Watch for #MSWL

First of all, I know I have been absent for a while. It has been a full couple of weeks doing "family" things. Once again, I got to drive one of my two kids back to college in NY (and yes, that is from the Seattle area). Really getting to know Interstate 90 and 94. In any case, long drives like this give me the chance to really think about issues in publishing and advise I want to pass on to authors.

Today's topic - #MSWL

If you are on any social media, you will frequently see agents sending out tweets with the hashtag #MSWL or Manuscript Wish List. These will generally be attached to projects that the agents are really looking for at that time. But let me explain these tweets and posts a bit more. 

First of all, agents are always looking for a lot of different projects. We don't often post these on a regular basis, but you can find these lists easily on their websites. We are still focused on the genres we represent and finding some great projects. When it comes to our Manuscript Wish Lists, these are a bit special.

In most cases, we often post these when the inspiration hits us. I know that a lot of times, I am reading submissions and after a stack of projects, I often find myself saying "Gosh, I wish I had an project that..." Sometimes, we also look around us and start seeing projects that inspire us and want to "jump on the bandwagon" but with a special twist that we see that might not be out there now. 

There is also a second piece of the puzzle. There are a lot of times when editors will tell us that they are really looking for certain projects. This is part of the reason having an agent is always a great thing. As I talk to editors about my current clients, the conversation often shifts to "We're in the process of looking for X type of project. Do you have anyone in mind?" If we don't we get out there and start searching.

So, how does this work for you? The answer is simple. Pay attention! If you are working on a project or happen to have one, that is the time to reach out and see how things land! This is also a time to start paying attention to those agents. This is just one more insight into those people you have been targeting. I am always telling you to pay attention to what they say on social media. This is a powerful tool.

I do want to add one final piece to know. If you see #MSWL this DOES NOT mean you start writing that project. When we say we are looking for that project, it means we are looking for it now, not in 4+ months. In fact, if you sent us that project that many months later, the odds are we will have forgotten that we are looking for that type of story. It may also mean that project finally was filled by another author. 

Again, just pay attention!