Literary Agent Interview: Jenny Lewis and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Jenny Lewis here. She is an associate agent at Darhansoff & Verrill Literary Agents. 

Hi­ Jenny! Thanks so much for joining us. 

About Jenny: 

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

 

Like almost everyone who ends up in publishing, I was always a bookworm and loved reading. Publishing was always in the back of my mind, but it felt more like a concept than a career—like a job you could only do if you were Kate Hudson in a 2005 rom-com. I settled on journalism as a back-up, but after my mom got sick, I changed courses. I moved back home to care for her, and found myself back in my childhood bedroom, looking to the books I loved growing up for the comfort and escape they once brought me. Publishing began to feel more tangible after that—it’s cheesy and idealistic, but I wanted to be a part of the process that brought these books to people who needed them as much as I did.

 

I landed an internship with Writers House, and before the end of my first day, I was hooked—it was entirely different than I had expected, but I loved that the job married editorial creativity with author advocacy. I got my first job at Sobel Weber Associates, where I worked for three years assisting and agenting. I briefly pivoted to the publishing house side, and while it was enlightening to see how things work on the other side of the table, I really missed working directly with authors. I made the move to Darhansoff and Verrill in June, and I’m thrilled to be building my list here. Publishing isn’t always as glamorous as rom-com heroines made it look, but I feel incredibly lucky to have landed in a role I love! 

About the Agency: 

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

Darhansoff and Verrill is a full-service boutique literary agency that has been in business since 1975, representing high-quality fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books. We are agents and advocates, readers and editors, negotiators and mediators. The market may fluctuate and the industry may shift, but we remain steadfast champions of creative work. 

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’m primarily looking for middle grade, YA, and adult fiction! Voice is always what hooks me first, above all else—I love when an author can balance humor and heart without turning too saccharine or too sarcastic. My taste varies across genres, but you can always check out my current wishlist here! I update it semi-obsessively and it’s perhaps overly comprehensive, so you can always check back to see my current taste. 

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

Growing up, I was obsessed with what I’ve come to call “orphan lit”—give me a middle-grade protagonist that would fit right in to a Dickensian novel and I’m hooked. I know it’s not as popular now as it was when I was growing up, but I do think there’s something timeless to the magic and whimsy in those stories. I’d love to see the next MOLLY MOON or SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS that speaks to the issues kids are facing today. 

In YA, I’d love to see more campus novels, especially if they feature a daring or outspoken female protagonist (think THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS). Boarding school and college novels almost always hook me, so long as they are based in the real world. I love a touch of snark in YA, so bring on your moody, angsty protagonists! 

In adult, I’m a sucker for “weird-girl lit”, and I’m always looking for messy protagonists that challenge me. Anything that sits at the intersection of horrifying and heartening is sure to hook me. 

What She Isn’t Looking For: 

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

I’m not necessarily one for strict genre works. I love a high-concept hook and genre blending, but I prefer works that are firmly grounded in the real world. Touches of magic or sci-fi are always welcome, but I’m probably not the right agent for fully-crafted fantasy worlds. Right now, I’m also not looking for picture books. 

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? 

The author-agent relationship is far more collaborative than many people usually realize from outside the industry, so above all else, I’m looking for authors who I can build a partnership with long-term. In that partnership, mutual and open-ended communication is extraordinarily important to me. Authors need to be receptive to critiques and editorial advice based on a quickly-shifting market, but I also think it’s important that an author feels empowered to speak up if those changes detract from their editorial vision of their work. I take the position that my editorial notes are a jumping-off point for us to collaborate on crafting the best version of your manuscript that we can. 

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 love the editorial process, and it’s so rewarding to see authors have their editorial visions come to life. It’s not uncommon for me to go through a few rounds of edits with a client, first working through big-picture developmental or structural edits, and then moving on to line-edits before we go on sub. I aim to make the process as collaborative as possible. 

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? 

