Success Story Interview - Mariana V. Coelho

An Interview with Mariana V. Coelho (mvcoelho on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Megan Carroll of Watson, Little Ltd.

08/06/2024

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Mariana V. Coelho:
My book is an adult fantasy inspired by a resource-based political conflict. The protagonist is sent on a mission to prove herself to her family and obtain a vial of the world's most dangerous magic. Along the way, she joins a rebellion and falls for the worst possible person—her father's sworn enemy.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Mariana V. Coelho:
I've been writing for as long as I can remember! As a child, I focused on short stories and had lots of ideas for manuscripts that never saw the light of day.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Mariana V. Coelho:
I drafted this book between November 2023 and February 2024, then revised it for one month before I started querying. The characters, plot, and worldbuilding were the result of months of daydreaming and imagining scenes in my mind. When I started drafting, it felt like a brain dump!

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Mariana V. Coelho:
Querying was tough! I queried widely, as many agents represent my genre, which meant receiving dozens of rejections. Having a strong community and writer friends was crucial in navigating the highs and lows of the querying process.

QT: Is this your first book?

Mariana V. Coelho:
I wrote my first full-length novel in Portuguese when I was eighteen years old (it’s a mess!), and this is the first book I wrote in English.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Mariana V. Coelho:
No, I don’t have any formal writing training. I’m also an ESL writer.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Mariana V. Coelho:
I write when it flows. Checking my Scrivener project for this book, some days I wrote 7k words, other days just 500. I usually don’t suffer from writer’s block; if the words aren't flowing, I "word vomit" and then go back and edit.

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Mariana V. Coelho:
The first version of this book was a massive three-POV behemoth at around 180k words. As I learned more about publishing and what agents wanted, I cut it down to 113k words and a single POV, which required multiple rewrites.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Mariana V. Coelho:
Yes, I had four beta readers.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Mariana V. Coelho:
I wrote this book from the hip, which led to a lot of editing and correcting major plot issues. For my new novel, I’m being much more careful with outlining beats, chapters, and character arcs.

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Mariana V. Coelho:
I queried this book from March 23 to July 8, the date I received my first offer.

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Mariana V. Coelho:
I sent out more than 100 query letters. It was a lot. In retrospect, I wouldn't query this widely again.

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Mariana V. Coelho:
I searched for agents with a good reputation who represented fantasy in all its adult subgenres.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Mariana V. Coelho:
For some agents, yes, especially those who had liked a pitch on Twitter or had something in their MSWLs that matched my book. Otherwise, I didn't personalize my queries.

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Mariana V. Coelho:
Find your community. Querying is incredibly challenging, with intense highs and lows, and it can be a lengthy process that may impact your self-esteem and creativity. It's crucial to work on your next book while querying, as this not only hones your craft but also distracts you from a subjective process that's beyond your control.