Success Story Interview - Elliott Wiltrout

An Interview with Elliott Wiltrout (wiltroutelliott on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Michaela Whatnall of Dystel Goderich & Bourret LLC.

07/17/2025

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Elliott Wiltrout:
It's a YA Contemporary with a lil bit of romance! It's about grief and identity and deconstructing Christianity. And also, roller coasters.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Elliott Wiltrout:
For as long as I can remember.

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

Elliott Wiltrout:
Off and on for about three years.

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

Elliott Wiltrout:
I always feel like I'm going to fall off about halfway through a manuscript. I'm almost always writing to get to the "next big scene," so when I arrive at that scene, I usually have to recalibrate and find my next goalpost. After reaching the midpoint of this book, I took a long break, and as cheesy at it sounds, it was the characters who pulled me back in. I couldn't stop thinking about them and wanting to do this story justice.

QT: Is this your first book?

Elliott Wiltrout:
It's my fourth manuscript but the first book I've queried.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Elliott Wiltrout:
Yes, I have an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Elliott Wiltrout:
When I'm drafting, I try to write at least 1000 words a day. Sometimes that means staying up late or writing on my lunch break, and sometimes there's just too much going on and it doesn't happen at all. I have to remind myself that progress is progress, even if the steps are small.

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Elliott Wiltrout:
This book has been through two full drafts, but some sections have been rewritten and reworked at least a dozen times.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Elliott Wiltrout:
I have a small group of writer friends that meets every couple of weeks. They probably saw most of this book, and they gave me some really great feedback. My wife also read multiple drafts of the manuscript and helped me work through a lot of the problem areas.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Elliott Wiltrout:
I did! I wrote an outline and stuck to it for about 50% of the book. After that, I went a little rogue.

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

Elliott Wiltrout:
This is the first book I've queried, and I started in October 2024. I sent about half my queries that month and then did another batch in January of this year.

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

Elliott Wiltrout:
About 20!

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

Elliott Wiltrout:
It was really important to me that I work with someone who was deeply familiar with the YA space and who had a proven track record of selling queer books. I was also pretty picky about what agencies I queried. I wanted to make sure I went with an agency that was steady and well-established.

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

Elliott Wiltrout:
I checked each agent's MSWL and added a line about how my book would fit into their wish list.

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

Elliott Wiltrout:
Just focus on the work. Rejection can be hard, but it's a lot easier to deal with when you're actively revising or working on the next big thing. Also, there are any number of reasons why an agent might pass on your book, and it's usually not worth it to try and "crack the code" on what happened. You don't want to work with someone who's not all-in, anyway.