INSIDERS #2: With book agent Ammi-Joan Paquette
"You shouldn’t start querying until you have a full manuscript"
I was delighted to be introduced to Ammi-Joan Paquette by Eddie Gamarra, who as ever has the most excellent taste in people and books.
She agreed to talk to me for the second part of my INSIDERS series, where I quiz industry professionals, and I jumped at the chance because she has such a unique view, being both a hugely respected book agent and award-winning author.
I can’t think of anyone better placed to talk about not just the book market and what agents are looking for but also how to crowbar your own creative endeavours into your life, when you have an all-consuming day job.
Joan is a Senior Literary Agent with the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Based in the Boston area, she represents a broad range of New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors and illustrators, that span all ages and genres of children’s and teen literature.
When she’s not going out to bat for her clients she’s busy writing and is the author of an array of children’s books including the wonderful The Train of Lost Things, Mucky Truck, All From a Walnut, plus the Princess Juniper YA series and a host of picture books.
But that’s not all! This week, saw the release of her debut adult book, Stories I Told My Dead Lover. Published by Blackstone, under the name Jo Paquette, it’s a series of psychological horror stories (and most definitely not one for the kids).
Below, we talk more about that and also the role of a book agent, market trends, when an author should submit their manuscript and the resources available to those looking to land an agent…
“Originality, confidence, mastery! Give me those three & I will follow you (just about) anywhere!”
Thank you for talking to The TEN, Joan. How long have you been a book agent, and why did you decide to become one?
I’ve been an agent for 14 years. I began as an author of my own children’s books. At the time I worked in educational publishing, and when the time came to look for new work, this felt like a good fit: a more active, businessy counterpoint to my own creative work.
And I get to stay in the world of books 24/7! What could be better?
Can you explain the role of a book agent?
A literary agent is essentially the intermediary between author and publisher.
My role covers everything from knowing the publishing landscape and market, to making connections with individual editors, working with clients to make any needed edits on their work, handling the submission process to publishers, securing and negotiating the book deal, managing the contract and legal paperwork, providing support and cheerleading as needed for the author along the road to publication, being there for career advice or questions as they arise along the way. And then getting the next book manuscript and doing it all again!
What do you say to a writer who is hoping to write a book, or book series, that will catch the eye of an agent?
The publishing field is more crowded than ever, so the prospect of breaking in can feel challenging.
Being familiar with the market—what is selling and publishing now, what editors and booksellers and readers are excited about—can be really useful, and can give you a frame for what to expect on your journey.
That said, my number one advice is always to follow your own voice and passion in what you are writing. Tell the story that moves you; the one that only you can tell.
When you are honoring your deepest truth, there is a resonance that often gives that writing an extra edge. Don’t be afraid to dig deep and go big!
Eddie mentioned that a great book title can sell a book, which I thought was very revealing. What is that one thing you look for that hooks you?
Ah yes, I am a huge fan of an eye-catching title. It’s funny because in and of itself it actually means very little, since so many manuscripts undergo a title change after they are placed with a publisher. And a dull or ordinary-sounding title won’t sway me against a book. But when a title is fresh and original, there is a sense of expectation of that same energy on the inside, too.
For me generally, at this stage of my agent career, I am looking to be surprised. Whether it’s with a title, or an original concept/storyline, or a unique and exciting voice: something that stands out from the norm, that treads new ground and also owns its own space.
Originality, confidence, mastery! Give me those three and I will follow you (just about) anywhere!
How robust is the children's and teen market, and what are publishers looking for?
One thing I have heard over and over about the current market is its lack of cohesion, or direction, in terms of “what’s hot.” How long has it been since we’ve had a global smash breakout “book of the year”? It’s been a minute, for sure. And the last year or two have felt like a particular time of pause and self-correction in the market, lots of reassessing on the editorial fronts, and many types of books are moving much more slowly than usual.
That said, I think that YA is coming back in a big way, and generally the overall enthusiasm and excitement within publishing feels like it’s starting to bubble back up.
When I attended the Bologna Book Fair earlier this year, the energy was palpable. It feels like a time of rekindling, and I think that bodes very exciting things for the rest of this year and beyond.
What are the biggest differences between agencies because there is a baffling array - or so it seems to someone new to the business?
Every agency really does have its own identity or personality—and each agent, within those agencies. The best way to see which agency will be the right fit for you is through research.
When possible, attending a conference where an agent is speaking can give valuable insight into the approach and worldview they bring to their work. There is also a lot of information to be found online, whether by reading the agency’s website, or looking up interviews and articles by individual agents that can be found online. Researching what authors they represent. Reading the acknowledgments where agents are referenced.
