Ask the Agent:

TYSM for posting that Chuck Tingle tumblr about kindness. Everyone has gotten so frustrated by the state of publishing that it seems like many authors are lashing out at each other and blaming everyone else for whatever they think is wrong in their career. I used to think that the PB community was nicer than the toxic YA community but lately it seems like everyone’s a crab or a whiner. What I don’t get is: don’t they know people can see their nasty behavior? Or they don’t care? IDK but thank you

Hi Jenn! I’m sure I’m overthinking this … but … is there a standard way to word in a query that you’ve recently parted ways with your agents and are seeking new representation? And should I mention this at the bottom of the query in the bio paragraph or should it be listed earlier? (like with the metadata)

pure artistic merit

Hi Jenn! Sorry if you’ve answered something like this. I swear I looked! But if you, as an agent, are pitching something heavily illustrated to editors (like an illustrated MG), what do you send? The text and some sample illustrations? Text with all illustrations? What if the author is willing to have someone else illustrate but would also be able to try doing it themselves? THANK YOU!

I feel like every “my amazing query letter that got a zillion manuscript requests” post I see online is a normal query letter that includes the line “I have 5000+ followers”. As an agent, does seeing a big follower count make you more likely to request a manuscript from someone? Is there any hope for anyone who’s not at least a microinfluencer?

Do people who go to the Big Sur Conference get to choose – or at least proritize – who sees their work? For instance, if I already have an agent, I wouldn’t want to be paired with an agent when I could have an editor looking at my writing. Or if I write a certain kind of book, like YA romance, I’d want an editor who actually aquires that over a picture book editor.

I saw that Big Sur was going on this past weekend which is something I’ve been thinking about attending for years now and with limited funds I’m wondering if its a better investment than NY SCBWI. It seems like since Big Sur is smaller the agents and editors aren’t as mobbed by so many attendees wanting to make contact and in-roads with them that there’s a better chance of getting noticed by them. Do you think that’s the case?

What’s the first thing you do after reading a query you like or maybe on the fence about other than requesting the full? Do you research the persons social media? Browse their website? Put it on the back burner and mull it over?

Hi Jenn. I notice on Query Manager that to upload sample artwork or illustrations, it says the file limit is 2MB. How am I supposed upload art with such a tiny limit? Is it sufficient to just skip that and link my portfolio very clearly in my query letter and contact info? Thanks!

Gentle reminder

Hi Jenn! I’m in writing groups with agented authors but they frequently say things contrary to what agents are advising. Leaving the groups means losing out on networking but it’s just jarring to see them say things as facts like bad query advice, or when one agent is accepting things that others don’t means all agents do that…

What prompts agents to share with other agents in their agency? Is it more “I know their tastes so well and this will surely interest them!” or “Agent X literally just asked for this kind of book” or some else?

I know that so much of the querying process is about knowing you just need that ONE agent who loves your work, so I’m sure that a manuscript only getting one offer out off a ton of queries isn’t a huge anomaly. But, how would you as an agent feel if you found out that you’d offered on a manuscript that no other agent had even asked for a full of? Would you start to worry that you’re barking up the wrong tree? Is there anything that might make you doubt your own choices of who to sign?

Thank you so much for the help re: illustrator query rejections. Would you mind elaborating on styles that are out of fashion? I never considered that and would love to hear your thoughts!

I saw this opportunity to enter a manuscript into a competition with a prize of a book deal. I have an agent but the age category for this prize is different than the age category of the MS we’re working on now. Is it a bad idea to enter the contest, just to see if it gets anywhere, because I have an agent? I don’t see anything in the rules that prohibits it, but as you know, publishing is sooooo slow. I feel like winning a prize and a book deal independently would be so great! But maybe im just being impatient and would end up doing something dumb? Thank you!!

Do you have any tips for querying illustrators? Longtime reader here :) I have been receiving a lot of rejections. My portfolio is as good as I can make it and I have the checklist of art to include in a kidlit portfolio (B/W, variety of kids, character art, etc) as well as my own personal art. I have traditional publishing experience but a lot of the rejections I get are the same sorta thing (mainly great work but not a good fit for my list right now). I understand it takes time but gosh it’s discouraging especially when I’m not sure what I need to improve in order to be a good fit for their list. Is it literally just a matter of finding that one agent who is the one perfect match?

Hi Jenn! Thank you for answering my contract Q! I forgot the other part. What about my edit letter? My editor said December. Then January. I haven’t heard anything since. The release date is supposed to be in less than a year, so I’m worried. When and how often should I nudge my editor on an edit letter?

What usually prompts agents to request immediate fulls vs. later from their maybe pile? Also, is it bad to have 50%+ of agents put you in their maybe piles for a slower eventual rejection? I don’t know what to think when people say waiting longer means potentially losing out on more agents being open from the same agency.

Hi, Jenn! So I have a bad record with contracts. My first one took about A YEAR. I’m working with the same publisher and there hasn’t been a contract for my next book yet. It’s been about five months so far… The agent who sold the book basically dropped me so we don’t have a great relationship… so it’s just been me kind of poking my editor. My editor has said the first draft(! No negotiations at all yet!!) will be coming “this week” about ten times. At what point do I worry? How often should I nudge? Am I just going to have to wait another year again? I don’t even understand why it’s taking so long when we’ve already worked together before!! And my old agent hasn’t even said anything about it at all. Help!! I’n losing it!

About the second chance inbox- have you or others at ABLA signed any clients through it?

Cancelled books / Advances:

About a book getting canceled…

Follow up re: leaving my agent while on a contract. I understand they are the agent on record and make money from it obviously. But will they still be involved (like cc’d on everything etc) or will that be the new agent’s job? Thank you for being so kind and sharing your wisdom.

Do agents also get all giddy and excited when they sign a new client?

For collaborative agencies (no from one is a no from all) such as ABLA, is my submission actually being shared or at least viewed by the other agents? Or is it more of if it isn’t hitting the right spots for the queried agent, then it probably wouldn’t be a good fit for any of the other agents on the team?

The last time I queried was before generative AI. In today’s climate, should I add something to my query letter saying that my work is 100% human-made? Thank you!

How often do agents spiral? What is most spiral-worthy to you?

Do you have any insights you could share about that NY Times article on AI romance “writing?” As an agented, but unpublished author, I feel down (but not yet out). It makes me mad that this is what AI is being used for! Thanks! https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/08/business/ai-claude-romance-books.html?unlocked_article_code=1.KlA.1Fn_.itun2psGl7DE&smid=url-share

Not to stir the pot or anything, but what sorts of issues might cause a publisher and an author to cut ties and cancel a book’s release less than 3 months from its pub date? I feel like in most situations at that point wouldn’t they just publish the book then separate after?

Different anon to the one who asked why trad publishing is so slow, but to piggyback - I don’t understand why the contracts are so slow? I’m in month 5 of waiting for a contract from a big publishing house. My agent says everything is slower than usual but I don’t understand why. Aren’t the contracts mostly the same structure across multiple authors? Isn’t it the same boilerplate? My friends who write for film/TV have much faster contracts so I guess I was just wondering why the legal side of the book world is so much slower?

So I know trad publishing is SUPER slow, but I was curious about what parts of the process are the reason behind it being so slow. Are editors’ workloads just very, very heavy at the moment?

Hi Jenn! For agents who want email queries, I saw one mention not liking receiving small font constantly, and worry my pasted size 12 TNR looks small, so I’ve put it up to 15 so far to a few agents. Is that bad?

Hi Jennifer! One thing I’ve noticed about myself is that I’m sending queries too fast. I finish a manuscript, I get excited… And I send as soon as I can when I logically know that I should let it sit and then go over it with fresh eyes later to make sure it’s very polished. But when I don’t send anything, I feel like I’m being lazy and accomplishing nothing. Do you have any advice for how to hold back on early sending?

Hi Jenn! Sorry for the “let me get out my crystal ball” question, but I noticed basically, children’s books are getting shorter. Even in school, teachers are assigning snippets instead of full books. Do you think we would ever see short story collections (from one author, not a collaborative anthology) in MG and/or YA?

Hi—for agents with our closed no response queries on query manager, do we need to withdraw the old query before submitting a new one?

Do you have advice for genre mashups for query manager genre selections? Say I have a fantasy thriller, and it has outright thrills from the start but it’s also super obviously fantasy, would agents prefer fantasy since plain thrillers are usually a straightforward real world story?

Hi Jenn! Can you please explain why authors shouldn’t take “easily fixable rejection feedback” weirdly?

If an author writes under a pen name (especially in trad pub), is there anything legally they need to do to ‘claim’ that name? Do they have to have a DBA or something similar or is it all fine because the publishers know their real name?

Trend question! Is it becoming more acceptable/normal for picture books to be longer? Most of my favorite current picture books are 40 or 48 pages long vs. 32 (including endpapers, paste down, etc.) and some are even longer! But a lot of the guidance out there for new authors/illustrators is to write 32. Curious what you are noticing/hearing as an agent.  Thanks for offering this blog as a space to ask these questions!

Hi Jenn! How much weight do agents put on previously rejected manuscripts on qm when considering a new query? Do agents bring it up if there’s an offer or should we not mention previously rejected manuscripts?

Hi, I recently received my first rejection from an agent with ABLA. Correct me if I’m wrong but I understand there is a no from one of us is a no from all of us since you are a collaborative agency. Does this mean I can’t query any other agent in ABLA unless my work is seriously revised and it’s been more than six months? I’m an illustrator by the way.

For clients with writing book 2+ with agents, how much should we stick to our agent’s MSWLs and the anti MSWLs before considering the next book?

How often do you see illustrators passing on a project because they think it’s not a good fit? Thanks!

Everyone keeps talking about how MG is a really rough market right now. Is YA in that same boat? I know it’s hard to sell any book and if it’s great it has better chances, but are both those markets really struggling right now? Thanks!

