Good Morning. Today on Food for Thought, I'd like to discuss agents.
Sometimes it feels like they are in the secret service. You never know exactly how to approach them or where to find them.
We all would like one, it would make our writers life so much simpler. But did you know that Literary agents are not regulated by licensing or certification? Just like everything else in this world, there are good and bad ones.
Agents usually join an organization called the Association of Authors Representatives. But in saying that, still check credentials as good literary agents are not always members of this group.
Sometimes it feels like they are in the secret service. You never know exactly how to approach them or where to find them.We all would like one, it would make our writers life so much simpler. But did you know that Literary agents are not regulated by licensing or certification? Just like everything else in this world, there are good and bad ones.
Agents usually join an organization called the Association of Authors Representatives. But in saying that, still check credentials as good literary agents are not always members of this group.
I know it's hard for most authors to attend writers conferences. Most of us have full time jobs as well as our writing agendas, but it is a good idea to meet literary agents before you submit to them. T o find out what's happening near you, go here.
Good literary agents are highly specialized because they are extremely knowledgeable about every category of publishing. So how do you snare one? The right agent needs to specialise in your genre of writing. He/She knows how to evaluate the marketability of your manuscripts and knows specifically which publishers might be interested. My advice, for what it’s worth, is to look for agents who represent the fewest number of genres. As some spread themselves too thin over a broad range of categories, and you want them to focus and be an expert in yours.
When you are lucky enough to grab an agents attention, help them evaluate you by giving honest information. Keep it brief. Tell them your publishing credits to date. Please do not expect your agent to be an editor. Think of them as just sellers of your work. NEVER pay an agent for editorial advice and, beyond general impressions of your work, your agent shouldn't offer any.
So here is what you need to send to an agent.
For Nonfiction your proposal package should include:
Table of Contents
Overview of the book
Chapter by chapter outline, brief descriptions for each Chapter
1-3 sample chapters (up to about 50 pages)
Description of the market your aiming for
Your bio, including your credentials for writing the book, and any promotional support you can provide
For Fiction:
A Brief synopsis
1-3 sample chapters (typically 10-50 pages)
Then be ready to send the whole manuscript on request.
Here are some links I think you will find helpful.
http://www.writers.net/agents.html
http://www.firstwriter.com/Agents/
http://www.literaryagent.co.uk/
My question today is for authors really. Do you feel you could do better with an agent, or are you doing doing just fine on your own? Have you had any dodgy experiences with an agent. Please share and you could win a fab prize for the best comment.
No dodgy experiences because I couldn't get an agent to look at me, being an unpublished, first-time author.
ReplyDeleteIn the end I approached publishers directly and received two acceptances on the same day. I know an agent would protect my interests - negotiate a better deal etc., but I was so tired of the submissions circuit by that time. Now my book is published and selling well, I can say I'm an author. Maybe I'll get an agent with my second novel - oh dear, the dreaded submissions circuit again :(
Very useful post. I agree totally that the best place to hook an agent is at conferences where you can talk face-to-face. But I live in the back of beyond and travelling to distant parts is just beyond my resources :(
I've read a great deal about the publishing industry, have been published by five different houses, and now publish almost all my books myself. From what I know, traditional publishing is so unhealthy right now that agents won't even look at a new author because publishers have no interest.
ReplyDeleteThe advantages to traditional publishing have so dwindled in recent years--for example, they do little or no marketing for all but the most popular titles and expect the author to do it all--that even a "healthy" advance is probably not worth the time commitment of working with them.
And of course, that being said, there's no point to getting an agent even if you could! I'm sure things used to be different, but those days are gone. I'll happily stick with self-publishing and keep all the profits and control to myself!
I wholeheartedly agree with Diana. If I am going to have to do the marketing, then why would I pay somebody else to represent me? That, along with trust issues, leaves me packing my own parachute as they say..if something goes wrong, it is my fault; if it goes right then it is my doing.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it seems like those who are self published have a lot more positive options and are not owned by a restrictive contract and deadline(s).
Again, I agree with Diana..times are changing and thus, so must we.
It seems at the moment that SP is the way to go nowadays, even I am looking into it and I'm a real technophgobic.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I believe self-pub still carries a certain stigma to it, and involves a whole lot of work.
ReplyDeleteAs for agents, I probably escaped being with a poor one. I learned of her from a friend who'd signed with her, and I approached her about a novel. She promised me she'd get back to me right after Labor Day. That was Labor Day of last night, btw, September. And as it turns out her agenting experience is very limited, and involves non-fiction. My friend was sorry she signed with her - she sold the book herself, to Silver, which doesn't require an agent, and pays the agent 15% for nothing.
Having said this, the right agent would be heaven, and I'm still searching for him or her.
I have to agree with the above comments, also. For my next WIP, I am also considering the SP route.
ReplyDeleteWith all the promoting one is expected to do, all the work falling on the author who has just spent nearly a year prefecting a novel, well, let's just say that I would rather work for myself than for someone else. Sink or swim in the SP world will depend on the novel, the target audience, and all the self-promoting we have to do no matter which way we decide to go. The market is flooded with great books and wonderful authors, it's the marketing now that is the hard part. But, as I mentioned, we have to do that no matter which way we choose to go. So, why do it for someone else and give up control. Only my two cent opinion here.
Good, informative post!
ReplyDeleteI think it truly depends on what an author wants. If you want to go with a large Big 6 publisher, you'll probably want an agent. If you're like me and with a smaller legacy publisher, an agent isn't needed. My publisher prefers to work with authors directly, and an agent would simply get in the way. I may need an agent in the future if I decide to go bigger, but I'm pretty happy and successful where I am for now. :)