Agent Spotlight: Chris Richman

This week's Agent Spotlight features Chris Richman of Upstart Crow Literary.

About: "Chris Richman received his undergraduate degree in professional writing from Elizabethtown College, and an MA in Writing from Rowan University. A former playwright, contributor to The Onion, and sketch comedy writer, Chris broke into agenting in 2008 and has quickly made a name for himself by selling several noteworthy projects. Chris is actively building his list, enjoys working with debut writers, and is primarily interested in middle grade and young adult fiction, with a special interest in books for boys, books with unforgettable characters, and fantasy that doesn't take itself too seriously." (Link)

Read more about Chris Richman by following the link on his bio.

Status: Accepting submissions and actively building his list.

What He's Looking For:

Genres of interest: Children's middle grade and young adult.

From the website:

"Chris is actively building his list, enjoys working with debut writers, and is primarily interested in middle grade and young adult fiction, with a special interest in books for boys, books with unforgettable characters, and fantasy that doesn't take itself too seriously." (Link)

From AgentQuery:

"He is especially interested in books that turn common themes on their heads, books that cause him to laugh in public, and books with well-earned twists ..." (Link)

From an Interview (05/2010):

"I am absolutely seeking new clients. I’m starting to shift completely into new client mode. I’ve been very picky with the material I’ve taken on—in two years I’ve signed only eight projects out of literally thousands—and I’m ready to discover more exciting authors to add to my list. In terms of what I’m seeking, I’m beginning to get a reputation for the “funny boy” books. Part of that is my own background in comedy, and part of it’s because I truly believe there’s a place in the market for these types of projects. I’m a really tough critic, though, when it comes to funny material, so if an author is going to attempt it, they have to make sure it’s really funny, and not merely a collection of fart and burp jokes. Despite my call for boy books, my two most recent sales were for teen girl books. Go figure! I’m mostly seeking standout voices—a teen version of Jonathan Lethem, Annie Dillard, or Kurt Vonnegut—or really terrific and original concepts." (Link)

From the Upstart Blog (01/2010):

"Genuinely hilarious: Humor is tough. I get it. It’s also incredibly subjective. I’ve found, though, that because I say I’m looking for funny books for boys, I tend to see lots of submissions featuring farting, barfing, barfing that smells like a fart, or kids farting on barf. Sure, those things can be funny (even writing that last ridiculous sentence made me chuckle), but it takes more than gross humor to sustain an entire book. I want the sort of humor that makes me read sections out loud to annoyed friends and family. I want humor that arises out of witty dialogue, well-realized situations, and general madcapery (I just made that word up). Some books I read recently that really made me laugh include M.T. Anderson’s Whales on Stilts, Josh Lieb’s I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to be Your Class President, and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.

"Sports-themed, but about more than just sports: I started writing specific information and examples before realizing the topic of sports books will require a separate post. Simply put, I want books that are about more than just the featured sport and stay away from common clichés like the triumph of the underdog or the awesome-athlete-who-falls-from-grace-and-then-redeems-him/herself. More in a later blog update!

"Classic: While this can apply to teen, I’m speaking more about middle grade here. I have a soft spot for books that feel like they could have been written thirty years ago without too many major adjustments. These types of stories often withstand the test of time and don’t become dated as easily as stories fully dependent on technology, trends, and dialect from 2010. Think about Harry Potter: aside from some technologies from the Muggle world, Harry and company could have lived in the 1970s just as easily as the late 1990s/early 2000s.

"Re-envisionings of a classic story/mythology: I’m crazy for the Percy Jackson books for how they pull from and send up Greek mythology, and I’m generally a sucker for works that reinvent or reimagine classic works.I’d love to be able to pitch a project by saying, “It’s King Lear set on a farm in Iowa from the daughters’ perspectives” (Jane Smiley’s A Thousand Acres) or “It’s Beowulf…WITH MONKEYS!” Okay, maybe not that last one, but you get the point.

"Steampunk: I know, I know, this is a buzz word being bandied about and could be a trend that comes and goes, but there’s something fun about steampunk books that I’m finding very compelling right now. In five months I could decide I’m over it, but for right now, I’d love to see a really cool, inventive book in this category.

"Books that fill a hole in the market I wasn’t aware existed: A brief trip to the bookstore will show you the popular trends in childrens’ literature. Vampires, angels, and post-apocalyptic thrillers are dominating the shelves. Rather than write to the trend that currently exists, however, one way to potentially win me over is by convincing me that there’s a hot topic that hasn’t currently been tackled yet. I realize this goes directly against my desire for timeless stories and against my general advice to avoid chasing trends, but occasionally there are trends among kids that we may not even be fully aware of from our isolated New York bubbles. Are kids joining invention clubs? Playing non-stop canasta? Really into the early recordings of Lou Reed? I’m being flippant here, but I am legitimately interested in what kids are drawn to. Of course, identifying these trends is only the first step: you’ll need to then create a compelling story and prove you can maintain a career as a writer beyond one manuscript to really catch my eye." (Link)

From an Inteview (11/2009):

"I'm definitely looking for projects with something timeless at their core, whether it's the emotional connection a reader feels to the characters, or the universal humor, or issues that are relevant now and will still be relevant years from now. Can readers truly understand what it's like to be the prince of Denmark? Probably not, but they can identify with feeling disconnected from a dead loved one and the anger at watching him be replaced by a conniving uncle. I want stories that, no matter what the setting, feel true in some way to the reader." (Link)

What He Isn't Looking For:

"...nonfiction, books aimed at the educational or spiritual markets, or picture book texts and/or illustrations." (Link)

He is also not interested in chick-lit or sci-fi/fantasy that takes itself too seriously. (Link)

Editorial Agent?

