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Submission Information and Guidelines

The Seymour Agency is currently open to submissions. Read the information below and contact us in Canton, New York if you have questions.

We strive to represent diverse authors and content that reflects the many communities, cultures, and countries we serve. Being inclusive is our mission.

Our Guidelines

For email queries, a one-page letter will suffice. No attachments, please. All of The Seymour Agency agents prefer email queries and ask that you paste the first five pages of your manuscript into the bottom of your email.

Be sure to include the following details:

A great pitch for your book, 3-5 lines long. This helps us to immediately see what the hook is, as well as what the story is about.
Genre/Target Audience

Word Count
Contact Information and Bio
References (Conference, Recommendation, etc.)

In the interest of protecting the environment, please forward all submissions electronically.

Please query one agent at a time. However, if that agent passes on a project, please feel free to query another Seymour agent.

We make a conscious effort to reply to every query we receive. If you do not receive a request for additional materials within three weeks, you should assume that we are not interested in that particular project.

Please know that our opinion is but one, and another agent may feel differently. We wish you the very best in all of your writing endeavors! Thank you for your interest in The Seymour Agency!

Helpful Advice for Authors Who Are Submitting

First impressions count. Use spellcheck and format your manuscript properly
(1" margins, 12pt font, header with title, page #, author name).
Beware of typos.
Avoid passive writing.
Do your homework. Know your target audience and genre.
Be unique. Every theme/storyline has been done before. What makes your manuscript different?
Edit. Edit. Edit. Make sure your story begins in the right place, that secondary characters don't steal the show, and the tension escalates.

Every agent/editor/reader wants a book they can't stop reading, so be mindful of pacing.
Create characters a reader will care about.
Typing "The End" is only the beginning. Be prepared to promote and market both your book and your brand. For example, blog spots and websites build readership and establish an online presence.
Networking through writing groups and formal organizations (ACFW, RWA, MWA, FWA) can introduce you to new friends, critique partners, and offer resources tailored to your genre.
Develop your craft and don't stop writing. Writers improve with every manuscript, and completing more books increases your odds of achieving publication.

Acquiring Agents

President

Nicole Resciniti

Accepts queries in the following genres:

Action/Suspense/Thriller
Cookbooks
Cozies and Amateur Sleuth
Inspirational

Mystery
Romance
Sci-Fi

Fantasy
Women's Fiction
YA/Children's/MG

To query Nicole, please email [email protected]

*Nicole is currently closed to queries.

Vice President and Agent

Julie Gwinn

Julie Gwinn accepts queries in the following genres:

Adult Only
Historical Fiction
Inspirational Fiction and Non-Fiction
Mysteries and Suspense
Romance (Contemporary, Historical, Suspense, Inspirational, and Amish)
Spec Fiction and Fantasy
Women's Fiction

To Query: https://querymanager.com/JulieGwinn

Executive Director and Agent

Marisa Cleveland

Marisa Cleveland represents authors writing in the following genres:

PB/MG/YA Fiction and Non-Fiction
General Fiction (Contemporary and Upmarket)
Mystery
Romance
Speculative Fiction (SFF)
Non-Fiction (Business, Leadership, and Memoir)

To query: https://querymanager.com/query/MarisaTSA

*Marisa is currently closed to queries and is accepting new clients by referral only.

Media Rights Manager, Communications Manager, and Agent

Lesley Sabga

Lesley Sabga accepts queries in the following genres:

Fiction, Young Adult, and Adult:

Mysteries (all genres)
Psychological Thrillers and Suspense
Romance (all genres)
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Women's Fiction

Please no picture books or screenplays.

*Lesley is currently closed to queries.

To Query: https://QueryManager.com/LesleySabga

Agent

Tina Wainscott

Tina Wainscott accepts queries in the following genres:

Prescriptive
Self-Help
Spirituality Non-Fiction

To Query: http://QueryMe.Online/TinaWainscottTSA.

Agent

Jennifer Wills

Jennifer Wills accepts queries in the following genres:

Picture Books and Cookbooks

Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction:

Sci-Fi
Fantasy
Horror/Suspense

Contemporary and Upmarket Women's Fiction With a Sense of Humor

Non-Fiction:

Narrative Non-Fiction
Memoir

To Query: https://querymanager.com/query/JenniferWills.

Agent

Lynnette Novak

Lynnette Novak accepts queries in the following genres:

Adult Fiction:

Mysteries (Traditional, Amateur Sleuth, and Cozy)
Psychological Suspense
Thrillers

Young Adult Fiction:

Contemporary
Fantasy
Horror
Mysteries
Psychological Suspense
Thrillers

In Adult Non-Fiction:

Self-Help
Relationships and Dating
True Crime
Psychology
Health and Fitness
Parenting and Family
Spirituality/New Age
Memoirs
Motivational/Inspirational
Lifestyle
Celebrity
Pets
Business

You must be an expert in the field and have a platform.

What kind of platform do you need for nonfiction? Are you a celebrity with a story to tell? An expert in the field (doctor, journalist, therapist, CEO, trainer, psychologist, etc.)? Do you have a direct route to the consumer? Are you a social influencer or public speaker? Publishers want to see how your name or brand will draw readers to your book.

Middle-Grade Fiction: