Literary Agent Interview: Karly Dizon Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Karly Dizon here. She is a literary agent at Fuse Literary.

Status: Karly is currently closed to submissions. Please check the agency website to find out when she reopens to submissions.

Hi­ Karly! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Karly:

1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.

I entered the publishing world as a writer. I had just finished my first manuscript in 2016 but was as green as green could be. I thought it was just about finding an editor and getting it in the bookstore. It’s embarrassing how green I was haha. My friend encouraged me to attend the San Francisco Writers Conference. I applied for their scholarship and won! One of the prizes was breakfast with the director who was Laurie McLean at the time.

We scheduled to meet for breakfast on the third day of the conference, and I had every intention of winning Laurie over with my super unique, super original manuscript (hehehehe) but after three days of learning as well as discovering what an agent is, I sat down at that table with a blossoming passion: to be a champion to authors. When Laurie asked me if I wanted to pitch my work to her, I declined and said, “Teach me to be an amazing agent like you.” Seeing the interaction between agent and author as well as agent and editor ignited a spark in my heart that became an inferno by the time I met with Laurie. Who knew I could be a champion for someone? To help them take an already amazing piece of art and enhance their voice and story? I wanted in!

Laurie connected me with Tricia Skinner, another agent at Fuse, who provided hands-on and an intensive internship program. I worked with Tricia closely for three years, absorbing every kernel of knowledge and in 2019 I was promoted to associate agent. In Jan 2023 I was promoted to agent. And today I continue to grow my list of KidLit and illustrator clients as well as venturing into graphic novels and particular Adult Fiction.

About the Agency:

2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

Fuse Literary is a boutique, collaborative agency, providing each client with the expertise and forward vision of the group. It really is a team effort where we strategize, brainstorm, and battleplan together to drive our clients’ successes. Fuse manages a wide variety of authors and illustrators, from bestsellers to debuts, working with fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages and backgrounds. Our technical efficiency and outside-the-covers creative thinking fine-tunes each client’s career specifically for them. We blend the tried-and-true methods of traditional publishing with the brash, new opportunities of emerging technologies and an evolving author-agent relationship to actively meet the client’s unique needs.

What She’s Looking For:

3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

I represent across all KidLit as well as illustrators, graphic novels, and some adult. My list is predominantly picture book authors so I’m really trying to find that MG and YA that I get lost in. More than anything, voice will keep me hooked.

4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?

I’m really looking for works that give voice to underrepresented voices and experiences. I want our youth to see themselves, their experiences, their culture celebrated, to connect with characters they can identify with through not only the hardships but the warm and fuzzy moments too.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?

I’m open to a lot of works and will always give something a read.

Agent Philosophy:

6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

There’s always been something energizing about championing and elevating people, and I bring this same philosophy as an agent. I want to work with authors and books that champion our youth, that gives them a safe space to not only explore but also see themselves and their experiences celebrated and reflected on the pages.

Editorial Agent:

7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

Yes. This is probably the most enjoyable part of the job (besides calling my clients and telling them they’re getting published). Each client is different, but I offer my clients a brainstorm session to discuss the “next” work they want to tackle and compare this to editor manuscript wishlists and recent acquisitions of works that may be too similar. Then we do several rounds of in-depth revisions that dissects every element of their work, from voice to pacing to themes to turn page effect etc. Once we have a final draft, then we create that sub list and send it out.

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

I accept requested submissions from events only through querymanager. There is so much stress around the query letter but I’m simply looking for a quicky/hook-y blurb about your work, age group, genre, comps, and a short bio about the author.

9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?

Please don’t submit to me Chapter 5 of your work, skipping over everything prior. This happens quite a lot. If you have to submit to me Chapter X because “that’s where it picks up”, are the chapters prior to that edited and fleshed out or even necessary? And then it makes me concerned whether the rest of the manuscript has been edited to eliminate fluffy chapters/scenes that may bog down the pacing.

I think with any “job”, there comes an expectation of grace as well as professionalism. This is a career and one that we’re trying to find a business connection which warrants that we both communicate in a manner appropriate to that. Overly familiar (unless already established camaraderie) or overly rude (has happened. Yep!) gives pause though the former is more welcome than the latter.

