Podcast appearances and mentions of joyce sweeney

Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of Writers With Wrinkles, literary agent and author Joyce Sweeney joins Beth and Lisa to explore the challenges and opportunities in today's publishing landscape. With decades of experience, Joyce shares invaluable advice for writers on market trends, querying, agent relationships, and staying resilient in a tough industry.Guest Bio: Joyce Sweeney is the Director of KidLit at The Seymour Agency, where they've worked as a literary agent for five years. Prior to agenting, Joyce spent decades as a writing coach, developmental editor, and author of 14 young adult novels and two poetry collections. With a sharp eye for story and deep empathy for authors, Joyce brings a unique blend of industry knowledge and creative passion to every project.Key Discussion Points:Publishing Trends: Middle grade remains tough but not impossible; picture books are more stable, and there's growing interest in unique formats and themes like verse novels and New Age topics.Agenting Insights: The importance of concept and hook in a query far outweighs just beautiful prose; originality and marketability are key.AI in Publishing: Joyce sees no real threat from AI to traditional publishing, emphasizing that creativity, emotion, and lived experience can't be replicated by machines.Advice for Writers: Write what you love, not what's trending; publishing is cyclical and unpredictable. Persistence and a strong concept will eventually open doors.Red Flags & Green Flags in Queries: Be clear about your genre and word count; know your audience; don't blindly pitch without researching agents.When to Walk Away: A lack of communication, refusal to share submission information, or pushing you toward predatory publishers are serious warning signs.What Joyce is Looking For: Unique YA stories, New Age themes in picture books (like astrology and pagan holidays), and anything that surprises her.Conclusion: Joyce Sweeney brings refreshing honesty and deep insight into the challenges of KidLit and the wider publishing industry. Her advice emphasizes the importance of a standout concept, a resilient mindset, and choosing the right agent-client match. Writers are encouraged to stay the course, believe in their work, and always lead with heart.Mentioned Links:Podcast blog & notes: https://writerswithwrinkles.netThe Seymour Agency: https://theseymouragency.com Support the show Visit the WebsiteWriters with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

A yoga instructor's guide to demon hunting? Not this time. It's Kat Chen and her Play with Me series! A hoot indeed. Thank you to Joyce Sweeney for hooking up this conversation and - in the intervening months - signing me (Josh) as a client! This conversation serves as a huge endorsement of working with The Seymour Agency through the lens of Kat's super charming experience. Our little podcast is sponsored by Tielmour Press! For a two-moon special, check out and order Sue Lancaster's Supermoon and/or (preferably and) Neigh Kid by Alan Mayfair! ------- DON'T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! This episode's book reviews: I HATE EVERYONE by Naomi Danis NUTSHIMIT: IN THE WOODS by Melissa Mollen Dupuis and Elise Gravel REAL TO ME by Minh Lê and Raissa Figueroa The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot Versey, and was generously created for us by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

I'm Brenna Jeanneret, children's lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster joined by Josh Monken, children's lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster. Josh and I have embarked on this kidlit journey together this year, having become critique partners early in the year, only to find that our powers combined could make captain planet. Maybe not, but at least our powers combined can make a pretty good podcast.  Our guest for this conversation was Joyce Sweeney. You can find Joyce on Twitter or on The Seymour Agency website.    This episode's ChewyReviewy books: Garbage Island by Fred Koehler  If Your Babysitter Is A Bruja by Ana Siqueira illustrated by Irena Freitas   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on Twitter @_maddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Find us on Twitter @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment! Thanks and see ya next time.  You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken and Brenna Jeanneret.

In this episode, Maria talks with Joyce Sweeney of The Seymour Agency. Young adult author, poet, developmental editor and writing coach for over 25 years, Joyce Sweeney has joined The Seymour Agency, representing picture books and middle-grade novels. She loves theater, illustration art and animals. Cardinal Rule Press offers a variety of support to authors, booksellers, librarians, and families. Find out more at CardinalRulePress.com

Jake Olson (MelonOso) is an Artist, Illustrator, and Designer based in Western New York. Over the past year, Jake has been publicly open about his focus on his own mental health; he and Rebecca discuss his journey and the topic of mental health in general. They also discuss activism and the causes that Jake is passionate about, such as indigenous rights and oppressed voices in general -- and the challenge to balance our desire for being a part of social change without losing sight of taking care of ourselves. Rebecca and Jake also discuss art and the business of art. Jake works as a freelance designer, and discusses his experience with online platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork, while also introducing us to Skillshare and Twitch as a path for building community and income streams, as well. Jake's Mental Health Resource Recommendations Mental Illness Happy Hour with Paul Gilmartin Mxiety: Mxiety.com and Twitch Rebecca's Recommendations Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd Alec With Pen If you feel like you need help and aren't sure where to start...The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. You can even chat with them online. Find it at suicidepreventionlifeline.org. For international and a list of more complete resources, visit this link.

Elizabeth welcomes author and writing coach, Joyce Sweeney to Serving Consciously for a conversation about Service Through the Written Word. Most of us have been deeply touched by beautifully written words that speak to our hearts and provide us with solace a different times in our lives. Some of us use writing as a means of connecting to ourselves and perhaps, serving others. Joyce will also give us a glimpse into her current work! So exciting. Please tune in for this one!

Author and editor, Joyce Sweeney, explains the road to traditional publication. For more information about Joyce, her classes, and critiques, go to www.sweeneywritingcoach.com.

Listen to Joyce Sweeney explain the road to traditional publication.