Are writing rules meant to be broken? May 20, 2013

 

 

Over the last two years I’ve become a student in the school of publishing.  I started out not knowing what a query was, much less how to format a manuscript or create a pitch. But over time, and through all my teachers (writers on AgentQuery Connect and Twitter – I’m talking to you), I’ve learned how to navigate the crazy world that is publishing.

 

Do I know it all? No.

 

Will I continue to learn and make mistakes every day? Yes.

 

Yet there are some hard and fast rules I’ve learned about publishing I try to adhere to:

 

 

1) Read and follow submission guidelines.

 

2) Your query should be written in third person, present tense.

 

3) Never use adverbs

 

4)  Do not start your first chapter with a dream, eating breakfast, waking up, or riding in a car.

 

 

And I’ll stop right there. Why? Because I’ve learned rules 2-4 can be broken. Yes, I said broken. But only if done the right way.

 

Allow me to elaborate with examples:

 

#2 – Your query should be written in third person, present tense

 

While this is almost always the best route to go, one well-known YA author broke this rule and still signed with an agent.

 

How? Because she did it right.

 

Do you know who I’m talking about? Should I leave you in suspense???

 

No, I’ll be nice. The author is Miranda Kenneally and she broke many query rules when she wrote her letter for CATCHING JORDAN. She wrote it from the perspective of her lead character.  I would venture to guess many “experts” would say not to do this.  But for Miranda it worked in so many ways.

 

Here it is:

 

 

My name is Jordan Woods, I’m seventeen, and last year, I blew it in the final seconds of the Tennessee state championship football game. This year, I can’t let that happen or I’ll never get a scholarship to play ball in college. I have a lot to prove, what, with an NFL star for a father – a father who doesn’t think I should be playing football. Why wouldn’t a famous quarterback want his kid to follow in the family footsteps?

 

I’m a girl.

 

But I’ve been playing quarterback since I was seven, so everyone’s gotten used to me by now. I’m a normal teenage girl. Well, as normal as I can be. I mean, obviously I think Justin Timberlake is a mega hunk, but I’m also over six feet tall and can launch a football fifty yards.

 

Other ways I’m not normal? A girl who hangs with an entire football team must hook up all the time, right?

 

Nope.

 

I’ve never had a boyfriend and most people think I’m gay. Hell, I’ve never even kissed a guy. But that might be about to change because the hottest guy, Ty Green, just moved here from Texas. Just the sight of him makes me want to simultaneously fly and barf. It turns out that he’s also a quarterback, and he’s a hell of a lot better than me. Last year, Ty led his team to win the Texas state championship.

 

And I’m scared. What if Coach gives my position away? What if Ty isn’t interested in me? The worst fear of all? What if Ty distracts me from my dreams of playing ball in college?

 

And why is my best friend, our star wide receiver, acting so strangely all of a sudden?

 

 

So why does this break all the rules and still work? Because this query is full of voice. Miranda tells Jordan’s story in a few sentences and makes you want to read more. I’m not surprised her agent, Sara Megibow, requested after receiving this query.  It is brilliant.

 

Should a beginning writer take this risk? That’s for the individual to decide.  But Miranda was brave. She sent this query out as a test. She didn’t send it to fifty agents, but just a few, and the response was overwhelming. Again, she DID IT RIGHT.

 

 

#3 – Never use adverbs

 

I see people railing about this subject all over social media.  And while the advice is somewhat true, I think it’s difficult to avoid adverbs.  Yes, why say, “he walked quickly” when you can say, “he raced” or “he ran.”  But there are times in writing where it’s almost impossible to describe a movement or action without using an adverb.

 

Now, if you use adverbs at the end of dialogue tags, we are talking another thing.  Recently, I tried to read the fourth book in a very popular YA series.  I stopped reading after 80 pages. Why?  Almost every dialogue tag had an adverb attached. You can only read, “he said angrily” so many times before it gets annoying. Plus, it pulls you out of the story.

 

So yes, adverbs can be an issue, but the rule can be broken if they are used sparingly and in the correct places.

 

 

#4 – Overdone beginnings

 

After doing numerous agent interviews in my First Five Frenzy series one thing is clear:  you should NOT begin your story with a canned opening. No waking up. No looking in a mirror. No eating breakfast or riding in a car.

 

But again, this rule can be broken if done in a convincing way.

 

Another example: The Hunger Games

 

The story begins with Katniss waking up and describing her family and surroundings. A big no-no, right? But for Suzanne Collins it works. Her prose drives the story forward. In those few paragraphs she eases the reader into her world. It’s a lesson all writers could learn from.

 

The thing to remember as a writer is this: rules can be broken.  You have to know what’s going to work for your own plot and characters.  Don’t be afraid to stretch and reach outside the norm to create a beautiful story that will grab readers and never let them go.

 

And one last thing about rule #1:   That one should never, ever be broken.

 

 

What writing rules do you think are okay to break?  I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

FIRST FIVE FRENZY with Annie Bomke of Annie Bomke Literary Agency May 17, 2013

 

 

If you’re like me, you toil for hours editing and fine-tuning the first pages of your manuscript.  You look at the first lines to make sure they are compelling and tight.  You examine the next few paragraphs, hoping  your MC’s voice is already taking hold of the reader.

 

The First Five Frenzy is all about getting an agent’s perspective on what works, and what fails, in those first pages of a manuscript.  By reading each agent’s comments, I hope you’ll learn how to make your manuscript a shining gem that will be requested time and time again.

 

Today, I am proud to share Literary Agent, Annie Bomke’s, perspective on what’s important in those critical first pages.

 

 

Amy: Many writers have the impression that a great first line is imperative to drawing in the reader. How important is a first line to you as an agent?

 

Annie: A great first line does help grab my attention, but it’s not as important to me as the first page or the first chapter.  The first line should set the tone for the rest of the book, it should intrigue me and give me a sense of the voice or perspective of the novel and what makes it special.

 

 

Amy: Many times a writer is told to stay away from common openings like dreams, eating breakfast, riding in a car, etc. What are some common openings you recommend writers stay away from?

 

Annie: All of those, as well as looking in a mirror while they’re getting ready in the morning, having a dialogue that isn’t that interesting (and won’t be important later).  Anything that involves a lot of reflection and little action is a bad way to open a book.

 

A lot of mysteries and thrillers open with a murder, or from the point of view of the killer right before he/she does the deed.  This can be exciting, but it’s just such a popular opening that writers need to find a way to make it fresh and polished.

