Guide to Literary Agents - How I Got My Agent Columns

How I Got My Agent: Kirsten Rice

Chuck — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:13:56 GMT

"How I Got My Agent" is a recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings.

To see the previous installments of this column, click here.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics.

Kirsten Rice is a college student and aspiring
novelist. When not writing, she splits her time
between Seattle summers and California school-years,
drinking iced tall caramel macchiatos, and
"studying" on the beach. See her blog here,
and she also tweets.

FORGET STUDYING, I HAVE TO QUERY

I got the e-mail on October 19. It was titled “Query Interest”, and it transformed my busy morning into a dance party. I’d been querying my YA novel since the beginning of my sophomore year in college, and now it was October, and this e-mail was from an agent I definitely hadn’t queried.

You know what they say. Plan your query attack. Be professional. Be unique—your query’s gotta stand out from the pack.

That wasn’t going so well for me. I’d only sent out about 20 queries since September—because, let’s face it, college isn’t the easiest time to focus on something as depressing as querying. I’d gotten a couple dead-end partial requests and one full—and rejections were lining up like people line up for midnight releases. Well, not quite. But I was sad. The Inbetween was my fifth novel, and I finally felt like I’d written something the Donald Maass school might call a “breakout novel.” My friends thought I was a rock star writer on the road to instant fame—because I guess it is unusual for a 19-year-old girl to be obsessing more about agents than boys—and the school paper even ran an article on me. I just wasn’t stirring up such a big wave in those agent inboxes.

ENTERING A CONTEST

One day I decided to submit my query in a blog contest (prize: a 20-page manuscript critique), and then I kind of forgot about it all. So my stomach flip-flopped as I clicked on this e-mail. It was from Ammi-Joan Paquette, an associate agent at the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. She’d seen my query on the blog contest and it’d really caught her eye. She wanted to see more. More? **Cue happy dance.**

After that, things happened fast. Two days later, Joan said: "Loved this, please send full." Three days after that, she sent me another e-mail that rocked my dream-world with a dream come true. Wow, this is phenomenal, she said, Are you available to chat on the phone? Oh yes I was. I remember calling home that Saturday morning on my way to study at The Coffee Bean, and talking so fast I could barely understand what I was saying. Do I need to mention that I got nothing done at the coffee shop that day?

But the craziness really started a few days later after I’d talked to Joan on the phone about revisions and signing the contract (ah!). I was in class, and yeah okay, I was paying more attention to my computer than my professor. But. I got an e-mail. It was from the only other agent who’d requested a full manuscript, and she wanted to make an offer, too. And as soon as she found out via e-mail I’d already had another offer, she called me right up. In the middle of class. I didn’t find out until after class because my phone was on silent in my backpack. (I know, I really am a good student!)

ONE OFFER IS NOW TWO

Anyway, I’d dreamed about this: multiple offers, two amazing agents fighting over me. It sounded really cool in my head, but it wasn’t so cool in real life (you probably won’t believe me until it happens to you). That week was the most stressful week of my life. I had about a thousand papers and tests. My parents were out of the country. My friends were super excited for me, but I had to navigate this alone. So what did I do?

I went with my gut—and that’s the best thing to do in this business. Get as much information as you can, talk to the offering agents, think about their revision ideas. Talk to their clients. And then follow your heart. Really, it’s that simple. And it wasn’t abracadabra POOF, because nothing really is, but I signed with Joan.

So while my story is kind of unusual—I never queried my agent in the traditional slush-pile way—it’s just another story about being prepared, writing a stunning query letter, stumbling around for a while without much success, and then finding an agent who loves my book and believes that The Inbetween will stand out. My gut was right.

Writing YA? Check out author K.L. Going's
resource Writing & Selling the YA Novel

How I Got My Agent: Deborah Blake

Chuck — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:48:05 GMT

Deborah Blake is the author of Everyday Witch
A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative
Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft
(Llewellyn 2008) as well as Everyday Witch
A to Z Spellbook (2010) and Witchcraft on
a Shoestring (Sept. 2010). She has published
numerous articles.

2 YEARS, 3 MANUSCRIPTS AND 50 REJECTIONS

Five years ago, I wrote a book about modern Witchcraft, and started my career as a Llewellyn author. I loved writing nonfiction, and my fourth and fifth books will be out this year—but truly, my heart was with the fiction world. So I set myself some concrete goals: I would write and finish a novel. Then I would get an agent. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. But I didn’t realize just how hard and long the journey would be.

I finished the edits on the first book in early February of 2008, and sent out my first query about a week later. Over the course of about a year, I sent out a lot of other queries, and got requests for partials and a few requests for fulls (including one from Harlequin editor Patience Smith, as a result of my EMILY “Best of the Best” contest win). I used Guide to Literary Agents as well as sites online. I also checked websites for the agencies and agents I was interested in, read the dedication pages of books by authors I respected, and started spending inordinate amounts of time following agents and editors on Facebook and Twitter. Lesson #1: Do your research.

I DIVED IN AND MADE FRIENDS

I also started following some of the authors I really liked and admired, most especially the fabulous Candace Havens, who is amazingly supportive of up-and-coming authors. I went to blogs and left comments. I bought books and told the authors I’d done so. I supported and applauded their endeavors, asked questions, and soaked up as much wisdom as possible from all these lovely folks who were further down the path than I was.
Lesson #2: We're all in this together.

Eventually, I joined RWA. I entered contest after contest for almost a year, garnering lots of feedback, which I added to the feedback I’d gotten from agents and editors. Some of it really resonated with me (or was repeated over and over, which told me that no matter how I perceived my work, others were seeing it differently). I also took a number of online writing classes and went to workshops at my first ever RWA Nationals last year. And I kept writing. When book #1 didn’t sell, I wrote book #2. When book #2 didn’t sell, I wrote book #3. Lesson #3: Use all the tools at your disposal to improve your writing. Then write, write, write.

A REFERRAL TO ELAINE

Book one got sent out to over sixty agents. Book two got sent out to two—both folks who’d read the full of #1 and said, “Not quite, but send me the next one.” But as much as I loved the book (and believe it will sell when the market changes), it was clear that humorous paranormal romance was a tough sell. So I made a conscious choice to put aside both books 1 and 2 for a bit, took a break from querying, and wrote #3. When it was done, I queried my top three choices. The first choice said he wasn’t taking on anyone new, nothing personal. The second one said she didn’t love the voice. The third one—Lucienne Diver—said she loved the book … but she’d recently signed someone whose protagonist was a little too similar to mine, and she felt she wouldn’t be able to sell it. Arghhh!

So I took a chance, and asked her if she would mind sending it on to Elaine Spencer, also at The Knight Agency (and Candace’s agent). Elaine had read book #1 and liked it, but felt it was too close to things already being repped by the agency. The next day, I got an email from Elaine telling me she loved the book. That was on a Friday afternoon. On the following Monday, we talked on the phone and she officially agreed to represent me. My journey was over. Lesson #4: Be flexible and never give up.

Nothing on this journey went exactly the way I expected it to. But the combination of what some might call a stubborn refusal to admit defeat, a desire to become the best writer I could be, and the help and support of a whole lot of people—many of whom have never met me in person—led me to a happy ending.

Deborah used Guide to Literary Agents to
help find an agent. You can buy the book
here at a 30% discount.

How I Got My Agent: Katie Lee

Chuck — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:34:21 GMT

Katie Lee is a writer of romance.

MY FIRST BOOK: REJECTED

In early 2000, I had completed my first romance novel and started sending it out to publishers. I didn’t have much knowledge about the publishing world, so not surprisingly my uninformed foray was not successful. I was roundly rejected by all the publishers I had submitted to. The experience was discouraging, making me temporarily shelve my dream of becoming a published author. I focused on other things, such as my law career, but writing to me is like food—I can go long periods without it, but at some point, I need it to live.

So I started writing again, but kept it relaxed—doing it more to satisfy my need to write as opposed to wanting to get my work published. Then through friends and colleagues, I started to pick up a few freelance writing gigs here and there. I was a regular contributor at About.com, recapping and reviewing reality television series, and I wrote a children’s play for a theater in Michigan—all of which gave me a needed boost of confidence.

Flash forward to late 2009: I was doing a final edit of my second romance novel, Match Made in Haste. Newly invigorated and armed with the lessons I had learned from my first attempt, I was ready to try the publication process again.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, BUT IT’S ALSO REALLY CONFUSING

Unlike my blind, unprepared jump into the deep end of the publishing world with my first novel, I decided to do some research this time around, to inform myself about how the business works and what the best approach would be for publishing my book. So I went online, read blogs, and joined forums. I checked out how-to books at the library, and the Writer’s Market and Writer’s Digest became my new best friends.

Then I was sucked under by the tsunami of information. There was just so much information out there, and seemingly no order to any of it. Oftentimes, I got conflicting information, where one source would recommend seeking out publishers first, while another suggested seeking out agents. There were so many options that I began to wonder if my blindly ignorant foray almost ten years earlier was actually the better way to go.

However, I did manage to glean from this overwhelming influx of information that if I wanted my manuscript to come anywhere near an editor at a "big name" publishing house, I’d have to get an agent because those publishing companies don’t let any ordinary Joe (or Jane) waltz through their doors. So I narrowed my plan of attack down to two options—get an agent or sell my book myself.

Through all of this, I kept bemoaning to a close friend that I wished I had someone working in the industry that I could talk to, really talk to and not just read their blogs, or their posts on forums. So my friend, a wiz at social networking, suggested I look into joining groups on networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

Once I joined those groups, I began to look at the members and their profiles, and I contacted those in the industry, hoping to network with them. Some connected with me, including an agent working out in Colorado named Terrie Wolf, with AKA Literary LLC. Through e-mail, Terrie and I struck up a friendship, and discovered many shared interests and a common background. As we got to know each other, I confessed my desire to publish my novel. Terrie was always really open and generous about sharing her knowledge and understanding of the publishing field. She was the industry insider I had hoped for—someone to help me make sense of the process. Knowing that I was nervous about submitting to agents, she offered to be my guinea pig so that I could do a test submission with her, and she’d give me critical feedback to help me fine tune my proposal before I sent it out to "real" agents.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Even though this was "just practice," I was going to treat it as if I was really submitting to an agent hoping for an offer of representation. So I agonized over my proposal package. I once again went online and to the public library to research query letters and submission packages. I checked the AKA website for their submission guidelines, making sure I tailored my proposal package accordingly.

I did, however, make one mistake in this practice run. I never researched Terrie. At the time, she was a friend, and I guess it never occurred to me to read her bio page on her agency’s website. I didn’t look at what type of books and authors she represented because it never occurred to me that she could be my agent.

In any event, I finally got a proposal package together that satisfied my inner perfectionist, and sent it off to Terrie. Within a week, Terrie e-mailed me back and asked if she could consider my submission for real. It was then that it occurred to me to look into Terrie’s background and amazingly enough, I discovered that she represented romance writers.

With nothing to lose, I gave Terrie the go-ahead to treat my submission as a real one, and a week later, she asked to see the full manuscript. Thrilled, I sent it off to her, but as I waited, I gave myself a reality check. I didn’t want to become disillusioned again, knowing that the road to publication would be a long one. Besides, this was my first attempt at landing an agent, so the odds weren’t in my favor. Instead, I told myself that whatever happened, it would be a learning process, and I should enjoy the journey. Imagine my shock when Terrie contacted me a month later with an offer of representation. I had just had one hell of a practice run, and I was definitely enjoying the journey so far!

Writing a novel? Agent/writer Donald Maass
is a fiction writing expert, and his book
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook
can guide you on your journey.

Want more on this subject?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Miriam Gershow

Chuck — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:42:11 GMT

Miriam Gershow is a novelist, short story writer
and teacher. Her debut novel, The Local News
(Spiegel & Grau), was called "deftly heartbreaking"
by The New York Times, and “an accomplished
debut” (Publisher’s Weekly). The novel is now in
paperback. Miriam lives in Oregon and teaches
writing at the University of Oregon. See her website.

I WILL SEND NO QUERIES BEFORE THEIR TIME

The story of finding my agent is a combination of patience (mine), benevolence (others), and a stroke of good fortune (the universe’s, I suppose). The one maxim I’d heard over and over about looking for agents is not to do it until your work is really, really ready. I took that idea to heart.

For years, I hunkered down in front of my computer and simply wrote. I attended an MFA program. I completed a fiction fellowship at the Wisconsin Institute of Creative Writing. A very generous colleague there, Jesse Lee Kercheval, offered to give me a list of agents who had successfully represented other fellows. I told her, “When I’m ready.”

I returned home post-fellowship, and wrote every day, working on short stories for an eventual collection. I sent stories to literary journals, but was determined not to send the collection out for representation until it was so polished, it gleamed.

I wavered in my resolve only once in five years, when Nat Sobel of the Sobel/Weber Agency approached me after reading a story in Gulf Coast. Even though I told him I wasn’t finished with my collection, he said I could send two of three of the core stories with a synopsis of the rest. After initially telling him that I’d prefer to wait, I found myself growing more and more tempted. Fantasies of representation and then bestsellerdom danced through my head. Okay, I thought, I’ll give it a shot.

LICKING MY WOUNDS

I had a tremendously hard time writing the synopsis—before I finished the collection I wasn’t entirely sure what it was about—and ended up writing a vague description that described the collection as being about failures in love. Ignoring my rising doubt, I sent the synopsis and three stories to Sobel. Two weeks later, he wrote back saying the stories didn’t really seem all that connected and the overarching theme was rather vague.

Thanks, he told me, but no thanks.

While I was crushed, after a few days of licking my wounds, I realized he was right. My work wasn’t ready. I had broken my central promise to myself, and from then on, redoubled my effort to focus solely on the writing.

A couple of years later, after every story had been written and rewritten and rewritten and six of nine had been published in journals, I was finally ready to query agents. I took Jesse Lee up on her offer to send me her agent list. While that was already generous enough, I also bugged her about how to write a good query letter and what to include in the synopsis. If she ever grew tired of my questions, she never let on. I wish for all emerging writers such a benevolent fairy-godmother of an experienced writer to shepherd them though the process.

Jesse Lee went paragraph by paragraph and told me what to include in an effective query letter. She did the same about a good synopsis. By the end of her tutelage, I was confident not only in the story collection but all the attendant materials.

FROM SHORT STORIES TO A NOVEL

I sent my first query letters to three agents. One was no longer representing short story collections. One letter was returned due to incorrect address (my error). And one, Emily Forland of the Wendy Weil Agency, was interested in seeing the full manuscript.

I was thrilled. I sent the manuscript immediately. And then I waited. Emma Patterson, then Emily’s assistant and now an agent, kept me informed of the process. "The manuscript was under consideration" … "Several folks were reading it" … "Emily finally had it in hand."

After three months—which seemed like a long time then but now seems lightning fast—I heard from Emily. And in my stroke of good fortune, the first agent who saw the full collection loved it and wanted to represent me. The rapport between the two of us was clear in our first phone call. Emily was warm, professional, open, enthusiastic and understood my work. The stories she liked best were the stories that I liked best. The stories she thought needed a bit more work were the stories I could see needing a bit more work. I eagerly accepted her offer of representation.

Five years later, it remains one of the best decisions of my writing career. Although my short story collection never sold, Emily’s encouragement and support helped me remain hopeful as I moved onto novel writing. She repeatedly told me that editors had loved my writing, but weren’t interested in a collection. She was, she told me more than once, confident she could sell a novel. And she was right. In late 2007, it took her only six days—six days!—to sell The Local News in a pre-empt to Spiegel & Grau.

Enjoy a free webinar on demand! Nina, the writing
coach, gives free advice on craft, business, resources,
revision, markets and so much more.

Want more on this subject?

What's in a Pitch? Examining "Alibi Junior High."

How to Maximize an Agent Pitch Slam.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Cicily Janus

Chuck — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:58:56 GMT

Cicily Janus is the author of The New Face of Jazz
(Random House, July 2010), which Grammy-winner
Wynton Marsalis called "probably one of the most
important books on jazz to date." Cicily lives in
Colorado. See her website here.

A PAJAMA PARTY WITH AN AGENT GUEST

The old adage write what you know certainly applies to my success story as a writer. In 2005, I began to hear voices. I assume they’re the same voices the rest of you hear every day when you sit down at your computer. The writing bug bit me in the very worst way and, within a year, I had my first novel completed. In the fall of 2006, I attended my first writing conference in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. There were about twenty writers total and we all stayed in the same house where the daily workshops took place. I had no idea what to expect, nor did I think that writing would ever be my profession.

Gary Heidt from Signature Literary Agency was the agent scheduled to work with us. At some point during the first evening (we had all had our fair share of wine and beer that night), there was a knock at the door. I was sitting in the main living area in my pajamas. (As a matter of fact, we were all in our pajamas.) I, being the closest to the door, was roped into answering it. With a looser than usual tongue, I asked the man at the door if he was lost, seeing as he obviously didn’t get the memo regarding the pajama party. He laughed and said, “I only brought my agent costume.” After picking my jaw up off of the floor, I let him in. Throughout that weekend, not only did Gary give me his time in regards to the craft he also spent time talking about life and mutual interests like jazz.

AN INTERESTED EDITOR

Not once did I think of him as this scary entity or a future rejection … I thought of him as an ally. Throughout the two years following the conference, we kept in touch via e-mail. The e-mails were sometimes six months apart, but I made sure to keep them professional and courteous. My first novel never saw the light of day, of course, but I never once brought up the “question” of representing me in the future.

Fast forward to the spring of 2008. I was attending the Pikes Peak Writers Conference in my hometown of Colorado Springs. I had just completed my second novel and was slated to pitch it to an editor from HarperCollins. He rejected it. Later that evening, I got to know this particular editor and he mentioned how much he loved jazz. (Although the Pikes Peak Writer’s Conference is one of the larger in the country, I found plenty of time to get to know agents and editors after the scheduled events.) Eventually, I mentioned my idea about a book on jazz. He seemed interested in the project, and forked over some names of agents I should query. He also told me to have them send him the proposal. But, because of my established relationship with Gary, I couldn’t think of any one better to hit up first.

"YES I REMEMBER YOU, CICILY"

Within two weeks I finished the first draft of the proposal, garnered some attention from a few key players in the jazz community, and sent him the following email:

Hi Gary,

This is Cicily Janus. If you don't remember, I met you at the Mass. Writing Conference with Mike Neff in October 2006. I am writing to you because I have an editor from Harper Collins who is interested in seeing my NF book proposal titled, New Face of Jazz. This book would essentially be a field guide to jazz across the country. It will also touch on jazz education, influential artists alive today as well as various resources for jazz listeners and players. I have members of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Jane Monheit, and jazz musicians across the country already endorsing this project.

If this is something you might be interested in, I would be more than happy to send you my proposal via email or snail mail. Hope you are well.

Cicily

Within a few minutes, he replied and said to send it over. Two months later, he signed me on as a client. Although he really liked the first draft of the proposal, he made sure that I was also willing to work and apply his suggestions. Since then, we have tirelessly worked to bring this project to life. It took us four major proposal rewrites, 48 editors (48 rejections) and nine months to sell the book to my editor at Random House. Gary never gave up on me.

Gary didn’t remember me because of a pitch nor did he remember me because I hounded him about representing me. He remembered me because of our mutual love for music and the fact that I got to know him as a human being. Be who you are on a day-to-day basis because this is what not only has shaped your writing, but the traits that will ultimately determine your success as an author.

This post is an online exclusive complement
to a spotlight on Cicily in the Sept./Oct. 2010
issue of WD. If you don't have a sub to
Writer's Digest, what are you waiting for?
Get one now!

Want more on this topic?

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Creating Characters.

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing Description.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Teddy Wayne

Chuck — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:46:32 GMT

Teddy Wayne is the author of the novel
Kapitoil (Harper Perennial, 2010). He is a graduate
of Harvard and Washington University in St.
Louis, where he taught fiction and creative
nonfiction writing. The recipient of a 2010
NEA Creative Writing Fellowship, his work
has appeared in The New Yorker, the New York
Times, Vanity Fair, Esquire, the Wall Street
Journal, and elsewhere. He lives in New
York. See his website here.

IGNORANCE = BLISS

In 2004, at the age of 25, I decided to write my first novel. The fact that I hadn’t really written much fiction before and took no writing classes in college didn’t deter me. My ignorance may have worked in my favor in some ways; I churned out a draft in eight months, an industriousness I now know to envy.

When I had a finished manuscript by the next summer, I cast a wide net for an agent. The Internet was suitable for all my research—even back in those dark ages, it was surprisingly easy to track down just about any agent’s e-mail. I also asked a friend who worked as a literary scout for a film company if she had any suggestions. When I sent her my synopsis, she recommended a few agents and mentioned that her mother, a literary agent, might like it. I’d had no idea her mother was an agent, but did as I was told. I was leaving New York soon to go to Washington University in St. Louis for an MFA in fiction writing. Just before I left, another agent contacted me. She wanted to represent me, and we met. I told her I still had the manuscript out to a few agents and would give them a couple of weeks to get back to me.

Within my first few days in St. Louis, my friend’s mother, Rosalie Siegel, e-mailed me to say she loved my novel—ebullience I wasn’t expecting after a number of “Thanks-but-not-for-us” rejections. She responded very personally to it and had a long history in publishing. I felt she would work hardest for me, and signed on with her.

SECOND NOVEL'S THE CHARM?

Bolstered by another injection of ignorance, I assumed the literary world would soon be my oyster. Not quite; despite Rosalie’s great enthusiasm, persistence, and insightful editorial guidance, all the publishers we submitted the manuscript to passed on it, though we came tantalizingly close at a few places. After three rounds, we had exhausted her roster of major and indie publishing houses.

I was devastated, but, in a rare display of overcoming adversity, decided to learn from the experience rather than wallow. The first novel was too small, too jejune—comments several declining editors had made and which Rosalie, tactfully, shared with me, with the belief that it’s better for writers to know why editors do or don’t respond to their work. I began a new novel, called Kapitoil, at the end of my first year in the MFA program. Two years later, after I had graduated from the program and was teaching undergrads in St. Louis, we submitted it.

And guess what? It met another thunderous round of rejections—and this time it didn’t even come all that close. This blow was much harder to take. I was 29, with two seemingly failed novels under my belt; not quite the end of the world, but not an auspicious way to close out my third decade on earth, either.

THE DEDICATION PAYS OFF

With Rosalie’s encouragement, I revised Kapitoil that spring and summer, especially the second half. In November 2009, the second draft was ready to go. Unfortunately, it coincided with the financial crash and a time of severe bloodletting in the publishing industry.

But Rosalie believed in the novel and sent it out. And, to my shock and relief, several houses wanted to publish it. We eventually went with the Harper Perennial imprint of HarperCollins, and Kapitoil came out this past April.

Throughout our five years together, Rosalie has been as attentive, loyal, and supportive as I could hope. According to my inbox, she has sent me, as of today, a total of 1,538 e-mails, many in response to some anxious or silly query of mine, sometimes just about what books or movies we’ve read or seen lately—an average of about 300 per year. I have friends who wait weeks for their agents to get back to them. It’s a harsh world out there, with failure around every turn. It’s reassuring to know someone has your back.

If you're stuck on rewrites, check out Revision and
Self-Editing to help you on your journey.

Want more on this subject?

6 Keys to Revising Your Fiction.

The Different Stages of Querying.

4 Ways to Beat Writers Block and Write From Anywhere.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Kevin Sheridan

Chuck — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:01:21 GMT

Kevin Sheridan is an author of screenplays,
short stories, middle grade fiction, picture books
and young adult non-fiction. Someday he hopes
to actually publish one of those buggers. He’s
also an actor and a musician, which means if
he can’t play the tune he can fake it really well.
See his blog here.

GOIN’ FISHIN’

In October of 2009, I was told my position was being eliminated. In November, my hard drive crashed on my Mac and I lost everything I’d written in the past two years. Effective January 1, 2010, I was out of work, but with a decent four-month severance package. If my dog had died or my wife ran off on me, I’d have had the makings of a great country/western song. Instead, I decided to go fishing.

And so, armed with a tackle box filled with the 2010 Writer’s Market, Jeff Herman’s Guide To Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, plus the 2009 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market just for good measure, I went Agent Fishing. I plopped down on the side of the Internet, strung up my first query letter, and cast it in.

My catch: absolutely nothing. But like all good fishermen, I had to wait it out—patience is as required for fishing as good bait (the query letter) and a great net (the manuscript).

KEEPING TABS

Now, any good fisherman knows that there are good spots and bad spots, and good lures and bad lures. When I started out, I read up on query letters and tried my hand at one that might’ve qualified for a novella if it were just a few sentences longer. See, I figured agents wanted to know the whole story—a little taste of the beginning, middle and end. Wrong.

I did my research, looked up the appropriate agents looking for middle grade fantasy, but got “I don’t think I’d be the best match in this instance” almost every time. After a while, even though I kept the e-mails, I had trouble remembering where I had fished before and where I hadn’t. Age sets in and the memory goes. Anyway, I decided to use Excel and create a spreadsheet with all the agencies I’ve written to, to whom I addressed the letter, their response, and the next step. (I’m an optimist. Check out my blog if you don’t believe me.) Pretty soon I had twenty plus agencies listed. A small number compared to some writers, I’m sure, but it was good for me.

Now I just needed to look at what type of bait I’d used. See, the more I read up on it, the more I realized my query letter was just too long—I think it was the two by four thrust into my forehead by Janet Reid of QueryShark (queryshark.blogspot.com). So I shortened it up—made the paragraphs more attractive with more white space, and tried again.

I GOT A BITE

Caitlin Blasdell of Liza Dawson asked to see the first fifty pages. Like a dozing fisherman whose line jerks and pulls I shot up and got myself ready. First fifty pages? Sure! As soon as I look over every single word at least fifty times. I looked through common clichés, passive voice usage, unnecessary word usage (I think I said “pretty” or “just” about 500 times each), and cleaned it up as best I could—served it on a silver platter.

And then? The three most delightful words I’ve ever heard…in my head … as I read them in an e-mail … in my entire life. From Caitlin: “I’m enjoying this.” EN-JOY-ING. She went on to ask for the full manuscript and a three-week exclusive because it’s my first novel—would that be ok? OK? Heck, you could’ve asked for my first born male child and I would’ve had him packed and ready to go! (He’s twelve. Those of you with twelve year-old boys would understand).

So I sent the manuscript, and again, waited. Three weeks took two years. I was about to give up when I wrote her back. The three weeks were up and I had a couple of other nibbles. "But wait!" she replied. "Don’t do anything! Call me on Monday! On the phone!" Wow. Me and an agent. I got to tell my friends, “Oh, sorry, can’t do it. I’ve got to call my agent.” Loved it.

Then came Caitlin’s news: She loved the story and the voice (great!) but the second half has to go (not so great!). Seems I had written a partial middle grade novel and partial history textbook. OK, so I got a little excited when it came to the history. After a long, eye-opening discussion, I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me, but what a great problem to have. Caitlin has since turned out to be everything I could ever hope for in an agent. Through it all, though, I’ve learned that you need to keep tabs on what you’re doing, don’t ever stop learning, and be ready to change anything you have to do keep moving forward. But most of all? Be patient. Enjoy the scenery. Keep writing. Something will happen, exactly and precisely when it’s supposed to.

Kevin mentions the Writer's Market. Lucky for
writers, the newest edition (2011) just came out and
features more than 3,500 updated markets to
get your work published!

