When The Agent Seeks The Writer

Editor's note: I met SK Falls a few years ago when I was organizing the release tour for my first novel. Her cheery personality, her admirable talents, and her authorial philosophies quickly made her a priceless writer's resource. (In fact, I credit her with helping me get my most recent novel finished, thanks to Fast Draft, which you can read about here.) Recently, she shared a bit of news with me and I knew hers was a story the Query Tracker audience would enjoy reading.

Many of us writers spend months--sometimes years--seeking an agent's representation. SK Falls shares her own story today (and, personally, makes me wonder if I haven't been going about things all wrong.)

ON ALTERNATIVE PATHS TO FINDING AN AGENT AND GAINING A READERSHIP:
A guest post by S.K. Falls

These days, authors have multiple options available to them to get their books in readers’ hands. Self-publishing, small presses, Amazon imprints, traditional or Big Five publishing…the opportunities are truly endless. Some of the paths take a long time (cold querying) while others can be almost instantaneous (self-publishing).

I tend to be a fairly middle-of-the-road person with most things. This is true for the business side of my writing career as well. While I wanted to get my books in readers’ hands (and thus bypass the traditional publishing waiting game), I didn’t necessarily want to do the indie thing forever. I wanted to get my books out, gain some readers, and then wait patiently to see what other avenues opened up to me.

As it turned out, this was the right decision for me. In the nine months since I’ve gone indie, not only did my first novel hit Amazon’s sci-fi bestselling list, but an agent contacted me about representation. What’s particularly interesting is that my agent didn’t contact me about my first, more successful novel. She wanted to talk about my second one—a contemporary novel that, at the time of her email, had only been out a couple of weeks and hadn’t yet amassed a huge readership.

You probably already know that publishing nowadays is nothing like publishing five or ten years ago. You don’t need the front table in a bookstore to make awesome sales (though, of course, that still is a golden ticket if you can get it!). If you write genre fiction, you just need a combination of a great cover, blurb, and book, and for Amazon’s algorithms to treat you right.

My first novel World of Shell and Bone hit the home run on all these fronts. I put it up at a time when publishers weren’t buying dystopian fiction but readers were still devouring it. I worked hard and I got lucky. I still wasn’t closed off to a more traditional or hybrid path, but I was doing all right for myself.

Fast forward six months. Readers were clamoring for a sequel to World of Shell and Bone, something I actually hadn’t fully planned on writing. I had this ghost of an idea for one in the back of my head, but my contemporary novel was begging to be written first. So, in spite of all the business advice out there saying to strike while the iron was hot, I decided to shelve the sequel for the moment.

In the six months since World of Shell and Bone had come out, my craft had improved by leaps and bounds (nothing like finishing a book to teach you what not to do). Writing the contemporary novel was a fabulous experience—I had a great time getting the words down, and the people who read it seemed to love it. But this time, the algorithms didn’t favor me so much. The cover, which I know now wasn’t working for my target market (too romance-y), didn’t appeal to fans of World of Shell and Bone either, so I didn’t have many readers crossing over. The novel fell into obscurity fairly quickly in spite of stellar reviews. I was heartbroken, because I believed in this book so, so much. I chalked it up to experience, decided to maybe do a rebrand of the book at some point in the future, and began to write the sequel to World of Shell and Bone.

That’s when, out of the blue, I got an email from an agent who worked for a very reputable agency. She’d read my contemporary novel and loved it. She wanted to talk about how we might get it in front of the right readers with a publisher’s help.

We had to spend time figuring out the hybrid aspect of our relationship because most clients of her agency were traditionally published. However, this particular agent—young and enthusiastic about the digital arena like many older agents aren’t—was open to listening to my points of view. I, in turn, learned a lot from speaking with her about what an agent or publisher might be able to do for me that I couldn’t do for myself. We came to agreement on a contract and signed together. And now, I have a professional partner in my corner who brings experience and business know-how to the table. For someone who isn’t totally in love with the business aspects of writing, this is a bolstering thought.
We only just signed the contract, so this is new territory to me. How it will all unfurl still remains to be seen. What I’m most excited about is getting those doors open that were before completely sealed shut. One thing I’d love to do is have my books published by Amazon’s imprints. Again, that venue is only available through an agent.

I think I should note here that my agent would probably not have found me if I hadn’t self-published. Even though my contemporary novel had a hard time finding readers, the small number who did became early fans, posting about it on their blogs and social media. My agent found it through one such book blog, was intrigued enough by the blurb to try it, and was sold.

