Author & Agent Interview: Manuia Heinrich and Marin Takikawa

Today, we are thrilled to be interviewing Manuia Heinrich, a Mā'ohi writer, and her literary agent, Marin Takikawa. You can learn more about Manuia on her Twitter and Instagram, and more about Marin on her agency's website.

We started this Author & Agent blog series to spotlight Pacific Islander creators and their agents for Asian and Pacific Islander month. Our hope is that this series will inspire other Pacific Islanders interested in pursuing traditional publishing as creators or as agents. As we learned in the creation of our website, there is not a single Pacific Islander agent, and we hope to see that change.

Thank you for joining us!

Manuia's interview

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, and the project for which you’ve found representation? What inspired you to write it? 

I write non-fiction, children’s fiction (mostly Young Adult), and short stories. The manuscript that got me my agent is a YA speculative thriller set in an alternate Polynesian island. It’s about a girl who hears the sea’s prophetic thoughts—a gift she’s shunned for years. But when her brother is wrongfully accused of murdering a white girl, reconciling with the ocean’s voice may be the only way to save her brother, herself, and her community. While the plot is a murder mystery, the story highlights the impacts of France’s nuclear tests (1966-1996) on the people and environment of my homeland, and this book interrogates communal responsibility. 

What resources did you use to compile your list of agents to query? What criteria did you use to build your list?

I used Query Tracker to search for agents who represent YA fiction. Then, I checked each agent’s wish list on their agency website. I read whatever information I could find about the agents (such as interviews) and reviewed their social media profiles to assess if we’d be a good fit. Some criteria I had were their preferences in books, their current interests, their client list and sales, and the reputation of their agency. 

Did you tailor your query to each agent?

I personalized a dozen queries (out of 29). Sometimes, agents mention that they want to know why you’re querying them, so it’s important to do your research. Whenever something specific prompted me to query an agent (like one of my comparative titles being on their MSWL), I noted that in the query. 

What about Marin made you query her?

Marin’s MSWL fit my book well and even included one of my comp titles. I’d read an interview with her and liked her determination to advocate for BIPOC authors. As a PI author, it was crucial for me to feel that my future agent would support me in a predominantly white industry. I also felt like her agency would be an excellent fit for me.

What advice would you give to Pacific Islander creators looking for agents?

Make sure your manuscript is polished and has been read by people other than your family to catch any inconsistencies and pacing issues. You’ll feel more confident knowing you’re sending out your best work. And don’t forget to do your research. Check out the agents you’re querying and be wary of any red flags. You want an agent who really gets your story, respects your background and culture, and believes in you and what you’re saying. Lastly, find your community and remember to celebrate each step along the way.

When Marin offered, what made you decide to sign with her? What criteria did you consider?

My query list was small but selective, so all the offers I got were from excellent agents. Ironically, that made choosing really hard! In the end, it just came down to a gut feeling. Marin was super enthusiastic about my book, and her editorial vision resonated with me. She came prepared with a submission strategy, had agency support, and again, so much enthusiasm! I just felt really comfortable working with her. And the best part was she really “got” my book and what I was trying to say. I had faith that she’d help me make it even better.

Marin's interview

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? What categories and genres do you represent? What do you love about agenting? I'm an associate agent at The Friedrich Agency, where I'm actively building my list in adult literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, and YA. I was born in Tokyo, raised in Singapore and NYC, and having been surrounded and supported by BIPOC communities all throughout my life, it's really important for me to have a list where I'm primarily uplifting voices from underrepresented communities. There are so many things I love about agenting: the first is, of course, being able to work with writers and having the freedom to pursue projects that are important to me. I knew that I wanted to represent both adult and YA writers, and I wouldn't have had that option if I had become an editor (it also didn't interest me to have a quota/mandate for acquisitions). Agenting also involves wearing many different hats and it's exciting to have everyday look different. There are so many other parts I appreciate, but for the sake of time, I'll cut it off here! 

What do you look for in a query letter?  Brevity and focus! 