Response Time:

10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

My goal lately is to respond to queries within 3-4 months though this does change based on client needs. There have been queries that are in my query manager longer than this and it’s not for a lack of interest and an auto reject response (I respond to every query that comes in). A nudge is always nice but please know that I will always respond.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

Of course! With one caveat: I cannot sub a work that is already published. All I ask is for transparency. Include any previous representation as well as published work within the bio portion of the query.

12. With all the changes in publishing—self-publishing, hybrid authors, more small publishers—do you see the role of agents changing at all? Why?

I believe there are more opportunities today for authors to take charge of their career, and the role of the agent needs to be flexible and fluid to move with the changes in the industry. But I believe that an agent is important to help keep a career organized, be a partner in crime, a soundboard, a friend, a second pair of eyes not only for works but for contracts and ensuring an author’s best interest, etc. Is it necessary for everyone? Nah. It depends on each author’s goal both short and long term. But I believe it takes a community, and the writing industry can oftentimes feel lonely and isolating. It’s comforting and provides security when you know you have an agent there to have your back through it all.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

NoNieqa Ramos, Douglas Rees, Ciara O’Neal, Callie Dean, Dustin Resch, T. A. Chan, E.J. DeBrun, Shannon Doleski, Maureen Tai

Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews, guest posts, and podcasts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

N/A

Links and Contact Info:

15. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.

Please send through querymanager please. For your readers, I have a special events link as my querymanager is closed to unsolicited queries at this time: QueryManager.com/Karly/LiteraryRambles

Update on 6/28/2023: If the query manager link is not working for you, it means that you missed the window of opportunity to query Karly.

Additional Advice:

16. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

This industry is completely subjective and there is so much more happening behind the scenes if an agent passes. Do. Not. Give. Up. And hold close to heart why you started writing in the first place: the characters, words, experiences you were trying to give voice to. Use that as motivation to persevere. You hold a piece of art in your “hands”. You created that. Publishing your work would be amazing but just know what you’ve already completed is an achievement. A pass from an agent doesn’t mean failure. They just weren’t the right champion for your work. It only takes one. And in the meantime, write the next story that captures your heart. You have a story to share. Write it.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Karly.

­Karly is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through June 24th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that's okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or email me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

FYI, I do not have as much planned this summer. I’m taking a little break to enjoy my daughter’s wedding celebrations and to help get ready for the wedding.

Friday, June 16 I’m participating in the Dad-o-Mite Giveaway Hop

Monday, June 19 I have an interview with debut author Caroline Huntoon and a giveaway of their MG contemporary Skating on Mars

Thursday, July 1 I’m participating in the Sparkle Time Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, July 7 I have an interview with debut author Kacy Ritter and a giveaway of her MG contemporary fantasy The Great Texas Dragon Race and my IWSG post

Monday, July 10 I have an interview with author Refe Tuma and a giveaway of his MG adventure story Frances and the Monster

Hope to see you on Friday!

 

 

 

Agent Spotlight: Tricia Skinner Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

 Today I’m thrilled to have agent Tricia Skinner here. She is a literary agent at Fuse Literary.

 Hi­ Tricia! Thanks so much for joining us.

 About Tricia:

 1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.

I had what I consider to be a rather normal change in careers. In 2015, I was laid off from a job in academia and instead of immediately seeking employment within the same field, I spoke to my literary agent Laurie McLean about what I wanted to do next. The business side of publishing had always interested me, and Laurie supported my decision to become an agent. She trained me, supporting my move into an industry I had only seen from the point of view of an author. With her mentorship, I’ve built my client list in genres I love. I’m living my dream job, helping other authors enter and thrive in publishing. It’s a very satisfying role for me.

 About the Agency:

 2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

I think the underlying organization of most literary agencies is the same. All have agents who each have areas of specialization. We all have an internal or external person or agency handling subrights, contracts, marketing, etc. What Fuse offers on top of the expected benefits of working with an agency is a sharper personalized approach. We’re a small agency that is hands-on with our clients. We don’t run like the bottom line is all that counts. Each client is cared for based on what their career path requires; we don’t force them in the same box and expect them to create the same, produce the same, be the same. We recognize our clients as people who have various routes in their publishing careers.