I am not happy with my agents communication (or lack thereof). They regularly take 6 months to respond to manuscripts and weeks for simple emails. I’ve let them know it was a concern of mine, but nothing has changed. I have several trad books but honestly I just feel my agent isn’t a fan of my career or cares. I understand I need to leave them but I am unsure how to phrase all that without sounding like a whiny brat. We also have a contract in place now so it feels awkward. Thank you.

How am I supposed to develop an online presence? I post and like and interact with others in publishing on instagram and Bluesky but I’m not getting anything returned back to me. I hear online presence is important but I just can’t get any traction. It’s like everything I post gets lost into the algorithm mess that social media is nowadays. Is it actually still important? Will my online presence (or lack there of) be a factor if an agent wants to sign me? I don’t mean to sound whiny because I actually don’t like social media but it sounds like it’s important now.

Hi Jenn. I’m drafting out a PB that centers around community. Is it bad taste to use popular ethnicity surnames to differentiate between characters? Ex- Mr Lee for a Korean American character or Mrs Patel for an Indian American character. These aren’t the exact names but you get the idea. These sort of names are popular for a reason but obviously not everyone of every ethnicity has the same ‘stereotypical’ last name. I’m white but I know several people with surnames other than Miller or Johnson or other white-sounding names. Is it better to just use any surname for any ethnicity to avoid stereotypes or is there nothing wrong with using more popular names often found within different ethnic communities?

I came across this substack post that surveyed 60 authors who debuted in 2025. https://open.substack.com/pub/emilyzipps/p/2025-debuts-data-part-two?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=5meha A handful pubbed with a Big 5 and did not receive an advance. In your professional opinion, what circumstances would cause a Big 5 to not offer an advance? Thanks!!

What advice do you have for aspiring YA authors who do not and will not show their face on social media? I’ve had a dangerous stalker in the past so it’s not an option for me. (I’m safe now and have good legal protection, but plastering my face all over social media would fall into the category of “really dumb things to do.”) The booktok phenomenon has me worried I’ll be judged very harshly when I start querying. How can I compensate?

If a client is waiting on something from their agent and they emailed asking a question (after the holidays), didn’t get a response, followed up a couple weeks later and still didn’t get a response … how long do you suggest until nudging again? (and I’m not one of your clients lol) I assume it’s a ‘got missed’ or 'been busy’ thing and I don’t want to be annoying, but no response is also weird for my agent so I’m kinda wondering if I should nudge again?

What’s the etiquette and/or process when it comes to pitching new manuscripts to your agent? We just went on sub with my first book, and I have a few other WIPs in my back pocket that I’d love my agent to look at. But I also know they’re probably busy and I don’t want to come off as annoyingly eager or somehow ungrateful… I just want to make sure I’m working on something viable while also keeping myself distracted from on sub anxiety.

You mentioned that most US agents are on commission. I work in sales in a different industry (and attempt to write MG novels in my free time), so I’m curious: are most literary agents on a base + commission comp structure? Surely it can’t be a majority on commission-only, given how long it takes for a book to actually get published after selling?

Hi, Jenn! I keep reading from agented authors that most books “die on sub[mission to editors]”. Considering that it’s difficult enough to land an agent, this piece of information (or anecdotal information?) is quite disheartening. Being an author (writing fiction) is it for me. That’s where my joy exists. I have other talents and skills, but they don’t bring fulfillment. I’m an author because I can’t be anything else (as the saying goes). Are the odds of having a career as a published author as bleak as people make it sound? Does winning a multi-million $ lottery have better odds? 😂🙈 Or are the odds based on a bunch of variables, such as writing quality, trends (🙄), an editor’s emotional engagement/ connection with a novel?

Hi! Is it true that most agents read queries off the clock, or is that misinformation? Is there other common agent misinformation you’re aware of?

How do agents suss out if a publisher is open or keen to do more than a single book deal or take on a sequel or series?

Is there a minimum expectation for what serious authors (whether agents or not) should know about the publishing industry?

Hi, Jenn! Stupid question, but I got some books published, and I have older manuscripts that could be revised and will hopefully sell to editors in the future, but… I’m tired, to be honest. Book trad publishing can be so draining (as I’m sure you know). I don’t want to write books anymore. I like doing shorter pieces now, and it’s what makes me happy, even though I don’t think I can make a career out of it. Is it okay to be “done” with writing new manuscripts? I don’t know. I’m feeling lost, I think!

Follow up on the maybe NYT celeb bestseller q- so I’m credited pretty clearly (in almost same font size as the author- yay!) on the cover however the author holds the copyright to the illustrations. Is it okay then to say that despite me not having the copyright on the art?

There are so many agents closed to queries, is there an agent holiday happening right now or something? Or is the volume of submissions astronomically higher than we think?

Can you please explain the “agent rejected me even though my query says or shows my book ticks a large amount of their MSWL boxes including exact comps” phenomenon?

Well, sent out a illustrator query and got a rejection but no notes. I know you talk a lot about query rejections for authors. Is the advice any different for artists? Thanks a lot! Hope you’re staying warm during this arctic freeze thingy :)

Okay so this likely a stupid q, but I have illustrated a celebrity PB and it did become a NYT bestseller for 6 weeks. Is it okay to put in my query that I’m a NYT bestselling illustrator? I think I question it bc yes it is true, but it was for a high profile celebrity so it was naturally going to be bestseller. There was a ton of press for it during its pub date. Is that just as valid as being NYT seller for a book you author or a non celeb PB? thank you for answering this :)

Hi, sorry if this is a silly ask but for query manager, is the spacing affecting how you or other agents react to the queries and pasted sample pages? For us who don’t wall-of-text, there’s a large gap when there’s supposed to be a single break, and no break looks nicely spaced. Does it make a difference for you in any way or is it okay to have the larger -looking gap?

Hey Jenn! Is it worth querying agents with tiny request rates like 0.0-0.1% or very very long response times like a year for a query? It also feels like half of the agents listed in query tracker are closed for long periods of time.

What makes you (or your colleagues) decide to share a manuscript with another agent at your agency instead of just passing on it? When this happens, do you normally read a considerable amount of the full or decide after just a few chapters in?

So I expect signing with an agent will bring some level of revisions before a project goes out on submission. But how polished should a work be while in the querying stage? I’m querying a project that to the best of my own ability is as polished as I can make it but I’m sure my (hopefully) future agent will have some revisions for it. I’m an author-illustrator for reference.

Hello Jenn! Is it a bad thing if we still love reading our book after revising it to hell and back for querying? In a “this is fun to read” context. All I see is “get my book the hell away from me” from other writers. Which of those is more common in your experience?

Hi! Can you explain how agent or agency siblings should work? I know there’s some private groups for them and for imprint siblings but is there a general etiquette or benefit or rules, etc?

Hi! Thank you for answering all these questions. It’s so unbelievably helpful. My question is on the author paragraph in query letters. I hear a lot about mentioning all the degrees you have, courses you have done and conferences you have been to. Is that essential? I haven’t been lucky enough to do any of that. Will that give me a disadvantage? Thank you!

Hello! Do agented authors spiral often? I’m in a group where most seem to spiral more than once a week over publishing stuff. I kinda want to leave the group, but is networking with other authors a must or is nice and polite distant online social media interaction enough?

What are some bad things to put in a query or do when querying?

Hi Jenn! What are the hardest parts about being an agent?

Why are some unagented or agented authors jealous of other authors and actively trash-talk them? I don’t think it’s hard to be happy for others or just ignore not having the same success. Do agents do this too?

Hi Jenn, I just left my agent and there is a three month cool down period where I can’t sign with anyone. I understand it takes awhile to hear back from queries in the first place, but would you suggest to wait before I start sending queries? I worry it’d be a turn off for an agent to have to wait that long just to sign on a new client. Or perhaps I’m overthinking it?? Thanks

2 hours after my previous agent and I split, she let me know that an editor at a big 5 wanted to see my book. Previous agent said she would pass my email along, but I have no way to actually confirm she actually did - and I haven’t heard a thing from the editor. The imprint is a dream for me, and I don’t want to just let it fall by the wayside. Is it appropriate to reach out myself since I don’t have an agent at this time? Do I just wait it out until I find a new agent?

How do agencies choose to market their authors on their own socials?

Hiii! So this is funny - I just stumbled upon your blog and was scrolling through it when I found a post from a few days ago where you talked about seeing a post somewhere from an author who was asking for advice on how to handle nudging after an offer if they don’t have anyone to nudge. That was ME! That was MY post on Reddit! Happy to report I did not take any of the bad advice from the comments and I now have my dream agent at my dream agency :’)

Hi, I saw you mentioned monsters and I’m wondering if you have advice on dealing with monsters who are popular and badmouth you to many people in trad publishing spaces including public and private ones with agented authors? This is for things like proving agents disagree with their opinion, general disagreement, or sharing writing they didn’t connect with for whatever reason, etc. i get that monsters feel great when they do it, but the victim’s reputation takes a hit and they become excluded

What happens when authors who are agented take a long break? Like they don’t write anything for years. Do their agents keep them as a client? I guess it depends right?

Is cold-emailing art directors still a thing? I’m aware of kidlitart postcards every month on Bluesky but someone said in addition to that, they keep an updated list of art directors and send emails to them every so often with their portfolio links and have gotten work like that.

Do picture books need to have conflict or is it okay for them not to?

Hi! Query tracker says an agent might change their mind and come back to their rejected query on the “delete this query” page. The odds of that happening is basically winning the lottery, right? I don’t like false hope

Do you have advice on being sad/dealing with shelving (will come back) or trunking (out of mind) or trashing (no hope) novels after spending roughly a year on them, and extra sadness at the idea a new one with a lot of effort and heart would also fail? Thanks!

Hello. This question has been driving me mad and I don’t know if it’s even relevant. But when querying, and the agent asks for the first 10k words. Is this strict? Say I have 10.7k as a good finish point, would that matter? Or would it be better to send 8.5k and send one less chapter. Thank you!