 

In the first five pages, there’s a fine line between giving away too much information and giving away too little.  If you give away too much information about who the characters are, what they look like, and what their motivations are, etc., the pacing of the story slows down.  If you give away too little information, the opening can seem too vague, and it’ll be unclear what’s going on and what makes this story special.  Either way, your readers will lose interest pretty quickly.  The idea is to put enough information there to intrigue the reader and make them curious to read more.

 

 

Amy: When you’ve responded to a writer to request a partial or full manuscript, what was it about their first pages that piqued your interest?

 

Annie: Sometimes it’s a really unique concept, but usually it’s the writing.  I want to see writing that’s vivid, visceral, emotional, and unique.  I like writing that’s suspenseful, and writing with a great sense of humor.  I want to see ideas and images presented in a way I’ve never read before, and characters that feel rich and real.

 

And the writing should have some tension.  By tension I mean the feeling that something is going to happen, that events are being put into motion.  And for this tension to work, I have to understand the character enough to become invested in what happens to them.

 

 

Amy: What are some common mistakes writers make in their first five pages?

 

Annie: They feel the need to explain some background information on the characters, the setting, or the plot before the story gets going.  Or they open the book with a scene that’s not that exciting, like a character driving in their car, reflecting the past or future.  They include unnecessary information, like a character’s hair and eye color.  They use language that doesn’t help me visualize the scene or get to know the characters.  They rely on clichés and stereotypical characters instead of showing me something new and interesting.

 

 

Amy: What resonates with you most in those first pages? Voice? Pacing? Unique concept?

 

Annie: I’d say it’s usually the voice.  The voice is what pulls me into the story and keeps me there.  And interesting writing is always a plus.

 

 

Annie Bomke is a literary agent with over a decade of experience in the publishing industry.  She has worked with internationally bestselling authors such as Ken Blanchard, Spencer Johnson, Bob Burg and John Assaraf.  Authors have called her the pH test for good writing, and a bedrock for literary quality control.  She is interested in representing a wide range of fiction and nonfiction—including commercial fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction, mysteries, thrillers, YA, business, self-help, health/diet, and memoir—though she is most passionate about character-driven literary fiction, and psychological thrillers.

 

If you’re interested in submitting to Annie, please make sure to check the Annie Bomke Literary Agency website for their guidelines.

W.O.W. – Writer Odyssey Wednesday with Sara Raasch May 15, 2013

 

 

 

Publishing can be a rocky road.  When you are lucky enough to sign with a literary agent that is only the beginning of the journey. There are edits/revisions and a lot of work to be done before submission.  After the work is completed, you still have to shop the book around and hope a publishing house wants to buy it.  The process can be long and arduous.  But what happens when things don’t go as planned and you find yourself needing to move on from that book and that agent? Today’s featured writer, Sara Raasch, shares with us her amazing publishing journey that includes some major setbacks, but ends with a stellar agent and a shiny publishing deal for her debut novel, SNOW LIKE ASHES.

 

Here is Sara’s writing odyssey…

 

 

Amy: You have an interesting backstory I think many aspiring writers would be interested in.  You were previously agented with one book and then left that agency and went back to querying before landing another agent.  Can you share how you came to this difficult decision and how it affected your writing?

 

Sara: Leaving my first agency was hands-down one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make in publishing thus far. It wasn’t a decision I made lightly either — I grappled with it for about ten months before I decided it was right for me. At the time I was at a bit of a crossroads in my career — a book I ADORED with every fiber of my being had been on submission for two and a half years (talk about soul crushing) with no bites whatsoever. I was no longer sure if the writer I wanted to be was linked to that book, if I should have kept going with that book, or where I fit in this mad publishing world. In that ten-month grappling time, I did a lot of soul-searching, philosophical-journey type things, and ultimately decided to leave that agency and refocus who I wanted to be as a writer.

 

This decision didn’t only affect my writing, it affected every aspect of my writing world. It was like a blank slate, which was both horrifying and exhilarating, and let me truly “start over” and make myself into the kind of writer I wanted to be. Leaving an agency is terrifying — you worked so hard to get THIS agent, why on earth would you leave?? — but if it’s something you’re considering, make sure you do consider it very carefully. Any big career move should be made only after thoughtful deliberation. But if you do decide to take that plunge, know you aren’t alone in your choice, and many, many other writers have been in the same boat as you. It’s scary, but can also be the beginning of wonderful, wonderful things.

 

 

Amy: When you queried the second time with SHUTTER, SHUDDER did you feel like you were pretty seasoned with the process? Did the query come easily?

 

Sara: Oh, querying. No matter how long you’ve done it, how many agents you’ve sent to, or how long you’ve been in the business, querying SUCKS. But this time around, I felt a thrill with each query I sent out. Despite how much the rejection sucks (and boy, does it ever suck), there is something to be said for the sheer greatness of possibility. Each email could be The One, each incoming response could be a Let’s Set Up A Call. That possibility is what makes querying bearable.

 

One of my guilty pleasures is, sadly, writing summaries for queries. *ducks sharp projectiles* Okay, okay, hear me out! Actually, there’s nothing I can say to make it less weird. Querying did come easily to me this time around, but only because I adore writing summaries, and that mixed with my excitement to be reevaluating/redeveloping myself as a writer made the whole thing oddly enjoyable.

 

 

Amy: How many agents did you query before you got a positive response?

 

Sara: Luckily, I’m super OCD, and have a nice little excel sheet with just such digits.

 

I sent out 84 queries between the end of March 2012 and mid-April 2012 (I was excitable, okay? And I do not endorse this kind of aggression). Of those queries, I got 10 full requests (which still makes me dance a little inside) and of those 10 full requests, it was a week between when I sent the query to Sheedy Lit and when I got a voicemail saying they loved my book (the one I queried was a paranormal ghost story called SHUTTER, SHUDDER). Suffice to say, between leaving one agency and joining another, the beginning of 2012 was a frickin’ roller coaster.

 

 

Amy: You have a novel coming out in 2014 called SNOW LIKE ASHES.  Did you have critique partners or beta readers that helped you polish it? If so, how did that influence your writing process?

 

Sara: Of course! A writer is nothing without a good network of support and beta-ship. My CPs influence my writing SO much! I shudder to think what SLA would be like without their keen eyes and loving ability to tear scenes to shreds. Also, my agent is a KILLER editor — I rave all the time about how great she is at making my manuscripts that much more polished and coherent.

