Announcing Diverse Voices Twitter Contest: #DVPit

I have some exciting news:

Fabulous agent Beth Phelan of the Bent Agency is holding a twitter pitch contest for diverse voices.

Time to polish those pitches and shine up your manuscript -- this could be it! The moment your baby catches dream agent's eye.

WHEN:
April 19 from 8:00AM EST until 8:00PM EST.

Please only tweet your pitches during that block of time.

WHAT IS #DVPIT:
#DVpit is a Twitter event created to showcase work about and especially by marginalized voices. This includes (but is not limited to): Native peoples and people of color; people living and/or born/raised in underrepresented cultures and countries; disabled persons; people with illness; people on marginalized ends of the socioeconomic, cultural and/or religious spectrum; people identifying as LGBTQIA+; and more.

ACCEPTING ALL CATEGORIES:
Adults, YA, MG, PB, and Nonfiction.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

1. You may pitch more than one project at a time.        
2. Please pitch no more than once per hour, per manuscript
3. Pitch your completed, unpublished manuscripts.
4. You may use the same pitch, or shake things up by using different pitches for the same project. 

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

 

Your pitch must fit the 140-character max, and must also include the hashtag #DVpit.         

 

Space is premium, but best to include category and/or genre hashtags.       

Please do not tweet the agents/editors directly!        

 

HOW THE CONTEST WORKS:

 

Agents/editors will <3 your pitch if they’d like to see material from you, so please don’t <3  other authors’ pitches. Please also do not retweet. To show support, you can always reply with compliments.

 

Each agent/editor will have their own preferences for receiving submissions, so if you get a <3 from someone, please refer to their Twitter feed to see what they ask for, and how you can contact them.

 

All of these agents/editors are invested in finding more marginalized voices.

If you're comfortable doing so, consider self-identifying in your query. Alternatively, your query can let agents know that the story and/or character(s) reflect your own experience.

This is also a good idea for the pitches -- if you have the space and the inclination.

 

If you see that multiple agents/editors from the same group have <3 your pitch, please contact them directly for their policy, or reach out to @beth_phelan. She will be happy to find out for you.

 

Keep in mind that many agents/editors will get sidetracked with their usual work or unexpected crises and may have to revisit the feed after the event is over. So don’t be surprised if you receive s after the period closes!

PARTICIPATING AGENTS:

Please be sure to research any agent or publisher that <3 your pitch. There is no obligation to submit your work to anyone you don’t want to.

Agents:

The Bent Agency            

• • Beth Phelan, @beth_phelan
  • Jenny Bent, @jennybent
  • Heather Flaherty, @HeddaFlaherty
  • Victoria Lowes, @torilowes
  • Susan Hawk, @susanhawk
  • Brooks Sherman, @byobrooks
  • Gemma Cooper, @gemma_cooper
  • Molly Ker Hawn, @mollykh
  • Louise Fury, @louisefury
 
 
• Ayesha Pande Literary
  • Ayesha Pande, @agent_ayesha
 
 
• Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency
  • Jennifer Udden, @suddenlyjen
 
 
• Bradford Literary Agency
  • Laura Bradford, @bradfordlit
  • Sarah LaPolla, @sarahlapolla
  • Monica Odom, @modomodom
 
 
• Carol Mann Literary Agency
  • Lydia Shamah, @LydiaShamah
 
 
• CK Webber Associates
  • Carlie Webber, @carliebeth
 
 
• Corvisiero Literary Agency
  • Saritza Hernandez, @epubagent
  • Cate Hart, @CateHart
  • Vanessa Robins, @VanessaRobins7
 
 
• The Deborah Harris Agency
  • Rena Rossner, @renarossner
 
 
• Dystel & Goderich Literary Management*
  • Jim McCarthy, @JimMcCarthy528
 
 
• Fine Print Literary Management
  • Penny Moore, @precociouspenny
 
 
• Foundry Literary + Media
  • Jess Regel, @jessregel
 
 
• Full Circle Literary
  • Adriana Dominguez, @VocesBlog
  • Taylor Martindale Kean, @TMartindaleKean
  • Stefanie Von Borstel, @FullCircleLit
 
 
• Fuse Literary
  • Emily Keyes, @esc_key
  • Tricia Skinner, @AuthorTrish
 
 
• Gelfman Schneider/ICM Partners
  • Victoria Marini, @LitAgentMarini
 
 
• Inklings Literary Agency
  • Whitley Abell, @whitleyabell
 
 
• Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency
  • Laura Biagi, @LauraJBiagi
 
 
• Kimberley Cameron & Associates
  • Amy Cloughley, @AmyCloughley
  • Mary C. Moore, @Mary_C_Moore
 