You can also find specific info on websites like Querytracker that can help you narrow your search. Any good agent at a reputable agency is going to do the work you need them to do—but taking the time to research and find someone whose views and work style align with your own will help you make a connection that will be the best fit long-term.
An author is ready to submit a novel, or part of a novel, to an agent - hurrah! What is your advice about looking for the right agent and the approach they take?
Similar to my answer above, doing your research is key at this stage. I get so many queries that are clearly scatter-shot—whether it’s someone who doesn’t have a referral (since our agency is closed to unsolicited submissions), or who is querying a genre or type of book which I do not represent, or queries that include very basic errors.
A lack of attention to detail at this stage is a clear sign that the author is not yet ready to move on to the next stage. I will add that you shouldn’t start querying until you have a full manuscript ready to go—and not only written, but revised, critiqued, polished, and absolutely as far as you can get it.
At that point, take the time to find out what kinds of books each agent represents and is looking for right now, and pay attention to their submission guidelines, which vary hugely across agents (do they want to see a query only? sample pages? opening chapters? the full manuscript?).
All of this shows that you have done your homework and are targeting this agent specifically, not using a one-size-fits-all blanket approach. That diligence and visible effort is an indicator of someone who is in a place to apply those same traits to the next stages of the process—which is a big green flag for the type of author we love to work with!
You're also a hugely successful author in your own right, having published over a dozen books for younger readers including All From a Walnut and the Train of Lost Things. How do you balance being an agent and an author - and how does it inform your work?
Well, the balancing act isn’t always as clear-cut as it should be!
I began as an author, and early on I envisioned a nice easy time split: when things were quiet on the writing front, I would focus on my agent work; and vice versa.
Of course, the more time that passes, and the more successful things become on both fronts, the less actual “quiet times” there tend to be on either side of the fence. So I’ve had to be a lot more intentional in making time for the things I need and want to do.
Overall, though, my agent work is very much my “day job”, and I feel a very keen responsibility to my clients and to making their work my top priority. That’s always at the forefront of my mind (and desk!). As for the rest, I fit it in as I am able!
“At this stage of my agent career, I am looking to be surprised”
A cheeky one. Did you sign yourself?!
Ha, no! Erin Murphy has represented my children’s/teen writing since 2009. A year or so later, I began working with her as an EMLA agent myself. So we now have a fun multi-hat relationship across agenting and authoring (and friendship!).
More recently, as I’ve moved into writing for adults, I have signed with fantastic agent and human Jim McCarthy as well, for my non-children’s work, and I am thrilled to be working with him.
How do you find the time to write around your day job?
I am very much a morning person, and that is both when I do my best focus work and when I’m at my most creative.
So I will carve out a morning a week where I go very early to do my writing in a local coffee shop (I’ve got a mental log for when each one near me opens: currently, I am sitting in the one that opens 6:30am, which does not have the best croissants but makes up for it with the extra-early start ).
I also try to write on weekends when I can, or occasionally in the evenings. It is always easier to make time for creativity when I’m deep in the midst of a project—then it tends to carve out its own space.
Otherwise, it can be challenging, since my day job always feels the most pressing. But I am always looking for that ideal balance overall.
Thrillingly, this week saw the publication of your first adult novel, Stories I Told My Dead Lover. What was it like writing for adults instead of children?
Thank you! I am wildly excited about this new direction. This whole process has been very energizing. The book is a collection of dark short stories, and I didn’t start out thinking about publication at all; I was just having fun exploring a new type of writing.
At some point I realized that there was a freedom to this voice—a sort of unfettered ability to follow whatever weird dark tangent my mind may want to take—that I both adore and deeply resonate with.
I think many people who know me, or my writing, have been surprised by what seems like a fairly uncharacteristic turn in my writing and publishing journey. But then, I’ve always been one to spiral off into some entirely new direction or tangent or approach . . . so from that lens, I suppose, it’s not so odd of a turn after all
And finally, in terms of your career, what are you most proud of, and why?
I think my proudest moments are those of impact—with my clients, telling an author that their first book will be published, or watching a career blossom and unfold to a new level, or seeing tangible results for a client after a long dry spell.
Or as an author myself, hearing from those who have read my books, and who have been in some way changed or moved by them. To know that I have changed the course of someone’s life, whether in a big or small way. Those are the things that make life worth living.
That’s what makes it worth getting up in the morning and doing it all over again.
Stories I Told My Dead Lover is now available to buy from all the usual outlets.
To find out more visit Jo’s website.