About Adriann Ranta

Adriann Ranta Zurhellen has represented New York Times bestselling, award-winning authors, journalists, illustrators and graphic novelists, as well as actors, stuntwomen, makeup artists, and many other pioneering creative thinkers and leaders in their fields.

A Writer’s Motivation: Who Are You Writing For? Literary agent Adriann Ranta explores tough questions every writer should consider before attempting to publish life experiences

Q. I’ve had some really interesting and unique life experiences, and my friends keep encouraging me to write about them. From a market standpoint, is it a better idea to write a memoir, or to use those experiences as inspiration for a novel/work of fiction?

I wish I could answer this question with a bullhorn at every conference […]

By |2024-01-06T22:27:53+00:00|Ask an Agent|Comments Off on A Writer’s Motivation: Who Are You Writing For? Literary agent Adriann Ranta explores tough questions every writer should consider before attempting to publish life experiences

Query Questions Literary agent Adriann Ranta Zurhellen tackles questions about query timing and illustrations for kids books

Q. I’ve heard it’s pointless to query between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Are there other times of year that are better or worse for agent responses?

It’s true that publishing slows way down over the holidays (we’re people with families too!) and during the summer doldrums (we love the beach too!), but anything sent during these slow times […]

By |2022-02-22T18:48:47+00:00|Ask an Agent|Comments Off on Query Questions Literary agent Adriann Ranta Zurhellen tackles questions about query timing and illustrations for kids books

Mainstream Publishers and the Acquisition of Successful Self-Published Titles Literary agent Adriann Ranta Zurhellen weighs in on a burning question among self-published authors looking to go traditional

Q. How interested are mainstream publishers in buying successful self-published books? I don’t mean hugely successful titles (Hugh Howey’s stuff, say), but books that have racked up impressive sales. And how many sales does it take to get a traditional publisher’s attention?

This is a hard question to answer because I truly think it’s different for every scenario. […]

By |2024-01-06T22:29:14+00:00|Ask an Agent|Comments Off on Mainstream Publishers and the Acquisition of Successful Self-Published Titles Literary agent Adriann Ranta Zurhellen weighs in on a burning question among self-published authors looking to go traditional

Which Publishing Path is Better for Debut Authors? Adriann Ranta Zurhellen shares a literary agent's viewpoint on a weighty question for new writers

Q. These days, it seems harder and harder to land an agent and a traditional publisher, while on the other hand, many of the growing number of self-published books on sites like Amazon have difficulty finding an audience.  What is your advice for unpublished novelists who are faced with this dilemma?

As an agent, I read an unbelievable […]

By |2024-01-06T22:30:08+00:00|Ask an Agent|Comments Off on Which Publishing Path is Better for Debut Authors? Adriann Ranta Zurhellen shares a literary agent's viewpoint on a weighty question for new writers

Titles and Synopses Literary agent Adriann Ranta fields two procedural questions

Q. Can you tell me a little about book titles and how often an author’s own title survives the publication process? If a title changes, is it the agent, editor, or someone in house who suggests the new one?

A book’s title is a huge part of the book’s package (by which I mean its general presentation: […]

By |2022-02-22T19:18:22+00:00|Ask an Agent|Comments Off on Titles and Synopses Literary agent Adriann Ranta fields two procedural questions
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