New Literary Agents 12 / 16 / 2015

2 More New Agents Seeking Submissions NOW

Click on any name below to see the full mini-profile on the GLA Blog (with submission instructions). Good luck querying! 

1. Rob Kirkpatrick of The Stuart Agency

He is seeking: His specialties include memoir, biography, sports, music, pop culture, current events, history, and (on a very select basis) literary fiction.

2. Rachel Burkot of Holloway Literary

She is seeking: Rachel is drawn to voice-driven fiction, particularly in young adult; quirky, three-dimensional, flawed characters, including and especially secondary characters; beautiful writing; books that explore good people in morally complicated situations; and complex, detailed plots. Rachel is interested in representing: Women's fiction; Upmarket/book club fiction, i.e., Emily Giffin, Liane Moriarty and Diane Chamberlain; Young adult (no fantasy or paranormal unless it's very light); Contemporary romance, i.e., Kristan Higgins; Category romance with unique, memorable plots, i.e., Natalie Charles; Southern fiction; "Dark" women's fiction/thrillers, i.e., Gillian Flynn or Mary Kubica; Urban fiction; Literary fiction.

Science Fiction Writing

Dear Readers,

Here's something good to read about SiFi writing.

Science Fiction Writing: It's About the Fiction Not the Science
The single biggest trap of writing science fiction is focusing on the science, not the fiction. Here's how to avoid that trap. 
Read more ...

New Agents Seeking Writers and More Resources

2 New Agents Seeking Submissions NOW Click on any name below to see the full mini-profile on the GLA Blog (with submission instructions). Good luck querying! 1. Tara Carberry of Trident Media Group She is seeking: Tara is building a client list of authors at all stages of their careers. She is primarily seeking women's commercial fiction, romance, new adult, young adult, and select nonfiction. 2. Jaida Temperly of New Leaf Literary & Media She is seeking: Jaida is open to all middle grade and young adult titles, although she has a particular love for quirky, dark stories (The Mysterious Benedict Society, Coraline, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library). For Adult Fiction, she loves those with strong mystery, high fantasy, or religious undertones (The Westing Game, A Discovery of Witches, A Game of Thrones, The Da Vinci Code). She's also open to picture books by author-illustrators with completed dummies.

14 Literary Agents Seeking Adult Science Fiction Novels NOW  In celebration of my three new books released this September, I'm doing a lot of special lists of agents seeking queries right NOW. My most recent list (on the Writers in the Storm Blog) is 14 Literary Agents Seeking Science Fiction Novels NOW. All the 14 agents listed below personally confirmed to me as of October 2015 that they are actively seeking science fiction submissions for adults NOW. (This is not YA/MG sci-fi. That will be a different list). Some gave personal notes about their tastes while some did not. Good luck querying! 1. Paula Munier (Talcott Notch Literary) Notes: "High concept only." How to submit: E-query editorial [at] talcottnotch.net with "Query for Paula: [title]" in the subject line. 2. Kaylee Davis (Dee Mura Literary) Notes: "Word count under 120,000." How to submit: Send query, synopsis, and first 25 pages to query [at] deemuraliterary.com. No attachments please. See the full list here.

"How to Find and Keep a Literary Agent" -- Dec. 7 Agent One-on-One Boot Camp (w/critique) with Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency How do you hook an agent right away, keep them hooked, and make the most of your new publishing relationship? In this Boot Camp that starts Dec. 7, "How to Find and Keep a Literary Agent," you'll learn how to get a literary agent's attention through a great submission, and also how to navigate the process of working successfully with an agent. You'll also work with an agent online to review and refine your all-important query letter and the first five pages of your novel. This Boot Camp will cover a range of important questions: -- What keeps an agent reading? What makes writing jump off the page? -- What are the most common Chapter 1 mistakes that make them stop reviewing your submission? -- What are the steps you need to give your query and manuscript the best possible shot? -- What are the turn-ons and turn-offs when it comes to queries? -- How do agents make judgment calls? -- And much more. The best part is that you'll be working directly with a knowledgeable and experienced agent, who will provide feedback specific to your work. ( Sign up for the Dec. 7 boot camp here.) Here's how it works: On December 7th, you will gain access to a special 60-minute online tutorial presented by agents at the Dijkstra Literary Agency. It will explain the submission process of submitting to an agent, what they find appealing in a query letter and what an author-agent relationship looks like from the inside. You will also be notified by email which agent you'll be working with by Monday evening. From 11:00 am to 1:00 pm (PT) on December 8th and 9th, instructors will be available to answer questions and provide additional feedback via the Writer's Digest University message boards. Only registered students can access these boards. After listening to the presentation and participating in the discussion sessions, you'll be able to revise your query & first 5 double-spaced pages as necessary. Instructing literary agents will spend the next three weeks reviewing their assigned critiques and providing feedback as to what works and what doesn't. AGENT INSTRUCTORS 5 agents from Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency: Elise Capron, Jill Marr, Thao Le, Roz Foster, and Jessica Watterson. (Sign up for the Dec. 7 boot camp here.)

