Author Catherine Linka on Getting an Agent: It’s All About Fit

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agents, Catherine Linka, pitching, publishing, query

By Catherine Linka, author

Getting an agent is about finding the right fit, because the agent who will sell your work successfully is the person who loves to sell what you love to write. 

Agents champion books they believe in. They work unpaid until they get you a book contract.

And they are also human beings. They may love rom coms, but not horror. If you write rom coms and they love to read rom coms, they’ll be more likely to read your submission. They’ll be more likely to have sold rom coms and to know which editors are fans of rom coms. They will be more aware of the other rom coms in the marketplace.

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Sue Alexander Grant is Open for Submissions! Here’s Why You Should Apply!

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agents, critiques, critiquing, Julia Edwards, published, publishing, SAG, SCBWI community, SCBWI events

By Julia Edwards 

If you are thinking about applying to SCBWI-LA’s Sue Alexander Grant, JUST DO IT! It was the best thing I could have done for my middle grade manuscript — twice! In 2017, I applied with a very early draft of Anno Catti: In the Year of Our Catand was lucky to be the first runner-up. Then, in 2018, after major rewrites, I applied again and received top honors and a free ride (!) to the coveted Working Writers Retreat weekend.

For those who have never been to WWR, here’s the deal:

Ask an Editor: What’s the Best Way to Find an Agent?

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agent, agents

“Ask an Editor” is a forum wherein SCBWI members submit questions that are answered as part of our quarterly Kite Tales blog.

Dear Editor – I’ve been working on my middle-grade book for years with my critique group and think it’s finally ready to send out into the world. What’s the best way to find an agent?

—Susan, Los Angeles

Dear Susan – Finishing your manuscript is quite an accomplishment. Kudos! Since you’re looking for an agent, that must mean you’re seeking traditional publication.

#KT250 Winning Entries, 1st Quarter 2019

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agents, contemporary fiction, contest winners, contests, literary fiction, middle grade, publishers, SCBWI members, science fiction, seeking publisher, seeking representation, The Last Bookstore, unpublished, YA, young adult

#KT250 is a Kite Tales quarterly community contest! We’re proud to announce this quarter’s winners and share the first 250 words of their unpublished manuscripts. We encourage agents, publishers, and mentors to reach out to any they find intriguing!

To find out how YOU can enter for next quarter, check out contest info here. Entries are now being accepted for next quarter!

 

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

Enter the 2019 Writers Day Contest! Past Winners Scored Agents and Publishing Deals!

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agents, awards, contests, published, SCBWI events

By Karol Ruth Silverstein, SCBWI-L.A. Contest Coordinator

As your humble SCBWI-L.A. Contest Coordinator, I can tell you that entering Writers Day contests is not only fun and exciting — it can also be helpful in getting your manuscripts polished and noticed. I love deadlines and have always used Writers Day contest deadlines to force myself to work on my various projects. As a result, my work has placed a few times and won twice: a picture book in 2011 (LA region) and a YA novel in 2010 (Central-Costal CA region). My winning picture book attracted my agent, Jen Linnan, who subsequently sold my winning YA. (Look for my YA debut Cursed from Charlesbridge Teen on June 25, 2019!)

Still not convinced? Here’s a little more evidence of the value of entering Writers Day contests from one of last year’s honorees, Colleen Paeff:

“There’s nothing like winning a writing contest to confirm that you’re heading in the right direction. When I won my first Writers Day contest in 2014, I’d been dabbling in writing picture books for a decade. The award was exactly what I needed to convince myself it was time to get serious. If I gave it my all, I thought, I just might end up a published author. Two years, more manuscripts, lots of workshops, a couple conferences, tons of reading, and several revisions later, the same story caught the interest of an agent who eventually took me on as a client.

