Dashboard Literary Agents Success Story Interviews Katie Chandler

Success Story Interview - Katie Chandler

An Interview with Katie Chandler (writerofscribbles on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Trinica Sampson-Vera of New Leaf Literary & Media.

01/24/2024

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?: Katie Chandler:
Before I was a writer, I was a tennis player. I’ve loved the sport for my entire life and I think it’s no surprise that eventually I started a book with a tennis premise. I’m a fantasy writer by nature, so I couldn’t just write a tennis contemporary romance book. One of my favorite tropes is the soulmate trope, so naturally, a queer rivals-to-lovers soulmates hook fell into my brain, clashing together at 4 am. I’ve been affectionately calling this novel cruel summer after the Taylor Swift song for the majority of its short lifespan. So, naturally, that song has been a huge factor. It is full of travel porn, sunburns, massages, injuries, forced proximity, secret hookups, social media scrutiny, hurt/comfort, queer longing, and languid lounging. What doesn’t kill these tennis girlies makes them want each other more.
QT: How long have you been writing?: Katie Chandler:
I’ve been writing ever since I was a little kid. It formally started when my parents got a new desktop and they gave me their old clunker that didn’t even have internet capabilities. It did, however, have Microsoft Word and it was there that my first ever story took shape. A wonky, disjointed, and unfinished shape, but we all start somewhere. I continued throughout my childhood and never stopped, although I didn’t finish my first full manuscript until 2020.
QT: How long have you been working on this book?: Katie Chandler:
This book is truly lightning in a bottle. I wrote the first draft in two months, starting at the end of January 2022. I’ll never forget writing the first line at 4 am, half-delirious, watching tennis. That line has stayed the same ever since.
QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?: Katie Chandler:
Of course. There are always ups and downs with writing, with editing, with querying, it never ends. I am quite a driven person, so I never believed I would truly give up once I got started, but I wouldn’t have believed in this book if not for my dearest writing friends. They not only encouraged me to shape this book into its current form, but they have helped mold it and me into the writer I am today. Writing is not solitary and I wouldn’t be here without my friends.
QT: Is this your first book?: Katie Chandler:
It isn’t! This is my third full-length novel, but my first contemporary romance.
QT: Do you have any formal writing training?: Katie Chandler:
I do! I have a degree in Creative Writing and Literature from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?: Katie Chandler:
I follow a schedule in the loosest sense of the word. I’m a workaholic so I tend to write for hours at a time. I’m a night owl, so I spend a lot of time crouched like a gremlin over my laptop at ungodly hours. But, more recently, I’ve been devoting a few hours in the morning to rigorous work and going to bed earlier.
QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?: Katie Chandler:
I rewrote the book once after the initial draft to clean up the unhinged and frankly unnecessary parts of the plot. Then, I edited it to trim down the word count and reframe a few of the subplots. Several of my writing friends then read the new draft and I edited it again with their suggestions. Then, I went on query. In October, as part of a revise and resubmit, I rewrote the book again to genderswap the couple and change the timeline of the beginning.
QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?: Katie Chandler:
Yes. I have a critique partner who worked very closely with me while writing the first draft and again while rewriting it into book shape. Then, I had four very trusted writer friends read the book and give critiques.
QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?: Katie Chandler:
When I originally started this book, I was indulgently writing what I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted it. This meant that it fell into the problems I often have with my pantsed novels. Overwritten. Too many plot threads. Weird timeline. All the aspects I loved the most from the original remain in this version, but it’s so much cleaner and smoother. I write better books when I outline, but this book came at me fast so I just blazed through writing it and dealt with the consequences later. Again, thanks to my friends, it’s the book that got me an absolute dream agent.
QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?: Katie Chandler:
I started querying this book in September 2022. I officially got my agent in December 2023, so a little over a year in the trenches. I did query the first book I ever completed in August 2021, but it wasn’t ready, so I didn’t query very much. For this book, I dove straight in.
QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?: Katie Chandler:
Thanks to QueryTracker, I know I sent 57 queries!
QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?: Katie Chandler:
My first step was to look at the agents of other books in my genre. I went to their websites and looked at their MSWLs. Then, I used QueryTracker to find agency names and went through the agency’s websites to find agents that would fit. I collected the names of the agents I was even a little bit interested in on a spreadsheet. Then, I did deep dives. I looked into their websites, Twitters, Instagrams, Publisher’s Marketplaces, etc. I wrote down what drew me to them and why I thought they might be a good fit. The ones I thought would be the best fit represented romance and fantasy, asked for queer and neurodivergent representation, and enjoyed books with a bit more heat. After I had a big list, I figured out which ones had a QueryManager form and prioritized them. Then, when I started, I didn’t have a synopsis written, so I queried agents who didn’t require that on their forms. Then I looked at response times and prioritized agents who were quick. Over time, I wrote my synopsis and queried those agents that required it. I took on the scary task of emailing agents who didn’t have online forms. I had a system where when I got a rejection, I would send another query. So, I went down my list systematically. I still looked for new agents to query as well on Twitter and the QueryTracker email that shows agents that have opened or recently been hired. Rinse and repeat the process until an agent offers!
QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?: Katie Chandler:
I did my best to at least include why I queried the agent. It was often a single line in the metadata paragraph. My most common one would be if a specific aspect of their MSWL was aligned with my book. Or if they had sold a book with a similar concept before. I’m lucky enough to have an incredible friend who works in the agency industry and she recommended I query a former colleague of hers and so I got to say I was referred to that agent. But, for the most part, I stuck to saying what part of their MSWL I was tapping into.
QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?: Katie Chandler:
Find a support system. My worst days when I was querying were the ones where I wallowed alone. I am lucky to have found such an incredibly supportive and genuine circle of writer friends. I messaged them whenever I got a rejection and their humor, love, and support buoyed me during the worst of my self-doubt. This industry is brutal and even though your book is so near and dear to your heart, the rejections aren’t personal. That doesn’t mean they won’t hurt, they will. Some more than others. But at the end of the day, having people to support you (and to support in return!) makes that day when you get the agent offer email so much sweeter.
QT: Would you be willing to share your query with us?: Katie Chandler:
Sure! My new draft does change quite a bit of the timeline, but overall, the vibes of the query still fit BC.

Success Story Interview - Katie Chandler

Query Letter: