Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
Something a little different this week. Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency is a digital first agent. That's something we could all learn about.
What does it mean to be a digital first agent? I'm sure everyone
wants to know if this means your clients never get print books or can that
happen also?
I’m not really just a digital-first agent. There’s really no such
thing as we’re all literary agents and our job is the same regardless of
whether the book is in print, audio, digital, foreign language. Most of my
clients’ books are available in print, digital and audio. The difference for
many of my clients though is the print option is a trade paperback versus a
mass market paperback.
Submissions to publishers take months sometimes to get a
response. Then longer for offers. Does the submission process go faster when
apply to digital first publishers?
I work with both digital and traditional publishers and right now,
the schedule for both seems to be pretty full. While a response to a submission
may not take months to arrive, the offer can and that has more to do with
whether the editor can sell the book to both their acquisition board and to
their readers. Sometimes, the offer takes a while because the editor needs to
research the market and make an educated decision on the marketability of the
book. This is true (and should be true) of all publishers.
What genres work best for digital first publication? Do certain
genres seem to be better fits as ebooks with readers?
Erotica, romance and erotic romance were the first to “break into”
the digital marketplace and these are still the bestselling ebooks overall. For
Young Adult, Middle Grade and Picture Books, the print version continues to be
the bestselling option.
Do you see this as the direction more publishers are heading or
is it more for smaller and medium sized presses?
Digital? All of the publishers have digital options now for their
titles and most want to retain digital with the print option when negotiating
rights. It’s not a direction they’re heading. They’re already there.
Is there a better or worse time of year to query?
Not for me, no. There are times where I close to queries because I’m
swamped and will take me a while to get through the work, but I don’t think
there’s a “season” to query that’s better than any other.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
Not at all! We’re not looking to reject work. Quite the opposite; we
look at the overall query as well as the work before we make a determination.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is
strong?
If the query is something I’m actively acquiring, then yes.
Otherwise, no.
Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first
or do you check all of them?
We have a team of interns who are amazing! They have a great eye for
quality work and they go through our slush piles. However, anything we request
directly (through conferences, etc.) come directly to us bypassing the slush
pile.
If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with
the sample pages?
I’m not a fan of prologues. Nine times out of ten you can fold the
prologue into the story and make the work stronger. If it’s necessary to
establish setting or history then yes, I want to see it but it counts as part
of my sample pages request of five pages.
Some agencies mention querying only one agent at a time and some
say query only one agent period. How often do you pass a query along to a
fellow agent who might be more interested?
I’ve passed a few queries on to other agents but only when the
writing quality is high.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter,
or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
I’m here for the manuscript. Give me the manuscript first and keep
the chit-chat to a minimum.
Most agents have said they don’t care whether the word count/genre
sentence comes first or last. But is it a red flag if one component is not
included?
There is no perfect query (though I’ve seen some that are close)
just like there is no perfect book. I want to know these four things in a
query: Title, genre, word count, plot summary. They don’t have to be in that
order but they need to be in every query.
Writers hear a lot about limiting the number of named characters
in a query. Do you feel keeping named characters to a certain number makes for
a clearer query?
I’m all for keeping everything simple so the query should include
the names of the hero/heroine, love interest (if a romance) and the four things
I mentioned above.
Should writers sweat the title of their book (and character
names) or is that something that is often changed by publishers?
It’s not often changed but it can be so don’t get too attached to
the title in case it has to change. Same for character names but that’s a
question better suited to a publishing house.
How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests
might you make out of those?
Not sure how many I receive since I’m not going through the slush
pile. But I generally request 5% of what I receive from our interns and offer
on 1% of that.
Many agents say they don't care if writers are active online.
Could a twitter account or blog presence by a writer tip the scales in getting
a request or offer? And do you require writers you sign to start one?
It’s 2014 and social media is a necessary marketing tool. I expect
to see some social media presence and yes, I check before offering
representation. I’m looking for active interaction with potential readers. I
don’t care which social media my clients use, but I expect them to have at
least one and be active on that platform.
Some writers have asked about including links to their blogs or
manuscript-related artwork. I’m sure it’s not appropriate to add those links in
a query, but are links in an email signature offensive?
I have links to my social media in my signature line but they’re small
and out of the way. If someone wants to get to know me, they’ll click on those
links. If you keep it out of the way and in your signature line (preferable in
a smaller font) then it’s fine. It shouldn’t be in your query though.
If a writer makes changes to their manuscript due to feedback
should they resend the query or only if material was requested?
Only if it was requested.
What bio should an author with no publishing credits
include?
You don’t need pub credits in your bio to get a request from an agent
or editor. We’re interested in the work that’s attached. Is it the best it can
be? Has it been properly edited? Then that’s what we’re going to base our
decision on, not whether you had something published recently.
What does ‘just not right mean for me’ mean to you?
Exactly that. It didn’t fit with what I’m looking for or is
something that’s too close to something else I’ve recently acquired or
something that I don’t feel I’m the right person to represent (inspirational
romance, memoirs, etc.)
What themes are you sick of seeing?
I’m not really sick of anything yet. Zombies, vampires and
werewolves are plentiful though so unless your paranormal romance involves
these types in a different way, I’m likely going to pass on it. For example,
zombies in space. That I would likely read!
Do you consider yourself a hands-on, editorial type of agent?
Very much so, yes! Which is why I’m picky about who I represent too.
I’m a red-pen whore.
What’s the strangest/funniest thing you’ve seen in a query?
A query for a geriatric erotic massage book. Um… no.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
1.
GLBT Young Adult where the sexuality of the main character is as
second-nature to the plot as their skin color or where they’re from.
2.
Male/Male Space Opera with high erotic content.
3.
New Adult anything but specifically male/male and would love it if
it’s a thriller or romantic suspense.
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an
idea of your tastes?
Favorite
movies: Love Actually, When Harry Met Sally, Underworld, Harry Potter (all 8
movies), 50 First Dates, What to Expect When You’re Expecting.
Favorite
books: My client books are really favorites of mine so look at my blog for
those but I also loved, Feed by Mira
Grant, every day by David Levithan, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne
Rice and The Siren by Tiffany Reisz.
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Saritza
is the Sr. Literary Agent at the Corvisiero Literary Agency and is known as the
first literary agent to represent authors in the digital publishing landscape.
While continuing to seek traditional publishers for her authors, Saritza is the
leading literary agent in digital publishing deals. An avid coffee-drinker with
a Kindle book obsession, she enjoys a steaming cup of strong Cuban coffee every
morning while reading an erotic contemporary romance or action-packed science
fiction adventure. A strong advocate of the GLBT community, she enjoys fresh
voices in GLBT Young Adult and New Adult genre fiction. Her client titles
include: Special Delivery by Heidi Cullinan, Hot Head by Damon
Suede, Fire and Ashes by Daisy Harris, Purely Professional by
Elia Winters, Caught in the Crossfire by Juliann Rich
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