Guide to Literary Agents - Guest Columns

Three Ways to Identify the Literary Agent of Any Book

Chuck — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:24:17 GMT

If you want to know who agented a particular book, there are a variety of ways how to discover the individual literary rep who made the deal. Here are three ideas for starters:

1. Simply check the book's acknowledgements. Sometimes, it will be as simple as a writer saying, "And a special thanks to my agent, Randy Masterson."

2. Use search engines. Try Googling the book's title (or author) and the word "agent," and see what you come up with.
Also, lots of times, authors will have their representation listed online. So if you want to know who the agent was for Joe Smith's book, The Neptune Paradox, find Joe Smith's official Web site. Check the bottom of the home page, and then the "Contact" page. The site may say, "Joe is represented by Randy Masterson Literary Agency, 245 Manhattan Road, New York, NY."

3. Worse case scenario, you can call the publisher. If you see that Knopf published the book, for example, call Knopf's main line and speak to the operator. Ask for the editorial department; better yet, if you can, explain your goal and request to speak with the editor who worked on The Neptune Paradox. The operator will say, "Oh, that's Judy Smith. I'll transfer you." You won't talk to Judy, but rather her assistant. No matter. Ask the assistant if Judy did indeed edit The Neptune Paradox. When the assistant confirms Judy's involvement, kindly request to know who the book's acting literary agent was. She'll be happy to tell you.

Want more on this subject?

Word count guidelines for novels and children's books.

Networking at writers' conferences.

20 Tips on Query Letters.

Need some help finding the best literary agent for your work? Sign up for my webinar, "How to Land a Literary Agent," on Dec. 17, 2009. You can ask questions and hear me discuss queries, proposals, submissions, copyright and more.

Agent Paige Wheeler on Her 10 Pieces of Advice for a Successful Agent-Author Relationship

Chuck — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:55:18 GMT

A little while ago, I received an invitation to the graduation of one of my author’s daughters. This author has been with me for eleven years when her daughter was only seven years old. It’s amazing how time flies. It’s even more amazing the relationship that I’ve developed not only with my author, but with her family as well. We have shared personal ups and downs over the years, I’ve watched her family grow and I’ve guided her career as well.

It’s the same for the majority of my clients. They start off as clients but they become friends. It’s important to nurture this relationship from both sides, because it is going to be a long term relationship. Once the agent sells the book, you’re working with that agent for the life of the book contract. Even if the two of you part ways, royalties still have be paid out, correspondence exchanged, and foreign rights have to be sold. It behooves both sides to follow some simple guidelines to ensure good communication between agent and author. I’m going to outline some of them below.

This guest column by
agent Paige Wheeler
of Folio Literary Management.

1. Make sure both of you agree how you like to communicate. If it’s by e-mail, confirm that you have the best address (many people have multiple addresses). If you change your e-mail address, make sure this is communicated as well. Also, keep your agent updated on all of your points of contact. That means your phone number, e-mail, and mailing address. This is even true once you part ways. Your agent must continue to send you royalty statements, 1099s, and other important information for the life of the book contract.

2. You may want to casually inquire how frequently you should expect to be in contact. You can expect to be in fairly close contact when your agent is giving feed back on revisions, shopping your material around and negotiating the deal. Once she has sold your book and the contract has been signed, she may leave you alone to actually write the darn thing.

3. Both the author and the agent should be attuned to how the other likes to communicate, whether it is informal and chatty or strictly down to business. This will vary depending on demands on both parties, but pay attention to cues in how communication is exchanged and respond accordingly.

4. How long is too long to wait for hear back from your agent? Or better yet, when should you start to panic? This, too, will vary. But before you panic, realize that e-mails go astray, computers crash, people get sick, messages get erased, and calls made from a cell phone may be too distorted to comprehend. If you haven’t heard back try again and then a third time. After the third time, then you may want to get concerned about the lack of response.

5. If you’re going on vacation, let people know. This is true for both sides. For authors, leave contact information so that your agent can reach you. Agents who are leaving on an extended trip usually inform their clients and indicate a person to contact in case of an emergency.

6. Show appreciation for each other. Remember each other at the holidays and, if possible, birthdays (although, I admit, I’m horrible at remembering birthdays).

7. Realize that you’re not going to agree on everything all the time. Your agent probably won’t love everything you write. If she’s good, she’ll let you know that it’s not your best work. That’s her job.

8. Make sure you both understand your goals. Do you want to write a book a year? Make a bestseller list? Reach a certain print run? Move to another publishing house?

9. If things aren’t going well, don’t dwell on it by discussing it only with your writing buddies but not your agent. If there is a problem it should be addressed directly. This is true for both sides. If the agent has issues, she should bring them up as well.

10. Realize that this is a small industry and gossip travels quickly (for example, on Galleycat). Above all, practice courtesy and be professional. Treat your agent the way you’d like to be treated and she should do the same.

Bottom line: keep the lines of communication open, don’t hesitate to bring up any concerns, and make sure you both have a clear understanding of your goals and responsibilities.

Paige Wheeler is an agent with Folio Literary Management. View her complete submission guidelines here. Paige is a founding partner of Folio; before that, she founded Creative Media Agency (CMA) in 1997 and served as its president for nine years until she merged CMA into her new company, Folio, in 2006. She seeks: "upscale commercial fiction and nonfiction books, women's fiction, romance (all types), mystery, thrillers, and psychological suspense. I enjoy both historical fiction as well as contemporary fiction, so do keep that in mind. I'm looking for both narrative nonfiction and prescriptive nonfiction. I'm looking for books where the author has a huge platform and something new to say in a particular area. Some of the areas that she likes are lifestyle, relationship, parenting, business, popular/trendy reference projects and women's issues."

Want more on this subject?

Interview with Folio agent Michelle Brower.

Advice on writing memoir.

20 Tips on Query Letters.

5 Tips on Maximizing a Writers' Conference

Chuck — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:33:36 GMT

This guest column by Jessica Monday,
freelancer and aspiring novelist.

So you’re planning to attend a writing conference? Read these five tips to ensure an experience you’ll savor long after you’ve left the hotel lobby. After all, you paid for it, right?

1. Choose sessions you find interesting

It's no secret you need to know how to write a sparkling query, but you’re intrigued to find out how journaling can release your creative muse. Go for the muse. Hundreds of websites will be waiting at home to tell you how to write a query letter. Whenever I attend a lecture or reading, I never know what I’ll take away. That’s the beauty of being open to whatever information the speaker decides to bring. View a conference as a mini-vacation, not something to stress about or execute perfectly.
     Also, don’t become a guest speaker groupie. Sample as many different speakers as possible because you’ll learn something new from each one.

2. Resist taking copious notes.

You’ll retain more when you are focused on listening, not rushing to take down every word leaving the speaker’s mouth. If your type-A personality insists, bring the notepad with you and jot down inspiring bullet points you can hang above your desk. If you waste time taking a ton of notes, more likely you’ll miss the most important things being said and lose an opportunity to engage in the moment.

3. Mingle.

Walk around and talk with people between sessions. Find out what other writers are working on and get inspired by their imagination. If you already know some of the other conference attendees, meet new people and introduce your friends. During meals, sit at a table where you don’t know anyone or, if obligation demands you sit with your friends, invite someone you don’t know to sit at your table too. This is your chance to exchange ideas with other artists, so don’t be shy.

4. Talk less, listen more, and ask concise questions.

Please don’t be “that guy” at the conference who is always in the midst of a twenty-minute story outline. Don’t worry about impressing people. You’re here to ingest expert knowledge, not disseminate yours. When you have finished your graphic novel, poetry anthology, etc. and are invited to be a guest speaker, then is the time for you to talk about your process ad nauseam. Until then, your job is to listen.
       On the other hand, now is the time for questions. Ask the panel of experts who have been assembled for this purpose and don’t be afraid to share your question during a session. Caveat: If your question is particular to your work rather than general, wait until after the session to ask the speaker one-on-one (which is a great way to engage them personally as well!).

5. Bring at least one piece of your work.

Most conferences have open mic during the evening hours. Choose short pieces - again don’t be “that guy” reading three chapters from a rough draft. Shoot for 1,000 words in length or something that can be read comfortably in less than five minutes. It should be polished enough for public presentation, but be sure to bring something even if you write it specifically for the conference. Reading your work out loud builds self-confidence and helps transcend the fear of exposure common to so many of us writers.
     Above all, remember the conference is the easy part.
     Writing is the real work that will be waiting when you return home. So enjoy yourself and let the conference energize your creative spirit; it will follow through in your writing.

Want more on this subject?

Check out this guest column by Han Vance on Networking at Writers Conferences.

Read more about the dos and don'ts of pitching agents at conferences.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Literary Agents Talk Blogging, Twitter and More

Chuck — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:19:58 GMT

Outside, it was a warm Friday afternoon at Myrtle Beach. Inside, eager, nervous writers filled a windowless room at the South Carolina Writers Workshop, hoping to learn how to do the “social networking” thing that we keep hearing is no longer optional. We awaited the arrival of Janet Reid, FinePrint Literary agent extraordinaire, her inimitable minion and fellow fabulous FinePrint agent Suzie Townsend, and the amazing Joanna Stampfel-Volpe of Nancy Coffey Literary Management, to teach us.

Guest Blogger Michelle Hodkin
writes for young adults, tweets
(MichelleHodkin) and blogs
(www.lovesandloathes.blogspot.com).

What is this Twitter thing, anyhow? And how does one accomplish this blogging they speak of? Must we have a website? What about Facebook?

These, ladies and gentlemen, were the big questions.

Twitter, for those of you who don't know, is a free social networking site that enables users to “micro-blog” in short bursts of text not exceeding 140 characters. Still with me? No? Okay, let’s rewind.

THERE'S THIS THING CALLED "BLOGGING"

The term “blog” is short for weblog. If you’re reading this, you probably get that a blog is a site maintained by an individual person or company that features regular entries - like a journal, only public. And if you’re a writer, you should probably have one, along with your website that should, at minimum, have your contact information listed so people can find you. You can set up your own blog, free of charge, using Blogger.com, Wordpress.com, LiveJournal.com or Typepad.com. Each of these sites has helpful guides to getting your blog up and running.

But what, we asked eagerly, do we write about?

Ms. Reid was undeterred by the open-endedness of this question. While there are no hard and fast rules, she warned us not to constantly talk about ourselves and our writing. That gets boring And annoying. You can narrow your content to focus on a specific area (such as Nathan Bransford’s blog), or you can blog about a veritable cornucopia of topics (cue Janet Reid). Here are some additional tips on How To Be Interesting:

Just as we all have our own voices when we write, that should shine through on our blogs.
Maintain a schedule so your readers know when they can expect new content. Try to keep your posts to 250 words.
Ask questions of your readers to entice them to participate via the comments section.
Join or form a group blog that focuses on your genre and rotates between writers, like YA Highway and Hey, There’s a Dead Guy In My Living Room.
Write about other books and authors à la Suzie Townsend’s blog. This has the additional benefit of letting those authors know that they’re being discussed in a (hopefully) flattering way, by virtue of Google Alerts. Google Alerts is a service that allows you to set up an Internet filter that notifies you when a name, phrase, or string of words is mentioned on the Internet.

If this sounds hard, that’s because it is. And if you don’t think you can do it well, Ms. Reid warned, you may be better off not doing it at all. So what then?

WHEN IN DOUBT, COMMENT

Agents notice when people comment regularly, as do authors. Ms. Stampfel-Volpe elaborated on the right and wrong ways to do so at the session.

If you are respectful and witty, commenting will help you make virtual friends.
If you are sycophantic and/or belligerent, well, don’t be.
Each comment you make should add something to the discussion.

As with blogging, commenting done poorly is worse than not commenting at all.

AND IF NONE OF THIS SUITS YOUR FANCY, THERE'S TWITTER

Twitter allows you to make friends and influence people. Well, maybe not influence people. But make friends, certainly.

Ms. Townsend showed us how to “follow” literary agents like herself and Ms. Reid and see what they have to say; often, they post indispensable advice to authors.
You can follow other authors and celebrities and friends, too.
You can compose “tweets” yourself, short updates letting your followers (friends, enemies, aliens, whoever) know what you’re up to, what music you’re listening to, what your cats are doing RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE.
You can tweet at other people, engaging them in conversation by using the @ symbol before their twitter username.
And you can do all this from your cell phone in the grocery store or from a Restaurant At The End Of The Universe. It’s like magic. Just make sure you “unprotect” your tweets so that other people can follow you without approval.

ALL OF THESE THINGS WORK. BUT WHAT DOESN'T WORK?

Facebook. Why? Because people have to take the extra step to “friend” you if they want to learn more about you. And you don’t want to make your future fans work any harder than they have to. Also, Facebook is not searchable. And you want to be searchable, writers. Indeed you do.

IN THE END?

Blog your little writerly hearts out, aspiring authors. Unprotect your tweets and let the public in. Start commenting on blog posts by your favorite industry folk. And for the love of all that is holy, remember that the internet is public and behave accordingly.

Want more on this topic?

Another SCWW column: 20 Query Letter Tips.

Another SCWW column: How to Get an Agent's Attention.

They're called Google Alerts, and yes we have them.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

'20 Tips on Query Letters,' as Told by Agent Janet Reid

Chuck — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:27:23 GMT

Guest Blog by

contributor Ricki Schultz.

Agent Janet Reid of FinePrint Literary Management gave an intensive workshop on queries at the South Carolina Writers Workshop. Here are 20 tips to writing an effective query, according to the Query Shark herself.

FOR STARTERS

• Be professional. It’s a business letter—not a personal letter.

Regarding salutation and tone, err on the side of caution because formality is never out of place.
“Dear Agent” or “To Whom It May Concern,” however, is too impersonal.
Pet peeve: If you’re querying an agent’s direct e-mail (i.e. “janet@” and you address the query “Dear Agent,” you don’t come across as being too smart.

• Be comfortable with computers. Publishing is moving toward the electronic age, so move with it.

Have an e-mail address with your name in it (e.g., SuziWriter@gmail.com). This shows her you are professional. How is she to take you seriously if your e-mail is cutiepiehoneyface@aol.com?
Have your own e-mail account—not one you share with a spouse.
Have a Gmail or Earthlink account. She says AOL is bad for queries because its spam filters sometimes eat e-mails without your knowledge, and you could be missing a reply.
Also, add the agents to your “safe senders” lists to ensure you receive their replies.

• Use a referral. Agents always move referrals to the top of the stack if someone they know vouches for the writer.

Do not, however, quote your rejection letters, friends, critique partners, paid editors, or conference critiques. These comments are not the same as referrals.

THE NITTY GRITTY

Don’t start with a rhetorical question. You’re talking to really sardonic people in New York City, and they’re not going to answer the question how you expect.
Get right to the main character—by name.
Tell who he/she is, and do it in as few words as possible.
Tell what happens to him or her—the initial point of conflict in the book.
Show two choices the main character faces as well as the consequences of those choices. The stakes must be high.

SUREFIRE QUERY KILLERS

“Fiction novel.” A novel is fiction, so when someone writes “fiction novel,” not only is it redundant, it makes the writer sound ignorant.
“Surefire bestseller.” Let the agent be the one to decide that. Declaring your work to be the next best thing shows you know little about the industry—and that you’re probably too arrogant for the agent to want to work with you.
“Film potential.” Janet says, “First of all, you don’t know shit.” (See arrogance comment above) Also, she’s not a film agent. She just wants to know what the book is about.

KEEP IT OUT

Inspiration. You only have 250 words, so don’t waste them. Stick to showing her what the book is about because how you came up with the idea does not interest agents in the query. “It’s the equivalent of making sausages,” she says. “I do not want to see you do it.”
Personal information. It doesn’t matter to agents where you live or how many cats you have.
Sometimes work information is relevant to you being the only person able to write a particular book; however, sometimes the worst people to write certain types of books are those who actually do those occupations (e.g., cops hate cop shows, doctors criticize medical dramas). They know the reality of the job too deeply, and it doesn’t make for good fiction.

TAKEAWAY

A query letter is the foundation upon which your publishing career rests, so remember: You can query too soon; you cannot query too late.

Janet Reid's publishing background includes 15 years in book publicity with clients both famous and infamous. She specializes in compelling fiction, particularly crime fiction, and narrative non-fiction, and she keeps a blog about agenting as well as a query critique blog.

Want more on this topic?

Agent Elaine Spencer talks queries.

What should you write in the bio paragraph of a query letter?

How to write a query letter - the three parts.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today! >

How to Get an Agent’s Attention (SCWW Guest Post)

Chuck — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:59:58 GMT

This is a guest post from Lisa Katzenberger,
on an agent panel at the
South Carolina Writers Workshop.

Eleven agents attended the SCWW conference and four participated in the panel discussion “What Gets Our Attention.” They didn't mention fun things like serving them mashed potatoes in the buffet line or skywriting your query over lovely Myrtle Beach. Instead, they gave us simple advice, a great reminder that it’s not really rocket science. Here are the best nuggets from the session with agents Jeff Kleinman (Folio Literary), Barbara Poelle (Irene Goodman Agency), Jenny Bent (The Bent Agency), and Scott Eagan (Greyhaus Literary).

It’s Not Personal, It’s Business

Just like in The Godfather. At least in the publishing biz, you’re not going to wake up snuggling a horse’s head just because you queried an agent who doesn’t rep your genre. (Probably.) So, keep your business hat on when approaching agents and be professional.

