AGENT SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH ANN ROSE AND QUERY CRITIQUE GIVEAWAY

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Ann Rose here. She is a literary agent at Prospect Agency.

11/9/2022 Update: Ann has left Prospect Agency and is now at The Tobias Literary Agency.

Hi­ Ann! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Ann:

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

I didn’t become an agent the “typical” way for sure. I wasn’t a creative writing major. I didn’t always dream of being a writer. Actually, I never thought either of these things were in the cards for me. But I couldn’t be more happy with how I ended up here. It all started about a million years ago (okay, maybe not that long, but go with me on this) my niece asked me to read some books with her. She was a vivacious reader, and her friends really weren’t, but she wanted someone to fangirl with over books. I told her to tell me what to buy, and we started our own little book club. After one of her favorite characters died, and she called me sobbing, (ten points if you can name the book and the character) I told her I’d write her a book. This is where my story truly begins. I decided if I was going to write her a book I was going to learn everything there was to know about the publishing industry which included getting an internship at an agency on top of my forty hour(+) a week job managing a portfolio of applications for all of America and part of Latin America.

I found agenting to be fascinating, and I loved how each day brought different challenges to conquer, so after a few years, and my day job being eliminated (thanks corporate America) I took to agenting full time and found a home with Prospect Agency. I call it serendipity because really all the stars aligned to make it happen, and I haven’t regretted it a day since. 

As an agent, I do all the things agents do. I represent my clients work to publishers. I work with them on edits to make sure they have the best chance at getting their books picked up. Since I’m remote, I schedule calls with editors to connect with them and discuss projects they are interested in. I’m a sounding board for my client’s ideas and also a shoulder to cry on when imposter syndrome hits hard. There’s probably not a lot of things I wouldn’t do for my authors, really.

About the Agency:

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

Prospect Agency has a motto: We see the forest and the trees. Basically, meaning that not only do we notice the small things, but we are always looking at the bigger picture. It’s not just one book, it’s an author’s whole career we are interested in. Prospect has a solid reputation in this community, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.

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 rep MG and YA of all genres. And in the adult realm, I enjoy light sci-fi/fantasy, romance, and stories with humor and heart. Overall, I’m always looking for great writing, and for stories I haven’t heard a million times before. I love stories that will keep me guessing. I enjoy thriller but not horror. (I’m not into all the blood and gore.) I’m excited to be opening up to Author/Illustrator graphic novels as well. For a more comprehensive list of what I’m looking for, check my website at http://www.prospectagency.com/agent.html#ann_rose or https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/ann-rose/

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

I’m very excited to be opening up to graphic novels so I can’t wait to see what comes my way. I’m still very interested in a YA version of CLUE with the same kind of wit and humor. I’d love more LGBTQIA stories, and would love a story about two girls who are both running for class president that fall in love. Stories that take me to new places I’ve never been before whether in contemporary or fantasy.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

This is much easier than what I am looking for as sometimes I don’t know unless I see it but this list is pretty solid below on what I don’t really want…

Horror (I don't love all the blood and guts stuff)

Erotica

Non-fiction

Picture Books

Poetry (books in verse are the exception) 

Screenplays

Novellas

Stories that start with a character waking up

Stories with graphic rape

Misogynist stories 

Stories that depict animal cruelty - if the dog dies, I don't want it

Books set in the 80s-90s - Unless there's a darn good reason. If you can pick up the plot and move it present day, you probably should. 

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?

I want to work with career authors. Authors who understand that sometimes the first book isn’t the breakout they dreamed it would be and they have to write two or three or four… more. I want to work with professionals who are able to understand we need to value each other’s time. All my clients have my cell number and are open to text when they need, but not one single one of them has ever abused this.

I want to rep books that represent the world we live in and also books that explore new worlds and ideas. Books that challenge the norms of today. Books with strong, capable women that don’t need men saving them. Books that make me think and keep my on the edge of my seat and guessing until the very end.

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’m very editorial, any of my clients would tell you this. We will go through a number of rounds of revisions—as many as it takes—to get the best book possible. In the end we both have the same goal, sell books, so I want to give each client/book the best chance possible.