The GLA Blog's Current Book Giveaways  Comment on either (or both) of these awesome & helpful guest columns for your chance to win free books from the authors. 1. "7 Ways to Fix a Messy Manuscript" -- guest column penned by Trina St. Jean. Trina is giving away a copy of her debut novel BLANK (April 2015, Orca Book Publishers). 2. "How I Got My Literary Agent: Camille Griep" -- guest column by sic-fi/fantasy author Camille, who isgiving away a copy of her debut novel LETTERS TO ZELL. "How to Blog Meaningfully and Grow Your Audience" -- Dec. 3 Webinar with eMedia Guru Jane Friedman  Many writers hear that they should start blogging to build their platform, help them get published, or sell more books. But is blogging right for you and your career? If so, what should you blog about? And perhaps most importantly, how can you do it effectively and without wasting important time you could spend on paying work? This live webinar -- "How to Blog Meaningfully and Grow Your Audience" -- covers the best practices of worthwhile blogging and how it can make a difference to the growth of your author career. You'll learn the secrets of shareable & spreadable content, the best ways to get new readers, and how to attract more opportunities (and improve your writing skills!) by posting great content. It's also critical to understand how online writing is different from print-based writing, so you'll get a crash course in how to write blog posts that are online-reader and SEO-friendly (optimized for search engines), to increase your blog's discoverability and traffic over time. It all happens at 1 p.m., EST, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015, and lasts 2 hours. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: -- 4 key benefits to blogging -- How to begin developing a content strategy for your blog -- 7 principles every blogger should follow -- The best practices of professional bloggers (those who do it for a living) -- Do's and don'ts of writing for an online audience -- How to write post headlines that get clicks and shares -- The basics of SEO (search engine optimization) that anyone can understand -- How to use categories and tags -- How and why to use images-and where to find them for free -- Using site analytics to improve your blog over time -- Adding email/RSS functionality to your blog -- How to begin monetizing your blog INSTRUCTOR Jane Friedman is the former publisher of Writer's Digest and has been a professional blogger since 2008. Her blog at JaneFriedman.com receives more than 100,000 visits per month and has won multiple awards. Jane currently teaches digital media and publishing at the University of Virginia. (Sign up for the Dec. 3 webinar here.) Agent-Conference Opportunities There are plenty of opportunities for writers to meet agents face to face at writers' conferences and pitch their work in 2016. Remember: Meeting agents in person is a great way to get past the slush pile. If an agent is interested in your work and requests a sample or book proposal, you can write "Requested Material" on your submission, making sure it gets a fair read and consideration. Know that there are two types of conferences. There are general writers' conferences, that address a variety of subjects, and then there are specialized conferences, which usually tend to focus on a single genre-such as western, romance, or mystery. You will find both kinds in this list below. Writing Conference of Houston, Feb. 6, 2016, Houston, TX Attending agents: Paul S. Levine (Paul S. Levine Literary); Patricia Nelson (Marsal Lyon Literary); Rachel Brooks (L. Perkins Associates); Tricia Skinner (Fuse Literary); and Eve Porinchak (Jill Corcoran Literary). San Francisco Writers Conference, Feb. 11-14, 2016, San Francisco, CA Attending agents: This large conference usually has 20-30 agents in attendance. Check the website for the large, growing list. Alabama Writers Conference, February 19, 2016, Birmingham, AL Attending agents: Julie Gwinn (The Seymour Agency); Kurestin Armada (P.S. Literary); Veronica Park (Corvisiero Literary); and Lauren MacLeod (Strothman Agency). Atlanta Writing Workshop, February 20, 2016, Atlanta, GA Attending agents: Cherry Weiner (Cherry Weiner Literary); Kurestin Armada (P.S. Literary); Pamela Harty (The Knight Agency); Veronica Park (Corvisiero Literary); and Sally Apokedak (Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency). Tampa Writers Conference, March 25, 2016, Tampa, FL Attending agents: Lucienne Diver (The Knight Agency); Marlene Stringer (Stringer Literary Agency); Nicole Resciniti (The Seymour Agency); Saritza Hernandez (Corvisiero Literary); and Amanda Leuck (Spencerhill Associates). Fort Lauderdale "Get Published" Conference, March 26, 2016, Fort Lauderdale, FL Attending agents: Nicole Resciniti (The Seymour Agency); Kaylee Davis (Dee Mura Literary); Greg Aunapu (Salkind Literary); Kurestin Armada (P.S. Literary); Kimiko Nakamura (Dee Mura Literary); and Cricket Freeman (The August Agency). Philadelphia Writing Workshop, April 9, 2016, Philadelphia, PA Attending agents: Alyssa Eisner Henkin (Trident Media Group); Adriana Dominguez (Full Circle Literary); Marie Lamba (Jennifer De Chiara Literary); Eric Smith (P.S. Literary); Mackenzie Brady (New Leaf Literary); and Jordy Albert (Booker Albert Literary Agency). Writing Conference of Cleveland, June 4, 2016, Cleveland, OH Attending agents: Kimiko Nakamura (Dee Mura Literary); Moe Ferrera (BookEnds); Mallory Brown (TriadaUS); Vicki Selvaggion (Jennifer De Chiara Literary); Kaylee Davis (Dee Mura Literary); and Fred Tribuzzo (The Rudy Agency). NYC Writer's Digest Conference, August 12-14, 2016, New York, NY Attending agents: Our pitch slam is the centerpiece of the day, and will always have at least 50 attending literary agents.