They want to work with someone who understands the business and can represent their agency professionally.
Barbara reminded us that it’s called the publishing industry, not the publishing feelings. Agents understand that there’s a lot of emotion tied to the time and effort an author dedicated to their book. But you have to be able to separate that emotion when querying and see the business side of a decision.
Don’t be funny in a query -- don’t pretend you’re writing as your main character.
A query letter is a business letter – a cover letter to apply for a job. Your resume? Well, that’s the manuscript.

Have a Unique Story

There are no new stories, just different ways to tell them. Make sure you know what’s special about your love story or cozy mystery that makes it stand out from all the rest.

Scott Eagan said he needs a book that’s more than just well-written. He needs a book with a unique twist.
Barbara Poelle encouraged writers to find a unique take on a formula that works.
Jeff Kleinman stressed how no one wants to read a book they’ve read before.
Jenny Bent wants to see your voice in your query letter. She looks for a great opening line and a story that really grabs her.

The Hook, The Book, and The Cook

Barbara Poelle used this catchy line to describe the three ingredients of your query letter. The hook is a one sentence description of what your book is about. Yes, one sentence. Check Publishers Lunch for examples of great loglines. The book: four or five sentences that give more detail about the story. The cook: brief information about you, the writer.

Love Is in the Air

Would you want to marry someone who’s kind of in love with you? Or someone who is head over heels crazy about you and will go to the ends of the earth to make you happy? Don’t be upset when an agent turns down your manuscript because they weren’t fully in love with it. You’re entering a long-term relationship with an agent, and just like a marriage, you want to find the partner who’s crazy about you.

Jeff Kleinman likes to follow this rule of thumb: “Only represent stuff you totally, absolutely love.”
Agents are reading submissions in their free time. They do this job because they love books, just like writers do.
Barbara will reject a book if she doesn’t feel she can be that author’s strongest advocate.
Query agents who represent authors you love to read. Chances are, they’ll dig your type of writing too.

So to get an agent’s attention, be professional in your query and unique with your story. Like a good cook who can rattle a recipe from memory, know your story’s ingredients when selling your book. And if an agent turns you down, don’t get discouraged. Remind yourself that you’re waiting for someone who loves your book as much as you do.

Guest blogger Lisa Katzenberger
runs the Fiction City Blog and
is also on Twitter.

Want more on this topic?

Interview with agent Jenny Bent of The Bent Agency.

Interview with agent Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

They're Called GOOGLE ALERTS, and Yes We Have Them

Chuck — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:39:09 GMT

This is a "Blast From the

Past" post. To celebrate the

GLA Blog's 2nd birthday, I am

re-posting some of the best

"older" content that writers

likely missed.

------

If you've never heard of Google Alerts, they're just about the best thing ever. You tell Google a word or phrase, and Google will alert you daily when that phrase is used on the Internet. For example, whenever someone writes the words "Chuck Sambuchino" on a page or blog, Google will tell me.

Agents have these, too, so when you're praising an agent online, or badmouthing them, or simply discussing them - an agent may very well know. Check out this story from Jenn Nixon, a blogger and agent-seeking writer:

"Well, the weirdest thing happened to me yesterday.

I logged onto my website email account, which I hardly use because it's ALL spam. There was one email in it. A real one. So I read it. It was from a literary agent. Apparently her google alerts told her I wrote her name down. She read my blog about agents who didn't respond, and asked me to resubmit.

Shocked?

Yeah, so was I. She actually took the time to write me so I'd take her off my list! Wow. Okay, so I sent her the submission again.

She didn't like it so much.

But she did say "You've got skill, I'll give you that."

I've heard that so many times before. *sigh*

I took her name off, I'll add her to the rejection list. Ah well. It's still an interesting story, huh?"

Crazy story. So the agent found her and asked her to resubmit the work for a yes/no answer. Ultimately, this paid off for Jen - and gave her a second chance (although that second chance didn't pan out).

Let this be your warning: Google Alerts exist, so be careful what you're saying on the Internet. You never know who's listening.

Want more on this subject?

Facebook, Twitter and Agents.

One story? You need 5 versions.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Why Your Manuscript Can Get Rejected (Part II)

Chuck — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:13:39 GMT

At Killer Nashville, a trio of extremely knowledgeable publishing pros held a panel on the most common reasons why a manuscript is rejected by an agent. Below you'll find part two of this post series. (The first installment was with Hallie Ephron.)

Keep in mind that the panelists were discussing why a manuscript will be rejected, not a novel synopsis or query letter. They were talking about problems within the writing.

Panelist No. 2: Donna Bagdasarian

Donna's top reasons why your manuscript can be rejected:

1. Problems with basic writing skills—grammar, syntax, defining who the protagonist is. To be successful, aspiring writers must learn how to write—well.

2. Bad dialogue. Write like people speak.

3. Too much plot. Writers may read a variety of books by bestselling mystery authors and then try to take plot elements from several of these books, combining those elements into one convoluted tale. Write one book, not eight books crammed into one.

4. Not having the protagonist involved in the climax.

5. Spending too much time at the beginning of a story on a character who seems to be the protagonist, but isn't.

6. Supplanting quality for a gimmick. Take a moment and examine certain gimmicks, such as the following:
- Writing in the second person

      - Having many points of view
      - Having your book be very, very dark in nature
      - Having scenes in a backwards order

- Hopscotch (where you can jump around anywhere and the story still makes sense)

These gimmicks are unique, and can produce an extraordinary book, but they can only be pulled off by the most superior of writers—and most writers are not superior writers. Therefore, writers should pass on all such gimmicks and just try to tell a good story.

7. Excessive and salacious material. When your manuscript is complete and a peer/editor says "It needs more violence/sex/action/dialogue," they may be right, but inserting these aspects in the book must make sense. There can’t just be violence or sex in a story simply to have it. Make it work.

8. Know how much is too much. If you can cut a scene and the story still works, you must cut it. Ask of the scene: "Why is it here? What does it do to further the plot?"

9. Purple prose—writing where the reader is conscious that these are the author’s thoughts, not the character's. This is prose where the language is excessively flowery and/or lyrical.

Want more on this subject?

The first of this three-part series was with mystery writer Hallie Ephron.

The third of this three-part series was with editor Maryglenn McCombs.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

What Should You Write in the Bio Paragraph of a Query Letter?

Chuck — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:36:58 GMT

As I mentioned before, a good query letter is broken down into three parts - the quick intro, the pitch, and the bio. Strangely enough, the third part is where I get the most questions. In fact, at this past weekend's Writer's Digest editors' intensive, there were a ton of questions about the bio paragraph - "Should I include this?" "How should I work that?" Etc.

So with all that in mind, I have tried to cobble together some notes on what to include and what not to include in a query letter at the end when you're talking about yourself and your writing.

Before you read on, I must warn you that you should not underestimate the value of just saying little and moving on. If you don't have anything notable to say, there is nothing wrong with simply saying that the manuscript is complete, and "Can I send you (pages/the full manuscript)?"

YES: INCLUDE THESE ELEMENTS

Prior writing credits. Obviously, this is a big one. Feel free to skip titles and just list publications. For example, feel free to say, "I've written articles for several magazines and newspapers, including the Cincinnati Enquirer and Louisville Magazine." Notice how the article titles weren't included and the writer could explain more, but this gets the job done. Brevity is appreciated here.
       Short story credits are good here; articles are good. If you got paid for writing, you can mention it here - just do so humbly and quickly. Poetry is probably the least impressive note. If you were paid to get your poetry published, that may help a little.
       Obviously, past credits within the category at hand are of the most value, but any and all credits are good. For example, if you are query a nonfiction project, your history of published articles is more impressive than a short story being published. However, mentioning the short story is not a bad thing.

Contests and awards. For instance, if your story was a finalist in the adult romance category contest at a writers' conference, say so.

If you have an MFA somewhere. (Saying you majored in English really won't do much, nor will mentioning your continuing online education.)

If you are part of a large, recognized, nationwide writing organization - such as the Romance Writers of America (RWA), the Mystery Writers of America (MWA), the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), the American Medical Writers, etc.

Platform and publicity - but mainly for nonfiction. If you're writing nonfiction, suddenly the bio paragraph becomes the most important part of the letter. You must explain your credits, bio and platform - making a case that you are the best person to write this book and you have some means in place to sell it. If you're writing fiction, this can still help, but it matters less so.

NO: SKIP THESE ELEMENTS

Your writing influences.

That you are part of a local writers group or online group. Unless it's a large nationwide group, skip it.

The fact that you're a parent and have X number of children, which, you believe, helps make a case for you as a kids writer.

How long it took you to write it.

That this is your first novel.

The fact that it's been edited by peers or even a professional editor. Stuff is supposed to be edited; agents assume it is. Stating what they already assume helps nothing.

That the story is copyrighted with the U.S. Copyright Office. Or that you own all rights to the story.

That you are also writing the screenplay adaptation of the work. Another subject completely, not to be discussed in a query.

Anything about pen names. You're thinking too far ahead.

That your family and friends loved it.

That the story is fiction but based off truth and/or your life. All fiction is based off truth and/or a life, so this is, again, telling agents what they already know.

That the book has been rejected before.

Which draft of the novel this is.

BUT WHAT ABOUT?

But what about my career, Chuck?
        This is tricky. First of all, if you mention this, mention it quickly. If you get paid to write during the day, tell us. For example, if you get paid to write technical copy during the day, by all means say so. If you work in children's bookstore, that's probably OK, too. But if the main character is an electrician or computer programmer, and you yourself are an electrician or computer programmer, I say skip it. It really doesn't matter that much. People like to include this fact anyway.
       Over the weekend, a gentleman asked about this very thing and if he should say he served in the Marines since his protagonist was a Marine. I said yes, because I think that could serve as a notable publicity angle down the road.

But what about my connection and research to the subject matter at hand, Chuck?
        If you look at the Successful Queries posted on this blog, you see one where an agent compliments a writer who said she studied belly dancing and the book is about belly dancing. Another compliments the writer for saying she has been to and researched Amish country and the book is about Amish country. Once again, these comments are made quickly by the author - just like they should be.
       There are subtle things here. Let's say your book is about Sioux Indians. If you spent six months in the library researching Sioux life, that is not worth mentioning. However, if you spent two months living among the Sioux people on such-and-such reservation, then that is more interesting and worth a mention.

But what about marketing and PR, Chuck?
       Again, tricky. If you're writing nonfiction, your background and skills in these areas is very, very important. However, if you are writing fiction, this matters less so. Your writing credits and awards will be more important. I would lean against mentioning these skills in a fiction query.

Want more on this subject?

Agent Michelle Andelman's tips on query writing.

Should you mention your age in a book query?

What are the BEST writers' conferences in the country?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Word Count for Novels and Children's Books: The Definitive Post

Chuck — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:22:58 GMT

Word count is something I don't think about too often until I travel to a writers' conference, and then someone asks a simple, innocent question and a firestorm follows. With that in mind, I've tried to put together the definitive post on word count for fiction (novels, young adult, middle grade and even memoir).

The most important thing here is to realize that there are always exceptions to these rules. And man, people love to point out exceptions - and they always will. However, if there is one thing I remember from when my wife dragged me kicking and screaming to He's Just Not That Into You, it's that you cannot count on being the exception; you must count on being the rule. Aiming to be the exception is setting yourself up for disappointment. What writers fail to see is that for every successful exception to the rule (e.g., a first-time 150,000-word novel), there are at least 100 failures if not 300.

Almost always, high word count means that the writer simply did not edit their work down enough. Or - it means they have two or more books combined into one.

"But what about JK Rowling???" asks that man in the back of the room, putting his palms up the air. Well - remember the first Harry Potter book? It wasn't that long. After JK made the publishing house oodles and oodles of money, she could do whatever she wanted. And since most writers haven't earned oddles, they need to stick to the rules and make sure they work gets read. The other thing that will make you an exception is if your writing is absolutely brilliant. But let's face it. Most of our work does not classify as "absolutely brilliant" or we'd all have 16 novels at this point.

ADULT NOVELS: COMMERCIAL & LITERARY

Between 80,000 and 89,999 words is a good range you should be aiming for. This is a 100% safe range for literary, romance, mystery, suspense, thriller and horror. Anything in this word count won't scare off any agent anywhere.

Now, speaking broadly, you can have as few as 71,000 words and as many as 109,000 words. That is the total range. When it dips below 80K, it might be perceived as too short - not giving the reader enough. It seems as though going over 100K is all right, but not by much. I suggest stopping at 109K because just the mental hurdle to jump concerning 110K is just another thing you don't want going against you. And, as agent Rachelle Gardner pointed out when discussing word count, over 110K is defined as "epic or saga." Chances are your cozy mystery or literary novel is not an epic. Rachelle also mentions that passing 100K in word count means it's a more expensive book to produce - hence agents' and editors' aversion to such lengths.

In short:
      80,000 - 89,999:       Totally cool
      90,000 - 99,999:       Generally safe
      70,000 - 79,999:       Might be too short; probably all right
      100,000 - 109,999:    Might be too long; probably all right
      Below 70,000:           Too short
      110,000 or above       Too long

Chick lit falls into this realm, but chick lit books tend to be a bit shorter and faster. 70-75K is not bad at all.

SCI-FI AND FANTASY

Science fiction and fantasy are the big exceptions because these categories tend to run long. It has to do with all the descriptions and world-building in the writing.

With these genres, I would say 100,000 - 115,000 is an excellent range. It's six-figures long, but not real long. The thing is: Writers tend to know that these categories run long so they make them run really long and hurt their chances. There's nothing wrong with keeping it short (say, 105K) in these areas. It shows that you can whittle your work down.

Outside of that, I would say 90K-100K is most likely all right, and 115-124K is probably all right, too. That said, try to keep it in the ideal range.

MIDDLE GRADE

Middle grade is from 20,000 - 45,000, depending on the subject matter and age range. When writing a longer book that is aimed at 12-year-olds (and could maybe be considered "tween"), using the term "upper middle grade" is advisable. With upper middle grade, you can aim for 32,000 - 40,000 words. These are books that resemble young adult in matter and storytelling, but still tend to stick to MG themes and avoid hot-button, YA-acceptable themes such as sex, drugs and rock & roll. You can stray a little over here but not much.

With a simpler middle grade idea (Football Hero or Jenny Jones and the Cupcake Mystery), aim lower. Shoot for 20,000 - 30,000 words.

YOUNG ADULT

Perhaps more than any other, YA is the one category where word count is very flexible.

For starters, 55,000 - 69,999 is a great range.

The word round the agent blogosphere is that these books tend to trending longer, saying that you can top in the 80Ks. However, this progression is still in motion and, personally, I'm not sure about this. I would say you're playing with fire the higher you go. When it gets into the 70s, you may be all right - but you have to have a reason for going that high. Again, higher word counts usually mean that the writer does not know how to edit themselves.

A good reason to have a longer YA novel that tops out at the high end of the scale is if it's science fiction or fantasy. Once again, these categories are expected to be a little longer because of the world-building.

Concerning the low end, below 55K could be all right but I wouldn't drop much below about 47K.

PICTURE BOOKS

The standard is text for 32 pages. That might mean one line per page, or more. 500-600 words is a good number to aim for. When it gets closer to 1,000, editors and agents may shy away.

WESTERNS

I remember reading some Westerns in high school and, if I recall correctly, they weren't terribly long. There wasn't a whole about this on agent and editor sites, but from what I found, these can be anywhere from 50K to 80K. 60,000 is a solid number to aim for.

MEMOIR

Memoir is the same as a novel and that means you're aiming for 80,000-89,999. However, keep in mind when we talked about how people don't know how to edit their work. This is specially true in memoir, I've found, because people tend to write everything about their life - because it all really happened.

Coming in a bit low (70-79K) is not a terrible thing, as it shows you know how to focus on the most interesting parts of your life and avoid a Bill-Clinton-esque tome-length book. At the same time, you may want to consider the high end of memoir at 99,999. Again, it's a mental thing seeing a six-figure length memoir.

SOME THOUGHTS

You have agents like Nathan Bransford and Kristin Nelson who say that you shouldn't think about word count, but rather you should think about pacing and telling the best story possible - and don't worry about the length. Yes, they're right, but the fact is: Not every agent feels that way and is willing to give a 129,000-word novel a shot. Agents have so many queries that they are looking for reasons to say no. They are looking for mistakes, chinks in the armor, to cut their query stack down by one. And if you adopt the mentality that your book has to be long, then you are giving them ammunition to reject you. Take your chances and hope that excellent writing will see your baby through no matter (and I hope it does indeed break through).

But I believe that we cannot count on being the exception; we must count on being the rule. Thats' the best way to give yourself your best shot at succeeding.

Want more tips and posts?

Query letter tips.

Five signs a literary is a good match for you.

What are the BEST writers' conferences in the country?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today! >

10 Hidden Gifts of Rejection Letters

Chuck — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:49:57 GMT

This is a "Blast From the

Past" post. To celebrate the

GLA Blog's 2nd birthday, I am

re-posting some of the best

"older" content that writers

likely missed.

1. Rejection letters take you out of submission limbo.
        Familiar with that hell whose name is Waiting? Is the agent reading your submission? Chortling with her cronies over it? Using it as a doorstop or drink coaster? With that rejection letter in hand, you now know where you stand. No more wondering. No more worry. Of course no more hope either. Time to move on. Next.

