We are thrilled to welcome Emmy Nordstrom Higdon, agent at Westwood Creative Associates, to talk with us about the red and green flags when querying agents--how you can show (mostly) green flags, recognize agent red flags, and give yourself the best odds of a positive, productive working relationship.

Learn more about Emmy and book a consultation here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/emmy-nordstrom-higdon

Transcript at:

https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-emmy-nordstrom-higdon-agent-red-flags

Timestamps:

**Emmy's #MSWL (00:00:35)**

Emmy discusses their soft opening to queries, their genre preferences, and the type of writing they're looking for this year.

**Top Reasons For Rejection (00:07:07)**

The challenges faced by authors in querying, including the lack of research and the competitive nature of the process.

**Query Letter Length and Precision (00:13:31)**

Emmy and the hosts discuss the ideal length and precision of query letters to capture an agent's interest.

**Query Letter and Comps (00:19:50)**

Importance of query letter personalization and clever comp selections.

**Agency Agreement and Communication Style (00:28:54)**

Discussion on agency agreements and the importance of effective communication style between authors and agents.

**Online Presence Expectations (00:34:03)**

The significance of an author's online presence and the issue of leveraging agents during the query process.

**Editorial Style As A Red Or Green Flag (00:38:38)**

Agents and authors discussing editorial changes and flexibility, green flag indicators.

**Honest Communication (00:40:21)**

Importance of honest communication in the author-agent relationship and the manifestation process for finding the right fit.

**Author-Agent Questions (00:42:32)**

The significance of authors asking targeted, specific questions, and the red flag of excessive or generic queries.

**Agent's Questions and Interest (00:43:26)**

The importance of agents asking relevant questions and showing interest in an author's goals, with red flag indicators.

**Author Vulnerability (00:46:42)**

The value of authors expressing fears and concerns, and the agent's response as a green or red flag indicator.

**Unrealistic Promises (00:49:13)**

Discussion on agents making unrealistic promises and the red flag it presents for authors.

**Decision Timeframe (00:49:59)**

The reasonable timeframe for authors to make a decision when receiving an offer from an agent.

**Nudge Process (00:55:20)**

The nudge process, its impact on agents, and the balance between author's anxiety and clear communication.

**The timestamp's title (time it starts)**

short description, with max 20 words, of what is covered in this topic.

**Agent's Response Time and Prioritization (00:57:11)**

Discussion about agents' response time and prioritization of manuscripts based on genre and offers.

**Communication and Politeness with Agents (00:58:15)**

Advice on maintaining friendly and polite communication with agents and understanding their workload and time constraints.

**Editorial Expectations and Red Flags (00:59:52)**

Exploring editorial expectations, red flags related to agent's editorial approach, and the importance of aligning expectations.

**Expectations and Realistic Publishing Goals (01:02:07)**

Discussion on setting realistic publishing goals, understanding audience expectations, and potential red flags.

**Agent-Author Relationship and Expectations (01:06:02)**

Managing expectations, dealing with rejection, and ensuring the agent's support during challenging situations.

**Agent-Author Communication and Feedback (01:08:15)**

Advice on maintaining open communication, avoiding scarcity mentality, and addressing concerns with agents in a constructive manner.

**Understanding Agents' Logic and Communication (01:12:13)**

Importance of understanding agents' reasoning and maintaining open communication for a successful author-agent relationship.