Writer's Resource: #MSWL

Yesterday was a #MSWL day on Twitter! Whether you're a seasoned Twitter-user or terrified to even poke your head in, this is an incredibly useful tool for writers who are seeking agents. Here's a quick primer.

#MSWL stands for Manuscript Wishlist. Agent Jessica Sinsheimer conceived this several years ago as a way to connect agents who wanted to see specific things in their inboxes with writers who could provide them.

When an event is scheduled, agents (and sometimes editors, but mostly agents) tweet things they're interested in seeing—say, YA sci-fi with aliens or adult romantic suspense—and because they include the hashtag, it's all collected into an easily searchable list. Writers can get as specific as they want with their searches. Use twitter.com or your favorite third-party Twitter app, like TweetDeck or HootSuite and type "#MSWL" and your keywords into the search.

A few cautions:
-This event has been running since 2013, so be sure to check the dates on any matches you find before you submit your work. Agents usually aren't looking for the same things they were a few years ago.

-Anyone can post on the #MSWL hashtag, so you should always do your research before you send a query and make sure they're someone you'd want to work with.

-Don't ever tweet a pitch for your book using the #MSWL hashtag. It's reserved for agents and other industry professionals, so it's a major faux pas to blunder in as a writer looking for representation. If you need to ask a question to clarify someone's MSWL tweet, that's fine—just do a direct reply and don't use the hashtag, and that way it won't show up in searches.

If you think this #MSWL thing is pretty cool, check out the website! Manuscriptwishlist.com is a huge repository of agent information and should be a writer gearing up to query's first stop.

Writer's Resource: Manuscript Wish List

Are you a querying (or soon to be querying) writer? If you've started compiling your agent query list (with QueryTracker, I hope), you know that matching your manuscript with the agents who are most likely to love it isn't for the faint of heart. I used to rely mainly on several blogs that would do detailed agent profiles, but my favorites haven't been updated in a while and the information is somewhat stale. This is a big deal, since what agents were looking for two years or even six months ago is probably not what they're looking for right now.

Luckily, I found a truly excellent resource to replace those blogs! Manuscript Wish List is the brainchild of agent Jessica Sinsheimer and writer KK Hendin. They took the idea of the #MSWL hashtag on Twitter (where agents and editors tweet things they wish they were seeing in their inbox) and expanded it to a whole website. While the tweets were limited to 140 characters (135, counting the hashtag), this site has whole paragraphs describing their wants in detail.

One of the best things about the site is its HUGE list of tags. Scroll down to the bottom of any page to see the list of tags that have been used on the posts. They are very specific and extremely helpful. For example, you'll find tags for "strong female protagonist," "steamy romance," and "difficult issues." There are also tags for comparable books, so you can even search for a similar type of story.

I found over a dozen agents that wouldn't have been on my list otherwise by using this site. I highly recommend it!

Writer's Resource: #MSWL, Agent and Editor Wish List

If you're writing a novel or nonfiction book and hoping to get it traditionally published, there's a good chance you'll be submitting it to agents and/or publishers. It's important to be selective when putting together your list; sending a query for a YA sci-fi novel to an agent who only represents adult literary fiction, for example, only wastes their time and yours.

Today, we have the advantage of agency and publisher websites that often give an idea of what they're seeking. There are also sites that compile this type of information such as Literary Rambles. But wouldn't it be great to get even more current and specific information about what agents and editors wish they were seeing in their slush piles?

Enter the Agent and Editor Wish List.

An active Twitter user had the bright idea of a manuscript wish list for agents and editors. Using the hashtag #MSWL, agents and editors can tweet a short description of the manuscripts they wish they were seeing. Searching this hashtag on Twitter will bring up months of these tweets (and a few other people trying to capitalize on the popularity of the hashtag--as with anything on Twitter, make sure to check the source of the tweet).

Not a Twitter user? Or maybe sorting through all those tweets seems too overwhelming? Don't worry. Some extremely helpful person started the Agent and Editor Wish List Tumblr to collect these tweets in a user-friendly, searchable format. You can click on the keywords in any post to bring up all of those entries. For example, you can search for YA, urban fantasy, or romance.

Make sure to check out the Tumblr's excellent FAQ page before sending a query to any of the agents or editors you find.

Happy querying!

Feel Good Hump Day

It's day 10 of Camp NanoWriMo and while I'm a bit off from my word count goal, I chalk that up to "having" to celebrate both Canada and America's birthdays, not to mention a wedding to boot.  How could I not toast such happy occasions?  

So to continue the celebrations, I thought I would make Wednesday, fun day!  Here's a few MG/YA inspirations and chuckles to get you through your hump day. 

Feeling in a bit of a rut this morning, need some inspiration to write stories that will inspire a new generation? Check out this great vid of little girls doing what all little girls should be doing...rockin' out of course!

Not all of these reinvented famous book covers with a missing letter are YA novels but I was particularly fond of The Rave by Edgar Allan Poe and The Princess Brie by William Goldman.  I mean, who doesn't like a good cheese party?

Finally, a post isn't complete without some useful information. If you haven't read this already, you should. It's the Manuscript Wish List used by both agents and publishers to let writers know what they're looking for.  

Really interesting insight and up to date info that keeps you in the know on what's hip and happening as well as which agent(s) might be the best fit for your next query. 

Surprise!  You're now 10 minutes closer to the weekend!