Last weekend I attended one of the SCBWI local chapter’s Connect sessions. 
This one focused on how to hunt for an agent. It was hosted by author/illustrator Anna-Maria Crum. Anna-Maria and her colleague/fellow author, Hilari Bell, also run a business known as THE PLOT DOCTORS where they help authors with plots that aren’t going as planned.
The two-hour discussion on agents made me realize how much I already know and provided a few new insights. Anna-Maria shared her list of the best resources. Of course there were the standard Query Tracker, Agent Query, and Query Shark sites, but there were some unique ones. I’ve highlighted a few below:
- Manuscript Wish List. This link is to their website but if you use twitter (or even if you don’t) the tag is #mswl. Agents and editors post what they are specifically looking for in manuscripts.
- Hen and Ink Agency. They don’t accept unsolicited submissions but fear not. Once a month for 12 hours they let anyone submit as long as it fits the category requested. On March 4th they are accepting middle grade only. Click here for all the details.
- Publishers Lunch is a daily newsletter about the publishing industry and its free. The source is from the well known Publishers Marketplace. You can get even more detailed publishing data by subscribing to their site on a monthly basis ($25). Highly recommended if you are querying and you can stop the subscription after any month.
- Great!storybook. A compilation of articles on a variety of writing topics including querying compiled by author, Chazda Albright. Warning: Visiting this site could cause several hours to fly by. Here are just a few articles I found:
top-20-childrens-book-agents-2015
find-the-right-agent-for-you-tips-resources
So now you have it all… except the delicious cupcakes Anna-Maria served.
Thanks for the great resources. Over the weekend I networked with other authors at an event and the topic of agents came up. Since I pitched directly to an editor I never had an agent but now I’m thinking of getting one.
Dang! No cupcakes! Thanks for the links, though.
These are great resources. The PB community is lucky to have Julie Hedlund and her 12×12 program, where can submit PB MS monthly to an agent. That’s why going to conferences is so important. Thanks for the info on The Plot Doctor, new to me!
Awesome!! This looks really helpful for all the aspiring authors (including me) out there!
P.S. I really hope that I can have some cupcakes soon. Mmmmm…
Thanks for these resources. I may use the Plot Doctors–what a great concept.