I usually only do open thread for subscribers, but let’s open it up to EVERYONE. Got a burning question? Ask away. Want to suggest a topic for a future newsletter? Now’s the time. Want to call out a fantastic old post you think everyone should read and/or tell me how great this newsletter/I am? :) :) :) Have at it.
THANK YOU for opening up this thread today. I love how interactive you are with your followers. I tell every writer that they should sign up for AGENTS and BOOKS. The information I've received from your newsletter over the years has helped me immensely. AGENTS and BOOKS is the best!
That said, I've recently completed a second manuscript and plan on starting the query process. My first manuscript has been placed in a virtual "drawer" to be revisited at a later date. Like many writers, I have created an author website. Under the BOOKS section, since I am unpublished, I've written two short blurbs––more like a loglines––about each novel which are under a heading titled: NOVLES IN PROGRESS. At the bottom of the page, I state that I'm currently seeking literary representation for my completed women's fiction manuscripts. As an agent, if you visited my website, would my BOOKS page be received positively, negatively, or with neutral regard. I've heard that having more than one manuscript ready and available might be a plus. Any guidance in this area would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Kate! Your newsletter is one of the best investments I've made—thank you!
I recently completed a memoir and am working on its book proposal. To most impress agents, which of the following is the best way to spend my time before I query: 1) growing my IG account? Currently 1K; 2) publishing more essays—personal, reported, op-ed, and/or literary? Currently have a handful; 3) Booking speaking events and/or interviews on podcasts/in magazines? Currently have a handful.
Second question (if okay): Is "the 7 million people in the U.S. diagnosed with bipolar disorder, their caregivers/families, and their doctors" too broad a range for a target audience? Thanks!!
Oct 11, 2022·edited Oct 11, 2022Liked by Kate McKean
I’m going to try and keep this concise. I have two novels I have not pitched. I’m experienced enough to know they are pretty good but I wrote them to teach myself how to write longform fiction. I had multiple how-to books published in the nineties, including one that sold 100k copies, so I’m not a newbie. As for platform, I have 4600 followers on Medium but my writing there is about politics and climate. And my newsletter here is about writing, and growing fast.
Does any of that matter in pitching a novel? Btw, this open thread has convinced me to become a paid sub!
The thing about metrics is that they would be impossible to measure. I sell books I never even submit (ie publishers come to me) so how do those count? Gross dollars might be one metric but an agent who sells two books to the same editor for a million dollars each is not necessarily better than an agent who does the same dollar amount for dozens of books and a dozen authors to a dozen editors. It’s tempting to think about but I don’t think we can Moneyball agent stats.
I know how important platform is for selling non-fiction (and I frequently share your newsletter on this with other writers!). As "discovery" continues to be a problem, with the overwhelming number of choices readers have for their time and attention, I've been wondering if platform will become more essential for fiction writers, too... I'm curious if you weigh platform *at all* before signing a novelist, or if you've ever had an editor pass on a novel because the writer isn't online?
Writing question - I am heading into the final part of my first draft, but as I go along I keep thinking of new ways to make the earlier parts of the book work better. I'm torn between going back to redo the sections were I think I've gone wrong, or just getting to the end of a first draft so I can see the shape of the whole thing? On the one hand, I feel like putting my story on a surer footing with all the characters journeys being clearer up front will help me get to a better ending for that first draft. On the other hand, I don't want to keep editing on the fly and never actually get the full first draft written. What would you do?
Hi Kate! Love the newsletter and recommend it often! Question - I did a dumb thing! I pitched an agent at a confernece with a book that was not finished and started in the wrong place. The agent did not know this obviously, and LOVED my pitch. Told me she loved it, clapped her hands, congratulated me on a fresh and fun idea -- it was so wonderful! But I realized at that moment - oh, you only pitch finished books, not ideas (I did not yet subscribe to your newsletter lol). Duh! I told her it wasn't finished and she asked for the first few pages. SO...I sent them. Haven't heard anything. I've since taken classes and rewrote the opening pages, sharpened writing, etc. Book is with round 1 of betas now! Say I finish the book and get it into querying shape - can I query her with it a year-ish after the conference? Or did I blow my chance?
Hi Kate, thank you so much for your work. I recently got my first nonfiction book contract, yay! However, there was was a section in the contract saying that I would be held personally $ liable if anyone sued the publisher over it. And that I would have to pay publisher legal fees even if the case was thrown out. This seems crazy for many reasons, but a basic one is that the publisher is a huge multinational corporation while I am a single mom. Even a few weeks of legal fees could bankrupt me, while they have millions. I recently read Cory Doctorow's essay on "the crapification of literary contracts" on this very issue but was shocked to see it in real life. An intellectual property lawyer friend said this was terrible also. My agent, however, told me that this is standard book contract language and has been for years; if it was a deal-breaker for me it would mean no book. He was very sweet though and did ask around, and said that he could find only one case in 30 years where an author actually had to pay anything. He also reminded me that the publisher has lawyers to send nasty letters to prospective suers and that they do believe in free speech. (He, um, also reminded me that bc of my book topic I am unlikely to be sued anyway...). So I'm signing, but...WHY DO PUBLISHERS DO THIS? (and uh have you ever heard of an author having to pay??) I can't control whether some nut case decides to file a frivolous lawsuit.
