Is there a better or worse time
of year to query?
Nope J I’m open and accepting queries year round.
Response time will generally be a tad longer near the holidays.
Does one typo or misplaced
comma shoot down the entire query?
Absolutely
not. Everyone makes mistakes, we’re all human, it’s inevitable. A few are
forgivable, but if the query and sample pages are riddled with typos and
grammatical errors, then we have a problem. While I do have the added advantage
of an editorial background that I eagerly share with my clients, if a
manuscript is in need of a major overhaul or if I know there will be more red
than black after an edit, I will pass.
Do you look at sample pages
without fail or only if the query is strong?
I will
always look at sample pages providing the query matches my list. For example,
if an author were to query me with, let’s say, an epic historical fantasy –
which I don’t represent – I would respond to let him/her know I don’t rep this
genre and then direct them to an agent within the agency who does, or just
forward their submission to a more appropriate agent.
Do you have an assistant or
intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them?
We have
a fantastic group of interns at the agency who are always willing to help, but
at this point, I’m handling all my own queries.
Do you keep a maybe pile of
queries and go back to them for a second look?
Not
usually. I can tell from a first look whether or not I’m going to pursue a
project. If I get a query and sample pages that I’m not sure about, I will
always request to see more to get a better feel for the story and the writing.
By the third or fifth chapter, I know whether it’s something I absolutely have
to have or if I can live without it.
If the manuscript has a
prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages?
Yes,
although most of the time, prologues tend to be unnecessary.
How important are comp titles?
Is it something you want to see in a query?
Honestly,
I don’t have a preference about comp titles. If you include them, great. If you
don’t, I’m not going to hold it against you.
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?
This is
a tricky question. As agents, we truly do want to see authors succeed, so we’re
going to do our best to help them, and at times that includes sharing queries
within the agency. However, if you’ve sent a query addressed to me personally,
I feel that you’ve done so for a reason. (Hopefully because you want to work
with me and feel we’d be a good match.) So, to hand off your query to someone
else you didn’t personally choose feels…wrong (?) to me. Now, if I get
something that’s really well written and has a fantastic premise but I don’t
connect with it for whatever reason, I’ll share it with other agents to see if
anyone else is interested, but I’ll also let the author know I’ve done so.
Do you prefer a little
personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the
manuscript?
Both!
I’ve found that a little bit of personalized chit-chat goes a long way to
showing me who you are as a person, and that can be invaluable. Recently, I
received a query that was personalized in such a way that made me laugh out
loud. It was fantastic, and you can bet I remembered that author’s name. So,
feel free to chat me up, but make sure you also tell me about your manuscript J
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?
That
one sentence gives us so much information about your book, and truly does
account in our decision making process. It can often be fairly easy to
determine genre based on the pitch, (although I’d much rather not have to play
Guess the Genre) but we have no way of knowing the word count. If I get a
stellar query for a contemporary romance with a missing word count, and I
request the full only to find out its 210K, you’ve just wasted my time and
yours. Please don’t do this.
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?
Yes! If
I feel the need to grab a notebook and start keeping track with ven diagram,
chances are good I’ll become confused and frustrated. If you’re querying a
romance, I only want two named characters: your hero and heroine. On a side
note: Please don’t name the killer in your query letter if you’re querying a
mystery or thriller or horror. Save that for your synopsis. For me, the biggest
payoff in this genre is trying to figure out whodunit. If you tell me up front,
what compels me to read your book?
Should writers sweat the title
of their book (and character names) or is that something that is often changed
by publishers?
I’d
much rather have authors sweat the quality and mechanics of their writing as
opposed to titles and character names. Titles and character names can be
changed by publishers, so my advice is not to get too attached to them. It
seems as though titles get changed more frequently than character names though.
How many queries do you receive
in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?
Right
now, I’m receiving about 10 to 12 queries a week. Of course, I’m still new to
the agency, so I’m sure that number will increase as time goes on. Of those, I
might request one or two.
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?
If it
came down to two queries that I absolutely loved but could only take one, the
author with the online presence would win. It takes time to gain a foothold and
a following online, so the sooner an author can start, the better. Typically, I
check to see if an author has any social media to start with – Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. (It’s rare nowadays not to have at least
one social media account) – and once I sign an author, I will encourage them to
being the process of starting a website or blog if they don’t already have one.
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?
No,
not at all. In fact, I actually prefer to see links in an email signature. When
I’m interested in a project, I’ll look the author up on social media. Not
necessarily to see how big of a following they have, but more so to see how
they conduct themselves online. What sorts of things are they interested in,
what do they post about, what things are they sharing?
If a writer makes changes to
their manuscript due to feedback should they resend the query or only if
material was requested?