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Sandy James

Chuck — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:51:57 GMT

Sandy James's first book, Turning Thirty-Twelve
was released in 2009. She has also written
four books in her "Damaged Heroes" series
for BookStrand. See her website for book
ordering and more info.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

I’ll admit to having been a typically naïve newbie author. My biggest mistake in searching for an agent was selling myself short. I wanted an agent, but I wasn’t entirely convinced an agent would want me. I targeted newer agents and those who were either on their own or part of small literary agencies. While I had plenty of requests for fulls and partials, I suffered my share of disappointments. Then, much to my surprise, I received an offer of representation.

The axiom that "no agent is better than a bad one" is true. The pairing with my first agent was a year-long exercise in frustration over lack of submissions and extended periods of time when she wouldn’t return my e-mails. In retrospect, that frustration worked in my favor. I had a year to keep improving, and I wasn’t left with a string of rejections as baggage. After a couple of less-than-professional phone calls, I finally asked to be released from my contract, entirely sure I needed to try to fly solo.

Shortly after I parted ways with my first agent, I submitted to Siren Publishing’s new imprint, BookStrand. Siren publishes erotica, but BookStrand was branching into mainstream romance and offered its authors ebooks as well as trade paperback. Only a few weeks after I submitted, I received that adrenaline-inciting e-mail every author desires. BookStrand offered me a contract for Turning Thirty-Twelve. Pleased with that success, and fueled by twenty-plus contest finals on several of my other stories, I decided to try finding a new agent.

NEVER SELL YOURSELF SHORT

This time around, I went after the best and thoroughly researched each and every agent before querying. I wanted to be proud of the person who represented me. I had more than my share of rejections, but I kept refining my query and my pitch and trying again. In the meantime, I submitted the first in my Damaged Heroes series, Murphy’s Law, to BookStrand. Two weeks later, they sent me a contract. That week, I also received full requests for the first in my urban fantasy series from two fantastic agents.

Of the two agents wanting to read the full manuscript, the one I knew was stronger with the best track record in romance was Maureen Walters, a senior vice president at Curtis Brown, Ltd. She requested The Reluctant Amazon as an exclusive. I was terrified she wouldn’t want to see it, knowing it was also out with another agent. I promised her that if I received any offer, I would notify her before I made any commitment. Much to my relief, she accepted my proposal and my full. Then I set in for the long wait that usually accompanies any agent reading a full manuscript, figuring I wouldn’t hear anything for several weeks. I also tried not to get my hopes too high while also realizing this could be my best shot at my “dream agent.”

EVERYONE CALLED AT ONCE

A week later, early on a Friday evening, my cell phone became very popular. I was on the phone with my publisher about her wanting to buy the three sequels to Murphy’s Law when call waiting sounded. I let that call go to voicemail. When I got the chance to check it, it was the second agent. I immediately called her back, and she offered me representation. While I was thrilled, I also wanted to honor my promise to Maureen.

My mind was turning a million miles an hour at that point, and I figured the best thing I could do was leave Maureen a voicemail and hope she’d get it early Monday. Instead, I was shocked to get Maureen’s assistant at the time, Katie Arathoon. She told me she would get in touch with Maureen as soon as possible and asked me to please not to make a decision until I had a chance to talk to Maureen.

I had an e-mail pop up early that Monday from Katie, asking if Maureen could call me after I got home from school. Let’s just say that school day was one of the longest in my career. Once I got home, I stared at the phone until it finally rang about four o’clock. There’s nothing better than a call from the 212 area code. Maureen sure didn’t start the conversation the way I’d hoped. Her first teasing words to me were, “Do you know how much trouble you caused me today?”

Turns out, she canceled most her appointments that day so she could finish my manuscript, and much to my delight, she offered to represent me. I gratefully accepted, and now she’s trying to find homes for all my new books, including that award-winning urban fantasy series.

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How I Got My Agent: Boyd Morrison

Chuck — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:00:40 GMT

Boyd Morrison's novel The Ark was released in
May 2010. The novel was chosen as an Indie Next
notable pick by the American Booksellers Association
and has sold in 18 foreign markets. Boyd's next book
is Rogue Wave (Dec. 2010). Besides writing, Boyd
lives in the Seattle area, loves to act, and fulfilled
a lifelong dream in 2003 when he became a Jeopardy!
Champion. See his website here.

THE DEAL WITH MY WIFE

I started writing my first novel while I was finishing my PhD dissertation. How I thought I could do both at the same time, I have no idea. It took a year to finish the book, and in 1996, I queried four literary agents. Yes, only four. Out of those four, one of them asked to read a partial manuscript and gave me some positive feedback but ultimately decided not to represent me. One out of four was a stellar percentage, but I didn’t realize it at the time, and I stopped submitting it. My wife thought I gave up too easily, and she was absolutely right. (I listen to her much better now.)

At the time, she was just starting her pre-med courses in anticipation of applying to med school. It meant that I would be supporting her during her training, so I put my writing on hold to concentrate on work. So the deal was that I would support her through nine years of pre-med, med school, and residency, and then when she was a full-fledged doctor, I would be able to quit my job and get nine years to become a published author. Not a bad deal, eh?

PITCHING AGENTS IN PERSON

In January 2005, I left my job to crank up my writing again. I finished my second novel in 18 months. Now it was time to do the agent search again. This time I was more savvy. I went to writers’ conferences like the Las Vegas Writers Conference, Thrillerfest, and the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, and pitched my novel in person. I also queried the traditional way. I would say my success at getting an agent to ask for a partial manuscript was approximately 1,000% better when I pitched my book in person than by query letter. I would strongly advise anyone looking for an agent to pitch them in person at a conference. Putting a face to a book gets the partial through much faster than if it’s a query letter from someone the agent has never met.

At least four agents asked to see the entire manuscript of my second novel, but no takers. I know I got over 50 rejections, but after you get above that, do you really need to know the exact number? Suffice to say, I queried every agent who I thought would be remotely interested. None were.

Back to the keyboard. I finished my third thriller novel, The Ark, in 2007. This time, I didn’t bother to query. I went straight to conferences to pitch. At the 2007 Agentfest (part of Thrillerfest in NYC), agents only saw authors during the lunch session, and it was arranged that one agent would sit at each table. Who you were sitting with was totally random. I was talking with author Jon Land at the time, and we were late to the lunch, so we sat at the very last table in the room, which was about six miles from the front. Being late to that lunch changed my life. At that table was Irene Goodman, a very well-respected agent who has been in the business for 30 years. She had been representing primarily romance and nonfiction but was looking for thrillers to add to her portfolio. When we were all seated, she went around the table and asked each writer to pitch their novels to her. Here’s the exact pitch I gave her for The Ark:

A relic from Noah’s Ark gives a religious fanatic and his followers a weapon that will let them recreate the effects of the biblical flood, and former combat engineer Tyler Locke has seven days to find the Ark and the secret hidden inside before it’s used to wipe out civilization again.

As soon as I said “Noah’s Ark”, she asked to see the first three chapters. I told her I still had some slight editing to do, but when it was ready and polished, I would send it to her. I would advise anyone pitching a novel to have a pithy one sentence summary of what your book is. If you can do that, it’s clear that you know what your story is about, which is more more attractive to an agent than a rambling five minute recounting of the plot.

THE SECRET IS TO KEEP WRITING

During Thrillerfest and then the PNWA conference that year, I found ten more agents who wanted partials. I also got blurbs from James Rollins and Jon Land, both of whom generously agreed to read an early copy. If you want bestselling authors to give you blurbs, go to conferences and spend time with them. Again, writers’ conferences are where it’s at.

By this time, Irene (she tells me now) wondered if I had forgotten about her. I hadn’t. She was among the first agents I sent the sample chapters to. I mailed them on a Thursday in September. On the following Monday, she called me. CALLED ME! She was the first and only agent to ever call me, which made quite the impression. She told me she loved the opening, and would I be willing to Fedex the entire manuscript to her? Uh, let me think … Yeah! I would have driven it there on a unicycle if she wanted me to. I got a call from her on Thursday offering me representation. I chewed it over for a day (I’d sent it to other agents who weren’t quite as quick to respond). On Friday, I accepted.

It’s been 14 years since I finished writing my first novel. So every writer who talks about persistence being a defining trait of published authors is absolutely correct. Listen to them. Keep writing. Don’t stop at that first novel. Don’t rewrite it over and over. Move on. You’ll improve your chances a hundredfold by writing that next book.

This post is an online exclusive complement
to a spotlight on Tom in the July/August 2010
issue of WD. If you don't have a sub to
Writer's Digest, what are you waiting for?
Get one now!

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Tom Leveen

Chuck — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:43:44 GMT

Tom Leveen's debut novel, Party, was
released in April 2010 (Random House). It
tells the story of a summer party and 11 teenagers
who intersect in ways that none of them saw
coming. Tom lives in Arizona and is the artistic
director of the Chyro Arts Venue.
See his website here.

ONE AGENT PASSES IT TO ANOTHER

My first rule for obtaining an agent was: Follow the rules. I spent months researching proper query format, manuscript format, what agents like and don’t like … things like that. I asked questions on writing discussion boards, I asked for and got brutal feedback on my terrible query letter (for which I am eternally grateful). I built a simple database to keep track of who I was sending queries to, and how (or if) they responded. Forty agents weren’t interested. One was.

I queried an agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, and was instead contacted by one of their associate agents, Michelle Andelman, who told me the agent I queried wasn’t interested, but had passed the manuscript on to her. Michelle took about a week to talk it over with the agency before calling me to offer representation.

(I did not weep inconsolably with joy after we got off the phone, if that’s what you’re thinking, or perhaps you saw a picture online that is now deleted. Nope. Never happened. I was a rock. Yep.)

WHAT IF YOUR AGENT LEAVES?

Michelle and I revised for several months before she felt the book was ready to pitch ... and then no one bought it! (BTW: While the pitching process was going on, I worked on my next book (Party), which is exactly what any writer should be doing while his/her first book is being pitched—or submitted to agents.

I finished Party, and we began the revision process all over again, after having decided to shelve the first book. The day before we were going to pitch, Michelle left the agency for another job in the industry. I learned of this news on the evening of my wedding anniversary. Dinner was not celebratory that night. Two years, two manuscripts, and I had nothing to show for it? This was, as they say, “a kick to the groin.” (Let me clarify for the record that Michelle was and is awesome. If not for her, her patience and willingness to take on a debut writer, I would not be here today. I learned more with her than I had learned in the previous 10 years combined about what goes in to a successful YA novel. She is still one of my heroes.)

POLISH YOUR WORK TO A GLOSSY SHINE

A few weeks later, I was picked up by Jennifer Mattson at Andrea Brown Literary, who is my agent still. “Relief” isn’t quite a strong enough word for what I felt. Jennifer had me—wait for it—revise Party. Again. And again. And … maybe once more for good measure. Which she was right to do. She resumed my education where Michelle left off. Finally, we agreed Party was ready to pitch. I got to work rewriting “Book One,” based on responses (that is, rejections) I’d received previously from editors. I also began work on two additional YA novels. Notice the trend, there? My job didn’t stop once the pitches began.

On December 15, 2008, I got The Call from Jennifer: Party had been sold to Random House (at auction, no less). My wife and I gave ourselves a few days to celebrate, having some dinners out and whatnot. (Take that, wedding anniversary gloominess!) And then it was back to work. Getting an agent was not and is not the end of the road. Getting published is not the end. I make sure to take time and savor each step, to be sure; but as of now, writing YA novels is my job. It is work. Never doubt that. Is it a dream come true? Oh, absolutely! There is nothing on earth I’d rather be doing as a career than writing YA and getting to speak to teens at school, library, or signing events. But it’s work. It’s a job. The. Best. Job. Ever.

I’d like to point out one important detail to everyone who’s struggling with that damn query letter, or wondering just how many rejections it takes to get to the center of the publishing Tootsie Pop®: I was just like you. I didn’t “know someone” in the biz, I had no inside track, I could afford no conferences and five-minute pitches to agents or editors. All I did was do my agency homework, spent quality time drafting and redrafting my query, and had a polished finished novel to pitch. That’s it. If there’s a secret formula for obtaining representation and getting a publishing deal, I’m unaware of it. Agents want you to write a great book and a great query, they really do. Now all you gotta do is give it to ‘em.

This post is an online exclusive complement
to a spotlight on Tom in the July/August 2010
issue of WD. If you don't have a sub to
Writer's Digest, what are you waiting for?
Get one now!

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Shannon Whitney Messenger

Chuck — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:15:07 GMT

Shannon Whitney Messenger is a writer
of middle grade and one of six founding
coordinators for the new WriteOnCon, a
free online conference for KidLit writers
(Aug. 10-12, 2010). She runs a blog,
Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe, and
also tweets, too.

TESTING THE WATERS

Honestly, I had no idea how to write a book. I’d studied screenwriting in college, but graduated knowing I didn’t belong in Hollywood. So, in addition to learning the craft, I also read everything I could about publishing—and the same advice kept popping up: Go to writers conferences. Meet agents in person. It sounded terrifying. But I researched conferences in my area and found out the SDSU Writers Conference was five months away. That became my deadline.

I didn’t finish revision in time for the conference, but I was close, so I signed up for an advanced reading appointment and four consultation appointments with agents (and yes, I was totally freaking out about it). But I wanted honest feedback about my book so I could make the necessary changes before I ended up with a mountain of rejections. I wasn’t hoping for page requests or praise.

Somehow I walked away with three partial requests, one full request, and a Conference Choice Award for my first 10 pages. I pretty much went into shock. The only downside was that three of those requests were from agents at Andrea Brown, and they’d all warned me to only query the agent I thought was the best fit. They did promise to pass the pages along if they weren’t interested, but I still went home convinced I would pick the wrong agent and ruin everything.

SHOVED INTO THE QUERYING POOL (KICKING AND SCREAMING)

I’d told the agents at the conference I needed a month to finish revising, but after two weeks my draft was really close. My critique partners (and family) wanted to know why I wasn’t querying, and, when I told them I wasn’t ready, they accused me of stalling.

Truthfully, I was.

Out of the Andrea Brown agents I’d met, I’d decided to query Laura Rennert—and she was not the agent who requested the full. She was also the scary Senior Agent with the big clients, so it felt like a risk. But she’d been at the top of my wish list from the beginning, and I had a good feeling about her, so I’d decided to go with my gut. I was just a little too afraid to actually hit send. Which was where Twitter came in.

One of my friends tracked me down with a special hashtag—#hitsend. Pretty soon I had about forty people pressuring me to #hitsend—including Bree Despain, a writer I really admire. I tried telling them I still had ten chapters to line edit but they didn’t care, and when #hitsend came dangerously close to trending, I caved, proofread my query one more time, and #hitsend to Laura and three other agents. Two hours later, I had my first rejection from a slush query and went to bed convinced I’d made a huge mistake.

WHIRLWIND

When I finally found the courage to check my e-mail the next evening, I was not excited to see a reply from Laura. I figured it had to be a rejection. When do busy agents read a partial in less than a day? I was shocked to find a full request instead. I know I should’ve been thrilled, but all I could think about were the ten chapters I hadn’t line edited. I was up all night working on them, and sent her the full by noon the next day. Then I sent another very small batch of queries to cover my bases, and hoped I hadn’t lost my mind.

I was planning on a long wait, but Laura e-mailed a week later telling me she was interested, and giving the ms to another reader. I had no idea what that meant, but tried to believe it was a good sign. A week after that, she offered representation. (Okay, I’ll admit it—I had to read the e-mail four times before I believed it.) So, as it turned out, I’d spent six months obsessing and panicking about querying, only to get an offer of representation from my number one agent after two weeks in the pool. Was it stressful? You bet. Did I get rejections? Of course. (Two were even from partials.)

But querying was not the nightmare process I’d made it out to be in my head. The rejections stung, but they weren’t unbearable, and there is nothing better than getting the offer of representation. So whether it takes two weeks or two years, don’t be afraid to do it. I’m very glad I had friends and CPs who pushed me into it, and if anyone needs some extra motivation, find me on Twitter. I’ll be happy to sick the #hitsend minions on you.

Writing books for kids or teens? One resource
you need is The Everything Guide to Writing
Children's Books.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Rhonda Hayter

Chuck — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 13:53:47 GMT

Rhonda Hayter's kids book, The Witchy Worries
of Abbie Adams was released in April 2010 by
Dial. She is a member of the Class of
2K10 Debut Authors. See her website here.

WANTING "YES" IN A WORLD OF "NO"

I was an actress until the unrelenting rejection got to be too much. I was living in a world of "no" and I wanted "yes" in my life … and maybe a shot at earning a monthly mortgage payment, too. So I gave up acting, got gainfully employed, started a lovely family and bought that house. My life was one big dreamy yes.

But when my youngest son, a heretofore well-behaved, adorable boy, went through a tantrum stage, an off-hand remark I made to my husband tore the fabric of my life. We were grappling with our cherubic, tousle-headed darling as he raged, kicked, screamed and threw things … and in tones of harried wonder, I breathed, “My God. It’s like he turns into a werewolf.”

And right there, you see, that’s when it all began. I didn’t know it then, but I’d just opened the door back up to no. Because that remark gave me the idea for a little boy who really did turn into a werewolf when he got upset. And I wondered what it would be like if a boy like that were your little brother … and began pounding my computer keyboard obsessively until months later, a comic, middle-grade novel danced out of my printer.

SENDING ABBIE OUT

I loved every word of my book already, but I read a billion kids’ books, paid for a manuscript consultation, showed the thing to friends for their notes, wrote, rewrote and wrote again, until I loved it more. My book was good. I knew it. I harbored no doubt that the literary world was catching its bottom lip in its teeth in anticipatory excitement for what I joyfully titled, The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams.

From the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market guide, I made a short roster of the lucky ones who’d get first shot at my Abbie … and sent off pleasant, informative queries and pages. Weeks later, my tenderly inscribed, self-addressed, stamped envelopes began limping back to me. They all said one thing. “NO.” Astonished, I studied the guide again and sent out another round. But I’d only opened the door wider on no. Loathsome sensations of powerlessness, last experienced in my waning acting days, seized me. But I believed in my book (and stamped out recollections of having once fruitlessly believed in my acting ability, too).

Obviously it wasn’t my beloved book, it had to be my query letter. I began tooling and retooling it. Published friends gave me advice and I sweated over the thing until it was so good that if you didn’t want to sign me after having read that brilliant query, it could only because rigor mortis was setting in. I fired up the printer, unfurled rolls of stamps and invested in a sponge to save my tongue from the effects of prolonged exposure to envelope glue. Then I sent queries and pages to every remaining literary agent alive in America, and some who were possibly only recently deceased. They all said no. Not one of them would read my manuscript and I darkly suspected they hadn’t read my few pages either.

Sometimes they said no in really horrible ways … like the one who tore off a miserly corner of my query letter to scrawl “Not interested” on it… as if my work wasn’t worth an entire sheet…even a used one. Sure, some sent very nice form-rejection letters suggesting some other agent might conceivably be interested some day … but there wasn’t one personal word from anyone—no kind or positive feedback—no negative feedback for that matter. Nothing but no.

O CANADA!

But I knew there were other ways. A recent proud member of SCBWI, I signed up for the summer conference and secured a manuscript consultation because I’d taken note that agents and editors were on the faculty. But I didn’t get an agent or an editor as my consultant. I got a writer! And while she was lovely and gave me insightful notes, which I gratefully employed and which appear in the finished book today, it seemed that no one in the entire agenting community of the USA was ever going to cast their jaded glance over the slowly moldering fruits of my literary endeavor.

But fate intervened. I’m Canadian by birth—not something that’s historically been any great advantage (aside from instilling me with rigorous politeness), but for once it proved a boon. I had a friend who’d just been published up in Canada, where agents only take on Canadians. She asked her agent to look at my book. And so it was that I got my lovely agent Lise Henderson and lived to see my Abbie on bookshelves (and in fact just got the news that she’s going to be in Scholastic’s book clubs, too!). So the lesson in all this? Hmm. Well, one is that it’s really hard to get an agent, but it doesn’t mean that your book is no good. And two, if you can ever give another writer in whom you believe a referral … do it!

Writing books for kids or teens? One resource
you need is The Everything Guide to Writing
Children's Books.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Caroline Starr Rose

Chuck — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:39:32 GMT

Caroline Starr Rose's first book, May B., a
middle-grade historical novel-in-verse, will
be released Fall 2011 (Tricycle Press). Caroline
blogs about writing, reading, and the
publication process online.

AGENT SCHMAGENT

I came to the querying process in fits and starts and with lots of misinformation. Because an agent isn’t a necessity in the children's market, I’d never consistently looked for one. It was easier to submit directly to editors, bypassing what, to me, felt like a superfluous step. Every so often, while waiting a year or more on an exclusive, unsolicited submission (what was I thinking?), I’d reconsider trying the agent route. Then I’d remind myself agents represented established authors, not green ones, like me.

On my first attempt at finding an agent, I sent out a dozen queries to those listed in the Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market guide. One resulted in a full request, another in a partial. The full came back with a handwritten page gushing about how great my manuscript was and how someday I'd sell the piece and have to let the agent know, but the story wasn't right for her agency. The partial was returned with "I think I'll pass."

I got caught up in revisions of my other manuscripts (I’d written four middle-grade novels and seven picture books), and the lure of conference one-on-ones. The agent search never really got off the ground.

THE PLOT THICKENS

Last spring, I won a contest at a local writing conference. My prize included a meeting with an editor who specialized in fantasy, sci-fi, and women’s fiction—a world apart from my historical MG novel. She took one look at my manuscript and asked, “Why don’t you have an agent yet?”

That’s when I started submitting in earnest, sending three to five queries at a time. I combed through blogs like Cynsations, Literary Rambles, and the Guide to Literary Agents blog, looking for any mention of agents taking on new clients. By May, I'd gotten my first full request. In June I received two more. In July another two. In September, yet another two.

By October, I’d had ten agents request fulls and two ask for partials. One agent liked my story, but felt some significant changes were necessary. I thought through her suggestions but took things in another direction, coming up with an entirely new, stronger ending. In the days I spent revising, two more agents requested fulls, bringing my total to twelve. I contacted the first agent, telling her I’d made changes to the story, though not along the lines she’d suggested. If she was still interested, I told her, I’d be happy to send the manuscript along, but I also wanted her to know two more agents were reading the newer version. She graciously told me she’d love to see the story if the other two agents passed. One did. One didn’t.

FALLING IN LOVE WITH MICHELLE

I found Michelle Humphrey on the Guide to Literary Agents blog and fell in love with her upbeat attitude about the publishing process (“Make rejection pie!” she said). She responded to my query the next day. A week and a half later, she e-mailed me, saying she’d read my manuscript in one sitting and wanted to talk to me about it as soon as possible. Less than two weeks after reading Michelle’s GLA post, I had an agent.

Not long after, I spent a morning reading through the submission records I’d kept ten years running. Some information I’d had to fish out of other folders, but for the most part, I had a pretty accurate (though low-tech and messy) list of manuscripts, submissions, editors, agents, and rejections. Here's what the records showed:

11 years of writing (10 years of subbing)
11 manuscripts
211 rejections from editors (2 fulls and 1 partial requested over the years)
12 contests/grants entered (1 win)
75 rejections from agents (12 fulls and 2 partials requested, mainly last year)
1 yes! (Thank you, Michelle)

Writing books for kids or teens? One resource
you need is The Everything Guide to Writing
Children's Books.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Tom McAllister

Chuck — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:31:12 GMT

Tom McAllister is the author of Bury Me in My Jersey:
A Memoir of My Father, Football, and Philly,
which was released by Villard in May 2010.
A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, he
is currently a lecturer in the English Department
at Temple University. See his website here.

ENTERING THE PROCESS BLINDLY

The primary reason I signed with my agent is that I’m a very impatient person. I started my search by being extremely selective. A friend of mine—older, much more ensconced in the publishing world—insisted that you need to have the right agent, by which he meant they had to be a big name who represented your favorite authors. I didn’t know if I agreed, and I had no idea what would make someone the right agent for me; I entered this process blindly.

Regardless, I decided to be picky—as if I were doing the agenting world a favor by offering them my manuscript—and I queried only four people at the biggest agencies (ICM, William Morris, etc.). Two and a half years later, I still haven’t heard back from them. After a couple months of silence, I widened the search to my “second tier,” an embarrassingly haughty term, considering I knew almost nothing about any of these people, besides what I’d culled from information online.

Nearly four months into the search, I got my first response. I was so excited to have someone acknowledge that my book and my query existed that I barely noticed I’d been rejected. It was the beginning, I assumed, of a flood of offers of representation. Shamefully, I admit to spending that night telling my wife that I didn’t know what to do if I had to choose between several agents. I don’t know exactly what I envisioned—agents clamoring to speak to me at all hours, like a big-time college football recruit, maybe—but if there’s one constant in the publishing world, it’s that this process is enormously humbling. Within a few weeks, everyone in my so-called second tier had rejected me, and the acquisitions editor at a smaller publisher (I’d contacted him through a mutual friend) told me the book read like an early draft, not ready for publication.

BROADENING THE SEARCH

At this point, I panicked and contacted about twenty more agents, the only criterion being that they accepted e-mail queries because a) I thought maybe they would work faster and b) as an adjunct professor, I couldn’t afford any more postage. Finally, two agents did ask to see partial manuscripts. One gave my book a lukewarm endorsement: “I think I could work with this,” he said, “But if you find someone else who likes it better, you really should go with them.”

There’s no need to go into the frustration and self-loathing and anxiety that accompany these kinds of encouraging rejections. After a while, when friends and family ask how you’re doing with the whole book-publishing thing, you really want to be able to show them more than kind rejection letters.

Still frustrated by having so many unanswered queries, I did a search for “quick agent rejections,” which led to some message board on which would-be authors were discussing agent response time. In this discussion, two agents’ names kept recurring. I queried both women, figuring it would be somewhat satisfying to at least be declined quickly. One set the world record for manuscript rejection by sending me a nice e-mail seven minutes after receiving my query. The other, Katherine Boyle of the Veritas Literary Agency in San Francisco, e-mailed the next morning, requesting the first hundred pages. Two days later, she asked for the rest of the manuscript.

A WONDERFUL REP

A week after she requested my pages, I signed a contract with her. Of course, I didn’t only sign with her only because she was quick and she liked my book. After an hour-long phone conversation, I felt comfortable with her and loved her enthusiasm. I did some more research on her and found that she was just as capable and accomplished as anyone else I'd queried.

I liked the vision she had for the book, and her revision suggestions made sense. I trusted her, essentially, even though she didn’t have a huge agency or any superstar clients, and she rewarded that trust by selling my manuscript to Villard within two months. Although I took a circuitous route to get there, I did feel like I’d finally found the right agent, even if I defined that term differently than my friend did.

Writing a memoir or life story? A great
resource is Writing Life Stories.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Janet Fox

Chuck — Tue, 18 May 2010 03:35:52 GMT

Janet Fox's debut YA novel, Faithful
(May 2010), is set in Yellowstone
National Park in 1904. See Janet's
website here and her kids writing blog here.

EARLY COLD DAYS

Back in the dark, cold days of 2003, I was a writer-in-waiting with lots of ideas but little to show for my dreams. I’d sold a story to Spider Magazine, but it hadn’t appeared. I’d met a few agents, but none were interested in what I had to show them. And my novel then in progress—my first novel, born out of my love for a place (Yellowstone National Park) and empathy with a tragic event (a girl who has lost her mother)—was not hitting the marks.