 
• L. Perkins Agency
  • Rachel Brooks, @RachMBrooks
  • Leon Husock, @LeonHusock
 
 
• Liza Dawson Associates
  • Caitie Flum, @caitief
 
 
• Mansion Literary
  • Michelle Witte, @michellewitte
 
 
• Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
  • Patricia Nelson, @patricianels
 
 
• New Leaf Literary
  • Pete Knapp, @petejknapp
 
 
• Prospect Agency
  • Carrie Pestritto, @literarycarrie
  • Linda Camacho, @LindaRandom
  • Kirsten Carleton, @kirstencarleton
 
 
• PS Literary
  • Carly Watters, @carlywatters
 
 
• Red Sofa Literary
  • Laura Zats, @LZats
 
 
• Rees Literary
  • Rebecca Podos, @RebeccaPodos
 
 
• Riggs Literary
  • Maggie Riggs, @maggie_riggs
 
 
• Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency
  • Thao Le, @ThaoLe8
 
 
• Sarah Jane Freymann
  • Jessica Sinsheimer, @jsinsheim
 
 
• Sheldon Fogelman Agency
  • Amy Stern, @yasubscription
 
 
• Thompson Literary Agency
  • Cindy Uh, @hicindyuh
 
 
• Writers House
• Brianne Johnson, @SecretAgentBri 

Editors:

  Entangled Publishing            

• • Kate Brauning, @KateBrauning
  • Lydia Sharp, @lydia_sharp
 
 
• Harlequin
  • Carly Silver, @CarlyASilver
  • Tahra Seplowin, @calixofcoffee
 
 
• Harlequin / Carina Press
  • Libby Murphy, @Libby_Murphy
  • Rhonda Helms, @rhondaedits
 
 
• Samhain Publishing
  • Latoya Smith, @GlamEditor_Girl

 *This person will visit the feed after the event has closed due to travel

Want help with your pitch?

A few (amazing) people have offered help with pitches for the marginalized writers participating in #DVpit.

  

Kayla Whaley (@PunkinOnWheels), client of mine, brilliant essayist, and @DisabilityInLit editor, can be reached at kayla.m.whaley [at] gmail [dot] com for pitch help. If you are as grateful for her help with this as I am, and looking for a way to support her, consider buying her a coffee!
Disabled authors writing YA/MG featuring a disabled MC can also reach out to Marieke Nijkamp (@mariekeyn) for pitch help! Message her through her website and while you’re there, just saying, you should totally check out THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS, her outstanding debut published by Sourcebooks Fire on January 5, 2016. To sweeten the deal even more, literary agent Caitie Flum (@caitief) of Liza Dawson Associates is adding a bonus incentive here: she’ll critique the first 40 queries by writers whose pitches come through Marieke!
You can also reach out to the incredible Natasha Razi (who ALSO happens to be the winner of my Diverse Voices query contest, mind you) for pitch help at @swingingstorm. Marginalized authors who reach out on Twitter will receive her email address via DM.
Nita Tyndall (@NitaTyndall) is a @TheGayYA moderator, @DiverseBooks Social Media Coordinator, and repped by one of the wonderful agents participating in this event—Emily Keyes. LGBTQIA+ writers can contact Nita for pitch help through her website and express gratitude by buying her a coffee!
You can also get help from freelance editor and author coach Julie Sadler (@julie_francess), who has graciously offered free pitch and/or query help to participating disabled writers of YA, NA, fantasy, romance, and memoir. She’s also offering first-come-first-serve editing to any participating disabled writers who want a final polish on their manuscript ahead of #DVpit, for barter/pay-what-you-can. Contact her at sadler.julie [at] gmail [dot] com!
Participating writers, especially those writing gay male protagonists, can seek expert pitch and/or query help from Mark O’Brien (@mobrienbooks). Mark is a YA contemporary writer represented by the Bent Agency’s own Heather Flaherty, and he is also an editorial intern with Entangled Publishing. Worth noting that Mark is a #pitmad and Pitch Wars veteran, so he knows his stuff! Writers can contact him directly at markobrienbooks [at] gmail [dot] com.
Finally, please take Kristen Ciccarelli (@twocentsparrow) up on her offer to critique pitches and queries! Kristen is also represented by Heather Flaherty at the Bent Agency, and she specializes in YA (all genres) and women’s fiction. Fun facts: she was mentored by YA author Franny Billingsley and was Renee Ahdieh and Traci Chee’s mentee during this past fall’s Pitch Wars. You can contact Kristen through her website and you should bookmark this author anyway… She is one to watch!
These are great opportunities from people with invaluable experience! Take advantage of them! (But say thank you however you can.)

