Literary Agent Interview: Lane Clarke Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

 

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Lane Clarke here. She is an associate literary agent at ArtHouse Literary Agency.

Update on 9/14/2024. Lane Clarke has moved to Ultra Literary and is currently closed to submissions. Check the agency website to learn when she reopens to submissions and how to query her.

Hi­ Lane! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Lane:

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

I spent a year as an editorial intern and another year as an agent mentee by the time I reached out to one of the ArtHouse founders about possibly joining their team and the rest is history. That was in May 2022, so for about a year and some change I’ve been signing great clients and pitching their fantastic work to editors.

About the Agency:

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

ArtHouse is a small Black-owned agency whose main goal is to uplift marginalized voices. We offer editorial assistance in addition to representation, and are open minds always looking for new ways to get our clients work and recognition.

 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 all age groups, picture books through adult. I’m a bit eclectic when it comes to genres I represent, so I look for contemporary, speculative, funny, serious, etc. I read A LOT so I’m always looking for something that I haven’t seen before, whether it be a completely fresh perspective or a common trope really turned on its head. 

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

I’m really keen on finding contemporary stories set in the real world with just a hint of something speculative. I’d also really love some horror that gives me goosebumps, whether that be because there’s something deliciously gross about it or because it addresses an issue that just makes me feel big emotions.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

I don’t find myself leaning towards fantasy about fae or related topics, not to say that I never could be so I hate to say I’m not interested in something because I really never know what may blow me away. I do think my bandwidth has made me not as interested in longer books over 100,000 words. I’m also really not into submissions about a marginalized character or group from a writer who is not a part of that group—we should be giving those creatures space in publishing, not telling their stories for them.

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 goal is publishing, the reason I became an agent really, is to always push publishing towards being more diverse, so my list represents authors from all backgrounds. It’s really important for me in my career to do my part in getting those voices heard and to the forefront.

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, some of my clients might even call me nitpicky lol but I try to get my clients’ work as “perfect” as we can so editors can have a clear vision and have fewer reasons to hopefully say no. That can mean multiple rounds of developmental edits or hefty line edits to make the book really sing.

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 use the QueryManager link on ArtHouse’s website’s contact page. We have a shared inbox so every ArtHouse agent sees every query. In addition to your query letter, we also ask for a synopsis and the first three chapters of your manuscript.

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

No, not really. I don’t mind typos or small mistakes, even if it’s my name. As long as the query letter is clear what your book is about and gives me an idea on whether or not I want to read it, then it’s well done.

Response Time:

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

Now that I’m finally all caught up with queries and requested materials, my response time is about 2 months to respond to your query and *fingers crossed* one-two months to read the manuscript.

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?

I’m definitely open to hybrid authors and authors already published by a small press. My advice is the same as it would be for any author—query with your best (unpublished) work and be ready to talk about your other projects both published and unpublished. If you’re self-published, make sure you have an idea of your sales record because agents may ask.

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?

I think the role of agents is everchanging because books tend to reflect the world and the world is everchanging. For me personally, I try not to focus too much on the hottest trends because the market is moving so quickly right now, editors are moving in and around and out of publishing houses so figuring out how to maintain those relationships is taking a new flexibility for sure. I think since we’re seeing so many popular self-published books get picked up by traditional publishing, agents becoming more agile and connected in the international market feels like it’s becoming more necessary. (**caveat that I’m still fairly new and maybe these are things agents have always been doing, but that in my time I’ve learned I need to pay more attention to than I knew coming in.)

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

Clients who have had deals announced include Jenny Alvarado, Jasmine Smith, Melissa Kendall, and Leigh Anne Carter.

Interviews, Guest Posts, and Podcasts:

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

N/A

Links and Contact Info:

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

Writers can query me at the QueryManager form on ArtHouse’s website’s contact page. You can address the query to the agency as a whole since we share an inbox or you can address it to me specifically.

Additional Advice:

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

Publishing is moving slow, I mean really slow, right now. So the best advice I can give is to be patient. I’ve seen authors CNR a query that was only out for 4-6 weeks, which, unless that’s what an agent’s guidelines state, just feels like way too short a time. I completely understand that wait times are just horrendous right now, but most of us are truly reading as fast as we can while managing our existing list, so hang in there!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Lane.

Giveaway Details

­Lane is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through October 31st. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that’s okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you follow me on Twitter or 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 email 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.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Monday, October 16 I have an agent spotlight interview with Jane Chun and a query critique giveaway and am participating in the Silly Pumpkin Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 23 I have an interview with debut author Elisa Stone Leahy and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Tethered to Other Stars

Wednesday, November 1st I have a guest post by debut author Mackenzie Reed and a giveaway of her YA mystery The Rosewood Hunt and my IWSG post

Monday, November 6th I have an agent spotlight interview with Morgan Hughes and a query critique giveaway

Thursday, November 9th I’m participating in the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop

Monday, November 13th I have an interview with debut author DaVaun Sanders and a giveaway of his MG fantasy Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew

Hope to see you on Monday!