2. All it takes is one rejection letter to make you an instant life member of a club whose luminaries include Walt Whitman, J.K. Rowling and Dr. Seuss.
        What published writer has never received a rejection letter? These are our badges of determination. Of striving. And on bad days, of lunacy. Take heart. No one’s, and I mean no one’s, first query snags an agent and a book contract. Unless of course you are Madonna, Jamie Lee Curtis or Fergie.

3. Rejection letters strengthen you, build courage, determination and belief in your work.
        Where would you be if you didn’t rail at your most recent rejection letter: “Agent Babe, you are WRONG! I will NOT make my overweight heroine svelte, my gay character straight or turn my borzoi into a chihuahua!”? Rejection letters give you practice taking a hit and moving on. Are you going to let one agent’s (or one dozen’s) opinion make you give up your intention to publish your book? Hell, no.

4. Rejection letters can be stockpiled for future use: wallpaper; bonfire kindling; shredded for an environmentally sound substitute for Styrofoam peanuts.
        Personally, I’m going to turn them into a necklace. My other creative outlet is beaded jewelry. I’ve just found a way to roll paper strips into beads. I plan to make a necklace from paper strips cut from my rejection letters and wear it to my book signings, the National Book Awards Ceremony and Dinner, and the Academy Awards. OK, OK, I’ll start with the signings and take it from there.

5. The good ones (offering constructive criticism) help you develop as a writer.
        And you will get some good ones in amongst the ones who used your manuscript as coffee coasters and doorstops. Thoughtful rejection letters, in addition to being a balm to your weary writer’s soul, afford the opportunity to revisit your work, to consider it through another’s lens. Such letters may lead you in a new direction.Or you might just add them to your stack of kindling. Good rejection letters are a clue that you are on the right track and getting closer. Take heart.

6. Get a few rejection letters beneath your belt and you can blog authoritatively on sites such as absolutewrite.com's Water Cooler.
        There are more web-based communities devoted to the world of submissions than you can shake a keyboard at. At the abovementioned Water Cooler, bloggers share their agent experiences. Which ones don’t follow through? Which ones are reputable? Which ones should be drawn and quartered for asking for a full and then never getting back to you? Rejection letter in hand, you can add your voice to the fray.

7. All it takes is one good one to renew your faith in agents.
        Number Seven is a corrolary to Number Five. There are good agents out there - human beings who love books as much as you do. Why else would they be in the business of trying to link their authors with publishers? Or take home reams of manuscripts to read over the weekend when they could be training for the New York City Marathon instead? A good rejection letter, whose tone is sincere and offers advice, can revive your flagging spirit.

8. Rejection letters keep the USPS in business.
        The Internet has taken a huge toll on the USPS. Mail carriers may go the way of the Maytag man. And then what will happen to the stamp designers? To the workers who assemble all those annoying circulars that come thru the slot as fourth class mail? To the Neiman-Marcus Christmas catalog? Rejection letters might mean you can’t quit your day job but they do help others keep theirs.

9. Rejection letters let you know who your true allies are.
        Are your loved ones sympathetic when a dreaded rejection letter falls through the slot? Do they bring flowers or send sweet e-mails of encouragement? Or do they chide you and say, “NOW will you get serious and put this silliness away?” Rejection letters let you know who you want on your team in this endeavor.

10. The number of rejection letters you receive is proportional to the euphoria that will envelop you when you do get The Call.
        Think about it. If an agent signs you up three queries into your search, you’ll be ecstatic. And perhaps kind of blase. But get that call after slugging it out for a year or so and man will success be sweet. So sweet you can taste it even now, can’t you?

This guest column by
Journalist and essayist Debra Darvick,
author of This Jewish Life: Stories of Discovery,
Connection and Joy. Her book, I Love
Jewish Faces (a children's picture book
celebrating Jewish diversity) was
published by the URJ Press in May '09.
Visit her blog at debradarvick.wordpress.com.

Want more on this topic?

Want to write a guest column? E-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk.

Query Letter Tips, by agent Michelle Andelman (Franklin & Siegal).

10 Query Letter Tips.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

5 Quick Tips for Writer/Agent Negotiations

Chuck — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:28:08 GMT

Guest column
by Howard G. Zaharoff

Just because you're excited someone wants to represent you doesn't mean you should let them take advantage of you. Beware of these red flags when negotiating contracts with agents.

        1. Watch for red flags. Reputable agents don’t charge reading fees or require other upfront payments, they don’t sell (or at least, don’t brag about sales) to vanity presses, and they will readily identify other authors and projects they’ve represented.
        2. Beware of excessive commissions. The norm is now 15 percent for book sales, though it can be up to 20–25 percent for foreign sales (for which the agent works with a subagent) and 10–20 percent for movie, TV and theatrical sales.
        3. Avoid commissions on speaking fees. Most reputable agents will not try to horn in on these, and they really aren’t entitled to, unless they were directly responsible for getting you the engagement.
        4. Keep control over expenses. Ideally your agent will not charge for onesie-twosie copies or standard postage, but only for unusual expenses—long-distance charges, major copying, courier services—and will work within spending limits (nothing over a fixed amount, say $100–$250, without your approval).
        5. Insist on timely payment. Ideally, you’ll get paid your 85 percent directly by the publisher, though many agents insist on collecting the entire amount first. (This is fairly standard but poses risks, especially if the agent goes bankrupt—so some writers push for “split accounting,” which requires the publisher to pay them directly.) Although most publishers still report and pay royalties semi-annually, typically within three months after the semi-annual period ends (so the royalty for a book sold in January arrives in late September!), your agent should pay you promptly upon receiving the funds—ideally within 10 days, but no longer than 30.

This guest column about agents was
pulled from the current issue of Writer's
Digest (Sept. 2009) Order it online
to see more queries as well as our exclusive
list of 24 Agents Who Want Your Work.

What Agents Hate: Part II (Author 101 Series)

Chuck — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:32:27 GMT

See Part I of this series here.

When writers try to get an agent, they are asked to run a difficult course, and run it under a microscope. Although the level of scrutiny that writers receive is huge, it is definitely surmountable. Read the following items that agents dislike and alter your approaches accordingly. Agents hate the following items:

5. Not telling agents a project's history.

Some authors don't reveal that the book has already gone to twenty publishers. In these cases, an agent may spend time reading, editing, or developing the project and then unknowingly submit it to editors who have already passed on it.
Don't be afraid to tell an agent that your book has been rejected. Agents frequently take on projects that have been shopped. They may work on them editorially, fixing them up. Writers should also inform their agents about all changes or revisions they've made since the book was rejected.

These tips excerpted from
Author 101: Bestselling
Secrets from Top Agents,
by Rick Frishman and Robyn
Freedman Spizman.

6. Writers who don't contact their agents when problems arise.

Frequently, when problems crop up, writers become frustratred and dissatisfied. However, had they contacted their agent, the agent might have explained the situation and helped them find ways to resolve it. Agents can provide creative second opinions. They usually have extensive experience in publishing, and frequently they are accomplished editors. They can also be a writer's best advisor.

7. Writers who say, "There is no competition for this book."

Rarely does a book have no competition. It's okay to say, "There is no product in the market precisely like this," and then point out how your book differs from its competition. List the closest or most analogous books and state how yours differs and is better. When writers claim that their books are without competitors, it tells agents that the writers didn't do the hard, basic research to identify and distinguish the closest books. It also makes them think that the writers won't do the necessary research to write a solid book.

8. Writers who call their agent too much.

Agents are busy; if you call them constantly, you'll drive them crazy. So limit your calls, create an agenda for the calls you make, and while it's nice to schmooze and talk now and then, keep in mind that they are running busy operations.
Many agents who are sole proprietors don't have staffs, so they do most office tasks themselves. Find out when it will be convenient for them to speak with you, and schedule a phone conference at a time that will work for you both.

Want more on this subject?

See part I of this excerpt series here.

What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

What Agents Hate: Even More Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today! >

Do You Need a Conservative Literary Agent For Conservative Books? A Liberal Literary Agent for Liberal Books?

Chuck — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:44:49 GMT

Someone found my GLA blog searching for "conservative literary agents." So, I started to wonder about the question, "Do you need a conservative literary agent to publish a conservative-minded book?" - such as, let's say, Why Liberals Will Ruin This Country or whatever. Would an agent need their beliefs to line up with the book's message? Or is an agent partisan-blind to a nonfiction book that fulfills the big three: 1) has a good idea, 2) proves that markets exist for the book, and 3) has a platform and credentials?

Well, I had no idea what the answer was, so I enlisted three pros: Ted Weinstein, founder of Ted Weinstein Literary; Sharlene Martin, founder of Martin Literary Management and author of Publish Your Nonfiction Book; and John Willig, founder of Literary Services, Inc. Here is what they had to say:

Ted Weinstein Says:

"That's an interesting question, and one without a single answer. I suspect many agents prefer to work only with political authors whose views are at least in the same quadrant as their own. Some, though, including myself, are open to and enjoy the chance to work with clients whose views challenge us and are no less effective at selling those books to the right editor and publisher. I have represented a number of liberal, conservative and libertarian authors writing on a range of interesting topics, and sold their books to a mix of publishers.
"As always, the best way for an author to see if an agent might be right for them, regardless of their political views, is to read the good directories/guides to agents (including your own) and then visit any prospective agent's website to get a more thorough understanding of their work with other clients."

Sharlene Martin Says:

"I believe that in order to be 100% committed and passionate about selling my clients’ work, it’s important for me to be aligned philosophically with their book. It’s so much easier to fight for a sale for something you truly believe in than something you don’t. So, to answer your question, without giving up my political affliations (*smile*), my answer is yes—I personally need to embrace the viewpoint of my client’s work. It makes it easier for me."

John Willig Says:

"As is so often the case in publishing, there really is not a definitive answer. It can certainly vary from one agent to the next especially considering the topic. There's a broader and critical issue at work here and that is whether your agent (regardless of interests/religious or political persuasions) can effectively reach and knows the editors for your topic and presentation. While he/she may not entirely agree with your perspective, they still could be your best advocate to publishers in that specific genre. So again it can really vary from agent to agent on taking on the topic but it is the writer who must be assured that the agent can effectively represent the project to publishers; thus, they should be doing their homework regarding the agent's expertise in specific categories.
"Sure it's a big plus if the agent is 'aligned' with your topic and passion and if he/she has the knowledge of the market, publishers and editors then the writer is working (initially) in the best of worlds."

Want more on this subject?

Interview with nonfiction agent Ted Weinstein.

Interview with nonfiction agent John Willig.

Nonfiction words of wisdom.

What is an author platform?

Author Billy Coffey discusses how platform led him to sign with an agent.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today! >

7 Reasons Why Your Work May Be Rejected, by Hallie Ephron

Chuck — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:19:18 GMT

This is a "Blast From the

Past" post. To celebrate the

GLA Blog's 2nd birthday, I am

re-posting some of the best

"older" content that writers

likely missed.

At Killer Nashville, a trio of extremely knowledgeable publishing pros held a panel on the most common reasons why a manuscript is rejected by an agent. Below you'll find part one of this post series.

Keep in mind that the panelists were discussing why a manuscript will be rejected, not a novel synopsis or query letter. They were talking about problems within the writing.

Writer Hallie Ephron

Author of several mystery novels
Book reviewer for the Boston Globe
Author: Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel (WD Books)
www.hallieephron.com

Hallie's 7 reasons why your
manuscript can be rejected:

1. Profligate use of adverbs. For instance, saying "She looked at me and smiled happily." That's telling, not showing. Instead of using adverbs, use action to show the characters' feelings and emotions.

2. Predictability—using the same plot as others. For example, a cliche mystery plot opening hook is this: A P.I. picks up his office phone and his ex-wife is on the line. She's in trouble, but can’t say why. They agree to meet later at a bar or parking lot, but she never shows because she’s been murdered.
"I want twists. Surprise me in the first chapter and I'll keep reading."

3. Too many killers. A recent manuscript she read revealed six people were actually complicit in the book's murder. It’s convoluted, confusing, and shows that the author had to pull six rabbits out of a hat at the end to wow us. This problem is likely because of earlier problems in Act II—a.k.a "the muddy middle."

4. Point of view that’s out of control. If you’re in a character’s head, stay there until the scene is over.

5. Prologues that don’t work—where writers have a boring opening, so they simply pluck out an exciting scene from the middle, put it at the beginning, and call it the prologue.

6. A plot with no spine. When the scenes seem to jump around—you’re here, you’re there, now you’re there—the book has no backbone. "You have to get me to care about the main plot for me to keep reading."

7. Getting stuck to an outline. "Don’t let your plot trap your characters." If you write an outline and, in the middle of the story, the protagonist is supposed to run into a burning building, that’s fine. But as you begin the flesh out your protagonist and write the book, you may craft a character who wouldn’t realistically run into a burning building—perhaps he’s too smart, or too cowardly or whatever.

Her final tips: "Surprise me. Make me laugh. Make me care about your characters. Don’t let the frustration get you down. We all go through the 'It’s a piece of sh*t' stage."

Want more on this subject?

Agents tell how to start a story right.

10 Query Letter Tips.

Check out Hallie's book, Writing and Selling the Mystery Novel.

I'm hosting a webinar on "How to Land a Literary Agent," Oct. 8, 2009.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today! >

What Agents Hate (Author 101 Series)

Chuck — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:41:21 GMT

1. Inquiries that show writers have not done their homework.

This complaint usually fell into two categories: 1) submissions that are not the type of books an agency accepts, and 2) submissions that are not specifically addressed.
      Do your homework. Save everyone time and effort by checking the guidebooks and agents' websites to learn what types of books they represent.
      Submissions that are not specifically addressed are generally sent to "Dear Agent," the agency, or "To Whom it May Concern." These submissions look like form letters. Address all correspondence to a particular individual and make sure thay you spell that person's and the agency's name correctly.

2. Authors who insist that they receive unrealistically high advances.

Agents are experts at evaluating what books are worth, and since they receive a percentage of the proceeds, they try to squeeze out top dollar. Coming with demands of a "minimum advance figure" is a clear signal that you will be difficult to work with.

These tips excerpted from
Author 101: Bestselling
Secrets from Top Agents,
by Rick Frishman and Robyn
Freedman Spizman.

3. Authors who try to be all things to all people.

Agents and editors prefer tightly focused books. They told us that a writer's audience actually expands the tighter the focus of the book is. An author cannot be all things to all people. For instance, a writer may think that the market for her children's book is ages four to 14, but four-year-olds want different books than 14-year-olds do. A diet book aimed at young adults, for example, could sell better that a book that tries to appeal to all ages of dieters.

4. Control freaks

Agents do not like to work with clients who are not willing to change proposals, manuscripts or strategies that can improve a book or its ability to sell. The best authors are those who are willing to listen and are open to their agents' advice. Although agents aren't the end all and be all, they are knowledgable professionals, and selling books is their business. They have experience and can bring a certain perspective to a project that authors may not have.

Want more on this subject?

Want more on"What Agents Hate"? See a list of their pet peeves here, with Part I and Part II blog posts.

See 10 Things NOT to Do in a Query.

Check out the book Author 101: Bestselling Secrets from Top Agents.

See an example of a Mind-Boggling Horrible Query Letter.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today! >

Five Signs a Literary Agent is a Good Match For You

Chuck — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:37:34 GMT

This guest column
by Rose Jensen. She
welcomes your feedback at
Rose.Jensen28(at)yahoo.com.
Read her article on Essential Tips
and Tools for Writers of the Future.

So you’ve got a great book and you want to get it published. You could try to simply market it, sell it and negotiate it on your own, but many new to the business simply don’t feel comfortable doing that on their own. That means that it’s time to find an agent but you don’t just want any agent, you want the right one. How can you know if a literary agent is really a good fit for you and the kind of work that you produce? Here are a five signs that things will work out between the two of you.

Photo from The Pena Picasan

      1. He or she commonly works with books like yours. Finding someone who is actually interested in the kind of work that you’re producing is essential. If you’ve managed to get an agent that commonly works with material in your genre, then you’re on the right track. He or she will have more enthusiasm and know more about what it takes to get your work in the spotlight than someone who doesn’t really focus on the type of work that you do.
      2. He or she pushes you. The best agents shouldn’t just let you be lazy and do what you want. While there should be a balance of power, they should push you to work harder, get more done and actively market your work if you’re not already doing that on your own. There should be a great give and take between the two of you, allowing you to maximize your potential.
      3. He or she is excited about your work. Someone who is not really excited about the things that you’re creating isn’t likely to do too much to make sure that they ever see the light of day. In fact, they may languish on a desk somewhere for months. If your agent seems genuinely enthusiastic about finding a publisher and marketing your book, then you’ve found a keeper.
      4. He or she is there when you need them. If you’re new to the game, you likely have numerous questions about how the whole process works, what you need to do and the kind of deals you should be willing to make. Your agent should be there to help guide you through the process, though hand-holding can’t always be expected. Find an agent who isn’t always mysteriously “out of the office” when you call and you might have a long future of working together.
      5. You actually get along. It might seem pretty basic, but some people assume that because it is a business relationship that they don’t need to actually like their agent. While it isn’t a necessity, this person is someone who is going to be representing your work and who will be tied to it for years to come—it’s much better to have that be someone you actually like and want around rather than someone you merely tolerate.

Want more on this subject?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Don Maass Explains Your Tools for Character Building

Chuck — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:19:45 GMT

Finding a Protagonist's Strength

      Step 1: Is your protagonist an ordinary person? Find in him any kind of strength.

