AGENT SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH MELISSA RICHESON AND QUERY CRITIQUE GIVEAWAY

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Melissa Richeson here. She is an associate literary agent at Apokedak Literary Agency.

Hi­ Melissa! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Melissa:

1.   Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.   

       

Short story: I became an agent after interning for Sally at the Apokedak Literary Agency for about a year. Long story: Sally and I met at a conference a few years ago, and I appreciated her insight and vision for the children’s book industry right away. When she opened her own agency, I applied for an internship in hopes of learning more about children’s books overall. During that year, I learned a lot about the business side of the publishing industry, which really piqued my interest, since I have a background in marketing. This past spring, Sally took a leap of faith and promoted me to associate agent. :)

About the Agency:

2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

We’re a small, boutique agency, which I think gives us an edge in terms of personal service for and personal interaction with our clients. We’re also editorial, which means we like to help authors shine up the little things in the manuscript before submission. You only get one shot when it comes to submissions—might as well make it the best it can be! We also request the full manuscript and synopsis at time of query in an effort to really immerse ourselves in the storyline. We recognize that a story is more than its first pages (though first pages are still very important!). 

What She’s Looking For:

3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

I represent PB through YA. I’m drawn to witty wording and whimsical design for picture books, humor and quick pacing for chapter books, charming mysteries or low fantasy in middle grade, and lyrical, magical, character-driven stories in young adult.

4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to see in the genres you are interested in?

In YA, I’d love to see more clean contemporary that’s aimed at younger readers, a smart, non-violent mystery, or a lighthearted rom-com with a witty, unpredictable twist. I’d also love fresh, hook-y MG—extra bonus points for non-bathroom humor.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

5. What types of submissions are you not interested in? 

No horror, graphic violence, or erotica, please. Paranormal and sci-fi don’t usually fit my taste either, but I can be persuaded with a strong character arc.

Agent Philosophy:

6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

My philosophy—altruism, happiness, and fun! I want to represent authors who want to make the world a better place. I want to represent projects that make children feel happy and loved. And making books for kids should be fun!

Editorial Agent:

7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

Yes. I make suggestions at both a concept level and a line level, usually based on my perceptions of marketability. Many times there will be multiple back-and-forth documents as we work together toward a final version. But the ultimate say goes to the author, of course.

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see in the query letter?

I accept queries over e-mail (see below). I like short and sweet query letters that give me a good taste for the story in just a few sentences. Also, I think it’s best to keep the bio portion relevant to the project at hand. I really enjoy reading queries, so don’t be nervous! :)

9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?

I dislike it when people aren’t nice—a bullying tone (telling me I have to take a project on or else) is a turn off. It tells me that the author will not be pleasant to work with. I also dislike an impatiently worded followup. And I especially dislike a rude response to my polite, personal decision. (I was once told to squeeze a pair of sea urchins, among other things. Not nice.) 

Response Time:

10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

Our official agency line is twelve weeks or less for a decision, since the full manuscript should be attached in the first place. Because I’m still building my list, I try my best to keep it under the four week mark personally…but that’s not a promise. ;)

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

Sure! But it’s in your best interest to query something new. Moving a previously published book to a different house is not my area of expertise. A new manuscript allows for a fresh start!

12. With all the changes in publishing—self-publishing, hybrid authors, more small publishers—do you see the role of agents changing at all? Why?

Time will tell, I suppose. Right now I see myself as an advocate for authors while also looking out for editors. That’s why I take the editorial part of my role so seriously—I want to give authors the best chance, AND I also want to give editors a story worth falling in love with.

Interviews and Guest Posts:

13. Please share the links to any interviews and guest posts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

http://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/2019/03/the-magic-of-persistent-polite-querying/

https://www.pbspotlight.com/single-post/2019/04/08/Agent-Spotlight-Melissa-Richeson

http://sally-apokedak.com/2019/07/16/the-problem-of-tension/

Links and Contact Info:

14. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.  

Please submit a query letter plus the first ten pages pasted into the body of the email; add the full manuscript and synopsis as attachments. 

Email: melissa.richeson at apokedakliterary dot com 

Twitter: @MelissaRicheson

Additional Advice:

15. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

Never underestimate the power of a critique group. I know it can be scary to have other people look at and pick apart your work, but the experience is so valuable. (In fact, those who mention being part of a critique group in their query letter always get a little extra attention from me, honestly.) Also, don’t give up! Rejections will happen at every level—learn from them and press on. Your story will not resonate with everyone—that’s just the nature of this subjective business. Keep going until you find the right people to champion your work. 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Melissa.

­Melissa is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follower button if you're not a follower) and leave a comment through September 7th.  If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter either contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that's okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.