Nelson Literary Agency, LLC (Kristin Nelson)

[Celandine]

Thanks for the partial luck, but it was rejected awhile back. I was actually very surprised they requested it. I only queried them because I like Kristin's blog, not because I really thought my novel seemed like anything they usually represent. And, alas, I was right! Good luck on your query.

[Lydia Sharp]

Sent query for YA romance on Wed. 6/30
Received request for partial on Fri. 7/2

I addressed the letter to Ms. Megibow. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere (probably on the blog) that Sara reads all the queries, and they both read the manuscripts before offering representation.

[artemis31386]

Sent Urban Fantasy Query to Sara Megibow on 7/1
Received a request for a partial on 7/2
Fingers crossed for good news. Maybe I'll go and perform some offerings to various gods and what not.

[Senora Verde]

Good luck Lydia!
Good luck Artemis!

[Lydia Sharp]

Got the big R from Sara Megibow today, but I was highly impressed with her response.

First, for being so quick. I sent the partial on 7/3, she got back to me in 10 days. Wow. Some agents don't even respond to queries that fast. (And speaking of which, she'd responded to the query in less than 2 days. She obviously means business.)

Second, she said she was close to requesting a full and so went on to explain why she didn't, and brought up some very good points. Personalized feedback on a partial is never expected but always embraced. I have nothing but good things to say about her and that agency.

[Christine N.]

I sent a query late last week, got a partial request yesterday. I addressed the letter to both Kristin and Sara

I find that most agents are very cool with the first names, especially those that represent YA. Also those that are younger seem to be better with the less formal greeting. I don't mean to sound ageist, or genre-ist, just an observation. I think I've addressed all my recent queries to agents with first names. So far, so good.

Editors, on the other hand, I use the formal greeting

[Dreamer76]

On 7/26, my writing partner and I queried Kristin with a contemporary YA. I wish I'd known she was out of town all week for the RWA conference in FL. I'm thinking there are going to be so many queries waiting for her, that unless a query is amazing, she's going to be handing out a lot of R's. Anyone else query this week?

[Princesstilly]

Hi!

I queried Kristin on July 26 for my YA novel and got a request for a partial on August 13. Fingers crossed!

Leanne

[Dreamer76]

Yes, I got a request for a partial on the 13th as well. Looks like they're catching up from the RWA conference.

[PhoebeNorth]

I got a partial request on the 16th (queried on the 9th), so I'm waiting with Princesstilly and Dreamer76. Good luck, guys!

[Princesstilly]

Sigh. I got my rejection notice today from the Nelson Agency. The old "it's not right for us but don't give up hope because someone else might like it" routine.

Time to get back in the saddle.

Leanne

[Hoovlette]

Current Query Stats: (just in case someone's lookin' for 'em!)

eQuery: 10/9/10
eReject: 10/11/2010

Two days is definitely not bad for response time. Now, I've just got to get through six more query responses.

[Filigree]

Did anyone on this thread attend her recent webinar on pitching sf&f? I heard some great reviews of her process. But I was a little doubtful because the agency itself is more known for urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and she was showing folks how to pitch epic fantasy. Has Kristin sold any epic fantasies in the last few years?

I might either buy the notes when and if they come out on WD. Or I'll attend another webinar if Kristin organizes one, if I hear enough good and useful things about this one.

Filigree

[Kmarshall]

I attended. It was awesome. Kristen didn't focused on all subgenres and didn't seem to show any favoritism. As promised, she did a query critique, which was invaluable!

[OneWriter]

She has it split in installments in her blog archives, 2008 I think--not sure though, you'd have to look it up. I met her last month in Denver and the room was packed. She has you write your own pitch and then reads a few aloud. To mysteries and thrillers she'd say "This is not for me," but she does take fantasy and speculative fiction. I heard the webinar is pretty much the same thing.

[CScottMorris]

Queried Sara 10/12, form rejection 10/14. Nice turnaround, but still sad at the rejection.
It is nice to see they do have a quick turnaround, which likely means my query and sample pages are not THAT bad...

[Ineti]

Originally Posted by Filigree

Did anyone on this thread attend her recent webinar on pitching sf&f? I heard some great reviews of her process. But I was a little doubtful because the agency itself is more known for urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and she was showing folks how to pitch epic fantasy. Has Kristin sold any epic fantasies in the last few years?

