Our Agents
Our Agents
SUBMISSIONS
Thank you for thinking of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
We look forward to reading your work!
HOW TO SUBMIT
Prepare your digital submission.
Prepare and polish your complete manuscript and/or artwork. Submit your best work. Note that we only accept human-created submissions; no AI-generated work.
Select an agent.
Visit our agents' bio pages and select one agent to query at a time. We understand that there is overlap in our tastes and that more than one of us may seem like a good fit for your work. Therefore, if the first agent passes, you are welcome to query up to two other agents, again one at a time. Should all three pass on your project, please consider it a pass from ABLA and, unless you have undertaken a substantial revision, we request that you not resubmit the same project to others at ABLA.
However, you may submit your next work to another agent, or to the same agents, again one at a time.
At ABLA we take pride in our collaborative approach to agenting and we often share queries internally when we believe a colleague is a better fit for the material. If three of us pass on the same project, you can be confident that we aren't the right agency for the work.
Please note that the submission system we use for receiving queries (QueryTracker) shows us the history of an author's submission, including how many times you have submitted to our agency and to whom. To keep things fair for all, we will not consider submissions that do not adhere to our guidelines.
Note: The agents who accept adult submissions are Laura Rennert, Saritza Hernández, Jennifer March Soloway, Jemiscoe Chambers-Black, and Paige Terlip. All other agents only accept children's submissions (picture books through young adult).
Submit your work.
Click on the QueryManager link in the agent's bio, follow the prompts, and complete all required fields to be considered:
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A short query letter with a description of your work
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Previous publishing credentials (if any)
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A short author bio
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A contact phone number and email address
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A sample of your work:
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For novels: first 10 pages of text.
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For picture books, text only: full text manuscript.
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For picture book, text and illustrations: the full dummy (in pdf format) that includes 1-2 color samples, and provide an online portfolio link.
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For graphic novels, art and text: 10-20 sample page spreads in jpg or pdf format, as well as a summary/synopsis.
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For graphic novels, text only: first 10 pages of script.
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For nonfiction: a proposal and sample chapter.
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You will receive a confirmation of receipt upon submission.
If you receive an offer from another agency.
Please let us know immediately, and we ask that you give us 2 weeks to review your submission once you've notified us of your offer.
RESPONSE TIME
We appreciate the effort that goes into sending your work to us. If we are interested in your work, we will follow up by email or by phone.
If you have not heard from us within 10-12 weeks, please assume we are passing on your project. We wish we had time to respond personally with feedback to each submission. Unfortunately, this is not a business reality given the amount of material we receive.
We wish you the best of luck!
QUERY TIPS
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Be professional and courteous in your approach to any agent. Agents form an impression based on your query, and you want to make a good impression. Take the time to write your query well.
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Prepare your manuscript, paying close attention to the opening pages. Take the time to revise and polish. Submit your best work.
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Look carefully at our bios and choose the right agent for your work.
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If you met an agent at the Big Sur Writing Workshop, a conference, a pitch event, etc., please note the event as a "Referral."
MESSAGE TO CREATORS
We understand that writing and illustrating is a passion, an intensely personal calling, an long-time-dream for many, and frequently a lonely endeavor. We have great respect for authors and artists, and we share the creator's passion—that is why we are literary agents.
Unfortunately, publishing is a business that necessarily involves a lot of rejection, at every stage. One of the most difficult things for us as agents is to have to say no. Yet, we can only take on a small fraction of all the work we see. This is simply a business reality.
We say no for many reasons—because of changing trends in the market; because we already have something similar on our list; because we know of similar published or forthcoming titles; because something isn't right for us; because although something may be strong, well-written, and even publishable, we didn't fall in love with it.
Try to keep "no" in perspective. A rejection doesn't mean your project won't sell. This is a highly subjective business and another agent may adore your work. All it takes is one "yes." We wish you success in finding that "yes," whether with us or another agent and publisher. We appreciate your thinking of us, reading our website, and giving us the opportunity to see your work.