Thank you for doing this, Kate! There appears to be this major push for fiction writers to have an established social media presence. How likely are you to reject a manuscript because an author doesn't have thousands of followers? Self marketing as much as possible makes sense, but is having a small following truly a reason agents send rejections, or is it a perception vs. reality thing?
Hi Kate, long time reader, first time commenter. Love the newsletter. I've pitched to several agents now, and mostly what I've heard is yawning silence. Clearly there's something amiss. What I want to know is how to find people who know the industry well enough to tell me where I'm going wrong. Any thoughts about that part of the process--the pre-agented part?
A lot of novel deals are two-book. Should an author have a viable second idea to go along with a ms or a list of potential ones when querying, or can that all be worked out later?
How do you differentiate between offers besides money offered up front? I am pitching directly to regional and university presses. I know there's not going to be a ton of money on the table. But what are some aspects of these kinds of contracts to look at one over another to get as favorable a deal as I can get?
First, thank you so much for the wealth of info you share on A&B. As a novelist I learn a lot from it, and I share it with my freelance editing clients regularly. :)
I wanted to ask for insight on publishing in different genres. Right now I am published, unagented, by Bookouture as a romcom novelist, but romcoms aren't my only area of interest. (Spooky speculative fic is my chief other one.) For this reason, I'm planning to query agents once I have a spooky MS ready to go. I figure they'll know better than I how to brand in two different directions.
My question: Is there a way to explain, when I query, that I want to write in two genres and that's why I'm seeking representation? I've interned at agencies and worked publishing adjacent for a decade, but this question is throwing me for a loop!
Thank you for opening this up and for such a wonderful newsletter to begin with! I absolutely love getting it in my inbox (though, I 'm a slightly newer reader, so I do apologize if my question below has already been covered).
Something that's been on my brain a lot recently has been creative burnout and just general disheartenment as querying writers. A few writers in my writing group are really struggling with finding worth in their works and themselves as writers, due to just the sheer grueling nature of querying and the subjectivity of publishing in general, that has only heightened with the issues of how publishing treats its workers (i.e., not well enough by half), making the trenches even harder to navigate and be selected from.
SO, the question: any advice on how to be kind to ourselves and continue to believe in ourselves as writers and storytellers, even if we're faced with constant rejection?
Hi Kate, thanks for running this thread. I'm a new(ish) reader of this newsletter, but often send links and rave about it to all my writer friends. Thank you for sharing so much knowledge and expertise!
I'm about to query my second novel, and just finalising a fourth version after implementing excellent feedback from my seven beta readers. I will do another read then a final copyedit, but I'm wondering about starting to query while I do this final edit. I have a real sense of urgency about the novel, and plan to query one agent at a time. Would you advise to wait until the copy edit is done too (just hold tight! don't get trigger happy!), or start querying and keep working on it?
Hi! I´m not sure if this is the platform to ask this. I´m a latina so I write short stories in Spanish. I have a collection of short stories, but I´m not sure what to do with them in an English market. Should I just turn my head to Spain or ir there a latino market in US and UK?
Hi! Thanks for the opportunity. Curious tips on the following:
I wrote a few self/indie published novels as a way to learn how to write and get rapid feedback from readers. It was fun! They sold okay, but I feel I've learned enough to query a new manuscript (not published before).
I'm unsure how to acknowledge this in a query/query manager when it asks if I've published books before. I'm sure in todays world it's common but don't want it to be a detriment to my query!
Thank you for your excellent newsletter, it is such a wonderful resource.
I wanted to ask about the publishing industry and financial downturns. I published my memoir in 2008 at the time of the big financial crisis. My editor lost his job as his publishing house let many employees go and I had some upheaval in getting the book published.
Now, I will soon begin querying for my debut novel (I have bad timing!), and I am a bit worried/anxious about how the dire economic predictions are affecting agents and publishers, if it has yet affected how many new clients/books they take on or if it might in the future? I know you don't have a crystal ball, but I'm curious as to how people in publishing see the situation now.