 What She’s Looking For:

 3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

My root area is adult genre fiction. I’m selectively adding MG to my list, and to a lesser degree YA. My focus is science fiction, fantasy, romance, and horror. I can separate those into subgenres, but that would take too much space to list! It’s necessary to point out that editor tastes change and I have to be aware of what they want and don’t want. That’s why I seek writers based on their skill at storytelling. I’m constantly seeking extraordinary books because those can withstand market fluctuations the best.

 4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?

I’m more interested in who is creating the story. I’ve always encouraged writers from marginalized communities to query me because there are so many untold stories they can share. I want to explore different experiences and see a different point of view in genres I love.

 What She Isn’t Looking For:

 5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?

I don’t represent faith-based/religious manuscripts, short story collections, screenplays, poetry, picture books, chapter books, erotica, novellas, or non-fiction. I won’t consider previously published or self-published books because they’re nearly impossible to sell unless they’re a blockbuster.

 Agent Philosophy:

 6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

We have the same goal, which is to build and grow a successful publishing career. I signed them because they have extraordinary writing skills, but I also believe we’re suited on a personality level. I don’t sign people for one book. I sign them for what I believe will be a long, productive, positive business partnership. The lovely side effect to this has been the creation of new friendships with people who create stories I adore and who are amazing human beings.   

 Editorial Agent:

 7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

 Each client is different but, overall, any of them can expect me to be available to brainstorm ideas, help outline their story points, read their manuscript and provide detailed feedback and suggestions, conceptualize series, offer insight on the industry and where their story fits, and more. I’ll be as hand-on or hands-off during the process as they wish.

 Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

There’s only one preferred method - http://QueryMe.Online/querytricia. The submission portal keeps queries organized. I never read queries sent to me through any other medium. When I receive a query through my direct email or social media, I just delete it. As for the query letter, there are plenty of free online resources that detail exactly how to write one, what to include, how to structure it. My online submission form asks for specific information and leaves a spot to include a synopsis (not required) and the first 20 pages.

 9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?

 I ask to see the first 20 pages of the manuscript without the prologue. Sadly, some writers ignore this and send the prologue, which is a waste when I will not read it. I don’t care what the prologue reveals. If the story won’t hook me from chapter one, there’s a problem.

 Response Time:

 10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

 I wish I could say I send a response within a week but that’s impossible. I read queries and manuscripts when I am not focused on my clients work. Clients are my top priority. I also can’t tell the future. In 2020, I had no idea COVID-19 would happen, or that my mother would die, or that I’d have major back surgery with a long recovery, or that I’d end up homeschooling my kid. My query and manuscript response time for 2020 was horrible. I still have a few responses to send. I can only apologize to those authors and do better in 2021.

 Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

 11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

 I love authors. I don’t care what path brought them to me! If you look at my current client list, you’ll see authors who’ve self-published or wrote for small presses. Editors want never-before-published manuscripts. If you are a self-published writer who wants an agent, send the agent an unpublished manuscript. An agent is going to focus on selling your work to a traditional house (Big 4) first.

 12. With all the changes in publishing—self-publishing, hybrid authors, more small publishers—do you see the role of agents changing at all? Why?

 Agents will always adjust as publishing changes. There are so many options for great books. Streaming services, app-based reading, augmented reality, graphic novels, comic books, and foreign markets. I see agents as always being flexible because we see changes and shifts all the time. We anticipate many and help our clients accordingly.

 Clients:

 13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

My current client list can be found at https://www.triciaskinner.com/clients/. I’m continuing to build my list so expect that page to grow!

 Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews and guest posts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

A recent interview: https://darlingaxe.com/blogs/news/book-broker-tricia-skinner

Links and Contact Info:

15. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.

My personal agent site: https://www.triciaskinner.com/. Please view the MSWL page for submission information.

 My agency: https://www.fuseliterary.com/. Please view my Team Fuse page for submission information.

My main social media: https://twitter.com/4triciaskinner. No submissions or pitches accepted on any of my social media (or email).

Additional Advice:

16. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

Take the time to research the agents you’re interested in. Remember that any rejection received is for the manuscript and not personal. Look at the rejections you do receive for clues on what’s not working in the manuscript, then revise it to make it better/clearer/stronger.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Tricia.

Tricia is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through February 6th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address. If you do not want to enter the contest, that's okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

 Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.