Agent Lorin Oberweger on SCBWI-CenCal Writers Day, Editorial Agents, and What She Wants to Rep

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agents, Lorin Oberweger, Noelle August, SCBWI events

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Lorin Oberweger, agent with Adams Literary, is on faculty for this year’s SCBWI CenCal Writers’ Day, Discovering Your Path to Publication, on October 13, 2018. As an agent with Adams Literary, Lorin is actively acquiring authors for her list. She has also served as a highly sought-after independent book editor, helping to shepherd hundreds of books — including many bestsellers — to publishing success. Lorin’s ghostwritten books have received glowing notices from the New York Times and Kirkus Reviews. And she is co-author of Boomerang, Rebound, and Bounce (Harper Collins) under the pen name Noelle August. She is a popular speaker at conferences around the country, including many appearances at SCBWI events. Teaching writing craft rates right up there in her list of favorite things to do. She’s agreed to answer some questions.

ANN ROUSSEAU SMITH: We’re very excited you’re joining us for Writers’ Day in October. How did you become an agent?

LORIN OBERWEGER: Becoming an agent was a natural offshoot of my years and years (and years) of experience as an independent editor, writing workshop director, instructor and traditionally published author. I was attracted to the new role because of the new challenges it represents, but much more so because it allowed me another avenue for helping writers succeed. I know that sometimes all it takes is that one person who really believes in you and can lift you up, and becoming an agent helps me to become that person for deserving writers.

#KT250 Winning Entries, 3rd Quarter 2018

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agents, contest winners, contests, fantasy, literary fiction, middle grade, mystery, publishers, SCBWI members, seeking publisher, seeking representation, The Last Bookstore, unpublished, YA, young adult

#KT250 is a Kite Tales quarterly community contest! We’re proud to announce this quarter’s winners and share the first 250 words of their unpublished manuscripts. We encourage agents, publishers, and mentors to reach out to any they find intriguing!

To find out how YOU can enter for next quarter, check out contest info here. Entries are now being accepted for next quarter!

 

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

SCBWI Central Coast Regional News: Writer’s Day Coming October 2018

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agents, Allison Moore, Andrea Loney, Antoinette Portis, Carol Heyer, editors, erry Pierce, Hannah Mann, Happy LaShelle, Lorin Oberweger, Lynn Becker, Maria Middleton, Mathew Rivera, Molly Ruttan, Sarah Jane Abbott, SCBWI events

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

SCBWI CenCal ArtWorks Re-Cap

By Laura-Susan Thomas, CenCal Illustrator Coordinator

Our amazing and talented faculty this year at ArtWorks were Maria Middleton, Art Director for Random House Children’s Books, and Antoinette Portis, author-illustrator of Not A Box, an ALA Geisel Honor book, and Not a Stick, one of the New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Books of the Year. Maria Middleton kicked off the day with lots of creative energy, informing us how a middle grade cover gets created, coming up with unique characters and world building, and including a live drawing exercise for all our illustrator attendees. Antoinette inspired us all to get creative, explore, find and work out those perfect picture book images and storytelling.

#KT250 Winning Entries, 2nd Quarter 2018

Tags

agents, contemporary fiction, contest winners, contests, Fiction Autobiography/Biography, horror, middle grade, mystery, publishers, SCBWI members, seeking publisher, seeking representation, The Last Bookstore, unpublished, YA, young adult

#KT250 is a Kite Tales quarterly community contest! We’re proud to announce this quarter’s winners and share the first 250 words of their unpublished manuscripts. We encourage agents, publishers, and mentors to reach out to any they find intriguing!

To find out how YOU can enter for next quarter, check out contest info here. Entries are now being accepted for next quarter!

 

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

Writers Day Literary Agents on Pitching in Person and Making the Most of Your Time

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agents, Eve Porinchak, Karen Grencik, Kari Sutherland, pitching, query letters, SCBWI events, Seth Fishman

By Sarah Parker-Lee and Erlina Vasconcellos

Last month brought us the annual SCBWI-LA Writers Day. Quite a few attendees took advantage of assigned one-on-one pitch sessions with the awesome literary agents on faculty. Some pitchers used the opportunity to work on their query letter or aspects of their pitch with the agent in an advisory role while others went all-in with hopes the agent would request their full manuscript – AKA be interested in representing them professionally. Several folks did get a partial or full request and everyone walked away with some great feedback.

After the pitch sessions were over, we asked our agents how things went, what they liked, and what they recommend so you can put their answers in your toolbox for your next pitch!