Ep 79: Querying Literary Agents with Lauren Kay
Lauren Kay's young adult debut novel, We Ship It, was a dream come true, but it wasn't easy to get there. Now, she helps other writers achieve the same joy, minus the roadblocks. Having secured eight agent offers in a month, she works with authors dreaming about a traditional publishing deal to help them write irresistible query letters.
INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
- The 7-year path to her first novel, for which she received a 6-figure advance (best quote: "Lightning speed in this industry is 7 years.")
- The importance of transparency in the book industry when it comes to timelines, sales figures, and overall expectations
- The idea of an author “deserving” their lead author status (I hadn't heard this before, and loved the discussion around it!)
- How changing our expectations as authors can lead to far better results
- The “before” and “after” of publishing
- Top mistakes to avoid when writing query letters + how to navigate the world of querying without becoming (too) disappointed
CONNECT WITH LAUREN
Query letter masterclass: https://www.laurenkaywrites.com/insiders-guide-to-publishing
Lauren's YA Rom-Com Debut: We Ship It
Instagram: @laurenkaywrites
Website: www.laurenkaywrites.com
TikTok: @laurenkaywrites
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall
Story Genius by Lisa Cron
WHAT LAUREN'S READING NOW
Splinters by Leslie Jamison
Grief is for People by Sloane Crosley
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