(This column excerpted
from GUIDE
TO LITERARY AGENTS, from Writer’s
Digest Books.)
 |
| Image source. |
Then it dawned on me. For some time now, whenever I’ve
interviewed agents on my Guide to Literary Agents Blog, I’ve tried to pry these
same specifics out of them—always asking the same question to each:
Besides “good
writing,” and “voice,” what are you looking for right now and not getting? What
do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?
The answers that come back are specific and illuminating, as
each agent cuts through the smoke and points to something concrete and unusual
that they want to see. These answers are like little lightning bolts that can
connect with writers who happen to be querying that very kind of story. So,
with no further ado, here is my collection of agent responses upon being asked,
“What are you looking for right now?”
Look over the list, and then query away!
“I’d love to get more historical fiction and serious
adult literary fiction. I’d also love to get more really well written middle grade
stories that don’t talk down to readers. And I’d love to get a totally
heart-breaking YA story that doesn’t have death or maiming in it.”
-------------
“I’m definitely looking for smart middle
grade books that will appeal to children and adults alike. One category I would
like to see more of is humorous middle grade fiction, especially in the vein of
Gordon Korman. I’d also love to see more spooky or creepy MG books. I’m
interested in wide range of writing styles, and am open to everything from
Roald Dahl to R.L. Stein. Kids really connect to the grotesque, and I’d jump at
the chance to have a writer on my list who can give me goose bumps, but still
be appropriate for MG readers.”-------------
“I’d love to represent more books that explore healing, perhaps of a sort that isn’t always comfortable or popular to talk about—whether around psycho-spiritual health, sexuality, death and dying, or grief. I also would like to find more books that explore counter-intuitive or common sense approaches to business, as well as books on creativity, either as interesting, illustrated gift books or literary nonfiction.”
-------------
“I’m seeing a lot of middle grade and young adult
submissions that are ‘issue’ driven these days, which is really not my thing.
Basically, I would love for your story to include a bullying subplot, but if
you’re going to preach at me about how bullying is wrong and everyone should be
nice to one another, I’m not going to be interested. I’m looking for story
first and message is a distant second. So, I would love to receive more
submissions that tackle issues without being issue books, if you can appreciate
the distinction.”
-------------
1. “An author
on a mission. Rory Freedman comes to mind. She’ll do anything for the animals
she loves, and her forthcoming book, BEG, will [sell well] because of it.
2. The infamous
platform.
Happily, a platform doesn’t have to mean your own national radio show or
network news broadcast anymore. It can mean a developed, consistent voice (and
the followers and friends that come with that) on Twitter and Facebook. Or
Pinterest and GoodReads. Maybe you blog or interact with fans and fellow
writers on sites like fictionpress.com (as our YA client Sarah Maas did for
years before publishing her first book, Throne of Glass). I know this
implies new burdens on writers, but we think of our authors as partners, and
with so much content out there, we need to know how we can work together to
distinguish your work.
3. Historical
Fiction and just plain History.
4. High
concept, funny middle-grade.”
-------------
“I would love to see contemporary YA that tackles
some real, hard issues in a fresh way; a thriller that I can’t put down because
of its intensity; maybe a hot romance that breaks my heart then makes me cry
with joy at the end.”
-------------
“For nonfiction, I’d love to see some more popular
science projects, something that sheds light on an interesting topic in a compelling
and very readable way. I loved Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and would be thrilled to work
with something like it that combines history and science in such an absorbing
narrative.”
-------------
(Hi, everyone. Chuck here chiming in for a second. I wanted to say I am now taking clients as a freelance editor. So if your query or manuscript needs some love, please check out my editing services. Thanks!)
-------------
“I’d love an
incredible retelling of a fairytale. I do see many of these queries come in,
and I almost always request material; I just haven’t yet landed on the right
one yet. I think they’re very difficult to do. Ultimately, I’m looking for something
like THE MAGIC CIRCLE by Donna Jo Napoli.”
-------------
[Regarding pop culture book topics she’d like to
see:] “Women’s issues, relationships, music, sports. I think those are my top
four. But, you know, if a great project came across my desk that revolved
around psychology or science, I’d love to work on it, if all the chips were in
the right place.”
-------------
“For narrative nonfiction and memoir, I see too many
proposals that are only about the author’s life and family; they become too
much like bubbles of personal experience that don’t connect enough to some
bigger picture of the world. I love to have a personal voice on the page that
sucks me into some world I didn’t know existed or that shows me what’s so
magical about greyhounds or being the director of a giant public hospital.”
-------------
“I want my very own John Krakauer! However in
general, I’d like to see more quality nonfiction projects. And I’m still in
search of a good animal story, like Homer’s Odyssey or Dewey.
I recently found one on raising chickens (not for food) that I liked, but it
was already represented when I contacted the author. I would like to see more
women’s literary fiction projects. I wouldn’t mind finding the next Carlos
Castaneda or Dan Millman, and maybe a spirituality book with a fresh approach.
I’d definitely like to see a lot more humor. And [co-agent] Kimberley Cameron
is always in search of good horror.”
