Connecting to Agents and Editors

All of us writers out there want to be published, right? Yeah. Otherwise what’s the point of all this writing? :)

One good step toward attaining that goal is to connect with agents and editors. An easy way to do that is by going to conferences and workshops where they will be in attendance. Listen to what they say when they speak, take notes on the things that resonate with you, and use that information in your query letter when you submit to them. It shows them that you’re serious and you pay attention, both good things.

You can also try to connect with them after the conference is over (there is often a mix-n-mingle afterward). But, that is NOT the place to pitch your story. The only place acceptable for pitching your story is in a query letter, so keep it there. However, you can talk to the agent or editor about current publishing trends, what they’re working on, what books they have coming out soon, etc. You can also find out how they work. If it’s an agent, you can find out a bit about her communication styles. If it’s an editor, you can find out how the acquisition process works at her publishing house. There are plenty of things to talk about that have nothing to do with your book, and this will leave them with a good and professional impression of you.

If it’s not feasible for you to attend any conferences or workshops, there are still ways of making a connection. Many agents and editors have blogs. Read them. Get a feel for their style and work ethic and see if it matches up with yours. If anything they have to say resonates with you, include it in your query. This shows them that you’ve done your research and might be more fun to work with than a newbie.

What if you want to query an agent or editor that doesn’t have a blog? Not to worry. It’s harder in this case, but certainly not impossible to find ways of connecting with them. Agents and editors often give interviews, so if you search for that on the internet you’ll likely find something. You can also research which books they’ve edited and/or represented. Make a note of why the content or style of those books fit with yours.

Basically, when you’re submitting, the bottom line here is this: Why did you choose this particular person? Why do you think the two of you would make a good team? They need to know this. Cold queries will sometimes result in a contract, but the market is getting tougher every day so why wouldn’t you use every advantage you can? It would be pretty silly not to. :)

How many of you send out targeted queries vs. cold queries? What has been your general response?

How To Get The Most Out Of A Critique, Part Four

Last week, I talked about how to incorporate a critiquer’s feedback into your work. Today, I want address what happens if that feedback comes from an agent or editor.
It’s one thing to dismiss feedback from another writer, but it gets more complicated when it comes from an agent or editor. After all, they’re the ones who can get us to that coveted that Published and Listed status. All of a sudden, the stakes have gone up.

When an agent requests your full manuscript, what’s the first thing you do? You cheer, of course! A request is a good thing, which could lead to other good things. And if that agent likes your story but has a few misgivings, she might offer you some advice to revise. If she really likes it, she might even invite you to resubmit. This is great cause for celebration, closely followed by nauseating nerves. This could be your chance to snag an agent, so you want to do your absolute best work. Plus, agents have their fingers on the pulse of the industry so if you do what she tells you to do, it’ll be all right. Right?

Wrong.

It’s easy to get caught up in revising for an agent or editor because they are directly responsible for getting you published. The problem is that you can lose sight of your story and focus on doing what she says, which may or may not work. If it doesn’t work, then the agent/editor is going to say no, and you might be upset and frustrated because you did all that work for nothing.

It’s possible that, after all that work, your story really is stronger and the agent just didn’t love it enough to take it on. Or, it’s possible that you did all that work for nothing. How do you know which is true?

An agent just a person and not much different from a fellow critquer, except that she has more insight and experience with respect to the industry. But she doesn’t have more insight into your story than your critique partner does. She can’t, because she’s not you. No one has better insight than you do.

I’ve heard many writers lament about doing revisions for an agent only to be turned down. This sometimes turns into a complaint about how the agent demanded they write the story for her instead of letting them stay true to the story. The writers almost always swing to the other extreme and they proclaim that they are through with writing for other people and will only write for themselves—often coupled with an aversion to feedback.

These writers don’t know it, but they fell victim to the idea that if they do what an agent tells them to do, it’ll get them published. Which they’ve just proven isn’t always true. So, what do you do about that?

You write for you, of course. :) To do that, you use the same methods to incorporate feedback that you used with your critique partner.

The difference is that you have more to lose, i.e. the agent or editor could pass on your story. This sucks, but that’s how it is. Blindly following an agent’s advice won’t necessarily get you anywhere, either. Therefore, it’s even more important that you assess an agent’s feedback with a critical eye, because she’s likely revealing flaws in your story that you need to address. BUT, that doesn’t mean you need to fix the problem in the exact way she suggests. She doesn’t know the story the way you do, and could unknowingly be introducing other problems. In fact, if you don’t take her advice and fix the problem in a different way, she’ll be impressed. It shows that you have a good head for revision, and she’ll be more inclined to want to work with you.

It’s complicated, but there’s not really a way around that. All we can do is write the best story we can, then stay true to it as we strive to make it better. A good agent or editor will recognize and appreciate that.

