Book signed, Brower is stepping back so editor Beresford and Swyler can finesse the manuscript. So even though I'm looking at upwards of 100, I'm more comfortable somewhere in the 300 range. Food and Cookbooks. Michelle: I have two . Since our founding in 1970, Poets & Writers has served as an information clearinghouse of all matters related to writing. Erika Sanchez Jon Hickey Allison Devereux She loves the business of publishing, and she comes to both her writing and agenting careers with a sense of dedicated focus. The House Girl by Tara Conklin (William Morrow), Perfect Birds by Michele Young-Stone (Simon & Schuster), The Crows of Kusaka Town by JP Romney (Farrar, Straus Childrens), Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella (Amazon Publishing), Trails of the Earth by Mary Mann Hamilton (Little, Brown), The Homing Pigeons by Alex Brunkhorst (Mira), The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth Church (Algonquin), The Home Place by Carrie LaSeur (William Morrow), Things Half In Shadow by Alan Finn (Gallery), The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor (William Morrow), Bourbon Empire: Whiskey and the Story of America by Reid Mitenbuler (Viking). -- Michelle Brower. The one thing that made me sign her was that the quality of her novel really drew me in. Facebook gives people the power. With a writer she's already representing, such as Swyler, Brower gets involved early with a manuscript, though she keeps her touch light. Michelle Brower defies genre, as a reader and a literary agent. I think that at 100 reviews, a book doesn't have the sales yet to necessarily translate into traditional publishing. She is primarily interested in work that focuses on storytelling and emotional connection, rather than formal experimentation, and believes that the best reading experience engages both the heart and the head. SUBRIGHTS MANAGEMENT. 50,000 sales at $6.99 is entirely another. Founder and Creative Director of PathBinder Publishing and Land and Seascape Photographer, "If a book has 250 reviews with 4 and 5 stars, and 70,000 in sales, this author has a lot of promise." This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Most of the successful self-published authors will get a new reader on their second book who will go back and read the first one. Jack Reacher is a great example. An agent listing on QueryTracker is not an endorsement or recommendation of that agent by QueryTracker. Ultimately, when presenting to a publisher, I provide a cross-section. She is particularly drawn to accessible voices with a literary sensibility, in the vein of Ann Patchett and Zadie Smith, especially when they let her in on a subculture or historical truth she's never encountered before. Poets & Writers lists readings, workshops, and other literary events held in cities across the country. Get answers to this, and many more agent questions at QueryTracker. Karissa Chen Q: What compelled you to make offers to the last authors you signed? Childrens, Middle Grade, and Young Adult. Reviews are intensely important for visibility. Michelle Brower has spent over fifteen years as an agent, first at Wendy Sherman Associates and most recently as a partner at Aevitas Creative Management. "I try to step back from being the agent during that part of the process. Join thousands of other subscribers. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. That's when it works. Jeff: The reality is, it's a brave new world of publishing, and agents are only one part of it. I love these anyway and since life is a locked room at the moment, I'd like the opportunity to think about murder. Q:If you had one message for Indie authors, what would it be? I'm doing my best to create a fertile, creative area for my author to work in. In non-fiction, she is looking for a personal story that illuminates a greater subject. In our weekly series of craft essays, some of the best and brightest minds in contemporary literature explore their craft in compact form, articulating their thoughts about creative obsessions and curiosities in a working notebook of lessons about the art of writing. We can't sell books at $.99 and make money. To help her keep on top of who might be her next big thing, she relies on help from interns. And she represents authors who write them all. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Whether you are looking to meet up with fellow writers, agents, and editors, or trying to find the perfect environment to fuel your writing practice, the Conferences & Residencies is the essential resource for information about well over three hundred writing conferences, writers residencies, and literary festivals around the world. Wake up to the day's most important news. Find details about every creative writing competitionincluding poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and morethat weve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. I would love, LOVE, to work with a female veteran who is writing the Great American War Novel, where women and their lives are centered instead of on the periphery. I know, I know, "literary" and "happy ending" don't seem like they go together, but hey, that's the challenge here! I read it. