Ready to take your query and opening pages to the next level?
Our Query & First Pages Workshop with senior literary agent Linda Camacho (21 years as an agent, now at Gallt & Zacker Literary) is now available for replay!
Linda reviewed real queries and first pages from our community, sharing the insider knowledge that turns good submissions into irresistible ones.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- The Specificity Secret – Why “grounding agents in your story” beats thematic descriptions every time
- The 2-Comp Rule – How many comp titles agents really want (hint: not 3+)
- Emotional Stakes – When and how to establish what’s personally at risk
- Genre-Specific Openings – Different strategies for picture books, romance, mystery, sci-fi, and literary fiction
- The Flashback Problem – Why opening with backstory loses readers (and what to do instead)
- Upmarket Explained – The clearest breakdown of commercial vs. literary vs. upmarket we’ve ever heard
Plus: Linda selected one piece for our MSWL Agent Choice Award!
The replay includes live Q&A where Linda tackled prologues, dual POV, professional editing mentions, and more.
We’ve also prepared downloadable class notes so you can reference Linda’s advice anytime.
Remember: “You can all write really well. It really does show when people are doing their research.” – Linda Camacho
Well done, members!!
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About the Instructor
Linda Camacho
Linda Camacho is an agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. She graduated from Cornell with a B.S. in Communication and has held various positions at Penguin Random House, Dorchester, Simon & Schuster, and Writers House. Linda’s done everything from foreign rights to editorial, to marketing, to operations and received her MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Children’s category – All fiction genres.
Adult category – General fiction, bookclub fiction, romance, women’s fiction, science fiction, fantasy, speculative, suspense, horror.