SHALLA CHATS with Kelly Sonnack

“Actively Building A List”

by Shalla DeGuzman

First off, who’s Kelly?

Kelly Sonnack is an agent with the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, known for establishing and guiding the careers of many fiction and nonfiction authors, including Amy Tan, Janell Cannon, Lisa See, Diane Mott Davidson, Kevin Starr, Mike Davis, and many others.

The Los Angeles Times dubbed the Dijkstra Agency "the most powerful literary agency on the West Coast" and, in its 20+ years, it has developed a reputation for discovering new talent and representing quality work with great commercial potential.

Kelly began her career with the publishing giant Elsevier, under the Academic Press Imprint where she quickly worked her way up to Acquisitions Editor. At the Dijkstra Agency, she manages the submission cycle and also assists with foreign rights and PR. She is actively building her list and is especially interested in all areas of children's literature (YA, MG, picture books, graphic novels) and international women's fiction.

Shalla: Hello Kelly, how are you? Thanks so much for joining us and we are so very grateful that you are reading submissions for SHALLA Magazine.

Kelly: My pleasure Shalla. Happy to “be here” in cyberspace with you.

Shalla: Please tell us about your most recent sales.

Kelly: Last week I sold a young adult novel to Candlewick entitled SAND MOUNTAIN, by Steve Watkins. It’s a coming of age story about a 12-year-old boy growing up in a small, segregated mining town in the south. The narrator of the story is like a young Holden Caulfield.

Shalla: What are you looking for in children’s literature? How about YA?

Kelly: In all realms of children’s literature (including YA), I’m looking for a narrative voice that authentically captures the feelings of the age group for whom it’s targeted. That is what made me fall in love with SAND MOUNTAIN. The author has an uncanny ability to get inside the mind of a pre-adolescent, capturing all the awkwardness, loneliness, and fears of a 7th grader. Beyond voice, I’m always looking for good stories, told in fresh and interesting new ways.

Shalla: What is international women’s fiction? Is it chicklit set in some exotic locale?

Kelly: I would define it as strong women’s fiction (meaning that it’s targeted at women readers), that introduces the reader to a culture other than our own. I wouldn’t put it in the same category as chicklit, since it’s usually quite a bit more literary. It’s often less plot-driven and more voice- or character-driven. Our agency is known for being “a portal to the West” for many Asian writers. Representing authors like Amy Tan, Maxine Hong Kingston, Anchee Min, Chitra Divakaruni, and others, we’ve established a solid reputation for publishing this type of literature. I’m definitely interested in finding clients who could write YA in this area. This generation of American teens is living in a world where an understanding and appreciation of other cultures is more important than ever.

Shalla: As far as point-of-views (POV) are concerned, do you like first person-present? Do you have a POV preference?

Kelly: There have been wonderful (and successful) books with all different POVs. I don’t really prefer one type to the other. You just have to make me fall in love with your style, your character, and your story. It’s much more important that you consider the different ways you can present your narrative, and then decide which method makes your story strongest.

Shalla: Do you prefer the book have a certain tone? Comedic? Dramatic?

Kelly: I love manuscripts that have a clever, or witty sense of humor. With picture books, I tend to go for the silly and zany. With middle grade and YA, it’s important to be subtle and not force humor on the reader. I rarely am attracted to overly dramatic. I had a high school teacher who taught me that one tear was enough to convey sadness, happiness, or despair. Your character does not need to be slamming doors, screaming, or sobbing hysterically for the reader to be affected. If you have developed a character that the reader sympathizes with and cares about, little gestures will translate in a big way.

Shalla: What are the usual reasons you reject a manuscript? What would make a manuscript stand out?

Kelly: There are several reasons why we might pass on a manuscript:

1) We don’t accept the type of material that is being submitted (e.g. screenplays or poems).

2) It’s not an original idea, or has been overdone (e.g. bedtime picture books, or Da Vinci Code type thrillers).