 

 

Amy: What can you tell us about your call with your agent, Charlotte Sheedy? How did you know she was a good fit for you?

 

Sara: I ended up speaking to both Charlotte and Mackenzie at various points before I accepted representation from them, and I knew they were a good fit because of how passionate they were for my book. Passion is truly the most important trait in an agent — if they love your work, that love will emanate out to editors and help sell your book a LOT more efficiently! There’s no substitute for passion, and as soon as I felt that spark with Mackenzie, I knew SHUTTER, SHUDDER (and all my future projects) would be happy with Sheedy Lit!

 

 

Amy: What was one piece of advice you got during your early writing stages that has stuck with you to this day?

 

Sara: There’s a quote I ADORE by Jodi Picoult: “You can always edit a bad page, but you can’t edit a blank page.” When I’m stuck on a scene or afraid to tackle a new project or seriously doubting my ability to live up to my goals, I remember that quote. You can always make a bad page better, but a blank page? You can’t do anything to fix a blank page. So write, write, write, no matter how you feel, because writing has a way of working out the bad feels too.

 

 

Amy: If you met an aspiring writer at a book signing and they told you they were going to give up on their writing dream, what would you say to them?

 

Sara: “NOOO!” and then I’d tackle them and cling to the hem of their skirt and sob dramatically.

 

Seriously though, I’d ask why they were leaning toward giving up. That can really make all the difference — this industry is much too stressful to put yourself through it if you don’t REALLY want it. So if writing truly isn’t something that’s “for them,” giving up might be a solution worth considering.

 

But if they’re considering giving up because it’s hard, because the rejection hurts, because they’ve been trying for so long and they still haven’t gotten anywhere, because someone gave them a bad review/a mean crit/was overall nasty to them, I’d do the whole dramatic-skirt-clutching-sob thing. None of those reasons are enough to quit if publishing is what you really, truly, deep-down want. If seeing your book on a shelf or finishing your novel or getting an agent is so much a fiery part of yourself that you go to bed every night on the verge of exploding from wanting it so bad, then you HAVE to keep trying.

 

I’ve wanted to be published since I was, no joke, five years old. I started querying when I was around 15, and didn’t get my first agent until I was in college. I’m 23 now and just got my first book deal, so that’s almost 12 years of working toward this goal. 12 years. A lot of it was awful, a lot of it made me question if I really wanted this, a lot of it made me cry and growl in frustration. But then I’d remember why I started this crazy venture in the first place. Why I love stories, writing, this whole thing — because stories are so vitally important to life, as an escape, as a way to make sure we know we aren’t alone, as a way to smile when life is just too hard. Remembering my reason for doing this helped me endure 12 years of up and down and down again until that magical, wondrous day when my agent called and told me we sold SNOW LIKE ASHES to Balzer + Bray in a pre-empt. All those bad things suddenly seemed so, so worth it, and I know I was infinitely happier in my most miserable time during those 12 years than I would have been had a I quit, because even though I was miserable, I was still working toward my dream. And if you keep at it, it WILL happen. Not it might. It WILL.

 

And when it does, it will be even better than you imagined.

 

 

Sara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too. Not much has changed since then — her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures. Her debut YA fantasy, SNOW LIKE ASHES, is coming out Fall 2014 from Balzer + Bray. It does not feature her hand-drawn pictures. For more info on Sara, check out her blog or follow her on Twitter.

Write, Learn, Revise, Rinse, Repeat – A Guest Post by Amy Reichert May 6, 2013

 

 

When you are a new writer you are naïve.  You think once you put the final word on the page, your manuscript is complete.  But really, once “The End” is written,  the real work has just begun.  Revisions and edits are key to making any manuscript golden.  It’s in this process we learn where the true story is, and how to bring it to the forefront. By “killing our darlings,” and cutting extra words, we make a manuscript tighter and much more enjoyable to read. But as with anything in writing, those edits/revisions are painful, and it’s hard to know what to cut and what to keep.

 

Today, I’ve asked writer Amy Reichert to share her revision process.  Her manuscript, THE CAKE EFFECT, has gone through many revisions and edits.  And as she explains, those cuts have been tough. But even though the changes have been painful, she admits they have made her work stronger – so strong, she recently signed with agent, Rachel Ekstrom.  Amy’s story is proof that although revisions take time, and at times can be brutal, the process can reap great benefits.

 

 

Write, Learn, Revise, Rinse, Repeat

By Amy Reichert

The best and worst thing about writing is you can always improve.

 

I can always find new problems to fix, or new techniques to try. I’m a revision enthusiast. Nora Roberts said, “I can’t fix a blank page.” I love that. No author, ever, has written the perfect book on the first try. Maybe an author revises each sentence as she writes, maybe she spews forth an entire book than goes back and rewrites, or maybe she has a method somewhere in between. But either way, words never meet the page perfectly. Writers must revise. Full stop. End of story. Learn to love it.

 

Without embracing revision, I wouldn’t have gotten an agent (Hi Rachel!), and I’d never be the tiny bit closer to publishing that I am now.

 

At the beginning of 2012, the draft of The Cake Effect I thought was ready — that my husband, my mom and several well-read friends had read, that I’d polished until I thought it gleamed — sucked. It was a case of I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I had written those first few drafts by instinct. While my plot was solid, the writing had so many newbie mistakes, including classics like telling instead of showing, too much backstory, and way too much unnecessary detail (no one cared why the news stand guy had three clocks – you never see him again).

 

But how did I get from that level of suckiness to an agent-ready manuscript? Revision, learn, revision, learn, revision, learn. And some more revision. I don’t have a creative writing background, so the art of story-telling was something I winged, pulling from my experience as a reader and academic writer. Well folks, let me tell you, intuition only gets you so far.

 

I, fortunately, had wonderful author and good friend, Ann Garvin (http://www.annwertzgarvin.com) to help me in my hour of need. I met her at a pitch workshop in New York and she agreed to read a few chapters. Ann, bless her blunt heart, gave it to me straight. I had the voice, I had the story, but my writing needed a lot of work. She gave me a few resources to study and some needed encouragement. A switch flipped in my head and I understood what I lacked. I lacked a foundation in creative writing.

 

Now, let me be very clear here. You DO NOT need to get a degree or even take classes in creative writing. But just like any profession from a plumber to an attorney, you do need to learn and you do need to study. And also like any other profession, you should always strive to learn more and improve your work. There are many fantastic books, magazines, and websites with oodles of useful information.