Thanks for the question, Kate! I'm curious how and when to replace your existing agent. And, the idea to wait six weeks to several months for a prospective agent to reply to your inquiry makes zero sense to me. You could possibly wait years for this formula to pan out. For ex: I pitched you, and while waiting for your reply another agent responded. Thinking to go with a positive response vs no response I signed with the former. Is it proper to pitch multiple agents at the same time, and what to do when the one you dream of doesn't respond, while confronted with the immediate yes.
Hi Kate! Thanks for this awesome opportunity. You may be done with this thread by now but I have a question about being on submission. My debut YA novel has been on submission since February. Lots of lovely notes back with the rejections but no offers yet. I am doing everything I can on my end as far as creating a platform, publishing essays, posting on SM, etc. but I wonder what is a reasonable amount of time to wait in todays environment? My agent says people are taking forever to get back to her.
I realized today that a mistake I had sworn I fixed accidently made it into the first 10 pages I sent with a few queries. It was a dumb flub but an embarrassing one (I wrote "Creative Writing" in one place instead of "Creative Arts" as I called it in other references.) I know it's frowned upon to resubmit a query to fix something -- is there any chance an agent would overlook a dumb mistake like this?
Thank you for taking our questions. Mine is about genre. I've learned that my comps should match the genre of my manuscript. How do I pin down the genre of my potential comps when they appear in several genre categories on Amazon? Is there a reference source agents use to determine a published book's genre? I'm actually thinking of asking the authors (via Twitter or email) what genre they originally pitched. Would that be out of line in your opinion?
Hi Kate! "Option" question. Sold my 1st non-fiction book in a pre-empt due out next fall. Finishing my final draft as I write you. I was so focused on selling/writing book #1 I have NO idea how book #2 works. All I know is that I have an option in my contract that states after so many days I can submit a proposal for #2 after #1 is in. My question is an overarching WHAT THE HECK DO I DO WITH AN OPTION? (Made up of many little questions rolling around in my head like: Assuming I want to stay with my publisher - is the expectation for book 2 to be a continuation/offshoot of 1? How quickly are they expecting it and does speed increase liklihood of a yes? Is the publisher more likely to give it a yes, or more money, to keep their new author with them and happy? Is there an average increase in the advance to expect or is it all just starting from scratch again?)
Hello! My question is for Kate and/or anyone who may experience similar feelings. This newsletter has been super helpful in understanding how the publishing industry works, and how patience is the name of the game. But! How do you cope with feelings of "ugh I have to finish this and get it perfect ASAP because what if someone else has my idea??" Every morning I open my Publishers Marketplace daily emails half with dread because omg, what if someone like Colleen Hoover has MY idea and obviously she or anyone else will execute it better than I would, and I should just give up then?
I feel like I'm in an invisible race lol, and I know, I know that's not how it works! But I feel like in addition to getting it as close to perfect as I can thanks to beta readers & fresh eyes, I also feel like I have to be speedy AF before someone else does my idea better than I could.
How essential is a social media platform for a fiction writer? I keep trying to build a Twitter/IG/etc following, but I have a FT job and a book to write, I don't like social media, and I question whether the time spent on these sites is worth it. But if it's really important, I'd love to hear any thoughts you have on maximizing the return on one's time. Thanks so much for this thread!
My latest MS went out on submission today. This is my second attempt to catch some publishing magic. My first book languished for over a year and my agent and I "shelved" it. Almost three years and one pandemic later, I have a second chance. I love this book and I'm proud of all the work I put into it. I should be excited and hopeful, but all I'm feeling today is dread and that my chance of winning Megamillions is better than a publishing contract. Can you offer any perspective? Is this normal? Is it as bad out there as I think. How many books does an editor have pitched in a week?
I have a YA novel that I queried about a year ago and a few fulls are still sitting with agents. I recently received some notes that have helped me to see how I would revise this YA novel. I'm not yet sure of the timeline for its revision.
However, I have a new novel--literary fiction (for adults)--that I am hoping to query after a bit more revision.
1) Should I reach out to the agents with the YA ms full to let them know I am planning to revise? 2) Should I mention the new project (literary fiction), if I think it would suit them? 3) Finally, a chapter from the YA project won an award from and was published in an inclusive YA journal--would it make sense to mention that?
Thank you for the newsletter and for opening up for questions.
If (say hypothetically) I have recently finished, but not yet queried, a novel (literary fiction), and have a few YA novels I have lightly queried in the past and set aside for now--how would you recommend approaching the process of determining who to query?
For instance, does it make sense to focus on the best fit/prospects for the current ms., even if they do not rep YA? Or does it make sense to focus on those who rep adult and YA? A mix?
I will add that in the process of list making, I did not find as many agents who rep both literary fiction and YA as I had hoped. Any thoughts welcome.
Feeling like even though I haven't exhausted every avenue to a new agent and in getting my novel formally published, I might just self-publish. I have an outline and research and about 30 pages drafted so far for my second novel, but it's as if the uncertainty over my first novel is clouding my ability to really get moving on the second.
