How to Get a Literary Agent | Interview with Lucinda Halpern

Literary agent Lucinda Halpern answers your questions on how to query an agent, how to find an agent, what agents look for in the first few pages, and much more.
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Learn more at lucindaliterary.com or download Lucinda’s free author training: lucindaliterary.lpages.co/fre...
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Twitter: / lucindablu
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[@ohroonoko]

I visited Lucinda's website to download her free stuff and I gotta say it blew away my expectations. Pretty rich content including an impressive 54-page PDF with fantastic insight and outlining tools. 10/10 would recommend. All it cost me was my email address and first name. Thank you, Lucinda and Ellen!

[@jpch8814]

I always love Ellen and her videos! Learned a lot from this agent and found her eloquent, professional, and a straight shooter; however, what she said @ 25:00 about mediocre marketing from publishers and "the gift," was quite insulting. Traditional publishing houses should provide proper marketing and promotion for the work...No wonder more and more authors are just self-publishing.

[@ThatDarkWriter]

I agree. She says you can’t publish and distribute yourself, that you *need* them for that and should just be grateful. No, you absolutely can do that on your own.

[@athousandgreatbooks]

You're right. It is insulting. You work for years, and then you have to toot your own horn, too? Like what're publishers doing anyway? And what if you don't play ball?

[@elenasingleterry5854]

I think the daunting part of marketing is not even marketing itself but how to even get a minimal audience to market to. If it’s a first time writer, how does one eceb build that audience?

[@carleryk]

I'm in the final stages of editing my book, so only few weeks more until my search for a literary agent begins. Thanks for such informative interview! 🙂

[@BlackHermit]

Good luck!

[@jetsdude8]

Did u get one yet!?

[@adamatherton8562]

This interview was very refreshing. I was encouraged to hear that agents are interested in hearing your true voice rather than polished course learned blabber.

[@vitzbig]

FANTASTIC video. I was clueless about this part and now I feel as if I've learned so much!

[@bernicevenable8885]

What a very exuberant, riveting discussion loaded with a vast array of the questions/answers new writers want to hear. For me, Lucinda's responses about comp books and genres were slightly deeper than what I've heard before. So insightful! Thank you, both. You've made my day.

[@sarahchambers4381]

Ellen and Lucinda, the information you've provided in this video is invaluable. Thank you for taking the time to share it with us. Sadly, I have a long way to go before I'm ready to start the query process. Between raising a family, battling chronic illness, and months lost, recovering from multiple eye surgeries, it's been a challenge to find time to write. I've had to snatch those wispy moments whenever they happen to float by. Still, I'm moving forward. It's been eight years, so far, on one project. It's a Fantasy story. I can see it playing out in my mind, like a movie. I'm around the 75,000 word mark. I still have several chapters that need written, and "darlings" that must be killed. I'm also one of those writers who likes to polish as I go. Though it slows the process of writing that first draft, I'm hoping there will be much less revising and rewriting needed in future drafts. Ellen, I always appreciate the content you create. Your channel is one of my favorites. Though I don't know you, I can tell you are a kind, humble person. Those two attributes I hold in high esteem. On a different note, I remember reading you've been in poor health. I am sorry. I hope you've been experiencing some improvements! Our faces don't always mirror how we're feeling, but I thought you looked especially pretty in this video. A true "picture of health." Your beautiful eyes were shining, and your complexion looked lovely. Praying this year will be a healthier one--for both of us! Take care and God bless!💜🙏

[@EllenBrock]

Thank you for the compliments and well wishes! My health has been up and down (mostly down!) but I've been having a very good patch lately. I hope this is a healthier year for us both too! Chronic illness makes writing a novel so difficult. This will be my sixth year working on the same novel, so I totally relate to the struggle. Thank you for watching and for your kind words!

[@trudieangelica]

Great questions. The uncomfortable truth is that many, many people want to publish a book. But it's comforting to know that good writing really counts for a lot, that and having the grit to push through.

[@christinabriggs1782]

Yay. Im almost at this stage. Petfect timing

[@christinabriggs1782]

Perfect timing. Yahoo!! Thank you ladies for doing this for us writer's out here.

[@LucindaHalpern]

Amazing.

[@tanapattersonpotterybooth946]

I love Ellen. She has taught me so much.

[@LucindaHalpern]

She's so chill. I was freaked out to do this.

[@brys.3131]

I'm so excited for this!

[@LucindaHalpern]

I hope you enjoyed it!

[@lanab.820]

Thank you so much, Ellen and Lucinda! Such an insightful and inspiring interview. I don't know if I will ever get to the querying stage, but Lucinda's answers give me hope. Thank you for your time, and best of luck with your book!

[@mh7936]

thank you both so much for putting this together for us!!! this is so helpful. i appreciate both of you taking the time to give us this video and all the info. life-savers! 💛

[@LucindaHalpern]

I love to hear that. Pls enjoy the book if you order it and let me know what you think!

[@TheCaptain610]

Looking forward to this Ellen! Hope to work with you again soon too!

[@user-bo8yw7fe3e]

Lucinda, you are very engaging. I'm looking forward to reading your book. Thanks for writing it. And thank you Ellen for interviewing Lucinda and producing a useful video.

[@karengarrison4237]

Thanks for keeping it real. This was very uplifting as well as informative.

[@LucindaHalpern]

That makes me so happy to hear. LMK how you like the book and if it helps you!

[@karengarrison4237]

Will def. get soon. @@LucindaHalpern

[@tmntvspr]

Finished my editing and query, just finishing my summary and then sending out requests!

[@LucindaHalpern]

excited for you!

[@paramedicchrisbookseries]

Once again, thank you for this.

