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Ep 79: Querying Literary Agents with Lauren Kay
Description
Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!
Lauren Kay's young adult debut novel, We Ship It, was a dream come true, but it wasn't easy to get there. Now, she helps other writers achieve the same joy, minus the roadblocks. Having secured eight agent offers in a month, she works with authors dreaming about a traditional publishing deal to help them write irresistible query letters.
INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
- The 7-year path to her first novel, for which she received a 6-figure advance (best quote: "Lightning speed in this industry is 7 years.")
- The importance of transparency in the book industry when it comes to timelines, sales figures, and overall expectations
- The idea of an author “deserving” their lead author status (I hadn't heard this before, and loved the discussion around it!)
- How changing our expectations as authors can lead to far better results
- The “before” and “after” of publishing
- Top mistakes to avoid when writing query letters + how to navigate the world of querying without becoming (too) disappointed
CONNECT WITH LAUREN:
Query letter masterclass: https://www.laurenkaywrites.com/insiders-guide-to-publishing
Lauren's YA Rom-Com Debut: We Ship It
Instagram: @laurenkaywrites
Website: www.laurenkaywrites.com
TikTok: @laurenkaywrites
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall
Story Genius by Lisa Cron
WHAT LAUREN'S READING NOW:
Splinters by Leslie Jamison
Grief is for People by Sloane Crosley
🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT
Get back cover templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers.
🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint
WONDERING EXACTLY HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH SO YOU CAN STOP GUESSING?
Grab the action plan and finally feel confident you’re doing this the right way.
👉 PublishAProfitableBook.com/actionplan
WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?
The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy.
👉 PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility
✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP
You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time).
👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook
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