AGENT SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH KERSTIN WOLF AND QUERY CRITIQUE GIVEAWAY

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Kerstin Wolf here. She is a literary agent at D4EO Literary Agency.

Hi­ Kerstin! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Kerstin:

1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.

I officially became an agent in early 2019. While I am a newer agent, I’m not that new to the industry. Prior to becoming an agent, I worked as a freelance editor. I also interned/assisted for about three and a half years at a number of literary agencies, publishers, and arts journals. Eight internships later, and I’m finally an agent! It’s taken me a lot of work and time to get to where I am now, so I’m thrilled to finally build my own client list. My main focus at the moment is to expand my client list and prepare my current clients’ works for submission.

About the Agency:

2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

Bob Diforio launched D4EO Literary Agency in 1989 after a long career at the New American Library, now an imprint of Penguin Random House. Today D4EO is a full-service literary agency representing authors of a very broad range of commercial fiction and non-fiction for children, young adults, and adults. 

Books represented by the agency have topped the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, and agency authors have received awards that include the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense and the Nero Award, as well as nominations for the Hugo Award, among many other notable successes.

With over 1,500 published books under contract, the agency has launched the writing careers of more than two hundred authors.

What She’s Looking For:

3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

I represent MG, YA, and adult novels! Genres that I always love to see for MG include fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and horror. Genres that I’m interested in YA include fantasy, science fiction, horror, and contemporary romance. If you would like more details on what I’m interested in, I’d recommend checking out my website and #MSWL!

4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?

Dragons and demons! I’d love to see some dragons and demons! Give me all the fantastical and unique creatures! I’m also a sucker for strong world building. I want to be completely immersed in this world you’ve created! Of course, bonus points are awarded for delicious food in the manuscript.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?

I’m not really looking for contemporary realistic fiction in MG. I’m also not a good fit for historical fiction in MG or YA if there are no magical elements.

Agent Philosophy:

6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

My views are all about the best interests of the author and their long-term career. I want to build long-term relationships with my authors and help them have enjoyable and fruitful careers. I value hard work, but I also realize that writing can be difficult. I don’t want my authors to be so stressed that they can’t enjoy the little things.

Growth is also important. I want to help my authors grow and improve their craft. They need to be able to take critique well and be open-minded to revisions. I love working with authors on new ideas for future manuscripts. The more ideas they have brewing, the better!

As for my philosophy with books, I want to feel it deep in my bones. I want to soar with hope and die of laughter. I want to feel my heart being torn from my chest when the protagonist is betrayed or when a character is killed. I want to feel every little bit of it.

Editorial Agent:

7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

I am definitely an editorial agent! I’m almost always editing something or discussing new possibilities and ideas. When I go through and edit a manuscript for the first time, I always mark it up using Track Changes and include a short edit letter at the end of the manuscript discussing the main issues. A phone call is then arranged to discuss possible changes and to toss ideas around. After that point though, the process changes depending on the author and the manuscript.

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

Authors should query me through my QueryManager form: http://QueryMe.Online/kerstinwolf

I do not accept queries through email, mail, or the contact form on my website.

With your query letter, please include the first ten pages of your manuscript and the comparative titles. Really, everything that I’d like to see is listed in the form.

9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?

I always recommend that query letters focus more on the plot and main characters than what readers should get or feel from the manuscript. If I’m unsure of what the book is about or don’t know who the main characters are, then I’m not as likely to request more. Also, please know a handful of comparative titles for your manuscript. If you can’t list a single comparative title, then it appears to me as though you don’t read within the genre you’re writing in.

As for personalization, all you need to do is have my name in the greeting. It is preferable that you spell my name correctly. More personalization than this will definitely make you stand out, but it doesn’t ultimately make it or break it for me.

Response Time:

10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

It all depends! My response time can vary from an hour later to months later. It really just depends on what’s going on at the moment. When I’m editing multiple manuscripts, my response time tends to get slower. You will always receive a response back from me though! I always notify authors of my decision.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

Of course! My only piece of advice would be to query a manuscript that has never before been published.

12. With all the changes in publishing—self-publishing, hybrid authors, more small publishers—do you see the role of agents changing at all? Why?

Everything is always changing. I’m sure my job will look very different twenty years from now, but I do believe that the primary role of agents will stay the same. True agents will always stand for authors’ best interests and be their allies.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

I currently represent the extraordinary Lynn Jung and the brilliant Brandy Howell! Both are currently working on YA fantasy novels that are going to knock your socks off!

I also represent Zoe Hana Mikuta and Sim Kern as well. Zoe has her YA debut called GEARBREAKERS coming out in 2021. Sim also has a novella coming out in September, 2020 called DEPART, DEPART!.

Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews and guest posts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

If you can believe it, this is actually my first agent interview! I’m so thankful to have been given this opportunity by Literary Rambles!

Links and Contact Info:

15. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.

Query Form: http://QueryMe.Online/kerstinwolf

Personal Website: https://kerstinwolfagent.com/

Agency Website: https://www.d4eoliteraryagency.com/p/kerstin-wolf.html

Twitter: @Kerstin_Wolf

Additional Advice:

16. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

Keep writing. Every single word you write is a step in the right direction. Every word is progress.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Kerstin.

­Kerstin is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follower button if you're not a follower) and leave a comment through June 29th.  If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter either contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that's okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.

Last Updated: 6/10/2020.
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? 6/102/2020.

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com
Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.