Meet Literary Agent, Andie Smith

What Looking Through Queries Looks Like, Romance in Stories, and What to Do if You’re Wanting to be Published

By Editor-in-Chief, August Rose Crothers

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A couple months ago, I was lucky enough to meet Andie through a class she was hosting on writing the perfect query letter. She was informative, engaging, and really set me up for success on my own personal querying journey. And so, as editor-in-chief of Lovestruck Inkwell, I thought it only necessary to reach out and see if she’d be willing to bring some insight to you, too. 

Andie Smith is a literary agent for Creative Media Agency, works as an Editor for Sun & Spines Editorial, and is the co-host of the Flublishing Podcast. 

Read ahead to get to know Andie and the thoughts of a literary agent better. 

Could you give me a brief background of how you became a literary agent? Was this always something you wanted to do or did it fall into your lap? 

I grew up as an avid reader, and knew I wanted to write my own books someday. Which I did, and by being an author, I became familiar with the query trenches and larger process of publishing. Then I started beta reading others’ work and found a love for editing, which led me down a rabbit hole for internships in publishing while I was studying for my Masters (which has nothing to do with publishing). I got an internship at a literary agency, and two weeks in, I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life!

What genres do you represent as a literary agent? 

I represent picture books, middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction across genres such as mystery/thriller/suspense, fantasy, contemporary, science fiction, and romance. I’m also actively seeking eco-fiction, or stories that focus on sustainability, climate justice, and environmentalism. My background is in sustainability and policy, and as a climate nerd, I’m passionate about bringing these topics into the fiction world.  

What are your favorite genres/authors to read as a literary agent? 

I read pretty widely, but my favorite genres tend to be fantasy, romance, and thrillers. Some of my favorite authors (that I don’t represent) are Carley Fortune, Alex Michaelides, Sarah Dessen, and E. Lockhart. 

How many queries do you typically get in a month? What does your process going through these queries typically look like?

I recently re-opened to queries and received over 1,000 in just a week, so I did end up closing my inbox. On average, most agents receive anywhere from 1,000-2,000 queries a month, maybe even more these days. 

Queries unfortunately come last in my day and some days, I may not even have a chance to review queries. Current client work comes first, and that can range from calls to contract negotiations to manuscript edits. When I do review queries, I sort them by genre and review them depending on what genre I’m in the mood to read or what I’m most excited about filling on my list. I do review them in the order they were received when I organize them by genre, though. I’ll sit down and go through submissions, reviewing the query letter and making sure the pitch intrigues me and sounds like something I’ll represent. If so, I will immediately place it in my maybe pile and keep going. If something doesn’t sound like a fit for me, I will pass on the query. At a later time that day or another day, I will go through my maybe pile and look at the pages for those queries that intrigued me, either requesting full manuscripts or passing due to the pages not pulling me in enough to read more. 

How do you feel about romance genres/themes/tropes? And as an agent, could you give me your thoughts on why romance appears in so many different kinds of stories? 

I love romance! Give me all the themes and tropes. I am a sucker for a second chance romance, fake dating, best friend’s brother, all of it! The only tropes I’m not a fan of, and it’s a personal take, are cheating or any involvement of abuse. 

Romance appears so often because for better or worse, it sells. A lot of agents or editors are open to things that don’t have a romantic subplot or element, but it is typically the preference we see, even if it’s a minor subplot, or through a side character, etc. Readers love to swoon, and they love a happy ending and something to root and hope for, and that’s one reason why romance works so well or can add another layer to a story. 

If you were to meet someone writing a novel for the first time, what advice would you give them? 

My best piece of advice is so cliche, but it’s to finish! Writing a book can be terrifying and daunting, but it can also be so exciting and it’s an amazing accomplishment. The best thing you can do is finish the book, because so many people start and they never finish. 

And if you were meeting someone going into the query trenches for the first time, what advice would you give them? 

Do your research. Querying can be a long, hard process (not all the time, but for most). In general, authors have one chance to impress an agent and hope to gain representation. You don’t want to miss that opportunity because your manuscript wasn’t ready (or wasn’t complete), or you didn’t research agents properly or what you need to put in your query letter. There are a ton of free resources out there, and professionals you can hire (if you want, but it is not required) to help guide you through the process. Take your time and do your research! Publishing is a marathon, not a sprint. 

Are you currently open to queries? What kind of stories are on your high priority list at the moment? 

I am not currently open to queries! I received over 1,000 queries in a week when I opened in August, so I will be closed for a bit while I sort through those submissions. I’m really hoping to find more adult projects on my list across genres, and I am still really hungry for my perfect YA thriller! I hope to reopen again later this Fall if I can.