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Beth and Lisa talk with literary agent Nikki Carrero, from The Rights Factory, to break down the querying process from the agent’s side — what gets you noticed, what gets a pass, and how to make the most of The Call.

 

Highlights

•       Nikki runs monthly pitch parties on Threads — currently her only open submission path since she’s closed to general queries.

•       Biggest query red flags: word count outside genre norms, miscategorized genre, and sending to agents who don’t rep your category.

•       Personalization? Just use her name. “Dear Agent” won’t auto-reject you, but do double-check pronouns.

•       Multiple passes don’t always mean bad writing — it may be wrong agents, weak hook, or pacing issues in the opening pages.

•       Nikki is an editorial agent: developmental notes, line edits, and reader reactions all in the margins.

•       Watch your social media. Agents notice public venting in the query trenches — keep it in private group chats.

 

Questions to Ask on The Call (with prospective agent!)

•       How editorial are you, and what does your revision process look like?

•       Will I see the pitch letter and submission list?

•       What happens if the book doesn’t sell — do you stay with me?

•       Always ask for a boilerplate contract before signing.

 

Nikki’s Parting Advice

Patience and persistence. Self-publishing is not a fallback. Keep writing new books — voice and craft develop over time, and the writers who stick with it are the ones who break through.

 Nikki Carerro Substack

Nikki Carerro Threads

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