Writers With Wrinkles

Query like a Pro: Agent Amy Nielsen Tells Us How

• Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid • Season 3 • Episode 36

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Episode Summary: In this episode of Writers With Wrinkles, Beth and Lisa chat with Amy Nielsen, a literary agent at Purcell Agency and a published author, about her experiences with both. Amy shares invaluable tips for querying, editing, and how to handle the ups and downs of the publishing industry.

Guest Bio: Amy Nielsen is a literary agent with Purcell Agency, specializing in young adult and picture books. A former youth librarian with nearly two decades of experience, Amy penned her debut novel, Worth It, while working at her library’s circulation desk. In addition to being an author, she is a freelance editor and a passionate advocate for helping writers polish their submissions.

Key Discussion Points:

  • Amy’s journey from librarian to literary agent and author.
  • How fictionalizing personal trauma when writing can create emotional distance and help the project.
  • Essential do’s and don’ts of querying: research agents, follow submission guidelines, and treat rejections as passes.
  • The significance of building a writing community and being a good literary citizen.
  • Amy's editing process and her belief in the value of delivering polished work to agents and editors.
  • Amy's free resources for self-editing, including developmental and line-editing guides available on her website.

Conclusion: Amy emphasizes perseverance in the querying process and the importance of building a support system within the writing community. She also highlights the role of agents as collaborators and champions for their authors' work. For those looking to improve their submissions, her editing resources are a must-see.

Mentioned Links:



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Beth McMullen:

Hi friends, I'm Beth McMullen and I'm Lisa Schmidt, and we're the co-hosts of Writers with Wrinkles. This is season three, episode 37. Today we're excited to talk to Amy Nielsen, a literary agent with Purcell Agency. Amy spent nearly 20 years as a youth librarian. Daily immersion in story took root and she penned her young adult debut Worth it behind her circulation desk. Amy is also a picture book author, literary agent and freelance editor helping authors polish their submission packet for querying. I love so much that you wrote this book at the circulation desk.

Amy Neilsen:

I love that I have to admit to my principal that you know there was many times I was sitting back there acting like I was working and I was writing. But, honestly, you know writing when you're in the publishing industry, whether you're a librarian or an editor, when you're writing you're still immersed in that space. You know, and my students knew I was writing and so I would read things to them and they would help me come up with names for characters, et cetera. So that was fun.

Beth McMullen:

That's amazing. I love that. Can you tell us a little bit about this book that you wrote behind the circulation desk?

Amy Neilsen:

Sure, and then I revised it for 10 years after.

Beth McMullen:

Okay, now that's like the hard truth that everybody should pay attention to out there, the provision Exactly.

Amy Neilsen:

So I'll just read the back real quick. So this is a young adult novel and it is inspired by my lived experiences. It is a fictionalized retelling, so that's important to know. 17-year-old Angela Carter intended to pick out prom dresses with her best friend and fill out college applications during her senior year. But her father abandons the family and her addict mother kicks her out.

Amy Neilsen:

The now pregnant teen's new normal is keeping her pressure cooker older boyfriend, Dale, from erupting. When an intoxicated Dale loses control of her car one night, Angela fears she'll never hold her unborn child, Desperate for what little stability he provides and for fear of his retaliation. Angela lies to the police when questioned about the accident. Her lie not only protects him from a DUI but also conceals a darker secret what happens behind the closed doors of their single wide trailer Set in Central Florida in the late 80s Worth. It is a story of courage, redemption and the power of becoming your own hero, so it has some tough social themes in there. One of the things that I'm most proud with that book is that I've partnered with a local nonprofit in my area that helps teens in crisis, and so a portion of the proceeds of my book go to that organization. I've already helped several teens and it's just a wonderful feeling, knowing that I'm using a time in my life that was challenging, to help other teens in similar situations.

Beth McMullen:

That is remarkable. How difficult was it for you to write?

Amy Neilsen:

Because you said it's a fictionalized account but drawing from a lot of personal experiences, Well, I encourage authors to fictionalize your past trauma, because it does put some distance between you and it. It becomes fiction. So at first I was writing as memoir, not knowing anything about the publishing industry. And then you know it's like I don't know if I can write this as real life because, first off, who's going to want to read your memoir if you're a librarian in Central Florida, you know. But I was writing it for me and then, as I started learning more about writing, I'm deciding to fictionalize it and started learning about story beats and story structure and could throw in some things that made it more interesting and more believable.

