Editor's
Letter: Can Switch Genres Help You?
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Querying can be tough. If you're in the query trenches
right now, one thing you can never get enough of is the examination of
other writers' successful query letters. Thankfully, during the past
two weeks, WD has collected two letters and posted them online for you
to see (accompanied by agent comments & observation). See below for
more info.
And like I always mention, I'm very excited to be speaking at different
writers' conferences this year. This year, I will be in Philadelphia (April 9), Chicago (May 14), Cleveland (June 4), and Sacramento (Sept. 9). All of these events have
agents there to meet with writers, so if you live near any of these
areas, check out the official conference websites by clicking on the
links.
Until next time, good luck writing, agent hunting, and building your
writer platform!
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2 New Agents
Seeking Submissions NOW
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Click on any
name below to see the full mini-profile on the GLA Blog (with
submission instructions). Good luck querying!
1. Ryann Wahl of Holloway Literary
She is seeking: Ryann is interested in representing literary fiction,
upmarket fiction, and young adult novels.
2. Mike Hoogland of Dystel & Goderich
Literary
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.
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Examine Two
(New) Successful Query Letters That Worked
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10 Tips on
Landing an Agent at a Writers' Conference
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(This is
excerpted from a guest column on
the GLA Blog from Jeff Garvin.)
When I was ready to seek representation, I chose not to approach agents
in the usual way-by email query-even though most agents prefer that
method. I wanted to get a face-to-face impression of my future agent's
personality and communication style, so I decided to attend writers'
conferences. Over six months, I pitched to nine agents at two
conferences and ended up with a 100% success rate for material
requests. After a few weeks of follow up, I signed with Rachel Ekstrom
at Irene Goodman Literary Agency, who later sold my debut novel,
SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN, as part of a two-book deal with
HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. Here are 10 tips that helped me land my
agent at a writers' conference.
BEFORE THE CONFERENCE:
1. Find out which agents are attending. This information is usually
available on the conference's website.
2. Read their bios with these questions in mind:
-- Are they taking on new clients? Some agents only offer critiques and
feedback during pitch sessions; focus on the ones who are open to new
clients.
-- Do they represent the kind of material you're pitching? If you pitch
your Dystopian Sci-Fi to an agent who specializes in nonfiction, you're
probably wasting your time and the agent's.
(To read the full guest column from Jeff Garvin, click here.)
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Agent-Conference
Opportunities
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There are
plenty of opportunities for writers to meet agents face to face at
writers' conferences and pitch their work in 2016. Remember: Meeting
agents in person is a great way to get past the slush pile. If an agent
is interested in your work and requests a sample or book proposal, you
can write "Requested Material" on your submission, making
sure it gets a fair read and consideration.
Know that there are two types of conferences. There are general
writers' conferences, that address a variety of subjects, and then
there are specialized conferences, which usually tend to focus on a
single genre-such as western, romance, or mystery. You will find both
kinds in this list below.
Philadelphia Writing Workshop,
April 9, 2016, Philadelphia, PA
Attending agents: Kurestin Armada (P.S. Literary); Jessica Sinsheimer
(Sarah Jane Freymann Literary); Allison Cohen (Gersh Agency); John
Willig (Literary Services); Kelly Peterson (Corvisiero Literary);
Alyssa Eisner Henkin (Trident Media Group); Adriana Dominguez (Full
Circle Literary); Marie Lamba (Jennifer De Chiara Literary); Eric Smith
(P.S. Literary); Mackenzie Brady (New Leaf Literary); and Jordy Albert
(Booker Albert Literary Agency).
Chicago Writing Workshop, May
14, 2016, Chicago, IL
Attending agents: Gordon Warnock (Fuse Literary); Chip MacGregor
(MacGregor Literary); Nicole Resciniti (The Seymour Agency); Adam
Chromy (Movable Type Literary); Gemma Cooper (The Bent Agency); Marcy
Posner (Folio Literary); Eric Smith (P.S. Literary); Alice Speilburg
(Speilburg Literary); Rachel Burkot (Holloway Literary); Abby Saul
(Browne & Miller Literary); Susan Hawk (The Bent Agency); Regina
Brooks (Serendipity Literary); Veronica Park and Samantha Fountain
(both Corvisiero Literary); Thomas Flannery (AFI Vigliano); Dawn
Frederick and Jennie Goloboy (both Red Sofa Literary); Sam Morgan
(Jabberwocky Literary); and possibly more to be announced.
Writing Conference of Cleveland,
June 4, 2016, Cleveland, OH
Attending agents: Kimiko Nakamura (Dee Mura Literary); Moe Ferrera
(BookEnds); Mallory Brown (TriadaUS); Vicki Selvaggio (Jennifer De
Chiara Literary); Kaylee Davis (Dee Mura Literary); and Fred Tribuzzo
(The Rudy Agency).
All Write Now! Conference,
July 16, 2016, Cape Girardeau, MO
Attending agents: Jill Marr (Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency); John
Rudolph (Dystel and Goderich Literary Management).
Tennessee Writers Conference,
July 23, 2016, Nashville, TN
Attending agents: Cate Hart (Corvisiero Literary); and more to be
announced.
Colorado Writing Workshop,
July 30, 2016, Denver, CO
Attending agents: Carlie Webber (CK Webber Associates Literary); Alex
Barba (Inklings Literary); Lisa Abellera (Kimberley Cameron Literary);
and more to come.
NYC Writer's Digest Conference,
August 12-14, 2016, New York, NY
Attending agents: Our pitch slam is the centerpiece of the day, and
will always have at least 50 attending literary agents taking writer
pitches. Check the website for our growing list of confirmed agents.
Sacramento Writing Conference,
September 9, 2016, Sacramento, CA
Attending agents: Elizabeth Kracht (Kimberly Cameron Literary Agency);
Gordon Warnock (Fuse Literary); Jennifer March Soloway (Andrea Brown
Literary); Carlie Webber (CK Webber Associates Literary); Patricia
Nelson (Marsal Lyon Literary); Jen Hunt (Booker Albert Literary); and
Jennifer Chen Tran (Fuse Literary).
Writing Workshop of San Francisco, September 10, 2016, San
Francisco, CA
Attending agents: Elizabeth Kracht (Kimberly Cameron Literary Agency);
Laurie McLean (Fuse Literary); Carlie Webber (CK Webber Associates
Literary); Patricia Nelson (Marsal Lyon Literary); Lisa Abellera
(Kimberley Cameron Literary); and more to come.
Chesapeake Writing Workshop,
September 10, 2016, Washington DC
Attending agents: Rachel Marks (Rebecca Friedman Literary); Stacey
Graham (Red Sofa Literary); Eric Smith (P.S. Literary); Kelly Peterson
(Corvisiero Literary); and more to be announced.
The Writers Workshop of Las
Vegas, November 19, 2016, Las Vegas, NV
Attending agents: Jill Marr (Sandra Dijkstra Literary); Paul S. Levine
(Paul S. Levine Literary); Jamie Bodnar Drowley (Inklings Literary);
Patricia Nelson (Marsal Lyon Literary); Annie Bomke (Annie Bomke
Literary); and Thao Le (Sandra Dijkstra Literary).
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