So while there are many venues to getting an agent (and ultimately a large readership), I think self-publishing is a viable, legitimate one. Bestselling indie-turned-hybrid author Hugh Howey advises new authors to self-publish first and let the agents come to you. Following his advice has worked well for me so far. I think it’s important, in this changing climate, to keep our minds open to the various venues now available to us. There’s no need to languish in the slush pile anymore.

S.K. Falls

S.K. Falls

 A huge fan of spooky stuff and shoes, S.K. Falls enjoys alternately hitting up the outlet malls and historic graveyards in Charleston, SC where she lives and imbibes coffee. Her husband and two small children seem not to mind when she hastily scribbles novel lines on stray limbs in the absence of notepads.

Since no writer’s biography is complete without mention of her menagerie of animals, you should know she has one dog that doubles as a footstool, a second that functions as a vacuum cleaner, and a cat that ensures she never forgets that her hands are, first and foremost, for pouring cat food.
S.K. Falls is represented by Thao Le of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.

 

Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press) or stop by the Demimonde Blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com .

Do I Need a Literary Agent?

I’ve gotten several questions via email recently asking me about how to go about finding good literary agents, so I’m working on a series of posts about figuring out if you need an agent, whether you’re ready to start querying, finding a reputable agent, and choosing someone who really “gets” your work. Of course, QueryTracker.net will help you through all of the stages I’m going to discuss, and fellow QT blogger Jane Lebak recently wrote a great post on How to Use the QueryTracker Site.

Base image: DragonTash

Do I Need a Literary Agent?

Though the role of literary agents is changing, there are at least a couple of reasons you may want one. First, they are well-connected in publishing, which means they may be able to open doors you can’t open yourself. Second, they are experts on the publishing business, including negotiating contracts.

Literary agents have traditionally been the gatekeepers between the writer and publishers. There are an awful lot of people who would like to get published, which can leave publishing houses inundated.  For this reason, the biggest publishers closed their doors to unsolicited materials. Literary agents provide a screening process, weeding out all but the very best of the material that is submitted to them.

Statistics vary, but most agents say they reject between 95% and 99% of what crosses their desks. (If you’re interested in a particular agent’s statistics, QueryTracker provides detailed information on how often each agent in the database responds positively—with a request for more material, for example—vs. negatively, as is the case with a rejection.)

Agents develop relationships with publisher editors who are interested in the types of material that agent represents. So when Agent X approaches Publisher Y to say that the editor should take a look at Writer A’s manuscript, the editor is open to learning more.

As publishing experts, agents know the market well. They know what is selling, to whom, and why. They may know about markets you’ve never heard of, and they know how much editors are paying for particular types of manuscripts. They can also negotiate contracts (which include when, how, and how much the writer will be paid) and can act as a go-between with the writer and the publisher, especially if something goes wrong or the writer needs some help. [Edit: A reader notes that agents can also help negotiate foreign rights and film rights.] Usually they can negotiate better contract terms for you, both by knowing what they want removed from publishing contracts and by knowing what should be added or changed. You pay for this service by giving your agent a percentage of everything you earn (usually 15% - 20%), but particularly if the agent negotiates better terms than you could negotiate yourself, their work may proverbially pay for itself. It is in a reputable agent’s interest for you to make as much money as possible, because that's the only way they get paid!

Some agents represent a book or a series of books only; other agents represent the author. Many writers prefer to work with the latter type, as these relationships tend to be longer-term and often  include help with their writerly career—improving manuscripts, trying out new ideas, and so on.

So when would you not use an agent? If you are self-publishing, you probably won't use an agent. Also, some writers decide (even if they have worked with an agent or agents in the past) that they are happier or more comfortable going it alone.  They prefer to approach small publishers directly and are comfortable negotiating their own contracts (or hiring an attorney familiar with literary contracts just to review a proposed contract).

Because good agents are picky about who and what they represent, some authors get so focused on finding an agent that they forget that not all agents are equal. First, not all “literary agents” are legitimate or reputable. Second, all of us get along better with some people than others. It’s important to find someone who “gets” you and your work. I’ll be exploring these issues in upcoming posts.

Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD's book, THE WRITER'S GUIDE TO PSYCHOLOGY: How to Write Accurately About Psychological Disorders, Clinical Treatment, and Human Behavior helps writers avoid common misconceptions and inaccuracies and "get the psych right" in their stories. You can learn more about The Writer's Guide to Psychology, check out Dr. K's blog on Psychology Today, or follow her on Facebook! 

Are You Ready for The Call?

One of the most exciting -- and nerve wracking -- moments in a writer's life comes when an agent suggests The Call -- otherwise known as a phone call to discuss representation. Particularly if you are lucky enough to have multiple agents interested in representing you, you need to be prepared with questions that will suss out the agent's approach to representation.

Before the Call, you should always research the agent using her agency's site and any social media she uses (you can find those links in QueryTracker).  You may also want to check out AgentQuery, Publisher's Marketplace, and Preditors and Editors. In many cases agents list recent sales, whether they’re a member of the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR), and how big the agency is. If you can’t find that information, of course, you can add it to your list of things to ask about.

To help you prepare further, here's a big list of questions to consider asking, cobbled together from around the web!

1. How long have you been in business as an agent?
2. Are you a member of the AAR? If not, do you adhere to the guidelines set forth by the AAR?
3. How many clients do you represent? [Hint: If they represent 50, they’re not going to have a lot of time for you.]
4. Who in your agency will actually be handling my work? Will you represent me personally, or will my book be assigned to an associate?
5. What made you decide that you wanted to represent my work?
6. Do you feel that the project is ready for submission to publishers, or will I need to make revisions before submission?
7. If the manuscript needs revisions, how extensive will they be? Will they be small changes, or will I need to make major plot or character changes?
8. How involved are you in working with your clients in developing ideas?
9. Which editors or publishing houses do you believe would be a good fit for my book?
10. What houses that publish my type of manuscript have you placed projects with?
11. How often will you be in touch when I’m on submission? Do you prefer email contact or by phone? Generally what is your response time?
12. What can I do to increase my book’s chances of selling?
13. Do you represent your clients on a book-by-book basis, or are you interested in representing future projects as well?
14. What if I decide to write something in [different genre you’re considering]? Would you represent that book as well? If not, how would you feel about referring me to another agent?
15. If you can’t sell this manuscript, what happens? Do we revise? Will you look at other work by me? Or am I dropped as a client?
16. What are your commission rates? [Standard is 15% domestic.]
17. Do you issue a written agent-author agreement or contract? What is the duration of the contract?
18. Will you consult with me on any and all offers?
19. 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?
20. In the event of death or illness, what provisions do you make for continued representation?
21. What are your policies if we should part company for any other reasons?
22. What are your questions or expectations for me if I decide to take you on as my agent?

All right -- now you're ready for that phone to ring!

Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD's book, THE WRITER'S GUIDE TO PSYCHOLOGY: How to Write Accurately About Psychological Disorders, Clinical Treatment, and Human Behavior helps writers avoid common misconceptions and inaccuracies and "get the psych right" in their stories. You can learn more about The Writer's Guide to Psychology, check out Dr. K's blog on Psychology Today, or follow her on Facebook!

Querying Age: Are You Too Young or Too Old?

                                        ©Stina Lindenblatt

 

I was recently asked if there is an age beyond which a literary agent will shy away from when it comes to signing a new client?

First, I want to make it clear. Never, ever, mention your age in a query. You only include the essentials. Your age is not essential.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a teen writing YA. Yes, your voice might be authentic compared to a ninety-nine-year-old writing a YA novel, but the agent doesn’t care. Nor is it important that you’re approaching the upper end of your life span.

The agent only cares about three things: your story appeals to her, she loves your voice, and your writing skills are honed.

That’s all. And these three things will be reflected in your query. Right?

The only circumstance in which you would tell the agent your age is when you’re a minor (under the age of eighteen). Then a parent or legal guardian will have to co-sign your agency agreement. But you only mention it to an agent when you get The Call. Not before.

And really, what does it matter how old you are? Sure, if you’re eighty, your writing career might not be as long as someone in his twenties. But the same twenty-year-old might die in a car accident and that’s the end of his writing career. You can’t predict these things, and neither can an agent.

So don’t worry about your age. Just focus on producing the best possible query and manuscript.

Stina Lindenblatt writes romantic suspense and young adults novels. In her spare time, she’s a photographer and blogging addict, and can be found hanging out on her blog, Seeing Creative.  

                                         

Publishing Pulse 11/13/09

This will be the finest Publishing Pulse I have ever posted. You'll see a big reason why at the end of this post.