Amy Neilsen:

There was never times that was tough for me to write it. There have been many times that people that I know it's been tough for them to read it, and so I had one guy, a friend of mine from high school, and call me after he read it and he goes no-transcript. But it is a good way to kind of compartmentalize some of that and to tell the story the way you wished it would have happened, you know, or wished it would have ended. So I'm very proud of it and it's been getting great reviews. And it's just, you know, and it's exciting for me as an agent to have gone through that writing process so I know what it is like for my clients and I can have that empathy. I was a librarian for 20 years. I've published nonfiction fiction, picture books and then an editor, so I feel like I bring a lot to the table for my clients and I think that's important.

Beth McMullen:

Yeah, I think that's huge actually, just to be able to know what the experience is like for yourself.

Lisa Schmid:

Are you ready to be in the hot seat, Amy? Absolutely.

Amy Neilsen:

I'm in Florida, I'm always in the hot seat.

Lisa Schmid:

Okay, so I'm just gonna. This is just one we kind of just ask everyone, because it's really basic and it's good information. I think everyone always has a different answer. What are the do's and don'ts of querying? Because I'm sure you've seen them both, but maybe just give us an example of a really good do and a really bad don't.

Amy Neilsen:

Well, I have a list that I'll quickly run through. They're mostly do's. I only have two quick don'ts, but I do think it's important to be a part of the literary community. You know, writing is a solitary experience, but it takes a community to help get you across that finish line and also for people to be there for you when those challenging times do come. I do think it's important to study the craft of writing. I think to me, the most important do is to follow the agent submission guidelines and especially where an agent requests where they want the submission sent.

Amy Neilsen:

I've had submissions sent to my LinkedIn, instagram DMs, twitter DMs, personal email, private email, and they're all over the place. And the reason why and it's not to be, you know for us not to be accessible, but if I, if an agent, asked them to be sent an inquiry manager, then I know all of my queries are in one place. I can sort by date, title, I can search for an author, If someone said someone queried me. So it really is in the author's best interest to make sure that they send that submission where the agent wants it and that you're doing things like making sure that your submission does fit what's on their wishlist, etc. I think that sticking to a standard query structure is very important To me. This isn't the place where you get creative. This is the place where you're giving the information about your book so the author knows if it's worth their time and yours for them to read it. Because if in that query we see that you're subbing us something that's epistolary and we don't rep that, we can quickly give you a pass so you can check us off your list and then we don't have to take time from other authors by reading that. And so those are just really important.

Amy Neilsen:

And I think when you had Kathy on not so long ago, she walked through how to write a query. I believe that was an excellent episode. By the way, I'm one of her biggest fangirls, so she was my dream agent and I was lucky enough to get to be her assistant and she's still my support system as far as you know, being a new agent. So she's wonderful. But I wanted to kind of review that again because I have a very easy template that is on my website. I have an article called polishing your submission packet for querying. It also has a presentation down there for free. It's like a free mini course and there are only four parts for query needs. That is it four, and they're very simple.

Amy Neilsen:

And the first one is agent personalization. Why are you sending this to me? Did I meet you at a conference? Did I tweet something? Did we have an interaction somewhere? Just why? Very briefly, so that way I know the agent knows that you've done your research. Very briefly, so that way I know the agent knows that you've done your research. It's better for an author to spend more time really researching agents and submit to less than to send to a bunch that you haven't researched. So use your time wisely.

Amy Neilsen:

And then the metadata is paragraph two. That's the title, in all caps. Word count, age range, genre, comps very important. And I also encourage authors to put in a unique structure. So if your book is, as I said, epistolary, dual timeline, anything like that, put that right there in the beginning, because, again, you're going to get a pass quicker if the agent knows what this is, if it's not something they're interested in. And I know how it is as an author to have all those unread queries and you just don't know where you are in their inbox.

