Ms. Joyce Hart
Hartline Literary Agency
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Closed to Unsolicited Queries
General
Joyce Hart
Hartline Literary Agency
123 Queenston Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15235
- E-Mail:
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Join Now - Website:
- hartlineagency.com
- AALA Member:
- No
Query Methods
Accepts queries via...
Postal Mail
E-Mail
Closed to Unsolicited Queries
Genres
This agent is seeking the following genres:
Fiction
Historical
Mystery
Religious/Inspirational
Romance
Thrillers/Suspense
Women's Fiction
Non-Fiction
Health/Fitness
Parenting
Religion/Spirituality
Self-Help
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Known Clients (current & past)
Angela E. Arndt
Derinda Babcock
Brandon Barr
Christy Barritt
Lorraine Beatty
Molly Noble Bull
Terry Burns
Margaret Byers
Kristy L. Cambron
Michael Carl
Dorothy Clark
David Clarke
Ace Collins
Dawn Crandall
Dianna Crawford
Lena Nelson Dooley
Birdie Etchison
Steve Feazel
Suzanne Woods Fisher
Suzanne Fisher
James Fletcher
Howard L. Foltz
Ruth Ford
Nicola Furlong
David Gray
Anne Greene
Pamela Griffin
Eleanor Gustafson
Ann Guyer
Lisa Harris
Sandra M. Hart
J. M. Hochstetler
Thom Hunter
Larry Huntsberger
Clarice James
Rebecca Jepson
Melanie M. Jeschke
Mary Johnson
Mary Ann Kinsinger
Jane Kirkpatrick
April Knight
Sally Laity
Michael Lynch
Zoe McCarthy
Rebekah Montgomery
Pola Marie Muzyka
Darrel Nelson
Melissa Ohden
Carrie Fancett Pagels
Sam D. Pakan
Rajendra Pillai
Susan J. Reinhardt
John Riddle
Tina Roberts
Janet Rockey
Beverly Rodgers
Tom Rodgers
Sandi Rog
Rhonda Schrock
Rita A. Schulte
Stacie Ruth Stoelting
Ward Tanneberg
Diana Taylor
Janet Teitsort
Marilyn Turk
Margorie Vawter
Karen Anna Vogel
Nancy Welch
Jacqueline Wheelock
Nancy Willich
Jay Winchester
Linda Winn
Courtney Young
Gil Zanni
Author Comments
Comments by authors about this agent.
Profile Update
Patrick (Admin)
07/16/2021 09:04 AM
Profile Update: Closed to queries.
writerguy182
02/09/2021 03:24 PM
EQ: 2/8/21
leftyfelix2
10/27/2020 07:18 PM
DO NOT SUBMIT TO AGENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After sending them a proposal I worked on for 2 hours (not worth it, trust me), they rejected it within an hour.
Claim #1 - I had no social media links ANYWHERE when they were in the signature of the query letter email.
Claim #2 - Very uninteresting.
Very cruel & rude, I found. A literary agent should be looking over your proposal, taken proper time that is needed in order to do so, and reading over your chapters instead of rejecting just by one quick look. He even said that he's "getting away from the Christian genre because it doesn't sell as much anymore" where, on the bio of the Hartline website, it actually says otherwise.
After sending them a proposal I worked on for 2 hours (not worth it, trust me), they rejected it within an hour.
Claim #1 - I had no social media links ANYWHERE when they were in the signature of the query letter email.
Claim #2 - Very uninteresting.
Very cruel & rude, I found. A literary agent should be looking over your proposal, taken proper time that is needed in order to do so, and reading over your chapters instead of rejecting just by one quick look. He even said that he's "getting away from the Christian genre because it doesn't sell as much anymore" where, on the bio of the Hartline website, it actually says otherwise.
Profile Update
Patrick (Admin)
05/04/2020 07:48 PM
Profile Update: Open to queries.
Profile Update
Patrick (Admin)
07/28/2019 03:09 PM
Profile Update: Closed to queries.
