Every now and then, I'll be re-posting popular posts from my old blog, Words With You.
This particular post was originally created in July of 2014 and has over 7,000 views! It's all about my experience with querying . . . and what it was like to query Jodi Reamer.
Check it out below!
If you don't know who Jodi Reamer is . . . well, welcome, my friends. Welcome to the world of Literary agents.
First off: What is a literary agent?
According to Google,
"A literary agent is a professional agent who acts on behalf of an author in dealing with publishers and others involved in promoting the author's work. "
Basically, a literary agent is a bad-ass professional agent who works harder than any other person in the world (in my opinion,) to help make authors dreams come true--at least most of the time. They assist in jobs that range from editing client's projects, to things like contracting negotiations. They're pretty hardcore. And if they believe in you, and your manuscript, they'll do whatever it takes to get it into the hands of an editor/publishing house who loves it as well.
So, who is Jodi Reamer you might ask?
Jodi Reamer is a literary agent for Writer's House. But you might know her as the agent who made Stephanie Meyer, the author of the Twilight Saga, dreams come true.
Or, you may know her as John Green's super-nova, hot-shot literary agent.
According to her Publisher's Marketplace profile, she represents children's books, YA books, and adult books, but her main focus is on commercial fiction.
Have you queried Jodi Reamer? How did it work out?
Yes. I have indeed queried Reamer and her assistant, Alec Shane. But no, it did not work out for me. I queried her the first novel I'd ever written. And, God-bless her and Mr. Shane for having to look over it. (Also, if you're reading this, I sincerely apologize for making your ogles burn.) Well, anyway, sent a form rejection saying that it wasn't right for them at the time. And I was crushed. I was 18, and I thought that they were the perfect fit for that project. But we all learn eventually, don't we?
What was the response time?
Jodi Reamer's responses range from 6-8 weeks. I queried her in January and got a response in March. However, response times vary depending on if you are doing snail mail, or sending an email.
Would you ever query her again?
Of course! As a writer seeking publication, I can't take rejections too harshly. It's a competitive business and agents strive for the best of the best. But hey, once my manuscript is done with it's 2,000,000,162 edit, I wouldn't mind tossing my query her way. You never know what could happen.
How can I query Jodi Reamer?
You can contact Jodi by following the guidelines on the Writer's House website and visiting her page on Publisher's Marketplace.
But remember, Jodi Reamer is a busy woman--just take a look at her client's list.
Good luck with everything!
Till next time blog world.