Hello Jenn! Is one book per year the average for agented authors?

Are retellings of retellings a no for traditional publishing? What about retellings of TV shows or movies or animes or other non-book media?

I hear querying and signing with an agent is TOUGH. But like, how tough? I’m aware it only takes on agent to say yes, but is it naive to think somewhere between 20-50 queries ought to yield a match with someone? Are they called the query trenches for a reason? :(

Thank you very very much for answering these questions! Acting on your fine advice, I approached my publisher about split payments (because my agent has left the business, and the agency has been hard to communicate with). The editor replied, “It’s difficult to get bifurcated payments when the initial contract doesn’t agree to the split. Our contracts department (and finance, for that matter) is so small that what seems like a simple change might actually make their work impossible.” I don’t want to ruffle feathers – the editor has been great, and I’d love to publish more books with her. I just wonder what happens later – if I should be entitled to royalties, for example, or anything else. Because how will I know? It is like a black box. I got my advance (all three installments) only because I knew these payments were due, and I was persistent. I’m not saying the agency is dishonest, but I don’t think they would ever have paid without my prompting. They told me, “With 99% of contracts, our authors are paid directly” so it seems they’re not used to the system, although their own agent set it up that way. The most recent payment from them required several months of polite persistence on my part, including three months even after they admitted they had the money in hand. I just wonder how I would ever know if royalties were to come my way – since I get no statements or updates from either publisher or agency. I feel like I would simply never know! Would I even get a royalty statement at the end of the year if the agency forgot to give me the royalties?

Hi! About your “People are out there actively giving authors this bad advice” post — I’m pretty sure I saw the same source, and that place willfully chooses to not have proper regulation to the point agents spoke out against lots of false information, or other problems, including a prolific misogynistic user using the pretext of “joking” for bigoted comments that made “verified” agents and others uncomfortable, and that user was heavily defended when called out. I don’t understand it. I’d like to say that sticking to direct (established) agent sources are best for AGENT-related concerns, but aside from your blog and googling if agents have interviews or workshops or whatnot, do you have other suggestions for finding reliable industry answers?

Hi Jenn, I’m a grizzled veteran of the PB world, but not yet “an old”, with many books published by both big and small publishers. I guess I’m “mid-list” which I’m grateful for. Lately I’ve had a lot of passes on dummies & general ideas, and when one of my dummies is accepted by my editor, it has taken months/years (!) to even get it to acquisitions. Right now I’m waiting on comments for a dummy that she’s definitely interested in, and we’ve already done one revision. I’ve been waiting for 3 months for her comments. I nudge her every 30 days or so. I saw my editor in person not long ago and I gently asked her what’s up with things seeming so stuck in the mud (my other author-illustrator friends have confirmed that they are experiencing this too). She looked at me like she had no idea what I was talking about, and that everything in editing was fine and normal. Am I crazy? Jenn, I’m losing hope. I’m sorry to be blah about all this, and i know *it depends,* but do you think this is mostly the end of consistent contracts for mid-list PB-makers? Yours, Grizzled

Do you know why there’s so much friction between traditional vs self published authors in some online spaces?

If a hybrid children’s book publisher claims to have good distribution to bookstores and libraries, is that possible? Or a red flag? Thanks!

How much of a problem do you think it would be for an author to get agented and traditionally published if they have their own cover artist they really want to work with? This is in the land of hypotheticals, but I am close with an extremely talented artist. One who has worked professionally and knows and understands how to make good covers in my genre. I’d really like this artist to do my cover. I get the feeling that going the tradpub route will make this pretty rough, but does it border on impossible?

Do you know why there’s so much friction between traditional vs self published authors in some online spaces?

I was reading a blog article and the agent was mentioning that the overall trend is that publishers (this is mainly for picture books) are starting to prefer digital artists to have a more traditional art (paint, collage, texture, etc) feel to their portfolios rather than art that has a cleaner more digital look to it. She mentioned this is largely a protest against AI art to go back to the handmade and imperfect aesthetics of art to emphasize a real person made this art. I myself see this happening more mainly in the picture book world where the art is more crafty and handmade looking though still being made digitally. I personally feel like there is a place for each style. What do you think about this?

What happens when you break up with your agent when you have a book coming out? Do they handle everything with the rest of that deal?

I’m the OP who brought up the agent-author question. Thanks for your answer, I fully agree! To elaborate: some authors panic over agents being open or closed and query more “dream” agents on their list when they have a call scheduled, then nudge with an offer within a short time frame, which some agents dislike or find suspicious despite the fact authors wait up to a year for a query response. Another is the agents with “too many queries to consider” thing where authors face so much more rejection now and basically have rare feedback compared to earlier. And some agents reject with demoralizing responses instead of a neutral form. On the other side, agents still say they are still facing rude responses for form rejects, harassment, scams, etc, but I think you’d be able to explain better.

Can you explain why the market for MG is gloomy? Is there just very little demand for MG stories right now? Does this apply to middle grade graphic novels too?

Hey Jenn! I know series can be hard to get a publisher to commit to. If, say a MG author got a book deal that they and the publisher hoped would be a series, they get two or three books out, but then the publisher says sales arent strong enough to continue it … could that author then finish out that series themself and self-pub it? Do authors still have the rights to the characters/etc to the finish out the story they envisioned if they choose?

Do you know how often published kid’s book authors do school visits? Is that something only bestsellers do or is that expected of every author?

Hi, I heard about agents rejecting queries without author consent on their live socials and that feels so wrong. Do we have to put “please don’t share this query online” in our letters now?

Just out of curiosity, how long have you been on tumblr? I only recently discovered you!

Is there a market for middle-grade sci-fi? I’ve seen lots of calls for middle-grade fantasy and middle-grade horror, but not much in the way of sci-fi. I assume if an agent says they want “speculative” fiction, we can assume sci-fi is included in that?

It feels like every time I walk into a Barnes & Noble, they have an entire table of WWII historical fiction, much of which is fairly recent. In fact, it’s rare that I see a new adult historical fiction book that *isn’t* WWII. Do you think there’s much publishing demand for adult historical fiction from other times or are other eras just not popular enough for it to be worth taking on?

Some writers feel agents are out of touch with the current query landscape, and some agents feel that writers don’t come close to understanding the realities of agenting. What are your thoughts on these?

If an agent says synopsis is optional, should I send one?

Hi Jenn! Can you please elaborate on how an agent views “polished” works compared to ones that still need work or miss the mark? Thanks in advance!

Do authors who have been trad pub a few times have to query with a full like anyone else when they are looking for new rep? Or could they do a partial / proposal?

I’ve written a YA fantasy, and have gotten extensive feedback on both my query and manuscript. The feedback has been very positive. But I’ve queried 25 agents and it’s been crickets or fast rejections. One agent rejected me in 2 hours even though I ticked every box on her MSWL. My book is not a romantasy, and there’s no spice. Is that what’s working against me? Do I keep plugging away? I don’t know if shelving is the only option if editors are not acquiring what I’ve written.

Hey Jenn :) Is it true we all have to have Microsoft Word for the publishing stage because editors want to see track changes and Google Documents isn’t good enough?

hi! Do agents prefer querying people to use “Romance fantasy” or the other applicable names instead of “Romantasy” or is the latter okay? I’m seeing aggressive reasoning for both and it’s confusing me

I saw this article in Publishers Weekly (linked below) and it has me terrified. The quote about unpublished manuscripts being a waste of intellectual property and potential is especially hurtful. Do you think using AI to evaluate submissions will become the norm? What impacts do you see that having on what/who gets published? Thank you for your thoughts! https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/99343-trilogy-launches-ai-powered-manuscript-assessment-tool-for-publishers.html

Hi Jenn, I wanted to ask about awards, and why some dumbfounding decisions are made. For example, a book that was recently nominated for a major award is, well, objectively bad. The Goodreads reviews are brutal (they mostly point out the same glaring issues and plot holes so there’s no smoke without fire). There were MANY excellent books pubbed in this category last year, but this book’s editor is highly influential. We see this a lot, and I wonder what you think about the politics in this biz?

Hi Jenn! What’s your feedback style like for client manuscripts? Do you give initial live impressions then go back to the start and read then give further insight with knowledge of the ending?

Hi Jenn, I’ve been noticing a lot of talk about how teens aren’t buying YA anymore in some of my author and bookshop groups. Is this a new slump or the one we’ve been stuck in for a while? A few people were saying that teens are going straight to adult books and skipping over YA. Is this something you’ve seen as well?

Hi. What’s hot in YA and adult right now? If I were to “write to the market” what would you suggest? Thank you.

How long do most picture books stay in print for? I would guess that they go out of print relatively quickly unless they become a classic or super popular in order to make room for all the new upcoming releases.

Why do some other agencies neglect to state their significant revision stance on their websites?

Hi Jenn. Maybe a dumb Q, but for agencies that say submit to one agent and a no from one of us is a no from all of us meaning submissions are shared with everyone else in the agency, why does it matter to pick one agent if everyone else may review that query? Thanks

Is it true that you’re not supposed to submit a manuscript to a small press and query agents with that same manuscript at the same time? Do you have to only do one of those at a time?

Do you have suggestions or tips to help discern if someone’s feedback or advice is disingenuous? Whether it’s from one person to a pile on?

I’m trying to publish my novel, and my plan was to send it out to every agent who was a fit, and then if all of them reject it, to enter it in a contest. But some agents I think would be a great fit have been closed for almost a year, and there’s no indication that they’ll reopen anytime soon. The contest has a rule that any manuscript entered can’t be under consideration by an agent. So my question is, how long do you think is a good amount of time to wait? I’m worried if I wait for the agents to reopen, I’ll be waiting years and possibly miss my chance to enter the contest, but I’m also worried that if I enter the contest, the agents will then reopen and I’ll have missed my chance with them, or will have to withdraw my entry and lose my entry fee in order to query them. In your expert opinion, what do you think is a reasonable amount of time to wait for agents to reopen? (To be clear, none of this is intended as a complaint. I get that agents are overwhelmed with queries, so the long waits are understandable.)