-------------
“I love nonfiction about science and I love working
with academics. I also want more literary fiction. I get a few mystery, crime,
and thriller submissions, but I want more. Please, however, keep sending me
your sci-fi, and your fantasy, and your YA, and your MG novels. I can never get
enough.”
-------------
“I haven’t been finding enough edgy paranormal or
contemporary romances in my inbox and I am always searching for steampunk or
other non-traditional (not sword-and-dagger) fantasy. I have a fondness for
really quirky characters and novels about families that aren’t ‘normal.’ ”
-------------
“I would love to see more women’s fiction. I’m also
looking for a good cozy mystery and all types of romance including romantic
suspense, historical, contemporary, category, or paranormal. On the nonfiction
side, I would love to see an advice/relationships or parenting book with an
interesting/new thesis, current events, or narrative nonfiction with an
interesting topic.”
-------------
“I always hope I’ll find a great adventure story but
these are tough to come by. Anyone can describe just about any situation
as an adventure if they stretch it enough, but the books I want to find focus
around an unusual or unlikely quest, such as in The Lost City of Z, or
that tell a story of survival, as in The Ledge. I also love travel
memoirs as long as they are driven by a plot with a real beginning, middle, and
end. I also look for remarkable love stories, or any human-interest story in
which people triumph over great odds.”
-------------
“I would love
to see more romance (all genres) and sci-fi/fantasy/urban fantasy.”
-------------
“I’m always looking for a well-written cozy mystery. I’m
also on the lookout for a good edge-of-your-seat thriller. I am always looking
for a good romance. I work with many subgenres of romances: contemporary,
historical, paranormal, suspense. I’d also love to get a steampunk.”
-------------
“I’d like to find something with good
action in it, with humor and strong characters, and a good, creepy mystery. I’m
also always looking for that new paranormal or urban fantasy that just sucks me
in and truly stands out from the slush pile.”
-------------
“I want to learn about other cultures and
experience different points of view [in multicultural fiction]. In another
direction, I think non-white characters are underrepresented in children’s
fiction, which just simply doesn’t represent the population.”
-------------
“I’m really hungry for well-written
contemporary YA without any fantasy or paranormal elements. I’ve seen a lot of
manuscripts in the last year or two about teenagers who can read minds, open
magic portals, or talk to ghosts. I think those stories are fascinating, but
I’m increasingly interested in reading manuscripts with situations and
characters that readers can relate to.”
-------------
Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers Conferences:
Early 2020: Writing Retreat of Maui (Maui, HI)
March 6, 2020: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
March 7, 2020: Minnesota Writing Workshop (St. Paul, MN)
March 28, 2020: Pittsburgh Writing Workshop (Pittsburgh, PA)
March 28, 2020: Kansas City Writing Workshop (Kansas City, KS)
April 18, 2020: North Carolina Writing Workshop (Charlotte, NC)
April 25, 2020: Seattle Writing Workshop (Seattle, WA)
April 25, 2020: Seattle Writing Workshop (Seattle, WA)
May 2, 2020: Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
May 9: 2020: San Diego Writing Workshop (San Diego, CA)
May 16, 2020: Cincinnati Writing Workshop (Cincinnati, OH)
May 16, 2020: Florida Writing Workshop (Tampa, FL)
June 13, 2020: Tennessee Writing Workshop (Nashville, TN)
June 27, 2020: Writing Workshop of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
July 11, 2020: Cleveland Writing Workshop (Cleveland, OH)
August 8, 2020: Toronto Writing Workshop (Toronto, Canada)
Other columns by Chuck Sambuchino
- How to Write a Screenplay: 7 Starting Tips for Adapting Your Own Novel
- Why “Keep Moving Forward” is My Best Advice For Writers Everywhere
- Do You Need Multiple Agents if You Write in Different Genres?
- How to Write a Novel Synopsis: 5 Tips
- Building Your Writer Platform—How Much is Enough?
- What to Write in the “Bio” Section of Your Query Letter
- 15 Questions to Ask a Literary Agent Before You Sign
- Crafting a Novel’s Pitch: 7 Tips
- 25 Debut Authors Share Advice for Getting Published
__________________________________________________
His 2010 humor book, HOW TO SURVIVE A GARDEN GNOME ATTACK, was optioned by Sony Pictures. Chuck has also written the writing guides FORMATTING and SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT and CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM.
Besides that, he is a freelance book and query editor, husband, sleep-deprived new father, and owner of a flabby-yet-lovable dog named Graham. Find Chuck on Twitter and on Facebook.
Thanks for posting this, Donna! (And thanks to Chuck). I see at least one agent in that list that I need to try.
ReplyDeleteYes, Chuck's post is such an excellent resource!
DeleteThanks for posting this! I have some agents to keep in mind now when my book is {hopefully} ready for submission at the beginning of next year.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with querying!
DeleteWow.thanks for sharing. I have work in progress. Already spotted some agents that I can pitch to.
ReplyDeleteGreat article, thank you.
ReplyDelete