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  • Agent Spotlights & Interviews have been updated through the letter "H" as of 5/11/2023 and many have been reviewed by the agents. Look for more information as I find the time to update more agent spotlights.

Literary Agent Interview: Kaitlyn Sanchez Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Kaitlyn Sanchez here. She is a literary agent at Bradford Literary Agency.

Status: Kaitlyn is open to queries until 6/6/2023. She periodically reopens for submissions so check her agency website and follow her on Twitter to find out when she is open to submissions again.

Hi Kaitlyn! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Kaitlyn:

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

Thanks so much for having me! I started in the publishing industry as a picture book writer. I love, love, loved critiquing, so I was in 9 critique groups - haha wouldn't recommend it. A little over three years ago, one of my critique groups and I became obsessed with Susanna Hill and Vivian Kirkfeld's contests, which start in October and go through March. If you're a winner, you could get a critique from someone in the industry or a wonderful book, etc. So when March came we were super upset that it would be MONTHS until we could compete again, so one critique partner, Ciara O'Neal, suggested we make our own contest, just in our group and I suggested we take it to the masses, and so we did! And do you know what my favorite part was? Connecting creators! I was very lucky to be critique partners with James McGowan and Andrea Walker, who were both agency interns at the time, and I asked them, if that's what an agent does: help edit stories and connect clients to those who will publish their book, and they said yes. So I did what any rational millennial does and posted on Twitter that my new goal was to be an agent. Andrea connected me with her agency, Olswanger Literary, and one of my other critique partners, Melissa Coffey, helped me with the resume, and the rest is history!

I'm absolutely blown away that in the past three years, we have sold over 30 of my clients' books - I'm so lucky to be part of such a wonderful and creative team.

About the Agency:

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

Bradford Literary Agency is a boutique agency which offers a full range of representation services to authors who are both published and pre-published. Our mission at Bradford Literary Agency is to form true partnerships with our clients and build long-term relationships that extend from the first draft through the length of the creator’s career.

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 all kidlit stories from PB-YA with a particular interest in PB and MG. I'm always looking for unique picture books, middle grade novels, and young adult novels that are funny and/or sweet. I love adventures, mysteries, sci fi, and light fantasy. I'm particularly drawn to diverse stories and compelling voices. For more info, check out my MSWL https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/kaitlyn-sanchez/

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

I'm a sucker for bada$$ characters, funny characters, and unique hooky commercial premises for middle grade and young adult. For picture books, I'm on the lookout for super funny and/or super unique stories that I haven't seen before.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

Please note: I don't bring on clients for board books, chapter books, or adult novels, though of course, I do represent them if one of my current clients writes one. For picture books, I'm generally not the best fit for didactic stories or stories focused on the classroom (as a teacher, I'm in the classroom all the time - I prefer an escape when I'm reading) though of course for middle grade and young adult so much of their time is spent in classrooms that it's totally fine to be in class. I'm often not the best fit for pirates and dragons either, but guess what? I have all of the previous things that I shared I'm not the best for either on my list or of interest to me in my query box because they're done in a unique way, so essentially, if you write a great story, send it my way!

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?

Great question! My main philosophy is that we're a team and we work together to get their beautiful books into the world, and it's my job to help support them once the book has a deal.

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?

I'm definitely editorial as I think part of my job is to use the feedback I receive and utilize it to help get my clients' work as ready as it can be before we send it to editors, but my process varies by client and what they need.

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

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

Thanks for asking, queries can be submitted through this link https://bradfordlit.com/kaitlyn-sanchez/, and for the letter, I love seeing a pitch and how the author or illustrator or author-illustrator relates to the project.

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

I prefer to stay positive, so please see above for the things I like. :)

Response Time:

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

It always depends, but I think query tracker has this info if you're interested.

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?

I'm definitely open to representing clients who have self-published previously. My advice is to have awesome projects ready to go to entice an agent to represent you!

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?