Amy Neilsen:

And then the third paragraph is the plot. So who is the main character what do they want, what's standing in the way of what they want and what's at stake if they don't get it? And so, quite simply, this can be if they choose choice A, they risk X. If they choose choice B, they risk Y. It's very formulaic, but it works.

Amy Neilsen:

And then bio short and sweet, about 50 words who are you If you have any writing credits, but you don't have to If you're members of any professional organizations. What's your day job? And this is also the place you can be kind of voy. At the end of my bio I usually say when I'm not reading or writing, you can find me boating the waters of Tampa Bay with two canine co-captains in Mermaid Life Fest. So you can put a little something cute there at the end. A lot of authors do that. So I think those are my big do's. And then my only two don'ts are don't take a personal.

Amy Neilsen:

When you get a pass, you are in the game and those first few hurt. And when you get two and three in one day, it can be frustrating. But you two probably remember this was a couple of years ago there was an author on Twitter that had a piece of picket fence that every time she'd get a pass, she'd paint a flower. So she's building this garden of showing her how much work that she's doing to get herself published. And I did hear that she eventually did get an agent. So I just think you know, if you get a pass, that means agents are reading your work. Did you ever think before you wrote a book that an agent would be reading what you've written? So I think, even if it's a pass, I think that's important to just really hone in on the positive, the positive aspect of it. And then my other don't is don't give up. If you really want this, keep at it. This is a game of tenacity and so keep at it, don't give up. Those are my, those are my two don'ts.

Lisa Schmid:

Oh my God, that is so good, like it. Just, this is like the ultimate pep talk. If you are queering out there right now, you know, pause for a second and take that all in, because, amy, that was such good advice, but just across the board, and it was similar in nature to what Kathy said, but you added your own spin on it, which was really important. So, all my queering friends, there's your pep talk for the day and anytime you're feeling down and out, go paint a flower on a fence, which I never saw. That and I love that so much. It's better than you know. I don't know kicking ourselves and then laying on the bed and crying, which is what I used to do. Go paint a flower, that's awesome.

Amy Neilsen:

I loved it. I loved following her as she was doing that. You know the writing community was like. I hope she gets another pass and paints another flower. And also, notice I use the term pass. I do not use the term rejection. It is not a rejection, it is simply a pass. No one's rejecting you.

Beth McMullen:

And you do. You have to be ready for a lot. That's just the name of the game, and after you get through the first few, you're like, okay, that didn't work, turning my focus elsewhere. But yeah, that's very, all, very important and necessary advice for those who are in the querying trenches. So we understand that you are an editorial agent. You're also an editor, so that makes sense. With that in mind, what is your process when you're working with a client on a project? How editorial are you with them and what does that look like?

Amy Neilsen:

because I go deep in my editing and not all agents are editorial agents and they don't have to be. An agent's job is really to match. We're matchmakers, we're to match your work with an editor that wants it and get you a sell and walk you through the negotiation, the contract, et cetera. But some of us do editorial work and a lot of the newer agents, like me, do more editorial work because we're getting more debuts in our inbox, which we love. And so my process is I go through developmental edits, line edits and copy edits, and so typically I do those separately. If there's not much developmental work, I'll do it at the same time. And then of course, copy edits come at the very end, because anything that you change is going to affect that last part. So I I've already read their manuscript, so I'll open up the document and I start putting notes, comments in the, in the document, as opposed to creating an edit letter at this stage. So, and I do a lot, and so if I start saying filtering, I'll comment on. You know this is filtering. I'll explain what it is and I'll give an example of a revision for that sentence without filtering, and I'll do that a couple of times and then I'll expect that they'll go through the rest of the manuscript and address that. So I do a lot of those comments, a lot more in the beginning than at the end. But I read the whole thing through and then I will go open up a document and do like big picture if it's necessary, like if there was a ton of, you know, misuse of dialogue tags and action beats and grammar. I'll say you know, this was a. Do some research on this. Here is a resource. I'll put what's working, obviously because we need to tell them what we love and what's what. A second look is kind of how I do it with what's working, what needs a second look, and then I'll go back into the document for a second time and I'll go through and make sure that I have some compliments that you know in there because that's important. But I don't spend a lot of time on that because they already know I love their work, because I accepted it and so I don't want to spend too much time telling them how beautiful these sentences are. My time is limited so I'm going to focus my time on what we can do to improve your story that I already love, but I do go back and make sure I have those positive comments and then I'll read through it a third time, proofreading myself, basically, and to make sure that I'm clear that I didn't miss something, because I, you know, I just so. I usually read those comments three times.

