![]() Sometimes, agents will ask for both a query letter and a plot summary as part of your submission package. The two serve different purposes and yes, an agent who asks for both really wants to see both. A query letter is more like the jacket copy you see on books in bookstores and libraries. They're meant to entice someone, in this case the agent, into opening the book and reading more. A summary is basically a list of events that happen during the book. The biggest difference between a summary and a query letter is: ![]() ABOUT THE AGENT: Kodie Van Dusen is an assistant agent at The Rights Factory and a published author. She is a sucker for well-structured stories that contain hints of the whimsical, the horrific, and the absurd, favoring authors like Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury, and George Orwell who have something reflective and important to say about the nature of humanity. KODIE IS SEEKING: Happy New Year! 2025 is finally here, and it is chock full of possibilities. What are you going to write this year? 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 to start the year, 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 February 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. ![]() One of the biggest distinctions between book publishing and other creative industries like music is that the author always retains the full copyright and ownership over their work. Look at the front matter of any book, and you'll find a line that says something like "Copyright © 2025 by Dean Winchester." Sometimes, authors have an LLC or other company they use to handle proceeds from their work, so it might say "Copyright © 2025 Winchester Productions Inc." What's more important than the name next to the copyright is the fact that the author, not the publishing company, owns the publishing rights. Because they own their works, authors do not actually sell their books to publishing companies. They sell the rights for the publisher to publish the book in certain formats. Any right an author grants a publisher to publish a book in a format other than hardcover and ebook in North America (assuming the publisher is headquartered in the USA) is called a subsidiary right. What subsidiary rights can authors sell? ![]() Lauren Albury is an Associate Agent with Holloway Literary. After graduating Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s in English from The College at Southeastern, Lauren interned with FinePrint Literary Agency in New York City. Prior to becoming a literary agent, Lauren was with Holloway Literary for two years as an intern and literary assistant. "I enjoy all kinds of literary and upmarket fiction. Show me how beautiful and lyrical the English language can be. Give me compelling characters with unexpected story arcs. Immerse me in another culture so I feel like I grew up there. Make me laugh with sharp wit and cry at poignant subtleties. Teach me something new about the human experience and what it means to be alive. I love when art parallels life, so I’m a sucker for gritty, raw, and realistic writing with an achingly bittersweet/unhappy ending. My favorite kinds of stories happen when romance exists as a compliment to a killer plot." LAUREN IS SEEKING: ![]() Most writers have a favorite book on the craft of writing (mine is definitely Save the Cat), but they can also learn a lot from subject experts in other areas. When you're looking for the next book to help you improve your writing, pick up one or all of these nonfiction books. None are specifically about writing or writers, but they all teach skills every writer can use. Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence by Gary Mack For athletes. mental strength and resilience are just as important as physical training and recovery. The stories, quotes, and anecdotes in this book can apply to anyone who has to set their mind to a long-term project or tough task like writing a novel... even people who can't name a single professional sports team. Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg If your book has dialogue (and it probably does), reading Supercommunicators can help you pinpoint why your characters say what they do and what they hope to accomplish in their communications. When you create dialogue with purpose, that will keep your story moving forward. ![]()
ANALÍA IS SEEKING: Comp (comparative) titles are books you can point to as an example of what an agent or editor can expect when reading your manuscript. Listing two or three comp titles in your query letter or during your pitch gives an agent a quick idea of where your book fits in the marketplace.
When you want to convince an agent to take a chance on your novel, the immediate temptation is to compare your book to whatever's at the top of the bestseller list, but this could hurt your chance with an agent more than helping it. You should use... The Three R's of Picking a Comp Title: ![]() ABOUT THE AGENT: Jynastie Wilson (she/they) is an Assistant Literary Agent at The LCS Literary Agency where she started off as a Literary Intern. When she’s not agenting, you can find her playing video games with her partner, reading a queer novel, or journaling. During a childhood that was spent devouring the pages of both fantasy and contemporary novels alike, Jynastie Wilson discovered that there was magic within these pages, one that was much more complex than the fact that they happened to offer a place of escape and distraction. Instead, she found that these novels had the magic to make people feel a little less alone — specifically those that came from various marginalized communities, such as she did. “Suddenly focused on this magic, Jynastie decided that she wanted to be someone that helped create and bring this magic to life. Something that she now hopes to achieve by working towards becoming a literary agent and supporting those who are underrepresented.” JYNASTIE IS SEEKING: ![]() ABOUT THE AGENT: Lucy Cleland is a Principal Literary Agent with Calligraph, representing idea-driven and narrative nonfiction of all stripes, upmarket fiction, and select children’s projects. Her clients have been Pulitzer finalists, winners of the NBCC Award and PEN America Awards, recipients of MacArthur “Genius” grants, and elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; their books have been featured in the New Yorker’s Briefly Noted, New York Times Editors’ Choice, and best books of the year lists, as well as ranked as USA Today Bestsellers and selected for Book of the Month Club. A southern transplant to Boston from Atlanta, Lucy graduated from Wellesley College and cut her teeth as an agent working closely with Jill Kneerim at Kneerim & Williams. She lives with her wife and a lot of books in Jamaica Plain. LUCY IS SEEKING: |
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