Skip to main content

OAI Wish List #1... Ready? Update!

UPDATE NOVEMBER 13

-A YA time travel novel. Especially time traveling to the 1800s or the 20s-50s. 

-A YA contemporary novel in the P
OV of a male.
-Dark YA that deal with real life teen drama.
 


UPDATE! SEE THE ORANGE COLOR FOR THE RECENT ADDED LIST!

 

-I’d love to see a good old-fashioned ghost story that doesn’t frighten me as much as it makes me think. If it turns out to be inspirational, all the better.

And yes, I do consider Inspirational nonfiction.

-I love the unexpected in all genres, I don’t only want to fall in love with the main characters, I want to cheer them on and cry when I reach the final page.
-Stories that investigate social issues realistically without being preachy, judgmental or one-sided thrill me. 

The biggest thing is quality of voice for me.  

So, long answer to short question, I love relevant and effective fiction and nonfiction. What’s effective? I think it’s anything that helps us grow for the better. That’s across the board from picture books to memoir and instructional nonfiction. I love it all.     


Okay guys and dolls! Here is a partial list of wishes.Updates have been added. Just to let you know, I am still waiting on a couple more agents lists and confirmation from THREE more agents and one MAYBE agent. Keep your fingers crossed for yeses!!

ADULT:

Aside from great writing, we are looking for pacing that is stellar, voice that evokes attention in a powerfully interesting way and perspectives that are distinctive and unique.

Also on the list are vibrant characters and succulent and luxurious settings.

International and multicultural locations or stories.

Favorite Authors: Isabel Allende, Barbara Kingsolver, Ann Patchett, Lisa See, Adichie Chimamanda

Genres:

Commercial
Literary
Women's Fiction

Christian and Inspirational:

Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Historic Romance
Romantic Suspense
(one agent also takes books not labeled Inspirational as long as there is no swearing or sex)


Romance (including category)

Non-Fiction

******

NA/YA: Editor Wish List

Paranormal/Supernatural Romance
Urban Fantasy
Who-dun-it Mysteries
Light Horror 
Aliens (wait. That's not a genre, but it was on an agents list!)
ONLY GRIPPING Contemporary
ONLY GRIPPING Historical Romance

Strong femal characters are wonderful, especially with emotional feelings and flaws.
Bad boys are okay if they can be tamed by the strong female!! No abusive boys, though.

Unexpected twists on old favorites will hook this agent in a blink of the eye!  
 

 YA:

Never done before stories
Strong, gripping voices

Favorite Books:  Think, Speak, Fever, I Hunt Killers, Tokyo Heist

-I’d love to see a classic prodigal child/parent/someone with edifying elements for a YA audience. Maybe it’s a long-lost situation or a parent/sibling/person of confidence who’s been on the fringe of someone’s life for too long.

- I’m always on the lookout for really good children’s nonfiction that doesn’t bore kids to sleep. The same for adult nonfiction.

Genres:

edgy/dark Mysteries
edgy/dark Thrillers
intelligent Historical
Contemporary
Fantasy

Unique YA Nonfiction

******

MG

Something that the agent can't put down and talks about for a long time to come.

Voice is definitely the key for me.
If I'm going to sign (and sell) someone or recommend them, then their "voice" has to speak to me.
I have to be able to listen (vocally and on the page) to them through edits and revisions and sales and hopefully their entire career. So, yes, voice is key.


- Characters I'd want as my best friends/partners in crime long after the story ends, whether it's in this world or an alternate universe

...and just to be clear, by middle grade, I mean ages 8-12 (average readers) --- and the content should reflect that... issues should be age-appropriate (not based on lexile-levels).






Comments

  1. Will there be agents that are looking for inspirational non-fiction?

    ReplyDelete
  2. This sounds fantastic . . . I'm thinking of doing a blog hop about what voice is because I don't think a lot of writers understand the elusive 'voice.' I know I didn't for a long time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We'll be having several workshop sessions on voice, so hopefully this will be elusive no more, once the workshops are finished:)

      Delete
  3. "MG

    Something that the agent can't put down and talks about for a long time to come.
    "

    So... if I can just figure out how to rig a packet of superglue to burst when s/he reads my ms... hmm.
    Or do you think s/he means something different?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehe! I know, I'm trying to get more precise than that... hopefully I can get more details soon!

      But the superglue idea is pretty awesome!

      Delete
  4. Sounds like a great opportunity for writers, I'll share this!

    ReplyDelete
  5. So how will this work? Will we be invited to submit queries to individual agents based on what they're looking for, or will we post and hope to be contacted?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Alys.
      The submission packages will be sent to a private email and will be submitted to the agents through a private viewing. Only those who participate in the workshop throughout Nov, Dec, and Jan, will be submitting.
      Thanks!
      Talynn

      Delete
  6. Have you been in touch with Pooja Menon at http://eatlovewritelive.wordpress.com/ ? She's a new agent and looking for clients. I could see her loving being involved with this!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the tip, Ellie. Do you have ESP???

      Delete
    2. LOL, no, but we've crossed on contests before.

      Delete
  7. Ooh, I do have aliens, a smidge of time travel, and I have a return of a long-lost daughter to her homeworld!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Writer In Motion CP feedback

Hey beautiful guys and dolls! Here it is! My CP feedback edited story. Had a hard time with this, but I hope it makes sense. I've got a post I'm working on I plan to put up after Thanksgiving. Here ya go. Enjoy... Every morning I wake to carnival day.  Today, though, I have my key. If I don’t use it before midnight, my way of escape will gone. It’s a silver key with a twisted metal handle, a sapphire stone half moon and engraved stars. There’s a tiny inscription on the moon, but it’s so small, I’ve never been able to read it.I’ve always kept mine in my jewelry box, but today, I string it on a ribbon and tie it around my neck. My two best friends will be wearing theirs, too, and I wonder how they will escape this carnival of dreams. “What’s it for?” Cress asks as we stand in line for the swings. I run my fingertips over the entire silver surface. “I don’t know. It belonged to my grandmother,” I say. “Whatever.” She shrugs her shoulder in a dismissive way. “Have

Insecure Writers Group

Today, my feelings are mixed. On one hand, I've faced more rejection and that's not easy to write about or admit to the world. But I am not crying in my "milk" (no beer, folks:) I want to, but what good would it do??? I received a detailed critique from a "Best First Line" contest. The critique was the best I have ever received and seriously opened my eyes to "how" to improve my writing. Nice! Speaking of critiques, I am still looking for a critique partner. If anyone is looking back, please let me know and we can swap info. I'm sending off a YA query letter and first pages to 3 agents this week. Wish me luck. This will be the first time I have directly contacted and agent with a query. Yes, I'm nervous, so I'm saying again, WISH ME LUCK!!!

Operation Agent Ink

UPDATE: PLEASE FILL OUT THIS QUESTIONNAIRE AFTER YOU SIGN UP. Have you ever wondered what agents were dying to find in their inbox/slush pile? There have been many times I entered a contest and not even received a comment, not even from one of the agents. Or maybe the agent was kind enough to leave a comment that simply said, "Sorry, this just isn't what I'm looking for, but I love the premise and your voice." I always walk away feeling unsatisfied. If I had known exactly what the agent wanted beyond, "YA" or "Fantasy" I might not have even entered a contest I knew I wouldn't win! Even more, I wasted a very busy agents time! Well, your time of guessing is up! OPERATION AGENT INK to the rescue! That's right! This workshop will help aspiring authors get on the list of an agent's WISH LIST! When the workshop is over, your manuscript will be ready to view by a group of AMAZING agents who are dying to see what you've wri