Success Story Interview - Kelly Esparza

An Interview with Kelly Esparza (kwritesbooks on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Alex Land of Mad Woman Literary Agency.

05/11/2026

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

Kelly Esparza:
Of course! NEARLY DEAD ALREADY is my first adult novel. It’s an adult speculative mystery about a woman who gets stabbed in the back (quite literally), dies, and becomes a ghost who has to solve her own murder! Honestly, I’m not sure what inspired me to write this; I think I just love finding new ways and angles to write a story. I love mysteries and wanted to challenge myself to write in adult.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Kelly Esparza:
Oh, I’ve been writing since I was a really little kid! I used to have these journals (I dated them way back then) where I wrote little stories, going back to ages 4 and 5! It’s always been something I’ve gravitated to, so it’s very natural for me.

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

Kelly Esparza:
I think I drafted this in 7-8 months, which was a little more than my usual drafting time (6-ish months typically), mostly due to my health. And because of it, editing my book to get it query-ready made the process last a little longer than normal.

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

Kelly Esparza:
I’ve never felt like truly giving up, because let’s face it: I write books because I love it more than anything, and I don’t think I could stop, even if I tried. But I will say I did feel discouraged this time around. I had a previous agent I loved who left the industry in 2024, so when book after book kept dying in the query trenches despite having editor interest, it was hard to keep writing and trying again. What helped me stay on course was reminding myself that I do this because I love it. I also took a break for some time to focus on shorter works, like poetry, creative nonfiction, and short stories. I think this reminded me how much I love writing for the sake of writing.

QT: Is this your first book?

Kelly Esparza:
Nope! My first book was a YA mystery that landed me my first agent. After she left the industry, I wrote two more YA mysteries before this adult speculative mystery. So, 4 books in total so far.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Kelly Esparza:
Yes! I received two BAs: one in English and the other in Creative Writing with a concentration in fiction from the University of Arizona. Creative writing classes taught me the value of feedback and workshopping pieces. Though, I will say that to be a writer, one does not need formal writing training! I was writing long before I got “official” training for it.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Kelly Esparza:
Not truly, but when I’m in the drafting phase of my book, I do try to write multiple times a week. The Sprinto function on Discord becomes my best friend and keeps me focused.

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

Kelly Esparza:
I’ve actually never re-written a book before. Of course, I’ve edited it. I work as a freelance editor, so thankfully because of this, I’m a clean first drafter. I only do about a round or two of big edits before sending to any beta readers. And then any feedback I get from betas, I do another round or two of edits.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Kelly Esparza:
Yes, I did! I always have a couple and make edits from their feedback.

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

Kelly Esparza:
I wish I could outline, but I actually don’t. I write from the hip, a “pantser,” if you will. I find that’s what comes naturally to me and leads to my best work. Figuring out a plot in my head as I write as I go always feels like I’m working on a Rubik's Cube until I find the right combination.

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

Kelly Esparza:
Well, I pitched NEARLY DEAD ALREADY during DVPit, which took place in October 2025. I received a lot of agent interest luckily (including Alex actually), but right after this, I entered a bad chronic illness flare and was forced to stop querying this book for months. I officially went full blast in January 2026 and got my offer in late April, so if we just count that, then 4-ish months?

I queried my first novel in 2022 and received an offer in 6 weeks. That was for my first agent.

For my other two YA mysteries, I queried them both for about 6-7 months widely.

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

Kelly Esparza:
For this book, I sent out about 55 query letters.

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

Kelly Esparza:
I re-queried certain agents who had my full manuscripts of my previous YAs in the past (and repped adult too). I also looked at Publisher’s Marketplace a lot and MSWL, looking at the agents I thought would connect with my book the best. I did the smart search on the Manuscript Wishlist site, and funny enough, Alex Land always came up as one of the top people I should query.

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

Kelly Esparza:
Sometimes. Mostly not, because after querying my first book, I realized it didn’t really matter all that much. I only did when it came to pitch events or if I knew an agent from attending their office hours or event they did.

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

Kelly Esparza:
Shoot your shot. Don’t self-reject. If an agent doesn’t specify they want it on a wishlist but are generally open to it, send that query. And of course, keep writing. Keep improving your craft. I truly believe this business is based on timing and luck. It took three books for me to get agented again. You’ve got this.