Agent/Publisher Research Chart

Last week, I shared the chart I used to track what I had submitted and to whom. This week, I thought I'd share the chart I used to research the people I submitted to. And, yes, I realize that I'm doing this backwards, but oh well. :)

Very early on, I decided to try to sell my first book without an agent. So, I went about learning everything I possibly could about the submission process and how to choose a publishing house. These are the things I kept track of:

Editor and house, type of publisher (trade, education, etc), what genres and age groups they publish, how many books they published the previous year, how many of those books were debut vs. known authors, submission guidelines, my reason for submitting to this house, and any other notes I had about them.

When researching agents, you need some of the same info, but not all. When I decided to try for an agent, these are the things I kept track of:

Agency and agent, what they represent, their recent deals, how many of those deals were new vs. old clients, submission guidelines, my reason for submitting to this agency, and any other notes I had on them.

I put all of this into a spreadsheet and started to collect information several months before I was ready to submit. When I was ready, I had no less than 50 agents in my list to submit to. Having so many kept me from freaking out each time I got a rejection and wailing about how I'd get my book published. Rejection is a part of this business, but it's also really difficult to deal with at times. For me, having several backups kept me from losing it. :)

If you don't already have a way to research agents or editors, you're welcome to use the spreadsheet I created. You can download a copy here.

Submission Tracking Chart

When I first started submitting my work to agents, I had no idea what I was doing. In fact, the very first time I sent out my ms, I didn’t properly record what I’d sent or who I’d sent it to. Basically, it was a big mess.

Over the years, I learned from my mistakes and honed my submission process, finally ending up with a workable system. A few people have asked me how I handled my submissions when I found my agent, so I thought I’d share it with all of you, too.

I utilized Query Tracker’s tool for keeping track of submissions, but I also created a spreadsheet of my own. That way I knew exactly what I’d sent out and when I could expect a response. I created a header for all of this information, then created subsections for material that had been requested, rejected, was still out, and who I had left to query.

Here’s kind of what it looked like:

Agency	Agent	Items Sent	Date	Due Back	Received	Response
Requested
Hunter Agency	John Doe	query & first ten pages; first fifty pages	1/1/2011, 2/2/11	4/1/11, 5/2/11	1/31/2011	"Thank you for the opportunity to read your work. I enjoyed your query and sample, and would love to see the first fifty pages. Feel free to email them at your earliest convenience."
Pending
Doe Eyes Agency	Jane Doe	query & first page	6/1/2011	10/31/2011	-	-
Recieved
Knot Agency	Mr. No	query	10/31/2010	1/31/2011	11/15/2010	form rejection
No Response
Quiet Agency	Busy Bee	query & first two pages	10/31/2010	1/31/2011	-	status query sent 3/31/11
To Query
Agency One	Agent One	-	-	-	-	-
Agency Two	Agent Two	-	-	-	-	-
Agency Three	Agent Three	-	-	-	-	-

This isn't a great rendition of the spreadsheet, but it's the best I can do with the tools I have in blogger. But, it basically gets the point across. If you like, you can download a copy of the template from my website, here.

I used this spreadsheet to keep track of everything, including feedback I'd gotten on revision suggestions. When I first started out, I didn't collect so much info, and later on I was wishing I had. I also refined my submission strategy.

When I queried a new project, I started out with only two agents at a time. That way, if I got feedback then I could revise and make the piece better before sending it out to the next person on my list. Otherwise, I ran the risk of burning through everyone too quickly, with material that I could easily have made better. Once I started getting more consistent feedback, along the lines of "This is good, but not for me," then I started sending it out to more agents at a time.

How many of you have been submitting for a while? How many of you just got started? How many are getting ready to start? What's your submission process?

Are You Ready for an Agent?

Hi all! How was your holiday? I had a great vacation, and I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. :)

Last month, I shared Michelle Bayuk’s extensive marketing experience. Today, I want to share what agents Jennifer Matteson and Edward Necarsulmer IV had to say about the signs you’re ready for an agent.

This wasn’t exactly a structured talk. It was more a Q&A, and both agents shared their experiences and knowledge. And they both shared some great nuggets, which I’ll list out below.

Edward Necarsulmer IV:
-Unless you’ve got several sales under your belt that are doing well, don’t pitch an idea or concept with sample chapters in a query. Agents and editors need to see the completed manuscript for fiction.

-In a query, agents don’t want to see the phrase ‘newly completed’ when referring to the novel. Manuscripts need to be revised and made the best they can be, and saying it’s newly completed implies it’s just a first draft. Agents want to see draft ten, not draft one. :)

-Many picture book and educational authors are not agented. Agents mostly work with trade books.

