TRANSCRIPT: Q&A with Larsen-Pomada Literary Agent Elizabeth Pomada Message 595 to 625 Read More at A ShallaDeGuzman Writers Group

Q&A with Larsen-Pomada Literary Agent Elizabeth Pomada Message #’s 595-625


About our featured guests:

Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larsen worked for six major New Yorkpublishers before moving to San Francisco, where they started theiragency in 1972.

They have sold books to more than 100 publishers.And they have published 14 books including The Painted Lady Series and Michael's LITERARY AGENTS, HOW TO WRITE A BOOK PROPOSAL, andGUERRILLA MARKETING FOR WRITERS.

Recent & Forthcoming Books from Larsen/Pomada Literary Agents include:HOW TO SLEEP WITH A MOVIE STAR, a chick lit novel by Kristin Harmel (Warner, 2005)TO LOVE A THIEF by Julie Anne Long(Warner, 2005)

A DAMNED FINE WAR: General Patton's Third World War, a novel by William Yenne (Berkley, 2004)BE A TEEN GODDESS!

Magical Charms and Wiccan Widsom for the WildRide of Youth by Francesca de Grandis (Kensington, 2004) Elizabeth Pomada is looking for submissions in Chick Lit, RomanticFiction, Women's Fiction, and Literary Fiction.

Please read their website, http://www.larsen-pomada.com/




Now, here's our SHALLA Q&A with http://www.larsen-pomada.com/ Literary Agency


hello Mr. Larsen, I met you at the San Diego Conference earlier thisyear and I am sure I will submit to you as soon as I finish mymanuscript.I'm a serious writer, serious about getting published and I like toknow if it is a good idea for a writer to have a website and/or ablog?Does this make a writer look more professional to you?
Re: Larsen-Pomada Question: having a website

Hi Angie,yes, all writers should have websites. And then they should learnhow to use them to connect with their audience. Michael's GUERRILLAMARKETING FOR WRITERS lists l9 ways for writers to use websites.Getting the word out is key in this day and age.Elizabeth



Greetings Mr. Larsen and Ms. Pomada,Is it okay to pitch more than one project at a time? Can I send youmore than one query at a time? When I pitch you a story, does themanuscript need to be complete? Or will you give the author time tofinish it?Will you take on a client if the manuscript is not yet complete butjust close to completion?I'm grateful for your feedback.

Re: Question: pitching more than one project

Please do not query on more than one book at a time. You should becommitted to the book you're pitching. And if it's fiction, thenovel should be finished and polished before you send a query to anagent. For nonfiction, agents like to see proposals and most of thetime, the book is not finished. I'll have to go back to your note tosee if I answered all your questions.Elizabeth



Ms. Pomada and Mr. Larsen, thanks for taking time to answer our questions. I'm wondering whether you do career planning with your author clients, and also if you suggest or request revisions before sending to editors.


Re: QUESTIONS Career Planning & Revisions

Absolutely, we are very concerned with our authors' careers. And yes,if we see it's necessary, we will either edit ourselves (more oftenwith proposals than novels) or suggest that the writer use a freelance editor.Cheers,Elizabeth




I'm wondering, if you reject a manuscript, if the author edits andpolishes it, can he/she submit it to you again? Should we specify onour Query letter that you have seen it's older version before?


Re: QUESTION: re-submitting?

Agents vary in how they work. If I reject something and someone reallyrevises and works with an editor, then I'm happy to reread. But youshould definitely be straight and tell us that we're already seen itonce. Some editors/agents would NOT want to reread.Elizabeth






hi Ms Pomada and Mr Larsen,My question is:Do you like first person POV's? I see it's becoming more and morepopular but it seems not all agents like them.



Re: Larsen-Pomada Question: POV

Rachel, it depends on the writing. Some first person POV's can makethings very immediate and personal. Others simply sound like "I, I,I, I." Whining. If the "I's" get on my nerves, then it's not for me.Believe it or not, it's more difficult for first-time writers to dothis.Cheers,Elizabeth



Thank you very much for fielding questions from Shalla's floor.
Do you anticipate any trends regarding slipstream or cross-genrenovels that mix romance with other genres, such as sciencefiction/fantasy, horror, comedy or suspense?



Re: Larsen-Pomada Question:TRENDS

Definitely, all the romance editors are looking for cross-genrefiction--romances with paranormal twists, erotic romances, etc. thebigger the mix, the better.Both romance and mystery editors are looking for comedy. And everybook should have suspense, page-turnability.Elizabeth




As for my final question, if an agent from your agency rejects ourmanuscript, can we query the other one?

Re: Question: Querying again?

No, Michael and I have very different tastes and handle completelydifferent things, but if we see something that's possible, just notfor us, we will often share it with the other "in case." So considerthat we've both seen the project if you get one rejection. ElizabethCheers



I'd also like to know, do you offer representation for authors who gete-published? Why or Why not?


Re: Question: representation for e-published authors?

Janet, although we have doubts about people who e-publish (theyhaven't tried hard enough, their books will fail because they can'treach an audience, the books haven't been properly edited), we'realways open. If the book is wonderful, we'll handle it, regardless.Cheers,Elizabeth



Good morning Mr. Larsen and Miss Pomada, how are you?I hope you can help me with this. I'm writing a manuscript for the newHarlequin Imprint Epic Romance and I was thinking of submitting it tothe editors directly. If they decide they like to buy the manuscript,can I contact you and see if you'd like to be my Agent and handle thepaper/legal work?



Re: Question: submitting to editors first?

Yes, that would be fine. You should know that Harlequin rarelychanges contracts because you have an agent, but at the same time,things do come up--covers, promotion, etc.--where having an agent onyour side can come in very handy.Cheers,Elizabeth




Thank you Mr. Larsen and Ms. Pomada for helping today.I've read about the latest deals on Publisher's Market and it lookslike when a manuscript goes on bids, they can get sold for more money.As the agent, do you choose which manuscript goes on auction? Howabout selling it for movie rights, do you choose which one you'll sellfor movie/TV rights or do you just put the manuscript up for auctionand the buyers make the offer?


Re: Question: selling movie/TV rights?

Hi Ely, we are very careful about which manuscripts we'll put up forauction--we never want to "cry wolf" and one usually auctions onlymajor books. At the same time, we usually make multiple submissions,and if more than one editor wants a book--that can turn into anauction.Regarding movie rights, we usually focus on fiction and go overour lists regularly with movie agents. However, we recently sold apsychological self-help book by David Lieberman "Get Anyone to DoAnything" to a screen writer! He likes the title--and that will be amovie. So who can tell what will work--and when. All we can do iskeep trying.Cheers,Elizabeth




Is the historical romance market growing, dying or staying thesame? I've been told repeatedly how difficult it is to break intothe historical market and yet I've had at least 4 friends in thelast year get published in the genre. Your insights would begreatly appreciated.


Re: QUESTION:Future of Historical Romance?

Hi Rene,The historical romance market is getting more difficult and alsoeasier, depending on your book. Publishers do search for historicalnovels now. Everyone wants the next Philippa Gregory. And St.Martin's is having great fun with historicals. When it comes togenre historical romance, people don't want early American settingsor odd settings. But they do seem to want Scottish settings orBritish settings. So it really depends, as always, on your talentand what your book is about. Don't give up.Cheers,Elizabeth






For more: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShallaDeGuzman/messages/595



Thank you Ms. Pomada and Mr. Larsen for answering our questions. Wehope you can join us again.Our best wishes to you and to the Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency.

Thanks,

Shalla

www.shalladeguzman.com