Amy Neilsen:

I take about a month to do a full edit with an author. I'm hearing more and more editors expecting super polished work. I just had a meeting with an editor last week and she said she appreciates polished work. I just had a meeting with an editor last week and she said she appreciates polished work and she says that it is more likely to get through acquisitions than work that is unpolished. And yes, the editor at the publishing house is going to edit your work again. You're going to go through three more rounds over there, or four more rounds, because they're going to catch things we didn't. So that's just part of it To me taking an author's story and their unique, creative, wonderful idea and helping them, helping them get it as polished as possible. It's just, it's an honor, quite honestly.

Beth McMullen:

The one last thing that I was thinking about related to that, is that these editors at Big Five publishing houses and other places are so overworked. They have so much responsibility that just runs the gamut from editing to actually sales and marketing. They have all these things that they're trying to do. So it makes total sense to me that if I was an editor sitting there and somebody gave me a nice polished manuscript that I didn't have to spend inordinate amount of times to get ready for market, I would definitely choose that. If it's like between one that's like kind of similar, but this one needs a lot of work, I'm definitely going to lean into the one that's like almost ready to go 100%, one of my friends.

Amy Neilsen:

One of my longtime writing friends is on. Her. I don't know what number book now, but we were there in the beginning, before either of us had publishing deals, and we learned the craft of writing together, taking courses together, critiquing each other's work, listening to podcasts like this for years, and her first few manuscripts went through a lot of editing before they got out there. She now has an agent Her work that she just got the agent for. The agent had spent one week reading it and giving her a few bits of editorial advice and then it was out in submission one week. So that's another reason why the more polished your work is when it gets to us, the quicker we can get you on sub. And I do have two other resources I want to share with you.

Amy Neilsen:

I created a self-editing guide, a developmental.

Amy Neilsen:

What did I title it? It's a developmental self-editing guide, so I just posted that last week and it's pretty thorough and it has little checkpoints at each section that I talk about whatever you know back info, dumping, backstory, whatever. I have little checkpoints for how authors can look at their manuscripts through that lens, and so I've been getting some good feedback on that as a free resource and my line editing, self-editing guide is done. I'm posting that one today and I really dive in on a line level and I look at when I'm line leveling or line editing. I look at every word, even the word the. If we can say this sentence without the word the, we're cutting it, and so that's something that I really enjoy. So that resource will be available. And then I'm going to do one on copy editing, like commonly misspelled words, you know, homonyms used incorrectly, things like that. And then I'm going to do a final one on different writing resources that I've used over the years in courses that I've taken that have helped me learn the craft of writing.

Beth McMullen:

Wow that's a lot. Wow, that's a lot well, and these are all free resources.

Lisa Schmid:

That's amazing. As you were speaking, I'm like I'm gonna go check that out because you know, sometimes I'm going back through. I'm like on the last chapter of the, the book I'm currently working on, and I say that, but I know, don't laugh bath, because I keep saying it's the last chapter and then it doesn't turn out to be. But it's just, it's always good to think about that when you're going. It's the last chapter and then it doesn't turn out to be, but it's just, it's always good to think about that when you're going. It's going over to my critique corner, but then I'm going to go back through it before it goes to my agent. So I think I'm going to check out a couple of those resources.

Amy Neilsen:

Yeah, I think it's important and that's what you are doing is to give back to the writing community, because there was a time in my writing journey where there were authors, agents etc giving back to me, critique partners, and that's something that's really important to me is serving the writing community. So I try to make a ton of resources that authors can just click on and have at no charge, because you don't know what you don't know, and so I really I've spent probably a month on the developmental editing guide just trying to get it as polished as possible and as easy to understand as possible, and the paragraphs are short and the checkpoints are short. In the one for line editing that I'm dropping today, I did put links to tons of resources in there, you know, so you can see an example of what filtering is, or show, don't tell and that sort of thing. But wonderful.

Amy Neilsen:

And hopefully all authors listening. One day they will be in a position where they can give back to the writing community.

