Saba Sulaiman

Not really? That's totally fine, I talk about other things in this interview, like what makes a manuscript stand out and why I don't think self-publishing and signing with an agent are necessarily mutually exclusive choices. It was fun.

Thank you for featuring me, Wildmind Creative!

Hello hello, it's me and I'm back! Not one but two tiny humans now look to me for everything from sustenance to a (reasonably) comfy footstool and, needless to say, it has given me incredible perspective on life and time and how best to spend both. Doing my part to usher in stories that are heartwarming, gripping, fun, inclusive, and well-told seems even more important now, and I'm excited to dive back into work to make it happen, word by word.

Spot me at a writing conference near you and come say hi!

Hey hey, #DVpit is back! I’m over at Pub Crawl again where I'm moderating a spirited discussion on the importance of encouraging more intersectional characters and representations of experiences in fiction, and how best to incorporate intersectionality from a craft perspective. We’ve got some incredible industry pros weighing in on this issue and sharing some great tips, so you don’t want to miss this.

Check out our discussion here and here and learn more about #DVpit here.

I am now closed to all unsoliticed queries. This does not include pitch contest requests, conference requests, or queries from authors I've previously connected with (so keep working on your projects/revising until they're ready for me to review). All queries and requested material sent before March 1 will be answered. Please stand by as I catch up with my responses!

Watch this space or follow me on Twitter for news on when I re-open to queries again. Until then, godspeed!

We've made it to 2018! (Yes, I'm aware we're already two months in, but give a poor agent some time to recover from the post-holiday deluge of manuscripts).

Anyway, I've updated my conference schedule, and I'm excited to connect with new writers and old friends all over the country. This year, I'm giving back to the writing community by petitioning to sponsor (or partially sponsor) conference passes/workshop spots for a marginalized writer -- check my Twitter for announcements. It isn't much, but it's a start.

May this year be productive, and full of meaning and joy.

After a productive summer working with my current clients on revising their exciting projects, I'm thrilled to announce that I'm opening to queries again on October 16, 2017!

Like I always say: mark your calendars, polish your queries, and before you hit send, make sure you've copied your first ten pages into the body of your email (absolutely no attachments!)

For an updated sense of the kinds of books I'm looking for, click here and here. And follow me on Twitter for updates on where I am in my reading queue.

I can't wait to dive into my inbox and find more clients whose books inspire me and make me their number one fan!

To kick off #DVpit this fall, I’m over at Pub Crawl where we had a spirited discussion on what we mean by voice in fiction writing, and how best to hone it. There are book recs, writing tips and chuckles involved, so it's definitely a riveting read.

Enjoy our musings here and here and learn more about #DVpit here.

Here are a couple of interviews I gave this summer: this one features an updated list of what I'm looking for in my submissions, and this one features the story of how I connected with one of my clients (hint: it involves traditional querying, which is still the best method of getting my attention).

Enjoy!

Yes, you read right: I was featured on a podcast and I don't sound all that bad! I talk about my personal publishing journey and navigating new parenthood with (what I think is) a healthy dose of humor and frankness. Here it is and here's the transcript.

Thank you Jenn Baker for such a wonderful conversation!

I'm very honored and pleased to be featured over at Jane Friedman's blog (which is a wonderful resource for writers that's definitely worth checking out) for a Q&A on Diversity in Publishing, where I talk frankly about how important it is to me, whether or not we should be chasing it, and why it's important to have diversity not just in the literature we publish, but also in the industry itself.

Thanks for inviting me, Sangeeta!

The title says it all: I just closed to all unsoliticed queries. All queries and requested material sent before May 15 will be answered. Please stand by as I catch up with my responses!

Watch this space or follow me on Twitter for news on when I re-open to queries again!

I’m over at Pub Crawl dishing out advice on writing conferences with some very wise publishing professionals here. We talk about how to prepare, what to expect, and what steps to take afterwards, so we’ve basically got you covered.

Thanks for inviting me, Patrice!

First of all, if you're a marginalized author with a project that's polished and ready to query, I highly recommend you participate in #DVPit! If you missed it this year, just follow #DVpit's twitter feed and prepare for the next round. Lots of agents and editors participate (including me), so it's a great opportunity to find the right match for your book.

