Success Story Interview - Amy Johnson

An Interview with Amy Johnson (amycjohnson17 on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Bonnie Swanson of FinePrint Literary Management.

03/19/2026

QT: How long have you been writing?

Amy Johnson:
I've been writing since high school, and I'm now in my early 30s. I have always felt like I've had a story to tell, so I've written things just for myself, but I have never actually worked towards getting something published until this past year.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Amy Johnson:
I started working on this book in November of 2024 and finished writing it in May 2025. Then I spent a good amount of time (the whole summer of 2025) editing, having it beta read, developmentally edited, all the necessary steps before trying to get it represented by an agent.

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Amy Johnson:
Yes, absolutely, 100%. Querying is so difficult, and the rejections can really start to affect you -- you know your writing is good, beta readers tell you your writing is good, and yet agents keep rejecting. But I kept going because I knew I had something of worth and I wanted to see my goal achieved.

QT: Is this your first book?

Amy Johnson:
Technically, yes, this is. I've written other, smaller things but never actually worked towards getting them on the path to publication.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Amy Johnson:
Formal creative writing training, no, but I have a master's degree in English education, and I'm a high school English teacher, so I'm trained in language and literature.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Amy Johnson:
Yes, for sure. I had a beta reader, two developmental editors, and a copy editor. I love Reedsy and Fiverr for this; if you're willing to spend the money, the feedback is priceless!

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Amy Johnson:
I queried this book from October 2025 to February 2026, when I signed with my agent.

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Amy Johnson:
Many. Around 100 query letters, and, of those, I received 5 partial or full requests. The rest were either closed/no reply (CNR), outright rejections, or I withdrew after getting my offer of representation.

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Amy Johnson:
I write dystopian fiction, so I chose agents that represent speculative fiction and/or also mentioned on their website or manuscript wish list (MSWL) that they are interested in dystopian fiction.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Amy Johnson:
Yes, I did, though not always. When I did, I read over their bios and MSWLs and found specific things they were looking for that aligned with what my book contained, and then I had a sentence at the end of my query letter about why I think they'd like my manuscript.

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Amy Johnson:
Don't give up. This process is so brutal, and it can feel like it's never going to end, you're never going to be successful, and you'll never find an agent. But, as everyone says, it only takes one 'yes'. So keep going.