3) The material isn’t “there” yet. Unfortunately, agents can’t typically invest the time in editing projects that aren’t already at least 90% there. To get there, authors should be working with writing groups, attending workshops, etc., if they’re serious about getting their work published. Only submit a project when it’s as perfect as you think it can be.

Even our established authors work on their material with writing groups, professional editors, or other writers before they send new material to us. This process is invaluable and I’d recommend that all new writers find a good writing group that fits their goals and writing style. Writing groups come in many different shapes and forms, and there are more and more online writing groups being established.

Shalla: Any tips for writers so they don’t end up in the slush pile?

Kelly: Write something that I simply can’t ignore. Come up with an original idea that you know could work in the market. Understand what is working today, and read the books that you’ll be competing with. What about YOUR book is going to make a potential book buyer take it to the checkout counter? That is what we’re going to be asking ourselves when we evaluate your book.

Shalla: What do you look for in a query letter?

Kelly: First, know that the Dijkstra Agency prefers to get a writing sample along with your query/cover letter. We’ll accept up to the first 50 pages or 1-2 chapters (single sided, double spaced) of your manuscript, in addition to a query/cover letter which should break down like this:

1st paragraph should explain WHY you’re querying us (do you think your work fits with our other clients’ works?), whether we’ve met somewhere before, and whether someone referred you to us.

2nd paragraph should be a short/concise description of your book. You should be able to create a 1-liner to describe your book (like I did for SAND MOUNTAIN in the beginning of this interview), and then explain what makes your book unique or interesting. Look at the back covers of books to see how publishers pitch their releases. And please don’t tell us that your book is going to be the next Harry Potter, will sell a million copies, or that it will be the next blockbuster starring Leonardo DeCaprio. No matter how you try to word it, this just sounds unrealistic and unprofessional.

3rd paragraph should list any relevant writing credentials, or experience that relates to the writing of this book. And when I say relevant, “writing copy for technical programming manuals” is not relevant unless you’re submitting a book on programming manuals.

Professionalism is key in query letters. Remember that this is a business relationship and everything you do should tell us that you’d be a professional, courteous person to work with. We take on clients with the expectation that we will be with them throughout their careers, so we want to know we can work with you.

Shalla: And finally, what is the best way to query you?
Kelly: We accept only hard copy submissions. Send them to us at:

Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency
1155 Camino del Mar, PMB 515
Del Mar, CA 92014

As mentioned above, send a query letter with a sample of your writing. Also include a 1-2 page synopsis covering all major plot developments, including the ending. Remember to send a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) so we can send you a response.

Our general response time is 4-6 weeks and we send responses to everyone who queries us. If you don’t hear back from us after 6 weeks, feel free to check in to make sure we received your material.

We have a great team of agents here actively acquiring clients. Authors should send their material to the appropriate agent:

Elise Capron – Serious Literary Fiction, Experimental Fiction
Jill Marsal – Mystery, Thriller, Non-fiction (History, Current Affairs, Business & Health)
Kelly Sonnack – Children’s Literature (YA, MG, Picture Books, Graphic Novels), International Women’s Fiction
Kevan Lyon – Romance, Historical Fiction
Taryn Fagerness –Non-Fiction (Science, Nature, Environment), Narrative Non-Fiction, Memoir, Fiction

Shalla: Thanks for sharing your expertise, Kelly! For more on Kelly Sonnack and the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, please visit:

http://www.writersservices.com/agent/us/Sandra_Dijkstra.htm

Shalla DeGuzman's short stories have appeared in Poetic Diversity, the Mosaic Literary Journal, the Mad Hatters Review, etc.; her articles in The Scriptorium and L.A. Freepress; her skits at the Stella Adler Theatre. Her flash fiction The Fish In My Bed recently won the FISH AND PLANE Competition and is featured in Issue 6 of Mad Hatters Review. Shalla, a former writer and producer of a health and fitness cable show, is currently writing a novel. She is President of The ShallaDeGuzman Writers Group where she interviews literary agents, publishers, editors, etc. News! Shalla has been nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize. SHALLA Magazine, which features short stories and excerpts from top, award-winning writers, is here! For more on Shalla: www.shalladeguzman.com