Agent Spotlight: Emily van Beek

This week's Agent Spotlight features Emily van Beek of Folio Literary Management.
Status: Open to submissions and actively seeking queries.

About the Agency:
"Folio Jr., the division of Folio Literary Management devoted exclusively to the representation of today’s most stellar children’s book authors and artists, is wholly committed to offering our clients impeccable, individually-tailored care. We strive not only to discover and cultivate the most compelling new voices and the most original and memorable styles of illustration, but also to indefatigably and strategically support our established writers and illustrators as they thrive and develop their careers in the publishing industry. Folio Jr. is proud to offer a full complement of literary services in a changing publishing landscape, and to provide our clients with access to marketing services, website development, and media training that it takes to make each book a success." (Via email)
Web Presence:
Folio Jr. website.
Folio Literary website.
Folio Jr. Twitter.
Publisher’s Marketplace page.
Personal Facebook page.
AgentQuery, QueryTracker.
What She's Looking For:
"*I need your help. If you know me, you know I'm not great at taking breaks. I'm ACTIVELY building my list right now. If you have stellar, fun, expansive, bright, fantastical, joyful, adventurous middle grade hiding somewhere, PLEASE query me. Tell your friends! Crow it from the rooftops! I'm standing by with my reading glasses on! The time is now! emily@foliolitmanagement.com*"

"MIDDLE-GRADE: I’m currently on the look-out for unique and distinctive voices. I’m open to almost anything within this genre and I’m eagerly looking for something new. Please send me your diverse, epic, cinematic, action-packed, adventuresome, mysterious, and fast-paced novels! I always bear in mind that readers in this age group are looking for fun and mischief, to learn something about life, and to escape and romp.

"YOUNG ADULT: I'm eager to find novels that are high concept, diverse, fantasy or magical realism, and am open to anything conceptually unique. In the realm of paranormal, adventure, and dystopian, I'm looking for something entirely unexpected. Give me something bold and fresh with a voice that’s impossible to put aside. I’m probably not the best choice for "message” or hard science-fiction books. What I’m really looking for is the intersection between stellar writing and plot, something that leaves me puffy eyed or laughing out loud. I, like most teenagers, am looking for emotional connection, for drama, for hope. Oh! Something else--I would love, love, LOVE to discover a FUNNY manuscript, a novel to make me LOL as Louise Rennison's ANGUS, THONGS, AND FULL-FRONTAL SNOGGING did.

"PICTURE BOOKS: At this time, I am exclusively interested in AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATORS. I’m especially looking for award-worthy artwork, character-driven series, and work by diverse creators featuring diverse stories.

"Representing an author or artist, whether aspiring or established, is an honor and a commitment I take very seriously. I am passionate about children’s and young adult books. I am passionate about negotiating the best deal possible. I am passionate about working together with our experienced and esteemed subsidiary rights and contracts teams to squeeze as much juice out of a single property as it will yield. I find it incredibly rewarding to work with new voices. I’m also committed to helping established authors and artists continue to grow their careers. I am an “editorial” agent, in that I’ll work through as many drafts over the course of as many years as it takes to polish a manuscript I believe in to a high shine prior to submission. My goal is to build long-term relationships with authors and artists and to help them publish books that will stand the test of time.

"Unfortunately, due to the volume of submissions I receive, I will only reply (within four weeks) if I am interested. I look forward to reading your work and thank you in advance for thinking of me." (Via email)
You can find more about what she's looking for on her Manuscript Wish List.
What She Isn't Looking For:
Picture book texts (although she is interested in author/illustrators). (Via email)
Quotables:
"I am very actively looking to work with debut authors, so aspiring writers should certainly feel free to query me. I love launching careers and having the chance to work with someone from the very beginning." (via e-mail)
Her Advice to Writers:
"It's really important for aspiring writers to do their research when it comes to selecting an agent. It's useful to know about an agent's current roster of clients and the types of projects they feel passionately about (in terms of genre, format, and audience). Are your tastes compatible?" (Link with more!)
Editorial Agent?
"I am an 'editorial' agent, in that I'll work through as many drafts over the course of as many years as it takes to polish a manuscript I believe in to a high shine prior to submission. My goal is to build long-term relationships with authors and to help them publish books that will stand the test of time." (Link)
Clients:
There is a listing  of Ms. van Beek’s clients on the Folio website and her Publishers Marketplace page and in her bio listed above.
Clients include: Kallie George, Adele Griffith, Julie Kao, Lois Lowry, Morgan Matson, Tamara Pierce, among others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes.
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: No..
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
"Please send along your query letter and first ten pages of your manuscript in the body of the email to emily@foliolitmanagement.com. If you'd like to submit a picture book, please attach a PDF of your dummy. Links to online portfolios are always welcome. I would very much like to be able to respond to every query, but unfortunately time doesn’t allow for it. Please be sure to write QUERY in the subject line as this will ensure I do not miss your letter." (Link)Query Tips:
You can read a "submission cheat-sheet" (that addresses common slip-ups) in this interview with Emily van Beek at Cynsations.
Response Times:
Ms. van Beek is unable to respond to all queries due to the volume she receives. If you have not heard from her in four weeks, she is not interested. (Via email)
What's the Buzz?
Emily is a well-respected and talented literary agent with a successful list of clients and sales. She is a partner and heads up the agency’s children’s division, Folio Jr., representing properties for the youngest of children to the oldest of teens. Her clients seem very happy with her representation.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews:
7 Questions with Literary Agent Emily van Beek at Middle Grade Ninja (12/2017)
Interview with Emily van Beek at Cynsations (02/2008).
Contact:
Please see Folio Literary Management website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 6/5/2020.
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? 6/8/2020.
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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 profiles focus on agents who accept children's and/or teen 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.