I consider my first novel a success -- everything I wanted it to be -- but its lack of publication a failure. The latter is arguably too extreme, and I just don't know how healthy it is to stay in that fame of mind. Is it worth the imprimatur of a formal publisher to keep pursuing it?
It's not for monetary reasons because I don't expect much there. I just wanted to see it out there so badly.
Hi Kate! I’m a new reader and am appreciating this newsletter a lot. I am looking for an agent because I have a big publisher recruiting me to publish and I want help to negotiate and sort out the contract. It’s all happening fast and I don’t have any contacts in the publishing world. Any tips on finding a reputable agent?
Kate - great newsletter and great thread today. I’m very glad I subscribed 👍
Question: what buzz are you hearing on the fiction side of things? Topics, perspectives, or genres that are trending that agents are excited about? I know a writer can’t chase trends (by the time you do, it’s passed) but I’m curious if you see any common threads to what’s getting excitement these days.
Thank you for this wonderful newsletter! Do you have any tips on querying for a character-driven novel? I feel like most of the query examples that I find online are for plot-driven commercial fiction, whereas my book (while not devoid of plot) bends toward the literary and character-driven side of things. I’m finding it hard to develop a hook without oversimplifying (and thereby misrepresenting) my story and its characters.
Hey Kate - I love your substack, I absolutely devoured it when I first found it a couple of weeks ago! I wondered whether you have a take on how long an agent might take with your full manuscript? I try not to think too hard about examples where people heard back overnight (as I know this is probably the exception and not the rule!) but with every day that passes and I don’t hear back I feel myself getting more dejected, feeling like if they were interested they would have reached out in the first week or two post manuscript request! Any insight would be so helpful, thank you!
I recently read an interview in “Poets & Writers” in which the published author stated something along the lines of “the great books teach you how to read them.” Do you have a perspective on this idea? Also, how should a writer both “teach the reader how to read the book” while also delivering on “market expectations”?
Hi! Love your newsletter & your honesty! I would love to get a fiction residency or some similar program like the Cullman center in NYC but it seems one must have connections and/or MFA. Is it possible for an unknown to benefit from such things? Please and thank you!
I know you have a post entitled, "YA or Not YA," but I'm curious about what happens when you write a book with two teens, but one of the adult characters in the book (one of the mom's, in my case) HAS to be a part of the book (her viewpoint, her struggles). When I sent my finished manuscript to my agent, he said, "It's beautiful, but I can't sell it. If editors don't know where it sits on the shelf, they won't take it." Of course, I was thinking, "Just put it in either category; it doesn't matter!" But I know this is a THING, now that I've done it, and I'm wondering your take on it.
I know you've said this over and over, and maybe I'm just incredulous this has to be the case: it really IS about the money. That's it. Editors don't want a story that doesn't "fit" a type? Or at least certain steadfast markers?
I've paid numerous freelance editors to read it, asking, "How do I change this to an adult book? How do I change it to a YA book?" And they've given their suggestions, but I think it's similar to the screenwriting world, where a screenwriter gets lots of suggestions from executives who know SOMETHING is wrong, but they don't know WHAT'S wrong. Have you run into this before? How do you solve it? Tabling the book? Forcing the book into one or the other?
Question: If agents never ask for even a partial manuscript and there’s no way to improve the first five pages (I’ve tried to make an inanimate object likable in so many ways) - do you just go on to the next project?
Thanks so much for doing this. I have a novel and a novel-in-stories I’ll be querying with early next year. Since many agents hear novel-in-stories as “story collection,” I’ll be primarily querying with the novel, though I’d also like to mention that I’m also seeking representation for the other work. Is it okay to have a couple of sentences at the end of my novel query mentioning the novel-in-stories with a very brief description?
I always wondered if there is seasonality to agents looking at submissions, for example August, or end of year. Is that a bad time to submit, or does it not matter, as eventually the backlog is seen? Of course, the real answer is probably that there is no answer, as every agent has his or her own life situation. But if this is definitely a less propitious time to submit, please advise.
Hi Kate!
THANK YOU for opening up this thread today. I love how interactive you are with your followers. I tell every writer that they should sign up for AGENTS and BOOKS. The information I've received from your newsletter over the years has helped me immensely. AGENTS and BOOKS is the best!
That said, I've recently completed a second manuscript and plan on starting the query process. My first manuscript has been placed in a virtual "drawer" to be revisited at a later date. Like many writers, I have created an author website. Under the BOOKS section, since I am unpublished, I've written two short blurbs––more like a loglines––about each novel which are under a heading titled: NOVLES IN PROGRESS. At the bottom of the page, I state that I'm currently seeking literary representation for my completed women's fiction manuscripts. As an agent, if you visited my website, would my BOOKS page be received positively, negatively, or with neutral regard. I've heard that having more than one manuscript ready and available might be a plus. Any guidance in this area would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Kate! Your newsletter is one of the best investments I've made—thank you!