KristenH
06/22/2019 07:20 AM
EQ 6/17/19 (Requery Venom)--same day rejection--(passed, said to remove cuss words and to edit it more since I can't hire editor and my betas said it was fine. Maybe Cyle Young or Linda Glaz told her this, since it's been edited in the past year. She had no other agents to look it over. So I digress on what she said.)
bdpilot
04/10/2018 11:03 AM
Does anyone know per the query requirements on the website, do they want nothing written in the email (other than the subject line) and everything in an attached file? That's how I'm reading it but just want to be sure. This would be the only agency I've come across that wants solely an attachment.
Patrick (Admin)
03/26/2018 02:02 PM
Thanks donedeal. Both URLs end up in the same place.
donedeal
03/26/2018 12:49 PM
Hey Patrick - new website for this agency: http://hartlineagency.com/
Gswenson33
02/27/2016 11:00 AM
Does not accept new authors unless you've met at a writer's conference
WhatAWriter
04/04/2014 04:06 PM
"Please do NOT submit any material that would conflict with the Christian worldview."
WillMat64
08/13/2013 02:24 PM
Joyce took the time to exchange views with me about first-time writers. She was very kind and supportive in this dialog, and I appreciate her doing so. The last words:
Be sure to include your copywriting experience in your bio. This is impressive and will get the attention of an agent. Your story sounds very interesting and I think you have a good chance of getting published. Just remember, sell yourself, do not feel like you are bragging. As unfair as it sounds, it’s important.
I wish you the best in find the right agent and publisher. Don’t give up. I think you have the drive to make it in publishing.
Be sure to include your copywriting experience in your bio. This is impressive and will get the attention of an agent. Your story sounds very interesting and I think you have a good chance of getting published. Just remember, sell yourself, do not feel like you are bragging. As unfair as it sounds, it’s important.
I wish you the best in find the right agent and publisher. Don’t give up. I think you have the drive to make it in publishing.
WillMat64
08/12/2013 05:25 PM
Joyce wanted to know what qualified me to write my book. Here's my answer:
Dear Joyce:
Thanks so much for taking time to respond to my query, however, in taking a closer look at what you folks do, I must say that I am not even remotely a good fit for you, so I must apologize for adding you to my list in the first place.
I am a bit perplexed, however, at your question of why I am qualified to write my book. How does one become "qualified" to write a book? The answer is simple. By writing it! There are no qualifications in fiction. There is ability, talent, perseverance and a few other elements that give someone the ability to write a book. Perhaps you are confusing the two terms.
I have the ability to write a book because I have done so - over 60,000 words. What would make me qualified? A degree in creative writing? If that were true, we could eliminate probably every classical writer over the last 400 years.
I will grant you that "life experience" could be considered a "qualifier" for writing. If you have none, it is more difficult to write, but not impossible. Look at Emily Dickinson. She spent most of her prolific life in her room dreaming about life experience and writing beautiful poems about those dreams. I can just imagine the rejection letter you would send her.
Dear Joyce:
Thanks so much for taking time to respond to my query, however, in taking a closer look at what you folks do, I must say that I am not even remotely a good fit for you, so I must apologize for adding you to my list in the first place.
I am a bit perplexed, however, at your question of why I am qualified to write my book. How does one become "qualified" to write a book? The answer is simple. By writing it! There are no qualifications in fiction. There is ability, talent, perseverance and a few other elements that give someone the ability to write a book. Perhaps you are confusing the two terms.
I have the ability to write a book because I have done so - over 60,000 words. What would make me qualified? A degree in creative writing? If that were true, we could eliminate probably every classical writer over the last 400 years.
I will grant you that "life experience" could be considered a "qualifier" for writing. If you have none, it is more difficult to write, but not impossible. Look at Emily Dickinson. She spent most of her prolific life in her room dreaming about life experience and writing beautiful poems about those dreams. I can just imagine the rejection letter you would send her.
KristenH
05/17/2013 04:04 PM
That's interesting. I had a bad experience with Andy Sheer last year.
3/1/13, I queried Joyce with Chain Venom. Today she passed. I'll try Diana with CR next month.
3/1/13, I queried Joyce with Chain Venom. Today she passed. I'll try Diana with CR next month.
