Author: Susan Uhlig

In response to questions on KIDLIT411 (a Facebook group), I offered a free Zoom meeting today. About nine or ten writers participated and we spent about an hour together.

Getting ready for it–using a list of questions some had–I realized I’d done a live talk on a similar topic for SCBWI Oregon back in 2019. So, I took the PowerPoint from that, did some rearranging, and had a presentation.

My plan had been to record the Zoom meeting. I was almost done talking when I realized, I’d never pushed start record. Arghh. Next time I need a sign that says START RECORD right in front of me!

Since I can’t share the recording as planned, my husband reminded me I could convert the PPT presentation as a pdf. Wise man. Except it was too huge. He suggested we try google slides–it cut off some of my text. So, instead I chose outline view in PPT and copied the text of my slides and answered some extra questions I was asked:

ORGANIZING RESEARCH PROCESS

Keep track of those you are interested in!

• You can do…
  • A Word document
  • A Word table
  • An Excel spreadsheet
    • Each tab a different agent (editor) and paste all your info including links
  • A pen and paper notebook

What info you may want to keep

• Contact Info
• Name
• Email or link to submission form
  • usually forms are through agency—sometimes query manager
• Agency/Publisher
  • website
• Personal blog link
• Twitter link
• Where you found them…
• What they want to see, such as …
  • Query or cover letter
  • Full manuscript, first ten pages, first 50 pages, first chapter
  • Synopsis – one page, brief, or …
  • Author bio
  • Comp titles
• How they want it sent – email (attached or not–usually pasted in) or form (with link)
• Report time – and if no response, or not stated

WHERE TO START RESEARCHING AGENTS (EDITORS)

• My favorites…
  • Manuscript Wishlist – https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/
    • It’s searchable
      • By name
      • Category
      • Genre
      • Keywords
    • Helpful Blog – you can subscribe   
  • Kathy Temean’s Writing and Illustrating blog – https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/
    • Usually features one agent a month
    • First page submission opportunities
    • Place to share art, find out about contests, etc.
    • You can subscribe!

• Other sites…
  • http://frolickingthroughcyberspace.blogspot.com/p/monster-list-of-picture-book-agents.html
    • Note: you can always just put “monster list of picture book agents” in your browser!
  • https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/find-a-nonfiction-agent/new-agency-alerts OR https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/find-a-fiction-agent
    • Note: search for “writer’s digest new agent alerts” in browser
  • Live events – at least we used to do these!
  • Webinars – SCBWI is a good resource
    • Regional ones: https://www.scbwi.org/regional-webinars/
    • International ones – you MUST be a member: https://www.scbwi.org/scbwi-digital-workshops-archive/

WHEN I FIND AN AGENT (EDITOR) I’M INTERESTED IN…

• I check their agency website
• Twitter – unfortunately, you must have an account – https://twitter.com/
  • I also use this to check to see if an agent is up-to-date on queries
• Google – search the internet for interviews/mentions/podcasts
• I read and listen to any of the above I find
• Ask myself questions:
  • Are they representing what I want to sell?
  • Do I like books they represent or that they say they like?
  • Do I recognize any of their clients?
  • Does their personality rub me the RIGHT way?

QUERY MANAGER

• Accessible from the agency website or Manuscript Wishlist or Twitter
• Let’s look at an example…
  • https://querymanager.com/query/1067  Natascha Morris
  • I review what info each agent wants
  • PREPARE ALL YOUR INFO READY IN A WORD DOC SO YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE
  • When ready click submit
  • Make sure you re-enter email on confirmation screen or it doesn’t send
  • I copy confirmation URL and paste into my file
  • You won’t always receive an email response, but can check via your link

HOW I KEEP TRACK OF SUBMISSIONS

• I use a Word Table in a document per project – e.g. Title Queries
  • I include potential agents to submit to
  • I prepare my query letter or Query Manager info inside
  • I note results
  • I note agencies that don’t allow queries to more than one agent
  • I use color-coding so I know whom I’m still waiting on

Questions?

• Favorite Podcasts?
  • https://www.instituteforwriters.com/podcast/
  • https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/blog/ sometimes has podcasts
  • Someone else mentioned Jessica Faust and James McGowan at Book Ends Literary
• How much time do you spend writing versus doing writing business?
  • It depends on what’s going on in my world. I don’t know how to quantify it either. When I’m burnt out on writing, I might go catch up reading newsletters, research agents, submitting. It varies week to week. I also do the latter when the in box gets too full! 😉
• Is there a list of good agents versus bad? No. It’s too subjective.
• What about Query Tracker? I’ve not used it. Developed my process before it existed.

I hope this is helpful to those who couldn’t attend.