Lisa Schmid:

Yeah, and that's the one thing. And that's again why you know, like, why Beth and I do this. It's just, it's fun. We learn a lot as we're going through these podcasts. I've learned so much when we're talking with different people Also. It's just, we've been there, we've been. You know, I've been there the most, in the sense that I've made the most mistakes.

Amy Neilsen:

Mistakes is how we learn and grow. I've got a lot of war wounds, so anyway, I go look back at some of my early chap or early versions of my novel and I'm horrified. I've got to write a resource for authors out there so they can fix this if it's in their manuscript.

Lisa Schmid:

Yeah, well, speaking of, let's move on to to the next question, because you are full of good information, and this comes really down to what is your decision-making process when taking on a new author, like, what are some steps that you go through?

Amy Neilsen:

Well, first off, I'd love to sign everyone that's ever queried me, ever. I love you all, thank you. It's hard for us to pass on anyone. But obviously, first off, it's a compelling story and good writing. It doesn't have to be great writing, but a compelling story and good writing. You know. I mean all the parts of a story are there beginning and middle of end. It has a structure. It's on my manuscript wish list. It's something that I'm looking for.

Amy Neilsen:

But digging deeper than that, obviously, if I have already an author that has a competing title and I have had to pass on some for that reason. And that's tough because you are, you know you like that. But the issue is and I ran into this I signed a lot of picture book authors really fast and then I'm stuck because I've got this picture book author at this editor, but this editor also would like this picture book from a different author, but they haven't responded to me on that one. So I'm waiting. So it becomes the cyclical waiting game of who did I send what to and have they passed, and then I can send this one. So I've got a lot of authors waiting on different manuscripts to be sent to different editors while I wait on them to pass. So signing a lot of authors in the same age range, genre, et cetera can just kind of clog up. There's only so many editors. So I found that out. And also this is really important to me when I sign someone, I want to sign people that are good literary citizens, and what I mean by that is that you're reading other people's work and writing positive reviews, that you're putting positivity about publishing out in social media. You know there's I've seen authors put content on social media that's negative about the publishing industry, and I'm like I don't understand why you want to say negative things publicly about an industry that you hope to be a part of. So have those conversations with your writing community privately, but I think being a good literary citizen is just so important. I just find that I want to work with someone that's positive about the industry and someone willing to accept feedback and do the work. Once you get to an agent, your book is still your book baby, but it's now a product, and so we want to make that product, we want to put it in the best position possible when we go out to try to sell it, and so sometimes that's very hard for authors because they're really in love with something that you as a third party may think needs to change.

Amy Neilsen:

I had that with my own editor when I was in the editing process myself and she's like cut these two chapters gone. And I'm like, no, and we had a collaborative talk about it and there was. I was trying to ratchet up tension from a scene before and she's like, well, you've already established that the tension is ratcheting up. This feels more like repetition. She was right, but there was one thing that was said by a character in those two chapters that I wanted to keep. It was just one line of dialogue, because it was theme stated from Save the Cat, and I am not going to let go of theme stated. So I found another place to put that dialogue and so the two chapters got cut and I got to keep that one line of dialogue. She was happy, I was happy, and that's part of that collaboration. And that's actually my next.

Amy Neilsen:

You know, what I'm looking for is authors that are willing to collaborate. I love brainstorming with my authors about their next books or how to revise this scene. I think that is just so much fun. And then also I'm looking for someone that's serious, someone that is serious about this as a career. They're joining professional organizations, they're building a website Not that they have to have already done that, but eventually you hope to have a publishing deal. So I believe in having authors already behave in the way that they're published. Let's manifest that right. You are an author, you've written the book. You've queried. You've got an agent. Let's get your website built. You've got content to put out there. Let's start building you a digital platform.

Beth McMullen:

I also love what you just said about taking yourself and the industry and all of it very seriously. I meet way too many people authors who belittle themselves before they're even out of the gate, Like we have talked in this conversation about getting passes on your work. You will have plenty of negative input. You don't need to add to that yourself. Be your own champion.