 

So, I started with a subscription to Writer’s Digest and bought On Writing by Stephen King. I bookmarked several websites and focused my energies on the issues Ann commented on, like basic plot development, superfluous details, and exposition. I read up on these topics, then tackled my manuscript. I rewrote over half of it and tweaked the other half. I would take little rules and follow them religiously — like not having backstory before page 100, avoiding the passive voice, and using simple dialogue tags. These aren’t hard and fast rules, and there are very good reasons to break them, but they helped me tell my story better.

 

After this major revision, The Cake Effect was much improved. The characters had more life, the story started faster, and readers weren’t distracted by unnecessary details. It still needed a lot of work, but now I knew how to improve.

 

I finally met some fellow authors who would beta read for me, and I was fortunate to get a revise and resubmit from an agent. The feedback she gave me brought my manuscript to the next level. I had a few new chapters, some relationships were clarified, and some scenes had heightened tension. Again, I had learned some new writing skills and implemented them in my manuscript.

 

So, if I were to summarize my revision process, it would be that I learn something new about writing then apply it.

 

As a result, I’ve done many, many, many drafts, and I’ll probably do a few more. But I also realize these new skills I’m acquiring will mean fewer drafts on future novels. Just like practicing a sport or an instrument, muscle memory will take over and I’ll automatically show not tell, use more active words, and avoid clichés.

 

So, here are a few nuggets of wisdom about revision in list form – cause everyone loves a list.

 

FIND BETAS YOU CAN TRUST

 

Betas are not the friends you have coffee with or your mom. Most likely they are other writers, people who will ask you to read their manuscripts and give them feedback. This relationship is a two-way street, people. I’ve learned more from reading other people’s manuscripts than writing my own. It helps you hone the muscles that send up the “something isn’t working here” flag. You want people who will help bring your novel to the next level, who will point out the plot flaws and character problems, and gently explain how you overuse commas.

 

 

BE WILLING TO CUT

 

Your manuscript contains no sacred cows. Repeat that until you believe it. I don’t care how much you love a turn of phrase or a plot point. If it doesn’t work, cut it. I have a file where I save all my lost treasures. It is all about the big picture.

 

 

BE OPEN TO IDEAS

 

People are going to share ideas with you, and believe it or not, some will be good. Use these ideas to make your manuscript better. Just because you didn’t think of it, doesn’t mean you can’t mold it to your purposes. That’s why there are acknowledgment pages in books.

 

 

LEARN TO ACCEPT CRITICISM

 

The road to publication is paved with criticism and rejection, so toughen up, buttercup. You need to be willing to hear the truth. I know, you want to hear how great your book is and that nothing needs to change and it’s perfect as it is. But if someone tells you that, he is either lying or not a good beta reader – don’t use him again. A book can always be improved. Always. (OK, there might be exceptions to this, but chances are, you aren’t one of them).

 

 

ALWAYS TRY TO IMPROVE

 

You need to learn, be it by studying other writers (yay! that means you get to read), reading articles and books, or taking a class. There is always more to learn about the art of writing. Never stop. Ever.

 

 

 

Amy Reichert is a first time novelist, life-long Wisconsin resident, mother of two (three if you count the dog – and you should), beloved wife, spectacular procrastinator, die-hard Harry Potter fan, and amateur baker. She earned her MA in English Lit from Marquette University and worked for several years as a technical writer. When she’s not writing, she’s taking the children somewhere, putting off cleaning the house, or researching new vacation spots. She loves to read, collect more cookbooks than she could possibly use, and sample new ciders. Represented by Rachel Ekstrom at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency. For more on Amy follow her on Twitter or Tumblr.

FIRST FIVE FRENZY – Tricia Lawrence with Erin Murphy Literary Agency May 3, 2013

 

 

 

If you’re like me, you toil for hours editing and fine-tuning the first pages of your manuscript.  You look at the first lines to make sure they are compelling and tight.  You examine the next few paragraphs, hoping your MC’s voice is already taking hold of the reader.

 

The First Five Frenzy is all about getting an agent’s perspective on what works, and what fails, in those first pages of a manuscript.  By reading each agent’s comments, I hope you’ll learn how to make your manuscript a shining gem that will be requested time and time again.

 

Today, I am proud to share Literary Agent, Tricia Lawrence’s perspective on what’s important in those critical first pages.

 

 

Amy: Many writers have the impression that a great first line is imperative to drawing in the reader. How important is a first line to you as an agent?

 

Tricia: Oh, first lines are definitely a signal to me. I usually can gauge within a line or two if the first line fits. It’s not the first line that’s the problem on its own; often the problem is if the first line fits what’s coming after it. Does that make sense? And as a writer myself, I dither over first sentences entirely too much too. I feel ya, writers!

 

 

Amy: Many times a writer is told to stay away from common openings like dreams, eating breakfast, riding in a car, etc. What are some common openings you recommend writers stay away from?

 

Tricia: I concur about dreams, but then again I’m not going to dictate a set of rules “Don’t ever . . . .” Sometimes a dream is the right choice, ya know? I think it’s just usually a sign that a writer is starting in the wrong place, but a writer can start anywhere and it be the wrong place. But some that come to mind are waking up, standing at a locker, on the phone with a friend, or texting while driving (the latter is just bad no matter if it starts a book or not!).

 

 

Amy: When you’ve responded to a writer to request a partial or full manuscript, what was it about their first pages that piqued your interest?

 

Tricia: The voice. A character’s view of the world. Find me a character that’s doing something intriguing, and I’m sold.

 

 

Amy: What are some common mistakes writers make in their first five pages?

 

Tricia: Overwriting. Jamming too much in. Trying to get everything in. Put it all in on a draft and then practice pulling out different elements until you have the right mix. Quality rather than quantity. Lack of polish (should have had a few more eyeballs on it before me.)

 

 

Amy: What resonates with you most in those first pages? Voice? Pacing? Unique concept?

 

Tricia: I’m all about voice. If it’s fast or slow, the voice beguiles me.

 

 

Tricia Lawrence is the “Pacific Northwest branch” of EMLA—born and raised in Oregon, and now lives in Seattle. After 17 years of working as a developmental and production-based editor (from kids book to college textbooks, but mostly college textbooks), she joined the EMLA team in March 2011 as a social media strategist hoping to learn from Erin and Joan about agenting.