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. #agentdreams #pubtip. At Trellis Literary Management, she works closely alongside Michelle Brower. Id like to see more underrepresented writers published in all of these spaces, particularly in the crime sector. QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? All rights reserved. She reads science-fiction crossovers. Discover historical sites, independent bookstores, literary archives, writing centers, and writers spaces in cities across the country using the Literary Places databasethe best starting point for any literary journey, whether its for research or inspiration. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. Genres: Humor/Satire. Bookmark. Q&A With Literary Agents Jeff Kleinman and Michelle Brower (Part II of III). #mswl Books about class- crossing class divisions, ambition, glitter with an equal amount of depth, Edith Wharton-esque. Zeyn Joukhadar Having Mark on your side is incredibly valuable." Find information about more than two hundred full- and low-residency programs in creative writing in our MFA Programs database, which includes details about deadlines, funding, class size, core faculty, and more. Rebecca Romney Michelle Brower of Aevitas represents Swyler; Bloomsbury will publish Little Twitch next year. Please enable Cookies and reload the page. Michelle Brower Literary Agent is a book agent with Trellis Literary Management with offices in New York City. Lincoln Michel Her authors have received recognition from MacDowell, the Whiting Awards, the Rona Jaffe Foundation, the Steinbeck Fellow Program, the Sewanee Writers Conference as well as from many other organizations. Katharine and Elizabeth Corr, The Witchs Blood, the witch's kiss, the witch's tears, author, writing, process, 2021 AU Presses, Book, Jacket, and Journal Show Selections, Beginning to End - Dark Factory: Creative Collaborator, AV/VR Design of Dark Park, Charlie Athanas, Spine Podcast, Bonus Episode: Jasmin Kaur. Scroll below to view this information FREE in our Directory of Book Agents. David Heska Wanbli Weiden So, we came up with a living, breathing version of what Poets & Writers already offers: Poets & Writers Live. So, yes, I will work incredibly hands-on, but almost only ever for someone I have a relationship with. We certainly encourage all of our authors to be on Facebook, Twitter, GoodReads and Instagram. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Our series of subject-based handbooks (PDF format; $4.99 each) provide information and advice from authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers. While the range of inquiries has been broad, common themes have emerged over time. Jamila Gleason Search for jobs in education, publishing, the arts, and more within our free, frequently updated job listings for writers and poets. Aline Ohanesian Humor, Music, and Pop Culture. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Michael Poore Scroll below to learn more and see how you can submit your book to Michelle Brower for representation. Allison Hunter Founding Partner Literary Agent. But, if you look back at the numbers I gave you about my slush pile (see Part II) we just can't. I hope to be the person who helps get them out there into the world. Download our free app to find readings and author events near you; explore indie bookstores, libraries, and other places of interest to writers; and connect with the literary community in your city or town. Q: How important is it for an author to have more than one book? Nonfiction/Environment J. Biemer Themes of parents/children and the passage of time more than usual, I think, given changes in my personal life. Kathy Wang The great part is that we didn't know each other at all. . Learn more about this program, our special events, projects, and supporters, and how to contact us. For all non-submissions and press inquiries, please contact hello@trellisliterary.com. I fought very hard, and so I'm very, very excited about that one as well. Research newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications that consistently publish book reviews using the Review Outlets database, which includes information about publishing schedules, submission guidelines, fees, and more. DO NOT QUERY THIS AGENT AT THIS TIME: Michelle is not currently accepting unsolicited submissions. Part of HuffPost News. Our audience trusts our editorial content and looks to it, and to relevant advertising, for information and guidance. Ultimately, an author needs to submit the best manuscript they can possibly deliver. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Michelle: It definitely depends on genre because an author would need more romance sales to actually impress an editor in that market; whereas in women's fiction, historical fiction, or literary fiction, an author doesn't need quite as many sales. Little Twitch will be published in Spring 2019. I think both of those scenarios can work. Online, you can find her at susannabaird.com and on Twitter @SusannaBaird. Zaina Arafat Natalie Lima Your submission has been received! Kirstin Chen The original title was Little Twitch. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. Sarah Domet This literary agent profile is part of a series from ourLiterary Agents Listof the most searched literary agents online. The third one has a really, really great character that everybody wanted to read about. Also on my #mswl, I want some really good commercial fiction. Aevitas Creative is a full-service literary agency, home to more than thirty agents in New York, Boston, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and London, representing scores of award-winning authors, thinkers, and public figures. Mikki Brammer Every week a new author shares books, art, music, writing prompts, filmsanything and everythingthat has inspired and shaped the creative process. