Literary Agent Interview: Shari Maurer Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have Shari Maurer here. She’s an agent at The Stringer Literary Agency.
  
Hi Shari! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Shari:

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

I was a writer, having had a young adult novel (Change of Heart) published, as well as a parenting book (The Parents’ Guide to Children’s Congential Defects. I had also written hundreds of parenting articles for Romper, Patch, and other publications. A few years ago, my agent, Marlene Stringer, approached me about joining her agency. The timing was great and I am lucky to have a fabulous mentor in Marlene. As I started evaluating submissions, it was clear to me that I was gravitating toward children’s books and non-fiction, which probably shouldn’t have surprised me because that’s exactly what I had been writing and in my early career I worked for International Sesame Street.  

About the Agency:

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

The Stringer Literary Agency is a full-service agency with offices in Florida and New York, specializing in commercial fiction and select non-fiction since 2008. Marlene and I are both very hands on and help our authors editorially, too.

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 picture books, middle grade, and young adult in both fiction and non-fiction. While I gravitate toward contemporary realistic and dystopian fiction, I’m open to all genres.

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

I would love to see some magical realism or a fantasy novel. I love a strong, voice-y protagonist and want something that will make me laugh and make me cry.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

In fantasy, I tend to shy away from the world-building types of novels—fairies, wizards, dragons, etc. are not my thing. 

I’m really open to anything.

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 represent authors and their careers, not just one book. I like when authors are not just open to editorial suggestions, but adept at editing their own work.

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. I always work closely with the authors to push them to make their stories as strong as they can be. Once I sign an author, I re-read their submission and send them editorial notes. They will do another draft and then, when we think the work is ready, I’ll put together a sub list and an editorial letter and send them out.

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?

They should query me via the StringerLit website: https://www.stringerlit.com/

Your query letter is the first thing I read, so make it professional and include a blurb that makes me excited to read your book.

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

I’m a little old fashioned, but I want to see a true query letter—salutation and all. Include an enticing description and a paragraph about your writing experience and include why you are the best person to tell this story, if that’s applicable.

Response Time:

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

This varies for me. Client manuscripts are always my first priority, so when I don’t have client manuscripts to edit, I answer queries in a few weeks max. Right now, I had a wonderful spurt of clients sending me their work, so I’m a little behind. I’m hoping to catch up soon.

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, but it’s harder to sell something that’s already been out there. That said, send me your new stuff!

Clients:

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?

T.L. Simpson, Razeena Omar Gutta, Judy Campbell-Smith, Michael Méndez Guevara

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.

No interviews come to mind, but it might be useful to see my Manuscript Wish List: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/shari-maurer/

Links and Contact Info:

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

Please query me via the StringerLit website: www.stringerlit.com

Additional Advice:

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

Read as much as you can in the genre you want to write. Find a critique group and edit, edit, edit till that work is as shiny as it can be. Then be tenacious and query widely until you find someone who loves your manuscript as much as you do.  

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Shari. 

 Giveaway Details

Shari 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 March 29th. 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

Wednesday, March 19th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shari Maurer and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 26th I have an agent spotlight interview with Amy Thrall Flynn and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, March 28th I have an agent spotlight interview with Sally Kim and a query critique giveaway

Tuesday, April 1st I’m participating in the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, April 2nd I have an interview with debut author Lucia Damisa and a giveaway of her YA A Desert of Bleeding Sand and my IWSG post

Monday, April 7th I have an agent spotlight interview with Etsy Loveing-Downes and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 14th I have an interview with author Mia Araujo and a giveaway of her MG Afia In the Land of Wonders 

Wednesday, April 16th I’m participating in the Raindrop in Roses Giveaway Hop

Monday, April 21st I have an agent spotlight interview with Carey Blankenship-Kramer and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, April 23rd I have an agent spotlight interview with Rebecca Eskildsen  and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 28th I have an interview with debut author Alby Williams and a giveaway of their MG Where There Be Monsters

I hope to see you on Wednesday!