      Step 2: Work out a way for that strength to be demonstrated within your protagonist's first five pages.

      Step 3: Revise your character's introduction to your readers.

Without a quality of strength on display, your readers will not bond with
your protagonist. Why should they? No one wants to spend four minutes, let alone four hundred pages, with a miserable excuse for a human being or even a plain old average Joe. So, what is strength? It can be as simple as caring about someone, self-awareness, a longing for change, or hope. Any small positive quality will signal to your readers that your ordinary protagonist is worth their time.

Literary Agent Don Maass

Finding a Hero's Flaws

      Step 1: Is your protagonist a hero - that is, someone who is already strong? Finding in him something conflicted, fallible, humbling or human.

      Step 2: Work out a way for that flaw to be demonstrated within your protagonist's first five pages.

      Step 3: Revise your character's introduction to your readers. Be sure to soften the flaw with self-awareness or self-depreicating humor.

Heroes who are nothing but good, noble, unswerving, honest, courageous, and kind to their mothers will make your readers want to gag. To make heroes real enough to be likable, it's necessary to make them a little bit flawed. What is a flaw that will not also prove fatal? A personal problem, a bad habit, a hot button, a blind spot, or anything that makes your hero a real human being will work. However, this flaw cannot be overwhelming. That is the reason for adding wise self-awareness or a rueful sense of humor.

The Impact of Greatness

      Step 1: Does your story have a character who is supposed to be great? Choose a character (your protagonist or another) who is, has been, or will be affected by that great character.

      Step 2: Note the impact on your point-of-view character. In what ways is she changed by the great character? How specifically is her self-regard for actual life different? Is destiny involved? Detail the effect.

      Step 3: Write out that impact in a paragraph. It can be backward looking (a flashback frame) or a present moment of exposition.

      Step 4: Add that paragraph to your manuscript.

Greatness is not always about esteem. Those affected by great people may be ambivalent. Whatever the case in your story, see if you can shade the effect of your great character to make it specific and captured nuances. The effect of one character upon another is as particular as the characters themselves.

Excerpted from The Fire in Fiction
(2009, Writer's Digest Books). You can
find the book in the F+W Bookstore here.
Donald Maass runs his own agency
in New York City.

Want more on this subject?

Donald Maass shares advice through Writer Unboxed.

Agent Stacia Decker moves to Donald Maass Literary.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today! >

How to Write a Novel Synopsis

Chuck — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:08:44 GMT

This is a "Blast From the

Past" post. To celebrate the

GLA Blog's 2nd birthday, I am

re-posting some of the best

"older" content that writers

likely missed.

If you write a novel and want to sell it, you'll need a good synopsis to hook a literary agent. A synopsis, simply put, is a long summary of your fictional story, detailing the events and characters.

At a recent writers' conference, I critiqued several synopses from amateur writers. When I met with the writers, I found myself repeating the same things over and over regarding formatting, content and length. I'll try and relay some tips in this post, so writers don't follow in their footsteps.

First of all, synopses have a specific format. They begin on a new page and should have all your contact information in the upper left corner of the first page. Just below your contact info, centered, should be the book's title, its genre and your name.
The body of the synopsis is double-spaced.
Use dialogue sparingly, if at all.
You can get to the point, meaning you can say if a character is "a hopeless romantic."
Starting on the second page, there should be a header at the top of all pages, looking like this: Author/TITLE/Synopsis. That should be pushed left while the page number should be pushed right.
Things must be explained. You can't say a character has "psychic powers" or "finds a surprise around the corner" without saying what these things mean. I find that writers, when questioned about confusing details, will often say, "Well that's explained in the book." Then I say, "OK ... but an agent won't read the book if they're confused by the synopsis. Make sense?
Try to stick with main plot points and characters. This will help cut down on confusion. Ideally, an agent won't get any name/character confusion because the synopsis doesn't detail needless subplots or minor characters.
When characters are mentioned for the first time, CAPITALIZE their name.
I read somewhere that a synopsis should read like you've summarizing a story for a 12-year-old. This is good advice. To practice, read a novel. Then explain the plot and characters of the story to a child as if it were a bedtime story. Tell the tale from beginning to end in 5-10 minutes. That's a synopsis.
Remember that queries and synopses are different things. You would never find a synopsis in a query. A query is a one-page letter that explains what you've written, who you are, and why the agent should represent you. In a query letter will be a pitch, which is a explanation of your story in 3-8 sentences. It's like the text you see on the back of a DVD box. It's designed to pique your interest. A pitch, like the back of a book or DVD, will not spill the beans regarding the ending.
I recommend having TWO versions of your synopsis - a "long synopsis" and a "short synopsis." Let me explain. In past years, there used to be a fairly universal system regarding synopses. For every 35 or so pages of text you had, you would have one page of synopsis explanation. So if your book was 245 pages, double-spaced, your synopsis would be seven pages approximately. This was fairly standard, and allowed writers a decent amount of space to explain their story. I recommend doing this first. This will be your "long synopsis." The problem is: Sometime in the past few years, agents started to get really busy and they want to hear your story now now now. They started asking for synopses of no more than two pages. Many agents today request specifically just that - two pages max. Some may even say one page, but two pages is generally acceptable. You have to draft a new, more concise synopsis - the "short synopsis." So which one do you submit? Good question. If you think your short synopsis (1-2 pages) is tight and effective, always use that. However, if you think the long synopsis is much more effective, then you will sometimes submit one and sometimes submit the other. If an agent requests two pages max, send the short one (because, naturally, you've been instructed to). If they just say "Send a synopsis," and you feel your longer synopsis is far superior, and your long synopsis isn't more than eight pages, I say just submit the long one.

Three Reasons You Need an Agent, as Explained by Mollie Glick

Chuck — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:52:12 GMT

At the recent Southeastern Writers Workshop, the agent in attendance was Mollie Glick of Foundry Literary + Media. Mollie and I hit up a lot of the conference circuit together and attendees love her cause she's so nice. It's rare that I actually get to sit in on one of her sessions. Fortunately, that's just what I did Monday night. Mollie spoke for 90 minutes on a variety of different subjects.

Below you will find the three reasons she gave concerning why having an agent is a good thing.

Why Having an Agent is a Good Thing
As Explained by Mollie Glick

1. Publishers don’t often handle unsolicited works - at least big publishers, that is. There are too many manuscripts for editors to look through every one.
In addition, it’s a copyright issue. She said Hyperion, which is owned by Disney, will not even look at an unsolicited ms because of the fear of being sued. They will only deal with agents.

2. Agents have “intense relationships” with editors—that’s their job. Agents track where editors go, take note of what they like, know where they grew up, if they have kids, etc. Agents realize that fiction is a very subjective thing so they try to get to know not only editors’ tastes, but also them as people. She has lunch three times a week with editors.

3. Agents can help negotiate a bigger deal. The contracts that publishers use are not easy to understand. This is for a reason. She also added that some publisher royalty statements are “almost incomprehensible” - again, no coincidence.
Agents are a step removed. They can play “bad cop” with an editor or house if need be. If the editor wants to change the book’s title, for example, and you (the writer) hate the decision, Mollie will step in and play bad cop. It allows you to stay removed from the argument so you can keep on good, editing-only terms with the editor.

What Are the BEST Writers' Conferences in the Country?

Chuck — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:35:52 GMT

I get this question quite often, strangely enough. I'm guessing that people decide they're "going to do this right," so they save up money to travel to one conference wherever they want, and they are just trying to make sure that they get some serious bang for their buck.

Now, to answer the question at hand, let's examine two things: 1) the different kinds of writers' conferences, and 2) what you want to get out of the event.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
WRITERS' CONFERENCES:

1. General conferences
       These are just what you think they are - writers' conferences that are general in nature and geared toward all categories and levels of writers. There are hundreds of these nationwide every year, and most of the biggest fall under this category.

2. Conferences with a specialized focus.
       There are plenty of these, too. These gatherings have a unique focus to them - and that usually means they are all about romance writing, or Christian writing, or children's/juvenile writing, or screenwriting (& TV), or mystery/thriller writing.

3. Writing retreats
       Retreats are unique in that the focus is about craft and actually sitting down to write. There are usually no agents present, because that is not the purpose of the whole thing. You find a serene location somewhere and just try to focus and write. Lots of MFA profs, etc., teach these things, and there are even several overseas.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO
GET OUT OF THE EXPERIENCE?

This question, obviously, is key. Perhaps if you want to just sit down and write - maybe finally start that novel - then maybe an intensive retreat is just what you need.

We're circling back to the original point here. People ask me about the "best" writing conferences, but, truthfully, it doesn't work that way. It all depends. If by "best," you are talking size and number of agents in attendance, off the top of my head I'm thinking our own writers' conference in conjunction with BEA, the San Francisco Writers Conference, Willamette in Portland, the Agents and Editors conference in Austin, Muse & the Marketplace in Boston, the Honolulu Writers Conference, and the Las Vegas Writers' Conference, among others.

"Big" speciality conferences include SCBWI's two national conferences (winter in NYC, summer in LA), the Romance Writers of America national conference (this year in DC), the Screenwriting Expo in LA, and the big mystery conferences (such as Bouchercon and Thrillerfest).

But why is size such a big deal? More agents = good, yes, but you're competing against more people and paying more money. Let's say you're writing literary fiction, and there is a smallish conference nearby that has three agents coming and two of them handle your genre. That's not bad at all. It's probably cheaper and closer than "the biggies."

Are you not ready to pitch yet? Do you just want to sit in on some seminars, take notes, meet people and recharge your batteries? Well then that opens it up a lot more. Take a real close look at the conference schedule and what presentations will take place.

I know that these Writer's Digest intensive conferences we put on seem to do well because people love the critiques. We invite people to send in a decent chunk of their manuscript and get it evaluated by a WD staff editor. The writer then meets with us one-on-one to hear our thoughts.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND A
LIST OF CONFERENCES?

The three best sources are:
        1. Google. Search "writers conference" and "(month year)" or "(location)".
        2. Specialty websites. For example, look at the Mystery Writers of America website to find their regional conferences.
         3. Guide to Literary Agents, of course! You can start by signing up for my free biweekly newsletter at www.guidetoliteraryagents.com. At the end of every newsletter, I list 5-15 upcoming conferences and link to them.

Nonfiction Words of Wisdom from Agent Ted Weinstein

Chuck — Sat, 30 May 2009 18:19:16 GMT

On Wednesday, Ted Weinstein was one of the four literary agents who participated in our "Ask the Agents" panel at the conference.

Ted, who specializes in nonfiction books, was full of wisdom on the panel. Below you can find four especially nice tidibits from him.

Four Tips on Submitting Nonfiction

By Ted Weinstein

1. Platform is the first thing he looks for when evaluating a nonfiction book proposal. On the subject of platform, Ted advises that nonfiction writers should "assume they are self-publishing." By that, he means that you should not count on any help from the publisher in selling the book. They will distribute it, yes, but once it hits the shelves, you have to make sure it gets off the shelves. If you expect no backing from the publisher to do this, you are, essentially, self-publishing in a way, and will make sure that you have a platform.
On this topic, he added that writers will sometimes come along and say "If my book gets published, I'll be famous!" Then Ted quips back, "No, if you get famous, they'll publish your book!"

2. You must submit one or a few sample chapters with a nonfiction book proposal. Concerning what chapter(s) to submit, do not submit the introduction if you are only submitting one sample chapter. Instead submit the actual Chapter 1, not merely the introduction itself.

3. When comparing your book to other titles in the marketplace, he advises two things. First of all, use the term "comparable titles" rather than "competitive titles." Second, try to prove how your book is like the Olympic rings. Show all these different rings exist - all these different types of books. But no book can link them together like yours!

4. He said he rarely asks for an exclusive look at a book proposal, but on the rare occasions that he does, he asks for no more than one week. That timeframe, he says, is more than enough for any agent to be exclusively reviewing a proposal.

Literary Agents Tell All at Boston Conference

Chuck — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:28:35 GMT

I just returned from Muse & the Marketplace, which is a writers' conference held in downtown Boston. The event seemed to be a big success and I gave two presentations - one on query letters to agents, and another on nonfiction book proposals.

ALSO - I sat in on an agent panel and listened to four agents share all kinds of good tips and secrets. The four reps were:

      1. Mollie Glick of Foundry Literary + Media
      2. Rob McQuilkin of Lippencott Massie McQuilkin
      3. Elisabeth Weed of Weed Literary
      4. Lane Zachary of Zachary Shuster Harmsworth

Here is what they shared. Everything
below is paraphrased.

ON SUBMISSIONS & QUERIES:

MG: When you contact an agent with a query, if you can mention other books that the agent has repped (for example, because you repped X, I think you will like my Y), that still really works.

LZ: Mentioning that you have an MFA is impressive and can help, but doesn’t make too much of a difference in the long run, because it’s all a matter of whether the writer can write.

MG: When looking at a query, agents are looking for something that helps them pull your letter out of the pile and say “This person has some legitimacy.”

LZ: The query letter is “a couple of sparkling paragraphs about what you’re writing.” She often sees query letters with superfluous detail in them—namely about the author’s life (“I ski … I hunt.”) If she sees superfluous detail in the letter, she assumes that the manuscript will have too much fat on it, as well.

RM: Simultaneous submissions are normal and assumed. In other words, it is safe and healthy to submit your work to several agents at once.

MG: Submitting to agents and editors at the same time is counter productive because if you were to get an agent, she won’t know who you’ve submitted to and received rejections from. This makes her job harder.

LZ: If she passes on an idea but thinks another agent at the agency will find it interesting, she will always pass it on.

ON SHORT STORIES:

RM: One of the best and most common ways to sell a collection of short stories is to repurpose them into a novel, or sell the collection as one part of a two-part deal, with the second book being an actual novel.

LZ: Short story collections do sell, but they do so very rarely.

Editor's Note: The thing that I noticed about short story collection success tales were that they all came around in strange ways. For example, the first success story an agent related was how a woman traveled all the way from India to attend an American writers’ conference and met an agent personally. The other success story told of an intern that worked at an agency where the intern said “Hey, I’ve got some short stories.” What to notice here is that neither one of these two examples came about through a cold query submission.
I found it odd to hear two success stories like that when almost no agents accept queries for short story collections. So it was not surprising to hear that neither were through queries. They were both somewhat special circumstances.

ON CHOOSING AN AGENT:

RM: There are distinct benefits to working with a young & hungry agent. Namely, they will be able to spend more time helping you polish your work before it gets sent out. A younger agent may have more time to help you.

EW: It makes no difference whether you go with a big or small agency. She’s worked at both, and finds very little difference. It's all about the agent's ability, not the size of the agency.

ON OTHER TOPICS:

MG: The state of the publishing industry has meant that the market is surprising. By that, she means that she will have an expectation regarding what a publisher will pay for a book, but the publisher is usually not offering the expected number. They’re either offering higher or lowering than first expected. In other words, the down economy is throwing things into a shift, but it's not always bad.

LZ: Agents are always on the hunt for new great writers and they read lots of publications. They read literary journals to find amazing talent. But they also ready magazines. She recently took on an author after reading a piece by the writer in Backpacker Magazine. The lesson here is that building credits is a good idea.

MG: She handles more clients than people may think. It’s because fiction takes so long to write and polish that it’s often 2-3 years between projects. It’s her job to keep track of what’s in progress, what needs a little more work before making the editor rounds, and what is good to go out right now.

MG: Finding an agent is like looking for a job. Writers should be professional. Both sides should ask questions of one another before contracts are signed.

Editor's Note: The agents were asked if they read Scribd, a site where people can post their writing. (Questions about these sites can up now and again at conferences.) All four agents said no, and then seemed to have somewhat negative opinions of posting stuff online. Rob said he doesn’t want to find secondhand material. Mollie said she is wary of anyone who has posted too much of the work online.

Me (Chuck Sambuchino) teaching at the conference. I gave
two presentations - one on queries to
agents, and another on nonfiction
book proposals.

Want more on this subject?

Word Count Guidelines for Novels and Children's Books.

Check out agent Don Maass's popular book, The Fire in Fiction.

20 Tips on Writing a Query Letter

How Money Works: Book Royalties, Advances and Flat Fees.

What are the BEST writers' conferences in the country?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Protocol and Expectations When Contacting and Befriending Literary Agents on Social Networking Sites Like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter

Chuck — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:13:40 GMT

Let's say you're interested in submitting to a few specific agents. Would you look them up on Facebook to learn more about them as a person? Many of you probably already have. What about MySpace? Twitter? LinkedIn?
But then questions arise: Would they agree to befriend you on sites like Facebook? Are they open to messages, pitches and/or conversation through such a site? What's the procedure and protocol here?
Well, my coworker Alice Pope, editor of Children's & Illustrator's Market, really wanted to know how agents interact with writers on such sites, so I decided to ask a few and find out.

WHAT I LEARNED

Here's the deal. I contacted six agents (I'll leave their names out of it because it really doesn't matter) and asked them about their experiences with writers on such social networking sites. They were all on Facebook, but only some were on MySpace, Twitter or LinkedIn. It was very varied. Here are some things I learned:

On Meeting Writers at Conferences:

If you're a writer who meets an agent at a conference, they probably still won't accept you as a friend on Facebook, because they want to keep "that life" separate from their professional one. An agent said this: "I'm trying to keep Facebook for friends only, and for a few professional contacts, like other agents or my already signed authors."

On LinkedIn:

Several agents were on this site, but the common caveat was that they don't check it or update it often at all.

