Success Story Interview - R.L. Nguyen

An Interview with R.L. Nguyen (rlnguyen on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Sarah Landis of Sterling Lord Literistic.

11/11/2025

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

R.L. Nguyen:
My novel is a Vietnamese gothic horror retelling of the Bluebeard fairytale! It started out as a tiny spark of inspiration for my main character—this woman who feels a deep sense of alienation from the world around her as both a second-gen Vietnamese-American who doesn't quite fit anywhere, and the wielder of secret magical abilities that would make her a pariah if anyone found out about them. The rest of the story and its themes flowed from there.

QT: How long have you been writing?

R.L. Nguyen:
I've been making up stories since I could read and started writing seriously about 13 years ago; but I haven't been actively pursuing publication until the last 3 years.

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

R.L. Nguyen:
The book was eight months old when I queried it; that's the fastest I've ever had a novel come together before.

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

R.L. Nguyen:
There was a period of my life where writing felt like a waste of time—I didn't have a clear sense of direction, and I set writing aside altogether for a few years thinking maybe I wouldn't be ready to publish until some point in the distant future. What brought me back to it was realizing I didn't have anything to lose by trying. There were many pits of despair after that, naturally, but having a supportive writing community around me to believe in my work when I didn't helped me stick with it.

QT: Is this your first book?

R.L. Nguyen:
No, it's my fourth completed manuscript.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

R.L. Nguyen:
I do! I went to school at the Author Conservatory, a 3-year college alternative program for gifted writers; and I also received mentorship through The Writer's Sanctuary Iconic program. Both sets of mentors helped me to find my groove as a writer unusually fast, as well as to think about craft, passion, and marketability in a holistic way (rather than treating them as being at odds).

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

R.L. Nguyen:
When I'm drafting or editing on deadline, I set aside dedicated time 4-5 days a week, but the time of day and how long I write depends on my work and family schedules, which fluctuate quite a lot. My favorite way to write is having 2-4 hours blocked out late at night when the house is quiet, though.

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

R.L. Nguyen:
I did two rounds of fairly light developmental edits. Again, I think the training I'd gotten taught me how to create a pretty structurally sound book on the first go-round, so I didn't have to do any major changes.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

R.L. Nguyen:
Yes, three writer friends and a family member read it over for me.

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

R.L. Nguyen:
I am a pretty hardcore outliner—the outline for this book was about 4,000 words. I like having a detailed roadmap for the major structural beats of the story, but I still do let myself discover in between those points.

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

R.L. Nguyen:
I queried for 23 days; this was my first time querying, though I'd live pitched other books at conferences before.

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

R.L. Nguyen:
43!

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

R.L. Nguyen:
I looked for agents who not only repped my genre, but who also looked like they'd have experience working with some of the specific nuances that my manuscript includes, i.e. a more literary voice with a commercial hook, genre-bending (it's a bit horror, a bit fairy tale, a bit destination thriller), and more niche cultural themes. I really wanted to work with an editorial agent, which meant I'd need to find someone who really clicked with what I was trying to do with the book.

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

R.L. Nguyen:
I did. I kept it pretty short, usually just a sentence with something like "I'm reaching out because you requested xyz things in your MSWL" or "I'm reaching out because you represent these specific authors I admire".

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

R.L. Nguyen:
Believe in the book you're sending out. Write the thing that brings you joy, that you matter even if it only made a difference in one person's life, that you'd still be proud of if you got a one star review for it—and make that the book you query. It has to be part of your heart to capture someone else's. And if you're writing from that headspace, it means that you're writing for yourself and your one reader before you're writing for an agent or editor. Which means that you can then embark on the process of editing, thinking about marketability, choosing good comps, etc. from a place of passion rather than it feeling like a chore or a performance you're putting on. At that point, you're just giving something you love the best chance you can.