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Agent Chat #10: Sarah LaPolla

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Agent Chat #10: Sarah LaPolla Empty Agent Chat #10: Sarah LaPolla

Post  Maggie Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:55 am

Chat hosted by: Authoress
Guest agent: Sarah LaPolla

======CHAT:======
Authoress cleared the room 
16:55
Taryn joined the Agent Chat. 
17:48
Taryn: hiiiiiiii  
17:48
Rachel joined the Agent Chat. 
17:52
Authoress: hiiiii Taryn! 
17:52
Authoress: hi Rachel! 
17:52
Taryn: hey rachel! 
17:52
Rachel: Hello everyone! (digitally waves) 
17:52
Authoress: *pretends to be 18* 
17:53
Taryn: LIAR. 
17:53
Authoress:  
17:53
Taryn: *kicks you out* 
17:53
Taryn: your majesty, I AM ON SPRING BREAK! 
17:53
Authoress: woooooo!!!! 
17:53
Kaye M. joined the Agent Chat. 
17:53
Authoress: hi Kaye 
17:54
Taryn: hey kaye  
17:54
Kaye M.: Hiya! 
17:54
Kaye M.: Hi, Taryn! 
17:54
Kaye M.: Congrats (belatedly) on the agent! 
17:54
Kaye M.: I'm so out of it these days 
17:54
Taryn: haha thanks  
17:54
Rachel: Hi Kaye!  
17:54
Kaye M.: Hi Rachel! 
17:55
Kaye M.:  
17:55
Rachel: Guys, I'm so close to spring break...I can almost taste it. And then...I can *write*! I can hardly wait... 
17:56
Taryn: are you this week or next? 
17:56
Rachel: Next. I have finals this upcoming week, and then the one after...I'm FREEEEEEEE. 
17:57
Kaye M.: Yay! 
17:57
SarahLaPolla joined the Agent Chat. 
17:57
Taryn: good luck, Rachel  
17:57
Authoress: welcome, Sarah! 
17:57
Taryn: Hi Sarah! 
17:57
Kaye M.: I'm at that point in the first draft where the word writing makes me feel like I ate too much sugar 
17:57
Rachel: Thanks.  
17:57
SarahLaPolla: Hi everyone! I snuck in a couple minutes early! 
17:57
Kaye M.: Hi Sarah! 
17:57
Rachel: Hi Sarah! 
17:57
Taryn: haha Kaye...honeymoon  
17:57
Kaye M.: ...Um. It's not a good thing.  
17:58
SarahLaPolla: (Thanks to Authoress, btw!) 
17:58
Kaye M.: Well, at least I know what I'm going to do for the second draft. 
17:58
Authoress: (I am pretending to be a teenager) 
17:58
SarahLaPolla: (Aren't we all?) 
17:58
Kaye M.: And I am definitely going to call on your services, Taryn. 
17:58
Taryn: yay! *likes business* 
17:58
Authoress: (LOL Yep!) 
17:59
Constance joined the Agent Chat. 
17:59
Taryn: hey Constance! 
17:59
Authoress: Constance dear!!! XOXO 
17:59
Kaye M.: Constance darling! 
17:59
Rachel: Hi Constance! 
17:59
Authoress: a couple more are on their way 
17:59
Kaye M.: (As if I haven't talked to you before, lol) 
17:59
Authoress: but I will just briefly say the things (that you probably already know) 
17:59
Taryn: liiike Maggie. she better. 
17:59
Constance: HI GUYS!!!!! *hugs everyone* 
18:00
Authoress: Taryn, I have the Power To Kick You Out  
18:00
Authoress: anyway 
18:00
Constance: Maggie is at work, Taryn.  
18:00
Taryn: ok. i'll be good. 
18:00
Authoress: if you have a question for our lovely agent, please type a ! 
18:00
Stephanie Diaz joined the Agent Chat. 
18:00
Authoress: I will keep track of your names in order 
18:00
Taryn: (hey Stephanie!) 
18:00
Authoress: so that we only have one question at a time 
18:00
Authoress: hi Stephanie! 
18:00
Stephanie Diaz: hey  
18:00
Kaye M.: Hi Stephanie! 
18:00
Constance: Hi Stephanie!!! ^_^ 
18:00
Authoress: so it's 6:00...feel free to start typing your !s at any time 
18:01
SarahLaPolla: I haven't been in a chat like this in so long! It's bringing back fond teen memories.  
18:01
Authoress: Heh! 
18:01
Rachel: ! 
18:01
Authoress: Okay Rachel, you're first! 
18:01
Kaye M.: ! 
18:01
Kaye M.: Aww, Rachel beat me 
18:01
Kaye M.:  
18:01
Authoress: gotcha Kaye 
18:01
Rachel: Just to ask a really general, probably overly broad question...what sorts of things do you look for in a YA fantasy/sci-fi novel? 