Yes. "Sometimes, if a manuscript feels like it needs a lot of work, I’ll do revisions exclusively with an author before offering representation. That way we’re able to feel each other out and see if we work well together. Sometimes, the majority of the work comes after signing, especially if it’s a project that’s garnered a lot of interest from other agents, but I always am honest and upfront about how much work I think it’ll require. If what I propose doesn’t sit right with an author, I hope she will sign with another agent." (Link - see comments)

Quotables:

"I’m fairly hands-on when it comes to revisions and helping to direct a project toward its final version. I try to be available to my clients, and transparent in my dealings with both them and the editors. I’ll never say something in hopes of wooing a potential client that I don’t mean—I’ll never promise a certain amount of money or sales, for example—but I enter into each relationship with a commitment to the writer and their work." (Link)

"We definitely discuss projects at Upstart Crow. Before signing new clients, in fact, we generally share a synopsis and sample chapters with the rest of the team, including Danielle Chiotti, our adult expert. It's always great to have another set of eyes on a project to make sure that it's not only good, but saleable." (Link)

About the Agency:

"[Upstart crow] is an insult slung at the young Shakespeare in 1592 by older, more-established, but less successful playwright Robert Greene. His obvious irritation at the younger artist’s pluck and nerve is, we think, typical of the response of the old guard toward any new talent. There is something in the phrase that speaks of courage and brio and daring, and we feel we should all be upstart crows when it comes to our writing and our work." (Link)

His Advice to Writers:

"Once you’ve written the absolute best book you can, try to find agents who have represented works similar to your own, if not in concept, then in tone or style. Don’t be discouraged, however, if someone passes on your work. A large part of our jobs is saying “no,” but that makes the times we say “yes” all the more special. And if your first work fails to find a home, know when to put it aside and work on something new. It’s through hard work and dedication that a dabbler becomes a writer." (Link)

"Take your time with your stories, listen to feedback, and, when you have a real winner, send it to me!" (Link)

Dislikes:

"There are small things that drive me crazy—queries that are obviously sent out to every agent under the sun, queries where a writer promises that their project will be the next bestseller or hit movie—but I suppose queries in which a writer obviously didn’t research me or my tastes at all tend to frustrate me." (Link)

"One of my biggest pet peeves is when writers try to stuff too much exposition into dialogue rather than trusting their abilities as storytellers to get information across." (Link w/example)

Web Presence:

Upstart Crow website.

Upstart Crow blog.

Upstart Crow on Facebook.

Upstart Crow on Twitter.

Chris Richman on Twitter.

LinkedIn.

AgentQuery, QueryTracker, & AuthorAdvance.

Clients:

A list of clients is available on the Upstart Crow website.

Mr. Richman's clients include: Cole Gibsen, Shaun David Hutchinson, Emily Kokie, Shannon Morgan, Matt Myklusch, Cynthia Willett Sherwood, Jacqueline West, among others.

Sales:

As of this posting, Mr. Richman is listed on Publisher's Marketplace as having made 2 deals in the last 12 months, 5 overall, and 2 six-figure+ deal. Past deals include 3 young adult and 2 middle grade. 

NOTE: PM is usually not a complete representation of sales.

Query Methods:

E-mail: Yes.

Snail-Mail: No.

Online-Form: No.

Submission Guidelines (always verify):

"Interested writers may submit a QUERY and TWENTY PAGES of their manuscripts. Please put your query and sample in the body of the email, we will not open emailed attachments. If your submission is received by our system, an automated response will be emailed to you."

See the Upstart Crow website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines. A no from one Upstart agent is a no from all. (Link)

Response Times:

Stated response time is 8 weeks, though Mr. Richman tries for 1 month on queries and 2 weeks on requested materials. I'm seeing a range from a day to around 6 weeks on queries, and a month does seem to be the average. Requested material generally falls in the 2-3 weeks range.

What's the Buzz?

Chris Richman is a relatively new agent, representing clients since 2008, but he's already made a strong name for himself. He has a small but talented clientele, several impressive sales, the backing of a passionate agency, and a quality web presence. As well as being a popular conference goer, he's active on both the Upstart Crow blog and Twitter, so definitely follow along and get a feel for his personality.

Worth Your Time:

Interviews:

Agent Interview: Chris Richman, Upstart Crow at Alice Pope's SCBWI Market Blog (05/20010).

Agent Advice Interview with Christ Richman of Upstart Crow Literary at the Guide to Literary Agents blog (11/2009).

On the Website:

Upstart Crow FAQ.

The Upstart Crow Writers' Toolbox.

Check out the Upstart Crow schedule of events to see where Mr. Richman will be speaking in the upcoming months.

Blogs Posts of Interest:

25 Words or Less (05/2010).

Sports Books, including details on how to write them what he's looking for (02/2010).

My 2010 Wishlist (01/2010).

More of you FAQ Answered (09/2009).

Some of your FAQ Answered (09/2009).

Following the Rules (08/2009).

On Requesting 20 Pages (08/2009).

New vs. Established Agents (08/2009).

This is only a sampling! Follow the Upstart Crow blog and dig through the archives for more great tips and info.

Around the Web:

You can read client Shaun Hutchinson's query letter here.

You can read Agent Appreciation Day posts here and here.

Notes from a SCBWI Midsouth Conference on Hooking an Agent and Finding the Right Agent (09/2009).

Notes on a First Page Session including Chris Richman from SCBWI-NJ at Serendipity (03/2005).

Mr. Richman's pitch winners for a QueryTracker Blog contest.

Contact:

Please see the Upstart Crow web site for contact and query information.

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Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at agentspotlight(at)gmail(dot)com

Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.