Strategies for “Selling” your Work to an Agent with Mary Cummings, Great River Literary

Session Description

Because they’re so eager to see their book sold to a publisher, sometimes writers and illustrators do not think about the fact that the project first needs to be “sold” to an agent. In this presentation, you’ll learn tips on how to be professional, effective and engaging in your query. Tailoring your approach to each agent you submit to is essential, as you seek to get both the agent’s head and heart engaged by what you are offering. Special emphasis will be on: 1) articulating the core emotion and fundamental idea in your story, 2) selecting appropriate comparative titles, and 3) identifying the audience and ways to reach that audience. There will also be some “do” and “don’t do” pointers, as well as time for Q & A.

$15 for members, $25 for non-members.

**Attendees will have the opportunity to submit to Great River Literary for two months following the event.

**Event will be recorded and available for 30 days following the event.

Critique Information

A written critique is $60. After registering, send your manuscript in standard formatting (Times New Roman, 12pt font, 1" margins, MAX 10 PAGES) to [email protected]. Deadline: November 30th, 11:59pm. You will receive Gold Form feedback by January 13th.

About Mary Cummings

"Great River Literary" was the clear name choice for the new agency established by Mary Cummings in 2021, after thirteen years as an agent for books for children and teens at Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises.

Except in the depths of winter, nearly every evening Mary goes down to the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul to see the passing scene and the flowing water.

Mary finds great joy in helping her clients polish their stories to stand out for editors and to become books that will make a difference in kids' lives. Before becoming a literary agent, Mary was Education Director at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis where, among other accomplishments, she curated an annual festival of children's literature and selected judges for the McKnight Award from leading editors in children's publishing.

Strong relationships with editors have resulted in a rapidly growing list of sales of board and picture books, chapter books and novels to such houses as Knopf; Viking; Nancy Paulsen; Balzer & Bray; Walker; Little, Brown; Holt; Holiday House; Feiwel & Friends; FSG; Running Press; WorthyKids; Abrams; Random House; Delacorte; Beach Lane; Chronicle; Candlewick; HarperCollins and many others.