18:02
Amanda joined the Agent Chat. 
18:02
Taryn: (hi Amanda!) 
18:02
Amanda: (Yo. ^_^) 
18:02
Authoress: (hi Amanda! Type ! if you have a question) 
18:03
Kaye M.: (Hey Amanda!) 
18:03
Stephanie Diaz: (hey Amanda!) 
18:03
Constance: (*tacklehugs Amanda*) 
18:03
Taryn: whoa, Constance. 
18:03
Rachel: (Hi Amanda!) 
18:03
Amanda: (*falls over* XD) 
18:03
Authoress: {{{We are chatting with the lovely Sarah LaPolla this evening}}} 
18:04
SarahLaPolla: Rachel, I think for any genre (non-contemporary) YA I look at the premise first. Is it original? Can I sell it? Did it make me fall off my seat? Then I look at the main character. I NEED to connect w/ a character, no matter what type of story it is. 
18:04
Rachel: (can I ask a follow up question without typing ! ?) 
18:06
Authoress: To expand: What makes you "connect"? 
18:06
Authoress: Go ahead Rachel  
18:06
Rachel: Oh--never mind. That was my question, Authoress.  
18:06
SarahLaPolla: That said - I am sucker for time travel, interesting/new worlds, and outcast/nerdy characters in sci-fi/fantasy... (now answering re: "connect"...) 
18:06
Authoress:  
18:06
SarahLaPolla: Connecting with a character for me means liking the voice and being able to relate. I don't always need to like or agree with her/him, but I do need to understand motives in order to care about them. 
18:08
Authoress: (motives=important!) 
18:08
Authoress: (go ahead and ask your question, Kaye) 
18:08
Kaye M.: Alright. Let's see - I have three here already. Um, okay. To give an example of what worked for you, can you tell us some of your clients that we might recognize? 
18:09
SarahLaPolla: I've only had one client published so far, K.M. Walton and her book is CRACKED. It's a contemporary YA about bullying told in dual narrative. Her follow-up is coming out next year, that touches on the same subject. With her, what got me most was the heart of both of these characters. The boys were so different from each other, and their stories came from different places, and they both effected me equally. 
18:12
Taryn: ! 
18:12
Authoress: (remember to type ! when you have a question) 
18:12
Taryn: (teehee) 
18:13
Amanda: (!) 
18:13
Authoress: about dual narrative, Sarah....what are your thoughts on the novice/beginner writer attempting this? 
18:13
Authoress: (gotcha, Amanda) 
18:13
Rachel: ! 
18:13
Authoress: (and Rachel) 
18:13
Kaye M.: ! 
18:13
Authoress: (gotcha Kaye) 
18:13
SarahLaPolla: I really like dual narrative, but it needs to make sense for the story. If the voices sound too similar to each other, then I end up wondering if it's the characters or the author, so I'd tell a new writer to ask themselves how these characters are different from each other. I'd also have them consider when both POVs are needed. If you read the book without one of them, is the story suffering or can it be just as strong? 
18:15
SarahLaPolla: whether* POVs are needed... not when... ! 
18:16
Authoress: good answer  
18:16
Authoress: LOL ... optional POVs!  
18:16
Authoress: (go ahead Amanda) 
18:16
Amanda: Okay! I read that you like urban fantasy and YA—I wondered what your feelings are about epic fantasy, in YA specifically. Is it something you would consider representing, or does urban fantasy mean only urban for you? Do you think, when most agents specify urban fantasy(I see this a lot), that they are more strict on this, or open to more genres of fantasy? Or is that too specific to individuals to really answer? Thanks! ^_^ 
18:17
Taryn: HEY. you skipped me  
18:17
Amanda: (I saw that. But I took my opportunity. XD) 
18:17
Taryn: it's okay. i'm still thinking up a question  
18:17
Authoress: (Oh sorry, totally didn't see that! You're next! ) 
18:17
Authoress:  
18:17