 

 

Agent Spotlight: Carlisle Webber Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Carlisle Webber here. She is a literary agent at Fuse Literary.

Hi­ Carlisle! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Carlisle:

1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.

I became an agent after years of working as a YA librarian. I lost my job due to budget cuts and decided to explore my interest in the business side of books. I attended the Columbia Publishing Course and pretty much knew going in that I wanted to be an agent. Agenting combines my interests in reading trends, editing, and advocating for authors. After working for a couple of New York agencies, I opened my own agency when I moved to California in 2013. It wasn’t a good idea. I’m an extrovert and really missed having other brains around! I joined Fuse Literary in 2017 and am still there.

About the Agency:

2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

Fuse Literary is an entirely virtual agency with nine agents in New York, California, Texas, and Ontario. Each of us gets to choose what we want to represent, and as a result the agency is open to just about all genres of fiction and popular nonfiction for adults and picture books, MG, and YA fiction and nonfiction, including graphic novels. Because of our varied work backgrounds in areas like editing, marketing, and contracts, we’re able to offer authors answers to just about any questions they have. We work with our authors on maintaining a strong social media presence, and many of our clients are members of Fuse Club, a Facebook group open to all clients where they can discuss topics from editing to playlists to cover art.

Our philosophy at Fuse is that we want to represent authors for the life of their career. Publishing is such a subjective business that we may not always have success with clients’ books that we love. Because of this, we’re always willing to brainstorm with our authors about book ideas and try different paths to publication.

What She’s Looking For:

3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

I represent MG and YA, but not picture books. I rep almost all genres for MG and YA and am especially interested in contemporary fiction, mystery, thriller, suspense, and horror. For science fiction and fantasy, it’s important that I see elements of the world we live in. I like witches and fairies but not dragons or talking animals.

In terms of what I’m looking for in submissions, the most important thing is an authentic voice. The joy of reading YA and MG is seeing a character change and develop through the course of the book without the benefit of wisdom we’ve earned as adults. Regardless of genre, if I don’t believe the voice, I’m not going to enjoy the book. 

4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?

Right now, I’d love to see more books about mental health issues and both visible and invisible disabilities. I’m always on the lookout for Own Voices stories as well. Although I have some specific items on my Manuscript Wish List, most of the time I don’t really know what I want until I see it. It’s more important that a book makes me feel something than if it hits specific wishlist items. Anyone who writes in the genres I represent is welcome to query me, even if your book doesn’t include anything on my wishlist. 

What She Isn’t Looking For:

5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?

I am not the right agent for epic fantasy, portal fantasy, historical fiction, or steampunk. I also don’t like books about kids who want to be writers or journalists.

Agent Philosophy:

6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

I want to work with authors who plan for long writing careers. At Fuse, we want to work with authors who have lots of ideas and a vision for their author brand that we can help them develop. When I’m on a call with a potential client, I always ask them what they’re working on besides the book they’ve queried me with. It’s important to me that an author has more than one book in them.

As far as the books I want to represent, the most important thing is that I find the characters interesting. I like to point to three of my favorite TV shows: Scandal, Sons of Anarchy, and Succession. The one thing they all have in common is that they all made me say, “These people are completely terrible, and I cannot wait to see what they do next.” A character can be good and likeable or not, it doesn’t matter, as long as the author makes me want to see how they overcome their obstacles. Regardless of genre, a book has to draw me in with the voice and make me feel something, whether that’s anger, happiness, fright, or something else. 

Editorial Agent:

7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

I think most agents are editorial to one degree or another. Usually, I read what a client sends me and offer feedback after their first round. Sometimes it’s an edit letter, sometimes it’s a line edit with an edit letter. A lot of the editorial process depends on how I feel about the book’s ability to sell in the current marketplace. All of my authors can already write great books. That’s why I signed them! When I edit, I prefer to ask questions about how they can go deeper with characterization, or streamline parts of the plot, or pick up the pacing, the things that will keep readers glued to the page and talking about the books with their friends. I do expect when I sign clients that they will be open to getting editorial feedback, because I won’t be the only one giving it to them.

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

Authors can query me through email or Query Manager. The details are on my Fuse Literary page, which is linked below. Besides the letter, I like to see the first ten pages of the book.

9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?

