Hi! Newbie here...

Hi there. I'm new and have read so many threads and comments in the forum already. I was encouraged to join by another member, and it was suggested to specifically check out the Bewares area, as I've started querying for my manuscript.

A bit about myself... I like to read young adult novels, especially those written in present tense (eg: Divergent, Hunger Games).

I've written my own YA novel, and now I'm learning more about agents, literary agencies, and the whole query process.

I love science and enjoy finding ways to include it in my work. I'm glad to see more female protagonists, especially those who are intelligent and use science, technology, engineering, or math in their daily lives.

Questions:
1. I would like to know if there is a list of reputable literary agencies and agents. Searching each one at a time is a long and tedious process. It would help to narrow them down.

2. Is there a simple way to search up an agent or literary agency to see if they are on Santa's Naughty List? So far, I've been trying to search for each one individually under Writer Beware and a Google search, but it would be great if there was a way to make this process simpler. I'm new and learning, so please let me know if there's an easier way.

Thanks so much!

Ladan said:

Welcome! I just joined, too! I have been working on my new novel for over 4 years and started the querying process one or two years too early, and I wish I hadn't! So I encourage you to be sure that your manuscript is really final before approaching agents

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Hi Ladan. Thanks for the tip. I waited until my novel had been beta read numerous times, had an Ed. Letter done, and then lastly my manuscript was picked up by a local book club as their August novel. Through this whole process and all the feedback I received this past year, I worked on a number of revisions including a major overhaul (thanks to the pointers given from the Ed. Letter I received).

More recently, the book club was the ultimate test of whether or not I had succeeded. The response was an overwhelming confirmation that I had finally got my manuscript where it needs to be. I have since made a few more changes (based on their feedback) and now I'm extremely happy with it. However, as you mentioned, if I had started querying back in February when I first "finished", my work would be no where near as good as it is now and I would have regretted approaching agents so early.

There is so much to learn, isn't there? It's nice to be able to chat with fellow authors, though. For so long I've felt all on my own. Glad to have joined this group

All the best to you, Ladan!