I recently completed a memoir and am working on its book proposal. To most impress agents, which of the following is the best way to spend my time before I query: 1) growing my IG account? Currently 1K; 2) publishing more essays—personal, reported, op-ed, and/or literary? Currently have a handful; 3) Booking speaking events and/or interviews on podcasts/in magazines? Currently have a handful.
Second question (if okay): Is "the 7 million people in the U.S. diagnosed with bipolar disorder, their caregivers/families, and their doctors" too broad a range for a target audience? Thanks!!
Kate, thanks for being so Picard-Janeway-Burnham awesome. I recommend your substack to everyone. Heart emoji.
I’m going to try and keep this concise. I have two novels I have not pitched. I’m experienced enough to know they are pretty good but I wrote them to teach myself how to write longform fiction. I had multiple how-to books published in the nineties, including one that sold 100k copies, so I’m not a newbie. As for platform, I have 4600 followers on Medium but my writing there is about politics and climate. And my newsletter here is about writing, and growing fast.
Does any of that matter in pitching a novel? Btw, this open thread has convinced me to become a paid sub!
Sounds like I need to subscribe to this newsletter, sounds amazingly helpful for learning about how to approach getting published.
I want to tell you how great this newsletter and you are. It's a treat each time it hits my inbox. Keep it up!
First
The thing about metrics is that they would be impossible to measure. I sell books I never even submit (ie publishers come to me) so how do those count? Gross dollars might be one metric but an agent who sells two books to the same editor for a million dollars each is not necessarily better than an agent who does the same dollar amount for dozens of books and a dozen authors to a dozen editors. It’s tempting to think about but I don’t think we can Moneyball agent stats.
I know how important platform is for selling non-fiction (and I frequently share your newsletter on this with other writers!). As "discovery" continues to be a problem, with the overwhelming number of choices readers have for their time and attention, I've been wondering if platform will become more essential for fiction writers, too... I'm curious if you weigh platform *at all* before signing a novelist, or if you've ever had an editor pass on a novel because the writer isn't online?
How much does having an MFA open doors or make a writer appear more credible to agents?
Writing question - I am heading into the final part of my first draft, but as I go along I keep thinking of new ways to make the earlier parts of the book work better. I'm torn between going back to redo the sections were I think I've gone wrong, or just getting to the end of a first draft so I can see the shape of the whole thing? On the one hand, I feel like putting my story on a surer footing with all the characters journeys being clearer up front will help me get to a better ending for that first draft. On the other hand, I don't want to keep editing on the fly and never actually get the full first draft written. What would you do?
I’m interested in finding a young and hungry agent. What’s the best resource for that?
Hi Kate! Love the newsletter and recommend it often! Question - I did a dumb thing! I pitched an agent at a confernece with a book that was not finished and started in the wrong place. The agent did not know this obviously, and LOVED my pitch. Told me she loved it, clapped her hands, congratulated me on a fresh and fun idea -- it was so wonderful! But I realized at that moment - oh, you only pitch finished books, not ideas (I did not yet subscribe to your newsletter lol). Duh! I told her it wasn't finished and she asked for the first few pages. SO...I sent them. Haven't heard anything. I've since taken classes and rewrote the opening pages, sharpened writing, etc. Book is with round 1 of betas now! Say I finish the book and get it into querying shape - can I query her with it a year-ish after the conference? Or did I blow my chance?
Thanks for all you do!
Your thoughts on the success of Colleen Hoover as an author? This question is inspired by the NY Times piece on her this past week.
Hi Kate, thank you so much for your work. I recently got my first nonfiction book contract, yay! However, there was was a section in the contract saying that I would be held personally $ liable if anyone sued the publisher over it. And that I would have to pay publisher legal fees even if the case was thrown out. This seems crazy for many reasons, but a basic one is that the publisher is a huge multinational corporation while I am a single mom. Even a few weeks of legal fees could bankrupt me, while they have millions. I recently read Cory Doctorow's essay on "the crapification of literary contracts" on this very issue but was shocked to see it in real life. An intellectual property lawyer friend said this was terrible also. My agent, however, told me that this is standard book contract language and has been for years; if it was a deal-breaker for me it would mean no book. He was very sweet though and did ask around, and said that he could find only one case in 30 years where an author actually had to pay anything. He also reminded me that the publisher has lawyers to send nasty letters to prospective suers and that they do believe in free speech. (He, um, also reminded me that bc of my book topic I am unlikely to be sued anyway...). So I'm signing, but...WHY DO PUBLISHERS DO THIS? (and uh have you ever heard of an author having to pay??) I can't control whether some nut case decides to file a frivolous lawsuit.
