Dashboard Literary Agents Success Story Interviews M.E. Warthan

Success Story Interview - M.E. Warthan

An Interview with M.E. Warthan (mewarthan on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Haley Warrington of The Booker Albert Literary Agency.

07/07/2025

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?: M.E. Warthan:
The Nightweaver is a paranormal romance about a young woman who makes a deal with a dark god who becomes obsessed with her. Using her newfound freedom, she enrolls in this eerie school hoping to honor her late father's legacy. But when something starts to haunt her, she's forced to make another deal with the god and steps into a cosmic love that's been centuries the making. It's a book about love, yes, but it's also about overcoming the darkness of the past and learning to love life and all its messiness.

This book has existed in my head for a while. I was actually editing something else when the song "Mr. Sandman" by SYML came on. I was immediately pulled into this world of night, paranormal bargains, cosmic love and a female main character who is strong because of her ability to overcome tragedy. I knew that I had to bring it to life. Evelyn is the kind of character destined for a Tim Burton movie. I would say I put pieces of myself into her, but, really, she's the young Morticia Addams I've always wanted to be. I'm getting my Master's in gothic literature on the side, so I was really inspired by Dracula for this one, which made watching Nosferatu in the middle of editing even more fun. It was a fun book that I really poured my heart into, and I'm so lucky to have found someone who loves it as much as I do.
QT: How long have you been writing?: M.E. Warthan:
Technically, I started writing I was 5. I handed my mother a poem I wrote, which miraculously got published into a children's anthology later. But I didn't take myself or my writing very seriously until 2023 when I was bored out of my mind after my wedding was over and decided to start writing to feel like myself again. It began with just some fanfiction before I realized I wanted to write something more.
QT: How long have you been working on this book?: M.E. Warthan:
Since mid-November 2024. After taking a few months off, I wrapped up my final edits on it in April 2025.
QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?: M.E. Warthan:
All the time. I think we all have that voice inside of us that says we aren't enough. Since I have OCD, my voice is really, really loud. My impostor syndrome gets even harder sometimes because I read a lot and tend to compare myself to published books (learn from me and don't do that). I just kept reminding myself of the story I wanted to tell the world. If even one reader could resonate with my main character, all of the self-doubt would be worth it. Plus, I had some great friends who pushed me to keep going even when I was convinced I would fail. At the end of the day, you don't want to be the person standing between you and your dreams.
QT: Is this your first book?: M.E. Warthan:
I've written two others. One will never see the light of day, and the other was a book that I loved but just didn't fit where I wanted to be in my career! But if you include fanfiction, I've written many books.
QT: Do you have any formal writing training?: M.E. Warthan:
Nope! I'm just learning as I go. I've started studying English but that was actually after I began to query this book so it's a fairly new development. Most of what I've learned has been from reading a lot and gathering feedback from others.
QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?: M.E. Warthan:
Not really. I probably should, but I don't feel like I do my best work when I'm forcing myself, and I like to keep writing fun. Sometimes, life can get in the way and I go a week without writing (though if I go much more, I start to go feral). On days that I do decide to write, I like to reach at least 2,000 words. It's an achievable amount without overexerting myself. In a way, I'm actually glad I started writing fanfiction first because those readers expect quick updates! It's pushed me to write more each day than I think I can
QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?: M.E. Warthan:
Just one rewrite! Most of my edits after that were more on the line level. I think I had about three of those and they were very nitpicky.
QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?: M.E. Warthan:
I had tons of Alpha readers. Critique partners, writing groups, etc. I don't know if you would technically consider any of them "betas", but I did have a good amount of eyes on it. Most people read my first 50 pages or so, but a few read the whole thing.
QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?: M.E. Warthan:
I don't think I've ever written an outline that I've stuck to in my life. I just can't! It sounds crazy, but my characters and stories live inside of my head and I'm just writing down what they do, kind of like I'm notetaking on their lives. An outline totally throws me off.
QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?: M.E. Warthan:
From first query to my offer was about a month. It was a super quick process for me with this one, and I'm really counting my blessings there. I queried a previous book for about four months before shelving it, deciding to work completely on The Nightweaver.
QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?: M.E. Warthan:
I think my number was about 35ish. Right before I got my offer, I sent out a bunch and got to around 80.
QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?: M.E. Warthan:
My first 5-10 queries were based on response rate and whether they represented my genre. I wanted quick feedback in case anything was off. When those queries went well, I decided to be a little bit more selective and look at not only who represented my genre but also whose vibe seemed like a good fit for mine. Sometimes, though, if they wanted romance, I sent it anyway. You never know what someone might be looking for! I try not to self reject.
QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?: M.E. Warthan:
Just about every one, yes. I know it can get tedious, but there's a reason in my head why I chose them, so might as well write that down for them too! It usually consisted of the sentence, "I believe this is a good fit for you based on your stated interest in ____." Sometimes, it was as simple as being from the same state or loving the same movie! A lot of times, I found my personalization from their websites, #MSWL, or mswishlist.com.
QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?: M.E. Warthan:
Don't self-reject! You never know who will fall head over heels in love with your story. If you never put it out there, if you never take that first step and send that letter or write that synopsis or go to that pitch event, then you're standing in your own way. There's a reason you wrote this story, and someone will eventually see that too.

Success Story Interview - M.E. Warthan

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