Profile avatar
jsinsheim.bsky.social
Ravenous reader, lazy gourmet, literary agent + cheese-obsessed human. Co-creator of #MSWL, Manuscript Wish List® + http://www.ManuscriptAcademy.com. ☕📚She/her.
93 posts 1,910 followers 617 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
Posts 11 Comments 39

We've discussed a lot in the office and in meetings with editors the idea that sophisticated commercial works are often what create social change. It's so much easier to teach by fun example, and have it stick, than to give a list of facts and reasons, however honorable.

submitted 3 days ago • 2 comments

Should you pitch your work as “women’s fiction” if you’re seeking traditional publication? I interviewed literary agents including @ecniumata.bsky.social and @jsinsheim.bsky.social to explore this question for @janefriedman.com's The Bottom Line newsletter mailchi.mp/janefriedman...

submitted 36 days ago • 1 comment

I am, in fact, open to queries! And yes, I did ask the team if it'd embarrass them if I asked for vampires.

submitted 3 days ago • 2 comments

I commented in our agency meeting today that writers, when receiving rejections from me, have been amazingly kind, thoughtful, open, and growth-minded the past few weeks. It's been really nice. I don't think anyone likes the sped up conveyor belt of queries. I miss it feeling like correspondence.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

I do wonder how many editors secretly agree that the "platform or bust" system is a scam.

submitted 153 days ago • 1 comment

Oh my gosh. Okay. I just got *the loveliest* response to one of my query rejections. I was talking about platform (ahhh! Can we just please get over the idea of platform as a guarantee), how I'd try a recipe, a possible route via well-placed articles--and the author is going to be okay!

submitted 153 days ago • 3 comments

The most frustrating thing for me is when I see something I absolutely love in a "platform genre" (in this case, a food book) and know it won't work (at least for me) unless the platform is larger. I couldn't help myself: I wrote the author all the reasons I love the work on an artistic level.

submitted 154 days ago • 2 comments

A request on behalf of those of us over 30: A font that is at least 12pt is very much appreciated. Thank you.

submitted 154 days ago • 5 comments

I can't do this every time, but one of the kind replies to my rejections (which, already, shows patience and a lot of maturity to be so even-keeled, professional, patient) asked if there was anything they could do. Lucky for me (and for them) there were three very easy things they could change.

submitted 154 days ago • 1 comment

submitted 176 days ago • 0 comments

There are a few things I do when reviewing queries that definitely slow me down--but make me feel better about the whole process. 1) I often have unsolicited suggestions. Today's most common ones were things like starting at chapter two, and boldly sharing the author's accomplishments.

submitted 154 days ago • 1 comment