On Twitter:

First of all, Twitter is the big exception, because it's a network for writers to FOLLOW agents, rather than interact and message them, so no agents had any problems or stories about tweeting.
As one agent said: "The reason Twitter works is that all those people can follow me and I don't have to do anything. I can only talk to and see the tweets of the people I want to follow."

On Querying:

If you query an agent through Facebook, you know that your message will avoid the slush pile and stand out from the crowd; problem is - that's a bad thing in this case. One agent said this: "I rarely get writer inquiries via Facebook, but when they do come in, they are way too casual and so not professional. The first few I directed to my agency Web site, but lately I've been deleting/ignoring them. Same with LinkedIn. Very few and I ignore."
       The lesson here is simply not to query through a social networking site. I realize the temptation to do so, especially after you haven't heard back from someone or have been turned down by 50 agents, but this will not help. It's not the correct avenue.

Writers vs. Publishing Professionals - The Difference

When you're a writer, it's in your best interest to be plugged into many social groups. It's called networking, and it allows you to have a lot of friends, a lot of contacts, a lot of people who will buy your book. As an author myself, I completely understand this. But agents, on the other hand, have no motivation to simply befriend everybody. That's probably the biggest reason they will quickly turn down a friend request from someone they don't know.
       As one agent said: "For authors, it's easy: everyone is your friend, the more the merrier. This is not true for agents."

Well ... if agents and editors don't want to interact and befriend writers on social networking sites, who DO they want to meet?

Industry pros! They want to keep in contact not only with their friends & relatives, but with other agents, editors and authors. Note how I said authors, not writers. They keep in contact with their OWN authors (their clients) and other writers who have already made it and can be of value in networking. That's what's in THEIR best interest.

Sending a Friend Request

If you try to befriend an agent, you may want to add a little message of some kind along with it. This may help; it may not. One thing's for certain. If you write to an agent or other pro and say "So nice to meet you in Florida at the conference!", and put in a friend request, but they DON'T accept it, then you SHOULDN'T ask them a second time, or a third time...
       They said no for a reason. Repeated requests for friendship will only come off as pestering.

If an Agent DOES Befriend You...

Let's say you want to query an agent, so you find her on Facebook and ask to be her friend. She accepts your request. You've succeeded. Just remember the basic rule here: You now have the ability to learn more about the agent in the hopes that it will help your query & pitch. However, that is not an invitation to chat or converse with them. Interaction through a networking site is a bad thing (unless it's invited, naturally).

They're Called GOOGLE ALERTS, and Yes We Have Them

Chuck — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:42:35 GMT

"Well, the weirdest thing happened to me yesterday.

I logged onto my website email account, which I hardly use because it's ALL spam. There was one email in it. A real one. So I read it. It was from a literary agent. Apparently her google alerts told her I wrote her name down. She read my blog about agents who didn't respond, and asked me to resubmit.

Shocked?

Yeah, so was I. She actually took the time to write me so I'd take her off my list! Wow. Okay, so I sent her the submission again.

She didn't like it so much.

But she did say "You've got skill, I'll give you that."

I've heard that so many times before. *sigh*

I took her name off, I'll add her to the rejection list. Ah well. It's still an interesting story, huh?"

------

Crazy story. So the agent found her and asked her to resubmit the work for a yes/no answer. Ultimately, this paid off for Jen - and gave her a second chance (although that second chance didn't pan out).

Let this be your warning: Google Alerts exist, so be careful what you're saying on the Internet. You never know who's listening.

A Pitch vs. A Synopsis: The Difference and Definitions (and 'What is a Good Synopsis Length?')

Chuck — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:30:11 GMT

Q. In a query, should the synopsis tell the whole story in a short form or should it leave mystery to the story like on the back of the book?

A. Queries and synopses are different things. You would never find a synopsis in a query.
        A query is a one-page letter that explains what you've written, who you are, and why the agent should represent you. In a query letter will be a pitch, which is a explanation of your story in 3-8 sentences. It's like the text you see on the back of a DVD box. It's designed to pique your interest. A pitch, like the back of a book or DVD, will not spill the beans regarding the ending.
       A synopsis is a front-to-back telling of what happens in your story. It's like sitting down with a 12-year-old and explaining your entire story in about five minutes. You explain who the characters are, what the conflict is, the three acts, and finally, what happens at the end (e.g., the villain dies). So, in a synopsis, you do indeed give away the ending. You would not do so in a pitch, and a pitch is what appears in a query.

FOLLOW-UP QUESTION FROM ANN:

Q. What length is a good synopsis? I recently sent out a query & synopsis. I managed to reduce the synopsis to one page, but now I'm wondering if it was too short for a multivoiced novel.

A. I recommend having TWO versions of your synopsis - a "long synopsis" and a "short synopsis." Let me explain.
       In past years, there used to be a fairly universal system regarding synopses. For every 35 or so pages of text you had, you would have one page of synopsis explanation. So if your book was 245 pages, double-spaced, your synopsis would be seven pages approximately. This was fairly standard, and allowed writers a decent amount of space to explain their story. I recommend doing this first. This will be your "long synopsis."
       The problem is: Sometime in the past few years, agents started to get really busy and they want to hear your story now now now. They started asking for synopses of no more than two pages. Many agents today request specifically just that - two pages max. Some may even say one page, but two pages is generally acceptable. You have to draft a new, more concise synopsis - the "short synopsis."
       So which one do you submit? Good question. If you think your short synopsis (1-2 pages) is tight and effective, always use that. However, if you think the long synopsis is much more effective, then you will sometimes submit one and sometimes submit the other. If an agent requests two pages max, send the short one (because, naturally, you've been instructed to). If they just say "Send a synopsis," and you feel your longer synopsis is far superior, and your long synopsis isn't more than eight pages, I say just submit the long one.
       Long answer. Hope it helps.

Example of a Mind-Boggling Horrible Query

Chuck — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:24:04 GMT

Guest blogger Ric Klass shows writers just about everything you SHOULDN'T do in a query letter. The hilarious result is below. Enjoy.

Guest blog column
by Ric Klass

December 17, 2008

Ms. Agent
William Morris Agency
1825 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10012

Hi Mr. Agent,

You’ve finally got a good book to represent. MINE. The word is out that you're the best agent in the world. Now’s your chance to prove it. I’m thinking of calling my book Gone With The Wind II. Pretty sweet, huh? I’m using the same characters, Rhett Butler and all that. My understanding is that the publisher will have no problem getting the approval to do that from the family’s state. But here’s the catch ... Tara will be in outer space this time!!!! Whoa! I bet this is the best idea you’ve heard in weeks or maybe ever. A bestseller for sure. By the way, I’m wrote the book on my lunch breaks (more on that later).

I’ve contacted about two hundred other agents and saved the best for last ---- YOU. They’re crazy not to have leaped at this ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY. I warn you, Mr. Agent, you may not get another chance like this one. Even though I read you only represent nonfiction, this is your chance to get into the fiction game where more interesting stories can be told.

I’ve discussed my ideas for the book with several of my friends at CVS where I work and they all LOVE IT! Obviously, dumdum, you will too. Right now I’m just stocking the shelves, but I think the manager might promote me to cash register. After all I worked there for nearly eight years and hardly took any time off except for the time I spend in prison fighting a false arrest for attacking one the agents I contacted who wouldn’t answer even one of my hundreds of phone calls--- the dirty bastard. But I’ll get even with him. I know you're not that kind of guy. From what I’ve read, you're a straight shooter.

The book is nearly done. I’ve almost finished page 12. Once begun is half done as they say. You should know that I need at least a $100,000 advance. And I need it NOW. You can’t believe how expensive lawyers are. (Don’t worry I won’t sue you, too!) From what I’ve read, you agents usually get 10 or 15 percent off the top. I’m willing to double it if you can send me at least $25,000 NOW. Since my idea is a sure thing, you should have no problem with this deal. You should also know I don’t suffer welchers if you no what I mean. You had better not tell my great idea to some other writer and going around me!!!! By the way, although your Web site said to include a synopsis, I thought I wouldn’t waste my time since you're sure to take on my book anyway. Instead (as I’m sure you noticed) enclosed in this giant box you just opened is a case of my favorite Skippy peanut butter just to let you know I’m no piker (in the case that I find another agent first before we sine on the dotted line, please send me $30 (in cash) to cover my expenses and the postage).

Right now the water drops you see on this page are real tears. I really need and DESERVE to have my book published. I’ve taken the liberty of following you to your home in Rye, NY, so I can deliver the manuscript any time you say directly to your place and hand it to one of your cute kids if you're not there (By the way, your wife is good looking too. NICE GOING! but she should keep the curtains closed - there are so wackos out there, ya know ... never can be too sure). But like I said, I’ll need a few days to finish the book. If for some reason I don’t hear from you in a day or so, you can expect to see me on your doorstep. (I’m sure it would have just slipped your mind. Ha Ha Ha Ha.!!!) Or you can except my offer by mail. I’ve enclosed an envelope for your secretary to address. She can stamp it too. Rich agents like you don’t need me to save them chump change, right? Right.

Affectionately,

Joe Writer

914-555-2054 (My girlfriend's number cause my phone is disconnected due to a bill miscommunication. Don’t even think of fuggin trying to hit on her or else!)

P.S. BTW, if you do hit on her, send money today and I’ll forgot the whole thing (and not tell your wife!).

Ric Klass is the author of Man Overboard: Confessions
of a Novice Math Teacher in the Bronx, a narrative
nonfiction book published late 2006. The New York Times
selected Man Overboard for its “Great Read In The Park”
book fair. The book was chosen for The National Press
Club's 29th Annual Book Fair and Authors' Night.

Agent Smackdown: East Coast vs. West Coast. Which is Better?

Chuck — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:31:18 GMT

Guest blog column
by Tom Bentley

The world of literary agents seems divided into sub-worlds: there is New York, there is California, and there is a smattering of boroughs and burgs in between. For better or worse, New York literary agents have often been stereotyped as aggressive, pushy and relentless. Underlying that notion is another: New York agents are the ones that will move your book along, get it in front of the right editors and get it into print. Of course, that implies another consideration: If you ain't got a New York agent, you ain't got squat. Is the West Coast counterpart of an NYC agent mushy, touch-feely and emotive? Is there a bagel/vegan muffin divide? And what about agents smack in the middle of the country—are they just waifs in publishing's prairie winds?

To find out if there's any substance to the pigeonholing, the only people to ask are the agents themselves, who were happy to let their own words reveal how they feel about their stateside rivals.

EAST VS. WEST

Stephen Barbara, an agent and contract manager at the Donald Maass Agency in New York offered connectivity, not attitude, as the East Coast advantage: “Most of the top agencies are here, most of the major trade houses are here, not to mention the great writing community and a wonderful city with tons of culture and a great social scene which connects publishing folks regularly over lunch, drinks, book parties, award ceremonies, and the like. The energy here is really incredible. That’s not to disparage out-of-town agents, and the world is flat, of course, but we do feel it is advantageous to be in the thick of things here.” Barbara did add that there are great agencies on the West Coast, and in Boston and DC (though he didn't say anything about how good their lunches might be).

Sandra Dijkstra of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency in Del Mar, Calif., offers that it's not all location, location, location: “Where an agent is based is much less important than how well-viewed and how well-connected that agent is, to both the publishing community and to the specific author’s work," she says. "Proximity to the NY pub world can also be a disadvantage, because agents need to remember for whom they work—the author—and playing volleyball with publishers in the Hamptons, traveling up and down elevators with them in NYC, etc., can also lead agents, like the White House press corps at times, to dangerous confusion on this front. Distance from NYC, on the other hand, can afford agents a vital perspective on the mad world of publishing, and beyond it too. In any case, in the Age of the Internet, we are sometimes all too connected.”

Though it is hard to slight connections (and once again, there are those lunches), Daniel Lazar, of the New York–based Writers House agency, takes a broad view: “I think for a new, young agent starting out, there is an advantage to being in New York. There are lunches and mixers and parties where young editors and agents are meeting. Getting to know editors personally is an important part of this business. Matching up a project with an editor usually involves a personal chemistry you can’t replicate entirely on the phone. However, for an agent with some kind of experience, whether they used to be an editor or a publicist or an assistant to an agent or a sales rep somewhere, all they need is a computer and a phone. You can do that from Times Square or from the Grand Canyon or wherever.”

AND THE MIDDLE

And from a perspective that can look both East and West (and talk about lunch on her own terms), let’s listen to Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency in Denver, Colo.: “NYC agents have the advantage of being able to go out to lunch more often with the editors, but is that a tangible benefit? In other words, does lunching more often make one a better agent? I've talked with many editors about my being located in Denver. Not one of them has ever cared where the agency was based. What they cared most about was my reputation and whether I send good projects their way. Interestingly enough, many editors have told me that they thought my location was an added benefit. I'm not New York-centric, and, in their eyes, that can be a huge plus. There are many terrific agents in New York (several of which are personal friends) and there are many terrific agents outside of NYC. An agency’s reputation is far more important than its location.”

BURYING THE (IMAGINARY?) HATCHET

As for a certain New York state of mind (or mood): Daniel Lazar summed it up in a tone that reflected the sentiments of many of the agents. “I know some very sweet and mild agents here in the city," he says, "and some formidable agents based miles and states away.”

East Coast, West Coast, Middle-of-the-Country Coast ... let’s call the alleged feud off—and then let’s have lunch.

Tom Bentley is a freelance writer,
editor and copywriter. He's published articles in
Writer’s Digest, the Los Angeles Times, Wired,
the San Francisco Chronicle, Traveler's Tales
and many others. He is also the winner of
multiple short story contests.

10 Hidden Gifts of Rejection Letters

Chuck — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:33:34 GMT

Guest blog column
by Debra Darvick

Journalist and essayist Debra Darvick
is the author of This Jewish Life:
Stories of Discovery, Connection and Joy.
Her book, I Love Jewish Faces (a children's
picture book celebrating Jewish diversity) will
be published by the URJ Press in May '09.
Visit her blog at debradarvick.wordpress.com.

Networking at Writers' Conferences

Chuck — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:12:00 GMT

Guest Blog Column
by Hanish "Han" Vance

Many fledgling writers understand the value of manuscript reviews and taking classes at a professional writers’ conference, but few understand the true potential impact of networking outside of the traditional formats. If you have a big salesperson personality and tend to meet people easily, networking will be a natural for you. If you're a bit shy and reserved, think of outward communication as part of your job: Bite the bullet and take the initiative to speak to those around you. The majority of those in attendance are aspiring writers like yourself; who more perfect to understand you? A few established writers and industry professionals will be sprinkled in amongst the masses. Guess what? They are normal people with some time to spare and valuable information to willingly dispense. Do not limit this special career opportunity by staying in your shell.
        Study the conference presenter roster beforehand for an overview of who’s who in attendance in the professional ranks. Breaks are a regularly scheduled part of the conference routine. Instead of hanging around your hotel room or quietly reading by yourself during breaks, think of yourself as on the clock. You are working to promote your future products. Have copies of your manuscript synopsis ready to distribute and be yourself, albeit a version of yourself who is visibly willing to make contacts by meeting new people. Position yourself in a well-traveled area and start introducing yourself.
        At my first writers’ conference (the amazing Harriette Austin Writers’ Conference in Athens, Ga.), I made sure that I was a visible presence in the atrium during all breaks and ended up meeting several key contacts there. As a result, I was able to choose between a select few of those contacts for the best possible professional editor for my memoir manuscript. I wanted to meet various lecturers from my classes, so I was regularly in the atrium where I knew they would pass through. I met everyone on my list and a few new writer colleagues along the way. It was a matter of location, location, location.
        At my second writers’ conference, many of the industry professionals I had briefly met or taken classes from the previous year were again in attendance. I may have learned more from hanging around those folks on breaks then I did from all my classes and my manuscript review. They welcomed me as a fellow smoker in the outside smoking section, and I asked questions and took notes. I don't really smoke, but that day I did. After realizing the value of the information I was getting for free on the first break, I walked to the convenience store and purchased some mini-cigars, which I smoked without inhaling on the rest of the breaks. My throat hurt a little, but it was well worth it. The point being: You need to be where speakers and attendees are. That's what you're there for. If the night is wrapping up and you're exhausted from a long day, you'd still be a fool to turn down an invitation to go out to a bar for drinks with other writers and professionals. Deals are made in the literary word over drinks in the bar around the corner.
        A break in the conference schedule before dinner was a chance for me to informally bond with the agent who had reviewed my manuscript. The lunch and dinner allowed me to connect with fellow writers, including a special writer friend who for a time called herself my muse. And finally, the late night poetry slam allowed me to showcase my versatility in the world of words while again making a lasting impression on contacts.
        Do not expect long interactions with any individual. Instead, spread yourself around as much as possible and collect the gems of industry wisdom as they come, and remember to write them down. Save and re-read your notes once you are back in the lab trying to create and sell that masterpiece. Above all, get contact information from any key individuals and keep it for when the time is right to use it. In any industry, networking can be the key to ultimate success.

       - Hanish "Han" Vance is a Georgia-based writer and blogger.

Breaking Down the Query Letter

Chuck — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:23:31 GMT

I talk to a lot of writers about how to compose a good query letter. Make no mistake - it's no easy task, and it will take a lot of work. But what I can tell you right off the bat is that a good query has a distinct structure, and I can show you it right here below.