2015 Guide to Literary Agents |  Books & Downloads |  Become a VIP? |  Writer's Digest Magazine

Tips on Writing a High Concept Story

Dear Readers,

Following are 3 articles from Writer's Digest. I got them in my e mail this morning. The particular article that I really want you to read is THE 7 QUALITIES OF HIGH-CONCEPT STORIES.

The 7 Qualities of High-Concept Stories Stumped by submission guidelines calling for "high-concept" romance, suspense, young adult or other popular fiction? These 7 qualifiers will help you gauge how (and where) your work fits in.  Read more ... How to Create Instantly (& Instinctively) Recognizable Characters Meeting characters in a novel is very much like meeting people in real life. When we start reading a book, it's as if we moved to a new town and were meeting a whole bunch of new people at the same time. Your job as a writer is to create that town and populate it with characters that live their lives before our eyes.  Read more ... Writing Tips from Robert Beatty, Bestselling Author of Serafina and the Black Cloak  Recently I had the honor of interviewing local author Robert Beatty to discuss his debut novel, Serafina and the Black Cloak. Myself and my children have enjoyed the novel immensely and I was thrilled when he agreed to give us a glimpse behind the scenes.  Read more ...

Literary Agents Seeking Fantasy Novels Now

Okay.

This will be my last post for today.

7 Literary Agents Seeking Fantasy Novels NOW 
In celebration of my three new books released this September (what an awesome autumn!), I'm doing a lot of special lists of agents seeking queries right now. I've already done lists on picture book agents, thriller agents, and women's fiction agents. Below find a list for agents seeking adult fantasy novels NOW. (Note that this list is for adult fantasy, not fantasy for kids or teens. That will be a different list.) 
Read more ...

Write a Compelling Short Film Script

Write a Compelling Short Film Script Jeanne Veillette Bowerman Online Editor ScriptMag.com This week's screenwriting tip is about writing a short film from writer/director Kim Garland. I've been honored to have Kim as one of our contributors for the  past few years and am sad to see her move on to other adventures, but her column,Write, Direct, Repeat, will live on the site. Be sure to catch up on  her great advice! There's still time to sign up for Kathy Berardi's online class Creating the Short Film.  It starts today, but as long as you register this week, you can still have access. ____________________  by Kim Garland For the most part, good writing is good writing, and the skills you’re developing to write feature scripts will also apply when you write shorts: a three-act structure  (but for shorts, simply think setup, conflict, and resolution); a universal theme; a clear dilemma and stakes; and an active protagonist. But there are challenges specific to writing a great short film that can be overcome  by understanding what makes shorts — and the audience for shorts — unique. Create a Dynamic Opening Scene If asked for just one piece of advice for creating a successful short film, I’d have to go with the old, “the shorter, the better” mantra. Because it really is true — most short films can be improved by making them a little shorter. But the one place where you can benefit from not trying to build in too much information  is your opening scene. Even though you have a limited amount of time to tell your story,  you don’t need to front-load your film with all of your setup at once. Use your opening to establish tone and introduce your characters in a fascinating way,  but don’t weigh it down with backstory and exposition. Entice your audience to want to  learn more. If the opening can double as a “before” shot of your protagonist’s life (i.e. before the  transformative event of your story), so much the better, but be sure even the most mundane life is portrayed in a curiosity-inducing way. Layer Your Storytelling...  Read more tips on writing short films...

