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Stephen Barr - Agent Assessments

Stephen Barr is a senior literary agent at Writer House, where he started out as an intern in the winter of 2008. He represents a broad stripe of authors across all genres, with a steady hankering for literary and commercial adult fiction that tackles heavy themes with a light touch, audacious YA, intricate picture books, mysteries that handcuff humor and tragedy to the same radiator, world-bending middle grade, and fearless reportage. He’s also the author of The Upside Down Hat, illustrated by Gracey Zhang, which was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2022. He lives in Brooklyn, NY, with his wife, son, and daughter.

 

Stephen is a pretty omnivorous agent, with both an adult list (mostly literary and commercial fiction, as well as journalistic non-fiction) and a children's list (everything from picture books to young adult). At the moment, he's got his eyes peeled for...

 

- adult fiction that rewards the reader line-by-line and handcuffs humor and tragedy to the same radiator, like Maggie Thrash's Rainbow Black (other recent favorites include The Searcher, Five Decembers, Lonesome Dove, and The Night Watchman)

- bonkers high-concept novels with a speculative tilt (time loops and the like!)

- audacious, experimental mysteries, fantasies and psychological suspense

- intricate, heart-on-its-sleeve, voice-abundant YA like King Dork or Baby & Solo (bonus points for unrequited love stories!)

- fantastical or contemporary middle grade that takes on heavy themes with an optimistic, eccentric touch (like Eli Brown's Oddity)

- sweet and/or silly and/or heartbreaking picture books from adventurous author/illustrators

- unexpected memoirs with itchy voices

- narrative non-fiction that tackles hard-to-tackle issues, like Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma

- detective stories that bend reality

- ghost stories that blow reality to hell
  

Stephen is not looking for romance or faith-based fiction.

Stephen Barr - Agent Assessments

$105.00Price
Excluding GST
  • Assessment Categories

    • Adult Literary Fiction
    • Chapter Books
    • Commercial Adult Fiction
    • Early Readers
    • Fantasy
    • Horror
    • Illustrations
    • Junior Fiction
    • Literary Fiction
    • Middle Grade
    • Mystery
    • Narrative Non-Fiction
    • Picture Book
    • Speculative Fiction
    • YA Writing
  • Last day to book

    22 June

  • Payment plans

    If you’d like to set up a payment plan, just send us a quick email at info@cyaconference.com to receive your code before booking. A 15% non-refundable deposit is required upfront for payment plans, with full payment due before your session.

     

    Please note that each attendee can have only one payment plan.

  • Feedback

    Stephen will be providing verbal feedback with his assessments.


  • Important

    
Assessment sessions:

    • are only available to conference, bootcamp and Writers at Sea Retreat attendees.
    • may be booked before booking for the conference, but you must book for the conference by 15 May, or your session will be cancelled and not refunded.
    • have a $25.00 administration charge should you decide to cancel before 15 May.
    • are non-refundable if cancelled after 15 May unless we are able to resell the session.
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