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.
• 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.
• 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.
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.
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