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Agent Penelope Burns of Gelfman Schneider/ICM Partners on Surprises, Chocolate, and Research

by Lisa Gail Green

Penelope Burns is the newest member of Gelfman Schneider/ICM Partners. She came to the agency as an intern after graduating from Colgate University in 2012. She also attended the Denver Publishing Institute in summer 2012. Currently, as an agency assistant, Penelope is looking to a build a list of her own. You can connect with Penelope on Twitter.

What is on your wish list?

I’ve been really craving a YA along the lines of GOSSIP GIRL lately, or a mystery with a VERONICA MARS-ish element or main character. Something that keeps me guessing. Reality TV is my not-so guilty pleasure, so I’d LOVE to see a YA version of unREAL. Or really any version of unREAL. I also absolutely adore MG with humor.

What are some of your favorite authors/books and why do you love them?

Ooh this question has the opportunity to turn into a novel. I love anything written by Jaclyn Moriarty; she has such a way of creating characters that just grip you and won’t let go. Markus Zusak is another favorite author, although I think I might like I AM THE MESSENGER better than THE BOOK THIEF (not that TBT didn’t make me sob like a baby, because it did). There’s something about that first line of I AM THE MESSENGER—“The gunman is useless”—that just drew me in so instantly. And the plot is so intricate, I love it. I also love THE DARKEST MINDS series by Alexandra Bracken. Wonderful writing, characterization, and SUCH a great premise. Also Liam. He’s my book boyfriend. I also adore contemporary books like SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE by Morgan Matson. It has friendship as well as romance—and I was actually rooting for the two characters to get together, which is big for me because one of my pet peeves in a book is instalove. And finally, a bit old school, but THE WESTING GAME by Ellen Raskin is one of my favorite books. I just love the mystery, and the final twist is one I never saw coming.

Are you an editorial agent?

I am! It’s important to make sure the book is in the best shape it can be before sending it out to editors.

What do you like to do for fun?

The usual: hang out with my friends, watch TV, etc. I also love watching sports; my friends know to leave me alone when during a Flyers playoff game unless they want to watch me scream at the TV. And read, obviously! I always try to use my commute for “fun” reading as opposed to reading for work, unless there’s something really pressing.


Coffee, tea, wine, chocolate, or any other vices?

Ooh, definitely chocolate. I am actually NOT a coffee drinker; caffeine has the tendency to make me way too jumpy and unproductive. I’ve also become a really big hard cider person recently.

What advice do you have for writers getting ready to query you?

Relax and take a deep breath! But also, do your research! There are so many resources out there for how to write a good query letter; you want to put forth your best effort. Including comp titles is great—I love when I see one of my favorites as a comp title because it normally means that the manuscript will be towards my taste. Also, proofread! One or two typos doesn’t doom a query, but if the whole thing is riddled with them, that raises a red flag for me. Also one of my pet peeves is if the query is addressed to an entirely different person, or like “Dear Agent.” There’s something so impersonal about an error like that.


What genres are you drawn to most?

I’m mostly drawn to contemporary YA, be that a thriller, romance, gothic, etc. But I will honestly read anything, so if it’s got a great premise and a compelling voice, I’m sure to give it a chance. And I love MG in all forms. I also love literary adult fiction, or a coming-of-age adult novel like PREP or TELL THE WOLVES I’M HOME.

Which is more crucial: emotional connection or current marketability?

Both are obviously important, but for me, I’d say emotional connection. If I don’t fall 100% in love with a book, then I won’t be able to advocate for it effectively. And it’s also possible that even if the book I’m reading is not right for the current marketplace, the author’s next book might be. So just the writing and how I feel about it is something that I have to consider.


Is there anything you’d like to add that you think our readers should know?

Sometimes the best books are the ones that come to me completely unexpectedly. A small anecdote: I was at the library the other week with my two younger cousins, and they asked if they could pick books for me to read. One picked JOYRIDE by Anna Banks. I’d surprisingly never heard of it before, and honestly wasn’t expecting much when I started reading it—but I ended up reading the whole book in two days and absolutely LOVED it. One of my favorite reads of 2015 for sure. And I probably never would have picked it up otherwise!

Also, some of the best advice I’ve ever received: “Doubt yourself, and do it anyway.”

Lisa Gail Green

Lisa Gail Green lives with her husband the rocket scientist and their three junior mad scientists in Southern California. She writes books so she can have an excuse to live in the fantasy world in her head. She likes to share these with readers. She has a parrot but would most definitely get a werewolf for a pet if she weren't allergic.

Post © Lisa Gail Green and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.
Posted: Jul 30, 2015
Category: Imported from AYAP
Tags: Literary Agents | What Agents Want

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p> <p>Your main character needs to be:<br /> • Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br /> • Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br /> • Active enough to drive the story<br /> • Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p> <p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />
The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p> <p>But your theme needs to be:<br /> • Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br /> • Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br /> • Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br /> • Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p> <p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />
The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p> <p>In general, your plot should:<br /> • Hook readers fast<br /> • Build tension that a child can follow<br /> • Create page turns that feel natural<br /> • Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p> <p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.
The Arms of your story are the side characters.
The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p> <p>Your setting should:<br /> • Make your character's world feel real<br /> • Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br /> • Connect different scenes and moments organically<br /> • Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p> <p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black. 

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