[@davidford4200]

Thanks Ellen and Lucinda. After taking a break following one rejection Ian reinvigorated.

[@LucindaHalpern]

I love that!!!

[@mom2many166]

EEEEEE! I'm so excited!

[@joesjoeys]

Thank you Lucinda and Ellen for this video! I've been hoping for something like this for a while. It can be hard to know what the appropriate steps are for fledgling writers.

[@LucindaHalpern]

Really happy to hear it. My book Get Signed should give you all the steps. I hope you like it.

[@Earth2Stephen]

Lots of great information. Thank you!

[@LucindaHalpern]

So happy to hear that. I hope you like the book GET SIGNED!

[@Mr.H-YT42]

Hi Ellen, this vid was very appreciated! Great info and the format was fun and entertaining to boot. I'm sure you have tons of plans for future videos, but I, for one, would love to toss out a vote to watch a sit-down between you and lit agents / acquisition editors wherein you discuss potential comps for published / soon-to-be published books, or even for pitches / blurbs sent in by viewers for their WIPs. This is the one area of writing and querying that on the whole causes me the most frustration and confusion, so seeing the thought process behind what a "good comp" might look like would be absolutely invaluable. My first frustration as an unpublished writer is figuring out when to use the, "This book is X meets Y" combining comparison to quickly convey the tone or feel of your manuscript, and when to use direct comparisons with recent titles that can demonstrate the potential audience and sales a particular book might draw. These two approaches seem to have vastly different functions. How does one figure out which to use? My second frustration comes from my perspective as a cross-genre writer. I've encountered several agents decry authors who pitch their books as unique enough that good comps are hard to identify, but ego aside, how does one find comp titles for a manuscript that really is cross-genre, or is an updated approach to a genre no longer in fashion but is perhaps due for a revival but has few to no recently-published counterparts without sounding like an egotistical jerk? Watching the thought process behind picking potential comp titles by professionals in the know would be a HUGE help to disambiguate this process. All the information out there seems contradictory, to say the least. I can't be the only one confused, am I? Thanks so much for the channel and all the work you put in. It's appreciated.

[@elenasingleterry5854]

Great talk - thank you!

[@Xclayton23]

Ellen and Lucinda... THIS... WAS... GREAT! Thank you. I learned so much. Even took notes. I'll be subscribing to Publishers marketplace and ordering your book. Will also re-query agents I queried before my POV overhaul this last year. Kindest regards, Xavier "Skyler Bluestone and The Kaleidoscopic Hat" 87,000 word, Upmarket-Commercial MG Fantasy

[@PreviouslyDelicious]

Thank you for the excellent interview! I'm working on my third draft now, hoping to find a critique partner. Then later this year I would like to be in the market for an agent.

[@amunrayay1446]

I am working on querying.

[@LucindaHalpern]

let me know how I can help.

[@MichaelMahairII]

Ellen I just discovered your videos and I want you to know I genuinely love them! Extremely helpful stuff. You really know how to teach and explain in a way that's easy to understand! Unfortunately, this literary agent stuff is so disheartening. It's all about how the writer can have value and prove their value to the agent, but what's the return on that investment? What does the agent bring to the table? With your chance of financial success being so low anyway, why not find an editor you love, find a cover artist you love, and self-publish? Like others, I hope we see a big shift in this industry.

[@lindavies9948]

I understood publishing to mean the business or profession of editing, producing, and marketing books.

[@SeanDuranMusic]

... and I want to read one of your novels.

[@shadowsayer1516]

lol Gatekeepers. A dying breed across every creative industry thankfully.

[@Justpassingby204]

So, it was mentioned that making a website for our writing and curating would be a good idea. How do you post your material when it’s mostly unpublished ?

[@Oddy37]

Can we get a video about romance story structure? Or just some general tips for romance?

[@Hurlburton]

I want to write a book I need a cowriter Could you give a class on that please

[@pattykim5422]

If you have a hard time writing the synopsis, is that indicative that something is wrong with your plot? Like it might be overly compicated? thanks, this was very helpful!

[@LucindaHalpern]

That's a good read. Less is more in your query letter. We'll ask you if we want more information!

[@zealouslyCantankerous]

24:11

[@PeterMacansky]

[@jeanthepants7905]

This channel is my roman empire.

[@SteveJubs]

“The gift”?? People produce and distribute their own books all the time.

[@user-ii8sr1yx7p]

Proof read the Book of Mormon! See how many times the Lord is speaking!

[@SeanDuranMusic]

This is very disturbing. Let's look at your 156k subs and only 1% of them will ever get traditional published, that's only 1,560 people. The system seems rigged. And as you say in you profile... "many have launched successful self-publishing careers." Note: self-publishing. You would probably have better luck winning the lottery. I'm a realists to statistics. To what she was saying, if the only service their to provide, is publishing and distribution, and you do everything else. This seems like a bad deal. Who would ever want to sign a contract, when first, your the product, and they believe in what you have, so they will invest in the product. I'm sure at a unfair percentage, to the productor. Like I said, sounds like the system is rigged. When we all know as writers, The Big 5 publishing companies. And nothing gets passed them as in traditional publishing without them saying so. Things need to change. This is how I see the publishing industry as a whole. Their way, their rules, their standards. In the 3yrs. I've read about 400 novels, and only a handful was worth reading. 5 books a handful. The system needs to change.

[@Justpassingby204]

Well, it’s a lot harder than finding a job

[@Justpassingby204]

Your complaining motivates me.

[@anaximander66]

Ellen needs to clean up her houses!

[@Mila-OPetr]

You might want to try using synonyms to “yeah”. After a while it’s rather irritating. Try “sure”, “yes”, “certainly”, etc.