Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies

by Deborah Halverson

  You don’t need to choose an agent who specializes in children’s books, but it’s better if he does. He’ll have more children’s book contacts, and he’ll have a deeper, more up-to-the-minute understanding of the YA marketplace and the behind-the-scenes goings-on of the key players. Remember, your ideal agent is a long-term partner, not just someone who can negotiate and number crunch.

  If you already have an agent for books for adults, discuss getting a subagent with her. Subagents specialize in children’s books, making the sale for your work and getting a cut of your general agent’s portion of that sale. Another option is to have separate representation for your adult projects and your YA novels. Agents may also use subagents for their subsidiary rights (the movie rights, audio rights, and so on). Rights subagents specialize in certain areas of the contract process. See Chapter 17 for info on subsidiary rights.

  Query Letters, Your Number-One Selling Tool

  For a YA fiction writer, selling a novel starts with a query letter — a three-paragraph, single-page pitch letter that highlights the strengths of both you and your manuscript. Children’s book editors require query letters instead of proposals, and editors expect to buy completed manuscripts (uncommon exceptions being for previously published authors who’ve proven that they have the stick-to-itiveness to finish what they’ve started and the skills to realize what they’ve promised). In this section, you discover how to write a powerful query letter to sell your novel.

  Although querying before you finish the manuscript may seem like a logical way to cut down your waiting time, it’s a risky maneuver. Should you get a speedy reply asking for the full manuscript, you wouldn’t have anything to send. Most writers send in their material within hours or days of the request for more. Leaving a request dangling is always a little hinky — the agent may wonder whether you’re flaky or not as serious about him as you claimed to be in the query, and the last thing you want to do is give agents a reason to narrow their eyes suspiciously. Worse, you may rush out with something before it’s thoroughly polished.

  Why queries feel like the be all, end all . . . and are

  The goal of your query letter is to sell your manuscript to the agent or editor. It’s the first thing she’ll see, even before flipping to Page 1 of your sample chapters. Sometimes it’s the only thing she’ll see, because some houses and agencies accept only queries for submissions, requesting more material only if a query offers something they want.

  Just as the first sentence of your manuscript is vital, so, too, is the first thing that agents and editors see of your project — the query letter. It’s as much a writing sample as it is a setup for your manuscript. Therefore, the query letter must be professional, representing both yourself and your story well.

  Because the query letter forces you to synthesize your story, name your themes, and state why you think this project has a ready audience even as it stands out from others in its genre, some writers like to write a query letter early in the project, as part of the story development.

  Writing a successful query letter

  A successful query letter is one that makes the agent or editor want to read the manuscript. The following subsections guide you in crafting that letter, from formatting it to striking the right tone to nailing each part of a standard query. Here are the main three parts:

  The opening: State the hook for your manuscript and indicate why you chose that editor or agent.

  The pitch: Expand on the themes and the general journey of the main character, and position the entire project in the marketplace.

  The closing: State your credentials (your publication history and/or the reason you are the person to write this particular story).

  Be sure to proofread before you mail that query letter. Do an extra proofreading pass, too, scrutinizing every element, especially the inside address and the name in the salutation. A query letter is no place for a typo — or worse, the wrong addressee name entirely.

  Striking the right tone

  The tone of your query letter should reflect your personality and the tone of the manuscript. If yours is a silly story, let your lighthearted voice come through in the query letter even as you remain solidly in the realm of professionalism.

  Don’t make grandiose promises or predictions about the project’s market potential. Editors and agents know the realities of their markets and evaluate the potential of your manuscript themselves. Your job is to tell them the great features of your story and to present yourself as a professional writer with whom they’ll enjoy working. They’ll decide whether the story is “exceptional” or “ground-breaking” for themselves.

  Paragraph 1: An opening that hooks

  You can use the same basic query letter for every agent and editor you submit to. Just tailor the opening paragraph for each person to show that you’ve done your homework in choosing him or her.

  Your opening paragraph should catch the addressee’s attention. Skip the civilized pleasantries and go right into your reason for choosing that particular person and delivering your hook. A hook is an intriguing one-liner about your story that includes the genre, the main character (especially his age), and the main theme and/or the main conflict in the book. (Chapter 4 is dedicated to developing a tight, intriguing hook.) You can lead off with either the hook or the reason; that’s up to you. Some writers prefer to hold their reason until the third paragraph. That works, too — just be sure you get it in there somewhere. Check out these two openings, which switch up the lead-in:

  A. Dear Editor X:

  What do you give a girl who has everything? Camis, K.P., and an education in real life. In my contemporary YA novel Party Girl Goes A.W.O.L., spoiled 17-year-old Roxy Monroe parties one time too many and gets shipped off to her grandfather’s iron-fisted alma mater: George S. Patton Military Academy. Given your deep list of contemporary YA authors, I’d like to send you Roxy’s story.