Okay,
this is kind of a pet peeve of mine. If your book is out on query, you should
not be making massive changes to it that would require you to even think about
needing to resend it. When you query an agent, you’re essentially telling them
that your book is ready. It’s done. It’s been critiqued, beta read, revised,
and edited. If you then send me an email asking to send an updated version
because you’ve made changes, that tells me you queried before you and your book
were ready. With this industry being as subjective as it is, the feedback one
agent or editor gives might not mesh with how others feel about the book.
What bio should an author with
no publishing credits include?
I
always advise authors to include any related affiliations or memberships they
have (RWA, SCWBI, etc.); any writing or critique groups they belong to;
anything personal that lends credibility to the story they’ve written – for
example, if you’ve written about a lawyer and you are in fact a lawyer, I want
to know that. Additionally, any pertinent writing classes, seminars, panels,
and/or conferences you’ve added. I know, that might seem weird to some, but
that shows me you’re out there networking with other authors and industry
professionals and that you’re dedicated to learning your craft. Also, be honest
that you don’t have any previous publishing credits. It’s okay. We all start
somewhere.
What does ‘just not right mean
for me’ mean to you?
It can
mean a lot of different things. Sometimes it can mean I’ve already got
something similar in my list, or maybe it would be difficult to sell in the
current market. But mostly, it just means I wasn’t drawn into the story even
though there’s nothing wrong with the writing.
Do you consider yourself a
hands-on, editorial type of agent?
Absolutely!
Having worked for various small presses for a few years, my background is in
editing, and I plan to offer authors editorial guidance prior to going on
submission so that they have a better chance of standing out within the
industry.
What three things are at the
top of your submission wish list?
Romance
of any kind.
Thrillers
/ horror.
A YA or
NA set during some sort of camp – summer camp, Bible camp, fat camp, a family
camping trip.
What are some of your favorite
movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
Books: The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, The Delirium Series by Lauren Oliver, Matched Series by Ally Condie, It
& The Tommyknockers by Stephen
King, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
(absolutely LOVED that ending, too!), Elite
Ops Series by Lora Leigh, Tess in
Boots by Courtney Rice Gager.
Movies
/ TV: Any of
the classic horror movies (Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Friday the 13th,
Alien), The Avengers, The Twilight Saga, The Vampire Diaries, Survivor, American
Pie series, Fast and Furious series.
-------------------------
Kara
Leigh Miller is a lover of all things literary. She began her venture into the
publishing world as a wet behind the ears author back in 2010. Since then,
she’s found her true passion to be helping authors achieve their dreams of
publication. She started as an intern for a small press and worked her way up
to Senior Editor within months. From there, she moved on to become the
Editorial Director at Anaiah Press, LLC. Now, as a well versed author and
editor, she’s switching sides to become an agent.
As
an apprentice, Kara is excited to begin building her client list and working
closely with authors to help them find the success they deserve. Along with
being able to offer representation, Kara has the ability to offer skilled
editorial guidance to ensure her clients have an even better chance of standing
out within this industry.
Being
an avid reader of all genres and categories, Kara has a soft spot for books
that will knock her legs out from under her and gut punch her with emotion.
Bonus points if you can make her cry. With an addictive personality and
obsessions that run deep, she will champion for the things she loves – books,
the authors who write them, her husband and five kids, and Pit Bulls. Oh, and
cats. She really likes cats. Especially fluffy, white ones.
Submission Wish List:
·
Inspirational
Fiction – YA, NA, and Adult – Please note: While Kara has
years of experience working in the Christian fiction market, she is open to all
types of inspirational fiction, not just those focused around the Christian faith.
She would love to find stories that push the boundaries and get people talking
about faith in a positive way, and angels / demons, good vs. evil. Some of her
favorite authors within this genre: Ted Dekker, Frank Peretti, Jody Hedlund,
Courtney Rice Gager, Lisa Dunn, and Sharon Srock.
·
Romance –
YA, NA, and Adult – While Kara will consider romances with erotic elements, if
you can compare your book to 50 Shades of
Grey in any capacity, she is not
the right agent for you. Contemporaries and romantic suspense are her forte,
but she’s willing to consider just about anything if it’s well written,
including paranormal and urban fantasy. Favorite authors in this genre: Lora
Leigh, Julie Ann Walker, Abbi Glines, and Jennifer Armentrout / J. Lynn.
·
Mysteries
/ Legal Thrillers / Horror – YA, NA, and Adult – With a
background in law, Kara has a soft spot for these genres. Her love of reading
began and continues with authors such as Stephen King, James Patterson, Gillian
Flynn, Dean Koontz, and John Grisham.