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. Or "I hoped you wouldn't notice." Whether you are looking to meet up with fellow writers, agents, and editors, or trying to find the perfect environment to fuel your writing practice, the Conferences & Residencies is the essential resource for information about well over three hundred writing conferences, writers residencies, and literary festivals around the world. 50,000 sales at $.99 is one thing. This agent is seeking the following genres: Fantasy, Magical Realism, Young Adult, Literary, Patrick (Admin), Profile Update: Closed to queries. [Click here to see all Mark Malatesta reviews], Fiction/General J. Jago Home Literary Agents List Most Searched Book Agents Michelle Brower Literary Agent Book Agents List. Marcela Fuentes Michelle: It's critical for an author to create a relationship with their readers by having more than one piece of material. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to this website. Memoir/Family/Identity S. Foti Alternatively, if a book has 200 reviews and only 10,000 sales, it's going to be so much more challenging to present them and say, "You should invest money in this author.". Here's my #mswl for the year: obv, your transcendent literary works. I am seeking mostly fiction, with a preferential eye toward very high-brow thrillers, literary suspense, speculative fiction, and experimental fiction. Originally from New Jersey, she now lives in Seattle with her family. She reads literary fiction. More author comments available to members. My list has been trending literary over the years and I'd like to bring in a little balance. Brower emphasized that all interactions are not so fluid. Mansion Street Literary Management. I really love when that happens because I do think there are a lot of very talented writers out there who aren't living in New York or attending the same parties or know colleagues who referred them to me or who don't have that kind of connectedness to the industry; and yet, they are good writers who have an excellent book. For more information about her wishlist and the submission process, please visit trellisliterary.com. She talks about books with the affection of someone who could spend all day reading, but most of Brower's daylight hours are devoted to the full stable of authors she represents. What stands out in a new novel? Working out of Aevitas Creative Management's New York office, Brower handles every aspect of the business track of a book's journey, from contract negotiations with domestic publishers to foreign and film sales. If an author has a series, that can definitely help, but I also think it's just the book. Establish new connections and enjoy the company of your peers using our searchable databases of MFA programs and writers retreats, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more. Nonfiction/Business D. Hamme Author: Elia Anie. Our Top Topics for Writers addresses the most popular and pressing issues, including literary agents, copyright, MFA programs, and self-publishing. Meet the agents and team members who make our work possible. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere. I have definitely picked up authors who have been self-published because I've seen that they've managed to find an audience without anyone's help. View Tweet Twitter @michellebrower. Poets & Writers Live is an initiative developed in response to interviews and discussions with writers from all over the country. Memoir/Women L. Lehr Memoir. One author I signed earlier this year came through my slush pile. As a reader, Im naturally attracted to literary fiction with particularly propulsive storylines. Ill be in touch with information about my new book, event appearances, and more. Copyright 2011-23 The Bestselling Author, LLC. #MSWL I have wanted this for a long time, but still haven't found it: I want a literary love story with a happy ending. Find information about venues that host readings and author events, including bookstores, bars, cafes, libraries, literary arts centers, and more. Michelle Brower Literary Agent Biography. Find information about how Poets & Writers provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops. Unlikely friendships, unexpected kindnesses, tragedy that turns into hope. Then I read their book, and I can see where I can actually be of help to that author. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. We are gatekeepers, but it's not because we don't like an author, and it's not because we don't think their work is good or that we don't think it has an audience. Erika Swyler Price point matters because 50,000 sales is not just 50,000 sales. This is an alert from our security service. Meet the agents and team members who make our work possible. Vice President, Operations and Personnel; Director, ACM UK, Creative Executive, Development & Book-to-Film, Assistant to VP of Development & Book-to-Film. She's tackling things such as foreign sales and film sales. Colleen McKeegan If you are running into one dead end after another, not sure which way to turn, Poets & Writers can demystify the process and help you reach your destinationpublication. The agency was founded in order to better serve and support her authors and create an agency with a lasting positive impact in the world of publishing. Obviously, I