Think of a query as a three-part monster, broken down into three paragraphs. At the top of the page, you will have your contact info, as well as the mailing address info for the agency and the date. After that, you have your three paragraphs:

Paragraph One:

        1. Explain what the work is. So - what are you writing? What is the genre? The length? The title? Is it complete? State all the basic info upfront so the agent will immediately know if this is a type of work that she represents.

        2. Explain why you're contacting this agent. Did you meet them at a conference? Were they recommended by a friend? Did you see an interview online where they said they were looking for steamy romances and you're writing one such steamy romance? Show them why you picked them out of the big pile, so they have a reason to pick you out of a big pile.

Paragraph Two:

        1. Pitch Your Work. This is the most difficult part. You have to boil your book down to about 3-6 sentences and explain what makes the story interesting. You've got to get to the hook. What is the irony - the catch - that makes this story interesting? If your story is simply about a police officer who retires and adjusts to a new lifestyle, that has no hook. But if you say that this newly retired police officer decides to get a sex change, and finds that the police union wants to cancel his pension, and his old friends won't speak to him - then you've got a hook. You've got a unique, interesting idea for a story.

Paragraph Three:

        1. Explain who you are and why you're qualified to write this work. Do you have publishing credits? Are you a journalist? Have you won any awards? Have you had short stories published? If you're pitching nonfiction, this becomes the most important section of the query because you will have to prove that you are the ideal person to write this particular book.
       Keep in mind that if you don't have anything to say or brag about, you can just keep this section short. Tout your accomplishments quickly and humbly. You want to say "I'm not brand new and I take writing seriously." You don't want to say "Yoo-hoo! Look at my accolades! I'm the man, if you didn't know it, sucka."

        2. Thank them. Thank the agent for considering your project. Ask them if you can send more. "Can I send you the first few chapters or some pages?" "Can I send you the full book proposal?"

Agent Barbara Poelle Wants to Hear About Your Favorite 7 Books

Chuck — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:49:40 GMT

Guide to Literary Agents welcomes
guest blogger Barbara Poelle, literary
agent for Irene Goodman Literary
in Manhattan.

The topic: Her favorite books on the bookshelf and why they excite her as a reader. Read on to hear more and then share your "top 7" in the comments section of this post.

"Even as a wee Barbara I was a voracious reader, and my love affair with narratives and plotlines and settings and characters has only deepened and turned more maniacal the older I get. However there are only 7 dog-eared, cover worn, Doritos-stained books that I consider my dearest loves, who truly pulled off something outstanding in their genre. The kind of books I would get into a bar fight with, sing drunken karaoke for, or bat my eyes shyly at over a candlit table for two. These titles make me wish I could sustain some sort of head injury and forget their plot points after reading so I could read them for the first time all over again. As it is, I mostly rotate them through every two years so that I can lose myself in their brilliance without needing to throw myself through a plate glass window in order to etch-a-sketch their themes. And they are, in no particular order:

Watchers by Dean Koontz:
The characters in this book are phenomenal. They stray just enough into the field of archetypes so you know what you are getting into without being cookie cutter. And the idea was so unique, so captivating, that it almost didn’t matter what happened as long as you got to watch these characters do it. Who didn’t want Einstein to be their dog? And if you didn’t cry when the Other died you hate Christmas and babies and chocolate. Is it any wonder I married a guy named Travis?

Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald
The narrative execution in this is so unbelievable that you will find yourself reading portions out loud even if you are being held at gunpoint during a bank heist. The phrasing and the expert use of perspective lend to a haunting, continuous read, like chewing warm taffy through the entire book. I would lend you mine but entire portions are now scotch taped in and I’m fairly certain that that is peanut butter on page 198.

The Stand by Stephen King
Multiple character plotlines are nearly impossible to pull off, yet this one does it perfectly. These kind of characterizations are unparalleled in any genre, besides perhaps something Russian and heavy. I don’t really need to say anything more about this except m-o-o-n spells brilliant.

Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
I judge people as friends by whether or not they have read Anne Lamott and this one is my favorite. Memoir is so difficult sometimes, and the ones who keep it the most honest, the most raw are the true masters of the genre. Lamott carries off her exploration of motherhood with charm, charisma, humor, and true emotion from the first page to the last. The only reason I will have children is so I can enjoy this from a new level.

Ahab’s Wife; or the Stargazer by Sena Jeter Naslund
Historical fiction is just so tough these days unless your last name is Gregory. (She’s pretty fabulous). The market is crowded with concubines, traitors, and waltzes on foreign shores, but this evocative, multifaceted work can stand unique among the Tudors and Howards. I am a huge fan of first lines. HUGE FAN. This one leaves “Call me Ishmeal” in the dust. Do yourself a favor, call in sick tomorrow and read this book. You can thank me for it later.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss
I laughed. I cried. I dangled my participle. If you love language, you’ll love this book. A must for anyone in the industry to read.

Guardian Angel by Julie Garwood
Ohh, what? You think I was too hoity-toity to get in a bar fight over a romance novel? This was the first Garwood I read and still is my favorite romance of all time. I mean, come on! The heroine is the hero! Strong women that do things they have to not because they want to, no sniveling, no cowering, women with a job to do and the biscuits to do it. That’s my kind of lady. And the love scenes are hot enough to make me clutch my pearls and yell, “Well, I do declare!”

Now, I bet if you and I were clinking mojitos at Havana Central off Union Square, you could come up with 5 or 6 more titles that I would say yeah yeah, that one too! (Time Traveler’s Wife. Staggeringly unique. The kind of rapier swift plotting that’s as edgy as it is accessible. She’s Come Undone. Are we sure Wally is a man? How can he write his female protagonist with such depth? She is a great character. White Oleander. Ingrid is burned into my mind as one of the truly great antagonists, she didn’t even have to be in the scene for me to know she was the puppetmaster behind it.)

But these 7 above are my true loves, some for decades, some for years, but all forever.

So … who would make up your magnificent 7?"

Barbara Poelle is an agent at Irene Goodman Literary Agency representing a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles. She is currently accepting queries directed to her attention at queries@irenegoodman.com

MORE Agent Chapter 1 Pet Peeves and Writing Cliches

Chuck — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:13:37 GMT

Note: This is part II of
the discussion on Chapter 1
no-no's. See part I here!

The current issue of Writer's Digest magazine (Sept/Oct 08) has a piece in it that I wrote on literary agents' chapter 1 pet peeves. For it, I basically just contacted a whole bunch of agents - new and experienced, fiction and nonfiction, Christian and not, juvenile and adult - and asked them all what they hate to see in chapter 1.

They gave a lot of great feedback - real good practical stuff touching on cliches and pet peeves and overused beginnings. Here is some of the responses that we put in the printed article:

Agents Chapter 1 Pet Peeves:

"Most agents hate prologues. Just make the first chapter relevant and well written."
       - Andrea Brown, Andrea Brown Literary Agency

"Slow writing with a lot of description puts me off very quickly. I like a first chapter that moves quickly and draws me in so I'm immediately hooked."
       - Andrea Hurst, Andrea Hurst Literary Management

"Avoid any description of the weather."
       - Denise Marcil, Denise Marcil Literary Agency

"I don't like it when the main character dies at the end of Chapter 1. Why did I just spend all this time with this character? I feel cheated."
       - Cricket Freeman, August Agency

"A cheesy hook drives me nuts. They say 'Open with a hook!' to grab the reader. That's true, but there's a fine line between an intriguing hook and one that's just silly. An example of a silly hook would be opening with a line of overtly sexual dialogue. Or opening with a hook that's just too convoluted to be truly interesting."
       - Daniel Lazar, Writers House

" 'The Weather' is always a problem - the author feels he has to set up the scene and tell us who the characters are, etc. I like starting a story in media res."
       - Elizabeth Pomada, Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents

Agents' Chapter 1 Pet Peeves!

Chuck — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:38:06 GMT

Note: This is part II of
the discussion on Chapter 1
no-no's. See part II here!

The forthcoming issue of Writer's Digest magazine (Sept/Oct 08) has a piece in it that I wrote on literary agents' chapter 1 pet peeves. For it, I basically just contacted a whole bunch of agents - new and experienced, fiction and nonfiction, Christian and not, juvenile and adult - and asked them all what they hate to see in chapter 1.

They gave a lot of great feedback - real good practical stuff touching on cliches and pet peeves and overused beginnings. The article will be online in several weeks, so you can see a lot of great advice soon.

Although we saved plenty of juicy parts for the WD article, in the meantime, enjoy all this great feedback that didn't make the final cut for space purposes!

Agents Chapter 1 Pet Peeves:

"Anything cliché such as ‘It was a dark and stormy night’ will turn me off. I hate when a narrator or author addresses the reader (e.g., 'Gentle reader')."
        - Jennie Dunham, Dunham Literary

"Sometimes a reasonably good writer will create an interesting character and describe him in a compelling way, but then he’ll turn out to be some unimportant bit player. Other annoying, unoriginal things I see too often: some young person going home to a small town for a funeral, someone getting a phone call about a death, a description of a psycho lurking in the shadows, or a terrorist planting a bomb."
        - Ellen Pepus, Signature Literary Agency (formerly Ellen Pepus Literary)

"I’m really turned off by a protagonist named Isabelle who goes by 'Izzy.' No. Really. I am."
        - Stephany Evans, FinePrint Literary Management

"I dislike opening scenes that you think are real (I rep adult genre fiction), then the protagonist wakes up. It makes me feel cheated. And so many writers use this hackneyed device. I dislike lengthy paragraphs of world building and scene setting up front. I usually crave action close to the beginning of the book (and so do readers)."
        - Laurie McLean, Larsen/Pomada Literary Agents

"I do in fact hate it when someone wakes up from a dream in Chapter 1, and I dislike an overly long prologue. The worst thing that you can do is let that crucial chapter be boring - that’s the chapter that has to grab my interest!"
        - Michelle Brower, Folio Literary Management (formerly Wendy Sherman Associates)

"I don't like an opening line that's 'My name is...,' introducing the narrator to the reader so blatantly. I might be prompted to groan before reading on a bit further to see if the narration gets any less stale. There are far better ways in Chapter 1 to establish an instant connection between narrator and reader. I’m also usually not a fan of prologues, preferring to find myself in the midst of a moving plot on page 1 rather than being kept outside of it, or eased into it."
        - Michelle Andelman, Lynn C. Franklin Associates (formerly Andrea Brown Literary Agency)

"I hate seeing a 'run-down list:' Names, hair color, eye color, height, even weight sometimes. Other things that bother me is over-describing the scenery or area where the story starts. Usually a manuscript can lose the first 3-5 chapters and start there. Besides the run-down list preaching to me about a subject, I don't like having a character immediately tell me how much he/she hates the world for whatever reason. In other words, tell me your issues on politics, the environment, etc. through your character. That is a real turn off to me."
        - Miriam Hees (editor), Blooming Tree Press

"Perhaps my biggest pet peeve with an opening chapter is when an author features too much exposition - when they go beyond what is necessary for simply 'setting the scene.' I want to feel as if I'm in the hands of a master storyteller, and starting a story with long, flowery, overly-descriptive sentences (kind of like this one) makes the writer seem amateurish and the story contrived. Of course, an equally jarring beginning can be nearly as off-putting, and I hesitate to read on if I'm feeling disoriented by the fifth page. I enjoy when writers can find a good balance between exposition and mystery. Too much accounting always ruins the mystery of a novel, and the unknown is what propels us to read further. It is what keeps me up at night saying 'just one more chapter, then I'll go to sleep.' If everything is explained away in the first chapter; I'm probably putting the book down and going to sleep."
       - Peter Miller, Peter Miller Literary

"1. Squinting into the sunlight with a hangover in a crime novel. Good grief -- been done a million times. 2. A sci-fi novel that spends the first two pages describing the strange landscape. 3. A trite statement ("Get with the program" or "Houston, we have a problem" or "You go girl" or "Earth to Michael" or "Are we all on the same page?"), said by a weenie sales guy, usually in the opening paragraph. 4. A rape scene in a Christian novel, especially in the first chapter. 5. 'Years later, Monica would look back and laugh...' 6. "The [adjective] [adjective] sun rose in the [adjective] [adjective] sky, shedding its [adjective] light across the [adjective] [adjective] [adjective] land."
       - Chip MacGregor, MacGregor Literary

"Here are things I can't stand: Cliché openings in Fantasy can include an opening scene set in a battle (and my peeve is that I don't know any of the characters yet so why should I care about this battle) or with a pastoral scene where the protagonist is gathering herbs (I didn't realize how common this is). Opening chapters where a main protagonist is in the middle of a bodily function (jerking off, vomiting, peeing, or what have you) is usually a firm NO right from the get-go. Gross. Long prologues that often don't have anything to do with the story. So common in Fantasy again. Opening scenes that our all dialogue without any context. I could probably go on..."
       - Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary

"I recently read a ms when the second line was something like, 'Let me tell you this, Dear Reader...' What do you think of that?"
        - Sheree Bykofsky, Sheree Bykofsky Literary

"I know this may sound obvious, but too much 'telling' vs. 'showing' in the first chapter is a definite warning sign for me – the first chapter should present a compelling scene, not a road map for the rest of the book. The goal is to make the reader curious about your characters, fill their heads with questions that must be answered, not fill them in on exactly where, when, who and how. Don’t ever describe eye color either..."
        - Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency

"Characters that are moving around doing little things, but essentially nothing. Washing dishes & thinking, staring out the window & thinking, tying shoes, thinking ... Authors often do this to transmit information, but the result is action in a literal sense but no real energy in a narrative sense. The best rule of thumb is always to start the story where the story starts."
        - Dan Lazar, Writers House

"I hate reading purple prose, taking the time to set up-- to describe something so beautifully and that has nothing to do with the actual story. I also hate when an author starts something and then says '(the main character) would find out later.' I hate gratuitous sex and violence anywhere in the manuscript. If it is not crucial to the story then I don't want to see it in there, in any chapters."
        - Cherry Weiner, Cherry Weiner Literary

How I Met One of the '20 Worst Agents'

Chuck — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:50:47 GMT

After every conference I attend and present at, I usually blog about the happenings of the weekend - such as the people I met and the things I saw, etc. If you've read the blog long enough, you'd know I go to a lot of writers' conferences. And the first one I ever attended may have been the wackiest. It's when I met an infamous unscrupulous "agent" who was deemed one of the 20 Worst by Write Beware.

First: The Conference

I'm not gonna go into specifics (names/places), but let me just entertain you for a second...

So I fly to a location in the Midwest and it's my first writers' conference ever. I show up the following morning to a Holiday Inn. I enter the main room and see that the entire audience is comprised of about 9 people. It turns out that the "conference" is actually just a small writers' group. So I'm like "OK, Chuck. Just give your speech and get this done."

After the speech, I start to meet with writers and have those little one-on-one sessions where I just answer any questions a writer may have. Then one of the attendees comes up to me and shows me her self-published book, asking how to market it and get an agent. I look at the cover. It's called "Uncle Jerry and the Bad Touch." NOT A JOKE!! Priceless!!

So I stammer for about 10 seconds, then scratch my head, then clear my throat. "I'm no expert on picture books, but I think this is kind of an odd subject for a book like this," I said.

Second: Meeting One of the "20 Worst"

I get introduced to the only literary agent in attendance. Upon hearing I work for Writer's Digest magazine (I did at that time), she immediately blasts my magazine, saying a recent article was inaccurate, etc. (Whatever!) She introduced herself and quickly brought up that she was on the "20 Worst" list, trying to discredit the list's rationale.

During her speech to the crowd, she revealed why she is one of the most reviled agents in America. She charges her clients an upfront fee of like $3,000! Insane again! When someone asked her about recent sales, she alluded to some private sales to big companies and basically gave no specifics of any kind. This smooth talking was too slick to be unrehearsed.

There was one especially nice tale she told. Expounding on why she charges thousands of bucks upfront, she addressed how a lot of people hate her, and even brought up one occassion where a disgruntled writer sent in a "special" package to her office in the Midwest. This package was rigged to spray dead animal parts and blood all over the office when opened. It was opened, and some assistant got the surprise of her young life, while this agent got a crazy bill from the EPA after clean-up.

How pissed do you have to be to rig a dead animal bomb? Doesn't a sick, elaborate thing like that have to clue this bad agent in on something?

Insane.

Anyway, check out the list of the 20 Worst again just to refresh yourself with those who should be avoided.

Barbara Poelle's '10 For 10 Rule'

Chuck — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:44:08 GMT

Agent Barbara Poelle of Irene Goodman Literary is here in Texas with me at the Northeast Texas Writers' Conference. (More on what East Texas is like and the proper protocol with dealing with fire ants later...) This morning, Barbara gave some great advice to the crowd on breaking down the query letter, with plenty of "do" and "don't" information for writers.

Of note was the speech finale: Her "10 for 10 Rule: 10 Questions Writers Should Ask Themselves Regarding Their Query if They Have Received 10 Rejections from Agents."

1. Are you thoroughly researching the agencies you are sending to?
2. Does the specific agent you are querying represent your genre?
3. Does your query have any of the "Don'ts" on it? (I do not have this list of "don'ts" here, but I presume it includes many gimmicky mistakes, such as scented paper, weird fonts, sending pictures of your kids, etc.)
4. Do you have any spelling or grammatical errors in your chapter selections?
5. Are there too many competitive titles currently crowding the genre? If the market is flooded with vampire and werewolf romance, for instance, even a good book with the same basic subject matter may never see the light of day.
6. Could it be called "chick lit" by someone in a meeting? The terrible, sad truth: This alone can kill a book these days.
7. Is your word count too low? (Below 50K?)
8. Is your word count too high? (Above 120K?)
9. Are you straddling too many genres to be appropriately sold into one?
10. Is this your strongest possible draft of the novel?