I’m not a fan of query letters that tell me how I’m going to feel about the characters or the story, because every reader gets something different out of every book, and it’s not a failure on my part if I don’t feel the way the author wants me to.

The most common openings I see that don’t work for me include prologues, action scenes with no background or emotion, and scenes where the author fills in backstory by having people sitting and talking. The opening of a book should be a balance of action and emotion, because these create tension. Ideally, the opening of a book invites the reader to see the mystery of who the main character is. Then, by the time the inciting event happens, we know how it will affect the main character’s trajectory.

Response Time:

10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

A lot depends on how much work I’m doing for current clients at the time. Queries, unfortunately, have to come last on my priority list. I try to get to my queries within eight weeks or so, and I usually reply to manuscript requests within six weeks, give or take.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

I am open to previously published authors as long as they’re coming to me with a brand-new book. The quality of the book is ninety-eight percent of my decision to represent an author. Many authors come to agents after self-publishing first or negotiating their own contracts with a small press and deciding it’s not right for them. To self-publish well, an author has to become their own publishing company. Doing things like marketing and publicity takes time, and I find that most writers want to spend that time writing, so they want to pursue representation. If the book perhaps didn’t have a great sales record, there are ways to work with that. My advice to these authors is to be honest with your potential agent about your publishing record and write the best book you can.

12. With all the changes in publishing—self-publishing, hybrid authors, more small publishers—do you see the role of agents changing at all? Why?

It’s my job as an agent to guide an author on their best publication path, and I think that work can only increase with the number of publishing opportunities authors have. Fuse has always been very supportive of hybrid authors and our clients self-publishing when or if it’s right for them. So in that regard, I believe agenting will change in the way that there will be more to learn about new companies and ways to publish, and we’ll have to keep on top of which publishers and contract terms are best for our clients.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

I’m excited to be going out with new thrillers from previously published clients J. Todd Scott and Heather Hansen. I’m also looking for a home for some debuts, including a MG contemporary by Joni Pope, a YA Own Voices romance by James Acker, and a YA horror by Finola Prendergast Davidson. I mean it when I say I only work with the best people. My authors are all talented and tenacious. Fun fact: I’ve found several of them through pitch contests on Twitter.

Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews and guest posts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

I recently did an interview with Darling Axe Editing, and I hope writers will find it useful.

Links and Contact Info:

15. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.

To learn more about what I’m looking for and how to submit, check out my Fuse Literary page. All the details writers need to know are listed there. For social media, anyone is welcome to follow me on Twitter: @carliebeth or Instagram: carliereads.

Additional Advice:

16. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

The best thing you can do to turn yourself into a great writer is read widely. Every time I do a writers conference, I always meet at least one author who doesn’t read in the genre in which they write. There isn’t a lot in this profession that shocks me, but this is something that does. I can always tell when a writer doesn’t read in their genre, because they either get the voice wrong or will pitch to me and tell me that the reason they wrote their book is that there are no good books out there for their intended audience. Of course, that’s not true. Writing is an art, but publishing is a business, and it’s important to me that writers are aware of what the current marketplace looks like. 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Carlisle.

Giveaway Details

­Carlisle is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through September 26th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter either contest. Please be sure I have your email address. If you do not want to enter the contest, that's okay. Just let me know in the comments. 

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.

 

 

Agent Spotlight: Veronica Park Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

 Today I’m thrilled to have agent Veronica Park here. She is a literary agent at Fuse Literary.

 Hi Veronica! Thanks so much for joining us.

 About Veronica:

 1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.

Like most agents, my road has been a weird one. I started my first internship for a NYC literary agency when I was living on an island in the Caribbean, back in 2012...ish. After that, I moved around a bit through various editorial and marketing jobs in the publishing industry, to get a better idea of how the system worked from multiple angles. I went back to work at the first agency as a platform and branding consultant, then I started working as an agent, and built up my client list for 3-4 years before moving to Fuse Literary in January 2019.

Most literary agents I know start out working in publishing in some other capacity, coming in from the editorial side, the writing side, the production side, or in my case a mashup of a bunch of different related industries (like journalism, TV/Film production, marketing, travel & tourism, piracy, etc.) before figuring out their “brand” as an agent. Mine has taken a few years to solidify, but I specialize in working with nonfiction and fiction authors who have strong voices, unique perspectives, marginalized experiences, and a plan to change the world in a very specific and personal way. My latest sales have all been for projects that tackle real world issues in a unique and hopeful way, taking the big picture struggles and giving them names and faces.