But first... some great QueryTracker news:

QueryTracker.net has passed a couple of big benchmarks!

QT now boasts over 20,000 members and over 200 QueryTracker success stories!
So big congratulations to Patrick!

In Publishing News:

Barnes & Noble's Nook has burst onto the e-reader scene.

Today's the new deadline for Google to submit a revised plan for their digital library to comply with copyright law, after receiving an extension on Monday.

Writer's Digest released their online list of 24 Agents Who Want Your Work

In Publishing Blogs:

Agent Miriam Goderich made a compelling case as to why you need an agent. (Hey... over 20,000 members at QueryTracker couldn't be wrong, right?)

Agent Elana Roth called for children's literature submissions.

Agent Rachelle Gardner posted a great breakdown of the business side of a book deal... with hard numbers. MUST READ!

Also on Rachelle Gardner's blog, Guest Blogger Angie Ledbetter discusses Writerly Ailments and Hazards (WAAH!). Perfect timing for mid-NaNoWriMo.

And now for my favorite part of this pulse...

The rest of the blog team and I had a knockdown, drag-out fight over who got to post today's Pulse, and here's why:

I have the honor of announcing to the QueryTracker community that our own Elana Johnson... resident Query Queen... has accepted an offer of representation from Michelle Andelman at Lynn C. Franklin Associates.

As Elana's critique partner, fellow blog mistress, unofficial fan club president, and someone lucky enough to have read her amazing work, all I can say is: Michelle Andelman is one lucky woman.

I'm sure you'll all join me in a huge to Elana!

After a Fashion: Reaching Querying Capacity

So, you've crafted the perfect query. Your manuscript shines. Your synopsis rocks.

You've done the research and created a list of agents who might be a good fit for you.

So what next? There's tons of information available online about how to prepare for the querying process, but not much on how to go about it. Different writers use widely variant methods. Some writers query every agent on their list simultaneously. Others query only their dream agent and wait for a reply before querying another. Most writers fall somewhere between those extremes and, while only you can decide which method works best for you, I'd like to discuss what worked best for me and why.

But first, I'd like to introduce this into evidence:

That's me (with my sister) on my way to the prom circa 1992.

Now, if you're like me, after looking at this picture, you're rubbing your stinging nose with one hand while wiping the coffee off your laptop with the other. Which is hard to do when you're shaking with laughter. I mean that is really quite the look, right? Check out the asymmetric hair-do and the "floating pearl" necklace. Not to mention the white iridescent tights. And when you're uberpale, the best look is almost always baby pink patterned satin over white tulle, natch.

Here's the thing:

At the time, I thought I looked awesome. Other people thought I looked awesome, too. I overheard my date's younger sister whining that her brother must have bribed me or something cuz OMG, she's actually pretty!

Unfortunately, I believe writing is a bit like fashion. I finished the first draft of The Edge of Memory in 7 weeks. I did a quick grammar edit, and then shipped the manuscript off to a bevy of test readers for feedback, while I took a month away "for perspective." (yeah, right.)

Over the next several months, I completed several major edits. I then decided I was done tinkering and ready to seek representation. I read the blogging agents mantras of "Don't Query Before You're Ready" and "Write a Great Book" and felt confident. I loved my manuscript. I didn't think it was perfect, of course, but I thought I'd reached the point where I needed professional feedback to progress further.

I was both right and wrong.

Between that first stopping point (when my book was titled Still Haunted) and the final version I submitted to my agent, I completed at least six more rounds of editing. And each time I finished a round of edits, I cringed to look at the previous drafts. Just like that prom picture, I look at those versions and wonder, "what the heck I was thinking?"

In February, an agent who had requested a partial and then my full manuscript pointed out a plot detail that bothered her. She gave me a eureka moment and I subsequently rewrote several scenes that strengthened by novel. Several other agents also provided valuable feedback on my work. And by submitting a few different versions of my query letter and opening pages, I learned which ones were most effective. In other words, the submission process itself helped me create an effective proposal package.

Naturally, I wish I had known that I wasn't as ready as I thought I was when I first began querying. But I'm not sure I would have ever reached that point without the query/submission process. Certainly, I might never have had the eureka moment without that agent's input.

The take-home point here is that I'm glad I've never been a Query Player (much as I've tried). If I had queried a zillion agents when I first thought my manuscript was ready, I'd have burned all my bridges. If I had queried a single agent at a time, I wouldn't have gotten the feedback I needed.