Hi! Just wondering where you would stop reading a query submission’s first pages on average? The very first page? Is the reason usually more personal taste or quality of the submission?

It seems like there aren’t many novels in verse for adults, and I haven’t seen any agents asking for them. Is that because the high page count makes them more expensive to publish? Or is the demand just not there? If you know of any good ones, I’d love to hear them!

Are super polished partials or fulls more common or recommended to sub with after selling book 1, option or not, and which of the two do you recommend?

What percentage of your now-closed query inbox had manuscripts basically ready for publication? Including or not including your personal preferences?

What do you think is the number one reason you (or any other agent) say no to a query? Especially illustrators! Thanks for answering all of my illustration Qs btw :)

What makes good comp combos stand out to agents and publishers? Do you have favorite examples?

How can we tell if our query and manuscripts are truly ready aside from polishing after getting blunt, critical eyes on it? It feels silly to lose some agents in the first rounds of queries sent because some parts could be better. The very high standards and huge amounts of other people to contend with in agent inboxes is the daunting part.

Hello! Happy New Year! What does an agent’s work-life balance look like? Also, I saw you say you get hundreds of work emails a week—what are they about (are they mostly client needs or publisher requests, etc) and do you have an assistant that helps with them?

Hi! Some people act like any pushing back or asking for clarification is bad. Can you please explain what is and isn’t acceptable for pushing back on edits or feedback with an agent or editor?

I’ve come across several QueryTracker submission forms that ask for an address and phone number. Is it normal and legitimate for an agent to ask for these? Most don’t, so I’m worried those that do might be scammers. I understand asking for those details once an agent decides to sign you as a client, but I don’t know why they’d need them when they haven’t even made a decision or read the full manuscript yet. What do you think? Thank you for all you do here! This blog has been an invaluable resource. =)

Hi, I’m a new querying illustrator who wants to someday write their own stories. I have illustrated some books but never made a complete dummy of any of my ideas. As it stands, my ideas are organized with synopsis, character descriptions and some art but that’s it. Is that okay to share with agents or do they expect polished dummies? The thing is that I’m not 100% confident in my writing nor my stories and I know they need guidance which is why I hesitate to flesh them out. Is this also something an agent can help with? TIA!

Do agents at smaller/newer agencies have the same connections as an agent at a popular well established agency?

I keep seeing people constantly telling authors to drop their agents because their agents don’t respond quickly, citing other agents responding very quickly, such as within a day or so. What’s some realistically agent response times to clients? Questions on WIPs or Publisher-related questions, nudging on notes on WIPs,etc? Do agents always have to respond very enthusiastically, too? It feels like there are too many unrealistic expectations for agents being touted—but mutual respect is a must, js

Hi Jenn! How rare is it for an agent to sign someone who’s only written their first full novel?

Do US agents accept manuscripts in British English or is it a reason to reject? Can you please share if you happen to know if UK agents are okay with manuscripts in US English? Many thanks!

Hello! I had a very specific question about submission/manuscript etiquette: I’m an author-illustrator preparing to query agents with a picture book dummy. Since many agents ask to see 2-3 dummies/manuscripts, I have another dummy and a text as backups. When it comes to the unillustrated text, is it acceptable to include (clearly delineated) descriptions of the visuals I have in mind for each page, alongside the text of the story? (This is for a story that leans heavily on visual storytelling, so it would be missing a lot without the descriptions!) Thank you very much for your time!

I understand a lot of agents are on vacation for another week due to the holidays so would you say the beginning part of January is a bad time to start querying? Sorry if this is a silly question! Your blog has been so helpful.

Hi Jenn! So how badly is the AI slop leaking into your inbox (and editors inboxes too if you know!)? Is the influx of poorly ‘written’ AI books/art really leaking into publishing and slowing everything down even more? Unfortunately I have several non author friends who have discovered AI and have thus used it to author their own ideas and want to publish them now. This naturally makes my skin crawl and dread this slowing down the publishing pipeline even more.

Hello Jennifer! Can you please clarify industry views on retellings vs plagiarism vs inspiration for traditional publishing novels? I’d love your expertise on how inspiration and retellings are different from flat out plagiarism. Thanks in advance!

Hello, Happy holidays! Just a quick question, for the illustrators you rep, is the commission the same as for the authors? Thanks!

Happy Holidays Jenn! Do many agents work like answering client or publisher messages, or look at their TBR piles (query slush or any books they want) in their vacation time? And what does returning back to work look like for you?

If I have recently left an agent and I’m in the 60 day cool down period, is it okay to query? The contract has been ended but technically I am in a cool down period. Obviously I cannot sign with a new agent during these 60 days but can I start working with agent and officially sign after those 60 days? Does this ever happen? Is this a turn off to agents? Thank you so much!

Would you say compared to the past, generally agents in the kidlit world are more eager to sign illustrators nowadays? Ofc it fulfills two jobs at once in the sense that the author of the book is also the illustrator but I feel like I see so many illustrator friends signing with literary agencies as opposed to say illustration agencies or just working solo.

Why does it feel like so many book covers look the same these days? Didn’t there used do be more variety?

Hi Jenn! How much author marketing/posting online do publishers generally want? Is there a minimum requirement? I saw some contracts with clauses mentioning (basically) that their authors need to have a good online image/not have poor conduct, and an author said her agent was unable to negotiate on that, but I didn’t see a minimum posting amount mentioned anywhere and some authors said they have a verbal agreement on posting on official socials?

Chag Sameach, Jenn! I write YA. While I’m neurodivergent (learning disabilities) and have a certain physical disability, the novel I’m working on isn’t focused on either of those aspects. I’ll make sure my book’s world has characters with disabilities represented (because that’s reflective of real life). But the main characters have other, equally difficult obstacles to overcome. I don’t want the book to be labeled “ableist” because it doesn’t center on people with disabilities (I have other books I’m outlining that have protagonists and secondary characters for whom being neurodivergent and dealing with a physical disability will be an inextricable part of their story). Not all novels can (or will) please all people. A portion of the online YA community can be vicious and malicious. I’ve read the news articles of authors being attacked brutally online (based on spurious reasons) before their books are released. Some authors are terrorized / terrified into pulling their books and / or reworking them to try to satisfy the mob. Others ignore the mob (and those are the most successful, apparently). What do you think about the mob mentality? One author who led it against another ended up becoming victim to it himself (yet I wonder if he learned anything about mob mentality or simply believed he deserved the treatment he received).

Hi, I’m worried because I have ace spectrum MCs in my YA with a strong romance subplot and was told it doesn’t count. Can you please share what qualifies for a romance subplot? Mine has slow-burn emotional romance with payoff, forced proximity rivalry, affection every so often, devotion, and a bit more. Just no… you know. Is it always required?

Hi Jenn, I’m working on a YA book with a subplot about first-time sex. There’s nothing graphic. It’s much more about the emotional side of it all. But with all the book banning weirdos flailing about these days, would it be an easier sell if I age up the main characters to 18?

Hi Jenn, I love your podcast! Do you have any tips for someone wanting to start a bookish podcast? Yours seemed very professional from the start.

hi! what are the minimum requirements for someone never agented to not need a beta reader? i thought everyone needed eyes on their book before sending but i saw you say that isn’t the case?

Hello, thanks for answering these questions! I have a business question. Some background: My agent left the business soon after selling my book to a medium-sized publishing company. My advance is being delivered in three separate payments. My question is: Can I arrange with the publisher to have payments sent directly to me rather than through the agency? So far, I’ve had to chase down the first two payments by emailing the head of the agency. For the second one, I had to nag her numerous times. The wire transfer finally arrived, three months late and $20 short. What is the normal arrangement when an agent quits? This agency seems sloppy and I do not trust them. How will I know if and when I start receiving royalties and subsidiary rights? I think the agency would just keep the money and never tell me. I appreciate any thoughts you may have. I am currently looking for a new agent, but I haven’t found one yet.

Hi Jenn, A literary agent recently said on a podcast that she thought there were way too many books published and that publishers should be even more selective and cut that number in half. What’s your take on that? I’m curious if that’s a popular opinion in the industry.

I was recently re-listening to your podcast. You mentioned a health issue you were dealing with, and I was just wondering if you were doing any better now? I noticed you quit recording after that, so I hope everything is okay.

Hi Jenn. I think I’ve read you say that you can continue to query agents with different projects, even over years - and that you’ve signed people after previously rejecting other projects? But is there a point where you should a write should cross a particular agent off their list - after 2 project tries, or 3, or 5, or 10? I’m a little unsure about the etiquette here. I also wonder do agents sometimes signal, even subtlety, that they’d rather you move on from trying them? Recently, I queried an agent who previously requested a full from me a couple of years ago. They even read it twice (including a revision based on their notes) and then told me they’d love to read anything by me in the future. I noted their name down and two years later, I tried them just once more with another project. I got a mostly form rejection saying it was good to hear from me and while they still think I write well, they’re being selective due to time constraints and it wasn’t a fit for their list, not even requesting the full this time. They also said “good luck with finding an agent”. Is that a signal I shouldn’t try them a third time or am I overthinking it? It is pretty embarrassing though going back to people who’ve previously rejected you, especially if it’s a few times. So I guess I’m asking - what’s the deal here? In general and in my specific example. Are there some agents you can continue to query, others you shouldn’t? From the agent point of view, do you like to see people keep trying - or rather they move on? Does it get awkward rejecting the same people over and over on your end too? Thanks so much! Love your blog.

