Meet Jordy Albert of The Booker Albert Literary Agency

With me today is literary agent and co-founder of The BookerAlbert Literary Agency, Jordy Albert .  She was gracious enough to answer some questions for us on writing and the type of books that hook her.

My followers would like to get to know you better for stalking purposes. Tell us a little about yourself and what made you want to be an agent.

I’ve always loved to read, and I was interested in the publishing industry from an early age.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Keep writing! It might not happen with your first dozen projects, but I think practice does make perfect and eventually it will happen. Also, READ. A LOT. Especially in the genre you write. Join writing groups, get a Beta reader/critique partner (group), enter pitch contests, and attend conferences.

What elements are MUST HAVES in a story you’d ask to see more of?

Characters that draw me in right away.

Besides basic grammatical errors and writers sending stories in genres you don’t represent, what are most common problems with the submissions you receive?

Many submissions just don’t follow guidelines. For instance, we ask that you don’t send attachments unless requested, or the author will just send sample pages with no query. I also receive submissions that have no name or contact information, and sometimes the author will just send a link to a website.

What’s on your wish list?  

I am such a sucker for historical romance (especially Regency). I’d also like to see more realistic MG/YA…Oh! And contemporary, and sci-fi YA.

Okay, now for some fun questions to get to know you.

All time favorite villain – Voldemort.

Last book that made you cry – The Fault in Our Stars.

Guilty pleasure – French fries and chocolate shake, and binge watching Doctor Who/Sherlock when I have time.

Book you feel everyone must read that’s not from one of your clients? To Kill A Mockingbird.

Hobbies – Reading lol …knitting, trying to learn more French and Japanese.

Favorite place you’ve ever visited – Japan.


Thank you, Jordy, for taking the time to answer the questions.

To learn more about Jordy Albert, follow her on Twitter or visit The Booker Albert Agency.

Get a free critique on your mini synopsis...

Submissions now closed. 

A big thank you to everyone who participated.

Because this offer had a positive response, I'll post a similar offer in the future.

I thought it would be fun to do something to help fellow writers. I know how important it is to have a query letter that is well written and intriguing, something that will make your letter or email standout in a crowded inbox. I’m offering you the opportunity to get a free critique on your mini-synopsis.

What is a mini-synopsis? It’s the blurb in a query that summarizes your story in less than 200-words.

What’s the catch?

1. Your submission is limited to 200-words. This mini-synopsis is for the query letter and should be a concise summary of your story.
2. I would really appreciate it if you’d help me spread the word about this offer and about my blog.
3. This is a limited time offer. Submissions will be open for three days or to the first ten people to respond, whichever comes first.

How can you participate?

1. Send an email to [removed]    Check back for future offers.
2. Put the words “Query blurb” in the subject line of your email.
3. Include in the body of your email the title of your book, targeted audience, genre, and the mini-synopsis.

Your submission should look something like this:

     Title: The Chocolate Made Them Do It

     Audience: Young adults

     Genre: Romance

          Jessica swears it’s not her fault the entire football team now hangs on her every word or that Mike, 

     the hottest guy in school, won’t stop calling her. She used to be just another fourteen-year-old trying to 

     survive freshman year. That all ended when she shared a box of chocolate peanut clusters that she swiped 

     from the top shelf of her grandmother’s pantry…

     (My example is a little rough. I had chocolate on my mind when I wrote it.)

Before you reply, here is a little more information about me:

Q.  Who am I?

A.  I’m a fellow writer who would like to help others make their publishing dreams come true. I started writing about seven years ago. I’ve attended writing conferences and I’ve taken different courses to help improve my craft. My debut novel, Embrace, will be out this winter.

Q.  What can I offer you?

A.  A fresh set of eyes, for one. I can also let you know if something in your mini-synopsis is unclear.

Q.  Am I guaranteeing my comments will get your query letter out of the slush pile?

A.  I wish I could make a promise like that, but my response would be my opinion and you are free to take it or leave it as you see fit.

Q.  Then why bother?

A.  You only get one chance to impress an agent or an editor. Having a writer who is unfamiliar with your story review your mini-synopsis will help you to know if it’s ready for its targeted audience. Besides, what do you have to lose?

Q.  Should I be the only person who reads your mini-synopsis before you send your query?

A.  Definitely not. I believe in having several people critique my synopsis before I consider it done and I think you should do the same.

Your mini-synopsis will remain private as long as you submit to the email address above. At no time will I repost it on my blog or website. Responses will be sent directly to the submitter.

Now what are you waiting for?

SCBWI Summer Conference: highlights from day two and three

Saturday’s line up was as exciting as Friday’s. Lin Oliver, Steve Mooser and the rest of the SCBWI team really did put together an incredible program.

Donna Jo Napoli discussed writing about unpleasant things. I’ve discussed this topic in the past with friends and fellow writers. The question is always the same: is a specific subject right for a children’s book. But the thing is these books help children who are living through rough lives in ways those of us that had good childhoods might not understand. They might show a person they are not alone or help others see warning signs from people they love. These books might even save a life. And for those in good homes, it allows them to gather an understanding of what others may go through without having to live through it themselves. It helps these children grow up to be more sympathetic adults. In my book, that is a wonderful thing and hats off to all the authors who tackle issues such as abuse, suicide, living with an alcoholic parent, and so on. The world needs you.

