Agent Talk x Maria Whelan
No, you don’t need an agent to get published. There are plenty of ways to put your words out into the world—Substack, BookTok, and, most excitingly, indie publishers! But how wonderful it is to have someone who believes in your work, reads it with care, and takes it upon herself to ensure others read it, too?
Yes, we’re talking about the mysterious species known as literary agents. What exactly do they do? How do you get one? What role do these so-called “gatekeepers” play? Who are they, and what kind of readers are they?
For our April Accent Craftclass, we’re inviting a literary agent we know to demystify the process—how agents spot talent, work with writers to refine their manuscripts, and submit them to publishers. You’ll walk away with:
A solid understanding of how the mainstream literary industry works
Tips on preparing your work and résumé for agents & publishers
Dos and don’ts when querying agents
An opportunity to pitch your work to an active dealmaker!
If you wish to submit an English work for Maria Whelan's review, please add Accent Assistant on WeChat after signing up and submit:
5–10 pages of your English work (double-spaced, Times New Roman font)
A 1–2 page English query letter, including a 1-2 paragraph synopsis and your background information
Bio
Maria graduated from University College Dublin then obtained her Masters in Modern Literature from the University of Edinburgh. Before joining InkWell, she worked as a Foreign Rights Assistant at Janklow & Nesbit and worked at Akashic Books. Maria enjoys a blend of literary and commercial fiction, as well as speculative fiction and magical realism. She is particularly fond of novels that straddle the cultural divide. She is looking for books in the fiction and nonfiction space that speak to the current cultural moment or examine overlooked facets of society. Some of her authors include Na Zhong, Luke Dumas, Joselyn Takacs, Dima Alzayat, Luna McNamara and Vinod Busjeet.
When & Where
4/19 Saturday 8pm New York
4/20 Sunday 8am Beijing
Place: Zoom
Language: English
不，你并不需要经纪人才能出版作品。你的文字可以通过许多方式被他人读到——Substack、BookTok，还有独立出版社！但如果有人坚定地相信你的作品，仔细地阅读，并且致力于让更多人看到它，那不是更好吗？
是的，我们说的就是文学经纪人这种神秘物种。她们具体会做什么？如何找到一位经纪人？这些所谓的第一道“守门人”究竟在出版行业中扮演什么样的作用？她们是谁，她们在读什么？
今年四月，我们请来文学经纪人Maria Whelan，跟我们讲讲这个不太为人所知的行业。通过这堂分享课，你将：
对主流出版行业的运作有更清晰的认知
收获如何准备作品和简历的实用建议
了解向经纪人投稿时的注意事项与禁忌
并有机会直接向活跃在一线的文学经纪人推介你自己的作品！
希望提交英文作品，供Maria Whelan审阅的朋友，请在报名后加小助手微信，提交：
5-10页的英文作品（双倍行距、Times New Roman字体）
1-2页的英文投稿信，需涵盖1-2段的作品简介及情节概述，作者背景介绍等相关信息
嘉宾简介
Maria Whelan毕业于都柏林大学学院，并在爱丁堡大学获得现代文学硕士学位。在加入InkWell之前，她曾在 Janklow & Nesbit 担任海外版权助理，也曾在 Akashic Books 工作。她喜欢纯文学小说、类型小说，也喜欢推想作品（speculative fiction）和魔幻现实主义作品。她特别偏好跨越文化鸿沟的小说。Maria在寻找能反映当下文化语境，或探索被忽视的社会现象的小说和非虚构作品。她代理的作家包括 Na Zhong、Luke Dumas、Joselyn Takacs、Dima Alzayat、Luna McNamara 和 Vinod Busjeet。
时间&地点
纽约时间
4月19日 周六 8pm
北京时间
4月20日 周天 8am
线上：Zoom
语言：英语