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Free Class on How to Get an Script Agent!

Looking for an agent?
You'll love these breakthrough strategies!

	To design this class, Hal Croasmun interviewed 120 Agents and Managers in Los Angeles. In this two hour class, you will learn: Strategies from over 100 interviews with agents and managers. Step-by-step process for landing an Agent or Manager. The Rules of Engagement with Agents. 8 ways to gain ACCESS to Agents and Managers.

Sunday, November 21st, 2015
at 12:00pm (noon) Pacific Time

Enroll Here

All classes conducted by www.ScreenwritingU.com.

New Literary Agents 11/19/2015

Good news for writers.

I got another email listing new literary Agents seeking writers

2 New Agents Seeking Queries  Click on any name below to see the full mini-profile on the GLA Blog (with submission  instructions). Good luck querying! 1. Kara Leigh Miller of Corvisiero Literary She is seeking: - romance for adults or teens or new adult (contemporaries and romantic  suspense are her forte, but she's willing to consider just about anything as long as it's well written [except things comparable to 50 Shades of Grey], including paranormal and urban fantasy - mystery (teens and adults) - thrillers (teens and adults) - horror (teens and adults) - inspirational fiction (open to all forms of inspirational fiction, not just those that are focused around the Christian faith, for teens and adults). 2. Sergei Tsimberov of Ayesha Pande Literary He is seeking: As an agent, he represents both literary fiction and nonfiction. He is  looking for imaginative and polished voice-driven writing, and is particularly interested  in narratives with historical, political and international themes. Bonus #3. Elise Capron of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency (Unlike the other agents on this list, Elise is not a new agent, but she was interviewed by WD recently, and confirmed she is open to submissions. Query her.) She is seeking: adult literary fiction, multicultural fiction, debut novels, story collections, and, on the non-fiction side, trade-friendly cultural and/or environmental history.

14 Literary Agents Seeking Adult Science Fiction Novels NOW  In celebration of my three new books released this September, I'm doing a lot of special lists of agents seeking queries right NOW. My most recent list (on the Writers  in the Storm Blog) is 14 Literary Agents Seeking Science Fiction Novels NOW. All the 14 agents listed below personally confirmed to me as of October 2015 that they  are actively seeking science fiction submissions for adults NOW. (This is not YA/MG sci-fi. That will be a different list). Some gave personal notes about their tastes while some did not. Good luck querying! 1. Paula Munier (Talcott Notch Literary) Notes: "High concept only." How to submit: E-query editorial [at] talcottnotch.net with "Query for Paula: [title]" in the  subject line. 2. Kaylee Davis (Dee Mura Literary) Notes: "Word count under 120,000." How to submit: Send query, synopsis, and first 25 pages to query [at] deemuraliterary.com.  No attachments please. See the full list here.

Resources From Screenwriter's Goldmine

Following is an email from Screenwriters Goldmine.

I want to Share it with you.


Hi,

If you haven't already entered, you might want to know that the contest moves to its Late Entries phase at 1.00pm today, when the price will go up.

There are now just three weeks to go before we close the doors for 2015, so don't miss out. You still have 21 writing days left, so, if you haven't entered yet, now is the time to really get down to finishing what you're writing. 

Send us your scripts, we want to read them!

Why be a screenwriter?

Last Friday was Robert McKee day in London. Ten hours of lectures, with Mr McKee being his usual, provocative, fiery, ornery, and deeply challenging self.

And I say that in the best possible sense.

I'll report on all that in a later newsletter (there is a lot to process!) but one startling thing is how inspiring the day was: I came out completely charged up with the possibilities.

The passion with which Mr McKee speaks about the craft was immense, and it reminded me why we do this game.

So I've written up up a pretty personal blog post to go over some of the benefits - and unexpected pitfalls - of what it's like being a professional screenwriter. 

You can read that here.

Write to me 

I started this site in 2007 to be a platform for genuine screenwriting and industry information.

Eight years later, there are now so many screenwriting blogs and videos and interviews and podcasts and tip sheets and software tools out there that I wonder whether you may feel you have all the information you need.

And yet. I can't help thinking that there will be gaps. I still see misinformation being broadcast. I've always made sure that people who get platforms on this site are experienced, with multiple relevant professional credits. The goal has always been to cut through that misinformation.