  B. Dear Agent X:

  I’ve been following your blog and know that you have a keen interest in contemporary YA fiction. I hope to interest you in my own contemporary YA, Party Girl Goes A.W.O.L., a novel about a spoiled 17-year-old girl who parties one time too many and gets shipped off to her grandfather’s alma mater: George S. Patton Military Academy.

  If you received an invitation to submit your work, such as at a conference during a face-to-face meeting or through an open invitation to all attendees, open with that: “Thank you for inviting attendees of the X conference on X date to submit. You talked about wanting MGs with high boy appeal, so I’m sending you my MG adventure Title.” Or “I heard your speech about creating an engaging narrative voice at the X chapter meeting in August. I’m hoping you’ll find that my YA novel Title has just the kind of gripping voice you’re looking for.” As you can see, you have plenty of room for individual style, personality, and circumstances in delivering the key information. I’m giving you the mechanics, but there needn’t be anything mechanical about your delivery.

  Paragraph 2: A pitch that prompts action

  Paragraph 2 takes the attention you snagged with Paragraph 1 and builds it up to strong curiosity and then to action: a request for the full manuscript or an eager read-through of accompanying sample chapters. To pull this off, you tease the main storyline without revealing the resolution, connect it to your overarching theme, and then position the project for a specific audience. Although this pitch should fit easily into one paragraph, it accomplishes two tasks:

  Setting up the storyline: Craft four to eight sentences that focus on basic setup. In a story setup, you identify the main character and her age, state her goal, and then tease the interesting conflicts and escalations, leaving the resolution unstated to spark curiosity about how the scenario(s) will play out and resolve. That said, if it suits your project to reveal the outcome — perhaps in a “So-and-So learns that life as a Whatever isn’t so bad after a
ll” context — do so.

  I’m purposely not calling this a “mini synopsis” or something similar — you’re not out to summarize anything. There’s plenty of room for that in the full synopsis, which accompanies your query letter or which you’ll make available with the full manuscript when an agent, intrigued by this pitch, requests it.

  A million examples of setups are at your fingertips. Choosing books in your genre, study their jacket flap copy or paperback back-cover blurbs, or read their descriptions on bookseller websites. Note how the blurbs state the universal themes even as they focus most intently on the main conflict that distinguishes each story.

  Positioning the story: Although editors and agents are experts on the YA fiction marketplace, you’re the expert on your book. Tell them where your story fits in. State your genre and the age range of your readership (Chapter 2 can help you know that), and then do as many of the following items as you can:

  • Call out universal themes. Demonstrate that your story has wide appeal by mentioning your core theme. Your story should have universal appeal, meaning the theme should be known or experienced by a significant segment of the general teen population. For example, the theme may be betrayal by friends or rejection by a peer group.

  • Mention similar books. You can help the agent/editor know what kind of story you’re offering by mentioning well-known novels that are similar to yours. This also demonstrates that there’s a ready place in the market for your story.

  Be careful to name names without claiming fame. Don’t say you’re the next J. K. Rowling — or any other author, for that matter. That comes across as egotistical. Simply say that you were inspired by the other author or that you hope fans of fantastical worlds such as So-and-So’s will find your fantasy realm inviting.

  • Highlight fresh angles. Even as you point out similar titles and universal themes to claim a place in the market, tell the agent or editor what makes your novel different. Emphasize your storyline over your themes because that’s where you’ll stand out. There are thousands of books out there about fitting in at a new school and earning what you get; there’s only one book about a privileged party girl learning to respect hard work and to value teamwork when she’s forced to spend her senior year in an iron-fisted military school. Universal themes make a book accessible to a wide audience; the storyline makes it appealing to them.

  • Plug timeliness. Mention timely facts to show that your story is right for this moment in time. If you’ve written about a tormented wimpy kid, for example, point out the increasing spotlight on bullying in schools. Even include a stat or two if you’ve got them.

  If your project is time-sensitive and requires particularly speedy review, state that. For example, maybe the big-deal 200th anniversary of the event featured in your historical fiction is next year, so you want your book out in time to ride the publicity wave. Most agents and editors will try to accommodate that.

  • Note niche markets. Your story may appeal to a special small but definable and reachable audience — that’s a niche market, and you should point it out. The editor or agent may not know, for example, that the Midwest has 4-H animal husbandry enclaves whose members may enjoy a story about a girl and her beloved pig. There are many magazines, newsletters, and regional websites dedicated to 4-H news, products, and competitions; those are useful marketing and sales opportunities.

  If a niche market isn’t there, don’t sweat it — a niche market is by definition a small one, and a publisher isn’t likely to offer a contract simply because you can identify a few hundred or even thousand potential readers who may not even follow through and buy the book. Being interested in animal husbandry doesn’t make one an automatic buyer of novels about kids and animals.

