I've Signed with a Literary Agent!

More on the road to a book deal, plus a bonus Q&A.

Could it be? An email about something that doesn’t involve death, cemeteries, or ghosts? Believe it! Today, this living, breathing girl is celebrating a pretty massive milestone.

I’m elated to share that I’ve signed with a literary agent, the incredible Brianne Johnson at HG Literary. Bri has an undeniable personal connection to my manuscript, and I know she’ll champion the hell out of it—see below for her first-read reaction, which rendered me speechless (a real feat!)

As many of you know, I began querying literary agents with my debut novel in December 2021, and spent two and a half years fielding rejections (someday I’ll tell you just how many), devastatingly close calls with interested agents, and deep rewrites with developmental editors. Only about one percent of queriers land an agent, so I shelved the book in January to focus on my next project. It felt like courting heartbreak to consider doing this all over again with a new novel, but I write because I can’t not—I knew I had to keep going.

Then in mid-July, out of the blue, someone I’d queried in November 2023 offered me representation. It kicked off a whirlwind of emails and calls with agents that resulted in three (!!!) offers of rep. I feel so much gratitude for that first yes—it led to others prioritizing and connecting with my work. Every author’s journey to representation is different, and mine is particularly twisty and thorn-covered, but the old adage stands: you just need one yes. 

This has been a true exercise in detachment. I clung so tightly to this novel for so long, held close my assumptions and expectations, struggled to control a deeply uncontrollable situation. And then, the moment I let go of needing an outcome, the desired one arrived. I wish the experience was as easy as summarizing it is.

Now, Bri and I will polish the manuscript together (it’s upmarket adult fiction with gothic horror elements—on brand!), then it goes out on submission to publishers this fall. Nothing is promised with this next step—my agent will essentially be doing with editors at publishing houses what I was just doing with agents: pitching, fielding rejections and full manuscript requests, and hoping for a yes. But Bri is a real pro and I know this book baby is in the best possible hands.

That said, it’s more common for a project to die “on sub,” as those in the industry say, than it is for it to be picked up by a publisher. If luck doesn’t stay on my side with this novel, I’m already working on the next one. What’s most important is that, from here on out, I’ll be navigating the publishing world with the support of an agent who believes in me wholeheartedly. I’m persistent, so I know someday you’ll get to hold a book of mine in your hands. Thank you for reading my work and making me an author in my heart all this time. 

I’ll continue to post updates here the moment I can share them, with as much transparency as I’m allowed. Until then, I know this topic can be incredibly inside baseball. I’ve spent almost six years learning what I can through research, classes, podcasts and newsletters, advice from agents and authors, working with dev editors (shout out to the amazing Lidija Hilje!), and the pure grit of experience, but there are still particulars of traditional publishing that are a mystery even to insiders. I have much to learn, but I’m always here to lend feedback and clarity on what I currently know. Case in point: I recently opened up a Q&A about the subject with my Instagram followers, and they sent some amazing questions. So I’m sharing my answers here, to get things started…

What does being agented mean? Why do you need one?

If you want the experience of being traditionally published, ie: published by the big five publishers—Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Hachette, and Macmillian—or any of their imprints, or picked up by lauded indie presses like Soho Press and Tin House, agents are the gatekeepers to that world. None of these publishers accept unagented submissions, save rare open submissions periods. Without an agent, you can publish with small presses or self-publish—that’s a very viable option for some folks, and there are people who do really well with it. I personally want the experience of working with an editor at a traditional publishing house, so that’s why I pursued this option.

Sorry for the silly question but what does querying mean?

Not silly—there’s no reason why you’d know what this word means (and frankly, after my experience, I wish I didn’t…) Querying is the act of pitching your finished manuscript (for fiction) or your book proposal (for nonfiction) to a literary agent. You write a query letter (a few catchy paragraphs summarizing your book—think: the back cover blurb on a novel) and email it, along with any initially requested pages of your book (every agent/agency has different rules), to an agent. There are a bunch of requirements for what goes in a query letter—you can Google “how to write a query letter” to find loads of tips and examples; Jane Friedman’s post is a great one. If the agent is interested in reading more, they’ll request your full manuscript. If they love it, they’ll schedule a call with you to see if you two click—if you do, they’ll offer you representation. Every querying writer dreams of having “the call.”

Any querying tips? Currently at the start!

Assuming you have your query letter prepped and your initial list of agents ready (see the next question for identifying agents and making order of your outreach), first, read my below response regarding how to manage emotions while querying. If you’re a fiction writer: don’t start querying until your book is done and edited (by yourself or with the help of others). If you get a full request and you don’t have a complete manuscript to send, you’ll blow your only chance with that agent. And don’t query your first draft! First drafts are always a mess, without exception. Get it as polished as you can before you put it out there.

