How to Find and Keep a Literary Agent Boot Camp

Dear Readers,

Here is something else to check out.

Seats are filling fast - Register for July 23 boot camp today!

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How do you hook an agent right away, keep them hooked, and make the most of your new publishing relationship? In this Boot Camp, "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. The world of literary agencies can be an intimidating place. You'll be lead through the inner-workings of finding the perfect literary agent, working with an agent and how to get the most out of your relationship. See what a day in the life of an agent looks like, and get tips about how to find your perfect author-agent match that will result in a successful partnership. The best part is that you'll be working directly with a knowledgeable and experienced agent, who will provide feedback specific to your work.

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS: On July 23rd you will gain access to a special 60-minute online tutorial presented by agents at the Sandra 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 5:00 pm PT Sunday evening, July 23rd if you signed up before that time. From 11:00 am to 1:00 pm (Pacific Time) on July 24th and July 25th, the literary agents will be available to answer questions and provide additional feedback via the Writer's Digest University course discussion 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. Then, you'll email those pages directly to Jill Marr, Elise Capron, Roz Foster, Thao Le, or Jessica Watterson by the end of the day on Wednesday. They will spend the next three weeks reviewing their assigned critiques and providing feedback as to what works and what doesn't. *For the purpose of the boot camp, the agents can provide feedback for genres other than what they are currently requesting professionally. Working with the agent of your preference is not guaranteed. We will do our best to match requests. We may add additional agents from this agency depending on the demand.

Boot Camp Runs: 7/23 - 7/26 $199.99 LEARN MORE

ABOUT SANDRA DIJKSTRA LITERARY AGENTS: Elise Capron is an acquiring agent at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. Elise is interested in fiction that has unforgettable writing, a terrific narrative voice/tone, and memorable characters. She loves novels with an unusual or eccentric edge and is drawn to stories she has never heard before. She aims to work with writers who are getting their work published regularly in magazines and who have a realistic sense of the market and their audience.   Jill Marr  is interested in commercial fiction, with an emphasis on mysteries, thrillers, romantic suspense and horror, women's commercial fiction and historical fiction. She is also looking for non-fiction by authors who are getting their work published regularly and who have a realistic sense of the market and their audience. Jill is looking for non-fiction projects in the areas of history, sports, politics, current events, self-help, cookbooks, memoir, health & nutrition, pop culture, humor and music.  Jessica Watterson is most interested in all sub-genres of romance. She greatly enjoys character driven plots that pull the reader into the pages and won't let go, ending with a fantastic happily ever after. Jessica also loves second chance romances, and stories of redemption. She is also interested in select women's fiction and young adult fiction that are unique, lighthearted, and address relevant societal issues. Thao Le  is a literary agent at the Dijkstra Agency since 2011. She also handles the agency's financials and select contracts. Thao is looking for: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Picture Books by author/illustrators, Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, and is selectively open to Romance. In general, she loves beautiful literary writing with a commercial hook. She is most excited to add more writers of diversity (including, but not limited to, all ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental and physical health, and socioeconomic status) to her client list. Roz Foster  is interested in nonfiction in the areas of politics, current affairs, history, business, technology, sociology, cultural studies, urban studies, science, design and memoir. She looks for driven, narrative storytelling and big, bold ideas with national and international, appeal. She's also interested in adult literary and commercial fiction, especially contemporary, multi-cultural and crime/mystery/thriller. She looks for fiction with a resonant, lively voice; rich, irresistible language; characters with compelling development arcs; and a mastery of dramatic structure. Across the board, she's looking for books that make her feel that the author is tuned into a rising revolution - political, cultural, sociological, or whatnot - which is about to burst on the scene.