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This alert from established literary agent Andrea Hurst (Andrea Hurts & Associates): “I am reopening my submissions this summer to unsolicited queries from June 1 – September 1, 2014.” This is a great opportunity for writers everywhere who are writing genres & categories that Andrea accepts. She is not always open to submissions, and wanted writers to know. More info below.

(How NOT to start your story. Read advice from agents.)

She is seeking: “I am looking for upmarket, book club women’s fiction, commercial women’s fiction/romance (contemporary or historical), young adult fiction, and most areas of nonfiction (authors with a substantial platform who have already developed a solid, highly polished proposal – this includes memoirs, health/wellness, business, self-help/personal growth, memoir, cookbooks, pet books, spirituality). As of 2014, we are now accepting middle grade contemporary fiction as well.”

How to submit: Submit by Sept. 1, 2014. No attachments. Absolutely no phone calls or regular mail contact, please. E-query andrea [at] andreahurst.com.

(Do writers need an outside edit before querying agents?)

Learn more about Andrea: http://www.andreahurst.com/literary-management/about/andrea-hurst/

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• Don’t Judge Your Work Until It’s Time to Edit.
• Things to Do AFTER You Get a Literary Agent.
• Sell More Books by Building Your Writer Platform.
• Shortcuts Are Overrated. Why Writers Gain Value With a Long Road.
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and how to write a query letter.

Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social
media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.

Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Michael Sterling of Folio Literary Management) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

About Michael: “I joined Folio Literary Management in 2011. Prior to that I worked at Habitus: A Diaspora Journal, a literary magazine based in Brooklyn. My work there was editorially driven and I’ve since brought that experience to Folio, where I’ve worked with many best-selling fiction and nonfiction authors across various genres, including thriller authors, cookbooks writers, and literary novelists.”

(What makes an agent more likely to sign one client vs. another?)

He is seeking: Regarding fiction: “I love literary, commercial, and upmarket fiction. Thrillers with tremendous commercial appeal and strong writing are of particular interest to me—I’m a fan of anything from Lee Child to John le Carré. As a reader, I enjoy period novels in any genre. 20th century wars provide some of my favorite temporal settings, for instance. I love novels with high concepts (think THE AGE OF MIRACLES by Karen Thompson Walker, or LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson) and books that can teach me about new cultures and transport me to new countries are always among my favorite.”

Regarding nonfiction: “A self-avowed foodie, I avidly devour cookbooks and am interested in working with authors who share this passion of mine. My tastes veer towards books with a strong narrative element—I’m seeking political books, memoirs, investigative and journalistic works, or titles that place a specific region, historical event, person or thing under a microscope. For instance, I’d love to read more about the Middle East, especially works in which contemporary issues are explored in new ways.”

(In the middle of querying? Here are some helpful tips.)

How to submit: “Please submit queries to msterling (@) foliolit.com [be sure to remove the parentheses], and include ‘QUERY’ in the subject line. Please include the query letter and first ten pages of your manuscript or proposal in the body of the e-mail.”

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• Literary Agent Interview: Michelle Johnson of Inklings Literary. She Seeks New Writers.
• Find Out At Which Conferences Agents Will Take Pitches From New Writers.
• Writing Historical Fiction Based On A Family Story.
• Write the Book You Want to Read.
• Sell More Books by Building Your Writer Platform.
• How to Use Storyboarding and Plotting Techniques On Your Novel.
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and how to write a query letter.

Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social
media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.

Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Maria Ribas of Howard Morhaim Literary Agency) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

About Maria: Maria Ribas graduated with English Honors from the University of Richmond. She began her editorial career at Atria at Simon and Schuster, then moved to Harlequin Nonfiction and Adams Media, where she was an associate editor before joining the agency. As a former editor, she has a keen sense of what editors are really looking for, and she has years of experience building relationships with authors. She has always specialized in practical nonfiction and has a firm grasp of how to assess an author’s platform–and how to help authors build that platform.

(11 ways to assist a friend in promoting their new book.)

She is seeking: She’s interested in cookbooks, self-help, health, diet, home, parenting, and humor, all from authors with demonstrable platforms. She’s also interested in narrative nonfiction and select memoir, but she’s looking for a story that is absolutely un-put-down-able. She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and proficient in Italian and will be working with select foreign authors.

How to submit: To submit, e-mail your query letter along with three sample chapters (for fiction) or full proposal (for non-fiction) to one of the agents listed below. Average response time is 6 to 8 weeks. Please paste materials [no attachments]. Query maria [at] morhaimliterary.com

(What should you do after rejection?)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• 7 Things Agents Want to See in a Query (and 9 They Don’t).
• The 5 Stages of the Query Process.
• How to Trim Your Query Down to 250 Words of Fewer.
• Sell More Books by Building Your Writer Platform.
• Frequently Asked Questions About Writing a Query.
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and how to write a query letter.

Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social
media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.

Reminder: Agent Spotlights (with this spotlight featuring Allison Hunter of Inkwell Management) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent

About Allison:  Allison Hunter, a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, began her publishing career in 2005 working for the Los Angeles-based literary publicity firm, Kim-from-L.A. She joined the InkWell Management

(What does it mean when an agent says “This isn’t right for me”?)

She is seeking: She is actively acquiring literary and commercial fiction (including romance), memoir, narrative nonfiction, cultural studies, pop culture and prescriptive titles, including cookbooks. She is always looking for funny female authors, great love stories and family epics, and for nonfiction projects that speak to the current cultural climate.

How to submit: Queries should be e-mailed to: [email protected]. Put “Query for Allison: (Title)” in the subject line. In the body of your email, please include a query letter and a short writing sample (1-2 chapters). Due to the volume of queries we receive, response times may take up to two months. By submitting you are acknowledging these terms

(Do you need multiple literary agents if you write different genres?)