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Episode Summary: In this episode of Writers With Wrinkles, Beth and Lisa chat with Amy Nielsen, a literary agent at Purcell Agency and a published author, about her experiences with both. Amy shares invaluable tips for querying, editing, and how to handle the ups and downs of the publishing industry.

Guest Bio: Amy Nielsen is a literary agent with Purcell Agency, specializing in young adult and picture books. A former youth librarian with nearly two decades of experience, Amy penned her debut novel, Worth It, while working at her library’s circulation desk. In addition to being an author, she is a freelance editor and a passionate advocate for helping writers polish their submissions.

Key Discussion Points:

• Amy’s journey from librarian to literary agent and author.
• How fictionalizing personal trauma when writing can create emotional distance and help the project.
• Essential do’s and don’ts of querying: research agents, follow submission guidelines, and treat rejections as passes.
• The significance of building a writing community and being a good literary citizen.
• Amy's editing process and her belief in the value of delivering polished work to agents and editors.
• Amy's free resources for self-editing, including developmental and line-editing guides available on her website.

Conclusion: Amy emphasizes perseverance in the querying process and the importance of building a support system within the writing community. She also highlights the role of agents as collaborators and champions for their authors' work. For those looking to improve their submissions, her editing resources are a must-see.

Mentioned Links:

• Editing resources: Amy's website (self-editing, developmental, and line-editing guides available)
• Twitter for updates on Amy’s query status: Amy Nielsen Twitter
• Manuscript wish list

Speculative Fiction Writing Made Simple: Write, Edit, and Publish Your Debut Novel
Most writing podcasts just inspire. This one teaches the craft skills that hook readers.

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