 In this heartfelt Q&A, Jan Zauzmer shares candid wisdom on writing what matters even when trends pull elsewhere, why the writing community can make all the difference . . . and more!
Whether you're an aspiring writer wondering if it's too late, a parent seeking books that spark meaningful conversations, or simply someone who believes stories can change the world, Jan's journey and advice will leave you encouraged, amused, and ready to pick up your pen.  ABOUT THE AGENT:
Rose Betancourt is the owner and principal agent of Betancourt Literary, bringing more than twenty years of experience in the publishing industry as both an agent and a USA Today bestselling author. Having worked on both sides of the desk, she understands not only what makes a story compelling on the page, but what editors are truly looking for in a competitive market and how to position a book for long-term success. . If you're feeling gung-ho and motivated, consider one of our 2026 writers conferences. We are planning many around the country and also online (where anyone can join from anywhere). See the graphic in this post for our official list of events for 2026. Our events have over 170 success stories of writers who signed with agents following meeting them at an event. That's the best proof we can offer. Go to writingdayworkshops.com to sign up now.   Writing fiction is a deeply emotional process. Undoubtedly, we’re going to be pulling from our own trauma at some point. Sometimes we write the life we wish we had, and that can be a healing experience. Other times, we're writing to fight our way through perplexing problems. No matter where we find ourselves in the process, writing a novel is a transformative journey. It’s not for the faint of heart! In my own writing journey, I’ve seen a lot of highs and lows. I understand how crushing self-doubt can be, and that’s only mentioning one of the land mines that writers face. I’ve been through periods of deep depression, and there were many times when I wanted to quit. Sometimes I did quit (for a little while), but if you’re truly called to be a writer, you’ll find yourself drawn back to the page again and again. “Writing is my obsession, my passion. My relationship with it is one of the most complex, and agonizing, and richly vexing that I have in my life.” ~ Julianna Baggott “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” ~ Thomas Mann  ABOUT THE AGENT:
Madelyn Knecht was promoted to Associate Literary Agent at Storm Literary Agency. Madelyn is an editor, writer, and passionate reader from Texas whose hair changes color on a weekly basis. After falling in love with reading books that made her laugh and cry in equal measure, she started writing her first book at nine and never looked back. She serves as a RevPit board member, where she created the BIPOC Editor Mentorship, and a member of the EFA. When not reading or writing, you can find her playing cozy games like Rune Factory and Stardew Valley, crocheting, picking up a new hobby, or spending time with her two criminal Australian Shepherds and her lovable cat, Lucas. Madelyn loves queer stories with dark twists and rich worlds, especially in fantasy and light science fiction. Her favorites include Young Adult fantasy and Adult with fantastic characters you can't help but love. Some of her favorite authors include Jonathan Stroud, F.T. Lukens, V.E. Schwab, Liselle Sambury, Freya Marske, Aiden Thomas, and Melissa Caruso. Her favorite books include the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske, The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso, Voyage of the Damned by Frances White, The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Vicious by V.E. Schwab, Legend of the White Snake by Sher Lee, Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, Kill Creatures by Rory Powell, Spellbound by F.T. Lukens, the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer, and The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco. When not reading, editing, or writing, she's crocheting, playing cozy games, or spending time with her two criminal Australian Shepherds and her lovable cat Lucas.  When can you call yourself a writer?
This is an important question in every writer’s life. At what moment in time can you actually refer to yourself as a writer? But even the very question itself is deceiving, because there are actually two questions here: 1) When can you look in the mirror and call yourself a writer? And 2) when can you call yourself a writer in front of several complete strangers at a party? When can you call yourself a writer in private? Now. Absolutely right now.  ABOUT THE AGENT:
René J. Kooiker joined DG&B as Digital Coordinator and Junior Literary Agent in 2026, following stints in book-to-screen scouting, magazine editing, and academia. He consulted on new fiction for major book-to-screen clients in Hollywood and was Assistant Editor at The Yale Review. He holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Yale University and a B.A. in French and English from Amherst College. Having grown up in the Netherlands, he also lived and studied abroad in Avignon and Paris, France.  I love pickleball! I love pickleball so much that I’ve started writing about it to celebrate that love. Let me share some of my books with you.
As of fall 2025, my new Pickleball books are out (and they make great gifts)! One is a picture book from Running Press Kids, the other a calendar from Sellers Publishing. Thank you for considering getting a copy for yourself or friends. Every sale and review truly helps. They make great holiday gifts. GOODNIGHT, PICKLEBALL got a buy from Target and is a USA Today best-selling book. Find GOODNIGHT, PICKLEBALL on Amazon here. Find GOODNIGHT, PICKLEBALL at Barnes & Noble here. You can buy it online from B&N, or use the “Find in Stores” button to see if it’s at a physical store around you. Find GOODNIGHT, PICKLEBALL at Target here. You can buy it online from Target, or click the “Pickup” button to investigate if it’s at a store around you. As of fall 2025, it’s in about 1/3 of Targets nationwide. Find GOODNIGHT, PICKLEBALL through Bookshop here (formerly called IndieBound) to support local independent bookstores, which is always an amazing thing to do.  One of the most common questions I get at writers conferences is this: Can I query multiple literary agents at once? My answer is that not only yes you can, but you’re encouraged to. After all, though an agent will usually reply quickly (bless you, e-mail), they may take three months or more to get back to you, only to send you a form rejection. You can’t wait around for agents one by one like that.
So if you’re doing simultaneous submissions, that is, contacting various agents at the same time, how many agents should you query? Would it be wise to just mail out your query to all 80 agents who rep science fiction, trying to personalize your letter wherever possible? I wouldn’t, if I were you. I would submit to 25% of your total agent list, to begin, including those you’ve met at a writers conference or retreat. But why 25%? Isn’t that a strange, arbitrary number?  ABOUT THE AGENT:
Michael Kaler is an Associate Agent at Lucinda Literary and Executive Assistant to Lucinda Halpern. Michael previously worked at W. W. Norton, New York Magazine, and Hachette Book Group. At Hachette, he served as an acquiring editor and worked on expert-driven nonfiction that received major awards, including the Pulitzer Prize in History, an L.A. Times Book Prize, and the Jacques Barzun Prize for Cultural History. He holds a BA from the University of Michigan. |