 

As associate agent, Tricia represents picture books/chapter books that look at the world in a unique and unusual way, with characters that are alive both on and off the page, and middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction that offers strong worldbuilding, wounded narrators, and stories that grab a reader and won’t let go.

 

Tricia loves hiking, camping out in the woods, and collecting rocks. She loves BBC America and anything British. She has way too many books and not enough bookshelves. You can find Tricia’s writing about blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking, and other social media topics (for authors and the publishing industry at large) at authorblogger.net and her thoughts on being a creative professional at trishlawrence.com.

 

 

If you’re interested in submitting to Tricia, please make sure to check the Erin Murphy Literary Agency website for their guidelines.

W.O.W. – Writer Odyssey Wednesday with Elle Cosimano May 1, 2013

 

 

What are you willing to risk to make your writing dream come true?  Some of us give up sleep.  Others take sick, or vacation days just to finish a scene. Today’s featured writer, Elle Cosimano, took a two-month sabbatical from work to write her debut novel. She risked her full-time job to write NEARLY GONE and it paid off with a stellar agent and a book deal.   I admire Elle’s determination and drive. She is proof that if you believe in your dream, you can make it happen.

 

Here is Elle’s amazing writing journey…

 

 

Amy: When did you first know you wanted to write a young adult novel?

 

Elle: I didn’t know I wanted to write young adult fiction until I was knee-deep in my first adult novel. I was poking around online, researching the query and submission process, and I was blown away by the YA writing community. It was supportive, vibrant and engaging. These writers were approachable and fun! This was the kind of creative community I wanted to be part of. That same afternoon, I reimagined my story, and began telling it from the perspective of a younger narrator. I fell in love with her voice as easily as I fell in love with the YA community, and I never looked back.

 

 

Amy: When was your first manuscript completed?

 

Elle: I took a two-month sabbatical from work to write my first draft of NEARLY GONE. I began drafting at the beginning of June 2010, and completed my first manuscript eight weeks later.

 

 

Amy: Did you have any completed manuscripts prior to writing NEARLY GONE?

 

Elle: *ducks* This is usually the part where someone throws a shoe at me.

 

NEARLY GONE was my first manuscript. It was also the first piece of fiction I’d written in over fifteen years (since I’d graduated college). I guess I had a little pent up creativity. But in hindsight, I knew on some level that this was my one and only shot. Taking that sabbatical – gambling my full-time career – was the riskiest thing I’ve ever done.

 

 

Amy: How long did it take you to compose the query for NEARLY GONE?  Did you struggle with it or did it come to you quickly?

 

Elle: Queries are TOUGH! I did a LOT of research. I read a lot of agent blogs, and I spent a lot of time on Query Shark, studying the ones that did and didn’t work. Once I felt confident I had the guts of a solid query, I took it to a workshop, and revised based on feedback I received there.

 

 

Amy: How many agents did you query for NEARLY GONE?

 

Elle: After researching agent preferences, I batched my list into groups of six. I queried my top six agents first.

 

 

Amy: Did you receive initial positive response or did it take a while to get requests?

 

Elle: Five of the six requested full manuscripts within 72 hrs of the initial query.

 

 

Amy: What can you tell us about your “call” with your agent, Sarah Davies? How did you know she was a good fit for you?

 

Elle: I knew I wanted Sarah to represent my book as soon as she began reading my manuscript. I’d get brief, encouraging emails from her, letting me know she was completely engaged in my story. In an industry that can be so silent for such painfully long stretches, those small correspondences felt like lifelines. Then I got an email in which she described my love interest as “stonkingly sexy”. I immediately googled “stonkingly”, and I was totally sold.

 

I was so nervous during the actual “call”, I don’t remember most of it. I probably babbled. We talked a lot about what I’d done right (my query, my hook, my characters and my romance), and what I needed to do to make my book stronger (rewrite it). By that point, I felt so confident in Sarah, I didn’t have to think about it. I just knew I was in the best possible hands.

 

 

Amy: In your bio you say you write part of the time in a tree house on the edge of the jungle on the Caribbean Sea – how is it possible to get any writing done with that kind of view?

 

Elle: I find it incredibly peaceful. No distractions. No ringing phones. No errands to run, or laundry to do. It’s the one place where I feel like I can breathe. Things just seem to make more sense up there.

 

 

Amy: What writing advice did you get early on in your career that you still use today?

 

Elle: Sarah once told me to “trust my prose” — that I don’t need a lot of words, only the right ones. I’m still learning to trust myself, but I’m getting there.

 

 

More on NEARLY GONE:

 

 

Nearly Boswell’s name is an adverb with glass-half-empty connotations. Appropriate, given she’s almost certain to win the scholarship that’s her route out of Sunny View trailer park, almost pretty under her second-hand clothes, and she almost likes her best friend as much as he likes her.

 

But Nearly has a secret. She’s hopelessly addicted to the personal classified ads. Her search for hidden messages in the Missed Connections seems harmless enough – until a girl turns up drugged and naked under the bleachers, and a cryptic series of ads reveal clues to increasingly terrible crimes. Girls start turning up dead, and all the evidence points back to the one person capable of solving the clues – Nearly herself.

 

Reformed bad boy Reece Whelan is a narc. Working for the cops as a confidential informant is the only thing keeping him out of juvie. Helping police solve the chain of crimes could be his ticket to redemption, but shadowing Nearly is a challenge. The more Reece gets to know her, the harder it is to keep his distance, and as the evidence mounts against Nearly, Reece is sure not only that she’s being set up – but that he’s falling for the girl the cops think is the perp.

 

Drawn into a forbidden partnership, Reece fights to protect Nearly from the cops who suspect her and a calculating predator who has her second-guessing the people she loves. Somehow Nearly must work out the meaning of the mysterious numbers blue-inked on the victims and their connection to the puzzling ads. But time is running out, and who can Nearly trust with her secrets, her heart, and her life?

 

 

Elle Cosimano is the daughter of a prison warden and an elementary school teacher who rides a Harley. As a teen, she spent summers working on a fishing boat, baiting hooks and lugging buckets of chum. She majored in Psychology at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and set aside a successful real-estate career to pursue writing. She drinks too much coffee and is a professional puppy and little boy wrangler. She divides her time between her home near Washington, DC and a jungle tree house in the Mayan Riviera.

 

Elle’s debut YA thriller, NEARLY GONE, releases in early 2014 with Kathy Dawson Books, an imprint of Penguin Books for Young Readers.

