Casey Schmitt
@csschmitt.bsky.social
Historian @ Cornell. Author of THE PREDATORY SEA: HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND CAPTIVITY IN THE 17TH-C CARIBBEAN (Penn Press, 2025) https://www.pennpress.org/9781512828146/the-predatory-sea/
I wish there was an easy trick! I usually start with letters I know and build from there. That, and I keep my fingers crossed that the worm-eaten bits aren't the most important parts!
January 13, 2026 at 7:55 PM
I wish there was an easy trick! I usually start with letters I know and build from there. That, and I keep my fingers crossed that the worm-eaten bits aren't the most important parts!
Haha! Thanks for the confidence boost!
January 13, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Haha! Thanks for the confidence boost!
1540s! These midcentury documents are some of the worst.
January 13, 2026 at 5:13 PM
1540s! These midcentury documents are some of the worst.
Thank you so much for these kind words! It's always flattering to be put in the same conversation with @murphyte.bsky.social!
January 7, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Thank you so much for these kind words! It's always flattering to be put in the same conversation with @murphyte.bsky.social!
She's just incredible! And thank you!
January 7, 2026 at 1:16 PM
She's just incredible! And thank you!
That's really kind of you to say!! It's so weird to have it out in the world!
December 17, 2025 at 3:37 PM
That's really kind of you to say!! It's so weird to have it out in the world!
This is amazing! I am counting the days until baseball starts again!
December 12, 2025 at 2:00 PM
This is amazing! I am counting the days until baseball starts again!
Thank you, I will certainly take you up on that.
December 8, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Thank you, I will certainly take you up on that.
Haha! You mean me harassing some poor, unsuspecting literary agents!
December 8, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Haha! You mean me harassing some poor, unsuspecting literary agents!
That's really good to know and, obviously, very different from a first monograph with an academic press. Thank you!
December 8, 2025 at 6:55 PM
That's really good to know and, obviously, very different from a first monograph with an academic press. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
December 8, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Thank you so much!
At what stage did you begin working with your agent? Proposal? Full draft?
December 8, 2025 at 6:43 PM
At what stage did you begin working with your agent? Proposal? Full draft?
Thank you! In terms of advice on proposals - at what stage in the writing process do you recommend trying to find an agent? I had assumed the proposal would already be written by the time you reached out to agents.
December 8, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Thank you! In terms of advice on proposals - at what stage in the writing process do you recommend trying to find an agent? I had assumed the proposal would already be written by the time you reached out to agents.
Do you mind me asking two things: how did you find your literary agent? Where did you secure a contract? (No pressure if you'd prefer not to answer publicly.)
December 8, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Do you mind me asking two things: how did you find your literary agent? Where did you secure a contract? (No pressure if you'd prefer not to answer publicly.)
Yes, yes, yes, and yes. All of those things and whether it felt worth it to work with an agent at all.
December 8, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Yes, yes, yes, and yes. All of those things and whether it felt worth it to work with an agent at all.
Awww, thank you!!! I hope you enjoy reading mine; I know you'll enjoy reading Jordan's!
December 8, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Awww, thank you!!! I hope you enjoy reading mine; I know you'll enjoy reading Jordan's!
Aww, thank you so much for the kind words!!! I hope you're doing well!
December 1, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Aww, thank you so much for the kind words!!! I hope you're doing well!