But since I only queried a few agents at a time, I got a chance to show my best work to the fabulous agent I eventually signed with. And I'm beyond grateful for that.

My query style:

* Query in batches of 5 or so, every couple of weeks.

* Of those, choose at least 1 or 2 agents who usually respond quickly (Check querytracker.net for response times.)

* If a specific opportunity comes up (say, an agent mentions seeking manuscripts like yours in an interview or on a blog), jump on it.

* After reworking a query pitch or opening pages, submit various combinations to assess what works best.

* Keep at least 5 queries pending

So... what's YOUR query style?

A Query Us Medley

After all these months, I've come to think of you as close friends... my Querytracker family. If you've read my signature box, you'll know that one of my favorite pastimes is to compose parodies to annoy close friends and family. Well, my QT peeps... that means you. Don't say you weren't warned.

Blogging agents: what aspiring author doesn't love these guys? Most writers I know read many agent blogs. Each one is a little different, but they all share one thing in common:

Show me a blogging agent, and I'll show you where they posted in frustration over writers who didn't follow the submission guidelines while querying. Of course, you fabulous Querytracker peeps would never do such a thing, so you'll be able to enjoy the following presentation without remorse.

So... picture it...

You settle into your Orchestra seats at the Hirschfeld Theatre. The house lights dim to black, and then you spot some glowing lights undulating in the darkness before you. The spotlights blaze to life as blogging agents in bright flowing garments swarm the stage. The orchestra strikes up the opening to the "Aquarius-Let the Sun Shine In" medley, and the agents begin to sing:

Joanna Volpe: When your book is in the seventh draft

Colleen Lindsay: And you are sure it shines like stars

Jessica Faust & Kim Lionetti: Then, please, we’d like a query

Kristin Nelson & Sara Megibow: Lit agents are what we are!

All Agents: We’re looking forward to the day that you query us

Say that you’ll query us

You’ll query us

You’ll query us

Scott Eagan: Single title or a series

Rachelle Gardner: Women’s fiction or a mystery

Nathan Bransford: Novels ready for submission

Jenny Rappaport & Jodi Meadows: Shouldn’t need extreme revisions

Kate Schafer Testerman: If your pitch blurb’s tantalizing

Holly Root: And your plot twists are surprising

All Agents: Then query us

Please query us

Janet Reid & Pink Octopus: When you’re sure your book is ready

Jon & Kae Tienstra: And one of us is right for you.

The Knight Agency: Then read our posted guidelines

All Agents: We love the folks that do

Yes, please remember there’s a way you should query us

A way you should query us

To query us

To query us

To query us

To query us

[instrumental and tempo shift to “Let the Sunshine in”]

Check the Sub Guides, check the Sub Guides first, the Sub Guides first

Check the Sub Guides, check the Sub Guides first, the Sub Guides first

Check the Sub Guides, check the Sub Guides first, the Sub Guides first

[continue to end with concurrent scat]

Now, brief disclaimer for any agents who may be reading... I fit your blog or profile pictures in wherever I could without much regard for shape, size, skin tone or even gender, and my photoshop skillz are amateur at best. So please accept my apologies for the crudity of this model.

For your unwitting participation, I'm nominating each of you agents and assistants for a Tony Award... or a Phony Award... or something.

QT Blackout Contest Winners

QueryTracker's longest blackout is well-behind us now, and we can finally laugh about it.

Laugh outrageously hard, if given the chance to read what the QueryTracker community came up with for their one paragraph essays on "How I survived the QueryTracker Blackout."

I know people say it all the time, but it was seriously SO hard to make a decision on this one when we received so many worthy entries.

So without further ado:

First prize, a query letter critique by Lindsay Davis of Writer's House...

Goes to Mercedes M. Yardley!