 

You can find Elle on her website, twitter, facebook, and goodreads.

W.O.W. – Writer Odyssey Wednesday with Maggie Hall April 24, 2013

 

 

 

One thing I always ask in the W.O.W. is how critique partners affect a writer‘s work.  I can only count on one hand the number of writers who have told me they do not use CPs.  How they do it, I don’t know.  CPs and beta readers, I believe, are critical to the writing process and today’s featured writer, Maggie Hall agrees.

 

Maggie is part of a group blog called the YA Misfits.  This group supports one another through the writing, revising, querying and eventual submission process.  They are proof that with a great support network, any writer can reach their potential.

 

Many thanks to Maggie for sharing her writing journey…

 

 

Amy: You don’t see a lot of YA International Thrillers in the current marketplace. What inspired you to write The ELITE?

 

Maggie: Mostly that there weren’t a lot of YA International Thrillers in the marketplace! I read a lot of adult International Thrillers and love the genre, and always wished there was more like it in YA, so when the idea for this one came to me, I knew I had to write it. Plus, I love traveling and it was really fun to get to use some of my experience in writing this book.

 

 

Amy: How many completed manuscripts did you query before THE ELITE?

 

Maggie: This is my very first manuscript, so none!

 

 

Amy: I know you are part of the blog group, YA Misfits.  How did you connect with them, and how has knowing them affected your writing?

 

Maggie: Twitter, contests, forums…we met all over the place online, essentially. I met the first Misfits I knew through seeing each others’ entries on WriteOnCon then connecting through Twitter, and then met their friends, and they met mine, and soon we had this wonderful group of writers, and thought hey, wouldn’t it be fun if we started a group blog? And so YA Misfits was born.

 

Most of my critique partners are Misfits, and CPs in general changed my writing life. There’s only so much you can do to your writing on your own, and they have been incredibly helpful. And besides help on my actual MS, I would never have made it through the publishing process without them to lean on and vent to and freak out with…everyone needs a few good CPs!

 

 

Amy: Did your query for THE ELITE come easily or did it go through many drafts?

 

Maggie: It went through quite a few drafts. I started messing with the query well before the MS was done, so I had time to let it evolve naturally, and to get lots of advice! I had friends read it, posted it on forums…I have a tendency to ramble on, and the first couple drafts definitely showed that!

 

 

Amy: How many agents did you query for THE ELITE? Did you receive immediate responses or did you have to wait a while for replies?

 

Maggie: I queried 14 agents. Most of them were actually very quick–I got lucky!

 

 

Amy: Can you give a short summary of your call with your agent, Claudia Ballard? How did you know she was the right agent for you? 

 

Maggie: I knew Claudia was the right agent when she told me what was wrong with the book. Some agents aren’t very editorial (which is fine!) but I love having an agent who made me confident that she wouldn’t send my book out on sub until she thought it was really ready. And besides the edits, she was incredibly supportive, too. I came out of our first call knowing she loved the book and could see good things happening for it.

 

The rest of the call with her was pretty standard, I suppose–we talked about what she was looking for out of me, what I wanted out of my future as a writer, etc!

 

 

Amy: As most writers know, publishing is a very difficult business. What was the one thing you think you did to garner agent interest?

 

Maggie: I think the fact that my MS was different from what agents usually see in the slush pile was the most important factor in hooking them initially. Agents see so many queries, anything that makes your story stand out in a good, exciting way is really going to help you.

 

 

Amy: Was there ever a time you thought about giving up on your writing dream? If so, what motivated you to keep writing?

 

Maggie: All the time. I thought I’d never get my draft finished, then I thought I’d never think it was good enough to query, then when I was revising with my agent, I definitely doubted my ability to make it good enough to go on sub. Doubt, doubt, and more doubt. I was ready to throw in the towel a million times.

 

And what motivated me to go on? First of all, see my answer about CPs, above…my amazing CPs have encouraged me, been a shoulder to cry on, and kicked my butt into gear more times than I can count. If it weren’t for them being there for me through thick and thin, I very well might have quit at some point. And also, the love of writing. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true. Every time I tried to ignore my writing, or thought of giving up, it would be there, nagging at me, and I know there’s no way I could really quit. Maybe writers really are a little crazy!

 

 

More on THE ELITE:

 

 

Sixteen-year-old Avery West’s newfound family can shut down Prada at the Champs-Elysees when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war. They are part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Elite, and they think Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Now some of the Elite want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead. 

 

To unravel the mystery putting her in danger, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the crypts of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul and through a web of ancient legends and lies. And even more complicated are the two boys she’s with—beautiful, volatile Stellan and mysterious, magnetic Jack—who might be part of the solution, or who might be her undoing…because the conspiracy goes deeper than anyone could have guessed. 

 

Maggie Hall is a former bookstore events coordinator and world traveler, who has petted tigers in Thailand, eaten her way through Italy, and taken thousands of miles of trains across India. When she’s not on the other side of the world, she likes to watch USC football and blog about young adult literature for YA Misfits. She recently relocated from Albuquerque to New Orleans with her husband and three cats.

 

 

Maggie is represented by Claudia Ballard at William Morris Endeavor and the first book in her YA International Thriller trilogy, currently called THE ELITE, will be published by Putnam/Penguin in fall 2014. You can add it to Goodreads here. For more on Maggie, check out her website, blog or follow her on Twitter @MaggieEHall

FIRST FIVE FRENZY with Jessica Sinsheimer – Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency April 19, 2013

 

If you’re like me, you toil for hours editing and fine-tuning the first pages of your manuscript.  You look at the first lines to make sure they are compelling and tight.  You examine the next few paragraphs, hoping  your MC’s voice is already taking hold of the reader.

 

The First Five Frenzy is all about getting an agent’s perspective on what works, and what fails, in those first pages of a manuscript.  By reading each agent’s comments, I hope you’ll learn how to make your manuscript a shining gem that will be requested time and time again.

 

Today, I am proud to share Literary Agent, Jessica Sinsheimer’s perspective on what’s important in those critical first pages.

 

 

Amy: Many writers have the impression that a great first line is imperative to drawing in the reader. How important is a first line to you as an agent?

 

Jessica: It’s not the first line, necessarily, but the first few lines. It’s strange — I feel like we read for voice, initially, and that’s very hard to pin down. There was a paragraph in the first ten pages (included with a query) recently that had totally normal details layered wonderfully. The protagonist noted a steaming lasagna on the table and– again, lasagna is not so unusual — for some reason, because it was described so simply and perfectly, I wondered to myself for a week about when “the lasagna book” was coming in. (I mentioned this to the author, and I’m pretty sure she thinks I’m nuts, but that’s neither here nor there.)