Barbara Poelle

Anatomy of a Bad Query Letter: When a Good Idea Gets Buried and Good Intentions Go Wrong

Chuck — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:45:56 GMT

Agent Nathan Bransford has his "Anatomy of a Great Query Letter" posts. So, on my blog, for educational purposes only, I present "Anatomy of a Bad Query Letter" (Part 1).

Obviously, I've changed names and places to protect this writer.

Check out the original letter and then I'll dissect it below...

-----------------

Awesome Writer
123 Main St.
Address

Date, Year

Dear Agent,

I am seeking representation to market a collection of my original short stories, entitled XXXX. My goal is publication to a mass audience, not only to English-speaking readers, but globally, to have translations of my work available in several languages.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies from the University of XXXX. I wrote my first story in January 2006, and I have since begun to also write a body of poetry. My short stories are science-fiction adventures with an ecological angle. Teenagers and young adults comprise my target audience. In a perfect world, I feel I could best get my message across in a television series adapted from the stories. That would be my long-range goal. However, unlike current popular TV programs and films of intergalactic warfare, my work stresses the interconnectedness of all life and the sacredness of Earth’s wilderness.

Publication in New Age and ecological magazines would be a logical first step for me. With the collection of I am submitting here, I welcome your input. What follows here is what I could see as possible back cover endorsements/promotions of the collection:

     - "Awesome Writer’s collection of stories has a more than sufficient number of surprises and compelling plot twists to engage the 12-25 set, with a skillful juxtaposition of science- fiction and spirituality."

     - "XXXX demonstrates the discerning and thoughtful intelligence of an author who personally survived a traumatic childhood event, and then spent nearly ten years as a teen and young adult on a spiritual healing quest. Write rshares this learning and experience in an authentic way, through his delightful characters, both human and alien."

     - "XXXX crosses a frontier familiar to many teen and young adults in the science- fiction/magic adventure genre, but differentiates itself in a message of hope for humanity and the planet, without preaching. The stories evoke the Arthurian legends in their mysticism and magic, but instead of knights, wizards and kings, benevolent aliens team up with humans. These stories could possibly become as loved by the new generation of youth as the film E.T. was thirty years ago."

Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Awesome Writer
E-mail: awesomewriter@yahoo.net

----------------

OK, here we go...

I am seeking representation to market a collection of my original short stories, entitled XXXX. I like the straightforward approach to begin, but note how your collection is "titled," not "entitled." My goal is publication to a mass audience, not only to English-speaking readers, but globally, to have translations of my work available in several languages. This is what another blogged called "Thinking Too Far Ahead Syndrome" (TTFAS). Stick to pitching your work.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies from the University of XXXX. I wrote my first story in January 2006, and I have since begun to also write a body of poetry. Awesome!! Wait - why does this matter? My short stories are science-fiction adventures with an ecological angle. Teenagers and young adults comprise my target audience. Kind of cool. Will voracious YA readers gobble up a short story collection? They just might, but this cool note is not expounded and buried in mistakes. Pity. In a perfect world, I feel I could best get my message across in a television series adapted from the stories. That would be my long-range goal. Way too much TTFAS! However, unlike current popular TV programs and films of intergalactic warfare, my work stresses the interconnectedness of all life and the sacredness of Earth’s wilderness.

Publication in New Age and ecological magazines would be a logical first step for me. Probably - so go do it! With the collection of I am submitting here, I welcome your input. Input as to what? How to begin? An agent wants to sell your work and make money, not give you career advice for free. What follows here is what I could see as possible back cover endorsements/promotions of the collection: This doesn't bode well...

     - "Awesome Writer’s collection of stories has a more than sufficient number of surprises and compelling plot twists to engage the 12-25 set, with a skillful juxtaposition of science- fiction and spirituality."

     - "XXXX demonstrates the discerning and thoughtful intelligence of an author who personally survived a traumatic childhood event, and then spent nearly ten years as a teen and young adult on a spiritual healing quest. Writer shares this learning and experience in an authentic way, through his delightful characters, both human and alien."

     - "XXXX crosses a frontier familiar to many teen and young adults in the science- fiction/magic adventure genre, but differentiates itself in a message of hope for humanity and the planet, without preaching. The stories evoke the Arthurian legends in their mysticism and magic, but instead of knights, wizards and kings, benevolent aliens team up with humans. These stories could possibly become as loved by the new generation of youth as the film E.T. was thirty years ago."

Ohhh-kay. I get the gist. Maybe this is a unique take on the pitch, as you want to "pitch through blurbs," but it doesn't work. Conjuring up fake praise comes off as not only amateurish, but a bit egotistical. Meanwhile, the cool idea of sci-fi short stories for teenagers is never explained well, even to the point where the interconnecting themes are not identified.

Furthermore, agents will usually not pick up a short story collection from a new writer. The best way to get such a collection published is to write novels, gather a readership, and then publish it. If you are an amateur and want to get them sold, I highly suggest getting some awards and honors for a few of them.

Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.

Sincerely yours,

What about just "sincerely"? Isn't that good enough anymore? I've seen "sincerely yours" a lot recently. This sounds kinda flirty ... maybe it's just me.

Literary Agent Straight Talk at NCWC - Featuring Rachelle Gardner, Kristin Nelson and Jessica Regel

Chuck — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:24:22 GMT

Three agents were here with me at the Northern Colorado Writers' Conference:

      - Kristen Nelson of Nelson Literary
      - Jessica Regel of Jean V. Naggar Literary
      - Rachelle Gardner of Wordserve Literary

Here's some of what they had to say:

Gardner: In-your-face spiritualism doesn't have to be a part of Christian writing anymore. Today's Christian and inspirational books have subtle faith-based themes such as redemption and soul searching. The stories are still "clean," though, as they lean away from profanity, detailed sex scenes, or gruesome horror stuff.
Regel: The "hook" is crucial for a YA book. Echoing what Michelle Andelman said in March, Jessica confirmed that a book with decent writing (say a B-) can still get published if the hook is awesome enough.
Nelson: When trying to compose the pitch paragraph of a query letter, go to the bookstore beforehand and read the back paragraph on books in your genre. That is essentially what you are aiming to write.
Regel: Bio credits can push you over the hump. Let's say that your pitch is not good or bad but rather just OK. What can push you over the hump and get an agent to request more writing? Bio credits! That is the advantage to starting small and getting short stories and magazine articles published.
Nelson: Don't call your novel Second Chances. Everyone else has the same name. In fact, Google your title to see what comes up.
Regel: She said she is actively looking for both narrative nonfiction and middle grade works. However, concerning middle grade, she brought up some concerns about titles, as well. Her advice is to avoid the standard "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" template for a title. For example, stay away from titles like "Timmy Tom and the Friendly Squirrel."
Gardner: Don't explain your whole story in a pitch. Pique the agent's interest and let them request more.
Nelson: She said she is actively looking for fiction that blends literary and commercial elements, such as The 13th Tale and Snow Falling on Cedars.

Check out Kristin Nelson's
Pub Rants blog here.

Want more on this subject?

How to Write a Query Letter.

What Should You Write in the "Bio Paragraph" of a Query Letter.

Why Your Manuscript Can Get Rejected, by Hallie Ephron.

10 Hidden Gifts of Rejection Letters.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice: Phil Lang of Reece Halsey North

Chuck — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:19:35 GMT

Agent interview by
blog contributor Robin Mizell:

"Agent Advice" is a series of quick interviews with literary and script agents who talk with Guide to Literary Agents about their thoughts on writing, publishing, and just about anything else.

This installment features Phil Lang, the newest literary agent at Reece Halsey North in Tiburon, Calif.

GLA: You're a new agent, which can be an advantage to authors seeking representation. Tell us a little about how you got started in the business.

PL: I was attending the MFA Creative Writing Program at the University of San Francisco with Elizabeth Evans, an agent at Reece Halsey North. She had interned for Kimberley Cameron and asked if I'd be interested in reading for them a few times a week. That invitation opened me up to a side of the writing equation that I had never even considered.
I knew on the first day that I had stumbled upon a special situation. You don't find places like Reece Halsey North just anywhere, and you rarely find a mentor as wonderful as Kimberley Cameron. I started going through the submissions as an unpaid intern. Before long, I was asked to look at work from existing clients. One thing you can count on in this business is that there will always be something to read, which to an intern means there will always be opportunities to show your worth.
After some time, Ms. Cameron asked if I saw myself making a career out of this. Absolutely, I told her. She offered me a job, and I took it on the spot. Not many people get the chance in this business right out of graduate school. I know how fortunate I am to be in the position I'm in, and I'm hellbent on making the best of it.

GLA: The Reece Halsey North Web site indicates you're seeking literary and commercial fiction, including mysteries and thrillers, as well as nonfiction in the areas of biography, history, current events, music, and sports. Would you consider any other submissions?

PL: When people ask what genres I'm interested in, my answer is always the same: I'm interested in the great writing genre. I'm not seeking fantasy or YA, but if it—whatever it is—is great, then I'm interested.
There is also another aspect to this question that people often overlook. I seek out the genres listed above because those are the genres where I am most confident in my assessment of talent. Asking me to represent fantasy would be like someone asking me to represent his or her punk band. I would like to think that I could hear some undiscovered Ramones and identify them as a great band, but I'm not in that scene, and I am not familiar with the nuances of quality punk music.
Greatness is apparent to most anyone, but it's the separation of everything that falls below the fantasy equivalent of the Ramones where I would have a hard time distinguishing the very good from the everyday.

GLA: What kinds of credentials do you look for when you receive a query?

PL: It depends on the genre. Fiction and nonfiction are entirely different beasts. Platform plays a big role in nonfiction, whereas I'm much less concerned with that on the fiction side of things. Now, I'm not saying a publication credit in The New Yorker means nothing to me, but there's more leeway in fiction. Thank God.

GLA: How do you prefer to be contacted by writers seeking representation?

PL: E-mail. It's the lifeline of the office. It may take a little while for me to respond, and on rare occasions queries are lost in the junk file, but it's without question the best way for someone to get a hold of me. We've phased out mail submissions in the office, and our response time has been cut in half.

GLA: If a writer submits a promising query that happens to be outside your specific areas of interest, would you pass it along to one of your colleagues at Reece Halsey North?

PL: Of course. I do every day. This is a small office, and the three of us (Kimberley Cameron, Elizabeth Evans, and I) are very tight. We each have a hand in every project that goes out the door, and we all are responsible for every query that lands here. What's good for the agency is good for me. I've heard horror stories of highly competitive agencies, and they always befuddle me.

GLA: How can writers get to know your particular tastes and preferences?

PL: Believe it or not, I labored over writing my bio on our Web site. It's a bit embarrassing, but what the hell. It took me a few days to write that damn paragraph! The reason for that is because I knew it would be the best place for people to get an idea of the writing I seek.

GLA: What's your defining personality trait?

PL: Persistence. I'm about as easygoing as they come, but I quietly go after what I want until I get it. (Is there any way to answer this question without coming off self-indulgent?)

GLA: Good point. It’s not always easy to describe yourself. How would you describe your ideal client?

PL: One whose books sell. I kid, but it's the truth. The ideal client is a person who understands that publishing a book is a collaborative process. This may sound obvious, but publishing a book takes time, many minds, and almost always involves more than a couple rejections. An ideal client, like a veteran ballplayer, never gets too high and never sinks too low. The ideal client knows that we're in this together and no one wants to sell the manuscript more than I do.

GLA: Tell us about your band.

PL: I started Bloomsday Rising with a fellow MFA student a little over a year ago. (What? You didn't think I was going let this prime opportunity for a plug slip away, did you?) It's a no-frills rock ‘n roll band, and it's the most fun I've had since Little League.

GLA: Will you be attending any conferences or events in the future where writers can meet you?

PL: The Santa Barbara Writers Conference (June 23-24); the Willamette Writers Conference in Portland, Ore. (August 1-3); the Book Passage Travel Writers & Photographers Conference in Corte Madera, Calif. (August 14-17); and the North Coast Redwoods Writers’ Conference (TBA).

GLA: Can you tell us about your own writing?

PL: I've spent the last few years working on my novel Home, Approximately. Like everyone and their dog, it's more or less completed, but I'm still making some final adjustments. The basic premise is that a young painter, five miles from a new life in New York City, is called back to the farm when his parents are killed in an accident. He spends the summer tending to his father's crops, stuck in the place and life he's wanted to leave since he was a boy. His greatest inspiration for his paintings is his hometown, Maple Valley, and the images of his father at work. His greatest fear is that he will become his father and never leave Maple Valley. Mix in a love interest, a young priest questioning his faith, and an ominous augur, and you have Home, Approximately.

GLA: To a writer looking for an agent, can you offer any advice about something we haven't discussed?

PL: Above all, remember the following:
      1. You will be rejected.
      2. You will be rejected.
      3. When you're at the stage of catching an agent's eye, your query letter is as important as anything. Polish that baby!
      4. Your first 10 pages hold your fate. Forward momentum is critical. It's not fair, but you have to give an agent a reason to turn the page. Know that you are one of 100 queries he or she will read that day. You don't have the luxury to meander.
      5. Give them exactly what they ask for. If they ask for a one-page synopsis, don't give them a page and a half. If they ask for the submission to be sent as a Microsoft Word attachment, don't send a submission in the body of the e-mail. I know that agents seem like a disgruntled bunch with classic Napoleon complexes, but I assure you that we are diehard fans of writing who want to contribute to the world of books.
      6. Do not call if you haven't heard back from an agent after a week, or even a month. I wish it weren't true, but it takes time to get through submissions. If you haven't heard back in a few months, then drop a polite e-mail, but after that, you have to let it go, which is why...
      7. You should send out simultaneous submissions. There is no reason you should be expected to wait on an agent before you send your work to other agents. It's simply not fair. Do not hesitate to send out submissions to as many agents as possible. What's the worst that could happen? More than one agent is interested in your work. Call me crazy and unethical, but I am willing to bet this is a problem any writer without representation would welcome.
      8. Your writing is worthwhile. Do not listen to the skeptics. They are just jealous because you've found something in this world that you're passionate about.
      9. Oh yeah, you will be rejected.

The Reece Halsey Agency, established in 1957 by Dorris Halsey, represented clients such as Aldous Huxley, William Faulkner, Upton Sinclair, and Henry Miller. In 1993, Kimberley Cameron became a partner in the agency and shortly thereafter founded Reece Halsey North and Reece Halsey Paris. Phil Lang joined Reece Halsey North in 2006 and is actively seeking new clients with “distinct voices and original perspectives.” The agency does not handle screenplays or teleplays. Additional submission guidelines are listed on its Web site.

Some Query Letter Tips: Part 1

Chuck — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:08:58 GMT

Unless you're meeting an agent in person at a writers' conference, a query is your first method of contact with an agent - so it better be good. A query letter, simply put, is a one-page letter that you send to an agent (or editor) that details: 1) What are the details of the work? 2) What is the story? 3) Who are you?

Writing a good query is a crucial step to snagging an agent. With that in mind, here are some Tuesday morning query writing tips for everyone:

Queries are single-spaced. The paragraphs are pushed left and separated by a blank line.
Keep the font simple, such as Arial or Times New Roman.
Always personalize your query. No "Dear Agent" stuff.
Stick to the basics. You don't need to throw in personal information about yourself, such as your age, the writers you admire, or your history as a dirt bike racer.
Always include your contact information. Typically, you can put everything at the top of the page, centered.
Be professional and humble.
Don't promise anything outside your capability. If you write a nonfiction query and throw in tidbits concerning how you will publicize the book, don't mention you can get on MSNBC if you have no means to do so.
Avoid saying "My novel is..."
Don't mention how long it took you to write the novel, or how many other agents you've queried, or that the story takes place in your hometown of Pleasesignme, Ohio.
Always include the basic info early. Here's a sample line: "I think you would be a great literary representative for my completed 90,000-word thriller, Dead Cat Bounce." Notice that, in one simple sentence, I told the agent the title, the word count, the genre, and the fact that it's completed.

How Royalties and Advances Work

Chuck — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:25:38 GMT

If you're going to wheel and deal with agents and editors, you'll end up spending more time than you'd like discussing rights, contracts, advances, royalties and a whole lot of other ~~boring~~ important stuff. That said, I want to address a recent question that came in over e-mail regarding how advances and royalties work. In other words, how does the payment process work when you sell a book?

For this example, I'll keep it real simple (for my own sake and well as yours). Let's say you acquire an agent and sell a novel. The publishing house offers you royalties of $3 per book sold.
It's probable that you'll be given money in advance - more specifically: an advance against royalties. What this means is that they give you a lump sum of money before the book comes out as payment that's yours to keep - say, $60,000. However, the money is not in addition to royalties, but rather part of royalties - meaning they've given you royalties for the first 20,000 books (times $3/book) upfront. Since they've already paid you the royalties of the first 20,000 books, you will not starting actually making $3/book until you sell the copy 20,001.

Think of it like this. When you get hired at a new job, you ask for several months pay upfront and the boss agrees. It's not a separate signing bonus you're getting - it's your hard-earned money paid to you early. You get the lump sum quickly, but then you don't get paid again till the regular checks start months later.