I remember the Query Tracker Blackout of 2009 like it was only last week. It was a tough time, but I’m a tough woman. The first thing I did was throw a blanket over my head and pretend that I was camping. When one is camping in the woods, one can’t possibly surf over to Query Tracker, can one? One also can’t do the same thing when one is suffocated. I ditched the blanket and moved on to the next stage of grief…er, coping by doing the following Very Adult Thing: I cursed. I cursed like a demon, like a pirate, and like great-grandpas who are known for their cursing. I even stamped my foot once, hard. This hurt my tender heel, thereby swinging me into a new bout of cursing. Then I begged QT not to leave me. Ever. I promised to be kind to it, to only check it one or two times a day. I apologized for smothering it. I confessed that I’d be agentless forever without it, and oh my, doesn’t QT look simply stunning in purple? But there was no answer. I fell on the floor and stared at the ceiling. A life frittered away on looking agents up page by tedious page without outside help simply wasn’t a life worth living. “Take me, afterlife, I’m yours!” I screamed. Then I realized that Query Tracker would most likely come back up in the future. Nothing is really forever. And I had made some fresh cookies, and they certainly wouldn’t last forever, either. I pulled myself together and forced myself to make the long trek to the cookie jar. I had to be strong. I had to look to the future. I had to recheck QT’s main page another 2000 times that day, promises of “giving it space” be hung.

Second prize, a year of QT Premium Membership.

Goes to Jim Duncan!

Frustrated beyond belief (ok, not really, but who doesn't need an excuse to do something absurd), I spent the first several hours tracking down where these server folks were hiding out. Discovering they were rather conveniently located in the back room of my local Waffle House Diner, I proceeded to do what any irate internet geek would do. I packed up my army of mechanical garden gnomes and proceeded to lay siege. Garden gnomes as you most assuredly know, are both ingeniously clever and easily distracted. Once the front gates of the server vaults had been breeched, I was forced to spend the wee hours of the morning berating my lieutenants to keep my server repair crew on the task at hand and stop turning pancakes into aerial assault vehicles. Needless to say, the servers were successfully brought back on line, and I have only now finished hosing off the syrup after the celebratory pancake war ensued. Happy querying everyone!

Third Prize, Steve Weber's Plug Your Book: Online Book Marketing for Authors

Goes to Ed Conte!

Sure, according to Webster’s, I “remained alive” and you might even say I “continued to function” during the Great QT blackout of 2009--despite the hardship and deprivation of losing the indispensable link to my essential agent data base and publishing network. I experienced a set of symptoms so strange and incongruent with my objective to generate and dispatch 10 queries that day. I knew I’d have to find a different focus during that down period…not knowing for how long I’d have to restructure my priorities. I found some release reading obscure blogs on the history of cursive writing and the origins of broccoflour. Checking back more frequently than I ought reveal to see if the QT server was up, I used the intervals between QueryTracker website inspections to read ship manifests of Ellis Island immigrant records and to see if I had outlived high school and college classmates on the Social Security Death Index. I became obsessed with survival and knew I needed to take a break from the computer. Drawn to the garden I began to look for others signs of new life and endurance…any symbol of growth and resilience to carry me through the blackout. I made it and so did the a head of that hybrid, pale green vegetable cluster…broccoflour…on my dinner plate that night as a pristine icon of survival in the computer age.

Congratulations to our winners and many thanks to everyone who entered for a lot of laughs!

And big thanks to Lindsay Davis, who generously donated a query critique for our first prize winner!

Lindsay Davis is a literary agent at Writers House. Before joining the agency, she worked in the children's marketing department at Harcourt and taught fourth grade as a member of Teach for America. For the past three years, Lindsay has apprenticed with Steven Malk in the West Coast office of Writers House, where she's had the opportunity to work with some of the very best authors and artists in the industry. She's now building her own list and is actively seeking picture book, middle grade, and young adult manuscripts. She's always been passionate about children's and young adult literature, and, as an agent, she's eager to help bring fresh voices, characters and stories to a new generation of readers.

Publishing: The Musical

Okay, QT's, today is the last day to enter the Can You Query a Tune? Contest. I will keep submissions open through 6 pm EST, since I won't be around until this evening. We've gotten some wonderful entries already and I can tell it will be hard to choose a winner.

I received a question from one author who was having trouble creating a link in the comments. If you are having trouble posting your entry for any reason, please feel free to email me. My address is listed in the sidebar. Just include "Query a Tune" in the subject heading.

Meanwhile, in honor of musical queries, here's a musical rendition of the way publishing SHOULD work. Take a couple minutes to watch. I'll wait. :)

Okay, everybody feeling cheerful and inspired now? Great!

Now, don't forget: the Can You Query a Tune? Contest winner will receive a copy of Agent Demystified by Authoress of Miss Snark's First Victim.