Authoress: *pokes Amanda* 
18:18
Taryn: she already asked. silly authoress. 
18:18
Authoress: I poked her for asking a question when she knew I'd skipped you! 
18:18
Taryn: oh. gotcha. thanks for championing my cause. 
18:18
Authoress:  
18:18
Amanda: Oh, okay. Then I'd agree the poking is warranted. XD 
18:18
Authoress: *curtsies* 
18:19
SarahLaPolla: For me, it's more strict. I like epic fantasy, and will accept queries for it, but I have to be honest and say it's rare for me to make a request. Ive requested fantasy that begin in contemp. world & end up being a standard epic fantasy, but if it's something like Lord of the Rings, I'm probably not your girl  
18:20
Authoress: (go ahead Taryn) 
18:21
SarahLaPolla: The sad face is because I like WATCHING epic fantasy, but somehow I never got into reading it. 
18:21
Authoress: (you sound like my husband) 
18:21
Authoress: (oops, I'm supposed to be pretending to be 18) 
18:22
Taryn: ummmmmmmmm *thinks fast*...how do you suggest writers take advantage of BEA? 
18:22
Taryn: Authoress--you can be19. 19 year olds can have husbands. haha  
18:22
Authoress: (well, so can 18 yr olds) 
18:22
Authoress:  
18:22
Amanda: (I'm actually the same way, in general. I haven't read LOTR. But I've watched it! I just happen to write the genre. XD) Thanks, Sarah!  
18:22
Kaye M.: (Side note for the Authoress: a good friend got married at eighteen. It was a "we're in love and can't wait" thing. So you're valid.) 
18:23
Kaye M.: (And good question, T! I should've thought of that ) 
18:23
Taryn: I knooooooooow. 
18:23
Authoress: (Oh, cool! ) 
18:23
Constance: (Amanda, I still find that a little sacrilegious.) 
18:24
Authoress: LOL Constance! 
18:24
Amanda: (I'm totally going to. I read The Hobbit! TWICE.) 
18:24
Stephanie Diaz: (I agree, Constance ) 
18:24
Amanda: (& I've read most of The Fellowship. *cough*) 
18:24
Authoress: (I'd kick Amanda out for not reading LOTR, but then I'd have to kick Sarah out, too) 
18:24
Constance: (THANK YOU, Stephanie. We are friends now. *frowns at Amanda*) 
18:24
Rachel: (I will not admit to the number of times I've read LOTR, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, etc. Let's just settle for "multiple".)  
18:25
Amanda: (Renée read several snippets to me! I feel like I've already read them. XD) 
18:25
Authoress: (you read The Silmarillion??? *dies*) 
18:25
SarahLaPolla: Ooh, good question. BEA is great for writers. They shouldn't expect to pitch their books to anyone (which I think a lot of them expect when they get there). But, it's great for sitting on panels on how to market yourself, what's new in your chosen genre, and what books publishers are getting excited about. Even as a non-writer I end up running around like a crazy person trying to get as many books as possible and jumping from panel to panel. 
18:25
Kaye M.: (Constance...I LOVE LOTR. But you already know that.) 
18:25
Constance: (Amanda, that doesn't count.) 
18:25
Constance: (Kaye, Hehehe, I know. ^^) 
18:26
SarahLaPolla: (BTW, we can pretend this chat is historical and you can be married at like 15) 
18:26
Stephanie Diaz: (lol. I read LOTR & The Hobbit in third grade and multiple times since. I have The Silmarillion but haven't gotten to reading it...) 
18:26
Taryn: thanks, Sarah! OH a follow up! 
18:26
Authoress: (LOL Awesome) 
18:26
Taryn: can i ask a quick followup? 
18:26
Authoress: go ahead Taryn 
18:26
SarahLaPolla: Ask away, Taryn! 
18:26
SarahLaPolla: (sorry Authoress for usurping your authority!) 
18:26
Rachel: (Authoress--yup. I liked it, too. But I think I'm in the minority, because I just loved hearing the "history".) 
18:26
Taryn: would you recommend waiting to get tickets? the friend I'm going with is onsub, and there's the author discount... 