Many things to consider:

Royalties per book vary greatly. If you get $3/book, that's pretty darn good. If you write a typical nonfiction book, you may just get $1/book.
Advances against royalties are a pretty sweet deal. You get a lump sum upfront, which you get to keep even if the book fairs poorly. (Repeat: The advance is yours. Period.) But if the book takes off, you will start getting royalties down the road.
Reality check: Be aware that the money amount promised will hit your bank account as a lot less than expected, as Uncle Sam will take a big cut and your agent takes 15%.
You may run into a "flat fee" situation, where a publishing company pays you one sum of money upfront with no talk of royalties. This is legitimate - just make sure it's what you want.
It's common for a house to break up the advance. They may give you $30,000 when you sign the contract and then $30,000 upon completion of an acceptable manuscript. On this note, make sure you turn in an "acceptable manuscript," so that you get to not only receive the second payment, but also keep the first one, and not have a publisher demand it back.
Read your contract thoroughly. It's all spelled out.

Why Your Manuscript Can Get Rejected (Part 2)

Chuck — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 20:19:57 GMT

Keep in mind that the panelists were discussing why a manuscript will be rejected, not a novel synopsis or query letter. They were talking about problems within the writing.

Panelist No. 2: Donna Bagdasarian

Agent at Maria Carvainis Agency, Inc.
Formerly at William Morris
http://www.authorsontheweb.com/features/0105-literary-agent/carvainis.asp

Donna's top reasons why your manuscript can be rejected:

1. Problems with basic writing skills—grammar, syntax, defining who the protagonist is. To be successful, aspiring writers must learn how to write—well.

2. Bad dialogue. Write like people speak.

4. Not having the protagonist involved in the climax.

5. Spending too much time at the beginning of a story on a character who seems to be the protagonist, but isn't.

6. Supplanting quality for a gimmick. Take a moment and examine certain gimmicks, such as the following:
- Writing in the second person

      - Having many points of view
      - Having your book be very, very dark in nature
      - Having scenes in a backwards order

- Hopscotch (where you can jump around anywhere and the story still makes sense)

8. Know how much is too much. If you can cut a scene and the story still works, you must cut it. Ask of the scene: "Why is it here? What does it do to further the plot?"

9. Purple prose—writing where the reader is conscious that these are the author’s thoughts, not the character's. This is prose where the language is excessively flowery and/or lyrical.

Reasons Why Your Manuscript Can Get Rejected (Part 1)

Chuck — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:22:57 GMT

Keep in mind that the panelists were discussing why a manuscript will be rejected, not a novel synopsis or query letter. They were talking about problems within the writing.

Panelist No. 1: Hallie Ephron

Author of several mystery novels
Book reviewer for the Boston Globe
Author: Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel (WD Books)
www.hallieephron.com

Hallie's top reasons why your manuscript can be rejected:

2. Predictability—using the same plot as others. For example, a cliche mystery plot opening hook is this: A P.I. picks up his office phone and his ex-wife is on the line. She's in trouble, but can’t say why. They agree to meet later at a bar or parking lot, but she never shows because she’s been murdered.
"I want twists. Surprise me in the first chapter and I'll keep reading."

3. Too many killers. A recent manuscript she read revealed six people were actually complicit in the book's murder. It’s convoluted, confusing, and shows that the author had to pull six rabbits out of a hat at the end to wow us. This problem is likely because of earlier problems in Act II—a.k.a "the muddy middle."

4. Point of view that’s out of control. If you’re in a character’s head, stay there until the scene is over.

5. Prologues that don’t work—where writers have a boring opening, so they simply pluck out an exciting scene from the middle, put it at the beginning, and call it the prologue.

6. A plot with no spine. When the scenes seem to jump around—you’re here, you’re there, now you’re there—the book has no backbone. "You have to get me to care about the main plot for me to keep reading."

7. Getting stuck to an outline. "Don’t let your plot trap your characters." If you write an outline and, in the middle of the story, the protagonist is supposed to run into a burning building, that’s fine. But as you begin the flesh out your protagonist and write the book, you may craft a character who wouldn’t realistically run into a burning building—perhaps he’s too smart, or too cowardly or whatever.

Her final tips: "Surprise me. Make me laugh. Make me care about your characters. Don’t let the frustration get you down. We all go through the 'It’s a piece of sh*t' stage."

Concerning Literary Agents and Self-Publishing: Part 2

Chuck — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:32:06 GMT

Note: This is an ongoing series about both self-publishing and literary agents. See the first post here.

This past weekend at a writers' conference, I heard a lot of good information from fellow presenters regarding why many books are self-published, as well as the realities about how self-published books that tell a writer's personal story almost never get picked up by big houses.

Both writer Bob Mayer and literary agent Chip MacGregor said that writers' first books are often about their personal stories. Many people draw upon unusual or "rough" aspects of their life: their father was a traveling inventor, they have a loveless marriage, they were abused as children, they dealt with a parent who was addicted to drugs, they went to 16 different schools as a child because their mother was paranoid of alien abductors, etc. These writers then take their personal stories and make them into books—either nonfiction accounts of their life, or as novels, with the characters based on real people.

The problem with these stories is: There are way too many of them. It's not to say that your story doesn't matter and isn't tremendous, it's just that there are too many personal stories out there for yours to stand out. I know that, to you the writer, it's demoralizing to think that your life story is one of countless others flooding the self-published book pool. Writers believe their story will be of interest to many; that's why they self-publish. The feeling is, as Jack said in Sideways: "Publish it yourself. Just get it out there; get it reviewed. Let the public decide." But the reality is that almost no publications review self-published books. There are just too many. Following the book's printing, writers may try to get an agent to take on representing the book and selling it to a large publisher. This is a difficult task.

First of all, remember that many, many people self-publish their personal stories—so the world is full of such books. Also, it makes little difference to an agent whether your story is told through so-so writing versus those that are told through good writing. The reason: "Personal story is dead," says MacGregor.

According to MacGregor, the best (only?) way to deal with a powerful personal story book is through BOR sales—"back of the room" sales. If you have the opportunity to speak to various groups of people and give a presentation that relates to your personal story, you can sell your books at such events. "The fact is, it probably works better as a self-published book that's sold 'BOR' than it is at a regular royalty publisher, because without you there, the book won't sell," MacGregor says. "They are buying you and a piece of you, and consequently, those books are better self-published."

If you're writing a book about (or based on) your personal story, ask yourself: Who is the target audience? Friends and family? College students? Can you reach the target audience yourself? If you can, you're in business. If you can't, and your goal is to get it reviewed (and noticed!), then you're fighting a tough battle. Very, very few self-published books are picked up by agents because very, very few self-published books will sell well in the general market.

Agree? Disagree?

Words of Wisdom: Author Bob Mayer

Chuck — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 16:44:34 GMT

Searching for some fiction writing advice? Look no further than Bob Mayer, a man with many accomplishments. Mayer has written more than 35 novels, has been on just about every bestseller list out there, and is now with his fourth literary agent.

He presented at the HAWC this past weekend; here are some of his precious nuggets of wisdom for fiction writers:

If you're writing genre material, it's probably best to "frontload" the work, meaning you can outline heavily before delving into the work.
Don't start your query letter with "I've just written a novel..." The agent realizes this.
Know the difference between lecturing the reader and entertaining. "As fiction writers, we are entertainers," he says.
Writers often don't sell their first novel because the story is about the writer's life and problems. "First novels tend to be blood-lettings," he says, "and they're focused on you, not the reader."
Agents look for solid characters in fiction work. To demonstrate this point, Mayer brought up the TV show, "The Closer," which is essentially just one of countless cop shows, but succeeds because of great characters.
The protagonist must be reluctant to get involved. They should also be likeable and interesting, but also different and flawed.
Give your work high stakes. What will happen if the protagonist fails?

Bob Mayer (right) speaking with an attendee at the HAWC.

One Story? You Need 5 Versions

Chuck — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:31:41 GMT

I've seen a lot of novel synopses recently, and thought I should post some information on how writers need many versions of their one tale.

OK, so you've written a novel and had it edited by peers or a professional. Now you need a literary agent. Along the road to an agent, you'll constantly be asked for shorter versions of your story. Here are five versions of your work that you should have on hand.

1. The pitch line: This is a one-sentence pitch of your work. (In films, this is called a "log line.") Example: A treasure hunter travels to the Himalayas to find a fabled artifact. Writers can put this pitch line at the beginning of their full synopsis, so agents immediately get the gist.

2. The pitch: This is a one- to two-paragraph explanation of your manuscript. You will include the pitch on your query letter to agents, and you'll essentially say the pitch out loud when talking with agents in person. The pitch is commonly called "an elevator pitch," because you must keep it short enough so that an agent can hear your idea while traveling in an elevator. Appropriate length: 3 to 6 sentences.

3. The synopsis: A long description of what happens in the book (i.e., a summary). I will post more on writing a synopsis soon. For now, know that synopses are usually 2-12 pages in length and introduce all the major characters, as well as their backgrounds and motivations. The average synopsis should be double-spaced and approximately 6-7 pages.

4. The short synopsis: All agents have their specific requests for what they like to see in a submission. Some agents will request a 1-page or 2-page synopsis. Now your challenge lies in taking your long synopsis and cutting it down as much as possible—just in case an overly particular agent wants a super-short plot summary of your work.

5. The full manuscript: Naturally!

Defining Book Proposals, Outlines and Synopses

Chuck — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:18:24 GMT

Q: When submitting to agents, 1) Do sample chapters need to be consecutive or should they be random? 2) What is a proposal package? 3) Why send a synopsis and bio since both are in the query letter?
- Randy L.

A: Sample chapters do not have to be sequential unless you want them to be or the agent requests this. In fact, some agents will specifically ask for your book's first chapter, a chapter from the middle of the book, and then the last chapter. They do this to see if your writing quality is consistent throughout the first, second and third acts. Bottom line: It's up to you.

A proposal package (or a "proposal/outline") is a full book proposal—sent in place of a nonfiction manuscript. If you want to write a nonfiction book, you don't have to write the manuscript before querying an agent. (Seriously.)
A novel is sold on the quality of the writing, which is why the entire book has to be completed and polished before querying an agent. Nonfiction books, on the other hand, are usually sold on 1) the book's concept/idea, 2) its place in the market, and 3) the author's platform and promotional abilities. With that in mind, a nonfiction book does not need to be complete when you pitch the idea.
What's sent in place of the manuscript is a book proposal, which essentially details what the book is, why it should be written, how it will be structured, and all the means the author has to reach prospective markets/audiences. Proposals can be lengthy (say, 20-25 pages on average) and they are difficult to write, but plenty of resources exist to help you through them. The new 2008 GLA has an article on writing a proposal; also check out Bulletproof Book Proposals by Pam Brodowsky and Eric Neuhaus.

      Next, and very importantly: A synopsis is not a pitch. In your query letter, you will have 1-2 paragraphs to summarize your story for the agent. This is called "a pitch."
      A "synopsis" is a long, detailed explanation of what happens in a novel. They are anywhere from 2-12 pages usually. The synopsis allows you to take the agent/editor through the story from beginning to end, introducing all the major characters, their backgrounds and motivations, as well as the twists and turns. The ending is fully revealed and all is laid out on the table. The synopsis immediately lets an agent know what the entire story is, who the characters are, and how it ends. If that gets them intrigued, your writing will have to carry you past the finish line.
      Synopses have very specific formats, so make sure you read up on them before writing one. (In the near future, I'll post much more on how to write a book synopsis. I'm critiquing several now.)

Lastly, the bio. Although you will have some space on the query letter to write a bio, you will likely need to have a separate section within the book proposal called "About the Author," where you detail who you are, your accomplishments, and your credentials that allow you to be the best author to propose this book. For example, in the query, you may mention that you're an "award-winning short story writer." In the true "bio," you will list all your short story accolades—the publications names, the dates, the specific stories, and the exact awards.

Bulletproof Book Proposals

Identify the Literary Agent of Any Book

Chuck — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:28:01 GMT

If you want to know who agented a particular book, there are a variety of ways how to discover the individual literary rep who made the deal. Here are three ideas for starters:

1. Simply check the book's acknowledgements. Sometimes, it will be as simple as a writer saying, "And a special thanks to my agent, Randy Masterson."

Keep it Secret. Keep It Safe

Chuck — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 14:52:22 GMT

In a recent conversation with a writer, we were discussing the Internet, and the writer mentioned how he was posting some of his unpublished book manuscript online for people to read. This was not the first time I'd talked to a writer who had this idea.

Though something like this may seem like a good plan—especially if you're actively looking for advice and/or feedback—posting material from an unpublished book on the Internet is a big no-no if you still want to sell the book.

First of all, as detailed in a previous post on copyrights, you're inviting other writers to steal your idea. Secondly, posting material online makes it less valuable to publishers, and therefore, less attractive to agents. Material that's available online for free is less probable to sell, hence agents' hesitancy taking on such projects.

Perhaps your goal is to put good material online in the hopes that someone such as an agent or editor will come across the site and contact you. Unfortunately, the odds of this are very, very low. If you really are looking to get your work noticed by agents without going through the traditional submission process, my best advice is to get short stories published in prominent journals, or get your nonfiction articles published in prominent magazines. Agents read those publications, and they sometimes contact writers out of the blue and say something along the lines of, "I enjoyed your article in Prominent Magazine. Do you have representation? Have you ever considered writing a book-length manuscript?"

And that's when you say, "Well ... funny you mention it, because..."

Concerning Literary Agents and Self-Publishing: Part 1

Chuck — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 19:14:32 GMT

At conferences, attendees always (always) ask about self-publishing, and they ask a lot of questions—which is why I'm titling this post "Part 1," because more will follow. These attendees, some of which have already self-published, invariably inquire about whether or not agents will consider representing an author's book even if that author has already self-published said book.

So will they? The answer's complicated, but usually leans toward "No."

First of all, if you self-publish a book, it has to sell well to get the attention of an agent. How many copies, you ask? I've heard some agents say 8,000, while others say 30,000. Let's compromise at 15,000. That's no easy task, my friends. You're selling every copy yourself, peddling your wares every day. Yes, you may get distribution in a few local bookstores, but then again, that's just a few local bookstores.
Also, good sales can actually be a deterrent to a publisher if your book is very regional. Let's say you self-publish a book called Oklahoma's Rodeo Champions and tour the state, selling it at small events and out of your car trunk. Maybe you sell 9,500 copies—a notable feat. Then, when you present your work to an agent or a traditional publisher, they may think that everyone who will likely buy the book has already bought the book.

Agents want to find undiscovered gems. If your book is self-published and, perhaps, some of it is available online for free, an agent will likely pass on your work. The basic thinking is: If the book was so good, why self-publish in the first place? Why not just sign with an agent and sell the book to a traditional publisher?

There are success stories concerning this. At a recent conference in Tennessee, I met motivational speaker Tama J. Kieves, author of This Time I Dance: Creating the Work You Love. Her self-published book was of much higher quality than most self-published works, and word-of-mouth praise boosted sales enough for her to sign a deal with Tarcher/Penguin-Putnam for them to publish/distribute the book. Now, she's a successful author with another book on the way. So: It can happen, but you have to sell a lot of copies, and that's extremely difficult.

More to come on agents and self-publishing...

How to Start a Writing Group

Chuck — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:23:16 GMT

Before you query an agent with that book you've spent so much time writing, it needs an edit. And then some rewriting. And some revisions. Then another edit. Maybe a polishing too...

Since you only have one chance to make a great first impression with an agent, make sure your submission is perfect, or as close to perfect as you can get it. To ensure your submission is ready, others will have to critique it. Concerning these "others," writers have two options:

You can spend the money and hire a freelance editor. There are plenty of editors in the world who will critique your manuscript for a certain amount of money per page reviewed. Good editors will provide you with good work, but they'll also charge you an arm and a leg - $3 or $4 per page, depending on the individual. This is a dangerous area for writers because scammers pretending to be professional editors prey on new scribes. If you take this route, get a personal referral from a friend. If you see an editor you'd like to hire, request their credentials and ask if they will do a sample critique (three to five pages of your work) for free, so you can gauge how they operate.

Or, you can join a writing group. If such a group doesn't exist in your hometown, you may have to start it from scratch - something that's in no way simple. Luckily for us, Sally Richards can give some good tips to get the ball rolling. Sally, a former contributor to Writer’s Digest, and all-around successful author, talked with Guide to Literary Agents at BookExpo America. She recently moved to a suburb of San Diego and had an “interesting” experience trying to form a writing group where one did not currently exist. Here are some important points she passed on to GLA:

Qualify the writers. Make sure they're peers capable of reviewing your work and providing solid feedback.
Call it a "writing group," rather than a "writers’ group." Do this so people see writing as what it is: a verb. After all, anyone can declare that they're a writer then just show up to schmooze about movies while drinking coffee.
Aim for 4-5 members, no more. Ask for a 10-page sample of a person's writing for consideration before making a decision about them.
If you seek out group members on Craig's List, be prepared to deal with crazy stalkers.
Get a new e-mail address to use specifically for dealing with potential members.
Utilize Media Bistro and Meetup.com to find members.
Build the group with chemistry in mind. Also, look for people who will work hard. If group members are writing 4,000-5,000 words per week, that’s a lot of time spent editing other people’s work.
Make sure that group members are not only passionate about succeeding, but also passionate about seeing fellow members succeed.

Sally Richards has authored several books, ghostwritten numerous others and taught university-level courses. Learn more about her at www.sallyrichards.com.