adult projects. Loves a romantic angle and quirky protagonists. Especially interested in contemporary, horror, thrillers/mysteries, steampunk, urban fantasy, high fantasy,

 

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Agent David Haviland of the Andrew Lownie Lit Agency seeks all genres of fiction,  particularly crime, thrillers, and historical fiction.

 

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Agent MacKenzie Fraser-Bub of Trident Media likes women’s fiction, romance, upmarket commercial fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, and YA with crossover appeal. In every genre she seeks a good story, well told.

Can Authors Really Get an Agent Through the Slush Pile?

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Barbara Poelle of the Irene Goodman Agency recently told Writer’s Digest magazine that

About 60% of my list comes from unsolicited queries.”

Sixty percent is a strong number. Since so many agents these days want only the query letter or a query letter plus a book proposal (the two items authors use to pitch fiction and nonfiction), be sure to hone both those items.

Yes, a query and a book proposal can be the toughest things you’ll ever write…especially if you don’t have a background in publishing, marketing, or the entertainment industry. So take a class. Get feedback from other writers. Do whatever is necessary to make your initial (and possibly your only) contact with an agent stand out from the rest.