Thank you for doing this, Kate! There appears to be this major push for fiction writers to have an established social media presence. How likely are you to reject a manuscript because an author doesn't have thousands of followers? Self marketing as much as possible makes sense, but is having a small following truly a reason agents send rejections, or is it a perception vs. reality thing?
Hi Kate, long time reader, first time commenter. Love the newsletter. I've pitched to several agents now, and mostly what I've heard is yawning silence. Clearly there's something amiss. What I want to know is how to find people who know the industry well enough to tell me where I'm going wrong. Any thoughts about that part of the process--the pre-agented part?
A lot of novel deals are two-book. Should an author have a viable second idea to go along with a ms or a list of potential ones when querying, or can that all be worked out later?
Thank you!
How do you differentiate between offers besides money offered up front? I am pitching directly to regional and university presses. I know there's not going to be a ton of money on the table. But what are some aspects of these kinds of contracts to look at one over another to get as favorable a deal as I can get?
Hi Kate,
First, thank you so much for the wealth of info you share on A&B. As a novelist I learn a lot from it, and I share it with my freelance editing clients regularly. :)
I wanted to ask for insight on publishing in different genres. Right now I am published, unagented, by Bookouture as a romcom novelist, but romcoms aren't my only area of interest. (Spooky speculative fic is my chief other one.) For this reason, I'm planning to query agents once I have a spooky MS ready to go. I figure they'll know better than I how to brand in two different directions.
My question: Is there a way to explain, when I query, that I want to write in two genres and that's why I'm seeking representation? I've interned at agencies and worked publishing adjacent for a decade, but this question is throwing me for a loop!
Thank you in advance for your guidance,
Jessica
Hi Kate!
Thank you for opening this up and for such a wonderful newsletter to begin with! I absolutely love getting it in my inbox (though, I 'm a slightly newer reader, so I do apologize if my question below has already been covered).
Something that's been on my brain a lot recently has been creative burnout and just general disheartenment as querying writers. A few writers in my writing group are really struggling with finding worth in their works and themselves as writers, due to just the sheer grueling nature of querying and the subjectivity of publishing in general, that has only heightened with the issues of how publishing treats its workers (i.e., not well enough by half), making the trenches even harder to navigate and be selected from.
SO, the question: any advice on how to be kind to ourselves and continue to believe in ourselves as writers and storytellers, even if we're faced with constant rejection?
Thank you for all that you do! xx
Hi Kate, thanks for running this thread. I'm a new(ish) reader of this newsletter, but often send links and rave about it to all my writer friends. Thank you for sharing so much knowledge and expertise!
I'm about to query my second novel, and just finalising a fourth version after implementing excellent feedback from my seven beta readers. I will do another read then a final copyedit, but I'm wondering about starting to query while I do this final edit. I have a real sense of urgency about the novel, and plan to query one agent at a time. Would you advise to wait until the copy edit is done too (just hold tight! don't get trigger happy!), or start querying and keep working on it?
Hi! I´m not sure if this is the platform to ask this. I´m a latina so I write short stories in Spanish. I have a collection of short stories, but I´m not sure what to do with them in an English market. Should I just turn my head to Spain or ir there a latino market in US and UK?
Hi! Thanks for the opportunity. Curious tips on the following:
I wrote a few self/indie published novels as a way to learn how to write and get rapid feedback from readers. It was fun! They sold okay, but I feel I've learned enough to query a new manuscript (not published before).
I'm unsure how to acknowledge this in a query/query manager when it asks if I've published books before. I'm sure in todays world it's common but don't want it to be a detriment to my query!
thanks much!
Hi Kate,
Thank you for your excellent newsletter, it is such a wonderful resource.
I wanted to ask about the publishing industry and financial downturns. I published my memoir in 2008 at the time of the big financial crisis. My editor lost his job as his publishing house let many employees go and I had some upheaval in getting the book published.
Now, I will soon begin querying for my debut novel (I have bad timing!), and I am a bit worried/anxious about how the dire economic predictions are affecting agents and publishers, if it has yet affected how many new clients/books they take on or if it might in the future? I know you don't have a crystal ball, but I'm curious as to how people in publishing see the situation now.
Thanks for the question, Kate! I'm curious how and when to replace your existing agent. And, the idea to wait six weeks to several months for a prospective agent to reply to your inquiry makes zero sense to me. You could possibly wait years for this formula to pan out. For ex: I pitched you, and while waiting for your reply another agent responded. Thinking to go with a positive response vs no response I signed with the former. Is it proper to pitch multiple agents at the same time, and what to do when the one you dream of doesn't respond, while confronted with the immediate yes.