I particularly enjoy working with authors who (like me) are able to tackle these #struggles with humor, humility, and a willingness to make mistakes and learn to be better as we grow.

About the Agency:

2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

Fuse manages a wide variety of clients, from bestsellers to debut authors, working with fiction and non-fiction for children and adults worldwide. We combine technical efficiency with outside-the-covers creative thinking so that each individual client’s career is fine-tuned for them. A boutique, collaborative agency, Fuse provides each client with the expertise and forward vision of the group.

We blend the tried-and-true methods of traditional publishing with the brash new opportunities engendered by digital publishing, emerging technologies, and an evolving author-agent relationship. We recognize that our ongoing success directly results from that of our clients, so we remain at their side to cultivate and strategize throughout the many lives of each book, both before and after the initial sale.

We pride ourselves on our flexibility and passion for progression in an ever-changing publishing environment.

What She’s Looking For:

3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

I represent nonfiction and fiction from MG to Adult. However, I generally tend to focus on contemporary settings and themes and am extremely selective when it comes to kidlit. For nonfiction, I prioritise activism over notoriety; writers who are fully engaged in their subject matter, and not merely name brands. For fiction, I am a big believer in #ownvoices for issues, but also I love to see stories about marginalized experiences of happiness and joy. For example: I work with a lot of projects that have LGBTQIA+ elements, but I rarely find myself as compelled by fraught coming out stories or narratives about characters who are condemned for their identity as those illuminating worlds where everyone can live and love equally. I am currently most actively seeking stories featuring strong voices, with themes of empathy, honesty, humanity, horror, romance, and rebellion from YA to adult. Also, please note: Black lives matter, trans women are women, and love is love. If you don’t believe these to be true and worth fighting for, I’m not the right agent for you.

4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?

I’m pretty much always looking for #ownvoices BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ contemporary romance, commercial women’s fiction, and feminist horror. This is an oddly specific ask, but I’d also love to work with a poet laureate from one of the (many) places I’ve lived, but particularly Alaska, Oregon, New York, and Puerto Rico.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?

Please miss me with any and all romance concepts that deal with someone who is oppressed falling in love with their oppressor. This includes many contemporary and historical political romances, law enforcement romances, and billionaire romances for the most part, unfortunately. Though I am known to RT a tarot meme, I’m also probably not the best fit for NF centered solely around religion, spirituality, or other mindfulness pursuits; unless the concept is also coupled with another theme that’s more universal (like love, empathy, equality, humanity, etc.) For MG-YA, please keep in mind that projects need to appeal to pub industry adults; but ultimately, the goal is to write stories that center and do no harm to the target readership: the youths.

Agent Philosophy:

6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

That’s a complicated question. I guess, particularly lately, my approach is centered around the idea that we can’t control as much as we’d like--in the world, or in publishing. So I use a kinesthetic approach to collaborate with my authors on setting ambitious but achievable goals, with the idea that there will always be room for improvement. The authors who tend to do well with this system are those who have a clear identity, a brand in progress, and at least some idea of what they want to accomplish. But they’re also ready and willing to work together to figure out the best way to get there.

Editorial Agent:

7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

As a former journalist with many years of editorial experience, I can advise on polishing a project, but these days I spend most of my time on big picture (developmental) edits, because I trust my clients to take the tools they’re given and master mechanics as we go. Depending on the author, depending on the project, sometimes we collaborate on a concept from the ground up, or create a proposal based on a particular publisher’s requirements. My veteran authors may turn in manuscripts that are 99% ready to go, and only need some slight tweaks to be pitched effectively. Others need several rounds of editorial. My style when it comes to revising is very “teach a person to fish.” That way, every round of revision strengthens their skills and increases their confidence for the next project. The goal is for revisions to become less painful over time.

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

I currently only accept queries through Query Manager. Information is available on my Fuse page. I also frequently tweet MSWL requests and have a MSWL page that I update pretty regularly. Because there is SO much free information available online for how to query effectively, I won’t go through all my tips here. Overall, please be professional, and briefly tell me why you think I’m a good fit to represent you, your project, and help you reach your goals.