Zooks3
10/18/2012 09:54 AM
10/18/12 - went to check out new agent Andy Scheer and saw this on P&E:
Hartline Literary Agency: We're not hearing good things. A literary agency.
Hartline Literary Agency: We're not hearing good things. A literary agency.
KristenH
12/15/2011 04:05 PM
12/15: Well, after a few emails back and forth, it didn't work out with him. First of all, he didn't know what a R and R was. Second of all, once I told him, he told me he had to be blunt--he said my prose was awkward that he had ever seen. Second of all, he rejected my proposal and told me, he doesn't want me to resubmit, unless I can analyze what went wrong with my prose. I told him, I was willing to fix it and that I'm reworking it now as I speak. He thought I was arguing with him, when I tried to get some clarity out of it. He said to submit it to someone else, and told me he doesn't wish to work with writers who doesn't understand to see what he writes. I told him I did. So that was that. It's dead in the water. No R&R, officially scratched off on my query list for good. It's marked as helpful, since he gave me some tips on my prose. Oh well. I wished he wasn't mean. I did apology. He didn't respond.
KristenH
01/10/2011 04:11 PM
Jillik, that's interesting. I got nothing from her. I actually sent it to Diana Flegal at Hartline on 10/26 via email. I've sent her a follow-up two weeks ago. Nope.
11/7: Nudged Joyce Hart on mu 7/28/11 query. She responded, she never got my query. 11/8: So I'm requerying her with updated submission package. I also changed the submission date for the status.
12/14: I've heard back from Andy Sheer. Let me know what you guys think. He apologized for getting back to me on the delay. He said that my proposal and sample chapters aren't sharp as they like--he said some were confusing, awkward or hard to understand. He did say the concept was good and wants me to go back to sharpen my prose for me to better able what I envisioned. AS for the proposal, (which I looked over at the website), he mentioned about target reader, comparable books and potential role to help promote my book. To me, this sounds like a R&R. Am I right? If anyone has done a winning Hartline proposal, let me know.
11/7: Nudged Joyce Hart on mu 7/28/11 query. She responded, she never got my query. 11/8: So I'm requerying her with updated submission package. I also changed the submission date for the status.
12/14: I've heard back from Andy Sheer. Let me know what you guys think. He apologized for getting back to me on the delay. He said that my proposal and sample chapters aren't sharp as they like--he said some were confusing, awkward or hard to understand. He did say the concept was good and wants me to go back to sharpen my prose for me to better able what I envisioned. AS for the proposal, (which I looked over at the website), he mentioned about target reader, comparable books and potential role to help promote my book. To me, this sounds like a R&R. Am I right? If anyone has done a winning Hartline proposal, let me know.
Jillik
11/09/2009 09:26 AM
E'queried on 11/7/09
Rec'd an email today (11/9/09) saying she was sorry but she wasn't taking on any first time authors at this time.
Rec'd an email today (11/9/09) saying she was sorry but she wasn't taking on any first time authors at this time.
wonderfuljourney
07/15/2009 12:00 PM
Sent query on 7/13 received a nice personal rejection on 7/15 stating that my story was an excellent one however their wasn't that big of a market for my genre, at least with the publishers she worked with. I have found that "christian or inspirational agencies are probably not who I should query.
MollyZ
07/04/2009 12:00 PM
Sent just a query on 6/16 to gauge their interest and got a request for a partial from Terry Burns with Hartline today (7/4). He wanted me to email a "submission package" following their guidelines on the website. It was a lot of work but nothing unreasonable. I don't consider my manuscript a fit for the Christian market, so they do seem to consider more than just religious/inspirational material.
7/7: Quick! Got a very long R about markets and that they don't have the contacts to place it but they like to keep projects they like around for when their industry contacts grow so may ask for it again down the road. Can't tell if it's form or not.
7/7: Quick! Got a very long R about markets and that they don't have the contacts to place it but they like to keep projects they like around for when their industry contacts grow so may ask for it again down the road. Can't tell if it's form or not.
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Profile History
- Last Update:
- 07/16/2021 - Closed to queries.
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