 ABOUT THE AGENT:
Kaylyn Aldridge has been a ferocious reader ever since she learned how to read. Growing up, Kaylyn spent almost all of her free time devouring the stacks of books she would get from the library. When she wasn't deep in a story, she would write her own. Creating worlds and characters was one of the major ways Kaylyn expressed herself. In her free time, Kaylyn loves to research underground internet subcultures. She believes that diverse perspectives are key to understanding cultures, communities, and nuances of the human experience. When she is not working or reading, she likes to feed the local magpies. KAYLYN IS SEEKING: The long, hot days of summer bring new creativity and inspiration. What are you going to write? What are you going to pitch to agents, publishers, and contests? What are you going to read? What social media platforms will be you involved in? So many possibilities! If you're feeling gung-ho and motivated , consider one of our 2025 writers conferences. We are planning many around the country and also online (where anyone can join from anywhere). See below the graphic in this post for our official list of events from March through July 2025. Our events have almost 150 success stories of writers who signed with agents following meeting them at an event. That's the best proof we can offer.   ABOUT THE AGENT:
Lee Melillo (they/she) joined Dunham Literary, Inc. in May 2024 as Jennie Dunham’s assistant, following an internship with Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret LLC. She was made an Associate Literary Agent in June 2025. Lee additionally manages the agency’s social media and website, is a second-reader for queries, handles royalty statements and permissions, and assists on preparing submissions. Lee graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University in 2022, with departmental honors in English and Theatre Directing. Through her majors, Lee discovered her passion for advocating for writers. She believes literature is one of the most effective ways to gain empathy for and understanding of life experiences outside our own. You can find Lee on Instagram and Bluesky at @leemelillobooks. LEE IS SEEKING:  Writing an 85,000-word novel is easy. Writing 250 words to describe those 85,000 words in a way that will make an agent want to read your book is hard. Your novel has (probably) a main character, secondary characters, a primary plot, maybe a B plot, maybe some complex relationships, tough decisions... there's a lot going on. If you write science fiction or fantasy, there are new worlds and rules to explain. And all of it is important to the story, or you wouldn't have put it on the page.
With all these moving parts in your book, how do you know where your pitch should begin? Use these five magic words:  ABOUT THE AGENT: Tianna Kelly (she/they) is an agent at Neighborhood Literary especially drawn to Queer and own voices, stories with complex emotions, unforgettable relationships, and high-stakes worldbuilding—and she’s always looking for projects that blur the line between love and disaster (in the best way). With over three years of experience in publishing marketing, she brings a sharp eye for positioning, audience, and platform. TIANNA IS SEEKING: Get your creative juices flowing each week with these fun writing prompts and story starters by Brian A. Klems of Writing Day Workshops. The only rules: sit down, start writing, aim for at least 500 words (no upper word limit), and have as much fun as you can with it.
This week's prompt is:  ABOUT THE AGENT:
Marina Green is an associate agent at PSLA representing fiction and non-fiction. After completing a BA and post-grad in publishing and spending half a decade as a bookseller, Marina began her career as an editor at a small indie publisher in Montréal before moving to Harlequin’s Trade division as an acquiring editor. When Marina isn’t immersing herself in books and words and magical worlds, you can find her with a cup of tea in hand, trying a new yoga asana—never at the same time—or practicing Armenian, the language of her ancestors. MARINA IS SEEKING:  ABOUT THE AGENT:
Tamara joined DeFiore and Company in 2022. She started her career with internships at Macmillan and Writers House, then worked at ICM for five years. Tamara represents writer and illustrator clients in both the children’s and adult markets, with a particular focus on talented LGBTQ+ and BIPOC storytellers. She holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University and an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University. She is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents, and serves on the board of the nonprofit organization Literary Agents of Change, where she co-directs a mentorship program for early career agents from underrepresented backgrounds. TAMARA IS SEEKING:  Plenty of times, writers come up with an idea for a novel that could translate visually to film. The good news is that if you want to see your manuscript converted into a screenplay, there are two different routes that would make an adaptation possible.
Most books that get released by a major publisher or are repped by an established agency get passed to an agent who tries to drum up interest in film/TV rights for a project. This makes total sense. A writer creates a good story, so the obvious goal is to sell it through every means possible, be that print books, e-books, foreign rights translations, serial excerpts, audio books, or, yes, movies/TV. If your new book-to-film agent (usually brought onboard by your book agent) can generate adaptation interest from producers, your work gets bought/optioned by Hollywood, and you’re off and running. This exact thing happened to my humor book, How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack. Sony optioned the book and hired a screenwriter to adapt the work. But what if you want to see your work adapted into a screenplay, but are either indie-publishing it or the work hasn’t sold yet? The obvious option is to... ADAPT IT YOURSELF: 7 IMPORTANT TIPS FOR BEGINNERS  ABOUT THE AGENT:
Lexie Krauss joined Marsal Lyon after interning at Laura Dail Literary Agency. She was born and raised in the wilds of Northern California and graduated from Mills College with a degree in English/Creative Writing. When she isn’t reading manuscripts, she’s keeping her finger on the pulse of the market as a bookseller. LEXIE IS SEEKING: |
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