Agents get literally thousands of submissions a year, including query letters, sample pages, and synopses. Of those thousands, they request a full manuscript from few and offer representation to even fewer.
Think of your submission package as a job application for your novel. You not only want to apply to the right people, the ones who have a passion for the books you write, but you want to present your novel in such a way that they will easily see what your book has to offer. This live Writer's Digest boot camp will teach you how to put together a dynamic yet professional submission package that will show agents you take your potential author career seriously and make them want to read your work.
In this boot camp from Fuse Literary Agency, attendees will learn how to put together a short yet effective query letter and a one- to two-page book synopsis (fiction). They’ll also learn some best practices for submitting their query, pages, and synopsis to agents.
Each attendee will have the opportunity to have ten pages critiqued by an agent along with their work in any combination: query letter, manuscript pages, and synopsis.
(Note: This boot camp is only focused on fiction. Please no memoirs or non-fiction submissions.)
TUESDAY
MARCH 11, 2025
Online Tutorials: OnDemand
On Tuesday, March 11, you will gain access to a 60-minute tutorial recording led by literary agents Michelle Richter and Karly Dizon. This tutorial will show you what agents expect from your submission package and how you can shape it to fit your needs. After listening to the presentation, attendees will spend the next two days revising materials as necessary.
WEDNESDAY
MARCH 12, 2025
Agent Discussion session 1-4:00 p.m. PT
Following the tutorial, writers will have one day to log onto the discussion boards and ask your assigned agent critiquer questions related to revising your materials. The agents will be available for a discussion session from 1-4 p.m. (PT) on Wednesday, March 12.
This is your golden opportunity to ask your burning questions about craft and improve your writing, as well as industry topics like trends, markets, working with agents, and more. Keep in mind, this is a lively, learning environment that will give you an immense opportunity to learn not only from yo ur faculty but from the other participants' questions, so please pose questions that won't require your instructor to stop the discussion to reread your boot camp submission in the middle of the Q&A, but otherwise, consider the faculty your treasure trove of industry secrets at your disposal!
FRIDAY
MARCH 14, 2025
Submission package due by 11:59 p.m. PT
By end of day (11:59 p.m., PT) on Friday, August 16, attendees will submit up to 10 pages, 12 pt font Times New Roman pages for review to their assigned agent. The query and synopsis can be singled-spaced, but the manuscript pages need to be double-spaced.
These pages can include any combination of a single-spaced query and synopsis and double-spaced manuscript pages for a total of 10 pages. The average word count of a page of a well-formatted manuscript is 250 words per page so please use that as a guide.
Meet the agents
Ernie Chiara
Fuse Literary
Ernie loves nothing more than getting to work with his amazing clients on the books of their dreams. Having first joined Fuse Literary as a writer and client himself, he knows what it’s like to be in the query trenches, and his goal is to be the type of agent every writer hopes to find.
Prior to becoming a literary agent, Ernie was an associate agent at Fuse, an assistant to Fuse Senior Agent Tricia Skinner, and a mentor and Communications Director for the Pitch Wars writer mentorship program. A former copywriter for a Fortune 500 client, Ernie is also the founder of TBRstack.com, a platform for authors and publishing professionals to share lists of their favorite books.
Outspoken about the issues of equality, both in society as a whole and as they relate to the publishing industry, Ernie values accuracy in representation and the raising of marginalized voices. He strives to be a fierce advocate for his clients and their interests and is passionate about bringing their stories to a broader audience.
In his free time, Ernie enjoys sketching and painting, whaling away on his drum kit, binge-watching the latest fantasy series, and having fun with his three amazing kids. He specializes in Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror in the Adult, Young Adult, and Middle-Grade categories, as well as YA Contemporary.
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Karly Dizon
Fuse Literary
Karly is an agent at Fuse Literary building KidLit universes with stories that matter. She first joined the agency in 2016 as a reader for Tricia Skinner and then promoted to Literary Assistant soon after. In 2019, she was promoted to associate agent. Karly has built a career with a strong background as a freelance editor as well as extensive experience with graphic design and marketing. She is looking to develop long-term career authors and nurture their entire writing journey as a strong editorial agent with marketing, social media, and design support. Karly is also the KidLit track coordinator for the San Francisco Writers Conference.
Karly’s clients have won or been nominated for such awards as Kirkus Best Books of the Year, NCTE Notable Books List, SLJ Best Book of the Year, and Kirkus Prize Finalist.
Children’s Fiction
Karly is aggressively building her client list to boost and give visibility to marginalized voices, experiences, history, culture, folklore, and mythology. She believes that children should be able to see themselves reflected and celebrated within the pages of a book, from contemporary to fantastical adventures. Karly loves stories with grand adventures, imperfect characters, but most importantly, a strong voice that hooks a reader within the first page. If you can make her cry or laugh out loud, bonus points!
Genres Represented
- Picture Books
- Graphic Novels
- Middle Grade
- Young Adult
- Illustrators
Karly Does Not Represent
- Adult fiction
- Satire
- Memoir
- Faith-based
Michelle Richter
Fuse Literary
Michelle Richter joined Fuse Literary in 2014 from St. Martin’s Press, where she worked on a variety of fiction and nonfiction including MELISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL by Melissa Joan Hart. She has a Master’s degree in Publishing from Pace University, where she is an adjunct lecturer. Michelle’s clients have won or been finalists for such awards as the Edgar, Mary Higgins Clark, Strand Critics, Anthony, Agatha, Lefty, ITW Thriller, Macavity, Barry, Derringer, IPPY, and International Book Award. She is a member of Sisters in Crime.
Crime fiction is her absolute favorite, for adult and YA, but she also loves romantic comedy she can swoon over or women's fiction that can make her cry. She’s especially eager to find suspense and psychological thrillers with complex lead characters. BIPOC, LGBTQ, and disabled voices in fiction are always welcome. Michelle loves unreliable narrators, stories of family secrets, friendships, and sibling relationships. Her favorite writers include Colson Whitehead, Celeste Ng, Ruth Ware, Laura Lippman, Megan Miranda, Lori Rader-Day, Jennifer Hillier, and Tana French. She’d love to find the next BATH HAUS, SUCH A FUN AGE, WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING, THE LADY UPSTAIRS, LONG BRIGHT RIVER, THE DUTCH HOUSE, EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU, WINTER COUNTS, BLACKTOP WASTELAND, or BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD.
You can follow Michelle on Twitter at @michrichter1
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