Amy Neilsen:

That's another reason why it's so important to build a writing community, because you have people that understand what you're going through. And I say this all the time. I also coach families of children with autism. My youngest son is autistic and I tell them this, and I tell authors this you need three best friends. You need someone that is going through what you're going through.

Amy Neilsen:

So that's your writing community. They're querying in the trenches, just like you are. You're there to lift each other up when you're feeling down. You're there to encourage each other. You're there to share resources. So I think your writing community someone that's in the same part of the journey you are try to make friends with people that are a little further in that journey than you so you can learn from them, so they can mentor you. People like us that are willing to give free resources because we want to help querying authors. And then thirdly and maybe you're not there yet, but finding someone that needs your help giving back to them. I just think that's the definition of being a good literary citizen is doing that. So think that's the definition of being a good literary citizen is doing that. So you know, this is a vulnerable industry. I mean, you're putting your words out there for the world, and so put people around you that are going to help support you through.

Beth McMullen:

that, I think, is just really important. Very wise, very wise words for everyone out there. Pay attention, write that down. That's a good little checklist actually to keep handy when you're thinking about well, what is a good literary citizen Right there? Now you know.

Lisa Schmid:

I think it because you're a newer agent. I think that sometimes people think, oh, she's a new agent, I'm going to wait until she's been doing this for a while. What do you think the benefits for you personally are of submitting to a new, of querying a new agent?

Amy Neilsen:

such as yourself. Obviously, seasoned agents are going to have the experience in the industry and the relationships with editors, et cetera. But fortunately, even though I'm a newer agent, I have access to several seasoned agents as mentors. So when you do query a new agent, you're not querying us alone. We have access to seasoned mentors, and so I think that's a bonus to know that With a seasoned agent, you might stand a little less of a chance of being able to get across that finish line with that agent, just because they already have such a huge list of authors.

Amy Neilsen:

We are building our list actively, we have more time because we have less clients and we are passionate to start getting books sold to editors, and so I think that and it's all what you're looking for, if you're looking to grow with an agent together, I think that's a beautiful thing. I mean, my first signed clients are just. They're like family and friends to me already. You know so I don't have that many, so we do, we text each other and you know I really love that relationship. But you know I also wanted to say that new agents we also talk to each other.

Amy Neilsen:

So I'm part of a huge discord group of newer agents. On the last two to three years, some newer, and so we communicate on the regular. We have different channels, we share editor information, so we're there for each other. So really I don't think honestly you can go wrong with a seasoned agent or a newer agent, because we are all part of the same community. There are very few people that don't want to be involved, whether we're at the same agency or not. We share submissions. If I get something that I know a friend of mine at a different agency would love, I will ask the author if I can send it to them. You know it's a very collaborative, positive group. I know sometimes publishing looks like a jaded industry out there. I've not seen that. I've seen collaboration across the board. So I think you should query who you think you'd like to work with.

Lisa Schmid:

You know what? I think that's a great response. And I just putting in a plug for new agents. My new, my agent, was newer when I signed with her and I adore, I adore Leslie, and we have. I feel like we've grown together. She's just a wonderful agent and I've never you know, I've always been so appreciative of everything she's done and I never felt like there was ever a skip in anything or a missed beat. So I think it's one of those things that, no matter where you are at, like you were just saying, you have like a huge resource behind you of people. So that's yeah and that's. You know, to overcome that fear of anybody who is out there thinking, oh, should I wait? Don't wait, don't hesitate.

Amy Neilsen:

If that's somebody that you think you want to query to do so, yeah because you never know, by the time you think you're ready to query them, they may, you know, have filled that spot in their wish list for the type of manuscript that you've written. But yeah, just know, all the agents I know have a huge support system.

Beth McMullen:

Yeah, I like the idea too of the fact that newer agents are often building their list, so there might be a little bit more bandwidth there for something that you're doing. So rather than taking one in a specific category or genre, maybe you're taking two. I was explaining this to somebody that I'm working with who has written an adult horror novel. He comes from a pretty big television career and I was seeing a lot of kind of interesting agents changing their, their wishlist. So maybe they were doing picture books at middle grade and now they're looking for middle grade or adult horror, say, for example. And he was like I don't know, it looks like they're doing this other thing and I was like no, no, no. This means that they're actively seeking what you are trying to send. They're good agents already. They know the agenting stuff. They're just changing their focus. So I mean a lot of things to consider, but I do love that. You know, newer agents bring like a different, different, different energy to the table.