Then the clouds parted, briefly. I sold a nonfiction piece to Highlights Magazine. I received a contract for a short nonfiction book I then wrote for Free Spirit Publishing. And I met an agent at an SCBWI conference, and she wanted to see my novel. Oh, I sat on pins and needles, waiting for her response. I liked her (which I think is a crucial part of the author/agent relationship) and I respected her (ditto) and several of her clients were good friends of mine. Alas, she was gracious, but she said no. My novel “was missing something,” she said, in a short but detailed letter. She suggested several novels I should read to see what works, and she thought mine needed depth, a twist, a subplot—just something. Her letter was enough to make me think: I have a foundation, and I’ll rewrite with her comments in mind.

MEETING WITH AN EDITOR

I set to work, reading what she suggested, studying, critiquing, revising (over and over), attending conferences. And here comes the plot twist in my story. For it was at an SCBWI conference about six months after this agent’s rejection that my stars aligned. At the time (Fall 2006) I was the Regional Advisor (RA) for the Brazos Valley region of SCBWI in Texas. The San Antonio region had a scheduled conference in which they were offering one-on-one critiques with a number of editors, and about three weeks before the conference, as a courtesy, the RA there let me know there was room for me to attend. It was spur-of-the-moment, and I said yes—but, sadly, there were no critiques left. Ah, well.

A week before the conference, she e-mailed again. There’d been a cancellation; would I like a critique? If so, I had to e-mail her 10 pages by 6 p.m. Since it was already noon, I returned with 10 pages of my novel, not even proofread—just the pages I had ready on the spot.
At the conference, I discovered that I was to be critiqued by Alyssa Eisner Henkin, senior editor at Simon and Schuster. Just before my critique and during her presentation, she announced that she was leaving S&S before the end of 2006 to become an agent with Trident Media Group.

I was so nervous before our interview that I don’t remember much about the conference. But I do remember what happened when I walked into the room, where Alyssa was waiting for me: She was all smiles, terribly enthusiastic, truly excited about my novel. She wanted to know everything about it: what inspired the idea; whether the novel was ready; where I was in my career. She wanted to see the entire manuscript after she joined Trident in early December. I liked her at once. She was smart and upbeat, she would be hands-on with my work. She was my dream agent.

IF THE SECOND HALF IS AS GOOD AS THE FIRST, WE HAVE A DEAL

I went home from the conference both elated and in despair. I’d begun my deep revision, but was only a third of the way through. I had only a month in which to complete the novel if I were to submit it shortly after Alyssa arrived in her new office. I queried my published friends, and the consensus was clear: Submit what you have. Don’t delay; she’ll fill her roster. Seize the moment—and I did. Four days after Alyssa settled into her new job, I sent her half the novel and told her I would have the second half completed by mid-January.

Alyssa called me three days before Christmas to ask if she could represent me, based on what she’d read and the expectation that I could deliver the rest of the manuscript in January. I said yes, I delivered the novel, and I signed with her in January, 2007. It was a match made in heaven, and it grew from persistence, hard work, and a lot of lucky breaks. Dreams do come true.

Writing books for kids or teens? One resource
you need is The Everything Guide to Writing
Children's Books.

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? tparisi@martingunn.com

How I Got My Agent(s): Jackie Lee Miles

Chuck — Sun, 09 May 2010 04:39:36 GMT

Jackie Lee Miles is the author of
Roseflower Creek, Cold Rock River,
Divorcing Dwayne and the soon to
be released All That’s True. (Jan. 2011).
Visit her website or write her at
jackie(at)jlmiles.com.

PUBLISHED AUTHOR SEEKING AGENT

I tend do to things backwards. First I got my book sold, then, I got an agent. I was at this conference and met the president of Cumberland House Publishing, who sent word that they wanted to publish my debut novel. Soon after, I received in the mail a document requesting my notarized signature. Cool! Then I realized I knew nothing about the ins and outs of a publisher’s contract and immediately got out my copy of Guide to Literary Agents.

I stumbled across an agency that listed James Patterson as one of their clients. I was clueless to the fact that they no longer represented him. In truth, it was his earlier books that they’d sold. Even so, had I known I would have been duly impressed. They also listed the words "no solicitation." Now why would they include themselves in Guide to Literary Agents if they didn’t want to have inquiries? My thoughts exactly.

I promptly called them up. A very pleasant voice greeted me on the phone. I explained that I was a newbody-nobody, but had sold my book and needed representation. Did they have an agent there that might be interested in me? She told me to hold on and eventually connected with me one of their agents who said she would not represent me, even though I had sold my novel, unless she truly liked it. That sounded reasonable. I asked her if I could send it to her. I went on to explain that I needed her answer yesterday. She laughed and said to overnight it and she’d take a look. I did. She called me the next evening and told me that it had probably happened to her before, but she couldn’t remember when, that she’d sat down to read a manuscript and didn’t get up until she’d finished it. I said, “Does this mean you’ll represent me?” She laughed again (I liked her immensely already), and assured me she would.

SHORT-LIVED HAPPINESS

Her name was Sarah Piel and she was with Arthur Pine Associates, now known as Inkwell Management. Sarah did a good job for me negotiating my contract and I got busy with my second novel. By the time that I’d finished it, Sarah was no long with Arthur Pine. She’d left the industry to birth children and didn’t bother to tell me. Worse, Arthur Pine no longer existed. By now, they’d merged with the two other agencies to form Inkwell Management and no one at Arthur Pine, not even Sarah, had made mention of me to any of the agents there. I would have to start querying.

I got busy and composed what I felt was a strong query letter and started sending it off. Eventually I sent it to 25 agents in NYC and managed to hear back from 23 of them to either send the first chapters or in many cases the entire manuscript. I was tap-dancing on the clouds. I figured I only had to get an acceptance from one of them and it had to be a numbers game. Surely one of the twenty-three would want me. After all, I was already published and now touring with the Dixie Darlin’s, four nationally published authors with a passion for promotion that had managed to make 100 appearances. Piece of cake!

But I quickly learned: Never slice your cake until someone’s ready to eat it. One by one, all 23 agencies wrote back, with several saying some pretty nice things. Regardless, they also added the word "but" at the end of their last sentence. But it didn’t fit into their list; but they couldn’t determine where to place it; but they had just purchased something similar. You name it - there was a but at the end of each letter. So much for it being a numbers game.

I was too discouraged to send out another host of queries. The first batch had cost me a small fortune, considering they had all asked for hard copies and I’d sent each of them a fresh one. I was more miserable than ever.

THIRD BOOK'S THE CHARM

Soon after, I happened to be in Nashville touring with the Dixie Darlin’s and decided to drop the twenty-three-times-rejected manuscript off for my publisher to read. I hadn’t previously approached him because I was so sure I could secure representation. Huh! Well, he loved it and called me to tell me he was bringing it out in hardcover that September. I was overjoyed and promptly threw out all the letters that had the word but in them. What did they know?

On to my next novel. When I finished, I queried Rachelle Gardner with WordServe Literary. (She has a great blog! Check it out.) She called to tell me she loved the novel and would very much like to represent me, if I was willing to do some work on an edit. Was I? I’d climb Mount Everest to do so if it meant representation with her. We sealed the deal. She would be my agent. And to think I hadn’t even had to send it off to any of those places that sent back letters with the word but in them. Cool!

Want more on this subject?

7 reasons agents stop reading your first chapter.

Should you start with plot or character?

Word count for novels and children's books.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Judy Winter

Chuck — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:45:18 GMT

Judy Winter is a national speaker, advocate,
and the author of Breakthrough Parenting for
Children with Special Needs: Raising the Bar
of Expectations. She is the recipient of the 2006
Chief Everything Officer Award (CEO) in Community
Outreach from AOL and Dove, and the 2002
Exceptional Parent Award from the Michigan
Federated Chapters of the Council for Exceptional
Children (MCEC).

A NEW GUIDE FOR ALL

Flashback to 1990, when my son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, an event that left both our lives in jeopardy. Physically recovered, I faced the daunting task of raising a child with a physical disability. Determined to focus on my son’s potential, as I had with his then six-year-old sister, Jenna, I searched for a great parenting guide and came up empty handed. Books were medical or filled with outdated statistics and scary images. There was no humor, no hope, and little reason to get out of bed—not good enough for my son.

I decided to write a new guide, and promised my son that everything we did to ensure his best life, we’d share with other families to benefit their children, too. Our parenting guide would include success stories, valuable resources and a humorous take on the absurdity of daily demands. It took sixteen years to realize that vision.

THE FIRST CONFERENCE IN HAWAII

I began to share my own challenges through essays and feature work that highlighted the lives of those with special needs. My challenges were great; the rewards were greater. I interviewed dozens of people facing special needs. I wrote personal essays/features for the Lansing State Journal, Michigan Department of Education (MDE), and Writer’s Digest. With determination and a strong work ethic, I created industry buzz and a writer’s platform.

I knew the odds of getting an agent and book deal were dismal, but I wasn’t focused on statistics. I wanted to change children’s lives and never doubted my work’s value. It took eight months to write my proposal, complete with a copy of Michael Larsen’s bible, How to Write a Book Proposal. I attended the 2003 Maui Writers Conference, absorbed the tropical blend of humidity, celebrity speakers, and love for words proclaimed by other writers. I spent the required $$ to pitch agents, fueled by my greatest muse, my son.

Michael Larsen and other agents expressed interest. Some talked representation once I’d returned home. But I believed the intense realities of 24/7 parenting would prevent me from fulfilling new-author demands and shelved the project. Then the darkest moment befell me. My son passed away unexpectedly in 2003. Devastated, I thought I would never write again.

HONORING MY SON

The 2004 Maui Writers Conference was fast approaching and though my flight was booked, I told my husband I wasn’t going. His reply? “If you don’t go, you’ll never finish Eric’s story.” I headed for paradise armed with a perfected pitch, research about which agents to woo, and an impressive media kit. I walked around, bereaved, but with great purpose and enough pit-bull determination required to impact needed change and honor my son.

In an early general session with agents, I met Catherine Fowler of Redwood Agency. I immediately liked her. I had skipped time at the beach to hone my pitch, and it worked. All agents pitched expressed interest, but Catherine requested an immediate copy of my proposal and signed me before we left Maui. On the mainland, we prepped the proposal to send to top publishers. Five major publishers expressed serious interest and I signed with Jossey-Bass in November 2004. In the months that followed, I opened a deep vein of grief and let words spill onto the page. Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs: Raising the Bar of Expectations was published in March 2006. My success story was twenty years in the making.

I believe the successful agent/author dance is the result of top-notch professionalism. Stay humble and say thanks. Hold your head high and deliver what you promise. Hone your skills, network, and ditch the diva attitude. Observe the world around you. Don’t fully trust spell check. Be passionate about your work. Follow these tips—and you might snag yourself a great agent, too.

Michael Larsen's book, How to Write a
Book Proposal (now in its third edition) has
sold more than 100,000 copies and
helped countless writers sell their work.

Want more on this subject?

7 reasons agents stop reading your first chapter.

Should you start with plot or character?

Word count for novels and children's books.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: James L. Rubart

Chuck — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:29:11 GMT

"YOU GOTTA MEET CHIP"

Before I headed out to my first writing conference in the spring of ’06, an acquaintance said, “Chip MacGregor will be there. He’s an editor and he's wired in the industry. You’ve gotta meet him! Get your manuscript in front of him if you can.”

Included in the conference fee was the chance to submit a manuscript to two pros, editors or agents. So a week before the conference, I sent the first twenty pages of Rooms and a synopsis to Chip. I spotted Chip on Friday afternoon, the first day of the conference, holding court in front of the coffee shop’s large fireplace. A group of five aspiring writers huddled around him and peppered him with questions. And they told him how badly Time Warner (now Hachette) needed their books. Late that evening, as I chatted with three writers I’d just met, Chip approached our table and slid into the chair directly across from me. (He and one of my new friends are old buds.)

Intros were made, and within moments, Chip slung a sarcastic remark my way. (Please understand: Chip can’t help himself. He has a great sense of humor and a lighting quick wit.) I was intimidated and nervous, but figured “Why not?” and slung a playful barb of my own back across the table. Chip’s eyes lit up as if to say, “I like this! Someone that’s willing to volley with me.” We end up poking fun at each other for the next hour and a half, finding out along the way we have a ton in common—like sleight of hand being a long-time hobby, and a love of Cannon Beach, Oregon (where my novel is set).

Rooms (order the book here) is a suspense novel
and James L. Rubart's debut. It was released
in April 2010 by B&H Books.
See James's author website here.

A REJECTION - BUT A NEW FRIEND, AS WELL

Late Saturday morning, I got my critique back from Chip. Rejected! He said Rooms was an interesting character study but not a fit for Time Warner because allegories don’t sell. But hey, I wasn’t going to let my dream being shredded into microscopic pieces keep us from being friends, so I went to his workshop Saturday afternoon and chatted some more. On Saturday night, Chip and I hung out again, both of us doing card tricks for a bunch of fellow conference-goers.

Then came Sunday night. Chip and I hung out for the third night in a row, going to dinner with three other writers. By the time the conference ends, I thought, “Cool, I’ve got a friend in the publishing biz.” I didn’t imagine us ever working together. Because of his rejection, I figured any chance with Chip was over.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THREE AGENTS SAY YES?

I'll skip ahead to July of ’06, when I found myself in the surreal position of having three agents interested in repping me. I needed advice. Who to call? Yep, Chip of course. He was gracious and gave solid counsel about the pros and cons of each agent. Around that time—in a moment of self-candor—I admitted that my writing, while good enough to attract serious attention, still wasn't quite where it needed to be. I attended an intense three-day writing workshop and started re-editing my manuscript. It's also around this time that I got word Chip had left Time Warner and started his own agency.

It wasn't long until we touched base again. Chip called me as my dad and I strolled in Lincoln Park next to the waters of Puget Sound. “So what’s going on in your writing world?” he asked.
     “Well," I said. “I’ve got this agent and this agent and this agent interested in me, and I went to this writing clinic where I learned a ton and I’m in the middle of reworking Rooms.”
     “Ah, you don’t want to go with any of them. Send me some chapters.”
     After a few minutes, the light dawns. He’s talking about signing me. I struggle to believe it. Ten days later (it felt like ten months), Chip replied and offered representation. Wow.

Oh yeah, and if you're wondering about Chip’s rejection note from that first conference? Of course I still have it. I even read it to him the other day. Gotta keep the barbs coming, you know?

This post is an online exclusive complement
to a spotlight on Kristin in the May/June 2010
issue of WD. If you don't have a sub to
Writer's Digest, what are you waiting for?
Get one now!

How I Got My Agent: Eve Brown-Waite

Chuck — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 20:20:59 GMT

I am re-posting Eve's column in honor of her
paperback coming out April 13, 2010.
Congrats, Eve!

----------

Guest column by memoir writer
Eve Brown-Waite, author of First Comes
Love, Then Comes Malaria

NO WATER, NO CLUE

First, let me assure you that you do not need to have connections to get an agent. Nor do you need to hobnob with already published authors, or be famous, or have money. Nor, apparently, do you even need to know what the hell you’re doing.

Of course, no one believes me when I tell them how completely clueless I was when I began this endeavor. But it helps if you imagine a young mother with an undergraduate degree in political science and a graduate degree in public health (no literature or creative writing courses there) toiling away in the Third World while writing about toiling away in the Third World. Yup, that was me. No electricity, no running water, no writers’ group, no Internet access … no clue.

I was back in the states by the time the book was (I thought) finished, but I still didn’t have much of a clue. I suppose I could have integrated myself into a local writers’ group or sought out some resources on this newfangled thing called the Internet. But hell, I was struggling just to make my way through the supermarket without getting dizzy, and I still got giddy every time I picked up the telephone and got a dial tone! It just seemed easier to plod along on my own.

ONE BY ONE ...

After blindly sending my manuscript off to a number of publishers, I learned that if I wanted to even approach a major publisher I’d first need an agent. So I bought that year’s Guide To Literary Agents and winnowed it down to about fifty agents who I thought might be matches. And then I proceeded to query them—one by one. Honestly, I’d wait for a response from each and every query letter before I’d go ahead and query the next agent on my list. And quite often that meant waiting months for some intern to pull my letter out of the slush pile and send me the standard rejection form. Yes, I was a very polite girl—and a very naïve author.

Needless to say, after three years of doing this, I’d only made it a quarter of the way through my now outdated list of agents. And it was while I was tracking down one particularly promising-looking agent, who’d opened up his own agency in the meantime, that I came across Laney Katz Becker. (By then I’d gotten a bit familiar with the whole Internet thingy.)

Laney was relatively new at the young agency (which I took to be good signs, as I thought she’d still be looking for new clients). She loved memoirs (another good sign) and especially those that transport the reader to an exotic location (Bingo! Or tic-tac-toe … I suppose the bingo would be that she liked books with a Jewish theme and she seemed to have a sense of humor). So I sent off a very funny query. I’d read somewhere that your query should reflect the tone of your book. Then I prayed.

Laney quickly wrote back and I sent her three sample chapters. Then I got my whole family praying. I should probably say right here that I am a Jewish, Humanist, Unitarian Universalist with pagan tendencies married to a proudly ex-communicated Catholic. So when I say “pray” it might not really be what you imagine. But we did send out positive energy into the Universe for Laney’s continued good health, and of course, that she’d like the book.

WHAT PROPOSAL?

Soon Laney asked to see the entire proposal. My entire what? I asked. Your proposal, she answered and then went on to explain that nonfiction books are sold on proposal only. Surely you’ve written a proposal, she added. No, sadly, I’d only written an entire book. So I got myself several books on how to write a proposal and went to work. And when I finally sent my proposal to Laney, I had my entire e-mail list praying for Laney’s continued good health and that she’d love my proposal.

On March 15, 2007, Laney called. “I love your book,” she said. “I’d like to represent you.” Three and a half months (and several proposal revisions) later, Laney sold my book—at auction—in a six-figure deal. Me: An unknown author with no connections. Just some good writing, a lot of persistence and some prayers! Oh, and one great agent!

Eve Brown-Waite is the author of First Comes Love,
Then Comes Malaria: How a Peace Corps Poster
Boy Won My Heart and a Third World Adventure
Changed My Life, (2009, Broadway Books)
available in paperback on April 14, 2010.
See her author website here.

Want more on this subject?

7 reasons agents stop reading your first chapter.

Should you start with plot or character?

Word count for novels and children's books.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos

Chuck — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:09:06 GMT

Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos is a two-time breast
cancer survivor and penned the book Surviving
Cancerland: The Psychic Aspects of Healing. She
is an inspirational speaker and a mentor for We
Can—a women’s self-help group. Kathy contributes
to CapeWomenOnlineMagazine and many other
publications/websites. She is currently working
on her second book. See her website here.

AIRLINE DELAYS AND ANGRY CATS

Act I began with an e-mail invitation from the Cape Cod Writer’s Group to meet New York literary agents. I sent my RSVP and twenty-two page book proposal in a Word document from Palm Springs, where I was wintering. The timing was perfect. I’d gotten my final draft back from my editor. But how was I to know that my 2007 Word and the group’s 1999 Word were incompatible? That’s when the fun began.

“When’s the party?” my husband asked, as we packed our suitcases and four cats for the flight home to Cape Cod. I replied, “Friday at 5:30. We’ll have time to rest if we don’t have delays…” Yeah, in a perfect world. Our plane landed in Massachusetts five hours late. We began our long drive home at 3 a.m. with a car full of hungry, pissed-off Siamese cats. My husband suggested skipping a party that night with other writers. I said not a chance.

We were greeted at the door of a B&B by the secretary. I was informed that Jack Scovil, the agent I would be meeting with tomorrow, was standing by the bar in the tortoise shell rimmed glasses. I crossed the room, introduced myself and exchanged business cards. He asked if I was attending his class tomorrow on book proposals. “Of course, I am,” I said. Actually, I had planned to sleep in.

"I NEVER RECEIVED YOUR PROPOSAL"

The next morning, I entered class late, eyes barely open. There were only two unoccupied seats … next to Jack. “Your chapter summaries should be one to two pages,” he said. I sat down and raised my hand, explaining that my editor told me to reduce my summaries to one paragraph. He eyed me. “That’s for fiction, not nonfiction.” Things were not going well. Could they get worse? Of course! I suspected that someone of Jack’s caliber would not be interested in a first-time author. But, I had his attention for 20 minutes during my meeting, and I planned to pick his brain.

He asked me what was in my large notebook. “Publishers who accept unagented manuscripts,” I said. “But, I’d prefer to get a big publishing house. That’s the main reason I’m here. The second is to get feedback on my proposal before I send it out this week.”
     “I never received you proposal.” He fanned a tiny pile of papers—my query letter and first three pages of my proposal. There was no “pitch” to be made. No deal to be done. No brain to pick. My saga was over by Act II.
     “I don’t want to waste your time,” I stammered and prepared to leave.
     Mr. Scovil countered with, “No. Tell me about your book.” Ten, to my delight, he folded his hands and leaned toward me like a child awaiting a bedtime story. I used everything I’d learned on pitching work to agents, beginning with my tagline and continuing with the main and secondary storylines. When it was all done, he said, “Is your manuscript completed?”
     “Yes. It’s polished and ready to go.”
     “Is your book proposal ready, too?” He leaning closer.
     “Yes.” I crossed my fingers surreptitiously under the table
     “Great. Send it all to me.”
      So I did—after pulling an all-nighter to change the chapter summaries back to their original length.

IN JACK'S OFFICE

Three weeks and one phone call later, I was in Jack’s New York office. “Do you think he read all of those books?” I asked my husband, gazing up at the floor to ceiling bookshelves. “No. I think he published all these books,” Peter answered. I felt intimidated. Jack entered. We exchanged pleasantries, discussed revising the title and then finished with suggestions on expanding the marketing platform. Then, I sat in the overstuffed chair wondering if he were going to offer me a contract. My husband finally asked, “So, is there a contract to discuss?” I was shocked, and relieved. Those were my exact thoughts, but I didn’t have the courage to voice them. What if Jack said, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Instead, Jack folded his hands and solemnly said, “Well…I’m waiting for Kathy to ask me to represent her.” I couldn’t believe my ears! A top agent was asking me to ask him! “I’d love to work with you, Mr. Scovil,” I answered.

“Wonderful! Please call me Jack. I’m looking forward to a long relationship with you,” he chuckled, a smile spreading across his face. And that is how something that seemed so wrong turned out so right. In Act III, I became a client of Scovil, Galen & Ghosh Literary Agency, and my baby—now titled Surviving Cancerland—is on its way in the big world of publishing.

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Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

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How I Got My Agent: Vicky Dreiling

Chuck — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:00:37 GMT

Vicky Dreiling writes hysterical Regency
romance. Her debut, How to Marry a Duke,
will be on shelves in January 2011. When
she's not traveling, Vicky runs a blog and
she also tweets.

CONTEST SUCCESS

I met my agent by accident—twice. Several years ago, my first book did very well in contests and racked up lots of requests, but it didn't sell. After a trip back to college and a few years establishing my marketing career, I started my second Regency historical romance. By now, I'd learned far more about craft and the business of writing, but I traveled 70% of the time in the US and Europe. The constant jet lag was a significant barrier to my writing goals. So I negotiated with my manager to cut out most of the travel. Then I took a vacation. Three weeks later, I finished my second book.

My second book also did very well in contests. My goal was to get a great agent, so when friends invited me to tag along to a conference, I decided to go. I signed up for appointments, but was unable to get one with Lucienne Diver because her slots were filled. That night, the conference held a dinner at a local restaurant. My buddy Jo Anne Banker & I got lost on the way there and arrived late. The keynote speaker met us and then realized she'd only saved one seat for Jo Anne. The speaker was horrified, but I told her not to worry. I don't know a stranger, so I strode off in search of new best friends.

APPROACHING LUCIENNE

There was only one vacant chair next to an agent. I'm an extrovert, but even I was a bit nervous when I approached Lucienne. She gave me a warm welcome. To my surprise, Lucienne asked me what I wrote. I said Regency historical romance and shut my mouth. I believed she only asked to be polite. Then she asked me what my book was about. I gave her a sheepish look and said, "Oh, it's the bachelor in Regency England, minus the hot tub and camera crew." She whipped out her card and requested a partial. I couldn't believe my good fortune. Then we started chatting and hit it off. We’d traveled to some of the same places in Europe and swapped funny stories. After the conference, I sent her the partial and not long afterwards, she requested the full.

Fast forward to another conference. While riding an escalator, I heard someone call out my name. I looked back and saw a familiar face. Yes, it was Lucienne. She asked about the manuscript she'd requested, and I told her I was doing revisions. I'd found a flaw in the book and I was determined to get it right. I believed too much in my story to send out anything but my very best work. Lucienne and I talked for a bit, and I wondered if this was some kind of sign (cue eerie music). What are the odds of meeting an agent accidentally—twice?

THREE OFFERS FROM AGENTS

I returned home energized and finished those revisions. Then I sent the book off to requesting agents, including Lucienne. Soon afterwards, something unexpected happened. Three agents offered representation. Of course, I was excited and flattered. It's a good problem to have, but it's also terrifying because you have to choose. I knew this was one of the most important career decisions I would ever make. How did I do it? I compared and contrasted each of them. I also did additional research. Here are some of the key points I investigated:

Their styles of communication. I wanted an agent who replied in a timely manner and also someone who listened to my goals.
How and to whom they envisioned submitting my manuscript.
Their editorial feedback and whether or not it resonated with me immediately.
The agency contracts, especially termination clauses.
Their agent experience, including the number of years in business.
Promotional efforts for their authors.
Their deals on Publisher's Marketplace (# of deals, which publishers, etc.).
Most importantly, I spoke to at least one of their authors.

In the case of the two other agents, I knew authors they represented. I didn't know any of Lucienne's authors. I asked if I could speak to one of her clients. She referred me to her wonderful author, Michele Lang. As it turns out, Michele had also gotten multiple offers of representation and understood what a difficult decision I had to make. She gave me a thorough and objective description of how Lucienne works with her authors. Lucienne's excellent reputation and enthusiasm for my writing were two of the many reasons I chose her. So far, she has exceeded my expectations over and over again. Best of all, we sold that book in a three-book deal to Grand Central in June 2009! Merci beaucoup, Agent Awesome Sauce!

Want more on this topic?

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Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

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How I Got My Agent: Richard L. Mabry

Chuck — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 02:57:13 GMT

Richard L. Mabry's fiction debut,
Code Blue, is available now.

A FRUSTRATING START

I got my agent shortly after I quit writing. Sound unusual? Welcome to my world.

I started writing fiction in 2003. At that time, writers could approach editors without going through an agent, so access wasn’t a problem. The problem was that no publisher was interested in my novels. Finally, one editor told me that, if I’d revise two of my books with the help of an independent editor he recommended, I’d probably get a multi-book contract. Shortly after that, I approached an agent with this news, and she agreed to take me on. Unfortunately, it went downhill from there. I spent a ton of money with the independent editor. Then the editor told me the publisher had decided my work still wasn’t good enough for them. My agent concluded that there didn’t seem to be a market for what I was writing. It’s an understatement to say we were both frustrated.

I kept at it, but after about forty rejections, including a time when I tried to write in different genres (including a cozy mystery), I decided to give up. The agent and I parted amiably, and I put aside my pen (figuratively at least). I was through writing.