-Most importantly, agents and authors work together as a team. Trust in each other, ask questions, and know that you are not alone.

Jennifer Matteson’s Signs That You Are Ready For An Agent:
-You have written more than one novel. For picture books, have at least three books you feel are publishable.

-You can discuss the strengths and weakness of your work without getting defensive.

-You have a critique group, as well as a revision history of your novel.

-You can name at least three published titles that you think are helpful comparisons (this helps agents get a feel for what kind of story you’ve written).

She also shared some additional advice:
-Having a critique group helps you move beyond your emotions—emotions often cloud judgment and keep us from making our work the best it can be.

-If you happen to land a book contract without an agent, look for a re-negotiation clause in the contract. This will allow you to re-negotiate certain terms in your contract if the industry standard changes.

I don't know about you, but I found all of this very inspiring. :)

Unofficial Official Agent Appreciation Day

Today is Unofficial Official Agent Appreciation Day!

What does that mean? Well, basically, it's a day devoted to all the amazing things agents do, invented by Kody Keplinger.

I am devoting my post to my agent, Andrea Cascardi. Pardon me while I gush a bit. :)

Andrea and I have only been working together for a few months, but her talents have shown through. Her keen insight has strenghtened my story in ways I couldn't imagine on my own. Her enthusiasm is palpable, and her no-nonsense attitude is a perfect match for my own. In case you couldn't tell, I love working with her. :)

So, Andrea, I dedicate this day to you. Thank you for everything!! I'd bake you your own cake, but I'm afraid it will get squished in the mail. So here's a virtual cake for you.



Lots of other authors are appreciating their agents today, and you can see the full list on Lisa and Laura's blog.

When To Start Submitting

"When should I start sending queries to agents or editors? Is a synopsis and a few chapters sufficient? Or do I need to have a completed novel?"

This question comes across the internet pretty regularly, in blogs, discussion boards, listservs, you name it. Though I've been seeing it more often lately. Not sure why.

The short answer to this question is this: you MUST finish your novel first. Why? For many reasons.

1. Not everyone is capable of finishing what they start. Since agents and editors don't know you personally, they don't know if you possess that particular skill. So if you approach an agent with only three chapters and an outline, they won't know if you will finish the first draft, plus get through all the necessary rounds of revision (once an editor buys your work, you will have to go through at least one round of revision - it's just the way it is).

2. It takes many drafts to make a good novel. Whether you revise as you go or write multiple drafts, you still need to re-read what you've written. If you don't, then you really have no idea what kind of quality you're submitting. It also means you're sending out a project that does not reflect your full potential. Therefore, you're not showing the agent or editor what you can really do. It makes it easier to set your work down.

3. As you write, you will likely make discoveries about your characters, setting, plot, etc, which could change the way your story unfolds - even if you've planned everything out. In other words, the agent/editor might end up with a different product than she expected. That could raise some issues, such as cancelled contracts.

4. These days, the query count has skyrocketed. That means your work really needs to stand out from the massive pile on the agent/editor'S desk. An incomplete project isn't going to do this, because it is not the best that it can be. 'Potentially good' isn't going to cut it, because there is still no guarantee that you will finish what you started. So, it's really in your own best interest to send out a novel that you have gone through more than once, and make it as good as you possibly can.

There are exceptions, of course. If you have already published a novel (not self-published) and proven that you can make it through the process, then your subsequent books will likely sell on proposal. Also, non-fiction generally sells on proposal - three chapters plus outline. But fiction doesn't work this way for debut authors. We get to work on spec until we establish ourselves.

Many writers start querying too soon. Either they don't want to put in a bunch of work for a project that might not sell, or they are too excited about the story to wait until it's done. But we get one shot with agents and editors, so we need to make sure to hit them with the absolute best work possible do they will have no reason to say no. An unfinished project will never do that.

Accepting an Agent's Offer?

So, you've written a great book. You've revised and polished it to perfection. You researched agents and submitted a great query letter to them, and at least one has made you an offer.

Congratulations!! This is a great place to be. The next question you should be asking yourself is 'should I accept?'

Many times, writers get so excited about this offer that they accept without giving it much thought. After all, any agent is better than no agent, right?

WRONG.

Agents have different working styles, and her style may not match with yours. Her vision for your book may not even be the same, so it's important to find out as much as possible so you can decide whether or not to sign on that dotted line.

First, let me take a moment to share an opinion. I have heard countless writers say that an agent works for the writer. Why? I have no idea because I completely disagree. Agents and writers are equal partners, each having a specific role. One is not more important than the other. One does not have more authority than the other. That kind of balance is what you should be looking for.