So tell me. What kind of help with your writing, or your writing career, are you still missing? I want this site to serve you better in the New Year, but I don't want to double up on stuff you already know.

Is it more articles? If so on what? Or is it more interactive help in some way? Is it business advice? Is it getting your scripts read by actors? Writing retreats? Short film contests? Script feedback? Or something completely new and radical?

When you get chance hit reply to this email and let me know what you need to get to where you want to be. 

Free courses

Creative Skillset are the industry skills body for the Creative Industries, and well worth a look. They wrote to me this week with news that they have just launched a range of brand new and FREE online courses designed specifically for the Creative Industries.

There are some great choices but (probably because I am in social-media/getting-the-word-out mode at the moment) one stood out in particular:

"Brand Storytelling: How to Use Narrative to Sell" is aimed at people in advertising, design and marketing.

It was developed by design and advertising non-profit D&AD with Creative Skillset and it explores the power of storytelling in creating brand success.

They tell me the course will especially help develop skills in creating narratives, communicating a brand by telling stories, engaging an audience and generally amplifying a message through digital media.

The course contains insight and practical advice from high profile talents (including Sir Alan Parker, Peter Souter and Al MacCuish) on how to create compelling stories that sell products, brands and values. Students get the chance to work on a live brief with a cash prize, with industry mentoring available for the winning project.

Social

Speaking of digital media, we're just getting going on social media at the moment. It's early days, but come and join in:

Twitter: @screengoldmine
Instagram: @screenwritinggoldmine
Pinterest: @screenwritinggm
Facebook: facebook.com/screenwritinggoldmine

Till next time,

Phil

Producers Seeking Novels For Movies!

Hello, everyone!

This morning I got a very interesting email about a contest you may be interested in if you have written a novel. I won't explain. Read below for yourself.

WRITER'S DIGEST WRITE BETTER, GET PUBLISHED A message from our trusted partners.

Writers, The 2nd Annual Book Pipeline Competition is searching for authors with  material well-suited for film or television adaptation. The winner receives circulation to Lakeshore Entertainment (Million Dollar Baby,American Pastoral),  Energy Entertainment (Extant), Benderspink (We're the Millers, A History of Violence),  Darko Entertainment (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), and other companies  for potential development. Building upon the success of the Script Pipeline competitions and a 15-year history of launching writing careers, Book Pipeline aims to continue discovering new talent and delivering unique, compelling stories to the industry--with the specific intent of getting projects on the fast-track to production. Deadline: December 1st, 2015 Entry Fee: $65 per submission Results Announced: March-April 2016 Acceptable Entries: Novels and non-fiction books (up to first 5,000 words) Plays Graphic Novels Book proposals or pitches (fiction only) Short stories Feedback: Every entrant will receive brief feedback on their submission once  semifinalist results have been announced in March 2016. There is no extra fee for these general comments. Feedback will typically cover your story's adaptation  potential for film or TV, as well as some thoughts on the overall  writing and story elements. For additional details, including judging criteria, awards, announcement  dates, and other FAQs, visit Book Pipeline. About Book Pipeline | About Script Pipeline

Writing Contests!!!!

Do you want to enter a writing contest? I got a list of contest from an email today. Click on Browse the Database 78 Writing Contests With Deadlines Before the End of 2015

Our Grants & Awards database currently lists seventy-eight writing contests with deadlines before the end of the year. Check out a few of these, or explore the database for more: Nowhere Magazine Travel Writing Contest -- A prize of $1,000 and publication in Nowhere Magazine is given for a short story or essay that "possesses a powerful sense of place." Submit a story or essay of 800 to 5,000 words by December 15. Letterpress Poetry Chapbook Competition -- A prize of $500, a weeklong residency at the Millay Colony for the Arts, and letterpress publication by the Center for Book Arts is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Submit a manuscript of up to 21 pages December 16. Lascaux Review Prize in Short Fiction -- A prize of $1,000 and publication in Lascaux Review is given annually for a short story of up to 10,000 words. Submit by December 31. Before Columbus Foundation American Book Awards -- Awards are given annually for books published in the United States during the previous year that contribute to American multicultural literature. Submit two copies of a book or galley published in 2015 by December 31. Browse the Database

Okay.

I said the previous post is my last one for today. However this post will be the last for today. I just finished reading an article on the Writers Digest site titled :

How to Improve Your Writing Style in 10 Minutes or Fewer

By: Brandon Royal | December 15, 2010

I won't go into the details of the article. the title explains itself.  Please read it in full by clicking on the link below.

http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/improve-my-writing/brush-up-on-your-style-in-10-minutes-or-less

"Hmmm..."