A SECOND CHANCE

I’d met Rachelle Gardner at one of my first writers’ conferences, when she was an editor. Later, I reconnected with her through her blog, and continued to follow her even after I gave up writing. Rachelle was now an agent, and she ran a contest offering a critique of the first 20 pages of a novel to the person coming up with the best first line. On a whim, I dashed off an entry. Doggoned if I didn’t win with the line: “Everything was going along fine until the miracle fouled things up.” (By the way, the first chapter of that unfinished work is still on my hard drive).

Having nothing fresh to send for critique, I sent Rachelle the first chapter of my latest book--the one that had been turned down more times than a Holiday Inn bedspread. Rachelle’s response was: “Send me something that needs editing.” I didn’t know what to think. Someone in the industry actually thought my writing was pretty good. Maybe I should give it another try. With a great deal of trepidation, I sent off an e-mail query asking Rachelle to consider representation. I anticipated the usual slow process, hoping to get back a request for a proposal, then a partial, maybe a full manuscript. Instead, I got a return e-mail: “Of course I’ll represent you.” I’m not sure my heart has stopped racing even now.

A NICE ENDING

Rachelle made some excellent suggestions for improving my novel, and working together we produced something she thought she could sell. At the ICRS meeting, she pitched the proposal to Barbara Scott, who was starting the Christian fiction line at Abingdon Press. Barbara asked for Rachelle’s hard copy of the proposal to read on the plane. Shortly after she arrived home Barbara called to ask for the full manuscript. Eventually she bought the book.

Now the happy ending. Code Blue was released April 1. And even better, Abingdon will publish the next two novels in the Prescription For Trouble series in the fall of 2010 and spring 2011.

You know how there are times when you hunt and hunt for something, only to find it after you give up? Well, that’s what happened to me in my quest for an agent and publication. It’s nice to be good. It’s even better to be lucky. I’d like to be both, but if I can only have one, I’ll stick with luck.

Richard L. Mabry is the author of Code Blue.
A retired physician, he now writes Christian
fiction and nonfiction, and works fruitlessly
on improving my golf game. His book, The
Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A
Spouse, was published by Kregel Publications.

Want more on this subject?

Should you mention your age in a book query?

20 tips on query letters, from agent Janet Reid

Check out the Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters

What should you write in the bio of your query?

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 I Got My Agent: Marianne Elliott

Chuck — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:56:10 GMT

Marianne Elliott is the author of the
blog Zen and the Art of Peacekeeping.
(She has written a memoir of the same name.)
Marianne loves to connect with other writers
on Twitter (@zenpeacekeeper).

"QUERY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE"

While I was still writing Zen Under Fire: Learning to Sit Still in Afghanistan, a memoir about my life and work as a UN peacekeeper and human rights advocate in Afghanistan, I started reading agent advice blogs. I started filling a new notebook with information about agents and the query process and began making a list of agents who seemed like a great match for my book. On many agent blogs I read that, unlike other forms of nonfiction, you generally need a completed manuscript before you can query agents for representation for a memoir. So I diligently set about completing my manuscript.

When I was close to finishing the manuscript, I shared my synopsis and first three chapters with some beta readers. One of them is a published author who thought the synopsis was fantastic and asked whether I had started approaching agents. I explained why I was waiting. She wasn’t convinced and offered to ask her agent for advice.

Her agent’s advice was this: Because the subject matter of my memoir (i.e. Afghanistan) is so newsworthy at the moment, I should query as soon as possible. She wanted to see my first three chapters. I decided that if I was going to send the chapters to her, I would also take a risk and query the five agents who were at the top of my wish list.

UH-OH. TOO QUICK?

So I queried six agents. Two of them were agents to whom I had personal referrals from their clients (including the one who encouraged me to query early). Three were agents with whom I had no connection. The sixth agent had approached me after she read my blog, which she loved, and saw that I was working on a memoir.

I had my first response the next morning—a request for a full manuscript. I had to explain that I didn’t have a complete manuscript. She still wanted to see whatever I had written. So I took another risk. I sent her ten more chapters despite the fact that they had not been through the purifying fire of my beta readers’ insightful critiques. She eventually passed on the manuscript.

The first agent contacted me again, asking to see more. I sent her the additional chapters. She came back saying that it was a fascinating and well-written story but that the market at the moment demanded more grit in its war stories. She would be interested in seeing another, grittier, draft. I got two more requests for full manuscripts. I was beginning to doubt the wisdom of querying early but I decided to give the draft chapters two last outings before I regrouped.

TWO OFFERS!

A few weeks later, I awoke to my first offer of representation. I was stunned. It was such a surprise after the first two rejections that I almost accepted the offer on the spot. Instead, I asked for a little time and wrote to the one remaining agent who had my partial manuscript. She wrote back almost immediately, also offering me representation. Now I was spinning. Two New York literary agents wanted to represent my book!

I set up phone interviews with both of the agents. I got in touch with all the published authors I knew and asked them for advice. I prepared my questions. Each of the agents did a fantastic job of answering them. Both gave me referrals to clients who gave them rave reviews. I knew that I couldn’t go wrong with either of them.

In the end, the deciding factor was that when Laura (Laura Nolan of DeFiore and Company) talked about my manuscript it was as though she had been inside my head as I wrote it. She got to the heart not only what I had written but also of what I was trying to write but hadn’t quite pulled off.

I broke one of the cardinal rules of querying, which is: Never query until your manuscript is complete, beautifully polished and the best that it can possibly be. In this instance, it paid off. I was fortunate to find two agents who were willing to work with me on a promising manuscript that still needed work. Not all agents do that. Not all writers need that. Maybe it worked for me because of the timeliness of my subject matter. Maybe it was because I found the right champions for my project. In either case, I’m grateful.

Want more on this subject?

Should you mention your age in a book query?

20 tips on query letters, from agent Janet Reid

Check out the Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters

What should you write in the bio of your query?

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Dom Testa

Chuck — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:18:40 GMT

Dom Testa is a radio host in Denver and
an award-winning young adult author
The paperback of The Comet's Curse,
the first book in his sci-fi series, is available
now. See his series website here.

NOT LOOKING FOR LOVE

Relationship experts say that the key to finding true love is to not look for it. Although it might seem counter-intuitive, the anecdotal evidence appears to back them up. How many couples have you known who either met through total chance, or met when one or neither was even interested in a relationship? They weren’t cruising the bars, or active in an online dating service; it just happened. That’s essentially my story when it came to landing an agent and a book deal. But before you roll your eyes and/or curse me, consider this: the road to representation is often much easier when your focus isn’t on the actual hunt itself, but rather on the product that fires your passion.

My publishing journey began in the early 90s when I participated in the annual Dr. Seuss birthday celebration at a Denver-area school. As a morning radio show host, I’m often asked to either emcee an event, or to be a celebrity this-or-that for a charity. But this was different, and—surprise, surprise!—I had a great time. I began reading at schools on a regular basis. Plus, because I’d been writing as a hobby since high school, the kids’ enthusiasm inspired me to devote more and more time to polishing my skills.

By the late 90s I had segued from reading at elementary schools to actively working with older students. I began hosting writing assemblies and workshops at middle schools (something I still frequently do today), while scribbling out ideas for a YA book. My radio career took up much of my time, but all writers know that you carve out whatever time possible to get it done. By 2003 I had finished the first few drafts of what would become The Comet’s Curse.

FORMING MY OWN PUBLISHING COMPANY

But I never considered finding an agent, or, for that matter, landing a traditional publishing deal. I wanted control of the release, the cover, the marketing, and the planned sequels, so I opted to form my own publishing company and put in even more time. This was truly a labor of love, and I felt that if I believed in it that much, I could do anything with my book.

The Comet’s Curse was published in January of 2005. In the fall of that year I was cruising down I-25 in Denver when my cell phone rang. On the other end was Chuck Sambuchino, calling from Writer’s Digest magazine. “Pull over,” he said to me. “You don’t want to be driving when I tell you this.” What he told me was that I had won the grand prize in the annual Writer’s Digest Best Self-Published Book contest, beating out 1500 entries from around the world. Yes! (pumps fist in air)

In the next two years I published two more volumes in the Galahad series: The Web of Titan, and The Cassini Code. By this point I was overwhelmed with radio, speaking, running a small independent press, and finding time to write. One evening I sat on my deck, drinking beers with my friend Judith Briles, who has published more than twenty books. I told her that the time might have come to find a traditional publisher. She recommended I contact a former agent of hers, Jacques de Spoelbergh.

TOR BOOKS

Jacques was quite pleasant, but unsure that he would represent me. Instead he suggested that I directly contact Tom Doherty of Tor Books, the worldwide leader in sf/fantasy. My first thought was, “Really? Write to the man who FOUNDED Tor? Isn’t that...presumptuous?” But I did indeed send off the package, with a one-page letter to Tom and copies of the first two Galahad books that I’d published.

Five days later—yes, five—Kathleen Doherty, the publisher of Tor’s YA division, called. Her first words to me were memorable: “We love your books, and want to sign you to a six-book deal.” After I picked myself off the floor, I got back in touch with Jacques, and, after a few in-depth conversations, agreed that he would represent me with this series. He’s a true gentleman, and a savvy industry vet.

So my story is quite different than most. I funneled my energies into creating a tangible—and credible—body of work. While some might say, “wow, it only took you five days,” I’m quick to point out that the entire process began fifteen years earlier. That’s fifteen years of writing, visiting schools, hosting workshops, building a one-man independent publishing imprint, and staying focused on the end result: the book itself. The key is gravity; I created gravitational pull that attracted people to my book. And then, like true love, it “just happened.”

Want more on this subject?

7 reasons agents stop reading your first chapter.

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Word count for novels and children's books.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: C.J. Omololu

Chuck — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:02:35 GMT

CJ's book, "Dirty Little Secrets"

OFF TO KANSAS CITY

You’ve probably heard the story of the aspiring writer who cornered the unsuspecting agent in a conference bathroom and passed her manuscript under the door of the stall. Arguably the most celebrated moment in the history of how-not-to-get-an-agent. You should also not pass your manuscript to an agent in an elevator, in the buffet line or during their keynote speech. But is all casual contact taboo? Is there a way to use a chance meeting to your advantage? Sure, as long as you do it right.

I met my agent, Erin Murphy, in an elevator. I was in the process of writing my first novel and was starting to research agents (in hindsight, I recommend actually finishing your book first). Erin was at the top of my list and I heard she was speaking at a weekend conference in Kansas City. Although I live in Northern California, I needed a weekend away and had enough frequent flyer miles, so although I really didn’t know anyone in Kansas City, I went.

THE ELEVATOR PITCH

I saw Erin speak at the conference that first day and it only cemented the fact that I wanted to work with her. She’s editorial, knowledgeable about the business, has great contacts and a fantastic client list. All good. But I had nothing to show her and no reason to talk to her, so I spent the whole day in seminars and talking to other writers. I figured that I’d just take my experience home with me, finish the book and query her when I was ready. And then I got my chance.

Early on the last morning, I was riding the elevator down to the hotel lobby when Erin stepped aboard on her way to speak at a seminar. My mind was racing as the floors flashed by—this was my big chance! What the heck do I do with it? I started with the brilliant “Good morning.” She smiled and said "Good morning" back. She yawned and said that she was tired and I mentioned that I’d stayed up late, too, talking to some of the other conference attendees. Then I glanced at her and said, “Luckily, I just have to sit there and listen. Unfortunately, you have to go and be brilliant again.” That broke the ice and she laughed. Erin glanced down at my outfit and admired the trouser jeans I’d bought special for the trip. I told her where to get them, we chatted for a few seconds and that was it. The elevator reached the lobby and we went our separate ways. My palms were sweaty as I replayed the conversation in my head, knowing that there was so much more I could have done to make a better impression. At least I hadn’t blown it ... had I?

"REMEMBER ME?"

Fast forward a few months, and my manuscript was polished and ready. I’d read everything I could about query letters, and decided to take a chance with mine. I opened with, “Dear Erin, We met briefly at the Missouri Writer’s Guild conference—I am the tall gal with the striped hair and the fabulous not-jeans from J.Jill. I know that you are not accepting unsolicited submissions and I know that you are not looking for any new clients. I also know that I want you to be my agent.” After a short wait that I spent holding my breath, Erin e-mailed that she did indeed remember me and invited me to send her my manuscript. I’m pleased to say that my novel Dirty Little Secrets came out from Walker books on February 2 and I look forward to a long and prosperous partnership with Erin.

If you find yourself in an elevator with your dream agent, resist the urge to slip them your manuscript. Instead, engage in some casual conversation. Mention something they said or someone they represent that you really like. Compliment them on a necklace you admire. Treat them like real people and you never know what might happen. If you happen to meet your dream agent in the conference bathroom however, I strongly suggest you leave her be.

Cynthia Jaynes Omololu is the author of
Dirty Little Secrets (2010) as well as
When It's Six O'Clock in San Francisco.
See her website here and her blog here.
She lives in Northern California.

Want more on this subject?

If children's writing is your thing, check out The Writer's Guide to Crafting Stories for Children, by Nancy Lamb.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Ellen Bryson

Chuck — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:39:12 GMT

Ellen Bryson's book, The Transformation of
Bartholomew Fortuno, comes out in June
2010. The story follows Fortuno, the world's
thinnest man, as he's hired by none other
than P.T. Barnum to work at a spectacular
American museum. See Ellen's website here.

REJECTIONS TRICKLE IN

When it came to finding an agent, I was not well prepared. I didn’t realize how many good web sources there were to answer questions; I didn’t do much research, and I never once wrote a good query letter. Mostly, though, I couldn’t find an agent because my manuscript wasn’t ready. It took me years to finish a full draft—sometimes working steadily, sometimes not at all. I plugged away, enrolling in a Masters program to keep me working and, thanks to some really great teachers, help me improve. Eventually, I felt ready enough to send the manuscript to writer friends of mine and writer friends of others—anyone who was willing and able to give me usable advice. I rewrote, and unwrote, and rewrote again.

Finally, I felt I could reasonably say The End. Out went the manuscript to an agent that someone had told me might be a good fit. Back it came with a ‘no thanks’ but, generously, with notes. I took the notes very seriously and rewrote to try to answer points raised. Out it went again, this time to an agent I had researched and found to like the same kind of books that I liked. Back it came again, this time with nothing but a form letter. I sent it again and again—the results more or less the same.

These rejections weren’t fun. It didn’t matter that I knew it wasn’t personal. But I didn’t mind going back to the manuscript. Quite honestly, rewrites were work I really liked. In the work, I had control. It was the agent search that I found difficult. It all seemed so magical to me, and I did not feel like the hero of my story.

BRANCHING OUT

Deciding to try another tactic, I went to the writer’s colony Breadloaf, a humbling experience but my first chance to “pitch” in front of an agent. Talking about my manuscript to a professional was both nerve-wracking and instructive. It made me nervous. I did it anyway. And I left with a request from an agent to send her what I had when I felt it was finished. Wow, what a show of interest can do to renew one’s you-can-do-it sense of things. It took nearly a year before I felt ready to send her a partial and then, lo and behold, the whole thing at her request.

In a meantime, I sucked it up again, this time going to a local writers conference. I’m not particularly social, and events like this weren’t easy for me. But at this conference, I got lucky. I met a writer much further along the path than I was. In a moment of generosity, he said, “I’ll take a look at your manuscript if you want me to.” I loved him! Then, when he suggested I send it to his agent, I was utterly beside myself. Since I hadn’t heard from the Breadloaf agent who still had my manuscript, and as she had not asked for an exclusive, I figured, what the hell. His agent turned it down.

YES, YES, YES!

My friend then suggested another agent he knew: Mollie Glick. Why not? I sent Mollie a quick e-mail, telling her who I was and who had recommended me. After reading my first three chapters, she asked to see the full manuscript. On the day before Thanksgiving, Mollie called to tell me she liked the manuscript, but asked if I was willing to work on it. Yes, I said. Yes, yes, yes!

It took two more years of back and forth, including six months of research, until Mollie was happy with it. I dreaded her editorial letters but understood the points she was making and did my best. The big changes I had to do alone, but both of us did line-editing for misspellings, dropped or repeated words, and flabby writing—all the painstaking stuff. After that, it didn’t take long for the manuscript to sell. That moment was, well, wonderful!

So what did I learn through all of this? I learned that it takes what it takes. A manuscript is never done, but it needs to get to a certain point before anyone will be able to see it. Because I didn’t know what finished meant, I sent it out too early. I sent to only one agent at a time even though no one asked me for an exclusive. As a result, I often waited many months to hear back. Finally, and this is what an author friend of mine said: It's not a real book until the professionals get a hold of it. But that’s another story.

This post is an online exclusive complement
to a spotlight on Ellen in the March/April 2010
issue of WD. If you don't have a sub to
Writer's Digest, what are you waiting for?
Get one now!

How I Got My Agent: Jamie Harrington

Chuck — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:14:28 GMT

Guest blogger Jamie Harrington runs the blog,
Totally the Bomb, and also is on Twitter.

BIG-TIME SUCKAGE, THEN AWESOMENESS

I was totally addicted to World of Warcraft. I played it more hours than I care to admit, and even ran a guild. It was time for me to give the game up. You know, find something else to occupy my free time—so I turned to writing. I have a degree in Literature, and always wanted to be a writer, but I’d never sat down and actually finished anything. The second I started typing my first novel, Warcraft went out the window and I’d found my newest addiction. There was just one problem. My novel sucked. Big time.

I didn’t know this, of course, and queried it anyway. All the while checking out agent blogs, commenting on their posts, and trying to get to know them a little better. I discovered the awesomeness that is Twitter. (Oh yeah, I said it—don’t judge me.) That was the turning point for me. I talked back and forth with authors in the query trenches, chatted it up with a few that were agented or published, and even started making friends with the literary agents. While I was getting to know all these people, I started to see the total suck factor of my book and put it away, where I think it will stay for all eternity.

I’m totally cool with that.

Because then I read this blog post, and number 13 on that list totally jumped out at me. Dude! A YA chick villain. She had to be written, and I couldn’t write the words fast enough. I finished my second book in like a month and started querying.

BREAKING THE RULES

Why? Why did start querying so fast? Shouldn’t I revise first? Try to make it better? I thought I was totally above such things. My contacts from Twitter were really cool and many of them requested to look at the first part of my manuscript. Guess what? I totally wasn’t ready, and all my agent friends told me so. They sent me nice rejections, told me the concept was great but that it felt more like a first draft. (How dare they see right through me like that?!) Some even offered up helpful advice on the revision process and suggested things I should change. I realized that all my social networking and contact making was good for getting people to read my work, but it was pointless if the book sucked.

So I got to work. I revised the heck out of the novel. I changed it from first person present to first person past. I let anyone I could find beta read it, and I read everything good or bad they had to say. It was hard, but I knew it had to be done. The crazy thing is, when I finished the revisions, the book wasn’t just good enough—it was good. I was finally ready to query, but I’d wasted all those letters to those agents I’d made friends with. Rules of querying say you can’t just requery people. I couldn’t break those, right? Wrong.

I broke the heck out of the rules. I sent people letters telling them the truth: That I’d queried way too early and that I sent them a crap manuscript. I asked them to reread it and lots of them said yes. They requested fulls, offered advice on revisions, and many of them got really excited about Sketch.

FROM MULTIPLE OFFERS TO A PERFECT ONE

Finally, one of them said YES! He called me to make the offer of representation. I was standing in Target, my arms full of socks and underwear for my four-year-old. I dropped everything into the cart and walked right out to the car. It was really happening! I wanted to accept right there, but I knew better. I’d been reading agents blogs long enough, and I told the agent I’d let him know in a week. I headed straight home and started e-mailing everyone who had a full or a partial, and a few who hadn’t yet responded to my query that I just really wanted to work with.

They answered immediately from their blackberries and iPhones. I was mailing out fulls like gangbusters. Loads of people had my book, and I’d set myself up to be in the exact position I’d wanted to be in—multiple offers.

I got them, too. I talked to several agents about what they had planned for not only my manuscript, but my career. They all had great things to say, but Victoria Horn of Liza Dawson Associates and I just clicked. She was from a mid-sized agency that was part of the AAR, and I loved everything she had to say. She seemed like the kind of person I really wanted on my team—in control, and willing to stand up for what she believes in. She was perfect. And now she’s my agent.

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Mark Lee Gardner

Chuck — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:47:40 GMT

Mark Lee Gardner's latest book was released on
Feb. 9. It's called To Hell on a Fast Horse:
Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and the Epic
Chase to Justice in the Old West.

FINALLY, A LUCKY BREAK

I had been fed so much misinformation about literary agents over the years that it wasn’t funny. To begin with, it seemed like an agent was nearly impossible to get. The very few writers I knew who had agents were not forthcoming about sharing names. No one ever said, “Mark, you should contact my agent. He’s looking for some talented writers.” Getting an agent seemed a lot like winning the lottery. A very few authors somehow just got lucky.

Then one day, ten years ago, the esteemed Western historian and author Robert M. Utley sent me an e-mail encouraging me to contact a relatively new literary agent he had met from Dallas named Jim Donovan. Now this was exciting. Finally, I thought, here was my lucky break. I did contact Jim, and we discussed a couple of ideas of mine, and he felt they had potential. Jim sent me a guideline he had written about putting together a good book proposal.

BRIDGER OVER TROUBLED WATERS

This is where I screwed up. I was used to getting paid for my writing—albeit very modest sums—and here was this agent talking about a multi-page book proposal. At the time, that seemed like an awful lot of work without any guarantee of compensation or even a contract. I had other writing projects that were keeping me busy, and although I promised to write something up for Jim when time permitted, my e-mails to him became less and less frequent until they finally stopped altogether.

Five years passed. My family grew. I needed to make more money. If I was going to continue as a freelance historian and writer, it was obvious that I had to move beyond writing books for university presses and the National Park Service and get a trade book deal. I went back through my old e-mails and got in touch with Jim. Surprisingly, he was still interested in doing something with me, and we subsequently got together at a history conference in South Dakota, where we settled on an idea for a book.

I bit the bullet and, with Jim’s helpful suggestions and encouragement, produced a 40-page proposal for a biography of the famed American mountain man Jim Bridger. It was a very good proposal (well, at least several editors told us it was a good proposal), but it was a complete bust with the New York trade houses. It turns out Jim Bridger was not so famous after all. One New York editor had never heard of him. The other editors thought he was “too small” a subject. So, no trade book deal.

A DUAL BIOGRAPHY

But Jim did not give up on me, and I did not give up on getting a book contract. I perused my library of Western history books for another idea and settled on a biography of Pat Garrett, the lawman who ended Billy the Kid’s outlaw career. When I suggested this to Jim, he thought a more interesting—and salable—book would be a dual biography of Garrett and the Kid. The more I thought about it, the more I liked Jim's suggestion. No one had ever written a dual biography of these two Westerners, and Billy the Kid was an iconic figure whom every New York editor was sure to have heard of.

After considerable research into the topic, I completed yet another big book proposal and titled it To Hell on a Fast Horse. Jim carefully went over the proposal, I made changes, and then he sent it out. This time, the response from the New York editors was like night and day compared to our Bridger foray. Jim had immediate interest from several editors. It came down to two publishers, and I went with William Morrow, mostly because the editor at Morrow, Henry Ferris, took the time to call me and tell me how much he liked my proposal. I signed a contract in January of 2007 and Morrow released To Hell on a Fast Horse on February 9 of this year.

A good agent, I now know, is not just valuable for the contacts he or she has in New York, but for their insights and understanding of what makes a superior proposal, and, in turn, a great book. They are patient, excellent sounding boards, and they are there for you every step of the way. A good agent, then, is also a good friend. And, by the way, Jim Donovan is looking for some talented writers.

Mark Lee Gardner is a historian, writer, and
musician of the Western experience. He
writes for both popular and scholarly audiences,
having published with several university
presses and periodicals such as New Mexico
Magazine and Living History Magazine. See his
personal website or buy To Hell on a Fast Horse here.

Want more on this subject?

I interviewed Mark's agent, Jim Donovan. See the interview here.

Want to write a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

Ann Collette of Helen Rees Lit is looking for good Western fiction.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Debra Berndt

Chuck — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:17:43 GMT

Debra Berndt is the author of "Let Love In:
Open Your Heart and Mind to Attract Your
Ideal Partner." See her website and
follow her on Twitter.

SHARING WHAT I LEARNED

My idea for the book was born after another failed love affair that led me on a transformative inner-journey. A year later, I found myself in a new career and a fresh perspective on my love life. I wanted to share what I had learned and empower single women to love themselves. I hired a coach and began the process of making my dream a reality.

I wrote my first book proposal in 2004 and attended the San Diego State University Writers' Conference in 2005. I gained a ton of insight about getting published but, lacking an impressive platform, I left the conference without any bites on my proposal. Internally, I had a nagging doubt of whether my "attract love" system (the subject of my book) worked because I was still single. Although I have seen the power of the transformation in many of my clients, I felt my proposal had a touch of disbelief in between the lines.

FINDING A PLATFORM ... AND LOVE

During the next year, I continued to receive rejection letters from agents while I was busy building my platform with a regular column in a local Denver magazine and monthly segments on the ABC affiliate's Saturday morning news show. I also met the man of my dreams, which finally gave me the reassurance that my system for singles was solid. I rewrote the proposal with a little more passion and conviction and returned back to the SDSU Writers' Conference in 2006.

Before attending the conference, I researched the various editors and agents in attendance and made my wish list. One agency—Full Circle Literary—really stood out to me because of their interest in empowering women. I picked both partners of that small firm (one as a backup) just to be certain that I was able to at least meet one of them. Because of a cancellation, the event staff scheduled me to meet with both!

I first met agent Stefanie Von Borstel, who really liked my idea. She was impressed with my platform and eager to discuss my proposal with her partner, Lilly. I met Lilly Ghahremani later that afternoon and I felt that I could work with both of them. During the conference, I attended some of Lilly's panels and saw that she was extremely knowledgeable in the publishing industry. Later that evening, I ran into Stefanie at a networking cocktail party and really enjoyed speaking with her. Out of all the agents, they were my top choice to represent me.

A few weeks later, my excitement quickly died when Lilly rejected the proposal, but she gave me some really great advice on how to fix it up. It was a relief that she was open to see another submission. I could have given up after all that time, but I was in for the long haul. So determined to get it right, I hired a writing coach to help me get the proposal in top shape. Shari Cauldron had a lot of knowledge in the publishing industry (a published author herself) and knew exactly what I needed to do to make the proposal irresistible. We worked for a few months on the proposal and I had a professional editor put the final touches on it. The financial investment was a little steep, but turned out to be worth every penny.

POLISHED AND READY

When I resubmitted the proposal to Full Circle Literary, I felt confident that I put in my best work. Lilly contacted me stating that she loved the changes and was ready to talk about possibly working together. Over the next few months, she continued to coach me on adjustments to the proposal to make it even better and more appealing to publishers. We came up with our final proposal and she sent me the contract to represent me. The first hurdle was overcome. I had an agent!

At first, the search for the dream publisher was slow, but within a few months I had four solid offers in the same week. I accepted the offer from J. Wiley & Sons, LLC in 2008 and my book will be in stores on March 1, 2010. The journey from idea to final publication has been a long road, but the final product was worth the wait. As I look back, I am so glad ignored the advice to self-publish and rush the creation of my book. My advice to those who are searching for an agent is to get expert advice, professional editors and never give up—because there are readers out there who want to buy your book.