Now, think strategically: start with a list of ten or so strong agents, and wait about a month. Then, move on to another ten agents. Keep doing this until you receive some actionable feedback. Why not just query fifty people at a time? Because you only get one shot with each agent, and if there are any lingering issues with your manuscript, you’re going to see the same things come up again and again in responses. This will become an opportunity for you to rework the copy alone, with your writing partner(s), or with a developmental editor. Then, you’ll continue your outreach with an even stronger manuscript and a better shot at getting your “yes.” Rinse, repeat.

Make sure you personalize the beginning of each query letter (talk about other authors/books the agent reps that you love, mention the book comps/genres/themes they’re looking for that are similar to yours, etc.). Be prepared for many form rejections. Be prepared for many people to ghost you after full requests (it has gotten much worse in the past couple of years—agents are completely overwhelmed. I received about 40 full requests over the course of my time querying and only heard back on half of them). It’s okay to follow up on queries after about four months if you’ve received no response (some agencies have specific directions about silence after X amount of time meaning it’s a no, others give a length of time after which you can follow up—always defer to agency instructions). It’s okay to follow up on partial or full requests after about six months. Prepare to continue to not hear back.

If you receive an offer of rep, assuming you want to consider all your options (and you should! Let them woo you!), go back to those you’ve queried who haven’t responded and everyone who has partials/fulls and let them know you have an offer on the table (make sure you add “Offer of Rep” to the subject line). Tell the offering agent that you’ll need at least the standard two weeks to close the loop with others who currently have your project (if any agent takes issue with this, they aren’t your agent). Yes, it is a paradox—you just need one yes in order to get the ball rolling on people reading your manuscript, but it’s also nearly impossible to get people to respond to you or read your manuscript so that you can get that one yes. Querying is akin to screaming into a void. Just keep going…sometimes the void screams back.

Once I received my first offer, I whittled my follow-up list down to 39 people who hadn’t yet responded (including all agents who currently had my full) based on their deal report statistics; about half of them got in touch within that two week period. You may end up with more than one offer! I got three!! Reach out to the authors of each agent who has offered you rep and ask for their honest feedback about their experience with the agent (this is also an excellent way to grow your author support community). Seek the opinions of friends and colleagues in the industry; it can be hard to separate your emotions from your ego from your rational mind during this decision-making process, and trusted confidants are worth their weight in gold. Once you’ve made a decision, CELEBRATE! (Always envision the eventual celebration—this will be your carrot as you navigate the querying trenches.)

How did you find agents to send your manuscript to?

First, I looked at the acknowledgements section of every book I love, or any book that falls within my genre or could be considered a comp title—most authors thank their agent. I also bought a one-month subscription to Publisher’s Marketplace so I could check out recent deal reports and see who was selling (the flashy agents on social media aren’t always the ones with the best deal history). Then, I stayed on top of the latest posts to Manuscript Wishlist, QueryTracker, and #mswl on social. I made sure each agent I chose repped books in my genre, and created a color-coded, alphabetized (by agency) spreadsheet to keep track of who I queried, rejections, and full requests. Trust me, the longer you query, the more you’ll thank yourself for having an organizational system in place!

Scared of my first time querying. How did you manage your emotions?

Ohhh, babe. Repeat after me: “Rejection is redirection.” Commit this phrase to memory. Proclaim it often, like a prayer. I will not lie to you—querying is tough stuff. It wreaked havoc on my mental health, and I often felt very lonely in my suffering. I constantly refreshed my email inbox, sobbed when I received full manuscript rejections, and generally felt like I was in permanent limbo. Patience is decidedly not my virtue, but I sure did learn to get good at it—and at rejection. If I never see the word “unfortunately” again, it’ll be too soon—I’ve learned to scan every email for it, knowing it signals the difference between a yes and a no. All I can say is that, for better or worse, this experience—however it unfolds for you—will turn you into the person you’ll need to be to take the next step in your author journey.

Rally your friend, writer, and author support group. Have distracting activities lined up. Emphasize the heck out of self care at every turn. Start working on your next project while you’re querying. Prepare to wait (and wait…and wait). Ready yourself for rejections. Know that you’ll slowly detach from your project, and that’s a good thing! White-knuckling your book will only increase your need for control, and you have very little! Realize that the negative opinions you encounter are subjective, but some of them may include helpful feedback that you can incorporate. You may lose confidence in your book through the process, but eventually someone will love it and help you love it again, too. Go forth bravely and with immense pride, because you’re taking a step that most people only dream of—and many can’t stomach. Never let this stop you from doing what you love: connecting with people through stories. You’ve got this!!!

How long did it take you to go from research to writing? When did you feel you were ready?

