Agent Spotlight: Rebecca Sherman

This week's Agent Spotlight features Rebecca Sherman of Writers House.  
Status: Open to submissions.
About: "Rebecca Sherman is an agent for Writers House. For over 30 years, Writers House has played a critical role in developing novelists and non-fiction authors. They have one of the industry’s finest lists of juvenile and young adult authors. Rebecca continues to build her own list of middle grade and young adult novelists, she’s looking for books with something to say, books that make her laugh, and characters that truly remind her of how confounding and wonderful (ridiculous! frightening! glorious!) adolescence can be. She is also looking for picture books by author/illustrators that can hold up to readings night” (Link) 
What She's Looking For:
From Publisher’s Marketplace:
"MG: Middle grade fiction is the arrow that goes to the bull’s-eye of my heart. I’m looking for timeless stories that could become instant classics. I have a soft spot for fresh retellings and inventive folklore, fairytales, etc. I’m equally excited by contemporary stories, particularly friendship stories. Occasionally I fall for character-driven historical fiction set in seldom explored settings.
Favorite childhood MG books: THE WESTING GAME, CHARLOTTE’S WEB, THE BFG, FROM THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWILER, and HOLES (actually I read this last one when I was an adult). Favorite contemporary MG books: THE WEDNESDAY WARS, THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY, EMMA JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE, THE STRANGE CASE OF ORIGAMI YODA, THE REAL BOY.
"YA: I’m looking for books with something to say—books that make me laugh, and characters that truly remind me of how confounding and wonderful (ridiculous! frightening! glorious!) adolescence can be. I enjoy contemporary stories of young love and growing up. I am not the right person for your high fantasy/SF submission, however I am game for a novel with fantastical elements in the world we know/urban fantasy/magical realism). Super-edgy and/or issue-driven books aren’t for me either.
Favorite contemporary YA: STARGIRL, BLANKETS, ELEANOR & PARK, WHY WE BROKE UP, THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU BANKS.
"For all fiction, I’m very much looking for highly illustrated work—not necessarily graphic novels or illustrated diaries, but projects that include inventive uses of artwork to help tell the story. Also: bonus points for manuscripts that include an ensemble of characters in which the individuals as well as the dynamics between characters are complex and fully developed.
"Picture Books: I want picture books that can hold up to readings night after night. I’d love to see something that can make me laugh embarrassingly loud. I want to find the next picture book household name like Madeline or Olivia or Harold (in other words, character-driven picture books are welcome). I’m highly selective in this category, and I accept illustrators and author/illustrators only—if you’ve just written picture book text, I’m not the best match for you.
Favorite childhood picture books: THE MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK, MISS NELSON IS MISSING!, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, anything by Richard Scarry. Favorite contemporary picture books: OLIVIA, ME…JANE, THE INCREDIBLE BOOK-EATING BOY, ORANGE PEAR APPLE BEAR, BALLOONS OVER BROADWAY, and THE ADVENTURES OF THE DISH AND THE SPOON. To get an even better sense of my taste in artwork, feel free to visit writershouseart.com.What She Isn't Looking For:
Adult fiction and nonfiction, picture book authors who are not illustrators
About the Agency:
"Writers House was founded in 1973 with a vision for a new kind of literary agency, one that would combine a passion for managing a writer's career with an integrated understanding of how storytelling works. With this two-pronged philosophy, Writers House has played a critical role in developing the careers of hundreds of novelists and non-fiction authors. We believe in offering our clients not only our expertise in negotiating contracts, but in contributing to all phases of the editorial and publishing processes. Our goal is to maximize the value of our clients' work by providing hands-on editorial and marketing advice, as well as leading the way in branding, licensing, and selling film/TV, foreign, audio, dramatic and serial rights." (Link)
"Al Zuckerman, a former novelist, TV writer, and teacher of playwriting at Yale, is the founder of Writers House. One of the largest literary agencies in the world, Writers House provides an extraordinary amount of individual client attention combined with the benefits of full service foreign rights, subsidiary rights, and contracts departments. We house an accounting department equipped to provide forensic royalty and financial analysis, as well as a digital department focusing on the ever changing technological landscape of contemporary publishing. Home to more than a dozen senior agents and several rising junior agents, we work individually as well as collectively and take full advantage of the unparalleled depth of experience we embody. Some of our agents started here as assistants, while others have joined us from other parts of the business, bringing editorial, bookselling, writing, and legal experience. We also pride ourselves on the stability of our firm. Many of our agents have been here together for more than 20 years, as have many of our clients. Writers House is a name which reflects our vision for our authors and ourselves. Our goals are long term, and the environment we strive to create is one that invites authors and agents to stay with us for the duration of their careers." (Link)Editorial Agent?
"I am absolutely an editorial agent. My editorial input is expressed mostly for the benefit of unpublished authors. If a client has already been published and plans to publish again with the same publisher, I might put my two cents in (if asked), but would leave the substantive part of the editorial process to the client and editor. However, for unpublished clients and prospective clients, I feel it is of the utmost important to send the most polished manuscript possible to editors." (Link with more!)
Web Presence:
Writers House website.
Publisher's Marketplace page.
Twitter.
#mswl on Twitter
Facebook.
AgentQuery, QueryTracker.
Clients:
Selina Alko, Anna Alter, Melissa Anelli, Lindsay Eland, Shane Evans, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Grace Lin, Julian Hector, Laura Ljungkvis, Scott Magoon, Leslie Patricelli, Matt Phelan, Andrea Davis Pinkney, Brian Pinkney, Sean Qualls, Tricia Rayburn, Daniel Salmieri, David Ezra Stein, Dan Yaccarino, among others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes.
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: No.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
"-All submissions must include a query letter.
-MG and YA submissions should include a sample chapter (approx 10 pages) and a synopsis.
-Please include one entire text for picture book submissions and sample illustrations or a link to an online portfolio or a dummy. I do not accept picture book texts by authors only. You must be an author/illustrator to submit picture book material.
-middle grade, YA, and adult non-fiction submissions should include a proposal." (Link)
Do NOT submit to more than one Writers House agent at a time.
Response Times:
Ms Sherman or her assistant reads all queries and responds. She asks that writers be patient.
What's the Buzz?
Rebecca Sherman has a great reputation.  She has an amazing list of clients who seem to adore her, and the sales to befit her nine years as an agent with Writers House.  Aspiring authors who have met her and/or heard her speak at conferences have come away very impressed.  I recommend following her on Twitter for updates and a glimpse at her personality.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews and Guest Post:
Book Publishing with Rebecca Sherman at Paul Lives Here (08/2018).
Rebecca Sherman and Abby Cooper Guest Post at Literary Rambles (06/2016).
Interview podcast with Rebecca Sherman at Just One More Book (11/2008).
Interview with Rebecca Sherman of Writers House at Cynsations (05/2007).
Contact:
Please see Ms. Sherman's Publisher's Marketplace page or the Writers House website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 5/30/2020.
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes.
Reviewed By Agent? N/A
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Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7(at)gmail(dot)com

Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.