and others want this right now (also, I'll take your reading recs if you have them!). Swyler shared first-draft pages of Little Twitch, and the two discussed where the book was going, and where else it might go. Raymond Fleischmann In addition to posting the actual query letter, we will also get to hear thoughts from the agent as to why the letter worked. Michelle BrowerPhoto Credit: Folio Literary Management. "The intern brought me this story, and I thought, I love this. I would want to hear from them when they are ready to show something.". Michelle Brower has spent over fifteen years as an agent, first at Wendy Sherman Associates and most recently as a partner at Aevitas Creative Management. Vanessa Chan It was amazing. Michelle received her Masters degree in British and American Literature from New York University. I want it rich and dark and deep, definitely not a cozy, but maybe a cozy dressed up for a really special occasion. Her writing has appeared in a variety of publications, including Boston Magazine, BANG!, Failbetter, and Publishers Weekly. April Wolfe She loves reading books, she loves editing books, she loves the people who write them. Michelle is honored to work with books that have received a . Prior to joining Aevitas as a partner, she was the Senior Vice President at Folio Literary Management. Thank you to Jeff and Michelle for sharing their industry expertise, views, and stories!Read Part I of the seriesRead Part II of the series. Brower doesn't believe pressuring them will yield the best result, and so she simply stays in touch. Jason Mott Jamey Bradbury In the Literary Magazines database youll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, contact informationeverything you need to know before submitting your work to the publications that share your vision for your work. Heather Webb The sixth installment in this series is with agent Michelle Brower ( Folio Literary Management, formerly of Wendy Sherman Associates) and her author Scott Browne, for his novel, Breathers. In our next Beginning to End we'll talk with Swyler and Beresford about the editing process. Michelle: Amazon rankings are important for different reasons. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Because it doesn't matter at the end of the day if a book ranks #2 on Amazon because it sold 1,000 copies in one day but it never sold anymore or very few. We had a long discussion about it, and he is now sitting down and reworking the outline. Laura Guidry CLIENTS INCLUDE: Christopher Buehlman It depends on how strong a character is. Jeff: I have been known to sit down with an author, develop the concept with characters and an outline, and then they send me three chapters at a time. Well over ten thousand poets and writers maintain listings in this essential resource for writers interested in connecting with their peers, as well as editors, agents, and reading series coordinators looking for authors. Grounded, character driven, exquisitely written. @michellebrower. Beginning to End is a new series from Spine following a book idea from acquisition to bookshelf. I actually think they are really important if you want to grab the attention of an agent because that's mostly how someone would see a book when it pops up higher in rankings. I always look at the relationship between the author and their readers. Michelle also very selectively represents literary Young Adult fiction. I'm generally looking for a book with upwards of 100 reviews, and that they're good reviews because certainly if a book has 200 reviews with several 2 star reviews, that won't interest me. I find books in different ways, by different avenues.". A good place to start is Writers Beware, a watch group that helps inform and protect authors Keep in mind that readers buy the successor books for one of two reasons. Trying to get your work published can feel like wandering in a maze. Danya works as a literary agent for one reason: she loves books. I loved it. Founder and Creative Director of PathBinder Publishing and Land and Seascape Photographer. Jessica George May 2, 2008. View the covers and contents of every issue of Poets & Writers Magazine, from the current edition all the way back to the first black-and-white issue in 1987. Michelle Brower @michellebrower. Also on my #mswl, I want some really good commercial fiction. Jeff: Michelle is right because readers who like an author's Book X would also be interested in Book Y. I had an author who wrote three books, and the first two were stand-alone. What I'm ultimately looking for is sales north of 60,000. #mswl I want a deep, smart, sharp, scathing version of chick lit. Business and Politics. Trellis Literary Management is a boutique agency dedicated to collaboration, creativity, and excellence in literature. Before contacting an agent, authors should verify and assess the agent's requirements and suitability by visiting the agent's website (s), and becoming familiar with ways to spot and avoid bad agents. Every week a new publishing professional shares advice, anecdotes, insights, and new ways of thinking about writing and the business of books. She co-founded Trellis Literary Management in 2021 in order to better serve and support her authors and create an agency with a lasting positive impact in the world of publishing. "I became the juggler of the various professional aspects of the book.". If you're an Indie author looking for an agent, take note! We offered two kinds of services