#135 Query Letters, Persuasive Proposals, and Publishing Secrets Featuring Literary Agent Joëlle Delbourgo

Joëlle Delbourgo is President of Joëlle Delbourgo Associates, a boutique literary agency founded in 1999. She represents a broad range of adult nonfiction and fiction. Her authors include NYT bestselling and award-winning novelist Ben H. Winters; Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Debbie Cenziper and Dale Russakoff; award-winning educator Michele Borba, the late Dr. Susan Forward, memoirists Ariel Burger, Rachel Stolzman, Grace Jung and Sara Sherbill; historians Philip Freeman, Joanna Sliwa and Elizabeth White; true crime writer James Renner; and novelists Marilyn Simon Rothstein, Lindsey J. Palmer, Roy Hoffman and Rosa Kwon Easton, and Tommy Hays. A former senior executive at HarperCollins and Ballantine Books, she has a Masters in Literature from Columbia University and graduated from Williams College.   Joëlle shares what she looks for in nonfiction and fiction submissions [6:50] Her background in both sides of the publishing wall [6:50] Why she considers herself a “Renaissance Agent” [7:10] The excellence advantage that writers need to get on her radar [14:24] How to craft a compelling proposal that gets attention from agents and publishers [14:49] Joëlle’s tips for memoirists [18:05] Why your query letter matters and what red flags agents look for [19:59] Why obsession can help get a writer a book deal [26:54] Can a writer jump genres? [27:26] Some of her authors success stories [31:16]   Connect with Joëlle Website: https://www.delbourgo.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joelledelbourgoassoc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelledelbourgo/   Episodes Mentioned Georgia Hughes formerly Editorial Director of New World Library https://estelleserasmus.com/69-a-chat-with-the-editorial-director-of-new-world-library/   Michele Borba  Writing a Bestselling Book and Making Mistakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY0JTzbnFrY Estelle Erasmus: an award-winning journalist, is the author of WRITING THAT GETS NOTICED (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers Magazine), a Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest, and host of the podcast Freelance Writing Direct. She is an adjunct instructor for NYU’s School of Professional Studies/Center for Publishing and Applied Liberal Arts, has written for over 150 publications, including The New York Times, Next Avenue/PBS, WIRED, The Independent,The Washington Post, and AARP: The Magazine, and was the editor-in-chief of five national publications. Find out more at estelleserasmus.com    Sign up for her Substack  (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests https://estelleserasmus.substack.com   Mentioned in the episode: Estelle’s substack post Why Taping My Podcast Reminds Me of Working in Magazines  https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/why-taping-my-podcast-reminds-me   Read Estelle’s latest post on Substack (and an editing offer for paid subscribers): 5 Hard Truths about Essay Writing  https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/5-hard-truths-about-essay-writing Apply to be on Freelance Writing Direct in a coaching episode: email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com and state three of the issues you are dealing with that you would like Estelle’s help with.   Sign up for Estelle’s NYU Classes https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/faculty/e/1068-estelle-erasmus.html   Get Her Book  Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0   Order Her Audiobook: https://shorturl.at/4uG2P   Follow Estelle: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSerasmus BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/estelleserasmus.bsky.social Freelance Writing Direct has been named a 2025 Podcast of the Year Winner in the Education category by the American Writing  Awards. For a list of winners go here https://americanwritingawards.com/