Amy Neilsen:

I think Well, and we're hungry. You know we are hungry for that to start getting those books sold and building this relationship and signing authors. I love the industry so much. I loved it when I was a librarian for 20 years and being on the other side of it it's like a full circle moment. Instead of putting books into the hands of readers, I'm helping authors get their books published, so then they can go into the hands of readers.

Lisa Schmid:

I'm helping authors get their books published, so then they can go into the hands of readers, so it's just an absolute honor. Speaking of that, what exactly are you looking for right now? Let's wrap up this session with what everyone is keen to know. What is on your manuscript wishlist?

Amy Neilsen:

Well, right now. Unfortunately, I am closed to queries at this time because, as I said to you before, I have several hundred in my inbox and I'm waiting until I meet with all these editors. So I don't pass on something that an editor is looking for. And I'm hoping to start reading queries again back in November and, just like most agents, I'm hoping to have them gone through by the end of the year. So fingers crossed that I can do that. That's going to be my goal because I don't want to keep people waiting over the holidays. That's hard.

Amy Neilsen:

Once I do open back up, mostly what I'm on the lookout for is neurodivergent characters. I also will be looking for, always on the hunt for positively represented LGBTQI representation, queer joy. I really enjoy seeing that. I like to think that we're on the other side of coming out and we're living in a world where we're all just our authentic selves. Diverse representation is very important.

Amy Neilsen:

I'm in picture books If I open back up to picture books, which I want to sign more. I enjoy humor. I just want to see kids laugh. I love books that are great read alouds. I love books that bring parents and kids together and I also like nonfiction content as well as a librarian, I purchased all of that. I had the biggest budget in the school. It was so fun. So I think that there's room for pretty much everything in picture books, honestly. And then genre wise, it's just I'm really looking for LGBTQ representation and neurodivergent characters in all the genres on my wish list.

Amy Neilsen:

I get a lot of things sent to me that is not. I don't rep high concept fantasy or sci-fi. I'm just not that smart. Those authors are the smartest in the room because world building is tough. So you know, I'm looking for more contemporary, but I'll get things. I'm like this is nothing that I would ever be able to be. I would not be a good agent for this person. I don't have editors in my orbit. That sign that I don't have the skill set to help in the revision process. So you really want to submit to agents that are looking for what you write, you know. So I think it's just really important to do that research on the front end.

Beth McMullen:

So you are currently closed to new submissions. When you decide that you're going to open up again, where will people be able to find that information the best?

Amy Neilsen:

place to find information about me is Twitter Agents that you want to query. I would follow them on whatever social media platform they're most active, because that's where you're going to find the most up-to-date. Sometimes we're going to announce on Twitter when we're open quicker than we're going to be able to update our manuscript wishlist. Not that Twitter is the only place. Maybe your agent you want is on threads or Instagram. I'm more active on Twitter. That's where I'm going to share resources that I write. I opened up for 24 hours in June for Pride and that's where I announced it. So that's. I think finding where your agents are on social media is the best place to know.

Beth McMullen:

Perfect. So now people know to keep an eye on Twitter and they can spot when it is that you decide to open up to submissions.

Amy Neilsen:

Leave one more comment to querying authors. Absolutely yes, please. I just want to tell you that we are honored, that you trust us with your work. We know that it's vulnerable and even when you get a pass from us, know that we are honored, that you trust us with your work. We know that it's vulnerable and even when you get a pass from us, know that we read your work and we considered it and we want you to keep going and don't give up.

Beth McMullen:

I love that. That is the perfect way to wrap up this conversation. I'm gonna post links to some of the resources that you gave us in the podcast notes. So for sure, everybody check the podcast notes or the blog at writerswithwrinklesnet. Those links will be there. And Lisa and I are back on November 11th when we are talking to E-Train. I know a lot of you guys who write middle grade know who E-Train is. He's going to be talking to us about what kids are actually reading, so we can get to the bottom of that and until then, happy reading, writing and listening.

People on this episode

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Beth McMullen

Host
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Lisa Schmid

Host