Track Changes: Agents
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Read the transcript
We meet Jennifer de Leon as she prepares for the release of her debut young adult novel, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From, on August 4. Though Jennifer has been writing for years, she quickly learns that there’s a lot about Capital-P-Publishing that she doesn’t know. (Hear her First Draft interview here.)
We meet Holly Root, literary agent and founder of Root Literary who represents clients such as Victoria Schwab (hear her First Draft interview here), Jasmine Guillory (listen to her First Draft interview here), and Christina Lauren.
Seth Fishman, he’s an author and literary agent with The Gernert Company and manager of their West Coast office. He reps clients such as John Joseph Adams, Ali Almossawi, and Kate Beaton.
This episode is brought to you by Writing in Place, the podcast series brought to you by bestselling and Printz-winning author Nina LaCour (listen to her First Draft interviews here and here), who also brings you the Keeping a Notebook podcast and the Slow Novel Lab.
Episode 2: Agents: Who Are They, What Do They Do, And How Do You Get One?
Episode 3: Selling Your Book (Part 1)
Episode 4: Selling Your Book (Part 2)
Episode 7: After the Book Deal
Episode 8: Marketing and Publicity (Part 1)
Episode 9: Marketing and Publicity (Part 2), and Definitions of Success
Bonus Eps
Publishing in the time of COVID
Panel: The Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From team
Panel: Publishing From Every Angle
Discussed in this episode:
Don’t miss the first episode of Track Changes, Publishing 101 (listen on the website; Apple Podcasts; Spotify; or Stitcher)
Jennifer de Leon is represented by Faye Bender, literary agent and partner and founder of The Book Group
Resources for finding agents:
Writer’s Market 2020, editor Robert Lee Brewer, and peruse the informative Publishing Insights posts at WritersMarket.com
The Poets&Writers Literary Agent Database
The Manuscript Wish List’s Comprehensive Search and Query Guide
Publishing expert Jane Friedman’s “How to Find a Literary Agent For Your Book”
Catapult Press’s Agent Provocateur has “Finding Representation For Your Book”
Don’t skip this series on what makes a good agent, by Kristin Nelson,
literary agent and founder of Nelson Literary Agent, who we heard from in the Track Changes Bonus Episode: Publishing in the Time of COVID. The series begins with “Agent as Savvy Business Manager”
“25 Things Writers Should know About Agents” by Chuck Wendig
“First Book: The Romance of Agents” on NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour blog
“Nabbing a Top Agent Before They Are a Top Agent” on the Nelson Literary PubRants blog
“Money Talk: Where Does Your Commission Go?” on the Nelson Literary PubRants blog
Resources for query writing:
First: “Is Your Manuscript Ready?” from the Nelson Literary PubRants blog
QueryShark, run by agent Janet Reid
Publishing expert Jane Friedman’s complete guide to query writing
The archives of former literary agent, author, and publishing consultant Nathan Bransford, including “How to Write a Query Letter,” “Query Letter Template,” “The Best Strategy for Sending Query Letters,” and “A Guide to Literary Agent Etiquette.”
The Manuscript Wish List’s Comprehensive Search and Query Guide
Agent Kate McKean’s four-part How To Write a Query Letter series
Resources on Revise & Resubmit
“How to Work With a Literary Agent on Revisions,” by Nathan Bransford
“How to Resubmit to Literary Agents” by Writer’s Relief
Resources For the Agent Phone Call
“5 Questions Authors Don’t Ask But Should When an Agent Offers Rep” by Kristin Nelson on the Nelson Literary PubRants blog
WATCH: Alexa Donne “Questions to Ask on THE CALL: What to Ask an Agent”
Resources For if Your Agent is Just Not Working Out
“Is It Time, Dear Writer, To Leave Your Literary Agent?” by Chuck Wendig
“Switching Literary Agents: Two Agents Offer Advice,” on Jane Friedman’s blog
Track Changes is produced by Hayley Hershman. Zan Romanoff is the story editor. The music was composed by Dan Bailey, and the logo was designed by Collin Keith.
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