Agent Jill Corcoran (of the Herman Agency) shared the following lists of things you should NOT write in your query letter. Take a look and make sure you aren’t committing query letter suicide! Things NOT to write in you Query Letter: 1. I’m a new writer. 2. This is my first book or this is…
Agent Advice
Queries and Synopis: How to Get an Agent Salivating to Read Your Manuscript
Writer turned agent extraordinaire Jill Corcoran, of the Herman Agency, spoke at the 2010 Southern California SCBWI Writer’s Day about how to get an agent to request your manuscript. The following are her tips, personal preferences, and insight to help ensure your inbox is full of requests instead of rejection letters. What’s a Query Letter? A query letter is a…
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A Recipe for Writing the Breakout Novel
What is a breakout novel? Read on as Agent Sarah Davies (of Greenhouse Literary) shares her opinion of what makes a breakout novel and the five secret ingredients that will make your novel a success. She shared the following information at the 2009 SCBWI LA Conference. So if you want to be the next “it-author”…
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Agent Day: Insight from Brenda Bowen
The final speaker at the SCBWI OC Agent Day was the lovely Ms. Brenda Bowen. In addition to her great talk about agent/editor negotiation she also shared the following tid-bits about herself, her agenting style, and what she’s looking for: About Bit About Greenburger Associates: We are a full service agency with a large back-list…
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Tips for Pitching and Querying Agents
Andrea Brown agent Mary Kole shared the following hand-out with the participants of the OC SCBWI Agent Day: Tips for Pitching and Querying Agents Whether you pitch an agent in person or with a written query, your goal is the same: to get us to request your manuscript. But first, relax and take a deep…
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Let’s Make a Deal: An Editor/Agent Mock Negotiation
Show Me The Money! Often times at conferences and seminars agents and editors speak ad nausem about the craft, query letters, and what they want to see in their slush. Seldom do they talk numbers and negotiations. But at the SCBWI OC Agent Day this May, Agent Brenda Bowen (previously an editor) gave a rare…
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Eight Myths About Literary Agents
Is it true that big agencies doesn’t care about small writers? Or that everything you read about an agent online is true? Writers House agent, Rebecca Sherman spoke at the 2010 SCBWI OC Agent Day and debunked all the myths you may have heard. So here is what she had to say to set the…
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Querying Do’s and Don’ts from Agent Rebecca Sherman
The following is Writers House Agent Rebecca Sherman’s list of Do’s and Don’ts for querying a literary agent. She shared this list at the 2010 SCBWI OC Agent Day: DO: Begin with the kind of description that would appear on the back of your book or jacket flap. Tell me some brief biographical information. Tell…
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Agent Day: Insight from Kevan Lyon
Kevan Lyon of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency was the second agent to speak at the SCBWI Agent Day in Newport Beach. As an agent who is not only represents young adult literature, she also reps adult lit as well and is always looking for young adult books that will breech both genres. The following…
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Agent Day: Insight from Agent Mary Kole
Andrea Brown agent, Mary Kole spoke at the SCBWI Agent Day this past Saturday in Newport Beach. She shared her genuine passion for children’s literature, what she’s specifically looking to find in her submission box, and her love for the iPad. A Little About Mary Kole and the Andrea Brown Agency: Andrea Brown has been…