All Things Middle Grade

herenow

Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
121
Reaction score
3
Yes tell us all the exciting tidbits!

AGENTS: Does anyone want to share with me their list of favorite agents (who are interested in Midgrade)
I have a little list, but I'm interested in yours ;)
 
Last edited:

CharleyGirl

Glad to be here
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 1, 2009
Messages
315
Reaction score
22
Website
fallingleaflets.blogspot.com
Yes tell us all the exciting tidbits!

AGENTS: Does anyone want to share with me their list of favorite agents (who are interested in Midgrade)
I have a little list, but I'm interested in yours ;)

Hi herenow,

There are several places to search for agents--you can go to Query Tracker and select middle grade to limit the display to those that accept it, or you might try Casey McCormick's website, Literary Rambles. It's FULL of information about agents specific to children's lit. Also, when you find someone you'd like to query, AW has a wonderful resource in the Beware/Background section--people chime in, discussion style, with info like response times, who gives feedback on fulls, etc. Very helpful stuff.

Best of luck in your search!
 

Smish

Reads more than she writes.
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
8,636
Reaction score
3,087
Location
in the Bouncy Castle
Herenow:

Every writer is different, and every agent is different. It's best to target your submissions individually. One of the best ways to do that is to find who reps your favorite authors/books. Check acknowledgement pages. Search websites.

You can also do a search on Agent Query.

I'm not anywhere near the querying stage, yet. But I do have some idea of who my first round of queries will go to.

Best of luck.

:)Smish
 

Cricket18

Gnawing my hairless tail
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 14, 2009
Messages
1,530
Reaction score
2,426
Yes tell us all the exciting tidbits!

AGENTS: Does anyone want to share with me their list of favorite agents (who are interested in Midgrade)
I have a little list, but I'm interested in yours ;)

QueryTracker.net

They show who reps what. Also, you can see what the rejection letters from those agents look like. That helped me a lot.
 

EagerReader

commaholic and adverb junkie
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 5, 2010
Messages
408
Reaction score
51
Just to agree with what others have said, Literary Rambles has been immensely helpful. QT is awesome as well. And, of course, right here at AW.
 

Amarie

carpe libri
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 5, 2008
Messages
2,971
Reaction score
2,913
Location
never in the here and now
Someone here on AW (not me)is participating in a group blog where a mystery agent is going to take one line pitches later in the week for YA and MG, so those of you on the agent hunt might want to think about that. Here's the link to the teaser post and on there is a link to one line pitches.
 

Amarie

carpe libri
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 5, 2008
Messages
2,971
Reaction score
2,913
Location
never in the here and now
Hi all, my book comes out today, so I'm doing a guest post here, if you'd like a chance to win a copy.

Just wanted to say thanks to all the AW members. I don't know how I'd manage if I didn't have AW to hang around.

blogconfetti.jpg
 

abctriplets

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 16, 2009
Messages
596
Reaction score
56
Location
Virginia
Website
abctriplets.blogspot.com
Every writer is different, and every agent is different. It's best to target your submissions individually.

You know, this makes sense, but what % of writers actually land their dream agent during their first round of queries? I mean, honestly, you do all this research and match up your book to the "perfect" agent - a list of 6-12 strong candidates. But soon enough, aren't you putting a stamp on query #36?
 

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
9,090
Reaction score
2,165
Location
Lost Angeles
Hi all, my book comes out today, so I'm doing a guest post here, if you'd like a chance to win a copy.

Just wanted to say thanks to all the AW members. I don't know how I'd manage if I didn't have AW to hang around.

YAYYY! :TheWave::TheWave::TheWave::TheWave:
 

Smish

Reads more than she writes.
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
8,636
Reaction score
3,087
Location
in the Bouncy Castle
You know, this makes sense, but what % of writers actually land their dream agent during their first round of queries? I mean, honestly, you do all this research and match up your book to the "perfect" agent - a list of 6-12 strong candidates. But soon enough, aren't you putting a stamp on query #36?

Of course. But what's your suggestion? Query alphabetically? Use someone else's dream agent list? Pick random agents at top agencies? I think people are more likely to get good results if they do a little research up front. If you aren't able to sign with one of your first round choices, send queries to other agents, sure. I'd still suggest doing some research, though. I'll never be submitting any queries to anyone I haven't researched first.

That may be my Type-A personality getting in the way, but frankly, I'll submit directly to publishers before I'll send a query to an unknown, unproven agent I know nothing about.

ETA: Just wanted to add a line to point out that much of this research can be done long before someone is ready to submit queries. It may not be practical to do all the research when you're already at the querying stage (though I'd still suggest doing it...).
 
Last edited:

Smish

Reads more than she writes.
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
8,636
Reaction score
3,087
Location
in the Bouncy Castle
Hi all, my book comes out today, so I'm doing a guest post here, if you'd like a chance to win a copy.

Just wanted to say thanks to all the AW members. I don't know how I'd manage if I didn't have AW to hang around.

blogconfetti.jpg

Yayy. :D :D :D
 

EagerReader

commaholic and adverb junkie
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 5, 2010
Messages
408
Reaction score
51
Hi all, my book comes out today, so I'm doing a guest post here, if you'd like a chance to win a copy.

Just wanted to say thanks to all the AW members. I don't know how I'd manage if I didn't have AW to hang around.

blogconfetti.jpg


Congratulations!!
 

MsJudy

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 12, 2007
Messages
5,673
Reaction score
1,440
Location
california
Amarie, don't forget to breathe!!!! Here's a toast to fabulous sales!!! *raises the milkshake glass*
 

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
OK, this is nothing as exciting as Amarie's launch (wheeee!). But my crit group blog is launching with a contest for MG/YA.

Operation Awesome one-line pitch contest opens today! Please post your MG/YA pitch in the comments. The first 50 entrants (I sure hope there are 50!) will be judged by a super secret Mystery Agent. The prize is that the agent will read your full.

http://operationawesome6.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much! Pleeaaasse enter.
 

Hedgetrimmer

What happened, just there?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
1,491
Reaction score
308
Location
At the Point of No Return
Congrats, Amarie. I know how excited you must be.

Kelly, I checked out the blog and see that you're a lifelong Philadelphian. I always thought you were Canadian.
 

SheilaJG

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
1,635
Reaction score
560
Location
Northern California
Congrats, Amarie! How exciting.

Kelly - great blog. I entered, but it looks like you have 50+ comments. What an exciting contest! I wonder who the agent could be . . . hmmmm.

JE - welcome!

Tim - loved the trailer. Can't wait for the book.
 

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
Nope, Hedge, born in Philly, now live 0.9 miles from the city line. So I'm suburban, but my Dunkin' Donuts is Philadelphian.

Thanks for entering! We were very worried about entrants. It's a super secret agent who is NOT the agent for anyone on the site.
 

AngelicaRJackson

Angelic Muse
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 20, 2009
Messages
541
Reaction score
36
Location
Sierra foothills
Website
AngelicaRJackson.blogspot.com
Kellion, It seemed like the entries are heavier on the YA than the MG, that seems pretty typical. I just checked and there were only 3 slots left, any MGers waiting to jump in?

And you were all worried about what kind of response you would get! You forgot about the AW effect.
 

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
I wish that the dearth of MG entries everywhere meant that editors were clamoring to publish my specific MG manuscript. Nope.

Of my blogmates, I'm the only one who is exclusively MG but two of the others are 50/50 MG/YA.
 

herenow

Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
121
Reaction score
3
I did do research, I have a handful of really targeted agents. However I was curious. That's ok, I will of course follow your suggestions!