I think the role of agents will always be to help their clients get their beautiful books into the world and support them in their careers.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

Thanks for asking! I could talk all day about my amazing clients, check them all out here: https://kaitlynleannsanchez.com/literary-clients/

Interviews and Guest Posts:

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

Of course! All my Literary Agent info and posts can be found here:

 https://kaitlynleannsanchez.com/

Interview at the Mixed-Up Files (11/2023)

Links and Contact Info:

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

Queries: https://bradfordlit.com/kaitlyn-sanchez/

Website: https://kaitlynleannsanchez.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaitlynLeann17?s=09

Additional Advice:

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

Write what you love, and practice, practice, practice (prompts, contests, etc.) until you find your intriguing voice that readers just have to have!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Kaitlyn.

Thank you for having me, Natalie! I love giving back to the writing community!

Kaitlyn is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through June 17th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that's okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you follow me on Twitter or 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 email 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.

 

50 comments:

nisha said...

Thanks for sharing this great interview with Kaitlyn, Natalie! "I prefer to stay positive, so please see above for the things I like." 🥰

kfiechtn said...

Haha so glad you liked the positivity! I get it from my dad and he's one of my favorite people ever, so that makes me extra happy that you enjoy it too!

Kaitlyn Sanchez said...

Sorry if it wasn't clear that reply was from me (Kaitlyn) as it just had my screen named thanks again for reading, Nisha!

Anonymous said...

Thank you! What an amazing opportunity. I follow you on Twitter as well.

Kaitlyn Sanchez said...

Yay! Thanks so much!

Melissa Coffey said...

Another fabulous interview! Kaitlyn, you are a kidlit tour de force, and I am honored to be part of your amazing journey as you bring these amazing books into the world. Brava! ❤️📚🤩

MCD said...

Great interview! It’s wonderful to learn more about all that you’re doing. Thanks so much!

Kamilla said...

Thanks for this interview! I loved hearing about your backstory of becoming an agent.

Kim said...

Haha! I love your "prefer to stay positive"

Anonymous said...

Always so lovely to hear from Kaitlyn and learn more about how she thinks and works. I liked the "prefer to stay positive" response, too! Love that. Thanks for another fab interview, Natalie.

Cait Darfler said...

I love hearing stories or tid-bits from agents. Thank you!

Lauri Meyers said...

Love the Spring Fling Kidlit contest! Also, love the book "Whatever comes tomorrow" by Rebecca Levington on Kaitlyn's list. very impressed by Kaitlyn's high number of sales in a short time.

Angie Quantrell said...

Wonderful agent interview! Thanks for sharing with us, Kaitlyn!

CJ Penko said...

You're a rockstar, Kaitlyn. So helpful. So cheerful. Such a breath of fresh air. Thanks so much for always giving back to the writing community. I love your interviews. 📚❤️

Valinora Troy said...

Another great agent interview! Thanks, Natalie!

Michelle Renee Stimpson said...

This interview really inspired me to keep trying! I took a long query break, but I think I'm ready to try again. I would love to win a critique. michelle.r.stimpson@gmail.com

ptnozell said...

Thanks Natalie & Kaitlyn for the wonderfully insightful interview & query critique opportunity. I'll be sharing this on twitter.

Jayme Inman said...

I love that Kaitlyn likes funny. So many people in the industry seem so serious these days. It would be a real treat to get some feedback from her on my query. Thanks for bringing us these interviews - we learn so much.

Lauri Fortino said...

So nice to learn more about you, Kaitlyn! laurifortino@gmail.com

Chelly Writes said...

Another great interview! Thank you.

lkrichmanauthor said...

Love the creative, positive vibes - great interview.

Cheryl Johnson said...

Always great to read up on an agent! Thanks for the interview.

nashvillecats2 said...

Great interview Natalie a pleasure to read.
Will be back from time to time....... have to have treatment on my eyes which has cataracts.
Hope all is well with you.
Enjoy your weekend.
Yvonne.

Cricket Muse said...

I enjoy Natalie's enthusiasm to support writers. Yes, I am definitely interested in a critique.
Blue Skies-
Pam

Karen Rafeedie said...

Thank you Natalie -- and loved learning more about you, Kaitlyn! (I'd love a critique)

Andi Chitty said...

Kaitlyn is so great at giving back to the community! Thank you for another great interview, Natalie and Kaitlyn!

