Krisserin and Kelton dive into the often soul-crushing world of querying literary agents, where finding representation feels like a high-stakes marriage proposal to strangers who might never write back. While Krisserin reflects on her 70-query journey that yielded more silence than success, Kelton discovers that her friend's surprise pitch to an agent might offer a shortcut she's not sure she wants to take. The duo unpacks the brutal mathematics of modern querying—where 44 queries is just the average—and debates whether Kelton should pivot from her novel-in-progress to the essay collection that's been hiding in plain sight across 160+ newsletter issues.

Between tales of agents with closed inboxes, the networking advantages of MFA programs, and the particular challenge of writing query letters that somehow capture your book's essence in marketing speak, they explore the tension between authentic connection and mass-market approach. Krisserin shares wisdom from her AWP conference panel while wrestling with whether to circle back to contacts from her first querying round, and Kelton contemplates the difference between luck and strategy in a publishing world that often feels rigged toward the privileged. Plus: Woods turns one, Apple Notes fails spectacularly at transcription, and the friends assign goals that might just change everything about their approach to the writing life.

Write to us:
[email protected]

Follow us:
Instagram: @penpalspod
TikTok: @penpalspod
YouTube: @PenPalsPod
SubStack: penpalspod.substack.com

Follow Krisserin and Kelton:
TikTok: @krisserin, @keltonwrites
Instagram: @keltonkin, @keltonwrites
Kelton's Substack: Shangrilogs
Krisserin's Substack: krisserin.substack.com

Music by Golden Hour Oasis Studios