This post is an online exclusive complement
to a spotlight on Debra in the March/April 2010
issue of WD. If you don't have a sub to
Writer's Digest, what are you waiting for?
Get one now!

How I Got My Agent: April Henry

Chuck — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:23:32 GMT

"How I Got My Agent" is a new recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings.

To see the previous installments of this column, click here.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics.

This installment of "How I Got My Agent" is
by mystery and thriller writer April Henry.
She has published eight books, and will have
two more out this year. The paperback of
Face of Betrayal comes out tomorrow (Feb. 1).
Learn more at her website and also see her blog.

I STILL HAVE MY EARLY REJECTIONS

I started trying to get in 1991—before there was a World Wide Interweb. I had a literary agent guide with a green cover that I poured over religiously. I think it was called Literary Agents of North America, as if it were a guide to infrequent sightings of a rare species. I got over a hundred rejections total for my first novel and then my second. Some agents rejected a book as soon as they read my query; others after they read part or all of the book.

I still have the file of those rejections, which I called Submissions & Rejections. And it still fills me with a mix of anxiety, shame, and self-pity to page through them. “I’m afraid I can’t provide the necessary enthusiasm,” wrote Anita Diamant about my second novel. (Anita ended up becoming an author herself and writing the bestselling book The Red Tent.) Sterling Lord, who at that point had been an agent for 40 years and whose clients included Jack Keroac and Ken Kesey, also “did not feel enthusiastic enough.”

Another agency offered to look at my manuscript—if I would pay $400 first. Some gave thoughtful responses, like the agent who found my writing “effective,” but then added that the structure was “unwieldy.” One sent me two pages of comments about characters and plot. Even the mixed messages, like the agent who said I had “real talent” but then added she hadn’t felt compelled to keep reading, gave me hope. I got typewritten responses, handwritten notes, letters from dot-matrix printers, form rejection letters addressed to “Dear Author” that had clearly been photocopied dozens of times, and one memorable “No!” scrawled on the top of my query and sent back in my self-addressed stamped envelope.

A DEAD END

I tried reaching out to a few authors: Marge Piercy, Beth Gutcheon, and Elinor Lipman (who was just starting out, but I had met her cousin at a business seminar). Again, since this was before the Internet and author websites, my letters first had to find their way to the publisher and then to the writer. All tried to offer advice, but they weren’t agents and often their own agents weren’t taking on new clients.

I brought Elinor’s letter with me to a signing of hers a few years ago. While she didn’t remember writing it, she marveled at the fact that it was handwritten.

FINDING "THE ONE"

I read this article, which appeared 18 years ago. I read it a couple of months after it came out, because my officemate used to bring me her old New York Times. After reading the article, I looked up Harold Ober in my green book. That was it. There was no other way to figure out more about them. (Sometimes I try to recreate how I used to learn about things before the Internet, and it gives me a headache.) I typed up a letter (no e-mail, remember?) to an agent there, Wendy, and got ready to send it off. At the last minute, I double-checked the spelling on her name. I had to re-type the letter and envelope when I realized there was no T on Schmalz.

Wendy replied (by letter) and asked for a full manuscript. Then she contacted me (by landline phone) and offered to represent me. Now, years later, we’ve been together longer than some couples have been married. I’ve had eight books published, with five more on the way. During that time, I also wrote two books that did not find a publisher. Both were books I loved. I could have been crushed. But by then I was hooked, too stubborn to stop. Instead, I kept writing.

And what if I had given up years ago, after my hundredth rejection from a literary agent? Around the same time, I took a writing class. At least two of the folks in that class—T. and J.—were far better writers than I was. They both gave up after getting a few rejections from agents. As far as I know, they haven't been published. So don't you give up, too. Keep going!

No matter what kind of agent you're aiming
for, the best all-around database is
Guide to Literary Agents. Buy it here.

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Kiersten White

Chuck — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 02:33:38 GMT

This installment by Kiersten White, author
of PARANORMALCY (HarperTeen; Sept. 2010)
Check out her blog: Kiersten Writes.

THE SLUSH PILE WORKS

I’ve seen a lot of articles lately on how it’s impossible to get published unless you are somebody, or you know somebody, or you know somebody who knows somebody. Agents filter ruthlessly. Publishers won’t take risks on unknowns. No one wants to spend time and money on something with no guarantee of success. In short: give up. It’s not going to happen. You can have all of the talent in the world, but if you aren’t someone, you’re no one. The system is broken and you will never, ever be able to crack it.

I am proof the system works. I am a no-name, nobody stay-at-home mom - just another woman with a useless English degree, two babies, and a desperate need to do something, anything, to prove that my brain isn’t leaking out while I spend years of my changing diapers and chasing toddlers. I’d always wanted to be a writer, but a couple of years ago it became more than a romantic idea. I picked my genre, wrote the best book I could, and queried. And queried. And queried...

AGENT: YES ... SALE: NOT YET

Fifty letters. Most agents never responded. I spent my afternoons mulling over online databases, Googling agents, doing whatever I could to increase my chances. I had no connections, no author friends to give me a leg up, nothing to set me apart but my writing.

It worked. Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary wasn’t my first choice, mostly because I didn’t know she existed when I started my search, but when Michelle and I talked, we connected. From the very first call I knew that she was passionate about my writing. Her other clients loved her, and my gut instinct was to go for it. So I said yes.

And editors? Well, they said no. Despite Michelle’s work, we couldn’t find a home for that novel. It was too commercial, not commercial enough, too slow, too fast, too old for the market, too much not enough something. Those few months were brutal. But I had something I didn’t have while querying—a professional, someone on my side who believed in my writing for no other reason than that she liked it. And so while I waited, I wrote. Three books. When it was time to pick a new manuscript to send out, I spent the next four months polishing my choice. I workshopped it with critique partners. I cut ten thousand words. I pulled it apart and pieced it back together and combed those lines until they shined.

FRUITION WITH PARANORMALCY

When I couldn’t make it better, I was more than a little nervous to send it to Michelle. I knew she didn’t like “creature” books, and this was so different than the book she signed me for I wasn’t sure what she’d think. Where my first book was third-person, moody and intense, this book was first-person, showcasing a very chatty, sarcastic narrator who was unwillingly immersed in the world of the paranormal—and regularly interacted with vampires, werewolves, hags, and even a mermaid best friend. Totally not Michelle’s thing.

When she loved it, we knew we had something special. The thought of going on submission again made me want to cry, but I wanted this, I had Michelle on my side, and another sub round couldn’t kill me. (Pack five stress pounds onto my body, sure, but definitely not kill me.) Less than a month after it went out, Paranormalcy sold in a three-book deal, in a pre-empt, to HarperTeen. My dreams of publishing were going to come true, with my dream house, no less. All from my agent’s slush, without a single celebrity acquaintance to my name.

I’m currently finishing up edits on the sequel, celebrating four foreign market sales, looking forward to my release, and enjoying being represented by such a savvy, dedicated agent, who signed me not for a book but for a career. I’m still a stay-at-home mom, just a little busier and with quite a bit more random, ecstatic dancing on a regular basis. I’m also proof that good writing and hard work trumps all. The system works. You just have to work harder than it does, is all.

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Heather McCorkle

Chuck — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:54:01 GMT

Heather McCorkle is a writer of all things
fantasy/sci-fi, be it adult, YA, dark or otherwise.
She runs a blog, Heather's Odyssey, where she
talks about the journey of writing.

TWO AGENTS WANTED IT

I didn’t get it right the first time. I met Ken Atchity at the Hawaii Writer’s Conference in 2008 and pitched a book to him. He loved the idea and asked me to send it to him. But, when I got home I received an offer of representation from another agent. With an apology to Ken, I accepted the other agent’s offer. Mind you this was after a year of submitting and over fifty submissions.

Unfortunately I had submitted a manuscript that wasn’t ready and was picked up by an agent who wasn’t prepared for all the work it would take to get it there. After a year of unsuccessful submissions to editors, we parted ways. I always thought you got an agent and they got you a publisher, end of story. I couldn’t have been more wrong. There is little more discouraging than getting an agent and having it not work out. It’s the kind of thing that can make a writer re-think their path and maybe even give up. But not me. I didn’t know if anyone ever went through what I did and got back in the saddle for a second run, but I was determined to try.

IMPROVING MY CRAFT

The entire time we’d been submitting to editors I had kept writing and improving my craft. I finished the series I was working on and moved onto a new one. After parting ways with my first agent I saw how badly that manuscript needed a total overhaul. I set it aside and focused on my young adult urban fantasy. Once it was edited and polished to my liking, I decided to start looking for an agent again.

Right away I decided this round of submissions would be very different from my first attempt to find an agent. Now I knew to read agents' blogs, websites, and anywhere else they networked. I knew I had to get to know them and what they wanted and submit thoughtfully rather than blanket the entire literary world. I remembered Ken and his enthusiasm for my work. I still had his card. I carefully picked about fifteen agents—Ken included—and sent my query letters out.

TRYING KEN AGAIN

Within a month I received a request for my full manuscript. That agent eventually passed on it. Ken got back to me and asked for a full as well. While I waited for his response yet another agent asked for it. The pressure was on and I hadn’t heard from Ken in over a month. After almost another month I e-mailed him and let him know I’d have to end his exclusive look due to other interest. Since he didn’t respond I went ahead and sent it out to the other agent. A week later he called and offered to represent me. Now I had a decision to make.

I didn’t want to get it wrong this time. After seeking the advice of several of my published friends, I finally went with my gut. I’d met Ken in person, we clicked immediately, I loved his online presence, and the way he supported and promoted his authors was astounding. The decision was easy when I considered all that. My experience the second time around has been completely different and well worth it. I’m glad I didn’t stray from my path.

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Never Giving Up: My Tale of One Novel, Two Agents and Three Continents

Chuck — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:22:06 GMT

There’s no greater fun than being born excitable. That’s me. You can never get me down. I get excited even with failure and I try, and I try, even at the cost of being laughed at. No worries; jump around, I say, and time will come when you will see yourself out of that godforsaken slushpit.

Guest blog by Abhijit Dasgupta, executive editor
of India Today magazine, the subcontinent's
biggest English weekly. See his blog here.
He is repped by Patricia Moosbrugger.

To begin with (how many times do you have to say this to make your opening line work, I wonder), I have, I think, a good tale to tell you about agent hunting. I wrote my two-book 110,000-word Indian reincarnation-romance-historical novel, Three, in 2006 and went shopping for a literary agent in London. I found a big-time rep almost immediately. She was enthusiastic; nay, ecstatic with the ms. I felt like an author and started behaving like one. Even when I was signing sundry cheques, I was looking around for a copy of my published book to hand over along with them.

"HANG IN THERE, MATE"

She submitted to editors and I carried on being an author, smug in the confidence that she couldn’t fail. Middle 2008: I had finished Book 2 and she wanted revisions on Book 1. No worries; they all wanted revisions, said Google. But spirits were high - she was still most enthused (not ecstatic any longer, though). Months went by, and from ecstatic, she had slowly moved to being enthusiastic and finally, she was clearly egg-on-the-face. E-mails remained unanswered and it was obvious: She could not sell my book.

No, I did not press the panic button. I merely jumped. This was jumping done bad, jumping slowly going berserk. Eyesight blurred. Getting glasses changed and stuff like that. My peers told me that with what was happening in the West, India and China were soon to be world publishing powers. I found a few literary agents who had, I guess, upon similar foresight, opened shop. I mailed. They replied. Out went the attachments. I still haven’t heard from them. I thought again about how my London agent had been entranced, so I shot her e-mail after e-mail, asking what to do. There was just one reply to all of them, “Hang in there, mate … we are in bad times." I was upside down without a clue to what would happen next, so I decided to sack her. In retrospect, I feel sad; traumatized is the word, that I could have acted in the way I did. She was the One who had believed in the ms turning from frog to prince. But why wasn’t she replying to my emails and how long would I have to wait?

STARTING ALL OVER

I Googled three words: historical, multicultural, romance. And sent the same query letter at random to agents whose names were thrown up by Google first and the various other online databases later. If there was one agent who matched even one of the criteria, she or he would be queried. That was a promise I made to myself and I delivered spot on. Between October and November, I do not remember anything else. Things became so hectic that even when I was supposed to be enjoying the next best thing to the sheer pleasure of living itself, I was hunting for the Send button to let go.

33 of them requested partials and fulls. I was overwhelmed! These were big names in the US and UK. Some had rejected me years before; others remembered me from previously submitting. Why the new interest? The revisions, I told myself; all of them wanted to see what London had suggested and whether it was any better this time. And something else dawned on me. This talk of the Downturn in the West was exaggerated. Agents were, as they came, happy to read.

THE MIDNIGHT KNOCK ON THE DOOR

Then one night (always late, very late night, or early morning … I live in India, you see), there was a knock at the computer door. The midnight knock, as we call it . You guessed it right. It was an offer of representation. Date? December 15. Time when it hit my computer? 3:32 am, Indian time. Sent from? London. Me doing what at that precise moment in history? Sending.

Following that mail, I got three more offers, two from the US and one more from the UK. There was so much of the sun at the top of the well now. I actually hummed Lennon. Finally, I fell for Patricia - Patricia Moosbrugger from Colorado. Someone who allows me to jump as much as I want to. Best, she loves historicals, my genre. Also, Google and all those trackers tell you she does not accept e-mail queries. She does. She accepted mine and is now “thrilled” to represent my magnum so-many-times-rejected opus.

So let me tell you: Yes, make querying an addiction. Break the goddamned rules. Send a lot of queries. One will stick. Or at least, if you are pretty unlucky with a problem of plenty, four will.

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Matt Mikalatos

Chuck — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:12:55 GMT

This installment of "How I Got My Agent"
is by Matt Mikalatos, freelancer,
and author of the novel "Imaginary Jesus"
(BarnaBooks, April 2010). See his website here.

LET'S MAKE A DEAL

I wanted to write fiction, but couldn’t seem to sell it. I found, however, that I was selling short satirical magazine articles with astonishing regularity, and soon I sold a couple of “how to” articles on spiritual topics to the Christian market. When it came to magazines, I just had more success with nonfiction than fiction. I decided to write a proposal for a book of humorous essays called Imaginary Jesus, and started looking for an agent so I could submit it to the publisher who printed my magazine. I started through Writer’s Market, trying to cut the pile of agents down to a top ten list. I mentioned that I hoped to have an agent soon to one of the magazine editors, and they told me that they preferred un-agented submissions when they had worked with an author before, so why didn’t I send a proposal over and abandon my agent search? I immediately sent my proposal to the publisher, who said we would probably strike a deal with no advance and see where the book could go.

Excited and a little overwhelmed, I contacted an author friend named Gary Thomas. Gary had taught a seminary class at Western Seminary a few years previously and had graciously agreed to an interview for a class project of mine at the time. Now he agreed to meet me and my wife and give advice about the writing life. In the course of our conversation he told me that I really did need an agent and referred me to two of them, giving permission for me to use his name when I sent my queries. Both agents were out of my league without Gary’s referral and, in fact, I had crossed them both off my agent search list a month earlier simply because I didn’t think they would represent someone like me.

Learn more about "Imaginary Jesus"

HE LOVES MY QUERY BUT HATES MY BOOK

I sent a query to these guys within about 24 hours of talking with Gary, and the man who was about to become my agent, Wes Yoder of Ambassador Literary, sent me a note the next day saying he wanted to talk. During our conversation, Wes said he read my partial, hated it and told me he didn't want to represent me. I believe he said, "This is bad," as well as, "You're not delivering what you promised in the proposal." He told me that he suspected I was writing what I thought agents and publishers would want to see rather than what I really wanted to write ... that I wasn't being weird enough or honest enough, and wasn't embracing my desire to write a story instead of essays. He did say, though, that he would be willing to take a second look if I reworked it.

That weekend I radically altered the book from essays into a novel, and started writing the story of a guy named Matt Mikalatos who discovers while sitting in a coffee shop that the Jesus sitting across from him is not the real Jesus at all, but an imposter, which leads to encounters with the apostle Peter, a talking donkey, and a giant chase through space, time and Portland, Oregon. I sent five chapters off to Wes, and within a few hours he was sending me e-mails and leaving voice messages not to talk to any other agents. He said he wanted to be the "real agent" for Imaginary Jesus.

SUCCESS WITH WES

Now that it was fiction, I needed to finish the book! I wrote it in the evenings and the holiday breaks over Thanksgiving and Christmas ... the first draft was finished in just under six weeks, which was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. I have a lot of memories of turkey cooking in the kitchen while I was hunched over the laptop by the fire.

So, my agent search lasted about two weeks from start to finish. About two months later the book was finished, and within a few months more we had two offers from great publishers on the table. And Imaginary Jesus hits the shelves this April! Looking back, I know Wes was right - I was successful when I wrote what I wanted to write, not what I thought would sell.

This guest column by Matt is an exclusive online
supplement to a feature on him in the Feb. 2010
issue of Writer's Digest (the "Breaking In" section).
If you haven't subscribed to WD yet, what are you
waiting for? Get a sub now!

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: A.C. Arthur

Chuck — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:36:43 GMT

This installment of "How I Got My Agent"
is by romance writer A.C. Arthur

(who also writes under the name Artist Arthur).
A.C. has more than a dozen romances
published in several series. See her
website here.

Buy "Indecent Exposure"

NOT ON THE SAME PAGE

Since my first book was published in 2003, my search for an agent has been a long and tedious one. One of the first obstacles I faced was that I didn’t really know what the job of an agent was and therefore, didn’t have a clue what I was looking for. Of course that led to my first choice not necessarily being the right one (meaning I signed with the first agent who showed any interest in my work). And three years and three additional contracts later, I released that agent. Why? Because we wanted different things from my writing career—and that is a recipe for disaster in an agent/writer relationship.

I continued to get publishing contracts and to write books, all the while knowing there was something or someone missing from taking my career to the next level.

"WHAT ABOUT CHRISTINE?"

One day in 2006, during a routine rant about not having an agent, an editor friend of mine suggested Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency. My friend's exact words were, “She’s a new agent, but she’s smart. She knows what she’s doing and how to work for you.” This sounded fantastic so I sent Christine an e-mail and she in turn asked for a proposal. Now, the phone call I received from her about two weeks later was not what I’d been expecting. You see, I thought since I had a referral and because Christine had immediately responded by requesting material, that I was a shoo-in. Not so!

Christine’s exact words were, “You don’t need me.” I was devastated, but had to respect her honesty. Besides, she was so nice to talk to, the fact that she was actually rejecting me stung just a little less. I couldn’t really figure out why she said I didn’t need her because I was convinced I did. But I accepted her decision and tried to move on. This meant the search was still on, and I sent out numerous queries to more agents—some that I’d queried in the past and other new ones. This is a very subjective industry; it all depends on the right editor seeing the right manuscript at the right time. Some, I’m persistent if nothing else.

A FATED CONNECTION

In early 2008 when a very reputable agent expressed interest in my work, I was overjoyed. Again, I was convinced I’d found the right agent. Again I was wrong. What was it about me that I just couldn’t find the right person to represent my work? The funny thing was, after only a couple of months with this agent, I had a feeling I’d once again missed the mark. There was no real connection. And while I thought I’d done a good job of explaining what I wanted, where I wanted my career to go, we still came out on opposite sides. That’s not to say that this agent wasn’t good, they just weren’t the one for me.

At this point I still had the same problem; I was sans agent. There were publishing houses that I would have loved to write for but they would only accept agented submissions. Besides that, the contracts were changing—the language becoming increasingly more technical and I knew I wasn’t getting the best deals for myself. So on this agent search, I researched and researched and sent only material that I thought specific agents would be interested in. Meanwhile, in April 2009, I finally got to meet Christine at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention. I didn't pitch her; I just wanted to meet her. (Plus, I figured how many times did I want this woman to reject me.)

A little while later, I had another proposal and needed some honest feedback—so I called on Christine again for advice. Again, she responded immediately, which I’d always been impressed by because I know how busy agents are. And her response was more like a friend would to another friend’s messages, rather than an agent to an author, so it was very cool! Two months later, I was signing a Book Cents Literary Agency contract. We finally decided we were right for each other. It had taken three years, but I firmly believe in timing especially in this industry. I also believe in fated connections. From the first time I talked to Christine I think we clicked, and while it took another three years for us to actually work together, it was well worth the wait!

Buy "Full House Seduction"

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Kody Keplinger

Chuck — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:27:52 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by writer Kody Keplinger.

Kody is a YA writer whose book, The DUFF
(Designated Ugly Fat Friend) is due out in Oct. 2010.
Kody recently started "Agent Appreciation Day"

and you can read her blog here.

REFRESH, REFRESH, REFRESH...

I've been making up stories since I learned to speak, and I suppose I wrote my first "novel" when I was eleven; however, it wasn't until January 6, 2009 that I actually focused all of my attention on writing and began to put together my first publishable work. I started working on The DUFF and queried agents once I thought it was ready.

Refresh, refresh, refresh. That was me back in April, waiting on query responses. If I didn’t check my e-mail every ten seconds, I thought I might actually die. I was trying to be patient. I started by only sending out five queries, thinking I would wait for those replies to filter in before I sent out more. However, this plan failed miserably. Weeks passed and I had only received one—one!—response. So I sent more queries. More, more, more! Still, very, very few answers. At that point, I was desperate even for a form rejection.

During this time, a fellow aspiring writer lent me her list of queried agents. It was a spreadsheet that told me how long she had waited for replies. On the list were agents who had replied within the same day! I tried those agents, and nothing. I was so confused and concerned. Why wasn’t anyone responding? Had I done something wrong? Were my e-mails even going through?

JOANNA WHO?

It was on my friend’s spreadsheet that I discovered the name Joanna Stampfel-Volpe. To be honest, I hadn’t heard of her, but when I Googled her name, tons of great information appeared. Plus, she had a quick response time, so I thought I’d give it a shot. Downside: she didn’t want to see any sample pages and I didn’t have much faith in my query, so I really didn’t think anything good would come of this e-mail.

But the next day, I had a partial request. Immediately, I sent the first thirty pages of my novel, using my high school e-mail address. I was just thrilled, at this point, to have any feedback. Then, later that evening, I had a full request—my first and only full request—and I seriously freaked out. Just five days after sending Joanna the initial query, I received an offer of representation. That was in mid-May, and she happened to call me on my best friend’s birthday. So, of course, my BFF claims it was her birthday karma. Either way, it was one of the best days of my life. The best part? Most likely it was Joanna’s reaction near the end of our conversation when I said, “Oh, there’s something you should know. I’m not eighteen yet. Is that a problem?”

It wasn’t a problem at all. Joanna was shocked, but in a good way. I knew, by the time I hung up the phone, that she was exactly the right fit for my book and me. So I signed with her less than a week later—after she’d talked to my Mom, of course.

THE E-MAIL MYSTERY REVEALED

The irony in all this is I later learned that my high school e-mail only sent out queries that I had pasted less than five sample pages in. So three quarters of my queries never even sent! This means that Joanna’s submission guidelines, which I thought would be my downfall, really saved me. It’s like a little bit of e-mail fate, right?

In the end, I’m very, very glad most of my e-mails didn’t send. Only one agent ever read my full manuscript, and she was just the agent for me. I can’t imagine anyone being a better fit. I found an agent who not only loves my book, but who is, in general, a great match for me, and we are always—always—on the same page.

It just goes to show that sometimes a technology-fail can be a blessing. Everything happens for a reason, and when things finally fall into place, it’s the best feeling in the world.

If you want to write books for kids and
teens, get the bible for kids writers:
the 2011 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market.

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Becky Levine

Chuck — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:01:03 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by writer Becky Levine

She has a website and is the author of
The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide.

A PRO IS NEEDED

When I found out I was going to write a book for Writer’s Digest Books, I was thrilled. I smiled nonstop for about a week. I called family and friends. I did a little happy dance ... and then I sent an e-mail to Jessica Faust at Bookends Literary agency.

I believe in using experts to help me in my life. I have a wonderful tax accountant, who I inundate every year with hopefully-not-too-irritating questions. When my husband and I decided to take out the eighty-foot tree threatening to turn our house into a duplex, we hired a fantastic arborist and let his crew carry their chainsaws up into those top branches. When I knew I would be reading and signing a publishing contract, I wanted another expert on my side. Another one I could trust. Luckily, I knew that Jessica fit those qualifications. How did I know? Because of my critique group, which, yes, does more than critique. We swap writing books, brainstorm projects, and talk about the publishing process.

THE VALUE OF WRITING FRIENDS

One writer in the critique group, Terri Thayer, had been talking about her agent. Terri is the author of two mystery series, both represented by Jessica. Luckily, I found out that Jessica also represents nonfiction. I knew from listening to Terri, and from reading the BookEnds blog, that Jessica was smart and direct—someone I’d be more than happy to work with.

In my e-mail to Jessica, I introduced myself, mentioning both my connection with Terri and the likelihood of a contract from Writer’s Digest Books. Jessica answered quickly, and we set up a time to talk on the phone. In that conversation, we both asked questions; we both talked about our goals. The butterflies in my stomach—the ones that had landed there at the thought of the book and the newer ones that had showed up for this phone call—all settled down. Jessica’s ease and experience relaxed and reassured me. I hung up, confident that I had found my expert. And I did another little happy dance.

HOW I KNEW

This makes my path to representation sound like a few snaps of my fingers—fast and easy. My decision to contact Jessica, though, and my choice to sign with her were based on the research I’ve done over the past few years—reading Jessica’s and other agents' blog, talking with agents and editors at conferences, and listening to my critique partners and writing community. Had I planned on the opportunity to write this book? Frankly, no. I was educating myself so that I’d be ready, when the time came, to publish my fiction. The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide came about as a wonderfully unexpected surprise. Luckily, because I’d been paying attention, I was able to move quickly, to know what and who I wanted, and to act on that goal.

Jessica negotiated my contract. She thought of things that would never have occurred to me. She explained the legal language and answered all my questions. She took care of everything I needed her to. And me? I got to concentrate on the part I wanted to be doing. I got to write.

Buy "The Writing & Critique
Group Survival Guide"

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Anne Riley

Chuck — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:42:05 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by writer Anne Riley
of Birmingham (@AnneRiley). On her blog,

she chronicles her writing journey,

reviews books, and more.

REJECTIONS WERE ONLY THE BEGINNING

After writing three or four books that got stuffed in a drawer, I finally put together something that I thought an agent might like—a young adult novel. I began the querying process sooner than I should have. I’d barely finished the book when I started researching how to get an agent, how to write a query letter, and what an agent actually does. Everything I read told me that this would be a hideously long process, so I started sending out queries before I had completely finished editing the manuscript. I figured it would take months, or possibly even years, before anyone decided to take a chance on me—if they ever did.

Well...

After learning how to write a query letter from a very useful book titled Writer’s Market and researching agents online, I compiled a list of agents that I felt I might have a shot with. I started with the easiest submissions first—the ones who asked for only a query letter, and the ones who accepted e-mail submissions. I was meticulous about following their instructions, having learned from Writer’s Market and a variety of other resources that if I gave them something they didn’t ask for, I would be presenting myself as incapable of following simple directions. This would be an understandable turnoff to any agent, and the chances of them even bothering to take a look at my work would be slim at best.

