Alexa Donne | Query Auto-Rejects & the YA Market Going Forward | Q&A w/ Literary Agent Elana Roth Parker @AlexaDonne | Uploaded April 2020 | Updated October 2024, 4 hours ago.
I asked my literary agent Elana Roth Parker of Laura Dail Literary YOUR questions! Elana represents the international bestselling series The Selection by Kiera Cass, soon to be a movie on Netflix, as well as YA authors Alexa Donne (me!), Anna Bright, June CL Tan, Dana Mele, Rachel Griffin, Shannon Price, and more. Elana specializes in Kidlit, ie: picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction.
We talked about how she became an agent, what an agent does, advice for picture books and author/illustrators, what she's looking for in YA/MG/picture books, what makes her auto-reject a query, and how the pandemic will likely impact the YA market and the publishing business as a whole.
TIMESTAMPS
01:45 How Elana became a literary agent
06:28 Elana's advice for young people who want to become agents
10:22 What does an agent DO?
14:56 What Elana wants in middle grade, young adult, and picture book
21:34 Advice for author/illustrators and picture books
24:03 What qualifies does Elana look for in authors she reps?
28:40 The #1 thing Elana wishes people knew about the author/agent relationship
30:06 What's an auto-reject in a query?
35:38 Elana's client list size, loyalty, and signing from R&Rs (revise and resubmits)
38:07 How Elana knows she wants to offer on a manuscript
39:19 Elana discusses "the market" including post-pandemic trend predictions
44:11 How will the pandemic impact the industry?
Add THE IVIES, my YA thriller featuring competitive college admissions & murder, out in 2021, on Goodreads! goodreads.com/book/show/48896122-the-ivies
+OTHER PROJECTS+
Support NovelTea Show on Patreon! We're launching a podcast, with your support. patreon.com/novelteashow
+BUY MY BOOKS+
Add THE STARS WE STEAL (Jane Austen + The Bachelor, in space) on Goodreads: goodreads.com/book/show/40950392-the-stars-we-steal
Buy BRIGHTLY BURNING from Book Depository (ships worldwide!): bookdepository.com/Brightly-Burning-Alexa-Donne/9781785659423
Buy BRIGHTLY BURNING on Amazon: amazon.com/Brightly-Burning-Alexa-Donne/dp/1328948935/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1500334638&sr=1-1
Get Brightly Burning on Audible.com! audible.com/pd/Brightly-Burning-Audiobook/B07H41CPVC?asin=B07H41CPVC&source_code=AUDOR2220912189OII
+LINKS+
Goodreads:
goodreads.com/book/show/35065031-brightly-burning
Twitter:
twitter.com/alexadonne
Instagram:
instagram.com/alexadonne
Newsletter Sign-Up:
alexadonne.com/newsletter
Website:
alexadonne.com
Wattpad:
wattpad.com/user/alexadonne
+FILMING SPECS+
Camera: Canon t6i
Mic: Rode VideoMic Go Light
Lighting: Limo Studio Soft Kit
Editing Software: Pinnacle Studio 22
I asked my literary agent Elana Roth Parker of Laura Dail Literary YOUR questions! Elana represents the international bestselling series The Selection by Kiera Cass, soon to be a movie on Netflix, as well as YA authors Alexa Donne (me!), Anna Bright, June CL Tan, Dana Mele, Rachel Griffin, Shannon Price, and more. Elana specializes in Kidlit, ie: picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction.
We talked about how she became an agent, what an agent does, advice for picture books and author/illustrators, what she's looking for in YA/MG/picture books, what makes her auto-reject a query, and how the pandemic will likely impact the YA market and the publishing business as a whole.
TIMESTAMPS
01:45 How Elana became a literary agent
06:28 Elana's advice for young people who want to become agents
10:22 What does an agent DO?
14:56 What Elana wants in middle grade, young adult, and picture book
21:34 Advice for author/illustrators and picture books
24:03 What qualifies does Elana look for in authors she reps?
28:40 The #1 thing Elana wishes people knew about the author/agent relationship
30:06 What's an auto-reject in a query?
35:38 Elana's client list size, loyalty, and signing from R&Rs (revise and resubmits)
38:07 How Elana knows she wants to offer on a manuscript
39:19 Elana discusses "the market" including post-pandemic trend predictions
44:11 How will the pandemic impact the industry?
Add THE IVIES, my YA thriller featuring competitive college admissions & murder, out in 2021, on Goodreads! goodreads.com/book/show/48896122-the-ivies
+OTHER PROJECTS+
Support NovelTea Show on Patreon! We're launching a podcast, with your support. patreon.com/novelteashow
+BUY MY BOOKS+
Add THE STARS WE STEAL (Jane Austen + The Bachelor, in space) on Goodreads: goodreads.com/book/show/40950392-the-stars-we-steal
Buy BRIGHTLY BURNING from Book Depository (ships worldwide!): bookdepository.com/Brightly-Burning-Alexa-Donne/9781785659423
Buy BRIGHTLY BURNING on Amazon: amazon.com/Brightly-Burning-Alexa-Donne/dp/1328948935/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1500334638&sr=1-1
Get Brightly Burning on Audible.com! audible.com/pd/Brightly-Burning-Audiobook/B07H41CPVC?asin=B07H41CPVC&source_code=AUDOR2220912189OII
+LINKS+
Goodreads:
goodreads.com/book/show/35065031-brightly-burning
Twitter:
twitter.com/alexadonne
Instagram:
instagram.com/alexadonne
Newsletter Sign-Up:
alexadonne.com/newsletter
Website:
alexadonne.com
Wattpad:
wattpad.com/user/alexadonne
+FILMING SPECS+
Camera: Canon t6i
Mic: Rode VideoMic Go Light
Lighting: Limo Studio Soft Kit
Editing Software: Pinnacle Studio 22