Does your website load quickly? Making sure your page loads fast was only one of the musts Verla Kay mentioned in her breakout session. I’ve always been a fan of her website and the community of writers that are members of the Blueboard, so it was a pleasure to hear what she had to say about promoting books on the internet. I’m still working on my website, but I now have a list of things to check as I create the different pages.

It was fun to hear about Judy Blume’s career. One of the tips she shared with the audience was to start your book on the day something different happens. I also had the pleasure of running into her in the lobby. She is as wonderful as I always thought she’d be.

And I can’t forget about the poolside gala where we all changed into pajamas and danced the night away. 

Sunday Gary Paulsen shared the story of his childhood and what led him to a career as a writer. He had a hard childhood and I’ll admit I got a little choked up when he said his only regret was not being able to thank the librarian who gave him his first library card.  

Harold Underdown and Emma Dryden reinforced the need for an author to have an on-line presence in their breakout session on social media. Helpful tips included owning your own domain name and having an author’s page on Facebook.

One last comment about the conference: the agents and editors I heard speak all look for sample pages with a great voice. It’s that little something that makes a submission stand out from the rest. I wish I could say they included a formula for creating great voice in a novel. But alas, this is something we all have to figure out on our own.

What editors and agents at the 40th SCBWI Summer Conference want to see

SCBWI outdid themselves at this year’s conference with inspiring keynote speakers, a rocking pajama party, and exciting surprise guests. There were over 1,430 people in attendance this year with representation from 49 of the 50 states (we missed you SD) and attendees from 20 countries.

I’ll be posting some of my notes over the next few weeks. I thought I’d start with what the editors and agents on the panels are looking for. Here’s a quick recap:

   Debra Dorfman, VP, Publisher Paperbacks, Non-Fiction & Licensed Publishing at Scholastic, acquires baby to young adult, although her focus is on middle grade and commercial young adult.

   Beverly Horowitz, VP Publisher of Delacorte Press, works on middle grade and young adult.

   Jennifer Hunt, VP of Acquisition and Development and Editor-at-Large for Dial Books, likes literary/high quality writing.

   Allyn  Johnston, VP and Publisher of Beach Lane Books, acquires picture books, fiction middle grade and young adult.

   Julie Strauss-Gabel's , VP and Publisher of Dutton Children’s Books, preference is literary/commercial middle grade and young adult. In a breakout session, she mentioned she likes contemporary and humor. She doesn’t really do high fantasy or SF, but does enjoy some magical realism.

The agents who participated in the keynote are all looking for the same thing: brilliant writing and the next best seller. They did share what they do not want to see and some of their pet peeves.

                                                            Does not want:                 Pet peeve:

  Tracey Adams, Adams Literary             Quiet books                     Dear Sir

  Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Lit.       Bad writing                      Things he doesn’t rep

  Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt          Vampires                         Long winded

  Tina Wexler,  ICM                                Screenplays                     Hostility

Remember to check their website for submission guidelines before submitting!

Writing a 1-page synopsis

You spent months writing your novel and even more time revising and polishing it. The characters in your book have become your friends and some even enemies you love to hate. You’re ready to send your precious work out to agents or editors. Congratulation, because this is further than many people ever get.

So how do you get your query to stand out in the slush pile? You draft a well written query letter and a compelling synopsis. For this post, I’m going to focus on writing the synopsis. It’s something that I always dread because let’s face it, summing up thousands of words into one page and doing it in a way that makes a book sound fresh and exciting is hard. Hopefully, the steps below will make the task a little less scary and maybe even fun.

Your synopsis should be about the main plot. If you are writing an adventure novel that has an emotional plot mixed in, your synopsis should be the adventure plotline. Don’t include the subplots.

A few tips before we get started:

-          Use present tense.

-          Write the synopsis in third-person.

-          Lead off with a strong hook sentence.

-          The first time you introduce a character, type their name in CAPS.

-          Use powerful verbs and avoid adverbs and adjectives.

-          Always tell the entire story.

For this formula, you are going to write 5-paragraphs. Since you are aiming for a 1-page synopsis, these paragraphs need to be brief, one to three sentences each.

The first paragraph includes your hook. Identify the who, what, and why of the plot. For instance: A boy goes to wizard-school where he makes friends, learns magic, discovers that an evil wizard wants to kill him, and has that first encounter with the wizard. (Yep, I went to Harry Potter for my example. Not just because it’s one of my favorite series, but because I haven’t met a person who hasn’t heard of the books or movies.)

Next, divide your novel into three acts. Each act will get a paragraph.

Finally, write the conclusion.

               

            The breakdown of the 5-paragraphs is as follows:

-          1^st paragraph is the premise and should include your hook.

-          2^nd paragraph is Act 1

-          3^rd paragraph is Act 2

-          4^th paragraph is Act 3

-          5^th paragraph is the resolution. Yes, that means you are telling the ending. No surprises!

Because you are very close to your story, I highly recommend that you have your critique groups read your synopsis before you send it to an agent or editor.  

Format your synopsis much like you do a manuscript.

Your Name                                                                                                                Genre

Street Address

City, State, ZIP code

Phone number

e-mail address

TITLE

by

Your name

                Start the text of your synopsis…

  

Remember to always check an agent’s or publisher’s website before sending material. Some have very specific guidelines they want followed.

Good luck!