In other words, an agent is more than someone who negotiates deals. She will be your partner, your advocate, and you need to find out if the two of you will work well together. That's a hard thing to do, but there are some ways to prepare.

Having a list of questions for THE CALL will help. A lot. But there's more you can think about. What are your working styles? Do they mesh? Are your communication styles similar? Do you need an editorial agent? How early in your WIP do you want feedback? What other books do you plan to write? What do *you* Want from the partnership? What does the agent want? Do they match?

Agent-hunting is a bit like speed dating: you only have a short time to decide if you're willing to take things to the next level, so it's important to keep these things in mind before signing that contract. Otherwise you could be in for an ugly break up.

If it turns out you're not compatible, well, that will feel like a harsh blow. But keep this in mind: you got one agent's interest, so you can do it again. It's just a matter of finding the right match.

Preparing for THE CALL

So, you’ve written an amazing book, you’ve revised your query letter to perfection, and the responses you’re getting are more consistent – they have more to do with finding the right match rather than revising to make your story stronger. You’re close, and that means you should start preparing for that thing we all look forward to...

THE CALL.

There are two different kinds of phone calls you can get. One is when the agent just wants to chat about your story, perhaps give you a revision request verbally instead of via email or paper. This can be particularly vexing for the writer because phone calls don’t happen often, so it’s easy to get your hopes up a bit too high.

The other kind of phone call is THE CALL, with an offer of representation. Sometimes agents will send an email ahead of time, asking to schedule a phone call, and others will just call out of the blue. I experienced both, and my planning-oriented brain much preferred the scheduled phone call. Because you just can’t get your brain oriented properly for a spontaneous phone call. :)

That said, you can do lots of planning ahead of time. In fact, you MUST plan ahead of time, because, when you get that call, you need to be able to ask your own questions in a coherent manner. If you don’t ask questions, then you have no idea what you’ll be getting in to. And you need to be able to get a good idea of how this agent works.

I spent months researching questions to ask, and compiled a huge list. I went through them during both of my phone calls, and asked each question at some point in the conversation.

Here’s my list:
* Are you a member of AAR? If not, do you follow the same guidelines as the AAR?

* Are you an editorial agent? If so, what are your ideas for revisions? Or is my project ready for submission?

* What do you like best about my work? What made you decide to represent my work? Do you have any other clients with projects similar to mine?

* Are you interested in representing my future novels?

* How involved are you in working with your clients on developing new ideas?

* What are your ideas for submission? Which houses do you think will be a good fit for my work? And how many editors will you pitch to in the first wave? Will you inform me of any and all offers? As well as rejections?

* Have you placed projects similar to mine before? If so, where? How many projects have you placed so far?

* What can I do to increase my book’s chances of selling?

* How quickly do you respond to client questions? How often do you check-in with clients on submission status? And what is your preferred method of communication?

* How many clients do you have? Do you have an assistant or any other kind of support?

* Will you represent me personally, or will my book be assigned to an associate within the agency?

* Do you use a written or verbal agent-client agreement? What does this agreement include/exclude? What is the duration of the contract?

* Does your agency handle the sale of subsidiary rights, like foreign, film, audio, and translation (or do you have a relationship with a sub-agent who handles the sale of these rights on your behalf)?

* What are your commission rates? [Standard is 15% domestic, 20% foreign/film.]

* When you receive money for me, how quickly do you pay out my share? Will you issue a 1099 tax form at the end of the year? How do I get my money if something happens to you?

* If an emergency should happen such that you are no longer able to represent my work, do you have a plan for me or will I need to seek other representation again?

* What are your policies if we should part company for any other reasons?

* How long have you been an agent? How do you like it?

* If you can’t sell this manuscript, what happens? Will you look at my other work? Will you help me develop a new project?

* What happens if two of your clients present you with similar projects – will you take them both on or only one?

* What if I decide to write something in a genre you don’t normally represent? Would you represent that book as well? If not, how would you feel about referring me to another agent?

* If my work goes out of print, but is then picked up by another house, how does this work for you?

* In your mind, what is an ideal client? What are your questions or expectations for me if I decide to take you on as my agent?

I printed out this list, with enough space between the questions for me to write down the answers, and had them handy in case I should get a call. When I did, it took forty-five minutes to get through all these questions, both times. Though it was more a conversation, not an interview, and I recorded the answers as they came up.

I have heard many stories where writers have had to part ways with their agents because of differences in working styles and communication. I really didn’t want to be one of those people, so I tried to put together questions that would at least tell me if we differed on a fundamental level. It gave me peace of mind.

Plus, if I hadn’t had these questions ready, I never would have been able to make an educated choice about which agent I should be working with. And I’m very happy with the choice I made. :)

That said, what if you get one offer? Should you just take it? Maybe, maybe not...but that's the topic for my next post.