Hi Jenn. Is it acceptable to still nudge on a full manuscript now or too close to the holidays? My gut is telling me to wait until January, but I’ve been waiting to hear back since summer or earlier, so it would add another month. Wondering what would be better for the agent - to get a nudge now that they can clear off before end of year (if not interested) or in new year pile of submissions? I still feel January is best but thought I’d double-check with you. Thanks

My publisher has turned down my marketing/publicity ideas and requests in the past because they say they “don’t really move the needle.” What, in your opinion, does move the needle on the marketing/publicity side? Does anyone actually know?

I’ve heard authors talk about being referred to editing services by their agents, and in researching agencies, I came across one that actually had an editor in house. I’m not sure how to ask this, but is there a point at which it becomes scammy? Like you shouldn’t pay anything to have your manuscript published but there seem to be times when you need to..?

This is part publishing question, part agony aunt question: my debut came out in early 2025 did pretty well—better than I hoped! It earned out, it got some great reviews, got on one of those best of the year lists… I was grateful but it was also pretty stressful and I didn’t enjoy most of it. Whenever my editor emailed with more great news, sometimes I’d feel happy, but just as often I’d feel numb, or stressed about having to make another SM post, or overwhelmed about getting more attention or something. I’m guessing I’m just burnt out and this is really a question for my therapist, but do you also have any perspective from your years of working with clients?

Hi Jennifer! What’s your recommended approach to showing or plotting book 2 with an agent?

What’s with people constantly accusing others of using AI? And how reasonable or likely is it to ensure a publishing contract will guarantee no AI for anything like covers or marketing or anything? Thanks!

Hi! Do agents prefer querying authors to have a webpage? Is there anything specific y’all want to see on them? Do editors want to see that even more than agents do?

Is it bad to query agents who don’t represent everything you want to write, but they do ask for books like the current novel you are querying and are willing to write a couple more in the same genre and age category?

Do you think we’ll start talking about a Big 6 again, now that Sourcebooks is growing so much (and overtook one of the Big 5 in sales)? Or is publishing so steeped in tradition that a relative newcomer like Sourcebooks would have to be around a lot longer to be considered in the same league?

I notice a lot of trad authors lately have pivoted genres (lots of YA going adult) or are releasing self published books in addition to their trad. Is this a result of the economy? Like they need more money and trad pub is too slow? Or something else?

Hi, Jenn… So I got my second royalty statement for my debut from my agent, and unless I’m looking at it wrong… I owe my publisher more money now?? I guess a lot of hardcovers got returned. I’m kind of devastated, honestly! Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong?

Hi, Jenn! I write SFF YA. Say if the stars align and I get both a great agent and publishing deal, will I get input for the marketing plan? I have some very good friends with long, respected careers in the TV industry (an executive producer and a director - both women, yay!) who are onboard to help me in several concrete ways with promotion content production. A second question. I have a strong background in academic writing, grammar, and punctuation. I’ve done freelance copyediting over the years from major scientific papers to creative essays. I know the rules and how and when to break them for fiction. If a publisher’s in-house copyeditor “corrects” my grammar or punctuation wrongly, do I get final override? (As a college student, my Lit. term paper was graded too low by a TA for what he believed were massive grammar and punctuation mistakes. I brought in my grammar & punctuation book and explained why I was correct and he was wrong; he apologized and raised my grade to reflect my proper technical skills.) Thank you! ☺️

Do you know how much places like SCBWI pay non-famous authors and agents to speak at events these days? I’ve read the lower end starts at only 100-200, which seems absurdly low.

This is more of an online question but I’ve seen the internet call out authors for not posting enough about current political issues ongoing etc. and now they’re fighting to cancel the authors showing up for events in countries that contributed toward political issues. But in the same way, shouldn’t the US authors also be held responsible since the US is primarily contributing toward political unrest or problems in other countries and so they shouldnt try to “support”? Where does the line get drawn here?

Hey, you mentioned agency contracts with an author are non-negotiable - does that also mean an author can’t negotiate the commission %? What about if they want to add specific terms for protection of their identity (eg. Using a pen name) or protection against their work being used by an agent through AI?

Do you have any advice on how to break it to someone that their “book deal” is with a scam publisher? They’re super excited and feeling validated. I know this news is going to crush them. it’s one of those scams where everyone is accepted but the publisher requires you to spend thousands of dollars on copies of the book. She didn’t mention that part yet, so I suspect they’re still buttering her up before they ask for any money. The company is listed on all of the reputable warning sites.

Hi Jenn! I know you’re an agent and not an accountant but I’m stumped. A literary mag accepted my story and even paid me for it! But does that mean I have to report that for my taxes, even though it’s literally just five dollars? Are they really going to take, like four of my five dollars or whatever? And will the literary mag be sending me a 1099?

What does “this isn’t a good fit for my list” even mean in a rejection, for those of us trying to glean what info we can from these things? The agent already has enough MG/mermaid stories/novels in verse/whatever? Do agents balance their stable of writers based on themes, genre, age group, etc.? (Assuming, of course, that the author queried the agent because she thought the agent *was* a good fit based on their MSWL and stated preferences.) It all just feels like groping blindly in the dark.

What kind of lawyers are okay to review agent or publisher contracts?

I submitted my latest book dummy to two people: an editor at my recent publisher (my debut came out with them) and an editor at another publisher, who I’ve cultivated a relationship with. My publisher emailed and said they’re preparing an offer. Is now the time to alert the other editor I sent it to? Or don’t nudge until the offer is in hand? ( I don’t have an agent)

What are agents most/least rigid about for queries and first pages?

Hi, I’m the unpublished anon worried about random digging. To clarify, I didn’t mean agents since the business partnership thing is completely fine. I meant complete strangers in writing spaces who find hints of what you are or do even with a pen name then find your personal socials or other info on where you work and such. I saw writers being mocked online for their normal career with info that isn’t easily found and it freaked me out. Do published authors have to worry about that, too?

Hi, I saw your slow timeline for contract responses, and am wondering what else is slow in publishing aside from the book needing a long time to get to print?

Hi! How soon do agents nudge if they don’t hear back from their clients for something that’s due imminently? Are email issues common?

How much privacy is standard for authors in the query phase? I know some agents look up potential clients, but I see that putting yourself (an unpublished nobody) out there in online trad pub spaces means some random strangers dig into you to find out who you are, even if you don’t say or do anything controversial at all, and that’s just so freaking creepy to me. Is that normal for unagented people?

Hi Jennifer! I had a great offer on my book at the end of September, which we accepted after a zoom with the editor in the first week of October. The publishing house has sent me a welcome email, but I still haven’t had the actual contract. It’s been two months! I’ve asked my agent and she says these things can take time, but does it usually take this long? I’ll feel much better when I’ve officially signed the contract - right now my silly anxiety makes me feel like they could randomly withdraw their offer until I sign (but I know, I know - why would they do that? It’d be crazy! Right??) In your experience, how long does it take to go from offer to contract?

Just wanted to say I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We are all thankful for all of your answers! Since I have to ask a question: why are you a sloth fan?

Hey Jenn! Can you please explain the difference between Dark Fantasy and Fantasy with Horror elements for publishing? I was told Dark Fantasy includes darker romance themes if you have a Romance subplot, but I can’t find anything truly reputable to back that up. Thanks!

Hi! I saw an earlier answer but I’d like some clarification please. Are agents okay if someone queries with the word Romantasy (e.g. Romantasy Horror) if the Romance part ticks the boxes of HEA/HFN and Romance scenes? What if all 3 parts feel equal to the author and the readers? E.g. Romance, Fantasy, Horror. Is Romantasy okay to use. Sorry, my writing friends conflict with each other a lot on this.

As editors evaluate books for acquisition, do they factor in their entire list of published books, including those published when they worked at other imprints? Let’s say an editor acquires a book about unicorns and then moves to a different imprint a few years later. Would they be unlikely to acquire another book about unicorns because it might compete with their previous acquisition and/or they might feel that unicorns have been checked off their personal wish list? Thanks!

What are some red flags in agents? And what are some red flags in clients?

Do most authors pay out of pocket for events like NCTE or ALA, or do their publishers send them? I’m a kid lit author and have never been invited to speak at either.

Can you please tell us about the evil eye thing you keep mentioning? Has it happened to you in the past? Does it happen to your clients, too?

Hi Jenn! What’s the deal with agents and publishers on holidays? If they’re open, submissions are fine to send, or don’t send until holidays are over?

Hello! What’s your recommendation for querying a new book to agents who previously rejected, and for querying with old (6 monthish) queries still out? I’m getting mixed advice on whether to just leave old queries and fulls out if agents didn’t respond to nudges/no nudges sent and if there’s an offer, let them know it’s for the new book?

Hello Jennifer, when SHOULD agented authors worry at any stage of their contract/business relationship?

Hi! How often do ABLA agents look at the second chance inbox?

What’s the least amount of work you had to do for a client’s book, and also the most?

Hi Jenn! How worried should we be if we signed with an agent but previously queried an older manuscript that was rejected by them, and yet still want to ask the agent to TRY to sell it because we still love it a lot?

Hi Jenn, it feels like every agency website is showing the “we’re being impersonated by scammers” notice. How bad is it?

Does a debut author have to love their book they want to query and publish traditionally? Is it really necessary?

Hello! How do interns work with agents, and how does that differ from what agent associates/assistants do? Also, what do you think of unpaid internships?

If Agent #1 sells your book, and then you get Agent #2 and develop a companion title or a second book in a series, how do things work? Is Agent #2 free to submit the book with no obligation to Agent #1?

Hi Jenn! When you nudge agents with an offer, should you send one last nudge to the agents who didn’t respond when you’re close to the deadline? Or just leave it alone and assume no response means a pass?

Hi Jenn! Can you please expand on what you mean by “ but YOU shouldn’t want to conflict with your own work”?

Hi Jenn, what does a standard week of agenting look like for you compared to a busy one?

If you had a penny for every time an author asked you a question that’s clearly them overthinking, how rich would you be?

