Guess who’s back! It’s been a long time but I am so excited to be reading your queries again soon. Working with writers is my favorite part of the job and I can’t wait to read the work you’ve produced during my hiatus.
I am making some changes to my process to keep things running as smoothly as possible. Submission periods will now be organized in themed rounds. This will help writers know exactly what I am looking for and help me reply to queries faster. After nearly 3 years as an agent I have a good sense of the type of writing I’m eager to add to my list. In 2021. I’ll be looking for children’s books, chaste romance, historical fiction, family sagas, and fantasy.
Submissions will also have pre-set closing parameters. Each round will end after two months, or if I received 100 queries, or if I sign 2 clients—whichever comes first. Predetermined breaks will help me avoid burnout, so I don’t have to close for so long (14 months!) again.
Finally, I will only give feedback if I request full manuscripts. This is the hardest change to make. Although I’ve talked about how queries are not the place to get feedback, I understand that getting a “no” without a “why” is frustrating. Still, giving feedback slows down my query reading significantly. Sometimes queries I don’t connect with sit in my inbox for extra weeks simply because I can’t articulate why I’m passing clearly enough. That’s not fair to anyone. Please understand that when I send you a form rejection, I am doing so to respect your time. If you are looking for feedback, I highly recommend writing groups and writer conferences.
With that out of the way, I’m happy to unveil round 1!
Round 1: Kidlit by Black Canadian writers
Opening: Monday Nov 9, 2020
Closing: Saturday Jan 9, 2021 // when I receive 100 queries // when I sign 2 clients
Don’t send me: Picture books. Graphic novels. Books with no human characters. Horror or gore. Books that “teach a lesson”
Do send me: Chapters books and higher. Books kids will choose for themselves. Books about family and friends. Funny books. Books filled with adventure. Science fiction and fantasy. Historical fiction. Engaging non-fiction for older readers. Think your book could fit in the image above? I want to read it.
Submit using my query form only. I will not read queries sent by email.
For more information on how I choose clients, check out this post. And if you have questions feel free to ask me on Twitter @leonicka.