 

 

Amy: Many times a writer is told to stay away from common openings like dreams, eating breakfast, riding in a car, etc. What are some common openings you recommend writers stay away from?

 

Jessica: I agree with all of these — unless you’re very sure that your writing makes them different from any other opening like this before.

 

I get a lot of “alarm clock goes off, character gets into shower” openings, and — ughh — the dialogue opening, where two characters talk about nothing for pages, and I have no idea where they are, who they are, or what they’re doing. I prefer a much higher ratio of narration to dialogue in those first few pages.

 

Also — weather. Please do not spend your first two paragraphs talking about the weather.

 

 

Amy: When you’ve responded to a writer to request a partial or full manuscript, what was it about their first pages that piqued your interest?

 

Jessica: It’s different every time, actually. Most of the time, it’s simply that I’m intrigued and want to read it — the same way we’re intrigued when reading jacket copy and the first few pages in a bookstore, or on Amazon. There’s something there that we want to explore further.

 

 

Amy: What are some common mistakes writers make in their first five pages?

 

Jessica: I’m a big believer in cutting (most) prologues — a lot of them do very little for the story, hardly advance the plot — and then, once I open chapter one, I think “Oh, gosh, finally!” There have been many times that the prologues have been so much worse than the first chapter that I’ve simply skipped ahead — and then been shocked at the difference. You’d think they’d been written by two different writers!

 

I think a lot of writers do a fair amount of general throat clearing in the first few pages. Always see what can be cut.

 

Amy: What resonates with you most in those first pages? Voice? Pacing? Unique concept?

 

Jessica: All of these are important — and a terrible version of any of these (weak, vague voice; slow or breakneck pace; concept that is too weird or too generic) can wreck an otherwise good book.

 

I know you’ll hate this answer, but it’s often intuitive, subjective, and very hard to define. It’s very important to me that I think about a book after I put it down–for all I know, I’ll get an important phone call (or a not at all important phone call) after reading two pages, and then it’s time for a meeting–and I won’t get back to the manuscript until hours or even days later. It’s important that the work sticks with me — and, often, this is the best test. Do I think about the book when I’m answering emails, or in meetings — when I’m at the gym, or on the subway? Do I want to talk about it with friends? If so, that goes a long way toward making it a book I’ll fall in love with.

 

 

Currently an associate agent with Sara Jane Freymann Literary Agency, Jessica’s interests include literary, women’s, and Young Adult fiction – works that speak to life in the 21st century. Also, pretty much anything that features food is welcome. These are her favorites but is not strict about or limited to only these genres. She’s also open to MG.

 

If you’re interested in submitting to Jessica, please make sure to check the Sarah  Jane Freymann Literary Agency website for their guidelines.

Moving On, But Not Giving Up – A Guest Post by MarcyKate Connolly April 8, 2013

 

The drawer. The seedy cobwebs of an old internal hard drive. The back of an old steamer trunk.  These are all the places we send our old stories to live.  They’re our starter novels. Our first attempt at a short story or a piece of flash fiction.  Basically, they are the bike with the training wheels before we really learn to ride.

 

If you’ve been writing long enough you know what I mean. Personally, I have two manuscripts lovingly set aside.  A paranormal romance (the first book I ever wrote) and a sci-fi/alternate history novel.  I literally feel like I gave over a piece of  my soul to develop both those books and I hope one day they will be published. I just know that time is not right now.

 

Do I think about them all the time? Yes. Do I wish I could get them published? Of course.  But see, that’s the thing, most of us cherish those first pieces, but after a long string of rejection we’re forced to store them away. Yet even as we do, those characters, storylines and plots still speak to us. We move on and create something new.  Maybe something we can sell.  And still,  those works speak to us. Urging us to dig them out of oblivion and work on them again – praying for a second chance. And yes, it’s very hard to let go.

 

Today, I’ve asked MarcyKate Connolly to share how she put aside a beloved novel to work on something new. Her thoughts resonate with me for so many reasons. Like her, I queried the heck out of a novel I loved without reaching that illustrious publishing finish line.  It’s a hard pill to swallow, especially after you’ve poured your heart and soul into something you’re sure readers would love. But after reading MarcyKate’s words, I realized that one day there may be hope for that beloved “trunked” novel after all.

 

 

 

Moving On, But Not Giving Up

The tricky thing about any creative endeavor is that it is difficult at best to separate ourselves from the work we create. As writers, we spend years pouring our souls into our books. When it comes time to send our babies out into the world we often do so with a mix of trepidation and hope.

 

And then we get shot down. A lot.

 

Some lucky few secure representation or a book deal with that first novel. But most of us will eventually run out of agents and realize that this novel, however much we love it, is not “The One.” This isn’t an easy decision to make, and it is often downright heartbreaking. All that work and time, and it’s going to just sit on your shelf (or hard drive).

 

MONSTROUS was the 7^th novel I wrote, and the 4^th I queried. I set three manuscripts aside before I got to the one that garnered representation and a book deal. It never got easier–if anything, it got worse. You see, with each manuscript I got better and closer, and having to fold when you feel as though you’re so, so close, is nothing less than painful and depressing.

 

But sometimes it needs to be done. Success is built from the building blocks of our failures.

 

My first novel still haunts me. The plot, the characters, the fantasy world all still live in my brain. I wrote it in 2008 and early 2009, and queried pretty much every agent who might possibly look at fantasy. And every single one rejected it.

 

I spent countless hours revising and refining that book, but I just couldn’t quite get it right. The story in my head wasn’t translating onto the page in the way it needed to and eventually the feedback from agents made that very clear. It took about a year and half for me to realize it wasn’t going to be The One, but what finally made me feel OK about putting it aside was that I was certain it wasn’t the only story in me.

 

Fast forward to the 3^rd book I queried. This was now the 4^th novel I’d written. I’d finally figured out voice (my biggest hurdle in the first few books), and there was a ton of interest. I’d promised myself that this time I wouldn’t get my hopes up too high. I’d be realistic and I’d work on other projects. But when the requests kept rolling in, I couldn’t help it. I was so sure this book would be The One.

 

It wasn’t.