After I sent out roughly twenty queries, I waited. And while I waited, I continued to edit my manuscript. And then the rejections started to arrive. No requests for partials; no invites to send more pages. Nothing. I was tempted to lose heart, but I’d read so much about the querying process that I knew to expect rejection. I figured that if J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, and Stephenie Meyer could deal with the rejections they’d gotten before hitting it big, then so could I. So I continued to wait, and I continued to receive rejection slips in the mail—if the agent bothered to respond to me at all.

SEND THE WHOLE THING?

Then, one day in mid-January—only a matter of weeks after I had sent out my first query—I opened my e-mail to discover that Alanna Ramirez, an agent with Trident Media Group, wanted to read my manuscript. Not the first chapter, not the first fifty pages; the whole thing. I spent the next forty-eight hours frantically finishing the edits I had been working on (this is why I say that I queried too early). In those 48 hours of controlled panic/excitement, I was actually finishing the story (yes, the first draft of the ending is what my agent saw, and I cringe about that every day) and I was also tweaking some rather sticky plot points that I had added in a hurry. I sent it to her with high hopes and taut nerves.

After a few days, I received another e-mail from Alanna, complimenting my work and asking if we could speak on the phone later that day. I was so thrilled, stunned, nervous, etc., that when she called me that afternoon, I could barely bring myself to answer. Of course I was hoping she would offer me representation, but I knew that she still might not; maybe she was just calling to encourage me and tell me what I could do better with the book.

Fortunately, I wasn’t disappointed—she did offer to represent me, on the condition that I would beef up the story (it was too short at the time). We’ve been working together ever since, improving my novel and submitting to editors.

Want more on this topic?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Kristyn Crow

Chuck — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:53:34 GMT

To see the previous installments of this column, click here.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics.

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by kids writer Kristyn Crow.
See her website here and find all her
children's picture books on Amazon here.

SNEAKING IN

Carving out time to attend a week-long writing conference wasn’t easy for a mother of seven. I had to arrange babysitting, swap carpool shifts, stock the refrigerator, and leave a trail of reminder notes for my husband. But the dream of getting a children’s picture book published had nagged at me since I was a kid, and I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I had been writing stories for twenty years.

When I arrived at the conference registration desk, the secretary told me that Rick Walton’s workshop—the one I really wanted—had “no spaces available.” She insisted I select another. But Rick Walton was the local guru of picture books, having authored more than fifty. I wanted to learn from him. So I snuck into his class, finding an open chair in the corner. Gratefully, nobody shooed me out the door.

I'M ONE OF "THOSE PEOPLE"?

Soon manuscript critiques were underway, and after a dozen or so it was my turn. “Who will volunteer to read this one?” Rick asked. A hand went up, and as my story was read aloud, I tried to pretend my guts weren’t twisting into knots. I had written a rhyming, jazzy tale of a rat in the city, told in scat. Admittedly, the thing was odd. Would anybody get it? When the reader finished, there was an awkward silence, then a wave of positive comments. Rick seemed enthusiastic. “There’s a literary agent here at the conference you should show this to,” he said. I was ecstatic.

A meeting was arranged. I remember entering a small classroom and sitting across from the classy-looking agent in high heels. It was the Dollar Store meets Saks Fifth Avenue. I smiled, introduced myself, and gave her my manuscript. She looked it over, then got a confused expression and began to chuckle. “Who sent you to me?” she asked. Before I could answer, she looked up at the ceiling, speaking aloud to some invisible force in the universe: “Why do they always send these people to me?” I blinked, dumbstruck. I didn’t know who “these people” were but they sounded pitiful. She handed back my story with a verbal pat on the head, and pointed to the door. Needless to say, I was crushed.

Back in workshops, I privately shared the agent’s reaction. Rick shook his head. “She’s wrong,” he said. “Here. Try this agent.” He wrote down the name and address of Kendra Marcus of Bookstop Literary Agency. “Send her your manuscript and a few more of your best things. See what happens.” I tucked the piece of paper into my purse, thanking him, but wasn’t sure I was ready to set myself up for more rejection.

The conference ended, and I returned to my life of refereeing kid-squabbles, finding missing socks in potted plants, and experimenting with macaroni and cheese. It took several months of prodding from my husband before I had the courage to send off “a few of my best things” to the mysterious agent scrawled on the paper in my purse. Yet finally, I did. And I waited. Then tragedy struck. The United States was attacked on September 11th. Everyone was in an awful state of shock, rage, and mourning. Church and synagogue attendance was on the rise as our troops prepared for war. Suddenly my whimsical rat story about—of all places—New York City, which mentioned—of all things—the Twin Towers, seemed ridiculous. It was all bad karma. I put my nagging dream of publication away for good.

THE CALL

Several weeks after the dust had cleared (both literally and figuratively), I was looking through my pantry when the telephone rang. The voice on the line said, “Kristyn, this is Kendra Marcus from Bookstop Literary Agency. And if you’re interested, I’d like to represent you.” I dropped the can of chili I was holding. She continued: “I’ve been reading over your manuscripts and they’re very good. If you’re willing to make some revisions, I think I can sell these stories.”

A year later, Kendra sold Cool Daddy Rat to G.P. Putnam’s sons. It received starred reviews, and Mike Lester won the Rueben award for his illustrations. Since then, she's sold other picture books for me, including Bedtime at the Swamp (HarperCollins), The Middle-Child Blues (G.P. Putnam’s Sons), and Skeleton Cat (Scholastic). Kendra and her perceptive associate, Minju Chang, have been more than agents; they’ve been mentors, advocates, and friends. I am thrilled to be represented by Bookstop Literary Agency.

For me, the recipe for getting published was a mixture of hard work, networking with other writers, finding the right representation, and hope. Sure, one agent didn’t connect with my work, but the next enthusiastically signed me on as a client. I’m often haunted by the question, "What if I hadn’t tried again?"

Buy The Middle Child Blues
in time for Christmas!

Want more on this subject?

Have some questions on your road to landing a literary agent? Ask me! Join me for my "How to Get a Literary Agent" webinar on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009 - and learn about queries, proposals, synopses, submissions, research and much more.

Want to contribute a guest column like this one? Write to me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Colin Broderick

Chuck — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:29:43 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Colin Broderick.
Colin is the author of the memoir,
Orangutan. His site, www.colinbroderick.com,
will be up and running soon.

ROCK BOTTOM

On the sixth day of the sixth month 2006, I left my apartment in Hells Kitchen with the last of my belongings in a small U-Haul truck to drive to farmhouse up north and try to save my life. It might sound like I’m fabricating the facts here for dramatic effect but as I started the truck and headed north I glanced at the dash clock and it read 6:06. It occurred to me then and I still believe it now that there was some Dante-esque connection at play here, my life had literally spiraled to its lowest point. I was a 38-year-old, twice divorced alcoholic weighing in at an astonishing 115 lbs. I was broke and now I had lost my apartment. It was time to start the long crawl out of the hole I had dug for myself. I had witnessed the depths of the inferno and it held little of the allure it once did for me. I wanted nothing more to do with it.

Within three days, I had started writing what was to become my memoir, Orangutan. I had been writing for twenty years since moving to New York from Northern Ireland at the age of 20 to work construction. I completed a couple of novels, plays, short stories and notebooks full of poetry—but I had only ever managed to get one short story published and that had been 10 years before. I spent my twenties convinced that I would be "discovered." An agent or editor would read one page of my manuscript and run to the nearest phone to dial my number with an offer that would catapult me into the waiting arms of the Nobel Prize Committee. It didn’t happen. I did send my early manuscripts out to a few agents and agencies but I can’t remember even receiving a rejection letter. It seemed finding an agent was a more elusive dream than finding a publisher. I used to joke that you needed an agent to get an agent in this town.

Orangutan

THE AA REFERRAL

After spending a year on Orangutan—a year that saw me back on the bottle for a brief but productive period that added a stint in an upstate jail to my resume—I started dating a girl who had been a bartender of mine once upon a time. She was a writer, also. She read what I had written and was convinced that this was the manuscript that would finally get me published. She took me back to the city gave me a place to stay and a desk for my work. I married her for her efforts and quit drinking to devote my time and energy to creating a career for myself in the only profession that has ever made any sense to me: writing.

I was at a meeting one night way downtown—one of those meetings you hear about where the alcoholics gather to drink coffee and smoke their cigarettes—when I heard a guy about my age tell his story. He’d escaped from a locked ward at Bellevue Mental Hospital, and was the first to escape from the institution since the early 70s. He’d sobered up and written a book about it, and with the help of his wonderful agent had just nailed down a book deal. I lurked around outside the meeting afterward waiting for my moment. He was quite popular and had a lot of goodbyes to say but I was patient. This was my guy—I was sure of it. When he finally turned to leave, I followed him around the corner and stopped him with a tap on the shoulder.

“Excuse me, my name’s Colin I just heard your story in there and it was great. Here’s the deal; I heard you say you have an agent, well I’m a writer myself and I have this manuscript almost finished and I could really use an agent.” Here he started mumbling some line about how he had introduced someone to his agent already and it hadn’t really worked out for him but I didn’t let him finish. “I can assure you, I told him that if you introduce me to your agent you will always remember this as the night you discovered Colin Broderick.” He smiled. I had appealed to his cooky sense of happenstance. He laughed and eyed me skeptically.
     “You’re not bullshitting me,” he said. “You can really write?”
     “I promise, I will not embarrass you.”

"SHOOT"

Three days later (thanks to a phone call from this nice man), I was seated in the office of Dystel and Goderich down on Union Square. I on one couch, Jane and Miriam on another facing me. “Okay, shoot,” Jane said clasping her hands in her lap and the two women glaring at me with raised eyebrows.
     “What?” I had no idea what to do next.
     “Well, why are we sitting here with you? Shoot.”

This was the moment I had been waiting for my entire adult life. Here was an honest-to-goodness shot at the hoop. I jumped right in with my story and within a few minutes I could tell they were warming up. We had made a connection. They asked me if I’d brought anything with me for them to read. I had. I gave them a disc with what I had of the manuscript so far and in within three days I was back in their office signing a contract. I had my agent!—the same agency who represented Barack Obama, a Hemingway, Judge Judy, and a Bellevue escapee. I had found my home.

It took six months for them to sell Orangutan to Three Rivers Press, (Random House, no less). Over the past year, both Jane and Miriam have been working closely with me helping me refine my next book proposal. They have just submitted it to the publishers. It’s been a long hard road, but it’s been well worth the wait. And that Bellevue escapee, author Chris Campion, and I became fast friends into the bargain.

This guest column by Colin is an exclusive online
supplement to a feature on him in the Jan. 2010
issue of Writer's Digest (the "Breaking In" section).
If you haven't subscribed to WD yet, what are you
waiting for? Get a sub now!

Want more on this subject?

Word count guidelines for novels and children's books.

Networking at writers' conferences.

20 Tips on Query 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Stephanie Feldstein

Chuck — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:00:39 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Stephanie Feldstein.
Stephanie is the author of the novel,
Downward Dog. See Stephanie's website
or check out her "Stray Words" blog.

Stephanie Feldstein

POOCHES AND QUERIES

I started querying by accident. The closer I got to the end of my manuscript, the more people I told about it – both because I was beginning to believe that I was actually going to finish a novel, and because I wanted to make sure that I did; the more people who knew about it, the more accountable I would be. My friends started telling their friends (dog lovers tend to get really excited about new dog-related fiction) and somewhere in that network, there happened to be a few agents.

Within a couple months of opening my big mouth, I had the manuscript out on submission to three different agents, encouraging responses from a handful of others, and the first installments in my rejection collection. To keep the madness of waiting at bay, I’d drop a few more queries every couple of weeks, working my way down the list of agencies I’d found online. One of those was the Irene Goodman Literary Agency and my query landed on the desk of Barbara Poelle, who asked for a full manuscript.

A WORK, IN PROGRESS

That fall, about six months into my querying process, I went to the Algonkian Pitch and Shop Conference in New York and returned with two requests from major editors. An idea for a new first chapter of my book was started to grow, but I ignored it since my book was already in so many hands. It wasn’t long before one of the editors rejected me. Then I got a rejection from Barbara Poelle. A few requests trickled in on the wake of more rejections. Then Barbara and I got back in touch and discussed my new concept. She liked what she heard and said she'd give it another shot. The other editor rejected me. My revision still wasn't quite right for Barbara and she rejected me again.

My initial queries were sent out way too soon. I dove in just because someone told me there was a lake, without looking to see what was at the bottom. For over a year and a half, I was caught in the current of submissions - rejection pulling me under, then a wave of referrals and requests throwing me back to the surface. I started a new novel and tried not to give up on the first one. I tried to decode agent responses and constructed a “Dear John” love poem from rejection letter lines.

As I was losing my oldest dog to cancer in late October of last year, I realized what my fictional dog needed to give him new life. Once I got started, it became a line-by-line process, lasting nearly as long as it had taken to write the first draft. But when it was done, I knew it was really done this time.

A THIRD CHANCE WITH BARBARA

There had been a number of agents who, like Barbara Poelle, had given my manuscript serious thought, had lots of praise for my writing, but weren't able to commit. But Barbara's response had shown an understanding of my novel, and what I wanted it to be, that the others hadn't. It didn't hurt that her career had taken a killer turn in the past year, too. Or that she was known for being absolutely hilarious. So, I sent her an e-mail begging for one more chance.

She read my last draft over the summer and suggested we meet up at the South Carolina Writer's Conference, as we were both planning to attend. While it was probably safe to assume she didn’t want to meet to serve me a restraining order against future submissions, I didn’t exactly have her answer yet. At the mixer on the first night of the conference, Barbara found me nursing a glass of wine and chatting with a friend. She began by giving me feedback on the manuscript. As hard as I tried to listen, “Is this a revise and rewrite or an offer of representation?” kept running through my mind. But when Barbara Poelle said she had brought a contract with her, it came through loud and clear.

If you had told me up front that I’d spend two and a half years on an emotional bungee cord to eventually land my dream agent, I would have taken up knitting, or geocaching, or anything with attainable goals that could distract me from the need to write. I’m not known for my patience. But luckily, I’m also not known for a lack of stubbornness. So I kept going, and my refusal to give up on my book eventually paid off.

Want more on this topic?

How I Got My Agent: Kate Douglas (Demonfire).

How I Got My Agent: Robert Hicks (Widow of the South).

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Found My Agent: Marisha Chamberlain

Chuck — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:32:36 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Marisha Chamberlain.
Marisha is the author of the novel,
The Rose Variations (Soho Press).

PLAYWRITING DAYS

It took me three long years of persistent querying to find my literary agent, and although the journey was grueling, I was ready for it. I’d already had rough-and-tumble experience with more than one theatrical agent for my plays.

Word was that a playwright wanted either a fierce woman or a motherly man for an agent, and I went the fierce woman route. So why was I surprised to find my fierce and famous play agent to be combative and high handed? She negotiated contracts just fine (I had plays done in London, New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Toronto) but I dreaded talking to her. And God help me if I had a question to ask her. One day, she took on an assistant—guess who?—a motherly man. He and I bonded, and when he left the fierce woman agency, I went with him, and he still represents me as a playwright and librettist.

When I switched my writing focus to fiction, some fifteen years ago, I pondered the writer-agent bond. My first theatrical agent, impossible though she was, did make a telling comment that I’ve never forgotten. No play, she said, was ever produced too late. By this, she meant many were presented to the public too soon, and that is true both of plays and novels. I didn’t even think about seeking an agent ‘til I had a manuscript ready. I mean, ten-years-and-twenty-drafts ready. Not everybody needs ten years to write a polished draft of a first novel, but I did.

COMMENCE "OPERATION: AGENT"

Then I began the search for a literary agent. I’d already learned the hard way that I wanted not just any agent, but someone with whom I’d have rapport. I was looking for courtesy, candor, clarity, energy and trustworthiness—someone I could freely ask questions, someone I wouldn’t be tempted to second-guess. However, landing any agent would be difficult. So my beggar-as-chooser approach was absolutely secret.

I began with researching sources such as Guide to Literary Agents and Jeff Herman’s Guide. Who’s looking for literary fiction? The agents who are, say so in their listings and/or interviews. I made a lengthy chart of possible agents, sent out queries and sample pages by the bale, fielded a lot of phone calls from agents, saw my postage and Xerox bill go up, up, up. I got a bunch of nibbles and a few bites, followed by sudden, prolonged silences.

The process, which took three years, was equal parts encouraging and exasperating. I did it in waves: first wave, second wave, New Wave. I rewrote my manuscript again, whenever I got a comment that seemed apt. And I sent out a new query the day after any rejection arrived. To keep going, I amused myself by jotting into my chart outrageous or damning bits from agents. The worst were handwritten scrawls right on my original query letter, sent back after requesting my full manuscript. Given that I paid all that postage back and forth, you’d think I might rate a piece of the agent’s stationery. This happened twice. Both agents are prominent. Call it sour grapes, but I think I’m lucky those two said no. Oh, and the pompous form rejections. Cue the tubas: We are sorry we are unable to use your material. There are many reasons to decline a manuscript, etc.

THREE YEARS, THEN...

I got contacted by Stephany Evans of FinePrint Literary Management. She loved the first fifty pages of my novel and wanted to see the rest. I Fed-Exed. She responded within a week with an offer. That’s when I brought my secret plan out into the light. It was simple. Before signing, I asked for a meeting, face to face, on my own dime. It was cheeky. I asked her for references and I called the references. All of them.

Now, it happens that Stephany’s office is in New York City, and I live in the middle of the country, in a river town south of St. Paul, Minnesota, so the face-to-face meeting was not a casual stroll across the street for me. I knew, within ten minutes of meeting her, that Stephany’s offer was my big break, but I played out my plan, every step of it, because, for me, the agent relationship is such a big deal. I played it carefully because we were setting the tone for something fine and mutually rewarding. And I played it quick: I checked those references and signed within a week of meeting Stephany, and all I’d hoped has unfolded since then. The Rose Variations was published by Soho Press in 2009 and the paperback will land in early 2010. I was lucky, yeah. But I played an active part in my luck.

Marisha Chamberlain

Want more on this topic?

How I Got My Agent: Kate Douglas (Demonfire).

How I Got My Agent: Robert Hicks (Widow of the South).

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Shelli Johannes-Wells

Chuck — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:58:28 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Shelli Johannes-Wells.
Shelli recently wrote her first novels
for children and her agent is trying
to sell her books.

EARLY ROADBLOCKS

I had never written a day in my life unless you consider my nutrition essay that won an Elementary state competition. Somehow, I don't think that counts. Even though I was doing business writing and spent 18 years in marketing, I never dreamed of being a fiction writer until I got pregnant with my first child. When I had my daughter in 2004, I took five months off. One day, I got an idea and started writing during her naps and late at night. Soon, I queried with my first draft (a big no-no, right?). I did a mass mailing without researching anyone! (another big no-no!) and rightfully received more than 100 form letter rejections from agents/editors. However, my manuscript ended up at acquisition meetings at two different houses. Unfortunately, it didn't make it.

I got frustrated and threw in the pen. Shelved my manuscript and turned off the computer. I mean, who was I kidding? I can't be a writer when I have never taken a creative writing class. Who did I think I was? I went back to working in marketing but something was missing now. In late 2006, I got pregnant with my son (do you see a trend?). I got another idea and started writing again. This time, I got more serious and joined SCBWI. For many personal reasons, I couldn't finish it. In the meantime, I wrote a tween non-fiction book that went to acquisitions at a huge brand name house but also didn't made it. I was so frustrated, I gave up again.

March 2008: I went to a conference where I actually talked to people and met Jessica Dehart. She and I started an informal critique group! This fabulous group of writers helped me finish the book and in 6 months it was ready for submission.

MAYBE - JUST MAYBE

Oct 2008: I queried a few agents. An agent replied, saying she liked my voice and setting, but hated the plot. More personal rejections followed saying the same thing. I sent out another round and waited. To prevent myself from going crazy, I needed to keep busy so I started my marketing blog to help other authors better market their book. I also began another book. I immersed myself in the industry and learned as much as I could. I did interviews with editors and agents and began building a platform. (My marketing blog got 40,000 hits in nine months!)

One of my blogger friends e-mailed me after seeing my blurbs and recommended her agent. This was so sweet because she had never met me; she just liked my writing. I sent my manuscript to her agent. A few weeks later, I got a promising letter saying, she " loved my characters, voice, and setting, but absolutely hated the plot." Same comment! The huge difference in this rejection was that at the bottom she said "if you revise it, I might be inclined to review it again.

Might?!

That was all I needed. A chance. Some hope. Since I had already gotten similar feedback, I decided to revise. I dove in and spent the next few months reoutlining and totally redoing my book. I changed the premise, rethought the plot, and reWrote (not revised!) about 70,000 words - all because of that one chance No guarantee, just a shot!

SUCCESS WITH ALYSSA

In April of 2009, I sent the agent my revised book. While I waited, I went against all advice and re-queried (another no-no!) the few agents who had sent me personal rejections (my current agent was one of these lucky few :) I asked if I could resubmit and I outlined all the changes I had made. I also pitched the new book I was working on. (which again, is a no-no!) Lucky for me, they'd forgotten the "rules." Within a couple days, they all e-mailed me requesting not only my revised book, but also the first 50 pages of the new book I was working on.

Within a few weeks, I got an e-mail from the agent "who might review my book again," saying she wanted to speak with me on the phone. That sent off a series of crazy events. She scheduled a call and offered me representation. I loved her and almost accepted her offer straight out but a writer friend told me to let the other agents know first. So I did. Then I got a barrage of emails requesting to speak with me on the phone! I ended up interviewing several agents about offers of representation. Somehow, I was suddenly in a position where several agents wanted me! And now, I got to choose. What? That really happens?

A few days later, I chose Alyssa Eisner Henkin from Trident Media Group. Why? Because she had passion for my work. She had a very specific plan for both of the books she read, and we clicked. Being the optimistic pessimist that I am, I needed someone who was positive, and passionate. My tween angel book is just now going out on submission to some key editors. Having Alyssa by my side has been wonderful and worth the long journey. My advice is keep going. One day I was a frustrated writer and the next I woke up to multiple offers of representation. And you know what? When I got up that morning, I had no idea That Day was going to be The Day.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Adrienne Kress

Chuck — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:29:27 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Adrienne Kress, a
writer and actress. She writes books
for children and has a super-cool
website. Click here to learn more
about her book, Timothy and the Dragon's Gate.

LONDON

I started writing my novel as an unemployed actress working as a temp in London, UK. When you’re stuck in front of computers all day long with not that much work to do, writing a novel seems logical. As I kept writing, and realized I was really getting somewhere, I wondered if I should try to see how one gets published. I figured it couldn’t be any harder than acting, and, heck, I was already used to rejection.

I purchased The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook, and, sure enough, the book said I needed an agent (as one does for acting). In the UK, they don’t want just the standard North American “query letter,” but also a synopsis and first three chapters. I thought this was awesome. When you contact an acting agent, all you send are your picture and résumé, not a sample of your talent. Writing something and sending it to a literary agent was a demonstration of what you could do. And no one was judging me on superficialities like appearance. Huzzah!

HELLO, MISTAKES

I perfected my query and submission package with the help of my parents (former high school English teachers) and sent it out to 14 agents by snail mail. I’d read that it took a while for agents to get back to you. Since I’m the kind of person who works best on a deadline and I’d come to a point in my novel where I just couldn’t finish (probably had around 20,000 words left to write), I figured knowing that I had 4 to 6 weeks to finish the manuscript would help me get it done.

Now this is how amazingly fast snail mail is in the UK. The next day, the phone rings, and it’s Julia Churchill from the Darley Anderson Agency asking for the entire manuscript. Well, what’s a girl to do? First, she panics. Next, she calls her parents in Canada. Then all three come up with a plan: Finish the book in the next three days so I can print off the whole thing at one of those printing places on Friday (it was closed weekends.) So I do. Then I place the manuscript on my fireplace mantle. And stare at it. Until Monday.

Then I walk the manuscript over to the agency. Since the agency was in my neighborhood, I thought it made sense. After all, hand-delivery would save me money, and I could guarantee that it got to its location. Little did I know that this was a no-no, that one simply does not go in person to an agency without being a client or being asked. I knock on the door. A confused girl answers it. I pass her the manuscript, all smiles, turn around and leave. It’s only when I get home I think maybe I should do some research on the agency. That’s when I learn that the Darley Anderson Agency is one of the top agencies in the UK. And I panic. Again. For two months.

And then I make yet another mistake: I decide to follow up. So I call. I didn’t know the general rule of thumb: Don’t call an agent if you aren’t a client or haven’t been asked to. But I call Julia, and she says she’ll get back to me later. She does. She loves the work, but wants me to cut it by 10,000 words and shorten the chapters. Sure. No problem. Gulp. I take two painful weeks and do it. Once more, I walk the manuscript over. This time in the pouring rain. That same girl opens the door. Soaking wet, I pass her my manuscript protected in several plastic bags.

SUCCESS & A PUB

Julia calls on the Friday. Awesome. She asks to meet me Saturday at a pub. We hang out for five hours. She tells me a few more edits she wants from me, but doesn’t offer representation, and we move on to just chatting. Finally I ask her, “If I do these edits and stuff, um ... what happens next?”

“I’d like to represent you.”

“Oh, good.” All smiles. In a moment, my life has changed. So many thoughts running through my mind. Must call parents who can’t understand why they still haven’t heard from me since the meeting was scheduled for 6 and it’s now 11. Julia’s all smiles, too. She says, “I always wait to see how long it takes the author to ask that question.” Oh those agents and their wacky sense of humor.

Buy Timothy and the Dragon's Gate!

Want more on this topic?

How I Got My Agent: Kate Douglas.

How I Got My Agent: Robert Hicks.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Mary DeMuth

Chuck — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:06:55 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Mary DeMuth, who
has written three parenting books and
four novels. Her latest book is A Slow Burn.
She helps aspiring writers seeking
publication at http://www.thewritingspa.com/

TO THE CONFERENCE

I spent more than ten years writing in obscurity while my children were young. During that time, I created newsletters and short stories, always forcing deadlines on myself—and then meeting them early. When my youngest child started preschool, I dusted off my dream of writing a novel, completing it in four months. I also became a newspaper columnist and found success in writing for magazines. I attended a small, regional writers conference, then packed my bags for a major writing conference in the spring of 2003.

On the plane, my writing friend asked me what I hoped to accomplish there. I said something about finding a publisher. "Don't you want an agent?" she asked. "Are they really that important?" I asked. She shook her head in disbelief, then explained why I needed one.

We arrived in the wooded hills above San Jose, eager and ready to knock 'em dead. I sent ahead the first three chapters, a synopsis and a query letter from my novel Crushing Stone to three publishing houses. I retrieved my manuscripts with shaking hands. I tore open the envelopes and let out a breath. All three expressed interest. I hollered. And yelled. After writing in obscurity for so many years, the publisher’s approval validated me.

"I AM NOT LOOKING FOR CLIENTS"

I took the intermediate writing track taught by a big-name agent, the amazing Chip MacGregor, then with Alive Communications, now founder of MacGregor Literary. He said up front, "I am not looking for clients. I'm happy with my stable of authors." So, when I met with him, I didn't consider him as a possible agent prospect. I simply wanted to ask his advice. Chip was late for our meeting. I almost left. He came rushing in, apologizing. I told him I had some interest in my book and asked if he'd be willing to answer a few questions. He said sure. He asked for my proposal, and when I gave it to him, he said, "I've seen this before."

