That's just industry-speak. 'Young debut authors with strong voice' are catnip for agents repping YA. That's not all she's looking for, if you read her bio again.
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"Young debut authors" means debut authors who are young to me. If she wants YA, she should specify YA. I see nothing in her bio that indicates an interest in YA and I can't fathom how that could be industry speak for YA.
It's not specifically referring to YA, true. But quite often, young authors do very well at issues and themes aimed at a younger audience. The agent is looking for someone who either already has, or can be groomed and marketed toward, that younger audience and platform. Youth is a commodity, especially when coupled with some writing skill. What would be
unremarkable in a 40-something author might be noteworthy from a 17-year-old.
Don't count yourself out. I know many 40-somethings writing for the younger market, whether it's YA fiction or non-fiction aimed at the group.
On other hand, age has its advantages. Older writers bring their background and life experiences to the table, too, and the Boomer market is just as hungry for representation.
unremarkable in a 40-something author might be noteworthy from a 17-year-old.
Don't count yourself out. I know many 40-somethings writing for the younger market, whether it's YA fiction or non-fiction aimed at the group.
On other hand, age has its advantages. Older writers bring their background and life experiences to the table, too, and the Boomer market is just as hungry for representation.
I know you are trying to be kind and understanding, but I'm not counting myself out. I'm counting the agent out.
Hey all. Lovely Victoria is offering up a three chapter critique over on my blog. And it's super easy to be in with a chance! Trust me, you WANT this critique.
I queried Victoria Marini on 7/6, and am still waiting to hear back. Keeping my fingers crossed on this one--especially after all the good things I've heard!
Victoria is awesome. She has been incredibly helpful on my journey to publication. If you are a YA writer then I would not hesitate in recommending that you query her.
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Apologies if somebody already linked this, but Victoria Marini also has her own web page here, with lots of details on what she likes.
I just queried her with my middle-grade fantasy, and she's on my list for when I finally finish my new YA fantasy (clocking in at a little over 50,000 words so far)
I just queried her with my middle-grade fantasy, and she's on my list for when I finally finish my new YA fantasy (clocking in at a little over 50,000 words so far)
Thought I'd add my experience to the thread.
Victoria Marini requested my full (MG historical) through a contest in early December 2012, and immediately replied to my email, saying she was looking forward to reading it.
At the beginning of February, she updated her website saying she'd responded to all requests sent before 4th Jan, and to get in touch if you hadn't heard. So I sent a brief email nudge checking my ms hadn't been lost. She replied a few days later passing, but with the best feedback I'd had on that novel, and saying she would look at revisions or new work.
Since I was near finishing my new MG fantasy which I thought was stronger, I left the revisons on the first book for now, and queried her instead with the new one on 9th April, and got an auto-reply that it'd been received.
She's been fantastic in my dealings with her, so here's hoping she likes the new book!
Victoria Marini requested my full (MG historical) through a contest in early December 2012, and immediately replied to my email, saying she was looking forward to reading it.
At the beginning of February, she updated her website saying she'd responded to all requests sent before 4th Jan, and to get in touch if you hadn't heard. So I sent a brief email nudge checking my ms hadn't been lost. She replied a few days later passing, but with the best feedback I'd had on that novel, and saying she would look at revisions or new work.
Since I was near finishing my new MG fantasy which I thought was stronger, I left the revisons on the first book for now, and queried her instead with the new one on 9th April, and got an auto-reply that it'd been received.
She's been fantastic in my dealings with her, so here's hoping she likes the new book!
Hi Girl Friday - when you submitted, did you get the auto response she said she has? I sent to Victoria, didn't get the auto response, sent again, and same thing. I didn't try a third time.
Hi JJ, yep, as I said, I got an auto-reply that it'd been received. But I know someone else who queried her, got no response, requeried and still got no response. So perhaps her auto-responder is a bit gremliny. Did you put the word 'Query' in the subject line? I think you need to do that too. If it helps, I sent mine from gmail - don't know if some other email providers have more trouble getting through? Good luck 
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Victoria Marini is one of the most generous agents I've had the pleasure to work with. She has given me invaluable feedback on my completed MS. We spoke on the phone at length about how I could improve it and she extended another offer to resubmit if I made further revisions. I set that manuscript aside for a while to work on other things. But she will probably be the first agent I query when I'm ready to send out my WIP (which she suggested I do - huge ego boost for me).
Hi JJ, yep, as I said, I got an auto-reply that it'd been received. But I know someone else who queried her, got no response, requeried and still got no response. So perhaps her auto-responder is a bit gremliny. Did you put the word 'Query' in the subject line? I think you need to do that too. If it helps, I sent mine from gmail - don't know if some other email providers have more trouble getting through? Good luck
Hm, did all that. Oh well. Thanks for the info!
In case anyone's waiting to hear back on a full from Victoria, she took about a couple of months to reply to mine. (With some excellent feedback, and an offer to look at a revised version, yay!)
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Dec 2012: Full request from contest (MG historical)
Feb: Nudged
Feb: Rejection with feedback and offer to look at revised version
9th April: Queried her instead with my new ms (MG fantasy)
29th April: Full request
2nd July: Good feedback and R&R request
9th July: Sent R&R (it was quick as I'd already been working on an R&R for another agent for a few weeks)
11th July: Confirmed receipt
29th Aug: Nudged with offer
And... never heard back. When I got my offer I had several fulls out, and she was the only one who didn't respond at all (and I know it went through as I got an auto-response). Especially as we had some history, I have to say I find that pretty... well let's go with 'disappointing'.
Feb: Nudged
Feb: Rejection with feedback and offer to look at revised version
9th April: Queried her instead with my new ms (MG fantasy)
29th April: Full request
2nd July: Good feedback and R&R request
9th July: Sent R&R (it was quick as I'd already been working on an R&R for another agent for a few weeks)
11th July: Confirmed receipt
29th Aug: Nudged with offer
And... never heard back. When I got my offer I had several fulls out, and she was the only one who didn't respond at all (and I know it went through as I got an auto-response). Especially as we had some history, I have to say I find that pretty... well let's go with 'disappointing'.
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Oh, Girl Friday, I am so, so sorry. I recently went through a crushing disappointment from an agent that seemed suuuuper promising. It sucks, to a spectacular degree. Take care of yourself, send out some revenge queries, and keep working on your newest project.
Aww, thanks so much Joy, but am fine, cos I signed with a fantastic agent! I just thought it was a bit impolite that VM didn't get back to me at all.
And am so sorry to hear about your disappointment. Big hugs.
And am so sorry to hear about your disappointment. Big hugs.
Since this agency now has a strategic partnership with ICM, does anybody know if that means you can't query them and agents at ICM at the same time? Their website and agent list still seem like a separate thing.
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You can query ICM and GS agents at the same time. I've seen it in interviews with various agents ... just don't know the source now. But I've seen it!