The Call Part II - Questions to Ask

This is the second part of When the Agent Comes Calling; the first part  was posted on Monday by Elana. First we’ll look at one more set of answers from our panel of agented authors, and then we have a list of questions to help you prep for your own Call!

Our guest list includes Cole Gibsen, young adult author of KATANA, represented by Chris Richman at Firebrand Literary; Lisa and Laura Roecker, young adult sister-authors of FINDING GRACE, represented by Catherine Drayton of InkWell Management; and Leah Clifford, young adult author of REAPERS, represented by Rosemary Stimola of the Stimola Literary Studio.

Q: Did you have a list of questions prepared? If so, can you share some of them with us?

Cole: Absolutely. I received a fabulous list of questions from a wonderful writer, Scott Tracey. He found them at AgentQuery: http://www.agentquery.com/writer_or.aspx .

Lisa: What are your favorite books?

You mentioned revisions, how long does that process usually take? Do you do line edits or just overall comments? How extensive are the revisions?

Do you have any similar books to ours on your list?

Do you have specific editors in mind who you think will like it?

How does the revision process work? Ask about revisions – will you just send us a copy of the MS marked up with suggested rewrites?

Do you prefer to communicate via e-mail? How often will you be in touch when we’re on submission?

Will the current economic environment make it difficult to sell a debut?

When will you decide to give up on an MS? If you can’t sell FINDING GRACE, will you look at other work for us?

Do you have other clients who are a writing team? How did it work?

What questions do you have for us??

Laura: Yes, we had a list. We all understand the process agents take. I mean, we spend every day hoping and praying an agent will process our work! But, I guess I really wanted to hear how each agent worked the process. What does the revision process look like? How long do submissions normally take? When do you give up if editors aren’t biting? Will you consider other work? I think one of our biggest concerns was in regards to communication. How do you prefer to communicate? And how often will you communicate with us?

Leah: I went off the AgentQuery list which you can find here: http://www.agentquery.com/writer_or.aspx . Honestly though, one of the most important questions I asked wasn’t one I planned out, but wound up finding its way into every phone call. I asked what their favorite book was as a child. If they could talk about a book they loved and then have that same level of enthusiasm for my book, that said a lot.

Thanks again Cole, Lisa, Laura and Leah!

Be Ready For Your Own Call!

To prepare for your own Call, you should always thoroughly research the agent on sites like AgentQuery and Preditors and Editors.  In many cases agents list recent sales, whether they’re a member of the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR), and how big the agency is. If you can’t find that information, of course, you can add it to your list of things to ask about.

Which brings us to…here’s a list of questions you can ask during your own Call! We’ve put these together from all over the web, including the interview above.

How long have you been in business as an agent?

Are you a member of the AAR? If not, do you adhere to the guidelines set forth by the AAR?

How many clients do you represent? [Hint: If they represent 50, they’re not going to have a lot of time for you.]

Who in your agency will actually be handling my work? Will you represent me personally, or will my book be assigned to an associate?

What made you decide that you wanted to represent my work?

Do you feel that the project is ready for submission to publishers, or will I need to make revisions before submission?

If the manuscript needs revisions, how extensive will they be? Will they be small changes, or will I need to make major plot or character changes?

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

Which editors or publishing houses do you believe would be a good fit for my book?

What houses that publish my type of manuscript have you placed projects with?

How often will you be in touch when I’m on submission? Do you prefer email contact or by phone? Generally what is your response time?

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

Do you represent your clients on a book-by-book basis, or are you interested in representing future projects as well?

What if I decide to write something in [different genre you’re considering]? Would you represent that book as well? If not, how would you feel about referring me to another agent?

If you can’t sell this manuscript, what happens? Do we revise? Will you look at other work by me? Or am I dropped as a client?

What are your commission rates? [Standard is 15% domestic.]

Do you issue a written agent-author agreement or contract? What is the duration of the contract?
Will you consult with me on any and all offers?

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?

In the event of death or illness, what provisions do you make for continued representation?

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

What are your questions or expectations for me if I decide to take you on as my agent?

All right, now you're ready for that phone to ring -- no April Fool's joke there!  Good luck!



Dr. Carolyn Kaufman is a clinical psychologist and professor residing in Columbus, Ohio. A published writer, she runs Archetype Writing: Psychology for Fiction Writers and an associated blog. Visitors will find not only articles about psychology tailored to their needs, but they can ask Dr. K their writing/psychology questions. She is often quoted by the media as an expert resource.