Hi Kate! Thanks for this awesome opportunity. You may be done with this thread by now but I have a question about being on submission. My debut YA novel has been on submission since February. Lots of lovely notes back with the rejections but no offers yet. I am doing everything I can on my end as far as creating a platform, publishing essays, posting on SM, etc. but I wonder what is a reasonable amount of time to wait in todays environment? My agent says people are taking forever to get back to her.
does word count matter more than page count? or vice versa?
Because two things at 55K can differ like 20 pages.
should you set goals by one or the other?
I realized today that a mistake I had sworn I fixed accidently made it into the first 10 pages I sent with a few queries. It was a dumb flub but an embarrassing one (I wrote "Creative Writing" in one place instead of "Creative Arts" as I called it in other references.) I know it's frowned upon to resubmit a query to fix something -- is there any chance an agent would overlook a dumb mistake like this?
Thank you for taking our questions. Mine is about genre. I've learned that my comps should match the genre of my manuscript. How do I pin down the genre of my potential comps when they appear in several genre categories on Amazon? Is there a reference source agents use to determine a published book's genre? I'm actually thinking of asking the authors (via Twitter or email) what genre they originally pitched. Would that be out of line in your opinion?
Hi Kate! "Option" question. Sold my 1st non-fiction book in a pre-empt due out next fall. Finishing my final draft as I write you. I was so focused on selling/writing book #1 I have NO idea how book #2 works. All I know is that I have an option in my contract that states after so many days I can submit a proposal for #2 after #1 is in. My question is an overarching WHAT THE HECK DO I DO WITH AN OPTION? (Made up of many little questions rolling around in my head like: Assuming I want to stay with my publisher - is the expectation for book 2 to be a continuation/offshoot of 1? How quickly are they expecting it and does speed increase liklihood of a yes? Is the publisher more likely to give it a yes, or more money, to keep their new author with them and happy? Is there an average increase in the advance to expect or is it all just starting from scratch again?)
Hello! My question is for Kate and/or anyone who may experience similar feelings. This newsletter has been super helpful in understanding how the publishing industry works, and how patience is the name of the game. But! How do you cope with feelings of "ugh I have to finish this and get it perfect ASAP because what if someone else has my idea??" Every morning I open my Publishers Marketplace daily emails half with dread because omg, what if someone like Colleen Hoover has MY idea and obviously she or anyone else will execute it better than I would, and I should just give up then?
I feel like I'm in an invisible race lol, and I know, I know that's not how it works! But I feel like in addition to getting it as close to perfect as I can thanks to beta readers & fresh eyes, I also feel like I have to be speedy AF before someone else does my idea better than I could.
How essential is a social media platform for a fiction writer? I keep trying to build a Twitter/IG/etc following, but I have a FT job and a book to write, I don't like social media, and I question whether the time spent on these sites is worth it. But if it's really important, I'd love to hear any thoughts you have on maximizing the return on one's time. Thanks so much for this thread!
Hi Kate!
My latest MS went out on submission today. This is my second attempt to catch some publishing magic. My first book languished for over a year and my agent and I "shelved" it. Almost three years and one pandemic later, I have a second chance. I love this book and I'm proud of all the work I put into it. I should be excited and hopeful, but all I'm feeling today is dread and that my chance of winning Megamillions is better than a publishing contract. Can you offer any perspective? Is this normal? Is it as bad out there as I think. How many books does an editor have pitched in a week?
Hi Kate,
One more question.
I have a YA novel that I queried about a year ago and a few fulls are still sitting with agents. I recently received some notes that have helped me to see how I would revise this YA novel. I'm not yet sure of the timeline for its revision.
However, I have a new novel--literary fiction (for adults)--that I am hoping to query after a bit more revision.
1) Should I reach out to the agents with the YA ms full to let them know I am planning to revise? 2) Should I mention the new project (literary fiction), if I think it would suit them? 3) Finally, a chapter from the YA project won an award from and was published in an inclusive YA journal--would it make sense to mention that?
Any advice welcome, thank you so much.
Hi, thanks for taking questions. I’m very interested in real numbers.
What is the biggest advance you’ve negotiated for an author?
How much has your highest earning author you rep earned in total?
Have you ever had one of your books you rep get made into a major motion picture?
What is your dream/ultimate goal for yourself as an agent?
Thank you for the newsletter and for opening up for questions.
If (say hypothetically) I have recently finished, but not yet queried, a novel (literary fiction), and have a few YA novels I have lightly queried in the past and set aside for now--how would you recommend approaching the process of determining who to query?
For instance, does it make sense to focus on the best fit/prospects for the current ms., even if they do not rep YA? Or does it make sense to focus on those who rep adult and YA? A mix?