  

For more help with your pitch and etiquette questions, here are some links to read while you wait for #DVpit!
Look here for a post by the Bent Agency’s own Victoria Lowes (@torilowes) that includes some really great tips.
And another writers’ guide by agent participant Carly Watters (@carlywatters) of P.S. Literary can be found here with some illuminating examples.
Sadly, an account of why you should always research and NOT be afraid to decline sending material to anyone you’re uncomfortable sending to can be found here.
Now you must need a pick-me-up, right? Click here to find success stories through Brenda Drake’s incredible #pitmad.

PITCH WELL!!!

 

GOOD LUCK!!!!

First Conference - No Longer a Newbie

So, conferences!!

I finally attended my first SCBWI.

I awoke at an hour I thought I'd escaped when my youngest started sleeping through the night .... and drove to Scottsdale.

It was everything I'd hoped for. Nice people, smart and funny faculty, and I learned things -- lots of great things.

For example, here's something interesting: when you're querying, even if you've never been published, you should be clear that you're querying your 2nd (or 3rd or 4th or whatever) novel. According to John Cusick of Greenhouse Literary, this way an agent can see that you're working on your craft  -- especially if you're querying the same agents. And querying the same agents, he says -- even if they've declined your projects in the past -- is a good thing to do, because it shows you're actually interested in working with those agents.

Yay! Because I was under the impression that since I've never been published, I had to query each novel as my "first" -- even though I'm actually about to start querying my 3rd.

And I was delighted to hear that querying the same agents is ok too. I researched carefully but did not query my entire list with my first novel. I'm a fan of querying in small batches so I can see whether what I'm throwing against the wall will stick. Obviously my first novel needed work, which is why it garnered NO interest and why it is now in the TO BE REVISED pile.

 I was sad when I thought I'd no longer be able to try again with the agents I'd already queried, even though I think my second novel is better, and am hoping my third will be even closer to good.

Another glad tiding: it's ok to get dark with #MG. I've torn apart my current ms because I was afraid I had written too scary. In spite of the likes of Garth Nix and Neil Gaiman, I wondered whether a new author could really get away with don't-turn-out-the-lights stuff.

According to both Jaida Temperly of New Leaf Literary and Alison Weiss of Egmont USA, it's ok. Those of us writing scary and dark -- for Upper MG at least -- are ok. As long as it's good writing, of course.

Again, yay!!

Anyone else out there writing scary right now?

End of The Writer's Voice

I realize I should say SOMETHING about The Writer's Voice, because I can't just leave you hanging.

So the contest was amazing because of all the reasons contests are amazing: I met great, supportive writers, had some terrifically helpful mentoring from the fabulous Monica Bustamante Wagner and Stacey Lee, and feel really positive and encouraged about the whole experience. Once again, I must say, this online community of writers is SO wonderful. I love being part of it.

My ms STEVE AND AUSTIN is polished and shiny and I am resisting the urge to be compulsive. I. Will Not. Keep Editing Endlessly.

I did get tagged and also sent out a few more queries.  I am a supremely superstitious person, so I won't say more than that.

Wish me luck!!

Guest Critiquers Announcement

Getting ready for #PitchMadness?
Planning to be part of the next Twitter pitch party?
Think you might sign up for an agent pitch session at the next conference you attend?

Don't wait until the last minute to get your pitch in order. There's always a good reason to have a good pitch for each ms you're querying.  I even think it's a good idea to have a working pitch for WiPs -- keeps you focused.

I'm excited to tell you that for 3 days this week, we'll have the benefit of some amazing guest critiquers looking at our pitches.
Each guest will critique 10 Pitches - the first 10 to post on his or her day.



Wednesday: @SC Author
Thursday: Amy Trueblood (@atrueblood5)
Saturday: Michelle Hauck (@Michelle4Laughs)

Here's how this works:

1) Post your pitch in the comments section.  Tell us your genre: YA, MG, or NA. And for reference, tell us your ms title.
2) The first 10 to post will get a critique from the guest critiquer of the day. After our guest leaves feedback, I hope others will leave feedback as well - the more the merrier.
3) Use the "reply" button to do this rather than making a new comment - I am hoping that will help us keep the feedback organized and easy to follow. Just to be sure, reference the ms title you're critiquing to minimize potential for mixup!
3) As always, please keep your feedback constructive, not mean.

Wednesday Critiques begin at 11am EST. Not before.


For those of you specifically prepping for the upcoming #PitchMadness Clue Edition hosted by Brenda Drake, Sharon Johnston, Summer Heacock, and Rebecca Weston, the contest rules and info are HERE .

See you soon!