I wanted to die. In wanting to be efficient, I not only sent my proposal to the people at the conference, as instructed, but I also I sent it to his agency, even though I didn’t quite know the purpose of an agent. At the conference, I found out his firm did not accept unsolicited manuscripts, particularly from unpublished authors like me. In that, I violated the don't-send-your-stuff-if-you're-a-nobody rule. The reason he recognized it? My unusual stationary—not scented or colored, but it sported a curve on the right hand side. "Do you mind if I take this with me?" he asked. "Not at all," I said. We shook hands and parted ways.

THE CALL

I came home from the conference happy to know editors liked my writing, but discouraged to not have immediate interest. A few weeks later, I received an e-mail from Chip. He wrote, “You are one of the best new writers I've met and I'd like to talk about representation. Would you be interested?"

Would I?

I screamed. Hyperventilated a bit. I hollered some more. The children thought I was dying, so they raced upstairs, followed by my husband. I jumped up and down. Though they didn't know the reasons behind my pogo-ing, they joined me. Eventually I spilled out the e-mail's words. So, I received the email that supercharged my career, pulling me from obscurity onto the publication path. Within six months, I sold two books to major publishers!

Want more on this subject?

Read my interview with agent Chip MacGregor.

Read a "Successful Query" provided by Chip.

What are the BEST writers' 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Tabitha Olson

Chuck — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:43:07 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Tabitha Olson, whose
first book - the young adult title,
Royal Rose (forthcoming). She
also has a blog.

SCBWI NYC

I started planning my YA novel, Royal Rose, in the summer of 2006. It was my third novel (nothing ever happened with the first two) and I managed to write a few chapters before attending the SCBWI NY conference. I’d brought along ten pages of Rose to be critiqued.

My first critique session was with an up-and-coming agent, and she really liked my work. She gave me some pointers, asked a bunch of questions, then asked if it was done yet. When I told her no, she said she’d love to read it when it was. I was thrilled! When I got home, I buckled down to write this story ... but it didn’t go so well.

Rose was so far out of my comfort zone that I had no idea what I was doing. Plus, I was so emotionally invested in this story that I was mentally exhausted after each writing session. It sometimes took days to recover. As a result, it was a year before I had a completed draft. When I sent a query to the agent who’d critiqued it, she said she remembered me (!) and still liked the story - BUT, she was swamped with YA, and didn’t have the time to take on anything new. She referred me to a few other agents and wished me well.

CONTACTING OTHERS

I queried those agents and got a partial request from one of them. I sent it, and she replied back with a revision request, saying the story was weak in certain areas of the craft of writing. At first, I didn’t know what she was talking about. I’d thought my story was strong in those areas. But she was the professional, not me, so it was worth at least some research. It took months to figure out where my storytelling was lacking, but, lo and behold, she was right. I revised the manuscript and sent it to her. She said my changes were better, but not strong enough. I did more research. More reading. LOTS of work. Then I rewrote the whole thing.

I sent it back to her, confident I’d done what she’d asked. And she said I had - BUT (again with the but), she didn’t feel confident that she could make my manuscript stand out with what she knew of the YA Contemporary market at that time, with that particular project. So she passed. On one hand, I was devastated because I'd worked so hard, and it had never occurred to me that she’d say no when I’d done what she’d asked. But on the other, I admired that she knew her limits and didn’t take me on out of some weird obligation. In all honesty, I ended up getting more out of the exchange than she did, and I’m very glad for her insights.

PHASE TWO AND SUCCESS

Even though it felt like it at the time, I was not back at square one. I had a much stronger manuscript and a much better understanding of craft. Plus, I’d proven to myself that I could work my tail off instead of give up. I could definitely bring that to the negotiating table of other agents. I started researching agents through online websites then sent off my query letters. I got a solid request rate, but no offers. The rejections rolled in, and as they piled up it was hard to keep going. I wondered if there was something really wrong with my story, but no one had either the time or the guts to tell me. Regardless, I wasn't going to give up. I loved Rose too much to set it aside. So I took what feedback I got, did more research, and still had that same request rate. I told myself that I would find someone who loved Rose as much as I did.

And I did. Two, actually.

I got a phone call from fabulous Agent #1, saying she loved Rose and wanted to discuss representation if I was willing to make some revisions. She wasn’t asking for an overhaul, but it wasn’t minor, either. And, it made sense. But I was about to leave for an amusement park when she called, and I didn’t want to make any rash decisions, so I asked if I we could talk the next day. She said that was fine, and I floated out the front door. Right after that, I got an e-mail from fabulous Agent #2, asking to schedule a phone call to talk. My brain pretty much imploded. Apparently, I can handle only so much good news in one day.

Over the next few days, I spoke with both agents and both offered me representation. It was obvious that I’d be lucky to work with either one. I ended up going with fabulous Agent #2: Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Literary Agency. Not only because of her years of experience in this industry, but also because we really hit it off on the phone. I can’t say enough how excited I am to be working with her, and already have my sleeves rolled up, anticipating the hard work to come. Which I wouldn’t miss for the world!

Want more on this topic?

Do you have a good story about how you snagged a literary agent and want to tell it on this blog? Write to me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk.

See all stories of how agents and writers hooked up here on the blog.

Learn more about children's agent Brenda Bowen.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Kate Douglas

Chuck — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:50:13 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Kate Douglas, who
writes many romance titles. Demonfire
comes out in March and is her
newest line.

NO THANKS

I wrote romances for many years without an agent, submitting my stories and collecting rejections from some of the best editors in the business. However, many of the publishing houses I was interested in refused to look at unagented material.

Finding an agent had crossed my mind, but I’d heard more horror stories than positive ones, and had no idea who I should query. The truth in the statement, “A bad agent is worse than no agent,” kept me from making a serious search. In the days before the Internet, finding a reputable agent to query wasn’t as simple a process as it has become, but luckily, the competition for agents wasn’t as tough, either.

I finally met one agent at a conference and a few weeks later, queried him by mail. I was rejected, but a friend of mine signed with this particular agent. Her blossoming career immediately went into a black hole from which it’s never truly emerged, and my hesitancy over finding an agent increased. Then in 2001, a friend told me of an agent new to the business who had started out as an editor for Berkley.

DESPERATE IS GOOD

Three things led me to query Jessica Faust, co-founder of BookEnds LLC.: 1) the fact she was in New Jersey, and close to the New York publishing world; 2) she had been an editor at Berkley, which meant she still had contacts with one of the publishers I was interested in; and 3) she was new enough to agenting—so, hopefully, was desperate for clients.

Okay ... so that last one was most important, and luckily I must have been right. When I look at the query letter I sent, it’s filled with all the things Jessica now cautions against including, but she was new and looking for clients and I was optimistic enough to think I had a chance. I also, in spite of my history of rejections, still believed in myself. I never doubted I would one day be published, and Jessica seemed to mirror that same optimism. If she was faking, she was damned good at it, but her positive attitude kept me hopeful.

By this time I was building a successful career writing erotic romance for an online publisher. My agent chose not to represent me with the e-publishers, which worked well for both of us, though she continued submitting my regular romances without much luck. Editors were asking to see more from me, but nothing I sent to Jessica sold. Still, she didn’t drop me, and I didn’t quit trying. I would write my sexy romances for Ellora’s Cave and my “vanilla” romances for Jessica to shop around. The sexy stuff was selling like crazy and the category styled romances continued racking up the rejection notices.

In 2004, a good friend founded Changeling Press and asked for something “over the top” to launch her new company. I created an online serial called Wolf Tales. Every six weeks CP released a new 12,000-word Wolf Tales story, and sales grew like crazy. Readers seemed to love my Chanku shapeshifters, and I was having a blast coming up with a new crisis every few weeks, but by then I’d quit submitting to my agent. I figured NY was a lost cause.

ANOTHER CHANCE

About this time, e-book sales of erotic romances began to have an impact on the NY publishing scene. Readers were demanding the sexy stories in print, and while the e-pubs were scrambling to bring out the books in the relatively new print-on-demand format, NY publishers were sending out feelers to the more successful e-book authors and luring them to their houses with promises of print contracts. My ever-patient agent asked for something erotic. I printed out the first five stories from the Wolf Tales serial for her.

The rest is history. Editor Audrey LaFehr at Kensington Publishing loved the stories, CEO Steve Zacharius authorized the new Aphrodisia imprint, and Wolf Tales launched Kensington’s foray into the erotic romance market. The first book is currently in its ninth print run, the sixteenth story just released and I’m contracted through 2011 for more in the series. I credit all of my success to my agent. I write the books, but I understand the serendipitous nature of this business and I know it takes the right agent getting the right manuscript in front of the right editor at the right time. I’m not sure what Jessica saw in that query I sent to her in 2001, but she hung in there, even though it took until 2005 before we finally saw a contract.

Stubbornness appears to be an important trait—in both authors and agents.

Visit Kate's site.

Want more on this subject?

Read all the "How I Got My Agent" columns. Several of them are by other romance writers.

Want to contribute a column like this? Write to me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk.

See all blog posts relating to romance 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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Robert Hicks

Chuck — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:41:56 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Robert Hicks,
who broke on to the scene with
his extremely successful novel,
Widow of the South. His next book,
A Separate Country, comes out this month.

CARRIE'S STORY

I am the son of an optimist. Every night, after he had said our prayers and just before he turned out the light and left our room, my dad would stand at the door and repeat his seemingly tired mantra to my brother and me, as he whispered, "Never forget, all things are possible."

I tell you this because it is at the bedrock of why I decided, in my mid-forties, after many years as a music publisher in Nashville, that I would write a novel about Carrie McGavock and the Battle of Franklin, though I had never taken a creative writing course or written as much as a sentence of fiction, unless, of course, you count tax returns. I also tell you that because it is now hard to remember all the struggle and frustration that led me from there to here. Truth is, though there were years of struggle and frustration, for the most part, they seem to have vanished from my memory.

Unlike most of you reading this, I had given up any and all aspirations of being a novelist sometime after eighth grade. Yet, twelve years ago, I found myself trying to figure out how this little house-museum, Carnton (in Franklin, TN), where my story takes place, was going to survive after me. We had never received any public funding, and what private funding came our way mostly came through my solicitations. The day was going to come when I wouldn't be around - and then what?

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE WRITE THIS?

I spent several years trying to get others interested in writing the story themselves. I wasn't looking for a ghostwriter, but rather someone willing to take on my story and put his or her name on it. I pitched my non-novel that I wasn't really writing to just about anyone who might listen. Problem was, few really were listening.

That is until I spoke, via a cold call, to a wonderfully kind, nonfiction editor named P.J. Dempsey. She listened to my story and told me that I should call Jeff Kleinman, a literary agent in DC who seemed to have a passion for lost causes. Now, this may not seem like much encouragement, but beggars can't be choosers and it was direction - and direction meant momentum (and for that I will forever thank P.J.). Within minutes, I called Jeff's office and somehow - this part neither of us have ever figured out - my call went straight to him. Sounding both a bit confused and annoyed, he gave me a chance to lay out Carrie's story, and before I had finished, he seemed genuinely moved.

WRITING THE BOOK

Over the next couple of years, though we had never met face-to-face, Jeff stayed in touch and slowly convinced me that if this was my story, I needed to try to be the author. I soon realized that trying to write was far harder than simply pitching a story. I guess that's why bars are filled with more folks who will gladly pitch you a yarn than with published authors.

Finally, with the first third of the book more or less completed, I sent what I had to Jeff. He not only offered me representation - he told me that the "partial" I sent him was good enough that he could sell it without the rest of the novel. (Only later did I learn that this is exceptionally rare. New writers should finish their entire novel before contacting an agent. But, again, I didn't know what I was doing at the time.)

I remember the moment, weeks later, when I heard that Jeff had sold Widow of the South. I was awash in thought. So rarely in our lives is the end result as we envisioned it. So rarely are we given the chance to live out our dreams. All that has happened began with that optimist who stood at the door and whispered to my brother and me to never forget. He always told us that we make our own luck, but everything in life is a gift. I think he was right on both counts. I have been living way over in the gift column of life for a long time now. As I remember it all as a gift, I'm really not sure I have anything of value for those of you who are struggling other than my profound belief that all things really are possible, despite all the "no's" that come our way in life.

Robert Hicks

Want more on this subject?

Read all the "How I Got My Agent" columns.

Want to contribute a column like this? Write to me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Greg Gutierrez

Chuck — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:10:57 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Greg Gutierrez,
who writes short pieces about
surfing as well as novels.

ZEN AND THE ART OF SURFING

The night of my high school graduation, I had the last fistfight I would ever share with my father. This relationship would be the underlying gist of my first novel. I hopped on a flight to Oahu in search of waves, and to find myself. The drinking age then was 18 and in bars I told girls I wrote for Surfer magazine. In reality, I worked at a shady visitor’s information booth where I gave tourists a case of pineapples if they attended a seminar on timeshare condos. It took a few years, but my writing did appear in magazines. An early break came in 1998, when The Surfer’s Journal ran 5 stories from my collection, Zen and the Art of Surfing, in one issue. Later, through a grant from the Julian Paz Foundation, Zen and the Art of Surfing was published in paperback and is now in its eighth printing.

I have taught high school English for the last decade. Four and a half years ago, I started writing a novel. Two long years later, I was finished. I called the book Mammoth Lakes.

THE SDSU WRITERS CONFERENCE

In 2007, I went to the San Diego State University’s Writer’s Conference where I hoped to be discovered. It was a turning point for my writing. I received vital feedback from editor Toni Plummer (loved my character’s names and suggested I shorten my chapters so that each one read like a short story) and the following agents: Betsy Amster (told me my work was too violent for her, but that I’d find an agent), Loretta Barrett ("show me, don’t tell me"), Jennifer De la Fuente ("keep it under 100,000 words"), Elizabeth Evans ("the first sentence is the most important, have tension on every page"), Jud Laghi ("stick with it, it’s a number’s game"), Judith Riven ("lean and clean, no extra words, no clichés"), and my favorite, Sally van Haitsma (I still hit her up with industry questions and she always answers me with insight and kindness). My book wasn’t nearly ready and I spent two years cutting out 30,000 words and rewriting it top to bottom including the title, which became Mammoth Mountain.

About a year ago, while still fine tuning my book, I began to send out queries in groups of ten. Eventually, I sent out fifty with no success. Then, after over four years of working on the book, I figured out how to put its essence into one sentence. "What happens when a lost man finds Christ, only to lose his soul?" I opened my query with this sentence and contacted ten more agents. Boom! I had two requests for full manuscripts and two requests for partials. I got a call from Benee Knauer, Victoria Sanders’ editorial director. She enthusiastically requested a two-week exclusive read. “I wouldn’t have it any other way!” I told her (not filling her in that my book was being read). Two weeks later, Victoria herself called to tell me even though she was only halfway through the book, she wanted to sign me.

I was excited, but nervous. What if she finished it and decided she didn’t like it? Would she change her mind? I was cursed with my writer’s imagination and self-doubts. It all became real a few days later when the contract arrived in the mail.

REWRITING AND SUBMITTING

We spent about four months polishing the manuscript. It’s three weeks since Victoria submitted it to editors. For me, waiting to hear whether a major house wants it has been more agonizing than looking for an agent. I’m trying to lose myself working on my second novel.

My advice to writers is to read your entire novel in one or two sittings before you send it out. This is how an agent will read it and some mistakes may be easier to see. Then, send out lots of queries, making sure each one is better than the previous one. Don’t give up; someone is going to fall in love with your book.

Zen and the Art
of Surfing

Want more on this subject?

See all "How I Got My Agent" columns here.

Interested in writing a column about how you signed with your rep? E-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Katharina Gerlach

Chuck — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:07:51 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Katharina Gerlach,
who writes fantasy and historical
novels for all ages, both in
English and German.

FINDING INFORMATION

I'm German, and over here it is still not essential to have an agent to represent you. Many publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts and answer in due time. So it comes without surprise that I had never heard of agents when I planned to submit my first publishable novel in the summer of 2003.

In books like the Deutsches Jahrbuch für Autoren und Autorinnen (ISBN 978-3866710641) and on websites (Uschtrin and Autorenforum) I found the addresses of publishers, agents and competitions - including submission information, preferred genres and other valuable information. They also provided articles about the publishing industry worrying about the growing influence of agents but they recommended having one nonetheless. At a seminar, I got to know Andreas Eschbach (German sci-fi author) and he recommended the use of an agent, too. I decided that I needed one since I wanted a career and not just one published book.

THE WRONG AGENT

I submitted my historical novel Engels Freiheit (Ann Angel's Freedom) to several agents and was thrilled to receive a contract by one who had not only been well established but who lived close by as well. He seemed enthusiastic, and we had a long talk in his house. After that, I waited patiently for the responses of the publishers. Sometimes, I sent e-mails that he answered with details about what some of his contacts had said about the book. He never contacted me on his own, though.
One day in early spring 2004, I got a phone call from an editor at one of the bigger publishing houses who offered me a contract if I would agree to some minor revisions. I was in seventh heaven and began rewriting immediately.

When I was finished, I called my agent, only to discover that the editor in question had left the publisher for one that did not do historical novels. I asked the agent to submit the manuscript again and he promised to do that. After six months without any reaction - neither good nor bad although I tried to contact him - I turned to the Internet for more information on my agent. I soon found some of his clients who where also complaining about his lack of results. On the other hand, he was a legitimate agent who hadn't charged me any money. It was a hard decision but I canceled my agent contract, feeling as if I were giving up on a dream.

THE RIGHT AGENT

Meanwhile, I finished two more manuscripts and found out that although I loved writing historical novels, I far more enjoyed writing fantasy. I polished my best fantasy novel and looked for an agent again in 2007. This time, I was far more selective. Using the book and websites mentioned above, I studied many agents but also their clients and I talked to other authors. Finally, I discovered one that represented the genres I loved: fantasy, science fiction and historical novels. I knew this was the right agency for me. Since queries are not typical protocol in Germany, I polished my synopsis and sample pages and approached the agent. She requested for the full manuscript; then she "read, dismissed, and read it again" (her own words). Although she liked it a lot, she knew she couldn't place it, and so she rejected it reluctantly. I sent her my next novel as soon as it was finished in 2008 and she offered to represent me. Already, we've got several publishing offers to consider.

TRYING THE U.S. OF AMERICA

I grew up bilingual and it was inevitable that one day, a project would refuse to be written in German. That happened with my current project, Thicker Than Water. Educated by my experiences, I searched the Internet and was amazed at the sheer number of blogs (like this GLA blog) and websites with this kind of information.

I carefully compiled a list of agents I wanted to contact. That was when I began learning about queries and how they differ from the way Germans ask their agents for representation (with synopsis and sample pages) - a concept entirely new to me. I admit that it took me more time to write a decent one-page query letter than I needed to write a ten-page short story but I believe that thorough planning will result in finding the one agent compatible with me.

Want more on this subject?

See all posted stories of how writers got their agents here.

Do you have a story about snagging a rep? E-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk.

If fantasy writing is your thing, check out The Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference.

If you want to write sci-fi or fantasy and are looking for some guidance, check out WD's online course on writing for these genres.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Billy Coffey

Chuck — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:32:27 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent" is by Billy Coffey,
who writes Christian nonfiction. Check out
his blog here. His blog is titled
"What I Learned Today."

Billy Coffey

TARGETING WORDSERVE

I’ve heard that signing with a literary agent is a more difficult task than signing with a publisher. I’d have to agree with that now. Then, however, things were different. That was when I had fallen for the classic illusion of a novice writer—writing a book is the hard part. Finding an agent to represent it? Simple.

That fantasy was pushed aside once reality set in. Writing a book, I found, was the easy part. Finding an agent to represent it was nearly impossible. Nearly. A year ago, I put the period after the final sentence of my manuscript, Snow Day, and submitted a query to Rachelle Gardner at WordServe Literary. I was a reader of her blog and she seemed like a perfect match for what I had written. In the meantime, I used the wait to research between 30 and 40 more agents who would possibly be interested in representing my book. That turned out to be a wise decision. Having those other potential suitors helped take the sting out of the rejection e-mail WordServe sent two weeks later.

REJECTIONLAND, THEN THE REFERRAL

I spent the next six months methodically trudging through that list of agents, querying and proposal-ing and, most of all, waiting. Quite a few asked for partials. Some wanted the entire manuscript. But all eventually passed.There really is such a thing as a good rejection, which is the equivalent of the most popular girl in school turning you down but still calling you cute. Quite a few of those no-thank-yous resembled that. But there was much less tickle than torture.

I had two things going against me. One was an economy that was persuading publishers to be very hesitant on taking a chance with an unpublished writer. The other was the fact that I didn’t have much of a platform. Many of those kind rejections offered the same piece of advice—do something. Writers can’t simply write anymore. Start a blog. Sign up for Facebook and Twitter. Put your name out there, build an audience, and submit again. So I put my manuscript in a desk drawer and forgot about finding an agent, concentrating instead on starting a blog and building an audience.

Eight months later I received an e-mail from a new reader who wanted to know if I had a book in the works and, if so, if I had an agent. I answered yes to the one and no to the other, and she suggested she could perhaps talk her agent into taking a look at my manuscript. Her agent just happened to be Rachelle Gardner.

SNOW DAY COMES FULL CIRCLE

I mentioned that Rachelle had already passed on Snow Day, but this kind new reader felt sure Rachelle would give me a personal look. I submitted to Rachelle again and held my breath. Rachelle contacted me a week later and asked for a telephone conversation. We talked about the book and the direction I wanted to take it, and she asked for the full manuscript and held my breath more.

She e-mailed again three days later. This time, she didn’t want me to call her. This time she wanted to call me. By that time I had met another friend online who had finally convinced me to sign up for Twitter. Rachelle direct messaged me there on the morning of our conversation and told me not to worry, for this was The Call.

I had never heard of The Call before, didn’t know what it meant, but I thought it sounded good. I paced the floor at work all day until my phone rang. Rachelle offered representation right away, and I could finally exhale. Breathing is important for conversation. We’ve since edited Snow Day and it is now in the hands of several interested publishers. Rachelle has been everything I could have hoped for and more in an agent. I couldn’t have asked for a better situation.

In the end I got the agent I wanted, though in a nontraditional way. But I think it’s a lesson every writer in today’s market needs to know. Authors can’t simply write anymore. They need some level of exposure and self-promotion. If I hadn’t started a blog and put time in to attract readers, I wouldn’t have an agent. Blogs and social networking can bring people to you who are willing to help you accomplish your dreams. Yes, it can seem like a risk. But one worth taking.

Want more on this subject?

See all the posted stories of writers finding agents here.

If Christian/inspiration writing is your thing, check out the agents I've interviewed who specialize in this category, including Greg Daniel and Joyce Hart.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Delilah Marvelle

Chuck — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:43:58 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent is by Delilah Marvelle,
who writes romance. Check out
her blog here. On it, she writes
about sex in the context of
history.

Mistress of Pleasure

DROPPED BY MY PUBLISHER

A few months before the release of my second book, Lord of Pleasure, I discovered that my publisher, Kensington, was not going to be renewing contracts. It's a writer's worst nightmare to be rejected by your own publisher once you thought you've made it. What could possibly be worse than being rejected by your own publisher? Letting go of your agent beforehand, which, yes, I did.  Just after my agent and I parted ways, I got the bad news from Kensington.

So without a contract and without an agent, I basically started over. I queried 15 agents and every single one of them came back with the same answer, "Love the writing but it's a tough market." Seeing it took me 11 years to get published and that during those 11 years, I had garnered over two hundred rejections, I knew I needed to keep trudging onward. So I did the one thing I could do. I submitted to publishers on my own.  Or at least those that would let me query without an agent (which isn't very many...). I queried Avon, HQN, and Sourcebooks and waited.

WHOOPS

Two weeks later, I went to the National Romance Writer's of America Conference which I attend every year. It's an amazing writing haven where connections and education abounds for all romance writers, published or not. I went with no expectations, just the high hopes that I could push my upcoming book.

At one of the luncheons, I sat at a table with a group of lovely women I didn't know and we all started to talk. About the same time, a gentleman nabbed the last empty seat at the table and quietly sat there listening to our conversations. I happened to touch upon the topic of my blog, which I post to every first of the month on topics of sex in the context of history. That is exactly when the gentleman spoke up and said, "That sounds very fascinating.  Might I have a card?" Seeing I was discussing my blog, I thought "Perve" (because I attract them), so I drawled, "And you ARE?" He paused, then graciously replied, "Donald Maass." Needless to say, I choked, gave him my card, feeling much like a dolt and thought, "Well...there goes that chance." Then, the night before the conference was over, my life completely changed.

Though there's usually tons of desserts available after the Golden Heart and Rita Ceremony, for some reason, this year, there was none to be had as the staff wasn't refilling the platters. Being a chef, I immediately flagged down a waiter, handed him an empty plate and kindly asked him to go into the kitchen and bring me whatever dessert he could find. While I waited by the kitchen door, the editor from Sourcebooks approached me and on the spot offered me a four book contract based off of the proposal for the new series I had submitted.  As I stood there in complete shock, that's when the waiter came back and delivered a huge piece of chocolate cake. All for me. So yes, I had my cake and ate it, too. I hardly got home and immediately called up the two other publishers who had my series to let them know I had an offer. Avon passed with glowing compliments but HQN counteroffered. And that's when I realized, "Holy Cow, I need an agent."

CALLING DONALD

My good writing buddies, Lisa Hendrix and Kristina McMorris quickly offered up their fabulous agents which I called immediately. My husband, however, kept pestering me and saying, "Why don't you call Donald Maass?" I cringed. After I had insulted the man? I think not.   My husband, however, kept pressing and needless to say, I caved and called Donald Maass. Lo and behold, Donald not only offered representation, but assistance in honing my writing. To get an agent and a writing coach all in one?  A complete dream! That said, I signed with him and he helped me through the daunting process of choosing which publisher was best for me.

To receive two offers from two amazing publishers was a nightmare of a decision. Yes, it's what every writer dreams about, but not quite as fun filled when you're actually living it. With some back and forth between the two publishers, I eventually decided on HQN who offered me a three book deal. So what did I learn from my roller coaster experience? Trust your gut and don't ever, ever let an agent decide your career for you.

Lord of Pleasure

Want more on this subject?

See all the posted stories of writers finding agents here.
If romance writing is your thing, check out this article on WD.com all about creating imperfect heroes and heroines for your romance novel.
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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Eugenia Kim

Chuck — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:42:12 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent is by Eugenia Kim, a
writer of both novel-length and
short fiction. Her first novel, The
Calligrapher's Daughter is both
historical and multicultural.

MERIT BADGES

Once I knew I was writing a novel, I also knew it would help to have published work when I was ready to find an agent. With the dreamy optimism of the inexperienced, I submitted stories and essays to the mountaintops: The Atlantic, The Paris Review and Granta. And thus began a decade-long process of manuscript revision paralleled with humbling self-revision. A few pieces did manage to fill some pages in anthologies and regional literary journals, and I gathered these little recognitions like scout merit badges, pinning them to the sash I’d show to prospective agents.

During the years of schooling, reading, writing and revising, I’d collected a fistful of agents’ names from book acknowledgments, industry articles and seminars, and—the golden fleece in the agent search—referral promises from author friends. I had learned about the mechanics of the process: the query letter with its pithy opening sentence, the snappy synopsis, the bio (adorned with my merit badges), the strict compliance to submission guidelines, the helmet for the barrage of rejections. Patient and perhaps too-kind friends had read my novel and delivered thumbs-ups. I began querying literary agents partly because I couldn’t face revising the manuscript yet again. Instead, I wrote and repeatedly revised the query letter, synopsis and bio. I should have paid more attention to the lessons that rose from boiling down a manuscript into a one-page description. I was seeing my novel in a different light, its themes shifting in emphasis as I tried to write the kind of copy that would sell the book. Like any loving mother, I believed that no one but I could see the flaws in my 500-page child.