All submissions should be sent to submissions@dvagency.com! I’m the person at the agency who reads the lion’s share of the queries, and it’s one of the most fun parts of the job. The one thing I frequently see missing from queries is a clear articulation of the stakes. Authors can tend to leave that vague to avoid spoilers, but as an agent, I want spoilers. I want to see that you’ve thought through and can express your characters’ motivations, obstacles, and the stakes they face—it tells me a lot about your craft and your ability to implement the kind of edits we might need to make. Grounding your query in classical story structure (character à want à obstacle à action against the obstacle) is a really great approach—it’s classic for a reason! 

I also love a personable query—I know a lot of authors get caught up in the etiquette and formality of querying, but if you’re honest and personable, I’m endeared to you and your writing from the start. 

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

Purple prose! I notice a lot of authors over-writing their opening pages in the hope that it’ll hook or impress an agent, but it tends to turn me off fairly quickly; you don’t need to use an adverb to tell me something you could show me through your character’s actions. The best writing is honest and straightforward—that’s not to say it shouldn’t be artful or delicately crafted, but flowery prose is often distracting. Your opening pages should welcome us into the world and voice of your characters, and purple prose is an obstacle for agents and readers. 

Response Time: 

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

I always aim to respond to queries within 4-6 weeks. Once I request a full, I do my best to get back to them within 30 days. I try to keep it as short as possible, but I know how nerve-wracking it can be for authors—if I anticipate it’s going to take longer, I do my best to let the author know. Communication is one of the most important parts of the author-agent relationship, and I try to hold up my end of the bargain! 

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? 

Yes! Self-publishing is not necessarily a plus or minus for me--I approach all queries based on the quality of writing first. My biggest piece of advice for self-published authors looking for representation is to be open to collaboration, feedback, and delays. I’ve said it above, but traditional publishing is a far more collaborative (and far slower paced) than self-published authors often anticipate. As long as you come in with an open mind, we will too. 

Clients: 

12. Who are some of the authors you represent? 

Having just moved to Darhansoff and Verrill this summer, I’m still actively building my list. I don’t want to reveal anyone’s agented news before they’ve had the chance to do it themselves, but I’m looking forward to some reveals soon! 

Interviews and Guest Posts: 

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

My Publisher’s Marketplace page and Manuscript Wishlist are the best place to find this info—check them out to get a better idea of what I’m interested in before you query! 

Links and Contact Info: 

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

Queries should be sent directly to submissions@dvagency.com. Please indicate in the subject line if you’re querying me or one of my colleagues! I’m trying to stay off socials these days, but you can (sporadically) find me on Twitter and Bluesky.  

Additional Advice: 

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

A lot of other agents have offered this advice, but I think it’s worth repeating that “no” is a word both agents and authors are used to hearing a lot. Querying can be such a vulnerable and intimidating process, and it can haunt even the most talented writers. Above all else, I’d encourage authors to a) remember that querying at all is a (genuinely!) brave and hopeful act, and I applaud anyone who is brave and hopeful enough to endeavor on the path to publication, and b) to remember that rejection is almost never personal—I know it gets grating to hear (or not hear) rejections, but a “no” should never be a deterrent to moving forward. Keep writing, keep taking feedback, and keep going! 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Jenny! 

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. 

🎉 ENTER THE LITERARY RAMBLES QUERY CRITIQUE GIVEAWAY! 🎉 

Want to get your book pitch polished by a professional? Enter today for a chance to win a free query critique from literary agent Jenny! 

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🌍 This giveaway is open internationally! You must be 13 years or older to enter. 

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

• Monday, October 25th: Interview with Jackie Garcia Morales and a giveaway of her MG Pesky Rules
• Monday, November 1st: Participating in the Thanks a Latte Giveaway Hop
• Wednesday, November 3rd: Interview with Angela Cheng and a giveaway of her YA The Fast Track
• Monday, November 9th: Interview with Karen Foxlee and a giveaway of The Wonderous Tale of Lavender Wolfe
• Wednesday, November 11th: Agent spotlight interview with Riley Jay Davis and a query critique giveaway 

I hope to see you on Monday!