Anyway, so as a way to lead up to this year's #DVpit, the fantastic Patrice Caldwell (go follow her on Twitter!) asked me and bunch of other publishing professionals to particpate in a virtual roundtable about worldbuilding in fiction on her blog. She got us to unleash our inner craft nerds, so you definitely don't want to miss it if it's something you're working on improving. The roundtable is divided into three parts:

Part One: Why is Worldbuiding Important?

Part Two: How to Worldbuild: Structure and Details

Part Three: How to Worldbuild: Combating Biases

Kicking off this year with a fun interview where I talk about my favorite recent books, the ideal client, and why I enjoy agenting -- check it out here.

Thank you for featuring me, Valerie Cole!

I'm thrilled to announce that I'm opening to queries on January 15, 2017! Mark your calendars, polish your queries, and before you hit send, make sure you've copied your first ten pages into the body of your email (absolutely no attachments!)

For a sense of the kinds of projects I'm looking for, click here and here. And follow me on Twitter for updates on where I am in my reading queue.

I can't wait to sign and work with some fresh new talent!

After a long, baby-related hiatus, I'm happy to say that I'm back at Pub Hub! Here are my thoughts on writing to the diversity trend.

The goddesses have spoken: I am a Badass Lady You Should Know.

Thank you Kate Hart for one of my favorite interviews yet!

Dorit Sasson over at Write Naked had me over to discuss the importance of platforms for writers. My answer: it depends.

Big News: My husband and I are expecting our first child this month! If all goes well, I will be on maternity leave for three months.

I look forward to returning to work sometime in the spring. Watch this space (or follow me on Twitter!) for more up-to-date news on this exciting new chapter of my life -- I promise to mention when I plan to be open to queries again, so your constance vigilance wont be in vain.

Have a fantastic new year!

I wrote about how to approach an agent's revision notes for Publishing Hub this month (spoiler alert: TAKE YOUR TIME.)

The fantastic Amy Trueblood (go follow her on Twitter!) asked me to answer a couple of questions about what makes those first five pages stand out. It's a regular feature on her blog, so be sure to catch up on the agent interviews you've missed.

You can read my interview here.

For my latest post at Publishing Hub, I decided to talk about something I learned over the past few months -- that reading doesn't always come easily to everyone.

Remember: the ability to read is a gift. A true privilege. Try not to take it for granted, and be kind to those who struggle with it.

Yep, if you've been following me on Twitter, you already know that I just closed to queries. I've got some exciting projects to work on and some great material that I need to get to, so unfortunately, queries need to take a back seat. All queries and requested material sent before August 1 will be answered. Please stand by as I catch up with my responses!

Watch this space for news on when I re-open to queries again!

I chose to focus my latest Pub Hub post on how to pitch your book at a writing conference. I've seen too many nervous authors who can't quite communicate how fantastic their projects are, and it's just a shame. Avoid these basic donts, take advantage of all the great advice out there, practice as much as you can, and you'll be ready. Trust me.

Good luck!

With BEA around the corner, I haven't had the time to write a new post -- but since I never got around to posting last month's Pub Hub post, here it is. I thought I'd take a stab at giving you some good, old fashioned query advice.

Happy summering!

I was invited to do a Twitter Q&A recently -- if you missed it, you can read an archive of it here.

You can actually watch the entire chat unfold at up to x36 the normal speed. I think it's rather thrilling, to be honest.

Thank for having me, #LitChat!

I wrote about writing authentic fiction for children for Publishing Hub. Actually, I wrote it almost a month ago, but hey. Better late than never, right?

Here's my latest post at Publishing Hub -- I talk about voice, what it means, and what I think a great voice entails.

I may or may not have planned the post around my favorite Avengers meme. Just saying.

The folks over at Sub It Club are hosting a pitch session for me! I'll be taking pitches all day on Tuesday February 3 between 8am and 5pm, and I look forward to requesting some great work.

Oh, and they also interviewed me about my thoughts on the querying process and what a manuscript needs to hook me in. Check it out!

I just joined the blogging team over at Publishing Hub -- here's a link to my first post on magical realism.

Watch out for my monthly posts, and let me know if there's anything you'd like me to blog about, either via Twitter, or by accosting me in real life. (Please don't do that actually. Thank you.)

Hi there! I'm Saba and this is my brand new website!

And that's all for now. Stay tuned for updates!