Molly Jaffa

Molly has been working closely with Folio authors’ projects since 2008, and is now aggressively and selectively building her list of clients. She is thrilled to be part of the recent launch of Folio Jr., a division within the agency dedicated to developing and nurturing the careers of YA and children's authors. In addition to agenting, Molly utilizes her editorial background, previous work experience in the e-publishing industry, and intimate knowledge of the Folio list in her position as Subsidiary Rights Associate. She actively pursues sales of all unsold subsidiary rights, helping Folio clients’ books reach wide audiences in as many formats as possible. Molly is an avid reader, and when she’s not devouring manuscripts, she can usually be found camped out in the aisles of her local bookstore (until they kick her out at closing time).

What I’m looking for:

Fiction: I focus exclusively on middle grade and young adult fiction. I’m looking for books that challenge the reader intellectually and emotionally, from the high-concept and fantastical to the frank, fresh, and contemporary. I love fiction set in another country, time, or place (real or imagined!) that opens up a rich new world for the reader to discover. Stories featuring characters with strong passions, talents, or smarts - or characters in search of theirs - resonate with me. I’d also like to see: Edgy YA that’s not afraid to explore complex social issues, middle grade and YA with elements of magical realism, books with strong female protagonists, dystopian fiction, books with a diverse cast of characters, verse novels, and – most importantly – books with a voice that makes the reader think, “This narrator gets me.”

My current favorite (non-client) middle grade and YA books include The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, When You Reach Me, Thirteen Reasons Why, Wintergirls, The Hunger Games, and How to Say Goodbye in Robot. All-time favorites include The Phantom Tollbooth, A Wrinkle in Time, The His Dark Materials trilogy, Go Ask Alice, Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, The View from Saturday, and anything by Dianna Wynne Jones.

Nonfiction: I’m looking for books that explore social issues relevant to women of all ages. Think Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters; The Purity Myth; Pledged; The Morning After; Enlightened Sexism.

What I’m not looking for:

Adult fiction, memoir, diet/fitness, religious/inspirational, or YA with vampires and/or zombies.

Why I love my job:

I truly believe in the lasting impact books can have on young readers. Who among us doesn’t remember the first time we read a book that felt like it was “ours”—not our parents’ or teachers’? How many times did a book affirm our sense of self (hello, Judy Blume!) or keep us up all night with a flashlight? I have a deep affinity for the voices of young protagonists and the writers who bring them to life. The best part about being an agent today is having the chance to find books by writers who can inspire, enthrall, and engage the smartest, savviest generation of readers yet—and then getting to share them with the world! I consider myself to be an editorial agent, and will work closely with clients through as many drafts as necessary to make their manuscript the best it can be. When I fall in love with an author’s work, I’m committed to being his or her biggest advocate, part of a two-person team in a career-long relationship.

How to contact me:

I only accept submissions via email, and request that you include your query letter and first 10 pages in the body of the email. Please include "Query" in the subject line. Email me at: molly(@)foliolit.com [you have to remove the parenthesis in order to email me]. I will always respond within 2 weeks with a pass or a request for more material. I regret that I cannot respond to each query with personal feedback, but if I have requested material from you, I will do my best to offer detailed comments. If I have requested a partial or full from you, you should expect to hear back from me within four weeks.

Where to find me:

I'll be at the following conferences in 2010:

May 18: The Women's National Book Associaton: Query Roulette Workshop, NY, NY

May 27-29: Backspace Writers Conference, NY, NY

July 23-25: "Timeless Craft, Timely Skills" Conference, Mt. Snow, VT

October 16: Rutgers One-on-One Plus Conference, Piscataway, NJ

October 22-23: SCBWI Mid-Atlantic Region Annual Fall Conference, Arlington, VA

November 12: Backspace Agent-Author Seminar, NY, NY