[CHATZY SWALLOWED THIS PART OF THE CHAT! Sorry.]

Authoress: (ANDRE! STOP PHILOSOPHIZING!) 
18:57
André: Whatwhatwhat? 
18:58
Authoress: (ew, really? adult novels? ) 
18:58
Constance: (He's probably on youtube. ) 
18:58
Amanda: (Ditto what Authoress said) 
18:58
Authoress: (Taryn, go ahead) 
18:58
SarahLaPolla: (I can't believe Andre has PHILOSOPHY homework. Aren't you guys supposed to be in high school??) 
18:58
Authoress: (LOL) 
18:58
Authoress: he's in college  
18:58
Amanda: I'm a college freshie!  
18:58
SarahLaPolla: OHHH 
18:58
Constance: (André is a COLLEGE BOY. ) 
18:58
Taryn: I'm a sophomore in college... 
18:58
André: I'm -- yeah 
18:58
SarahLaPolla: This all makes sense now 
18:58
Authoress: yep....we've got some UPPER teens here  
18:58
Kaye M.: I'm a freshman in college (because I took a year off) 
18:58
Taryn: umm, my question. it doesn't really exist anymore. Thanks for doing this and thanks for your super sweet pass on begging to breathe a couple weeks back! 
18:58
Authoress: awwww! 
18:59
Authoress:  
18:59
Authoress: (go ahead amanda -- last question!) 
18:59
Amanda: Yay! Are you a deep, in-depth editorial agent? Or…not an editorial agent? 
18:59
SarahLaPolla: !!!!! Thanks Taryn I'm so happy you have an awesome agent. 
18:59
Rachel: Ok, thanks so much! I'm just unsure about writing adult fantasy because...I don't feel like I should be "allowed" yet (I'm 18). Maybe I should embrace the adultness.  
18:59
André: Just out of curiosity, was there a reason I was being yelled at? XD 
18:59
Taryn: thanks  
18:59
Authoress: (LOL Rachel -- scary, huh?) 
18:59
Authoress: (to get your attention, silly boy) 
18:59
Constance: (Because sometimes yelling at you is the only way to get you to talk. *is expert*) 
19:00
Rachel: (A little bit, Authoress, a little bit. ) 
19:00
Kaye M.: (Rachel...wait until you're turning twenty. SUPER SCARY.) 
19:00
Authoress:  
19:00
André: Hah, I've technically been writing adult fantasy for years, though I didn't realize it until I discovered that the genres are based on the main characters' ages. XD 
19:00
Authoress: (I still remember the eve of my 20th birthday...I DID NOT want it to come) 
19:00
Authoress: (how stupid was I???) 
19:00
Rachel: (I can imagine, Kaye...my protagonists will probably get older with me. ) 
19:01
SarahLaPolla: I'm definitely an editorial agent. I tend to ask for a revision before I even offer representation, and even after I see an author can revise, I do another round of revisions before I submit to editors (if it's needed!). With some clients, I'll even print out the manuscript and do old-school line-editing for them. Some require more editing than others. 
19:01
Authoress: wow, with a PEN? 
19:01
Amanda: Sweet! I like that answer.  
19:01
Kaye M.: (I'm turning twenty in the summer. MAKE IT STOP.) 
19:01
Authoress: (*hugs Kaye*) 
19:01
SarahLaPolla: (Rachel, the thing about sci-fi/fantasy is that sometimes the MC can be 12 and the book can still be adult! Look at Ender's Game.) 
19:01
Taryn: whoa sounds awesome, Sarah 
19:01