 

A year and well over 100 agents queried later, I came to the decision that I needed to set it aside. The first book I could chalk up to being a beginner, but this time it felt like real failure. I’d learned so much and yet still I just couldn’t get it right. Something was broken with it and despite all the kind (and often very contradictory) feedback I received from agents, I couldn’t put my finger on what it was.

 

At first, much denial ensued (I may have a bit of a stubborn streak…:P). I’d send off queries to every new or obscure agent I could find who wanted YA. And I still got requests…and more rejections.

 

Finally I did put it aside for real (with more than a few tears) and focused on my next project. I had started writing it while querying that 3rd book. I’d written it for me, because the main character charmed me from her very first words. But I was so heartsick from querying various books for 3+ years, that I wasn’t sure I would even bother sending out this next one. It was just for me, my weird little book that was probably far too strange and rule-breaking to make it either. Eventually, after revising obsessively for months, I decided to give it a go.

 

That book was MONSTROUS.

 

Here’s the thing. Putting aside a book you’ve spent months or years working on is never going to be easy. But it shouldn’t be confused with giving up.

 

Giving up means deleting every electronic copy and burning every print out. Giving up means you stop writing altogether.

 

Shelving on the other hand, leaves room for hope. So that book didn’t turn out right the first time. Maybe you weren’t ready to write that story yet. Maybe you just hadn’t developed your skill to the point where you could do it justice. Maybe you need some serious distance (I’m talking years here) to see the weak points more clearly.  This was the case for my first novel and I’m hopeful that I’ll eventually be able to rewrite it from scratch.

 

Shelving also isn’t necessarily permanent. When you do find that right combination of book and agent, talk to your agent (ideally before you sign on the dotted line) about your other projects. If there’s a book you love and have polished within an inch of its life, but it just didn’t quite get there, maybe they’ll be willing to work with you on it. Now, I’m not saying you should throw every trunked book you’ve written at your shiny new agent, but if there’s one story you just can’t let go of, bring it up in The Call. There’s no guarantee you’ll be able to make the book publishable, but it won’t hurt to try. (*Disclaimer: this should go without saying, but if you do present your agent with a book that has been around the block and pitched to editors as well as agents, be sure to be honest and up front with said agent about its submission history.)

 

I’m lucky that my agent was willing to look at the project I set aside just before Monstrous as a possible next book, and I’m doubly lucky that she’s helped me identify where I was going wrong. I may still have to set aside again if I can’t fix it or if it doesn’t sell, but there’s hope, and sometimes that’s enough.

 

So if you have a project you love that you’ve almost queried out, take heart. And write another book.

 

 

MarcyKate Connolly is an author and arts administrator who lives in New England with her husband and pugs and writes weird little books. She’s also a coffee addict, voracious reader, and recurring commuter. She blogs about all those things and more at MarcyKate.com, and can often be found on Twitter. Her work is represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media, and her debut upper MG/Tween fantasy novel, MONSTROUS, will be published by HarperCollins Children’s Books.

First Five Frenzy with Kathleen Rushall – Marsal Lyon Literary Agency April 5, 2013

If you’re like me, you toil for hours editing and fine-tuning the first pages of your manuscript.  You look at the first lines to make sure they are compelling and tight.  You examine the next few paragraphs, hoping  your MC’s voice is already taking hold of the reader.

 

The First Five Frenzy is all about getting an agent’s perspective on what works, and what fails, in those first pages of a manuscript.  By reading each agent’s comments, I hope you’ll learn how to make your manuscript a shining gem that will be requested time and time again.

 

Today, I am proud to share Literary Agent, Kathleen Rushall’s perspective on what’s important in those critical first pages.

 

 

Amy: Many writers have the impression that a great first line is imperative to drawing in the reader. How important is a first line to you as an agent?

 

Kathleen: I wouldn’t expend all your energy on the first line. The opening pages are very important, but a single line should not make you lose sleep. Focus on your opening chapters to draw readers in, particularly those first five pages. Place us immediately into the story, and show us your main character’s voice. Be careful not to open with a lot of exposition.

 

 

Amy: Many times a writer is told to stay away from common openings like dreams, eating breakfast, riding in a car, etc. What are some common openings you recommend writers stay away from?

 

Kathleen: Those are pretty good examples. I would avoid opening with a character just waking up, or looking in a mirror (a common scene used to show us what the MC looks like). The idea is to start right away with something intriguing that makes us want to know more. There’s no need to show us that your MC is brushing her teeth or eating a bagel right before killer clowns from outer space kidnap her (unless, of course, the bagel is relevant to the plot!).

 

 

Amy: When you’ve responded to a writer to request a partial or full manuscript, what was it about their first pages that piqued your interest?

 

Kathleen: Most often it’s a killer voice or a unique hook. Something in those first pages had to grab my interest and make me want to know what happens next. Those first pages need to make me care about your character and want to find out his or her story.

 

 

Amy: What are some common mistakes writers make in their first five pages?

 

Kathleen: Too much back story or set-up. Sometimes the voice doesn’t come through. Keep in mind what you want to accomplish right away: give readers an immediate sense of who is telling this story (whose story IS this?), where does it take place (give a sense of setting right away), and a hint of the conflict (what’s intriguing here?).

 

 

Amy: What resonates with you most in those first pages? Voice? Pacing? Unique concept?

 

Kathleen: All of the above!

 

 

Kathleen represents a wide range of children’s literature and nonfiction at the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. She started as an intern at the Sandra Dijkstra Agency, and then spent two years at Waterside Productions agency. She looks forward to garnering fresh voices, strong narratives, and whimsical tales in all areas of young adult literature including thrillers, contemporary romance, mysteries, historical fiction, and science fiction. She is open to all genres of YA, but has a soft spot for thrillers, romance, edgy plots, humorous voices, and would love to find a dark mystery. Kathleen is also looking for unique, quirky picture books and all genres of middle grade fiction as well.

 

In addition to kidlit, Kathleen also represents select nonfiction and is interested in parenting, cooking, crafts, business, alternative medicine, women’s interest, humor, pop-culture, and some how-to.

 

Kathleen graduated from Seattle University with her bachelor’s degree in English and minor in fine arts. She moved back to her hometown of San Diego to earn her master’s degree in English, specializing in children’s literature, from San Diego State University. When she is not at her desk, Kathleen enjoys exploring new restaurants, dreaming of Ireland, and walking her Australian Shepherd, Finn.

 

If you’re interested in submitting to Kathleen, please make sure to check the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency website for their guidelines.