to potential clients: LITERARY REPRESENTATION. Simone Gorrindo I signed with Don Fehr at Trident Media and a short time later I had a publishing contract! Heather Young. #mswl and as always, underrepresented voices. All Rights Reserved. If an author is doing well, readers will come back whether they are sci-fi, fantasy, or romance. Michelle Brower Literary Agent began her agenting career at Wendy Sherman Associates, and was with the agency for 15 years, after graduating from New York University with a MA in American and British Literature. Fashion and Design. Please use the submission form via theagencys website. Believe me, we notice. An Interview with Heather Young (fourteenwords on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Michelle Brower of Trellis Literary Management.03/06/2015. She's the founder of the Salem Longform Writers' Group, and serves on the Salem Literary Festival committee. Also, if this exists, tell me so I can read it. Michelle Brower has spent over fifteen years as an agent, first at Wendy Sherman Associates and most recently as a partner at Aevitas Creative Management. Erin Swan Why? As for free, if an author had 30,000 free downloads, we can't really use that as a number to determine whether or not it would translate well into the traditional market. In all of these areas, she is looking to support underrepresented voices. Ads in Poets & Writers Magazine and on pw.org are the best ways to reach a readership of serious poets and literary prose writers. It's really important to actually connect with a reading community, and for self-published authors that's pretty much the best and only way they can get the word out about their book. Catherine Nichols For our first "season," we're honing in on Light from Other Stars, about a young astronaut hopeful and an invention that alters time. Hilary Campbell Co-founder of Trellis Literary Management. Find a home for your work by consulting our searchable databases of writing contests, literary magazines, small presses, literary agents, and more. I think that that's something in publishing that's not really considered the brand. In this Part III of the series from my interview with literary agents Jeff Kleinman and Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management; they continue to shed light on the industry by discussing what compels them to sign an author and how willing they are to edit. In this Part III of the series from my interview with literary agents Jeff Kleinman and Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management; they continue to shed light on the industry by discussing what compels them to sign an author and how willing they are to edit. Sasha Vasilyuk She wrote a great book, and as I said earlier, that's the heart of what is really important. Having connections is better than a platform because, honestly, when one of my authors recommends a friend who's in their writing group, I pay attention, even if they're not always for me. When we asked what Poets & Writers could do to support their writing practice, time and again writers expressed a desire for a more tangible connection to other writers. Whether youre pursuing the publication of your first book or your fifth, use the Small Presses database to research potential publishers, including submission guidelines, tips from the editors, contact information, and more. "I only want to look at material a writer feels strongly about, feels proud of," she said. . Michelle Brower Photo Credit: Folio Literary Management. Memoir/Mainstream E. Armstrong Jeff Kleinman: Photo Courtesy of Folio Literary Management. "The reality is, it's a brave new world of publishing, and agents are only one part of it.". These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Also on my #mswl, I want some really good commercial fiction. Get in touch. I'm hungry for a book where I gnaw on the sentences and wander around the house sniffling with emotions for a few hours afterward. What began as an interview with literary agents Jeff Kleinman, Founding Partner, and Michelle Brower, Senior Vice President, of Folio Literary Management turned into enough material for a three part Q&A series on what agents really want from authors. However, readers didn't necessarily read the other two books because the character wasn't in it. 1. ): Maggie Shipstead, Lily King, Louise Erdrich, Deesha Philyaw, Kiley Reid, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Kazuo Ishiguro, Yaa Gyasi, Celeste Ng, Jennifer Egan, Shirley Jackson, Ann Patchett, Sarah Waters. Michelle is honored to work with books that have received a variety of accolades, including NY Times Bestsellers, National Book Award finalists, and Read with Jenna, Target, and Barnes and Noble book club selections. She is now a founding partner of Trellis Literary Management, which was established in 2021. Cari Scribner . She wrote a new novel and hired a freelance editor for it, and that editor contacted me and suggested I read it. Back in 2012, her intern delivered up Erika Swyler. #mswl Some really, really grounded science fiction would be nice, with a literary bent. Tara Conklin Simply enter your first name and email address in the form to the right and get instant access. Stephanie Delman Founding Partner Literary Agent . Indie Authors Seeking an Agent: Take Note! By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. If a book has 250 reviews with 4 and 5 stars, and 70,000 in sales, this author has a lot of promise.