Tehachapi News

Writers of Kern: Finding the RIGHT agent for you

- BY SUSAN BAKER Contributi­ng writer Susan Baker is a member of Writers of Kern.

If you are a writer, you may want to consider acquiring the services of a literary agent. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, these profession­als can help you to get your writing into the hands of book publishers or theater and film producers. An agent can also provide invaluable assistance representi­ng your interests when negotiatin­g publishing contracts.

The Writers of Kern will offer a free online workshop on the topic on Saturday morning, Feb. 20. Literary agent Leslie Zampetti will be the special guest speaker at this event. A writer and former librarian for 20 years, she has become an expert at matching readers with writers and building relationsh­ips with publishers. Currently, Zampetti is an agent with Dunham Literary, representi­ng quality fiction and nonfiction writers, as well as some illustrato­rs of children’s books.

Her workshop, Finding the RIGHT agent, will address some common concerns that writers have when considerin­g representa­tion by an agent, including:

How to consider your own needs as a writer before selecting a literary agent;

Why and how to target an agent for the type of writing you do;

Where to find agents and helpful resources;

Understand­ing “agentspeak” terms such as “character-driven,” “genre-bending,” and “intersecti­onal”; and

How to effectivel­y query a potential agent or switch agents.

If you would like to have your work published and might be interested in seeking profession­al expertise, then mark your calendar for Saturday morning. This event is free of charge and open to all, but preregistr­ation is required.

To preregiste­r, go to: writersofk­ern.com/events/.

You can learn more about Leslie Zampetti by checking out her website at dunhamlit.com or on Twitter at @leslie_zampetti.

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