Janet Reid, Literary Agent

 Recently Twitter coughed up this gem: I attended a writing conference where a literary agent said during a Q&A panel that he didn’t app...

 I saw this on Twitter a while back. It was a promo for a workshop on honing your elevator pitch: For starters, it's PenguinRandom House...

Several years ago, I had a novel picked up by an agent that made the submission rounds.  Sadly, it didn't sell. The contract was for t...

I have a joint project with another author. The project is represented by the other author's agent, and I'm querying elsewhere ...

 I have had an agent for the last five years or so. She’s submitted two novels for me over that time (we had a lot of nice personal respons...

 I'm wondering how agents feel about publishing querying a short story collection and a novel at the same time. Should I only query ...

 I try to read the books shortlisted for major crime prizes: Edgars, Malice, ThrillerFest etc. Sometimes it takes me a while to read them al...

I've had a recent batch of queries that begin with the author's bona fides. Degrees in something. Published papers in their field.  ...

 Craig F commented on the post about questions in a query I think that starting a query with a question would work better with an elementary...

 I've had a spate of queries recently that start with a question like "Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a vampire...

I queried my first novel a few years ago. Several agents wanted it, and I signed with one. The agent then was not able to sell the book. I...

  I recently received a query from a new writer. It was clear the writer was committed to building a writing career; int...

At the risk of blowing up the internet, what are your views on dialogue tags other than "said"? From what I've read, there ...

It's hard to not respond to these kind of emails. I know it's frustrating to think "I’m everything she's looking for!"...

  I sold my first novel (a western) in 2019. Since then I have written a sequel. Quick question: How much of the first book should I ref...

I have had an agent for the last five years or so. She’s submitted two novels for me over that time (we had a lot of nice personal response...

  I recently received an email from a writer who had queried me in 2015. The email was to inform me they were self-publishing, and I'd m...

On a whim, with COVID time on my hands, and after doing some research and finding mixed opinions, I paid my $75 and entered a novel in the...

I recently received email that I'm NOT going to describe as snippy cause I think that was more my response to it than the intent of the ...

1. The manuscript is complete. 2. You're seeking representation. 3. You're willing to edit 4. You're willing to promote 5. You h...

 I subscribe to Poetry Magazine. It comes once a month, and if I diligently read one poem a day, I can finish the whole issue. (I fail at th...

  The prologue to the movie sets up the theme of the movie: people are desperate to get out of Europe and Casablanca is the last stop before...

Queries: lots (and quite tasty!) probably close to 2000 but that's down by about 50% from previous years  Requested fulls 2020 : 16  Of ...

  Santa Shark is heading your way! I hope you've been good!

I've been burrowing into my incoming queries, hoping to get most of them answered before the holiday shutdown. Several recurring problem...

 Remember when I said I'd post the results "later today"? Well, clearly that turned out to be Bald Faced Lie. (what's a ba...

Curt David     2020 was almost over. The election? Still not decided.     "Let's pick randomly," Ms. Bell suggested.  ...