  Here’s an example of a pitch paragraph, demonstrating both story setup and market positioning:

  Seventeen-year-old Roxy Monroe is spoiled rotten and proud of it. She’s got hot cars, hot clothes, and of course the hottest guy at her posh prep school. But when Roxy’s constant partying threatens her chances of graduating high school, she’s sentenced to the only school her parents think can tame her: a hardcore military academy. “They made a man out of me,” Grandfather Thurmond tells her. “Surely they can do something with you.” Now Roxy’s life is Reveille at daybreak, forced marches, and classmates who think camouflage is cool, weaponry is cooler, and stuck-up party girls are good for just one thing: target practice. Thing is, Roxy has something neither her parents nor Grandfather nor her new Commandant of Cadets ever figured on: a brain. And she finally intends to use it . . . to lead a coup at the academy. Celebrating loyalty, friendship, and the ability to find common ground in the unlikeliest of places, Party Girl Goes A.W.O.L. offers a lighthearted, girl-power spin to the popular rich-girl-comeuppance tale.

  Paragraph 3: A closing that sells you

  The third paragraph of your query letter focuses on you, stating your credentials as a writer and as the crafter of this particular story. If you opted to wait until now to explain why you chose this addressee, go to it. Also kick in with any extra material, such as your special access to your audience or platform items. Don’t give a marketing plan — that’s not the point of this letter — just list any special things the editor or agent needs to know at this point, such as

  Writing credentials: Note any previously published books (of any kind), short stories, magazine articles, or professional newsletters; a profession related to word-crafting, such as journalist, technical editor, or screenwriter; and any prepublication work-in-progress awards. If you’re a member of SCBWI, say so: “I’m a member of SCBWI.” If you’re not a member, become one — or find another writers’ group that appeals to you, due to location, personality, whatever. Membership suggests to editors that you’re serious about perfecting your craft.

  If you don’t have any “relevant credentials,” don’t sweat it. It won’t hurt that you’ve never been published. You just don’t get that extra oomph of credibility.

  Relevant nonwriting credentials: Acknowledge a profession related to the publishing world, such as librarian, reviewer, or bookseller, or a job that includes interaction with young people (which suggests knowledge of their subculture and reading interests in particular), such as a teacher or youth services professional.

  Alas, being the parent of a teen doesn’t carry weight here. You’re in the trenches with young people, that’s for sure, but the experience is too narrow and anecdotal to hail as a professional credential.

  Include any relevant (usually exceptional) life experiences that lend authenticity and authority to your story. If you have parenting or other firsthand experience with a person in the circumstances you feature in your story, do mention that. For example, a novel featuring a deaf protagonist gets major credibility points when it’s written by the parent, sibling, or friend of a deaf person — or of course by the deaf person. Such a writer has insight into the unique world of that protagonist. If you’re a twin and have written about twins, mention it. Another example is a pilot who’s written about a teen earning money for flying lessons. That’s exceptional and lends distinct credibility — it makes you the right person for that particular story — and the editor/agent wants to know it.

  Platform opportunities: If you have a platform with this audience — say you’re a columnist for a local publication with a Latino audience and your novel features a Latino boy and all your columns will plug this book to the publication’s audience — note it. You have inroads to that readership, and that’s a valuable thing for a publisher to know.

  Fill out the rest of Paragraph 3 of your query letter with one or more of these statements (or something similar):

  “I hope you’ll decide Title is right for your list.”

  “Title is complete at XX,000 words. May I send you the full manuscript?”

  “Thank you for this opportunity.” Sometimes editors or
agents extend submission opportunities to all attendees at a speaking engagement. This statement is a great way to acknowledge that.

  “This is an X-week exclusive” or “This is an exclusive submission.” If you’re offering an exclusive, Paragraph 3 is where to say so. (For info on exclusives, see the sidebar “Sending multiple submissions at a time.”)

  Always end Paragraph 3 with “Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you” or words to that effect. This sentiment should fit smoothly on the end of your third paragraph, but setting this line as its own paragraph is acceptable. Remember, following the three-paragraph format helps you avoid distraction as you pitch your strengths in an organized manner; it’s not about hemming you in.

  Don’t say that your family or friends have always told you to write this or that all the kids who’ve read it have loved it. Agents and editors want writers who are committed for the long term, not someone satisfying a whim or a challenge. Offer yourself as the professional writer you are or intend to be.

  Formatting the letter

  A query letter may be selling something for kids, but it’s written to an adult businessperson from an adult businessperson and should reflect that. Accepted standards apply to query letters in the children’s books industry, all grounded in the standard business letter format:

  General specs: Keep the letter one page in length, single-spaced, with a 12-point professional-looking typeface such as Times New Roman or Arial. If you’re pressed for space, drop down to 11-point but go no smaller. Set your margins at 1 inch all around, with the text blocks being left aligned and right ragged. To avoid distracting from your carefully crafted content, don’t get funky with colors or fonts; stick to white paper and black type.