Marissa Walsh joins Fine Print Literary Management, seeks pop culture, humor, narrative non-fiction, memoir, and children’s books

FinePrint Literary Management
240 West 35th Street
Suite 500
New York, NY 10001
http://fineprintlit.com/

Back in March, I reported that new agent Marissa Walsh had had started her own literary agency, Shelf Life (see here.) Now she's joined Fine Print, an established agency that's getting larger, with four new agents (details on all of them below).

Marissa began her publishing career at Nan A. Talese/Doubleday and the Ellen Levine Literary Agency. She was an editor at Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s Books for seven years.

Marissa is the author of the comic memoir Girl with Glasses: My Optic History (Simon Spotlight Entertainment) and the YA novel A Field Guide to High School (Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s Books); coauthor of the Boston Globe Bestseller Tipsy in Madras: A Complete Guide to ‘80s Preppy Drinking (Perigee/Penguin); and editor of the YA anthologies Not Like I’m Jealous or Anything: The Jealousy Book (Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s Books) and Does This Book Make Me Look Fat? (Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). She teaches Children’s Writing at Gotham Writers’ Workshop.

Marissa specializes in pop culture, humor, narrative non-fiction, memoir, and children’s books (picture books/middle grade/YA).

In picture books, Marissa is looking for young, funny, character-driven books with very little text (700 words or less). No rhyming. Please include your manuscript in the body of your query email.

In Middle Grade and Young Adult books, Marissa does not want paranormal/fantasy/science-fiction. She’s looking for funny and poignant contemporary stories featuring real kids. Please include the first chapter in the body of your query email.

Marissa accepts queries only by at querymarissa@gmail.com

Your query letter should be short – no more than one page.

First paragraph: Introduce your project in one sentence: “I’m writing to you about my picture book, TITLE.” If there is a reason you have chosen Marissa for your project (and hopefully there is!), include that here.

Second paragraph: In 50 words or less (two-to-three sentences), tell her about the book. But not too much. Think 30-second elevator pitch: “It’s a cross between "Stuff White People Like" and "The Last Lecture.”

Third paragraph: Your bio. Be as specific as possible. You might not think it’s interesting, but she does. Why are you the only person in the world who can write this book?

Closing paragraph: (one-to-two lines) You look forward to hearing, etc.

Fine Print has also has three other new agents:
 

Suzie Townsend

Suzie Townsend is actively looking for fiction and non-fiction: specifically Middle Grade and YA novels (all subgenres, but particularly literary projects), adult romance (historical and paranormal), and fantasy (urban fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, epic fantasy). More here.
 
Laura Wood specializes in serious nonfiction, especially in the areas of science and nature, along with substantial titles in business, history, religion, and other areas by academics, experienced professionals, and journalists. More here.
 
Ward Calhoun is looking for nonfiction titles in the areas of sports, humor, and pop culture. More here.
 
Note: Brian Henry has "How to Get Published" workshops coming up in London on November 6 with guest Tina Tsallas of Great Titles Literary Agency (details here) and in Mississauga on December 4 with guest Martha Magor Webb of the Anne McDermid literary agency (details here).

For information about all of Brian's upcoming writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.