Tacking onto the publisher question: how often do they want to continue working with authors once the original contract is ‘completed’? Is it more likely for an author to need to find a new publisher when done or do publishers want the courtesy of the next applicable manuscript shown to them before anything happens?

Hello Jennifer! With regards to fantasy series and some publishers holding the rights to world building aspects, should authors withhold some original lore they want for different stories set in the same universe until there’s a guaranteed new book deal? Or is it better to always keep elements of different stories separate or unique? Hope that makes sense.

Do you happen to know if authors with multiple agent offers are more common than authors with a single offer only? Separately, Query Tracker says their users send 44 queries on average and have a 88.5% rejection rate, and a 4.4% request rate. And agents generally have a 1% request rate. Is it true agents offer approximately 5 times a year? And newer ones maybe 10? I’m trying to be logical instead of emotional.

Why are so many people on online publishing spaces so… abrasive? Especially if people have different experiences in publishing or querying? Or are new and asking beginner questions that aren’t easily found by googling? Or being upset at diverse voices raising concerns? It feels like most platforms have this issue. Less so for PBs and illustrators from what I’ve seen, but correct me if I’m wrong.

Hello! I’m the no fulls yet writer. The people in my writing group who said to change my opening pages didn’t actually read them, and those who did think it’s just agent preference. I kinda am stuck on whether to revise or not before my second batch, or maybe pay an agent to rip it to shreds? Are agents willing to be very blunt if you pay them to be? I was told some are too nice and hold back?

Hello! I had a few positive personalized query and partial rejections where there was general praise, and two “big” agents even specified they only passed because my project was close didn’t fit their lists at the moment but liked everything else. My writing group with some agented authors told me to change my opening pages because I didn’t get fulls yet, despite no agent feedback telling me to do that. Can I please have your thoughts on this?

Hi! I am looking for books in the YA category that are funny and adventurous for ages 12-14. I have read plenty that are classified as MG, but I would like to find ones that are YA, but for the younger readers in this category to compare my work. Thank you!

Hi Jenn - LOVED your Jeopardy story. I’ve no doubt there are more nuggets where that came from - great stuff. You sure you’re not a writer??? Keep it comin’!

Hi, Jenn! I’ve studied (and continue to study) linguistics for a few decades now (I have a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf of linguistics and language books, lol.) I also have a cluster of language-related learning disabilities from birth (oh, the irony). I’ve used linguistics software to help me create a Conlang for my novel (derivations, etc. I could do completely myself but would take a year+ with my scrambled-eggs brain). The choice of the source extant languages is mine, as well as how I’ve combined them to create a new language (with etymology and derivations). All the choices are mine. I’ve used the software essentially as a calculator. Would this count as “AI” creating part of my novel, or am I safe in this regard? Thank you!

Hello Jennifer! What kind of “request-worthy” prose and writing quality do agents expect from queries and first pages? I know there’s a high standard, but what’s great versus passable versus borderline worthy of rejection if the rest of the query holds up?

I just… found out a beta reader ‘friend’ insulted my writing, and me, to at least half a dozen people behind my back who don’t speak to me anymore. It was things like calling my mc naive and annoying and mocking my mc for having a caring love interest. My mc is neurodivergent like me and the ex friend knew that. Is this normal for getting publishing feedback? I tried so hard to make my narration neurotypical normal with neurodivergent references and mc choices :(

Oh my goodness! I’m sorry. I’m the one who asked about debut novels. I meant to ask how publishers choose LEAD titles and if there’s anything we can do to increase our chances. lol Sorry, my brain has been absolute mush lately!

Hi Jenn, I have a niece who loves picture books about kids doing mischievous things. Do you have any personal recommendations? I’ve found some online just by googling but wanted to check in with you in case any of your authors have anything that fits into that category — either out now or forthcoming. She’s 8 and an advanced reader but still loves giggling over silly picture books with her mother before bedtime.

What advice (or lecture) do you have for writers who query too soon?

How do publishers decide which titles are debut titles? Is there anything an author can do to increase their chances of becoming a debut title?

I read about a writer who was let go by their agent because the agent came to realize they couldn’t survive agenting like they hoped and needed to go back to a regular 9 to 5. I can totally understand a writer having to hang up the publishing dream, even though self pub is an option. I was just wondering how it feels from the agent side when you want to get great books out into the world and just aren’t having any luck. is it just as soul crushing? And if an agent left the industry for whatever reason, is it easy to come back?

Is it true query growth never stopped after the pandemic kickstarted people’s interest in writing again to the point agents have slowly increasing numbers of queries per day, or has that petered off?

Hi Jenn What woukd you say editor’s are looking for with author-illustrator GNs right now? I was thinking of something like the tea dragon society and how it fits into today’s market. Its more cozy than anything else

Hi Jenn! Do completely unpublished writers use “debut” in their queries, like “PLEASE REPRESENT ME is my debut adult contemporary complete at 80k words” or do agents assume we’re all unpublished?

Hey, sorry if I misunderstood your previous answer, but if you’re closed to queries and have an open QM form for special events, do those queries not appear in your general QM inbox? If we’re in that situation, should we nudge after 3 months of silence, just in case?

I signed a contract with a big 5 imprint almost a year ago. On line edits. I still don’t have a pub date. Is this normal?

With fewer kids reading for pleasure, are editors more committed to acquiring “fun” books with wide appeal? Is there a clear shift happening?

Hi, Jenn! I realize this is a “way out of your control” question, but chapter books and MG aren’t selling super well, unless they’re already kind of established. That’s what editors/publishers have been saying. But if we’re not offering young readers much, and we’re just putting out a very small number of books, doesn’t that mean they just… won’t read? Not only when they’re young but when they’re older? Isn’t that just making the problem worse?

I’ve been hearing that many new imprints for New Adult/ romance have been opening recently. Mainly Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Hachette, and Simon & Schuster. Does this mean that YA may shift back to being for teens? Not that teens can’t handle heavy or darker topics, but you know what I mean.

Jenn, It’s been 73 days since I submitted my ms to an agent, and I’ll admit my hopes are starting to fade. Have you ever had a submission sit with you for that long (or longer) before deciding to offer representation? Thank you.

Hi, Jenn! My lovely publisher only does YA and adult books. I pubbed YA with them. I wrote a younger kidlit book with a returning character seen in my YA book. My contract says I’m not supposed to publish books featuring the same characters or locales as my YA if it would conflict with my published work. Does that mean I can’t publish anything with ANY characters or locales in common, even if they’re not main characters or locations or it’s MG or a category my publisher doesn’t rep?

When an agent creates a special submission link for a pitch event, do queries sent through that link appear in a completely different section of their QueryManager, or just with a special tag on it? I’m asking because I noticed that an agent has responded to all other queries she received on the date I submitted my query through a pitch event link, except for mine, and I’m wondering if she’s possibly forgotten about or accidentally overlooked my query.

What kind of behavior online should querying writers be mindful about? I’ve heard agents look people up before signing. What are red flags for agents and editors?

Hi! Aside from your wonderful resources, do you have any other recommendations for learning about querying and publishing? Anything from beginner to pro

Do you think there’s an age cutoff where it’s no longer realistic to learn how to illustrate picture books and graphic novels? Do you know anyone that started later in life?

How do you go about submitting a book about a living celebrity? Do you wait for publishers to show interest and ask for one or do you just try out a clients book on one you like?

Hello Jenn! How do agents feel about writers hiring professional editors or other industry agents for their manuscripts and/or queries before querying? I know it’s not required yet I know a lot of people who do it and they have varying results.

Hi there. I have a book coming out early 2027 (we are in line edits) and I think I have to break up with my agent. Our communication styles do not match and she’s consistently taken 6 months to respond to manuscripts and weeks for simple emails. How do I do this with a book coming out and a fresh one I sent her a while ago (that she hasn’t read yet)? Thank you

How should we respond to people who keep pointing to exceptions to querying rules as reasons why they don’t want to match them? It includes things like not following query letter structure, too high or low word counts, purple prose, white room syndrome, controversial or problematic content, querying self pubbed books, and more. TIA!

To piggyback off the agent pay question—based on your answer, it really begs the question: WHY be an agent? From what you’ve said, it sounds like an agent would need either a massive roster of clients or a few blockbuster authors just to stay afloat. So really, both writers and agents face an uphill battle when it comes to building full-time careers in publishing :-(

Hello Jennifer! What is your preference in terms of what needs a small amount of work in queries or requested fulls? Do you prefer to select projects with minor plot fixes, or separately, a decent amount of line edits? What are you willing to overlook vs. not?

Hi there, would an agent ever consider a novel that was self-published many years ago on a digital platform, but now substantially rewritten? Many thanks for any advice you can offer.

Hello! Does agenting (generally) pay decent? I’m sure there’s some agents that rep notable clients who make a lot of money but what about the average agent? I know they make money with deals but do they sometimes get benefits or an hourly rate/salary on top of the deals they make?

Hi, I just read one of your recent responses about wasting real estate in queries. What do you usually see that counts as that? Is it bad to personalize a query with hyper-specific MSWL requests from an agent if they didn’t naturally fit into the query? For example, if an agent wants fantasy from specific marginalized groups, set in a certain location, or featuring a particular mix of elements or tropes?

Hi Jennifer! What would be the minimum requirements for an author to make fictional writing in traditional publishing their full time career? How unlikely is it?

As things wind down in 2025, what are your thoughts about the 2026 marketplace across kidlit categories? Do you have any advice for writers? Thank you!

Hello—if an agent has requested a few people’s fulls around the same time other authors sent theirs, does this usually mean they won’t request more from that time, presuming they rejected others from the same time but not all authors? And for an offer of rep, is it very unlikely others will have an offer if their fulls are out to the same agent because someone accepted? Hope that makes sense?

Hi Jenn, What goes through your head when an author has submitted a new query and you can see on QueryManager they queried you like three times in the past couple of years with different projects? I refuse to give up writing after a few submissions amounted to nothing but don’t want to cross over into stalker territory! Thank you.

