Many romance writers, even some with long backlists, are looking at fresh opportunities in the Young Adult market–more creative freedom (less restriction in story lines), the ability to reach a new audience (one that will grow up to become an audience for that backlist), and a market niche that’s growing rapidly. Are you looking to make the move to Young Adult?

Helpful Blogs and Websites You Should Know About

KIDLIT411

One of the best websites for authors of Young and Adult and Middle Grade fiction is KIDLIT411.com. It’s on the  2015 and 2016 lists of Writer’s Digest 100 Best Websites for Writers and the 2015 list of Positive Writer Top 50 Blogs.

Go to the HOME page for Kidlit411 and you’ll find links to features such as: Agent Spotlight, Marketing and Creating a Platform, Contests and Awards, Query Letters, Legal Resources, and Indie Publishing. Click the link for Young Adult and you’ll find a lengthy list of articles, blogs, books and more–all centered on this powerhouse market segment.

Sign up for their email updates, and get a weekly post with all the new links added over the past week (THE WEEKLY 411). Join their FACEBOOK GROUP for information and camaraderie. Join their FACEBOOK MANUSCRIPT SWAP to find critique partners.

ADVENTURES IN YA PUBLISHING

The folks at KIDLIT411 include a recommended link to ADVENTURESINYAPUBLISHING.COM, which was also on the Writers’ Digest 100 Best Websites in 2013, 2014, and 2015. In addition to presenting frequent author interviews, pitchfests and craft articles, the people at AIYAP run contests judged by agents and offer opportunities to be mentored by agents.

Now, Finally, Hooking a YA Agent

Which brings me to the topic of today’s TangledWords blog, fishing for and hooking those agents. In 2013, AIYAP interviewed 16 literary agents who represent young adult authors. The question they asked those agents: What Gets You Reading?

Yes, this was a three-year-old interview, but these agents are not talking about their current wish lists or what genres they’re tired of seeing. This is the good stuff: first lines, introductions to characters, what you should never do at the very beginning, handling voice, etc.  I’m not going to reprint the whole article. Do a little work. Go on over to the AIYAP agent interviews and find out how to land your own big fish.

You’ll be glad you did.