I might either buy the notes when and if they come out on WD. Or I'll attend another webinar if Kristin organizes one, if I hear enough good and useful things about this one.

I attended the webinar and even posted about it right here on these forums as well as on my blog. I thought it was an effective and useful expenditure of time and money.

I sent off a query on my WIP to her for critique and rather than a crit, got a partial request. So I guess I picked something up from the webinar. I'm revising the book now and will send her the partial this weekend.

She mentioned in the webinar that she wanted to do more fantasy and sci-fi, but that many of the sf/f queries they were receiving weren't that good, hence the need for the webinar. I don't believe she's sold any epic fantasies yet, but someone's gotta be the first for her.

[Sushi]

I sent them a query yesterday. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[aekap]

Thought I'd post my timeline, for those who are interested:

Q: 10/18
Partial request: 10/28
Full request: 11/15
R: 11/17

Pretty sad about this one, since I think they are a terrific agency. I've had 3 R's on fulls in the past few weeks, which are leaving me unsure if I should revise... the problem is that every agent says something different, which is making me think its just an issue of personal preference.

But it was a very polite, kind R, and it came fast. At least she didn't sit on it for 6 months!

[ether]

Originally Posted by aekap

Thought I'd post my timeline, for those who are interested:

Q: 10/18
Partial request: 10/28
Full request: 11/15
R: 11/17

Pretty sad about this one, since I think they are a terrific agency. I've had 3 R's on fulls in the past few weeks, which are leaving me unsure if I should revise... the problem is that every agent says something different, which is making me think its just an issue of personal preference.

But it was a very polite, kind R, and it came fast. At least she didn't sit on it for 6 months!

Do you have any betas or friends who have read the work? Or maybe even here. You could share what feedback you were given on the appropriate forum and people might be able to make some sense of it for you. Sometimes different feedback can be the result of one underlying problem not always easily visible, if that makes sense.

[aekap]

Thanks! Yes, I've had a few people read it. They all disagreed with the agents, who all disagreed with each other!

[Senora Verde]

Originally Posted by aekap

Thought I'd post my timeline, for those who are interested:

Q: 10/18
Partial request: 10/28
Full request: 11/15
R: 11/17

Pretty sad about this one, since I think they are a terrific agency. I've had 3 R's on fulls in the past few weeks, which are leaving me unsure if I should revise... the problem is that every agent says something different, which is making me think its just an issue of personal preference.

But it was a very polite, kind R, and it came fast. At least she didn't sit on it for 6 months!

Sorry aekap! Full rejections are painful.

Hopefully it's just a matter of finding the right fit. good luck.

[Filigree]

Thanks for the webinar review, Ineti. I've managed to read some of the same points on Kristin's blog, and I hope they're helping me reformat my query.

I don't think I'll send query her on the epic fantasy that I just finished, because I still don't get the feel that's what she wants or sells. But when my UF or paranormal romance WIP's are ready, she's first on the list.

Filigree

[jana13k]

Originally Posted by Filigree

Thanks for the webinar review, Ineti. I've managed to read some of the same points on Kristin's blog, and I hope they're helping me reformat my query.

I don't think I'll send query her on the epic fantasy that I just finished, because I still don't get the feel that's what she wants or sells. But when my UF or paranormal romance WIP's are ready, she's first on the list.

Filigree

Filigree - many agents prefer to represent the entire body of a writer's work unless it's something they absolutely, positively don't connect with. I know Kristin considers herself a representative of the writer and not the work (in itself) because she is my agent. If her website says she represents something and you think you'd like to work with her, then I wouldn't hesitate to query her. Or Sara, who is building her client list at the moment.

[GreenAsTheyGet]

Hi all, just a quick heads-up about Nelson Literary Agency. They are all fine girls, I see them and speak to them now and then at the coffee shop a few doors down from both our offices, however, if you're thinking of using them as a literary agent, you should know that they ARE a girl's club. They rarely even look at a manuscript written by a straight man.

Not a complaint! Just a heads-up. I know there are lots of men's clubs still out there, too, which is also sad. Just don't waste your time with them unless you fit in.

Good luck with your ventures!