#166: Kate McKean — Author and Literary Agent on Building a Writing Life: Pitches, Rejections, and Publishing Truths

Literary agent and author Kate McKean shares how to pitch like a human, read rejection letters usefully, and protect your joy so you can build a durable writing life.

You'll learn:
• How to build a clear 1–2 line pitch others can repeat and sell.
• How to read rejection letters, spot strong notes, and decide when to revise.
• Query etiquette and timelines: when to follow up and how resubmissions work.
• Fixing weak nonfiction proposals with clearer scope, audience, and takeaway.
• Write for the reader: comp titles, positioning, and a useful synopsis.
• US vs UK agenting models and what that means for money and process.
• Why agents don’t steal ideas and why execution is what matters.
• Self-publishing realities: expectations, track records, and when it helps the book.

Resources and Links:
• 📑Interview Transcript (docs.google.com/document/d/1mGicpKjUaR48fKCtyW…)
• Agents & Books Substack (katemckean.substack.com)
• Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (hachette.co.uk/titles/rufi-thorpe-2/margos-got…)
• Write Through It (simonandschuster.com/books/Write-Through-It/Ka…)
• Howard Morhaim Literary Agency (morhaimliterary.com)

About Kate McKean
Kate McKean is a literary agent at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, author of Write Through It, and the writer of the Agents & Books newsletter; she represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction and fields hundreds of queries each month.

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