52: Sheyla Knigge: From Slush Pile to Agent, Becoming an Agent, and Fan Fiction and Indie Publishing to Trad
In this episode of On the Write Track, Sarah and Emily sit down with literary agent Sheyla Knigge of High Line Literary Collective to pull back the curtain on the other side of the query inbox. Sheyla walks us through how she broke into agenting under mentor Victoria Marini, what it actually looked like to start out reading the slush pile, and what she'd tell anyone hoping to become an agent themselves about breaking into a notoriously opaque side of the industry. We get into what actually makes a query stand out to her: the immersive quality she's looking for across fantasy, BIPOC literature, and how writers can shape their pitch to show that off. Sheyla is candid about the common mistakes she sees over and over in the query trenches. From there we dig into what happens after the yes: her submission strategy when going out to editors, the long-term career planning she builds with clients so a debut isn't a one-and-done, but the start of a sustained career. We also talk about diversity in the industry, and get her take on the fast-changing landscape of fan fiction and where the lines between indie and traditional publishing are blurring, and what that shift means for writers weighing their own path forward. Whether you're drafting a query right now, dreaming of the agent side of the desk, or just trying to make sense of where publishing is headed, this is a candid conversation from someone inside. Sheyla Knigge Books Mentioned - We strongly encourage that listeners purchase these titles from their favorite indie bookstore Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness Kerri Maniscalco Emily Varga's books Sarah Mughal Rana's books Come back on the first Thursday of every month for a brand new episode of On the Write Track Pod. Make sure you hit the follow button to get notified, and like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen! Sign up to our Patreon where you can receive exclusive perks, some for as little as the cost of a coffee! Did you enjoy the episode? Please leave us a review! Follow the podcast @OntheWriteTrackPodcast on Instagram. Also connect with Sarah and Emily on Instagram or TikTok!
