Literary Agent Interview: Courtney Donovan Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

 Today I’m thrilled to have agent Courtney Donovan here. She’s a junior agent at Writers House.

Status: Courtney is temporarily closed to queries. Please check the agency website to learn when she reopens to queries.

Hi Courtney! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Courtney:

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

Like many people who end up in the industry, I was the quintessential bookworm growing up. I read books under my covers with a flashlight and everything. But I never thought much about how books made it onto shelves (I assumed largely by magic) and growing up in a small town in North Carolina, I was far removed from anything resembling the publishing industry. I had a vague idea that there were these things called publishers and editors and maybe even agents, but it didn’t seem like an attainable career. But after serving six years in the military, I decided to finally pursue my love of books. I went to the University of California San Diego for a BA in Literature and Writing, and through their internship program discovered Writers House. From day one I knew I’d found my people, and the more I learned the more I realized agenting was the perfect fit for my skills and interests. I’ve now been working as an assistant to Steven Malk for almost five years, and I was promoted to junior agent and began taking on my own clients at the beginning of this year. 

About the Agency:

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

Writers House has an impressive roster of acclaimed authors and illustrators and a long history of successful career building and collaboration. Established in 1973, Writers House has grown into a full-service agency, with dedicated departments for global licensing, media, contracts, and accounting.  

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 am open to all genres and age categories in children’s books, from picture books through young adult. Voice and character are essential no matter the genre, and I am particularly drawn to the speculative, including fantasy, science fiction, and magical realism.

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

I would love to see more grounded science fiction in picture books and middle grade! I’m also on the hunt for graphic novels. But some of my favorite submissions are ones that have surprised me. No matter the genre, I’m looking to connect with characters so deeply I’d follow them anywhere or discover a world that feels so vivid and immersive I never want to leave.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

I’m currently closed to picture book text-only submissions except by referral. Additionally, I don’t represent screenplays or short stories.

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 as an agent is to be a collaborative partnr and advocate for talented and passionate creators. I believe that stories are central to human connection, enabling us to share experiences and ideas that enrich our lives. I am dedicated to bringing forth impactful and compelling narratives that make people think, laugh, and feel seen.  Stories that are deeply moving or funny, or both. Stories that kids need. (That we all need.)

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?

Yes! The editorial process is one of my favorite parts of the job, and I feel it’s more important than ever to make sure a project is as strong as possible before going on submission. Of course, the editorial process will look a bit different depending on the creator, their preferences, and the particular project. Typically, I provide my editorial thoughts either in a letter or over a call and it becomes a discussion. My goal is to work with a creator until we both feel the project is the best possible version of itself. Sometimes this involves one round of edits, sometimes more, but the process is always an ongoing conversation.

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?

You can query me on Query Manager: querymanager.com/courtneydonovan

Aside from the query letter, I also ask for a synopsis and first 10 pages, as well as a few optional Query Manager specific fields. And please don’t forget to share your bio, even if you don’t have writing credits or accolades. I’d love to know a bit about you and the inspiration behind your work.

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

Vagueness! It may seem obvious, but a query letter should tell me what the story is about. I want to know the specifics—why this character, why now, what obstacles will they face? Too often I think writers are trying to avoid spoiling some element of the plot, and this can lead to vague pitches that just don’t stand out. I also don’t love when a query is written from the perspective of a character. It’s not an automatic “no,” but I want to hear from the author in the query—I’ll get to know the character when I read the manuscript.

Response Time:

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

My goal is 10-12 weeks, but this can be longer during high-volume periods and holidays. I do respond to all queries, so if you haven’t heard from me, I simply haven’t read yours yet (or I’m still considering).

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?

Absolutely! When it comes to previous publishing experience of any kind, I simply want to know about it. Self-publishing and small presses are perfectly legitimate and viable publishing paths, but it also means a lot of extra work beyond creating the thing. Oftentimes, these authors are doing everything on their own (negotiating contracts, handling marketing and publicity, etc). That’s a lot—and it is exactly what agents are here to help manage.   

Clients:

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?

I’m very fortunate to be working with some incredibly talented authors and illustrators, including Sojourner Ahebee, Allyssa Yohana, Rebecca Mooradian, Bonnie Maisen, and Audrey Day.

Interviews and Guest Posts:

13. 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:

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

Queries should go through Query Manager: querymanager.com/courtneydonovan
You can find more about what I’m looking for here:
https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/donovanc
https://www.cadonovan.com

Additional Advice:

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

You’ve likely heard it a thousand times (and will a thousand more), but this is an almost entirely subjective industry. Success (however you define it) often comes down to a combination of perseverance and timing. Work on your craft first and foremost, focus on finding joy in your creations, and trust in the process (long as it may be).

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Courtney.

Giveaway Details

Courtney 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 December 2nd. 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

 

Sunday, December 1st I’m participating in the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, December 4th I have an interview with author Lish McBride and a giveaway of her YA Red in Tooth and Claw and my IWSG post

Saturday, December 7th I’m participating in the Let It Snow Giveaway Hop

Monday, December 9th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Hassan and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, December 11th I have an agent spotlight interview with Vicky Weber and a query critique giveaway

Monday, December 16th I have a guest post by debut author Vicky Lorencen and a giveaway of her MG The Book of Barf

I hope to see you on Sunday, December 1st! And Happy Thanksgiving!