Read on Twitter
I missed #Muse23 Session 1A: Get Your Work Noticed By Literary Agents with Mitchell Waters and Miriam Altshuler this morning, but the recording is already up, so I'm going to live-tweet my re-watching. (Is that still live-tweeting? 🤔)
#ProTip: Sending super-outrageous things to catch an agent's attention might be so unusual that the agent forgets there's actually a query involved. Don't distract them from the task at hand!
#Muse23
#Muse23
Mitchell isn't a fan of synopses: if they're really detailed, he feels like he's already read the book by the time he gets the manuscript.
Lesson: look for what the agent's specifications are, and tailor your query to for each submission.
#Muse23
Lesson: look for what the agent's specifications are, and tailor your query to for each submission.
#Muse23
Any additional credential you can add to show that you're doing the work to become a better writer is never a bad thing. You don't NEED an MFA, but it's one of the things that shows a commitment (particularly for literary fiction).
#Muse23
#Muse23
Mitchell Waters says having a big social media following isn't critical to getting a book deal. It's not bad if you have one, but it's about 18 month to publication -- there's time to build one. Particularly for non-fiction, knowing you understand SM can be an inducement. (1/2)
Willingness to learn SM can also be a good sign to a publisher. But for things like memoirs, it's more about whether YOU are the person to tell that story. A following MIGHT influence whether there's an audience, but your manuscript and an agent are what's critical. (2/2) #Muse23
Side note: Never send your query in to an agency without a specific agent as your target! It shows you haven't done your homework.
#Muse23
#Muse23
Mitchell Waters' essentials for a marketable manuscript:
-broad appeal to the myriad teams in publishing (marketing, editorial, etc.)
-is this a book I'm actually excited to read?
#Muse23
-broad appeal to the myriad teams in publishing (marketing, editorial, etc.)
-is this a book I'm actually excited to read?
#Muse23
Publishers do look at word count.
-Does it NEED to be that much longer than the target count?
-It's an economic consideration, too (longer book = more pages, more ink, weighs more, costs more to ship, etc.)
-Does depend on genre
#Muse23
-Does it NEED to be that much longer than the target count?
-It's an economic consideration, too (longer book = more pages, more ink, weighs more, costs more to ship, etc.)
-Does depend on genre
#Muse23
Make sure you're reading things that are current -- it helps when you're creating your comps.
#Muse23
#Muse23
Miriam Altshuler: You don't need a fancy query. In a short paragraph, What is the heart of the book?
(Think of what would be on the jacket flap. Spend time in a bookstore reading flap copy to get an idea of how that works.)
Add your bio, and that's it.
#Muse23
(Think of what would be on the jacket flap. Spend time in a bookstore reading flap copy to get an idea of how that works.)
Add your bio, and that's it.
#Muse23
From audience: Not sure how much more to cut from her manuscript before getting an agent, concerned she might cut something good.
Miriam says take out things that slow it down -- readability is important. (You can always put something back.)
#Muse23
Miriam says take out things that slow it down -- readability is important. (You can always put something back.)
#Muse23
Interesting audience q: while looking for agents, she's been asked if she's indie/self-published before, and if so, what were the sales numbers?
That seems dumb. If you're self-pub, how much time or expertise in marketing do they think you had? (1/2)
#Muse23
That seems dumb. If you're self-pub, how much time or expertise in marketing do they think you had? (1/2)
#Muse23
Miriam said she'd rather know why you decided THIS book is the one you decided to come to a large press with. Is this the book that's right for a larger press and an agent? Is this your breakout book and why? (2/2)
#Muse23
#Muse23
"It shouldn't take as long to learn to write a good query as it does to write a great novel."
Mitchell points out that people don't get enough guidance in writing queries, and things like Muse's Manuscript Mart meetings can be really helpful.
#Muse23
Mitchell points out that people don't get enough guidance in writing queries, and things like Muse's Manuscript Mart meetings can be really helpful.
#Muse23
Miriam: "We WANT to fall in love!"
Agents are predisposed to want to like your book! Don't make it harder for them. Spend the time to make your queries error-free, easy to read, and personalized.
#Muse23
Agents are predisposed to want to like your book! Don't make it harder for them. Spend the time to make your queries error-free, easy to read, and personalized.
#Muse23
#ProTip from Mitchell:
Make sure you put "Dear [name]" in the same font as the rest of your letter. We can tell when you're copy-and-pasting a form letter! 😂
#Muse23
Make sure you put "Dear [name]" in the same font as the rest of your letter. We can tell when you're copy-and-pasting a form letter! 😂
#Muse23
Thanks so much to Mitchell Waters and Miriam Altshuler, our moderator Amy Braun (@mykinderquotes), and session volunteer Melissa Close (@MelissaClose20)!
The replay is up if you didn't attend Session 1A: Get Your Work Noticed by Literary Agents.
#Muse23
The replay is up if you didn't attend Session 1A: Get Your Work Noticed by Literary Agents.
#Muse23
@threadreaderapp unroll
@threadreaderapp unroll please?
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