Do you ask for any pages with a query letter? What do you look for when you're reading those pages?  Yes! Our (The Friedrich Agency's) submission guidelines recently changed, so we're now asking for 5 pages with your query letter. I'm always looking for a strong voice in the pages—there's something about the cadence and strength of a special voice that always has me sitting up straight and being like, "Oh wow, what do we have here?"

Any pet peeves when it comes to query letters and/or pages? Any dos and don’ts?  A big no-no for me is a really long query letter! If you're spending the first two paragraphs of your query introducing yourself and telling me all about the inspiration behind the book, you've lost me (I think a line or two about the inspiration behind the book towards the end of the query is fine though!). I generally am able to tell whether a query is not for me within 5 seconds, so I really encourage all querying writers to try and really cut out what isn't necessary. I think it's smarter to use that extra real estate to describe the actual book! Think about it this way: if you picked up an unknown book at a bookstore and saw copy that spanned both sides of the flap and the back, would you read it all? Or would you put it down? 

Do you have a Manuscript Wishlist? What sort of projects are you hoping to find in your inbox? Any specific stories you’d love to see from Pacific Islander creators?  Yes, I do! Here's my MSWL and here's my agency bio page (I generally try to keep both pages super up to date). I'd just really love to see more stories from PI creators full stop. The percentage of PI-authored stories in traditional US publishing is miniscule, and I'd just like to see more of your stories in my queries. This is me thinking out loud, but I'd really like to see a PI-authored rom-com, maybe a YA with a PI-inspired magic system? I think that would be really cool! 

What about Manuia's project grabbed your attention? What about Manuia as a client?  When Manuia's query arrived in my inbox, I knew I needed to read it ASAP. The combination of the thriller and speculative elements with reference to social and climate justice themes immediately captured my attention. But what really left a lasting impression on me was how there was a palpable sense of a young woman trying to defy the odds to fiercely protect her family. Manuia's query/novel just felt like it had all the elements that excited me and that I feel most strongly about. (I also read her piece "How We "Island" Our Writing: A Deep Dive Into Pacific Islander SFF" on Apex Magazine, which I thought was so intelligent and which made me even more curious to read her novel.) When I zoomed with Manuia, it was clear that she was thoughtful, careful, and had a strong sense of her North Star. Which made me want to work with her even more. 

What qualities do you look for in a potential client?  Someone who has a strong vision for their book(s) but who is also open to feedback and suggestions from me. Whenever I offer rep, I'm always brimming with ideas and I make sure to communicate the "big ones" on the call. However, that being said, I do think it could be detrimental to both the book and the writer if the writer just accepts all my suggestions as is. That is, I'm not looking for a "yes person". It energizes me the most when I'm able to discuss ideas with my authors and there's enough trust and respect in the relationship where we're able to bounce ideas and say things like, "Oh, that idea won't work because XYZ" or "I love that idea—I don't think it'll work in that iteration but what if we tweaked this and made it like this?" or "It's important for me to include this element because XYZ; I see now from your comments that it's not working, though. Is there a way forward where we can include it still? Maybe we need to get rid of this to make space for this element?" For me, nothing is more rewarding and exciting than this type of editorial collaboration—I've also found that the best and most surprising ideas have been born from these efforts. 

Any advice for querying creators?  Read a lot in the space your book is a part of! 

Any advice for aspiring agents?  In the first two or so years of Covid, the publishing industry saw many entry-level positions shift to remote, which significantly lifted up the barrier to entry. Many of those entry-level positions are unfortunately now back to in-person/hybrid, especially on the publishing house side—though I will say there is a little more flexibility on the agenting side (there are many (U.S.) literary agencies not based in NYC!). That being said, I do think virtual internships are here to stay—it's a small win but since it is the first step to a long journey, I would highly recommend anyone interested in agenting to try and get an internship with an agency. Other resources: Inkluded Academy; WNDB's Internship Supplementary Grant Program; LAOC's Fellowship Program; and my favorite resource to recommend is Agent Talk with Seth Fishman and Dongwon Song. I watched these videos religiously the first summer of Covid and I think they break down the different angles of an agent's job.