I will add that in the process of list making, I did not find as many agents who rep both literary fiction and YA as I had hoped. Any thoughts welcome.
My thanks!
Feeling like even though I haven't exhausted every avenue to a new agent and in getting my novel formally published, I might just self-publish. I have an outline and research and about 30 pages drafted so far for my second novel, but it's as if the uncertainty over my first novel is clouding my ability to really get moving on the second.
I consider my first novel a success -- everything I wanted it to be -- but its lack of publication a failure. The latter is arguably too extreme, and I just don't know how healthy it is to stay in that fame of mind. Is it worth the imprimatur of a formal publisher to keep pursuing it?
It's not for monetary reasons because I don't expect much there. I just wanted to see it out there so badly.
Hi Kate! I’m a new reader and am appreciating this newsletter a lot. I am looking for an agent because I have a big publisher recruiting me to publish and I want help to negotiate and sort out the contract. It’s all happening fast and I don’t have any contacts in the publishing world. Any tips on finding a reputable agent?
Kate - great newsletter and great thread today. I’m very glad I subscribed 👍
Question: what buzz are you hearing on the fiction side of things? Topics, perspectives, or genres that are trending that agents are excited about? I know a writer can’t chase trends (by the time you do, it’s passed) but I’m curious if you see any common threads to what’s getting excitement these days.
Not everyone. I’ll keep going. 🤞 Thank you.
Thank you for this wonderful newsletter! Do you have any tips on querying for a character-driven novel? I feel like most of the query examples that I find online are for plot-driven commercial fiction, whereas my book (while not devoid of plot) bends toward the literary and character-driven side of things. I’m finding it hard to develop a hook without oversimplifying (and thereby misrepresenting) my story and its characters.
Hey Kate - I love your substack, I absolutely devoured it when I first found it a couple of weeks ago! I wondered whether you have a take on how long an agent might take with your full manuscript? I try not to think too hard about examples where people heard back overnight (as I know this is probably the exception and not the rule!) but with every day that passes and I don’t hear back I feel myself getting more dejected, feeling like if they were interested they would have reached out in the first week or two post manuscript request! Any insight would be so helpful, thank you!
I recently read an interview in “Poets & Writers” in which the published author stated something along the lines of “the great books teach you how to read them.” Do you have a perspective on this idea? Also, how should a writer both “teach the reader how to read the book” while also delivering on “market expectations”?
Hi! Love your newsletter & your honesty! I would love to get a fiction residency or some similar program like the Cullman center in NYC but it seems one must have connections and/or MFA. Is it possible for an unknown to benefit from such things? Please and thank you!
Kate,
I know you have a post entitled, "YA or Not YA," but I'm curious about what happens when you write a book with two teens, but one of the adult characters in the book (one of the mom's, in my case) HAS to be a part of the book (her viewpoint, her struggles). When I sent my finished manuscript to my agent, he said, "It's beautiful, but I can't sell it. If editors don't know where it sits on the shelf, they won't take it." Of course, I was thinking, "Just put it in either category; it doesn't matter!" But I know this is a THING, now that I've done it, and I'm wondering your take on it.
Kate Axelrod had a similar problem and wrote about it for LitHub: https://lithub.com/the-time-my-grown-up-novel-was-marketed-as-young-adult/
I know you've said this over and over, and maybe I'm just incredulous this has to be the case: it really IS about the money. That's it. Editors don't want a story that doesn't "fit" a type? Or at least certain steadfast markers?
I've paid numerous freelance editors to read it, asking, "How do I change this to an adult book? How do I change it to a YA book?" And they've given their suggestions, but I think it's similar to the screenwriting world, where a screenwriter gets lots of suggestions from executives who know SOMETHING is wrong, but they don't know WHAT'S wrong. Have you run into this before? How do you solve it? Tabling the book? Forcing the book into one or the other?
Thanks Kate, you’re awesome.
Question: If agents never ask for even a partial manuscript and there’s no way to improve the first five pages (I’ve tried to make an inanimate object likable in so many ways) - do you just go on to the next project?
Hi Kate,
Thanks so much for doing this. I have a novel and a novel-in-stories I’ll be querying with early next year. Since many agents hear novel-in-stories as “story collection,” I’ll be primarily querying with the novel, though I’d also like to mention that I’m also seeking representation for the other work. Is it okay to have a couple of sentences at the end of my novel query mentioning the novel-in-stories with a very brief description?
I always wondered if there is seasonality to agents looking at submissions, for example August, or end of year. Is that a bad time to submit, or does it not matter, as eventually the backlog is seen? Of course, the real answer is probably that there is no answer, as every agent has his or her own life situation. But if this is definitely a less propitious time to submit, please advise.