Is it common for publishers to cancel the 2nd book in a 2-book deal if the first one flops? I recently heard about this happening to another author in my crit group and it sounds like a nightmare for the author. It’s so jarring because when they first signed the editor was saying things like I want to invest in your career, we want to be your publishing home. How can you trust someone who treats authors like that? I want to tell my agent to never sub my stuff to that editor.

Hi Jennifer! What’s your mental checklist when you go through queries? Voice, prose, MSWL/personal interests, bio, personalization, hook, marketability, etc. Do you have stronger preferences for any of those?

What are your observations about writers and mental health? Do you have any helpful advice for managing the emotional challenges of being a writer? Thank you!

Hi, Jenn. I’ve been writing, but sometimes, when I’m drafting, this little voice in my head goes “Nobody cares. Nobody cares. No one will ever want to read this. EVER.” What do I do to stop it? Or should I just give up?

Hi Jenn! I’m the one who asked about writing more in a series when the first is still on sub. (Thank you for answering!) These are CBs, and I love writing them. The main character just… has my heart! Nothing makes me happier than writing about them. I want to keep writing, but I know it’s a bad idea… I’m thinking about writing… other genre CBs or different age books with the same main character. Would that be advisable? I just want to write about them forever.

Hi Jenn! What are some examples of hard / upsetting / scary conversations?

A lot of aspiring writers talk about agent rejections and often not being given feedback, or being given actionable (at least to them) feedback that they could use to fix their work, but the agent didn’t offer an R&R. I picked up a book, thought it was good but for some reason didn’t really LIKE it, if that makes sense. It was nothing I could pinpoint, it was just a feeling. Is that kinda how agents feel about manuscripts sometimes? Aside from tangible reasons, like the writing needing work, or something being too close to something you already rep?

What’s the easiest and the hardest part of being an agent?

Hi Jenn! My agent and I are on sub with something now. It’s meant to be a series, but we obviously don’t know if it’ll be picked up. I’ve written a ton of other stuff, but at this point, I feel like writing this series is the only thing that makes me happy. I’m so tired of writing other things. Can I keep writing my series, even if I don’t know if it’ll sell? What advice do you have? Thank you!!

Hi Jenn! How much work do debut books usually require from the client once they’re signed by an agent before going on sub?

Would publishing be more equitable/fair if publishers got rid of the complex formulas for advances and just had fixed amounts or tiers? Like, a new author with no prior credentials? 40K. New author but publishing credentials: 45K-50K. Established and successful authors would obviously get more. Why don’t publishers just do that?? It’s obvious from that Schuster and Simon Trial that publishing has no clear handle on what they’re doing. Unless they lied (totally possible). Do publishers.. I don’t know— prefer not having to pay out royalties? Or is it better to pay a smaller advance and have to pay out royalties?

Let’s say you’ve read a query you like, you requested more work or the full and like that, too. What is your next step? Do you email right away to ask for a call. Or do you think it over for a day or two?

How involved are authors with their submission before any offers are made? I know some like to request editors they like, and want to help with the pitching, but some agents don’t allow that—or worse, make the author do majority of the work. Any insight would be much appreciated!

Do some agents ever feel 100% satisfied with their list of clients and no longer feel the need to open for queries again?

Hi Jennifer, In August, an editor said they were going to show my middle grade graphic novel text only manuscript to their editorial colleagues. I haven’t heard anything since then (and they’re not responding to nudges). So I don’t know if they decided not to take it and are ghosting me, or if they’re still waiting to hear from their colleagues, or even if they’re going to take it to acquisitions and just aren’t telling me that. Or anything else! Are these all likely scenarios? How would you interpret this? I know publishing is slow, but this feels like a long time to just be waiting to hear from editorial colleagues on something. Thank you!

Hiya! I’m a querying illustrator with author ideas. So far my query includes my portfolio (with some books I’ve illustrated prior) and one MG graphic novel pitch(thanks again for your help on this!!). I’m interested in PBs but my ideas aren’t as polished as my GN and portfolio. Should I omit them? I have two PBs I’d love to include but honestly I know they need some work and guidance. I don’t want an overly long query!

Hello Jenn, how much time do you spend on a client’s book on average? I saw you mention potentially years re-reading in a recent answer. Is that for a try to sell again later situation, or one where you’re working on a sequel or series?

I got some agent interest in my manuscript during an online pitch event about 10 days ago. My pages are ready, but I’m still trying to make improvements to my query letter. I obviously want to make it as good as possible, but I’m concerned that I’m letting too much time pass. How long is too long to wait before figuring “this is as good as it’s going to get” and submitting?

I’ve had my ms out on submission with an agent for two months now and if an agent was truly enthusiastic about the project and wanted to make an offer wouldn’t I have heard from her by now? Have you ever offered representation even after 2-3 months? Thanks, Jenn. You have helped me so much with your Q&A here. I truly appreciate it.

Hi Jennifer. I’m struggling with a question and I hope it isn’t too heavy. I was disheartened by a Reddit post from an author of color who was describing their challenges in the industry and other redditors agreed. Few were saying they stopped centering their identity and were getting better results in the query trenches, one was saying they were signing with an agent. So I guess my question is.. am I doing myself a disservice if I tailor my query depending on the agent’s background? Like if the agent discloses a racial or other identity, I mention mine. If they don’t, I’m letting my query letter itself be the force that pulls them in. I do mention my character is multiracial, but we’re running around in a secondary world, so it isn’t exactly relevant to the story. Am I wrong for this? Is it.. misleading? I’m So confused rn.

Hello! Aside from “I’m not feeling passionate or connected enough to take on this project”, what does “I have no editorial vision” mean?

What are the most common problems or issues or mistakes, etc, you’ve seen in your query inbox?

Hi Jenn! I saw you mentioned authors being pills earlier—can you please give us general examples of this?

Hi Jennifer, When independent bookstores purchase books, is it usually by the case? And are they always returnable? Thanks!

Hello Jennifer, I accidentally forgot to update my word count in my query letter (roughly 2k difference) after I edited my MS when I didn’t get any requests from my first batch. Is this a big deal to agents? Should I let agents know about it if my recent batches receive more requests? I normally add my query to any fulls as the first page and would want to update it there, but should I do more than that?

Random (maybe?) question- I’m an illustrator and I love doing ‘dot’ style eyes. I love the simplicity look of it personally but my agent told me generally publishers prefer more detailed eyes. I get that, they show expression and you can convey diff eye types etc. but I see a pretty even mix of eye styles in PBs. what’s your take on this?

Jenn, Q about the ABLA submission policy. I understand you can query one project to one agent only (then try the second chance inbox) but one of your agents is requesting 3 PB texts together for the initial submission. If she passes, does that mean all three are burned for any of the other agents? Or just the lead one? I would love a clarification on this so as not to break any rules. Thanks for your time.

Is it bad if you need your agent to contact your publisher when your book isn’t listed in their social media marketing but pretty much everyone else being published at the same time with them is?

Hello Jenn! Does having a previously traditionally published book, or previously being agented (and parting on amicable or neutral terms), or agency or author referral, or having big 5 editor interest make any difference for cold querying? Thanks in advance!

I want to write a sequel to my already published book, but I really don’t want to work with the same editor again (won’t go into details here). Is it possible for authors to switch editors within the same publisher/imprint?

If a new client’s first project dies on submission, how long will you keep trying to sell other work for that client? Is this becoming more common in today’s marketplace? What is the longest it’s taken you to sell a new client’s work? Thank you!

Hi Jenn! If an author/illustrator queries with a dummy and portfolio that you like, do you typically ask for more work? Or do you decide based on the dummy and portfolio alone? And if you do ask for more work, what kind of work do you like to see? Manuscripts?

Hi Jen! I’m getting ready to query my MG GN. Is it helpful to include anything else beyond the script, chapter synopsis, and first ten pages? I’d love to include character sheets, potential sequel ideas, and other fun world building art but I don’t want to go overboard and make it seem like I’m not willing to make edits to anything. Thanks in advance!

Hello Jenn! What’s your opinion on adding a logline or elevator pitch to a cold query letter?

Jennifer, What is the best practice for breaking up with an agent or vice versa? Is an email acceptable or is that rude and a phone call is the right thing to do? A friend got dumped by email by her agent out of nowhere and it just seemed a bit harsh to me, but maybe that is totally acceptable? And as an agent, would you expect a call or an email would be okay? (not that anyone would dump you like ever:) Thanks

I have a question about author platform. I have major ethical and moral issues with several of the platforms (you can probably take a guess what ones), to the point that signing up for them to get “audience” would make me feel very icky inside. If I’m querying a fiction book, do you think this stance would be a deal breaker? I have a website and do happily engage with the platforms that don’t actively make me feel sick, but they’re often not the big ones. The publishing world seems to be relying more and more on authors marketing themselves and having platforms, but I want to know just how badly I’m probably shooting myself in the foot.

follow-up to the AI Q (not OP)- I can’t stand the AI slop, nor do I like AI being forced into every aspect of our lives. I always prefer to see things made by a real person. BUT I find it helpful to use it as an additional critique partner for quick things in my stories, such as grammar, but also suggesting paths for the characters and plots when I feel stumped. I never use these ideas exactly how the AI suggests it but more as a jumping-off point or an inspiration spark. Is this problematic?

hi, can I ask what’s reasonable vs unreasonable for agent response times with client manuscript notes or edits or critiques? If an agent takes at least a week (or 2+) to respond to a nudge each time, is that a reason to find another agent?

What would happen if a publisher or agency found out an author used generative AI? I don’t use it. Just curious.

I have two related questions. When a querying author notifies you of an offer, are you more likely to drop everything and jump in the ring or step aside? Same question for an acquiring editor. Thanks!