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?

Submissions are all done through our online website at: https://www.prospectagency.com/submit.html

I want to see letter that shows me the author has at least Googled, “How to write a query letter.” They don’t have to be perfect, rarely they are, but it is obvious when an author has done their homework and when they haven’t.

Make sure to follow guidelines which means for our submission process that you include the query, a synopsis (preferably not longer than 2 pages) and the first 3 chapters or 30 pages in one document that you will attach right there on the submission site. I get so many submissions that are just pages because maybe authors think the Q&A part of the submission is their query. It isn’t. You still have to send a query letter. Lots of authors also love to leave out the synopsis—which I get they suck, but for me, I need to see where you think the story is going and how it ends before I can commit to reading it. And yes, the synopsis has to tell the ending, spoilers and all. A lot of authors think the query and synopsis are the same thing, and they are not. So do your homework.

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

For queries, I don’t love it when people don’t even address the letter to me. Not even that they get my name wrong, because yes, this happens a lot, but that there is nothing. No greeting at all—like they just did a quick copy paste, and I wasn’t even worth the time to say hi to.

I don’t love queries that spend more time talking about the author than they do talking about the story.

When they pitch me multiple books at a time, and I don’t mean “series potential” but saying book 1 is this, and book 2 is that, and so on. Or after they pitch book one they say, I also have this other book about XYZ if you want. Pitch me your best book.

Queries that don’t tell me the word count or genre of the book. (And for kidlit the age group.) I need these details.

For first pages my biggest pet peeve is a character waking up. I see it ALL THE TIME. Yes, there are exceptions to every rule, but my rule of thumb is—don’t think you are the exception. Try starting in a different place, and who knows, you might surprise yourself how much more awesome your story is. 

I’m also not a huge fan of prologues as most of the time they aren’t needed. This won’t make me immediately reject or anything, but I would suggest asking yourself—does the reader need this information now? Or do I just think they do?

Response Time:

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

Prospect has a no response is a no because of the number of queries we receive. I average at least 40 hours a month just reading query letters if that give you any idea how many I personally see.

When I request pages, it takes me more time than I like, and I’m working on picking up my speed. But I want to make sure I give each submission the time and attention it deserves. I don’t mind an occasional nudge email to check on the status—I just suggest not doing it the week after pages are sent.

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?

Yes, I’m open to previously published authors whether they are small press or self-published. The only caveat would be that they must submit a new project, meaning one that hasn’t been published before. If it is or has been on Amazon for sale, it’s published.

Be upfront with agents on what you want is the advice I can give. If it’s “I need someone to market my self-published books for me” then they haven’t done their homework on what agents do.

Clients:

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?

In the YA space, I represent C.M. McGuire who’s book Ironspark will be coming out this fall! Be on the lookout for this amazing story—seriously go add it to your Goodreads List right now.

Amalie Jahn, USA Today Best Selling Author of The Clay Lion Series, and The Next to Last Mistake is also on my list. If you want heartfelt contemporary YA, she is your girl.

Honestly, I’d love to shout out about all my authors, but I don’t think we have the time. If you are curious to know more check out the #RosebudAuthor hashtag and you’re bound to find them.

Interviews and Guest Posts:

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

https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/ann-rose/

http://www.prospectagency.com/agent.html#ann_rose

https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/2019/04/author-agent-interview-ann-rose-of-prospect-agency/

http://www.michelle4laughs.com/2018/07/query-questions-with-ann-rose.html

https://amytruebloodauthor.com/first-five-frenzy-with-ann-rose-of-the-prospect-agency/

Links and Contact Info:

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

If people want to query me, they should go to the submission page on the prospect agency website.

If people just want to know about my shenanigans, I’m best found on Twitter @annmrose

Additional Advice:

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

Keep writing. This industry is so subjective and what doesn’t work for one person might be exactly what someone else is looking for. If this is your dream don’t give up.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Ann.

­Ann 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 April 4th.  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.

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.