Susan schwartz Twiggs said...

Kaitlyn,
You’ve done your homework and fulfilled your intention to become an agent. I respect that. I would love to send a query with you.

Angie B. said...

Kaitlyn is one of the best agent educators out there. I love her webinars.

Suhasini Gupta said...

Thank you, Kaitlyn, for a great inspiring agent interview. I'd love a critique. @thesusankam/thesusankam@gmail.com

Angie B. said...

Followed and commented on twitter

Suhasini Gupta said...

I shared this post on Twitter. Thank you, for giving back to the writing community and for this amazing opportunity!
@thesusankam/thesusankam@gmail.com

Amy Mills said...

I love the good vibes! And I’d love a critique from Kaitlyn! Thank you, Kaitlyn; what a great opportunity! And thank you, Natalie! amesco47@hotmail.com

DMS said...

What an interesting interview. I can't even begin to imagine being in 9 critique groups! WOW! Thanks for sharing!
~Jess

Julie Hauswirth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Julie Hauswirth said...

What a great interview! Thank you Kaitlyn and Natalie- and thanks for the critique opportunity! I also follow you both on twitter and RT'd this post!!
Julie Hauswirth
hauswirthwrites@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Great interview. Thanks! Polasek.lj@gmail.com

Computer Tutor said...

Fun backstory, Kaitlin. I know what you mean about loving reviewing. That's how I became an Amazon Vine reviewer--just kept posting those reviews! Darn about submitting to you. While I think my books READ at an 8th grade level, they are definitely geared to adults. Sigh. Best of luck with your queries.

K!RAN said...

Such a great opportunity. I have shared this post on twitter as well. I got to know about Kaitlyn through Children's Book Academy and her vibe was so positive and encouraging. I participated in Spring Fling Contest as well this year. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity. I am not sure how I missed to comment earlier.

Regards,
Kiran Nair (@kiranvazir)

Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction said...

I always love reading these interviews and getting the perspectives of lots of different people in the industry. Thanks for sharing!

Leela said...

I'm an email subscriber.

satkins said...

I think that having a person with your knowledge for new and upcoming authors to talk to is great,please keep it up - thanks

Kristen Indahl said...

Love how you're always so upbeat and supportive, Kaitlyn. Thanks for the interview, Natalie!

Bri Lawyer said...

Thanks for the great interview and critique giveaway, Kaitlyn and Natalie!
Brilawyer@gmail.com

Reply

Shamaila J said...

Great interview. I would love to enter the critique giveaway - shamaila.siddique@gmail.com

Maria Altizer said...

Thanks for this great interview. I'd love to be part of the critique giveaway. maria@mariaaltizer.com

@melissa_trempe said...

Thank you for sharing this great interview! Kaitlyn has great insights and is a wonderful champion for her clients. I'd love a critique!

Angie Laginess said...

Kaitlyn, I love that your energy positively JUMPS from the page! As a fellow teacher, I also try to focus on the positive side of things. It helps to bring out the best in my students, myself, and everyone I meet. I appreciate your insights here and all that you share. I'd love to be a part of the critique giveaway. I'm just sorry I missed your PB query window during the last few days of school. My email is: angela.laginess@gmail.com. Good luck to everyone!! p.s. thanks to Natalie for sharing on the SCBWI-MI email. I wouldn't have found you otherwise!

Marty said...

What an uplifting interview! Natalie!! Thank you for bringing the world of agents our way and giving us the opportunity for a more personal conversation. I laughed to hear Kaitlyn say she is still playing soccer!I'm a runner and was in adult tumbling before we moved, closing my eyes and flipping into a bundle of balls and finding out I could be brave. There's a time to roll around and be a kid. Thanks Natalie! Thanks Kaitlyn!

Marty said...

Oops! I forgot to mention in my comments that I would love to be registered for the opportunity to send to Kaitlyn! I'm not sure whether you still need an email acknowledgment.
Marty (Martha)
@
martygra1@sbcglobal.net


Katie said...

I love these interviews! I thought I was pushing it once with three different critique groups, so I can't even imagine nine...so cool that a love of critiquing is what brought Katilyn to agenting.