Interview with Literary Agent Tina Schwartz of the Purcell Agency

by Lisa Gail Green

Hi! Lisa here with another awesome agent you’ll want to get to know. Please welcome Tina Schwartz of the Purcell Agency!

Agent Tina P. Schwartz admits to being a reluctant reader as a child. In fact, she says she is still very picky when it comes to choosing a book.

Ask her kids, and they won’t believe you! They’ll tell you her nose is constantly in a book, or staring at her precious Kindle Fire! When not reading manuscripts, marketing website, social media, or industry blogs, you can find Schwartz on her laptop enjoying her own writing time.

Schwartz is an active member of the Society of Chidlren’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), and is the Co-Rep for her local chapter.

Tina says, “I’m thrilled to have founded The Purcell Agency, LLC and look forward to reading many wonderful submissions from talent all over the country!”

Literary Agent Tina Schwartz

1. So according to your bio, you’re picky. What is it about a manuscript that excites you?

I was always a reluctant reader as a child, and even though I read nearly all day, every day, I still consider myself a reluctant reader. If I don’t like a story, I don’t give it 50 pages to “get into it” like some people. But if I do like something, I’ll read it in one sitting, even if it’s over 300 pages! So the thing that excites me about a manuscript is if I get lost in it immediately, and literally cannot put it down until I’ve read the entire thing! I’ve stayed up until 3am, many times, being caught in a great manuscript. It doesn’t feel like I’m reading, but that I’m participating in the moment.

2. Character, world, or plot?

Ideally, all three are outstanding in a single manuscript, of course! However, if I HAD to pick what I’m drawn to most, I’d say character. Once a character becomes beloved to the reader, they can go through many worlds or plots — people just want to be with that character wherever they go and whenever they go somewhere. I feel the same way.

15. Why did you become an agent?

After selling several of my own manuscripts, and helping others do the same, I felt I had a certain knack for doing the job. I really like to do the things an agent does, and things that authors don’t necessarily like to do, such as pour over market guides, make Excel spread sheets of who’s looking for what, how many queries received, how many books produced in a year, basic statistics. I find it a thrilling puzzle to solve. Plus, I love to interact with people such as editors, publishers, agents, and book lovers in general. My two favorite parts of being an agent are 1. Making that initial call to an author to offer representation, and 2. Calling one of my authors to tell them we’ve gotten an offer on their manuscript. Both of those things are quite thrilling! I love my job, and feel a close connection with my authors. I want to do great things for them, and watch them grow.

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 17, 2014

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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