SUBMISSIONS

CLOSING TO QUERIES ON MAY 1

Starting May 1, 2013 I will only accept queries from authors I meet at conferences, A PATH TO PUBLISHING participants and referrals.

I am so sorry to have to implement this new policy but I am finding there is not enough time to do everything and with the changing times in publishing, I want to give as much of my time and effort to my current clients as possible to ensure their success.

WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR
Updated Feb 2013

Please read below for what I am looking for as I am being very strict to my vision of what type of books I will be agenting.

To put it bluntly, I want books, actually characters, that have legs. If you haven't heard the term "has legs" that is marketing shorthand to mean the characters can live outside the confines of your book. They can spark a series, be transformed to the big or small screen (Herman Agency is based in NYC but I live in LA and have close ties to the Film and TV industry.), possibly go outside the library/bookstore market to gift stores, grocery stores, etc, become a genre leader rather than just another book competing in a market where discoverability is becoming the most challenging obstacle to sales and sadly some of the best writing is not rising to the top of readers' buy lists. 

All books must have excellent commercial plus literary writing. What I mean by this is an utter command of the language that is accessible to most readers--not just the brainy kids. The concept must be fresh, organic, break-through. Just another one is not going to cut it. Yes, lots of copycat books make the hit list, but I am an agent, a talent scout. I am not looking to sell copycats. I am looking to discover the next big thing.

I want complexity of character, multi-level plot and theme, believability even in the fantastic, and pacing that blinds me to time and space.

I am a fan of the underdog, but the underdog doesn't always need to be the nerd, the foster kid, the kid from the broken home. It is irritating when the popular kids are bad and the outcasts are heros. I think most kids are average. Some are more popular than others but being popular often takes a lot of work and that work spurs a host of insecurity.  Many kids define popular in different ways. Some cherish their inner and outer geek. I want "normal" teens in extraordinary circumstances (I leave the definition of normal to you:) ).

Regarding romance, I want authentic vulnerability and innocence as well as hot, steamy yearning, and in some cases, more than yearning. I want to love your characters so I understand why your characters love each other. I want to be so enmeshed with your character that when his/her heart breaks, so does mine. When your characters are kissing, or doing more than kissing, I want to feel that pull in my body too.

I rep Picture Books, Chapter Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult and Crossover Young Adult (New Adult)

Thanks for reading and looking forward to reading YOUR work!

Please send queries + the first 10 pages of your manuscript pasted into your email to queryjillcorcoran@gmail.com 

All emails sent to my Herman Agency email will be deleted.

For help with queries, please see:

• HOW TO GET AN AGENT
• WHAT MAKES A BOOK SELL