A surefire way to determine an agent is the best fit for your manuscript/writing career is by learning everything you can about them. Such information is great when choosing who to query and deciding who you’d love to work long term with. As a site dedicated to guiding writers through the publication journey, we’ve put together awesome agent interviews for you!
Today, we’re introducing Morgan Wilson of the Belcastro Agency!
• Path2pub: How did you become an agent?
This was truly a journey! It started late 2021/early 2022 where after talking with my writing group, it became obvious that becoming an agent was truly my passion. I started by applying to remote summer internships (not nearly as many were available as one would think). I got a couple interviews, but nothing panned out. Then I heard back from an agent/assistant pair who needed a volunteer reader, someone to read manuscripts and evaluate them using a reader’s report template they had.
I jumped at the chance. This morphed within a few months to an internship that lasted 6 months with the duo where I learned so much! They kept me on as a volunteer again that summer to continue working and learning while I applied to more internships. It was then that I landed at Belcastro, which I now happily call home. It started with a standard three-month internship where I worked directly with my mentor on contracts, edit letters, sub lists, etc. It was another fantastic experience and I was so excited when during my exit interview they offered me an apprenticeship. When my mentor and the rest of the team decided I was ready, I was promoted to junior agent!
• Path2pub: What genres do you represent and why did you decide ‘these are what I want to help bring to the world’?
I represent SFF, Horror, Romantasy, Paranormal Romance, Thrillers, Mystery and Graphic Novels in MG through Adult. I am actually expanding my YA MSWL to include YA Queer Romcoms in July as well!
I chose these because when I was still working directly with my students, this is what they were after and so many of them couldn’t find something where they saw themselves in the pages! These are also my favorite genres to read personally so I know these stories will be something I enjoy reading over and over with my authors!
• Path2pub: What instantly catches your eye in a query letter/manuscript?
In a query it is a solid hook, that makes me go “What?! How does this play out?”. I love it when a query leaves me wanting to know more! In a manuscript, I love getting deeply connected to a character. If the opening chapters really sink me into an MC and their aspirations/goals/drama, then I get hooked.
• Path2pub: How hands-on are you editorially?
I am very hands on! I want to work with my authors from the first steps of a manuscript and brainstorming, to solving plot holes, bringing out the voice of their MC and writing a beautiful ending. I’ve written lots of edit letters while interning, diving deep into all aspects of craft and I fully intend on being that way with all of my authors too. I’m also the type of person who will leave comments all over the MS gushing about things too!
• Path2pub: How submissions-ready do you prefer a queried manuscript to be?
I want it to be as good as the author can make it on their own! I know all too well that just because I’ve made my writing as good as it can be, that my betas/CPs will always be able to think of another way to improve and offer feedback. I will always have editing ideas for queried manuscripts that I think could improve the overall quality and really catch an editor’s eye. Finding a perfect ready-to-submit manuscript is a like finding a needle in haystack. I don’t mind editing at all, as long as the author has put in the time and work on their end to make it as good as they can, then that is fine with me!
• Path2pub: Do you have goals for how many clients you want to acquire in a year?
I have set myself a very loose goal for my first year agenting and that is to sign four clients. I know as a new agent that I will be passed over a lot for more experienced agents with sales, which I totally understand! After that, it will depend on my author list, and where all of them are at with writing/submissions/contracted work.
• Path2pub: What is your favorite trope?
It has to be only one bed/tent/horse. I love forced proximity, because it just makes things so tense and I love getting to see all the little interactions that make me go ‘oooooo’.
• Path2pub: What are some books you think everyone should read?
Oh my gosh, so many! If I had to pick like a top five, it would be Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant, Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, The House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson, Small Favors by Erin A Craig and Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. These have been some of my most favorite books ever and have re-read them all (some multiple times).
• Path2pub: If a writer could write a book specifically for you, what would you want it to be about?
Oh this is a hard one, I think I’ve got two that would both make me swoon. One, I would love something with magic infused baking/cooking, something softer, more cozy that really just brings joy to my heart. A magic-infused pastry chef whose baked goods could make someone’s day the best one ever or help them focus at work or just give them pure euphoria and then of course they fall in love with a total grump. I love that grumpy-sunshine pairing.
On the other hand and completely opposite of the first story, I absolutely love horror and want to be so terrified that I can’t sleep at night (this has happened twice ever from a book). I want to fear seeing something in the dark corners of my room, unable to look at my reflection in the mirror lest there be something behind me type of scared.
• Path2pub: What is your favorite part of being an agent or an agenting experience you’ve had that you’ll always cherish?
My favorite part of being an agent is all the stories I get to read. Even if I pass, these are stories that I was entrusted with and that is such an honor. An author was brave enough to share their work with the world in a very vulnerable way and that is something to cherish. It takes a lot to query, it is so stressful and arduous, and I take anything submitted to me very seriously. Is everything my cup of tea? No, but I value that work, and the time and effort put into creating it and thoroughly appreciate the opportunity to read it.
• Path2pub: What advice do you have for querying writers?
Celebrate every win, even the small ones. Querying is HARD. It is full of so much rejection and heartache. You have to celebrate where you can. First request? Celebrate. Sent out ten queries? Celebrate. Sent out your hundredth query? Celebrate.
And also remember to take care of yourself. Rejection hurts. It can take a real toll on your mental and emotional health. It’s okay to stop querying. It’s okay to turn off notifications. It’s okay to do whatever you need to, to make it through the trenches.
Find that community, that group to support you while going through it. Having people behind you, supporting you through the wins and losses is so important.
• Path2pub: What are your non-publishing related hobbies?
Playing D&D and board games, swimming, gardening and writing myself! I’m a total nerd so I also keep up on a lot of STEM related things. I am also extremely passionate about wildlife conservation, growing up I wanted to be just like Steve Irwin!
Thank you for stopping by, Morgan!
Morgan’s love for writing and books and was fostered from an early age by a grandmother that wrote them bedtime stories and taught them how to write poetry. As they grew this love evolved into devouring books faster than their bookshelves could keep up and writing their own stories in magical kingdoms galaxies away. With over a decade of work in classrooms across the Midwest, Morgan wants to uplift the stories that their students needed so that everyone can see themselves on the page using magic, finding love and defeating the bad guy. They now work at Belcastro Literary Agency focused on uplifting marginalized voices in the publishing industry.
Query Morgan Here!
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