9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?

I don’t like to focus on the negative. Definitely do lots of research into your target genre, to ensure you’re not pitching the project as something that it actually isn’t (for example: a “romance” that doesn’t end in an HEA or HFN) and that you’re either following or knowingly bending the “rules” (reader expectations and industry guidelines) of your given genre. I’ve seen lots of projects that go against the grain and do it well, but rarely are they from authors who don’t have experience or at least significant research in the genre they’ve chosen to break into.

Response Time:

10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

Unfortunately, thanks to 2020, not as consistent as I would like. I’ve requested pages and read them in less than a week, and I’ve gotten so busy that I didn’t get a chance to dip into my submissions for months at a time. (And in those cases, I will never fault an author for moving on if they don’t want to wait; in those cases, it’s very probably my loss.) But we do what we can, and my goal is to respond to all queries with some idea of my reasoning (unless they’re for a type of project that I have said I do not represent and/or won’t consider, or the query is not personalized--you’d be surprised how many people just kind of blast a bunch of agents with a “Dear Agent” or a “Dear Sir” when I’m not a sir.)

That said, mistakes happen, and we’re all human. I’ve never rejected a query based solely on a typo. I cannot stress enough that most of the time, my #1 reason for passing is that I just didn’t see enough evidence that I’m the best fit to represent and sell your work. The agent/author relationship is a partnership (or it should be) and please, trust me when I say this: you DO NOT want to work with an agent who isn’t really all that passionate about you or your work. That’s how you end up sitting around, agented, wondering what’s going on with your career and whether your agent is pitching your book(s) to the best of their ability. It’s not a situation I’d wish on anyone.

My rule of thumb for query timelines: no news = no news. Don’t automatically assume that a delayed response means your writing isn’t good, or that you did something wrong. The world is an imperfect place. Screws fall out all the time, etc.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

Yes, on a case-by-case basis, but please always be honest about a project’s history. And yours.

12. With all the changes in publishing—self-publishing, hybrid authors, more small publishers—do you see the role of agents changing at all? Why?

Always. As the only publishing professionals whose sole purpose is to be the author’s advocate and representative, IMO we should all be constantly examining our behaviors, beliefs, and standard operating procedures; particularly those that may have been taught or handed down by the “old guard” publishing pros who have been instrumental in encouraging, upholding, and/or excusing prejudice and inequality since the inception of the industry. Sorry to get political for a sec, but if you’re a white person in publishing at any level, it’s up to you--to us--to use our privilege and our position to boost and protect those who have been traditionally, consistently, and systematically marginalized in our industry. There’s no more room to sit on the sidelines.

I realize that your question was more about process, but this is why my answer still makes sense. At every level of publishing, from self-publishing, to hybrid publishing, to publishers of any size, there are those who are allowed into the room with no questions asked (even if, in some cases, they are guilty of bigoted and/or predatory behaviors) and those who have to work many times as hard to even get into the building. Whether we’re talking about #MeToo, #PublishingSoWhite, or #PublishingPaidMe, there is no separating those issues from the process. Inequality is not a bug in the system, it is a feature. But here’s what I believe: a rising tide lifts all boats. The more we work to make our industry more inclusive, transparent, and fair overall, the more writers of all identities will be able to navigate the system in a way that makes the most sense for their goals.

Also, it’d be kind of great if all the most hard-working writers, editors, and agents could all make a living wage from doing what they love. Don’t you think?

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

My current client list can be found here.

Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews and guest posts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

https://www.katejfoster.com/general-blog/agent-interview-veronica-park

https://www.dvpit.com/blog/ryan-la-sala-park

https://www.fuseliterary.com/2019/05/09/agent-spotlight-veronica-park/

Links and Contact Info:

PM: https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/veronicapark/

MSWL: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/veronica-park/

Fuse Page: https://www.fuseliterary.com/veronica-park/

Twitter (please don’t pitch me your book on Twitter): https://twitter.com/veronikaboom

15. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.

QM: https://QueryManager.com/QueryVeronica

Additional Advice:

16. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

Never give up. Never surrender.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Veronica.

Giveaway Details

Veronica is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through September 5th.  If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that's okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.