Because fiction writing is so different from the journalism work I’m used to, it was really important to me to include some real history in my debut novel, to give it some pillars of the familiar. So I spent almost a year researching and outlining my first book, and about eight months researching and outlining my second. My editorial feature writing involves heavy research, which I love, so it’s a bit too easy for me to fall into rabbit holes. I also tend to enter analysis paralysis, where I just keep tweaking and changing my outline instead of moving on to the manuscript writing stage. There’s no hard and fast rule for knowing when you’re ready to begin writing (personally, when I catch myself daydreaming scenes and dialogue, it’s usually time to start), but once you find yourself making excuses through your research or outlining, you’ll realize you’re procrastinating on the next big step. So much of what ends up in your first draft will change or be deleted. Just get to a place where you feel engrossed enough in the world of your book to start, stay excited, and play.

Did you ever submit things to literary magazines for publication?

No, because I’ve been a writer for 15 years and have a large body of editorial clips, plus I’ve amassed plenty of personal pieces here on Substack. That said, my journalism writing is different from my fiction writing, and if I had felt called to create a short story and submit it, I would’ve. It’s definitely a point in the credibility column when you’re picked up for publication at a literary magazine (an acceptance is also an excellent excuse to follow up with interested agents when you’re not sure how else to prod them after six plus months of silence). If you’re a literary fiction writer (where MFAs and prestigious accolades are emphasized), having these clips is especially helpful, though generally your platform (ie: social media following + newsletter subscribers + published articles) is more of a focus when you’re shopping a nonfiction book proposal. It absolutely cannot hurt to pursue publication in one of these magazines (it’s also a great way to distract yourself while you’re querying).

How do I go about finding a writers group or writing partner?

This answer can be very personal, as each writer needs something different from their critique partner(s). It may take you a while to find the right fit—I prefer just one accountability partner (my dear friend Jon, a screenwriter, who I’ve known since I was eighteen. We meet on Zoom once weekly to discuss our respective projects). You can start by asking the folks at your local library and bookstore (the shop where I work hosts a well-attended Writers’ Circle). Connect with authors and fellow writers on social media (follow popular book/writer/author hashtags). And listen to industry podcasts for tips—for example, The Shit No One Tells You About Writing does a beta reader match-up.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

Whoever asked this knows their stuff, because this is fun insider lingo. “Pantsers” write their first draft without an outline (ie: by the seat of their pants). “Plotters” outline their novel before starting a draft. As I suggested in an above answer, I am very, very firmly of the plotter persuasion. I really need to know where I’m going when I sit down at my computer each day, and I like to feel that I have an idea of the novel’s general narrative arc. I also like having a first draft that doesn’t need a complete edit overhaul (though 80% of what’s written definitely does change). I’m open to the fact that my writing process will evolve over time, though. Do whatever feels right and helps you put words on the page, and pivot as needed.

What are your favorite writing craft books?

This can be a slippery slope, as focusing too hard on three-act structure or other guides can really inhibit your creativity and motivation. That said, it’s never bad to understand the rules so you can strategically bend or break them—just know that, the moment your overwhelm outweighs your curiosity about what’s said in these books, you should put them down. Some of my favorites for fiction include Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, Story Genius, and Bird by Bird. For nonfiction, I love The Art of Memoir, The Memoir Project, and Writing the Memoir. I’m also obsessed with the How to Write a Movie episode of the Scriptnotes podcast, which Jon recommended—it’s applicable for any kind of story writing, as it emphasizes a character’s journey. Here’s a helpful transcript of the episode. As a general resource, I’m obsessed with agent Kate McKean’s incredible newsletter Agents and Books. I’ve been a paid subscriber for years and have learned so much from her about the publishing industry, agenting, and the querying process. Kate includes a Q&A Thursday column where you can submit questions for her to answer, and I’ve done that several times. She’s a truly invaluable resource.

Where and when can I buy your book?

If only I could answer this question! As of now, my book is in final edits before Bri sends it out on submission to editors at publishing houses. We’re hoping to do that this fall. If an editor is interested, Bri and I will get on a call with them and talk through their direction for the project. If more than one editor wants it, I’ll have my pick of the best publisher home and deal. If all editors pass, I’ll shelve the book and fully focus on writing my second novel, then we’ll start the process all over again when it’s ready. The initial submission process for one book can take a year or two, and if the book sells to a publisher, it can take another two years before it’s edited and printed and hits shelves. Nothing in publishing moves fast, but I’ll send updates on every bit of news as it breaks!

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If you found this post helpful and want to book (ha!) my services for one-on-one querying or writing advice, identifying comps, query letter review, brainstorming sessions, etc., I’d be thrilled to hear from you! Contact me here or DM me on Instagram to discuss how we can work together.