Hi Jenn. Just curious…1. If an agent normally rejects authors within a day or two, but she hasn’t gotten back to me and like 4 others in 3 months can I nudge even though she said after 8 weeks it’s a no? 2. Do you think some agents read submissions in the order in which they received them or just jump to the ones they thought were promising right away?

Hi, Jenn! I’ve written a whole lot of manuscripts. I don’t have to tell YOU this, but publishing is sooo slow. I have some things in the works, but I want to create more. Just… not books. Not when I have so many. I’m interested in video games and TV and anime, and I would love to do something in one of those things… but… how? I don’t know where to start!

Hey Jenn! I know you’ve mentioned how you don’t want to compete with yourself, but are things that count as “too close”? Could an author try to make a career publishing MG horror in the fall and MG fantasy in the spring? Or even, ideally, a MG fantasy series in the spring and slot in MG horror standalones in the fall? Or are all of those too close? Thx!

How often do agents share a query or full with other agents in their agency? How rare is it for agents to share them with an agent outside of their agency?

I’m a new tutor with a local literacy org. Right now, I’m working with young adults on capitalization, punctuation, and parts of speech. Can you think of any picture books that do a good job with these topics (or anything related for future lessons) that don’t come across as insultingly childish? And, for when they’re ready to take on a full book down the line, do you have any recs for ones around a 5th grade level that would hold the interest of 19-year-old women? (The only one I’ve thought of that they might enjoy is The Outsiders but surely there’s something more recent?)

Hi Jenn! I had to find new rep recently and I love my new agent! But a book just sold with my old agency, and contract stuff is still going on. For the option clause, if my publisher buys whatever we submit for the option, does that mean the sale is under my old agency? And does that mean if it sells, the next option clause will still let the publisher buy something under my old agency? Am I basically tied to them forever?

I write contemporary YA. Should I take the curse words out of my novel? It’s less than 10 in a 60k book. Does that block schools from ordering them? F@{%!

Do agents look at each other’s QM forms or MSWL?

Hi Jenn, I was recently listening to a writing podcast and one of the authors mentioned she’s hesitant to make new friends in the industry because you never know if someone is just trying to use you. She mentioned how annoying it can be when someone she’s just met at a conference takes up too much of her time. I respect that. But as a socially awkward, neurodiverse person, I’m feeling even more anxious about an upcoming writers’ conference. Do you have any suggestions on how to know which authors are okay with socializing with nobodies?

How do agents/editors/librarians/educators explain the difference between upper and lower MG from the same author? What if an author has some MG books that are more upper/literary but also some that are shorter, easier to read, and more geared toward younger readers? Does that get confusing, since they’re all by the same author and all MG, but they’re different reading experiences?

When you have a client completely green to submission, do you walk them through what to say and what to expect if they sell? Is there anything special a client has to do when going on a call with an editor? Are those also an hour on average? Can an agent be connected to other important editor calls when the author asks for it?

What situations normally warrant a phone call for an agent and client instead of email?

Jenn, some different programs like word vs. scrivener count hyphened words separately or together and that sometimes adds up to hundreds of words more or less than the word count of our manuscripts. Would agents have an issue with the word count not matching exactly what our query says it is?

Hi Jenn, Do you have any personal recommendations for a mg novel or graphic novel that deals with the grief of losing a sibling? Bonus points if there are any humor or fantasy elements. It’s for an 11 y/o advanced reader. I’ve googled and found a few options for her but nothing feels quite right. Just curious if you knew of anything off-hand. Thank you!

Is it still possible for new authors to become insanely rich like Stephen King and that awful transphobe lady or does that just no longer happen? I understand how unlikely that was even then, but I’m just curious if that level of success is even imaginable for anyone these days since the media landscape has changed so drastically.

What are the current evergreen things in publishing? And conversely, what is less likely to sell nowadays?

Hi Jenn! Can you please define ‘lightning in a bottle’ for traditional publishing? Do you have examples?

Which would you say is more difficult for a new author? Querying and (hopefully signing with) an agent? Or having a book on sub?

You responded to an earlier question-asker that you had books that reliably helped you out of reading slumps. I’m guessing I’m not alone in wondering what they are (not to invade your privacy, but because I have yet to find or re-read anything that can get me out of my current slump). Would you be willing to share a few of yours? Thank you from Slumpsville. :)

Dear Jennifer, Can you please dispel the idea that all Authors of Color writing their own experiences get a huge leg up or signed? This idea is floating around the internet again and it’s such a disservice to us. I am one of many AOC who have queried a lot only to get nowhere. In my case, I’ve queried 6 meticulously polished books over the years—3 intimately about my direct-lived experience up front—and out of hundreds of form rejections only ONE agent was kind enough to give me a tiny amount of actionable feedback. Publishing is tough on all of us.

Most people I know are struggling to read because of all the horrors going on in the world. I’ve spent the entire year zoning out to my comfort reads on audiobook, but it feels impossible to engage with any new material. Does this sort of problem ever happen to you or other agents that you speak to? If so, how do you deal with it? I’m supposed to beta read a friend’s manuscript, but it feels like an impossible task right now.

Hello Jenn, can you please clarify how the publishing side categorizes Romantasy? Romance Fantasy vs. Fantasy Romance vs. Romantasy? Or is there basically no difference?

I would love to get your perspective, because you are definitely more in touch than I am! I grew up in the 90s, and from my perspective, the kids horror genre was small, but expanding. There were movies, books, tv shows that were horror and billed as such, for a young audience. I thought that genre would expand and gain more variety and popularity with time, but now Im in my thirties and I feel like its shrank? I worked at a book store for years and never saw kids horror that was more recent than what I grew up with (goosebumps, fear street etc), and I think the last kids horror movie I saw advertised was Coraline in the aughts. But that said, I dont have kids, and dont intend to have kids. I like to keep up with pop culture, so I dont think Im entirely out of touch, but I realize my passing curiosity might have holes in it. So what would you say? Is the genre of kids (and also teenagers) horror shrinking, expanding, or remaining the same? Im particularly interested in your thoughts on kids horror that isnt a high fantasy setting as well. Thanks in advance!

I was thinking about this, but aren’t most people in the publishing chain sales people in a sense?? Hear me out. The writer sells an agent on their book, right? The agent sells an editor on their client’s work. The editor has to take the book to acquisitions which means selling a team of people on your book. Once the publisher acquires it, they (and the writer) sell the book to its target reader. Im not crazy right?

Do you browse pitch events? What about your colleagues at ABLA? #DVPit is coming up, KidLitGN is happening right now, and I’m sure there are others. They are very exciting on the author side, but I’m curious what agents think about these events.

Sorry, math-adjacent question: When you said selling lower 5 digits number of copies is ok/very good, etc etc etc—over what time period do you mean? Lifetime of the book, or the first year or 2 years or something? Just clarifying, thanks Jennifer!

Hi Jenn, I saw the ABLA art fest on bluesky- is that only for illustrators represented by your agency or everyone?

If you had to guess, what percentage of your clients are full-time authors/illustrators? Are they usually paid on time? Thanks!

Hi Jenn, What happens to an agent’s clients if the agent leaves the profession? Are they just left without representation? Thank you.

On submission, what makes some manuscripts get an offer in a week, while others take much longer? One of the editors my agent submitted to is the same editor for a friend’s book, same genre, and they got an offer in 6 days (granted, this was in 2023, so maybe things have changed). Trying to gauge any and all patterns on sub!

Hello! I tried searching but couldn’t find an answer to: when do you suggest giving up on querying a novel? Also, when do authors give up during submission?

For traditional publishing, what do you consider good sales numbers in the various kidlit categories? Overall, what percentage of kidlit authors earn out their advances? I’m sure the time frame varies, but would you share your observations? How much does an author’s track record influence future potential editors? Thank you!

Hi Jenn, As a treat, I want to hire a developmental editor who’s worked on some of my favorite books to help me revise my debut ya novel. I know it’s expensive and unnecessary, but I see it as an educational and entertainment expense. I know this isn’t a magical ticket to getting published, and I’m okay with the idea that this might just be a fun, personal project for me. However, it is my goal for my work to be traditionally published. When I query, should I mention I worked with this developmental editor? The editor seems to be highly respected in the industry and has glowing recommendations. Thank you! I think you’ve answered this question before but now I can’t find it.

How do your illustration deals progress after an editor makes an offer? Does the editor send a synopsis of the text for your client to review? How do advances compare between PB authors and illustrators? Thanks!

I just read about the settlement amount individual authors will split with their publishers in the Anthropic lawsuit. $3000. That…seems measly? Will it be split with an agents, as well? But I lack context you have: How much does this amount compare to compensation authors get in other circumstances (or would get, if full copies, or portions, of their books had been disseminated in a more traditional format, such as excerpts published in magazines or as a reading sample in a test like the SAT?)

Hi Jenn, can we talk about the publishing patriarchy? Why is it that men (who make up a smaller % of kidlit creators) win more than half the major awards? Why do they seem to get more marketing spend and attention? There was a recent Slate list of the ‘25 Greatest PBs of the past 25 years’ and 2/3rds of the books they selected were authored by men. I’ve also noticed that 'manels’ (all male panels) are creeping back in. It’s depressing and there seems to be little discourse around it.

Hiya Jen! Are board books hard to sell? I’m interested in writing out some board book ideas but I never hear others talk about them (despite there being plenty of them in bookstores!) does it make a difference in selling them when the author is also illustrating them? Thanks for reading!

Hi Jenn! I know I’m not your client, but I would really appreciate your advice. I have a book that could be either an MG or adult (depending on how I frame it). I feel more called to MG, but I haven’t had a lot of luck in MG. I’ve been more successful in adult, and pub professionals keep saying there are more opportunities in adult. So should I try to pursue adult, just because MG is hard to break into and I haven’t been able to get in yet? Thank you!!

This is just a nosy question. When you’re open to queries, your assistant does a lot of the first reading. When you’re not open, what does your assistant do? And how do you also work at a bookstore?? Are you magic?