Kaye M.: (*hugs Authoress back* Thanks ) 
19:02
Constance: (*hugs Kaye-friend* Some of my favorite people are 20. You will just join their ranks and be the AWESOMEST. ^_^) 
19:02
Authoress: well our hour is over 
19:02
Kaye M.: (Aww, Constance. I <3 you THIS much.) 
19:02
Authoress: THANK YOU SO MUCH, SARAH! 
19:02
Kaye M.: Oh, already?  
19:02
Rachel: (...excellent point. Maybe I should look back at my other drafts and see if they're *really* YA...) 
19:02
SarahLaPolla: Kaye, being 20 will be great! 20s are the new teens! (.... says the 28 year old) 
19:02
Amanda: Thanks, Sarah!  
19:02
Authoress: and thank you to my favoritest teens in the universe 
19:02
Taryn: haha! 
19:02
Taryn: bye everyone!!! <3 
19:02
Constance: Thanks Sarah!!!! That was amazing. Even thoughI didn't ask anything. xD 
19:02
Kaye M.: Thanks so much, Sarah! (And hah, really? I'll keep that in mind when my dad freaks on my birthday.) 
19:02
Constance: *hugs Taryn* 
19:02
Amanda: Adios! ^_^ 
19:02
SarahLaPolla: Aw, thanks everyone! You've all been so great!!! 
19:03
Rachel: Thanks so much for doing this, Sarah! I (and all of us, I'm sure) really appreciate it.  
19:03
André: Thank you!! 
19:03
Authoress: This has been great fun 
19:03
Kaye M.: Also, you're one of the agents on my dream list. There are like six. 
19:03
Authoress: awww yes, Sarah is LOVELY! 
19:03
Constance: *and Kaye* *and Amanda* *And Authoress* *And André* *and Sarah, if she wants a hug* 
19:03
SarahLaPolla: Woohoo! Hope to see a query from you soon then  
19:03
SarahLaPolla: (that goes for all of you) 
19:03
Authoress: Maggie will have this transcript up ASAP 
19:03
Constance: *And Rachel* 
19:03
Rachel: *group hug* 
19:03
Constance: *GROUP HUG* 
19:04
Authoress: *passes out cupcakes and shirley temples* 
19:04
Kaye M.: Oooh, cupckaes! 
19:04
Kaye M.: *cupcakes 
19:04
Authoress:  
19:04
Kaye M.: Ugh. The chat ends, and my spelling slips. 
19:04
Authoress: meh, it looked celtic  
19:04
SarahLaPolla: Goodnight, everyone! *accepts the shirley temple happily* 
19:04
Constance: Okay. I have to go eat dinner. 
19:04
Authoress: no no, I have CHARDONNAY for you, dear! 
19:04
Authoress:  
19:04
Constance: GOOD NIGHT GUYS A LOVE YOU ALL 
19:04
Constance: *I 
19:04
Authoress: HAVE A GREAT NIGHT, GUYS! 
19:05
SarahLaPolla: I'm still putting a cherry in it then 
19:05
Kaye M.: Alright, good night! Love you guys! (Going to write and dream of querying) 
19:05
SarahLaPolla:  
19:05
Authoress: hee! okay 
19:05
Constance: I dunno who A is. But A doesn't love you as much as I do. 
19:05
Amanda: Good afternoon, for me! *it's still 4* 
19:05
Rachel: Goodnight everyone! Thanks for a lovely chat! 
19:05
Amanda: Bye.  
19:05
Constance: (Amanda, you should get on Gmail soon) 
19:05
Constance: *skips off* 
19:05
Rachel: (tries to think of a good query/manuscript to send Sarah...) 
19:05
André: Bye! 
19:06
André has left the Agent Chat. 
[b]
Maggie
Maggie
Level 5
Level 5

Posts : 1802
Join date : 2011-01-29
Age : 29

http://writeonteens.blogspot.com

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