QUERIES AND SETBACKS

After so many years working on the novel, the relative speed of creating the query package prodded the impetus to send it out. I mailed it to my best hope, careful to give her an exclusive submission. As a fail-safe measure I bought the 2006 Guide to Literary Agents, checked who might be a good fit for my novel and verified their submission guidelines online. The stars shown brightly the day the agent’s assistant called asking for the first 50 pages, and I barely slept—until the rejection came. It included a generous paragraph pointing to the weaknesses that I continued to rationalize away. As a salve, I sharpened the query and send it out again, and yet again, until I’d burnt through the precious commodity of the half-dozen agents with whom I had a meaningful connection. With each rejection came a revision of my writerly worth, a meek reshaping of the image of big-name agents fighting over my pages flying in scattered delight.

Rather than work on my manuscript, I created a detailed list of agent prospects coded by cold-query acceptance levels, for affinity of their represented books to mine, and charted to date-track the process. About 30 queries in I received an offer, but the agent’s request to radically refocus the novel didn’t feel right, nor did the tone of the conversation we had. I agonized over this decision, finally choosing to trust my gut over my eagerness to sign. That experience, along with 40 rejections in nine months, made it impossible to deny that my child wasn’t communicating properly. I devoted time to rehabilitate her. Plus, there were only ten more names on my prospective agent list.

AN UNEXPECTED CALL

A month later, I knew I had a better product. Even the query felt simple to revise and sounded fresh and clear. And as the winter holidays approached, I had better results. Three agents requested the complete manuscript. I nurtured hope that my novel would have a little fireside attention in a comfortable home setting.

Then came a call from Nat Sobel. The strange thing was: I'd heard of Nat but he was not one of the many agents I queried. He actually called to say that he had admired my short story in a small literary journal and asked if I had anything book-length. I described the novel and, my brain going clickity-clack, told him that three other agents had the full manuscript. I sent it overnight to his holiday vacation home—the fireside!—and the next day he said Sobel Weber Associates was interested if I was open to revising the material. This time, knowing that revision had improved my “finished” novel and could only make it better, and with all my expectations thoroughly revised after the year-long querying process, it felt completely right.

Want more on this subject?

See all the posted stories of writers finding agents here.
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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!
If you're writing a life story or memoir, check out our new WD book Writing Life Stories.

How I Got My Agent: Lisa Lawmaster Hess

Chuck — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:32:03 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent is by Lisa Lawmaster Hess,
who writes inspirational and juvenile.
See her author website here
and her blog here.

TWO NOVELS & NO LUCK

I started freelancing in 1993 and the unpredictability of writing on spec meant that I couldn’t quit my day job. When I signed up for my second course through the Institute of Children’s Literature in the fall of 2000, I decided to tackle something new, and so I began to try my hand at fiction. The short stories I developed as part of that course became the heart of my second book, Diverse Divorce, which came out in 2004.

One of the stories originally intended for that book never made it in, but the protagonist wouldn’t leave me alone. For the first time, I thought I might have enough material for a novel, which I targeted to my favorite age group, middle-grade readers. When the book was complete, agents passed on it - so I went on to write a second novel with the same characters. But alas, my characters remained homeless.

TRANSITIONING TO INSPIRATIONAL

I kept writing, and reading, and discovered Christian fiction - first as a reader, then as a writer. I was working on the first draft of my Christian chick lit novel, Casting the First Stone, in May 2008 when The Susquehanna Writers Workshop – rolled around. Familiar with the conference from my attendance the previous year, I was ready to take advantage of everything. Extra day off from work to enjoy the campus and get my bearings? Check. Friday night Red Eye critique group? Check. Appointment with an agent representing juvenile fiction? Check. Appointment with an agent repping adult fiction? Check.

I first saw her just as a critique group was about to begin when she asked to join our group. There was no photo of her in the conference brochure, so I didn’t know who she was until she introduced herself as Diana Flegal from Hartline Literary Agency.

DIANA, THE CONFERENCE, AND A PRAYER

Everyone in the group had a Christian flavor to their writing, which was not unusual at this conference. We had devotionals, skits, historical fiction, poetry and my contemporary novel to review, round-robin style. Diana declined to comment on any pieces, preferring to wait for our scheduled times the next day. So I was surprised when, on the way back to the hotel, she stopped me and expressed enthusiasm for the manuscript – my manuscript! – that we’d just critiqued. The next morning, as I was returning from breakfast, she stepped out of her room – across the hall from mine – and jokingly asked me if my ears had been burning.

Looking back, the funny thing is: She was so nice. So upbeat and down-to-earth. So friendly. So normal. Weren’t agents supposed to be stiff and formal? A bit holier than thou?

By the time I sat down with her later that morning, I was no longer nervous, at least not in the panic-stricken sense. Diana told me that she loved my work, and the validation (that I hoped and prayed and dreamed about) was just as good in reality as it had been in my dreams. Diana ended our appointment with a prayer. That blew me away. It made perfect sense, though. This Christian agent, this truly nice person whose company I enjoyed, couldn’t have closed our meeting in any more perfect way.

I signed my contract with Hartline on July 4, 2008. Diana is now shopping the novel she took on based on my conference submission as well as a nonfiction book for the educational market and a ‘tween novel. Waiting for that elusive sale is still frustrating at times, but with Diana at bat for me, it’s easier to believe that it will come.

Acting Assertively, a book for
students in grades 4-8, is one of
Lisa's previously published books.

Want more on this subject?

Do you have a good story about how you signed with an agent? If so, write to me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll start a dialogue about guest blogging.
Interested in inspirational writing? Check out our resource, Going on Faith: Writing as a Spiritual Quest.
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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Carrie Wilson Link

Chuck — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:34:51 GMT

This installment of "How I Got
My Agent is by Carrie Wilson Link,
who writes memoir. See her
author website here and her blog here.

STARTING WITH REJECTIONS

When I first began looking for an agent for my memoir, Unstrung: Memoir of a Mended Marriage, I made a list of about 30 agents that I was interested in. I compiled the list based on loose connections and reading the acknowledgement pages of all my favorite memoirs, and learning who those author’s agents were.

I had read several books on how to get published, and consulted several online articles on how to write a query letter. One weekend, I finally sat down and wrote my query letter, and then created a matrix for keeping track of who I’d sent it to, the manner in which I’d sent it, when, and if I’d sent any sample writing or not. Each agent is different, some only want e-mail queries, and some won’t accept e-mail. Some will accept a chapter or two; some specifically ask that you not send anything but the query. The matrix helped me keep track.

Then I started including the rejections on the matrix, and the form of the rejections: post cards, e-mail, form letters, or in many cases, silence. Some rejections came in as little as 20 minutes, some “I’ll take a look at the first 50 pages,” requests, too. Some I’m still waiting to hear from over a year later. You never know.

"WANT TO MEET UP?"

About two months into the process, a friend offered me free use of her Manhattan apartment. I contacted two agents in New York that I was very interested in, but still hadn’t heard anything from. “I’m coming to New York and was hoping I could meet with you,” I e-mailed. They both replied that yes, they’d love to meet with me. I printed off full manuscripts and proposals and flew east.

Both meetings went well and I was sure my biggest problem would be in choosing which of the two I’d want, when the fighting for me began. One of the two learned within a week that she was pregnant with twins (already adding to the two under two she had at home) and would not be taking on any new projects. The other one? Never. Heard. From. Again.

HEARING FROM LAURIE

Back home and feeling discouraged, I got an e-mail from one agent I’d queried and not heard from: Laurie Harper at Sebastian Literary Agency. “I’m so sorry it’s taken so long for me to get back to you,” she started out. I was immediately in love with her; she was an agent with a good heart. The e-mail continued, “I just went through a surprise divorce. If you can bear with me, I’d love to consider your work. In the meantime, you should certainly continue to query other agents, as it may take me a while to catch up.”

Coincidentally, I had just finished reading, and loving, Split: Memoir of a Divorce by Suzanne Finnamore – all about a “surprise” divorce. Having nothing to lose and everything to gain, I sent the book to this agent. And my full manuscript. And my full proposal (unsolicited). And a letter explaining what I was and was not looking for in an agent and what I brought to the table. And a personal note explaining that Split was a personal favorite of mine, and I hoped it served as a balm for her.

A few days later I got an e-mail from the agent, saying, “I must admit I was surprised, but happily so, by the box you sent. Thank you.” I wrote back, and within a few weeks, she called and said, “We are well-matched. I love your book. I love you. I’d like for us to work together.” We’ve been happily collaborating every since.

And the icing on the cake? I had written a blog post about Split right after I’d read it, and Suzanne, the writer, contacted me. She’d been Googling herself and found my blog post. I kept her e-mail address “just in case,” thinking "What are the chances?" But after getting signed by my agent, I pulled out that address and contacted Suzanne. “Thanks for writing Split; it got me an agent.” That little e-mail began a cyber friendship – a rich and satisfying one for both of us. One day she e-mailed and said, “What was the subtitle of your book? Memoir of a Mended Marriage?” I wrote back, “No, but it is now. That’s better.” And it is.

Want more on this subject?

See all the posted stories of writers finding agents.
Do you have a good story about how you found your agent? E-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll start a dialogue.
Check out my tips on writing memoir: Part I, and also Part II.
You Don't Have to Be Famous is a great book all about how to write your life story.

How I Got My Agent: Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Chuck — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:32:07 GMT

This installment of "How I
Got My Agent" is by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, who
writes nonfiction. Laurie is a
writer and blogger who created and
maintains a series of Quips and Tips blogs,
including: Quips and Tips for Achieving Your Goals,
and Quips and Tips for Couples Coping With Infertility.
She's also the Feature Writer for Psychology Suite101.

I signed with the Irene Goodman Literary Agency several months ago (I call my agent "Special Agent Jon Sternfeld") and it only took three weeks from searching to signing. Here’s how it happened – I call it my “12 Step Program.”

1. Solidified my book idea. I created a strong hook, a well-thought-out idea, and a catchy query that grabbed my agent’s attention. I’d actually submitted my idea (See Jane Soar) to several publishers before deciding I’d rather have an agent do the legwork.

2. Prepared an airtight book proposal. To learn how to write a book proposal, I scoured Elizabeth Lyon’s Nonfiction Book Proposals Anyone Can Write from head to toe. I didn’t do everything she recommended – I learned all I could, then let my creativity and instincts take over. I read a few other books about nonfiction proposals, as well.

3. Polished my proposal until it sparkled. The first agent I talked to (not Sternfeld) said he couldn't believe how unprepared and unprofessional writers can be! That made me realize how important it is to edit every sentence of my queries, proposals, and manuscripts until I have nothing left to give.

4. Did the research. I looked at the 2009 Guide to Literary Agents, explored Predators & Editors, and Googled “literary agents in America.” Ultimately, I found Sternfeld through Predators & Editors.

5. Followed agents' submission guidelines. The agent’s websites I visited had clear submission guidelines. I took them seriously, more or less.

6. Queried far and wide. Agent Janet Reid recommends querying as many agents as possible. I e-mailed 14 of the “highly recommended” ones on Preditors & Editors. I also asked a colleague for her agent’s name, she e-mailed him, he e-mailed me, we spoke later that day, and he sent me a contract a couple days later. I didn’t sign on with him – and I’ll tell you why soon…

7. Double checked my book proposal. I let it “cook” while I was researching agents. Taking a week or even a month off from a particular piece can do wonders for one's writing and editing skills! (I never take a week or month off writing in general).

8. Chilled. While I waited for editors’ responses, I wrote magazine article ideas, played around with a new book idea, and caught up on my blogs. It took Sternfeld less than a week to contact me.

9. Talked to Special Agent Sternfeld. He e-mailed and requested a phone conversation less than a week after I sent my book proposal. We talked within half an hour of his e-mail.

10. Made sure we were on the same wavelength. I was tempted to sign on with the first agent I talked to, but he suggested a significant change to my book. It didn’t light my fire, but hey – I’m open to thinking about stuff. He sent the contract and left the ball in my court … and I decided not to play with him. Sternfeld, however, was thrilled with my book proposal! “Even if you don’t sign with me,” he said, “don’t change anything. It’s great the way it is.”

11. Read and signed the contract. I signed on with Irene Goodman without a lawyer’s rubber stamp (but I did compare it to my other contract – which was five pages long. Goodman’s was one page).

12. Celebrated! Darling hubby and I opened a bottle of champagne and toasted my hard work and the future (more hard work). And the next day, I went back at work: querying magazine editors, blogging for Quips & Tips, and trying to develop new book ideas.

Want more on this subject?

See all the posted stories of writers finding agents.
Do you have a good story about how you found your agent? E-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll start a dialogue.
Check out agent Ted Weinstein's words of wisdom on nonfiction writing and book proposals.
If you're interested in her Laurie's agent, Jon Sternfeld, check out his contributed column to my blog.

How I Got My Agent: Alice J. Wisler

Chuck — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:13:48 GMT

This installment of "How I
Got My Agent" is by
Alice J. Wisler, who writes fiction.

PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE

My problem was easy to detect. I was too eager to get my first three chapters of my novel read by an agent. Sending out portions of my work-in-progress was fun to do. I thrived on writing exciting query letters and waiting for agents to affirm me with, “Yes, I’d like to read your manuscript. Sounds fabulous!” While the agents read partials, I frantically wrote, fueled by the hope that my work would be readily accepted. When the rejections came, I wondered why I kept on with this crazy game. Ever since I was six, I wanted to write a novel and have it published. Now in my forties, the desire was still only a desire. When would it become a reality?

After another rejection letter with some personal feedback from a well-known agent, I realized that I had another problem besides the fact that I was querying for an unfinished novel: The main character’s narrative voice was bland; she wasn’t likable. I read a few pages from my novel again and realized I didn’t even like her.

THE OVERHAUL

While picking weeds in my yard one summer afternoon, that intriguing narrative voice came to me. Fearful it would disappear with the weeds, I grabbed a pen and paper and sat in the grass to write. Three months later, I had twenty chapters I was proud of and I did what I was accustomed to doing—I sent out a stimulating query letter to an agent I found on agentquery.com. By nightfall the agent asked to see my first three chapters. After she read them, she called to say she wanted the whole manuscript. This was exhilarating, but not the first time over the course of nearly two years that an agent had asked to see it all.

But, of course, there was the problem that my novel wasn't complete to send to her. So I told the agent I was experiencing a family crisis. (Since my husband left us months earlier, I didn’t feel that I’d really lied.) Then I got to work, using every spare hour between single parenting and working a full-time job. Within a month, I’d completed my novel. I sent it to the agent and waited. There were some sleepless nights as I worried how I’d handle the disproval this time. I’d been rejected by 23 agents. Were there any left?

THE CALL

Two weeks later I received another phone call. It was the agent - Kristin Lindstrom of Lindstrom Literary Management. “Alice, I love it, and I want to represent you!” I was 45 years old, but I shrieked with joy like I did when I was six. At last, I had an agent - and one who believed in me! Finally, my dream had wheels. Within eight weeks, we had a two-book deal with Bethany House. Rain Song was published 20 months later (the wait was grueling) and six months after that, How Sweet It Is made her debut. (More recently, two more novels are under contract with the same publisher, thanks to Kristin!)

The road to getting an agent was more painful than being pelted by hot sand on a windy Carolina beach, mostly due to my eagerness and lack of crafting the best novel I could. I’m impressed by those who do it the right way—finishing the novel first, reveling in plenty of editing, and then contacting potential agents. But I’ve never been good about following directions.

Want more on this subject?

See all the posted stories of writers finding agents.
Do you have a good story about how you found your agent? E-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll start a dialogue.
If you're like Alice, and your book might need more editing/work before it gets sent to agents, learn about finding some good "beta readers."
James Scott Bell wrote a great book on self-editing called Write Great Fiction: Revision and Self-Editing.

How I Got My Agent: Lisa Dale

Chuck — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:27:08 GMT

This installment of "How I
Got My Agent" is by
Lisa Dale, who writes fiction.

SOME SMUTTY, ILL-RESEARCHED ROMANCE

I wrote my first novel during my senior year of college, while I was working on my senior thesis, "Magical Realism and Post-Colonial Vertigo; The Narrative Strategies of Rushdie's Midnight's Children." While my thesis went on to be nominated for best in my entire graduating class, the “big” project I was working on secretly was a romance novel – a smutty, ill-researched, 500-page whopper of a romance set in Colonial America (which is, incidentally, not a great time for romance).

When I finished, I stepped back, took a look at my heaping (and heaving) doorstop of a book, and I thought, well, it’s bad—but why not try to get it published? I figured I’d learn something about the process, if nothing else. So the summer after I graduated, I began the research to find an agent. I was in up to my eyeballs in market books and Post-it Notes, and when it came time to mail queries, I wallpapered the whole city of New York with them. And that was just the first round.

Oddly enough, I had this feeling something good would happen even though I had a lackluster bio, no publishing credits, and no idea how the industry worked (I figured I’d work that trivial stuff out as I went). And lo and behold, I got an offer from a boutique agency based out of a home office. I went for it. I figured that if getting an agent was so easy, it was only a matter of time before I hit the bestseller lists.

DISAPPOINTMENT

And then … nothing. The agent wasn’t sending the book out and I was too petrified to call her—dialing her number made me feel like Dorothy sidling up to the Wizard of Oz. I agonized. When she did start sending the book out, I suspected she was sending my book along with other writers’ books at the same time, and my rejection letters from editors showed not only my name, but the names of other unlucky writers are well. I ignored my suspicions in favor of feeling optimistic (read: willfully ignorant) about my prospects. Any agent was better than no agent, right? A year later, when my agent still hadn’t sold the book (and I’d written another novel, equally as bad as the first, if not worse), we parted ways.

That’s when I started to realize four important things: 1) I was going to have to learn how to write, not just crap out bad novels as fast as I could, 2) I’d have to learn something about the business of writing, 3) I’d have to build a really impressive bio to prove to people I meant business, 4) I needed to get honest about my true writing voice (which meant soul-searching and time).

ROUND TWO: DOING IT RIGHT

Instead of writing another book, I interned at an NYC literary agency. I worked for free to learn about publishing from the business side, and I even though I kept on writing, I put it largely to the side. A year or so later, when the owner offered to let me become an acquiring agent, I said sign me up! I really liked working with authors and editors; I tried exceedingly hard on behalf of the writers I worked with. But in the end, it was sort of like I was trying to make my head fit the shape of the hat instead of the other way around. I realized I wouldn’t be able to avoid my real passion: writing.

So, I regrouped again. I went back to school for my MFA because I knew I needed to improve my technique. I volunteered for everything, read anything, wrote in all genres, worked tirelessly. I built up my credits with numerous publications in the small press/university market, and even got nominated for some cool awards like the Pushcart Prize and Best New American Voices. And, outside of the MFA program, I wrote my first women’s fiction/romance (Simple Wishes, Grand Central, 2009). The book felt more like “me” than anything else I’d written. I found a way to combine my love of culture, art, and drama with my love of, well, love.

The second time I went agent-hunting, it was a whole different scenario. I had all the ammo I needed: the bio, the technique, the experience—and the proof (in terms of the publications and awards for my poetry and short prose). I sent out some feelers to agents I had met in my travels—people who I thought might remember me from various panels and conferences, people who I thought might enjoy my work. I also sent some queries to agents I had not met but who were interesting to me, though I got more positive feedback from folks who knew me.

Ultimately, I hooked up with Kim Lionetti of Bookends, an agent who I’d sat on a panel with years ago. Kim, you might guess, is a fantastic agent—what an agent should be. She’s also a former editor, and her generosity in sharing her editing expertise with me is—I’m certain—one of the biggest reasons she scored us two different offers of publication for Simple Wishes

It was a long, very convoluted process to finding an agent and getting published—with lots of highs and lows. But I wouldn’t change a thing. The highs keep me going when the lows get the better of me, and the lows are learning processes that I do my best to be grateful for. I’m still working all the time, searching for new opportunities and inspirations. In the end it will always come back to just doing what I love: writing stories. That’s where it begins and ends—convolutions aside.

Want more on this subject?

See all the posted stories of writers finding agents.
Do you have a good story about how you found your agent? E-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll start a dialogue.
If you're interested in romance or women's fiction, agent Scott Eagan is a good man to learn about.
Looking to become a better writer? Check out our online courses at Writers Online Workshops.

How I Got My Agent: Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Chuck — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:57:06 GMT

This installment of "How I
Got My Agent" is by
Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, who
writes children's books.

LIFE PRE-AGENT

Though I didn't have an agent when I first began to write, I was lucky enough to get my work published. Over the course of six years, thirteen of my books - twelve children’s activity books and one middle grade novel – came to life. It wasn’t that I didn’t want an agent – I did, and had queried a half-dozen or so over the years. It’s just that other things fell into place first.

THE SCBWI CONFERENCE

In February 2008, I attended the annual SCBWI conference in New York. At a panel of agents addressing the state of the publishing industry (because there is always a panel of agents addressing the state of the publishing industry), I was very impressed with Tracey Adams of Adams Literary. Aside from the fact that she said she loved historical fiction (my favorite genre), she mentioned that the goal of Adams Literary was to produce beautiful children’s literature, and to work on building each of their client’s careers. That's music to writers' ears.

I queried her the moment I stepped off the plane back in Nashville. I was excited when she requested the full manuscript of my latest historical fiction story. But things weren't so simple.

UNDER REVIEW BY AN AGENT AND EDITOR

At that time, I was obligated to submit my book-in-progress to an editor I had worked with previously. The editor read it and requested big changes. I explained the circumstances to Adams Literary. "Would you mind waiting?" I asked, "while I made these changes?" They said they would wait. They said, in fact, “Enjoy the writing.”

Enjoy the writing! These people got it.

And thank goodness they are patient. Nearly a year later, I sent them a, “Hey! Remember me?” message. And yay – they did remember! After I sent in the revised manuscript, Josh Adams, Tracey’s husband, called a couple of weeks later to offer representation. I now feel like I can concentrate on becoming a better, stronger storyteller while they handle the rest. Adams Literary has, in just a few short months, taken my career in new and exciting directions. I thank my lucky stars that Tracey was presenting that day, and that Josh became my (fantastic! thorough! ever-patient!) agent.

As a final note, I say writers should know it’s never too late to follow up on interest. If someone likes your story, they will remember it. They will remember you. This is not to say that you should query an unfinished project. But if circumstances prevent you from following up immediately on a request, that doesn’t mean you should chuck that relationship. Finding someone who loves your story as much as you do is a treasure.

How I Got My Agent: Jess Haines

Chuck — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:12:18 GMT

"How I Got My Agent" is a new recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics.

Guest column by Jess Haines, author of
Hunted by the Others, the first in an urban
fantasy series. Jess also writes short stories
and screenplays, and has experience in in
technical writing and editing. See her
website here, or find her on Facebook.

For years, I worked writing technical instructions, scripts for internal instructional videos and company policy for a private business. Though the subject matter of my day job is pretty dry and often filled with legalese, I always wanted to write fantasy, sci-fi and horror.

Once I decided to write for professional publication, I knew I had some hard work ahead of me. First thing on the agenda: Write a book! I came up with an idea, put it down on paper, and by June 2008, I had a completed urban fantasy novel ready to go. So—what to do with it?

STARTING OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT

Embarking on a venture to our good friend Google, I searched for literary agents. I sent off a query to the first one that came up. I was a little disheartened by his rejection (which was actually worded very kindly), but I kept going, poking around here and there, sending off a few more queries. At the time, I didn't realize that you should only query agents who rep your particular genre nor was I aware that things like scam agencies exist. Unwisely, I followed a link to a (scam) agency that came up on my next search. Of course, they accepted me, and I just about flipped my gourd when they said, “Yes! We want to represent you!” Meanwhile, I racked up three or four more rejections from other, reputable agencies.

After the initial "Holy #%^!, I have an agent!" wore off and they recommended a paid critique through a branch of their own agency, I got suspicious and started checking them out. Much to my horror, I discovered they were on a list of scam agencies and immediately cancelled my agreement with them. Okay. Big mistake there. Brush-With-Death-of-Potential-Future-Career averted, I took a step back to see what I could do to get a real agent and not be such a ditz about this process.

On the bright side, my encounter with the scam agency had me take a look at the benefits of getting a critique done. I invested in a professional critique through The Visions Group (www.thevisionsgroup.net). This was one of the best moves I made throughout the entire process as it helped me to tighten up and focus the novel. Jean Heller also gave me some invaluable advice on what to do, and what not to do to locate and land an agent.

FINDING ELLEN

Bolstered by this, I stopped querying and went through the manuscript again, taking time to clean it up. While I did that, I perused more blogs of agents and editors: yours, Nathan Bransford's, BookEnds, Query Shark, etc. I read over the recommendations and tips from various industry newsletters and organizations. I studied up on what to do, how to format the query, what to include, what not to include, etc, and continued my search for representation around the end of August 2008.

Ahoy! What's this? An article from the Writer's Digest newsletter about 28 agents who are looking for writers? Impeccable timing!

[Note from Chuck: I put together this article and it comes out every year. The 2008/2009 list is no longer online because some of the info is outdated after about six months. The 2010 list is forthcoming. It will probably be online around December 2010.]

I looked over the list of 28 agents and contacted Ellen Pepus (www.signaturelit.com) with an e-mail query. While I waited for a response, I got going on a second novel. Ellen replied a few weeks later requesting a partial. (Insert happy dance here.) Shortly after that, she asked for the full manuscript. (Insert happy dance here.) In November 2008, she offered representation and sent me her contract. (Insert girlish screams of delight followed by happy dance here.) I’m very, very happy I persisted in my search for an agent, as Ellen just closed a three-book deal with Kensington Press for me!

Jess was spotlighted in the Sept./Oct. 2010
issue of WD. If you don't have a sub to
Writer's Digest, what are you waiting for?
Get one now!

Want more on this topic?

Read Jess Haines's column on writing a book series.

Author Suzanne Young on: How to Write a Series.

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 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent: Jennifer Lawler

Chuck — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:15:53 GMT

"How I Got My Agent" is a new recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics.

This installment of "How I
Got My Agent" is by
Jennifer Lawler, who is a
nonfiction specialist.

THE REFERRAL

Earlier this year, when I was finishing up my new book proposal, I mentioned to a casual coffeehouse friend that I'd be looking for a new nonfiction agent. Marilyn, said coffeehouse friend, is a former journalism-major-turned caterer-turned-food-writer, and she asked, "Are you going to query Neil?" >

I thought: Who's Neil?

It turns out she was talking about Neil Salkind, a friend of hers from a social organization, who, among other things, happened to be a literary agent. Marilyn had introduced us a few months previously when Neil was at the coffeehouse one morning - but at the time, I was working obsessively on fiction and editing a quarterly martial arts magazine. I wasn't focused on nonfiction books, so I just said hello and let them get back to their conversation. My impression of him was that he was comfortable in his own skin, interested in all kinds of people and things, genial and generous.

But no, I didn't think of querying him until Marilyn urged me to.

What I planned to do was to follow the route new writers are suppose to follow: Research agents who represent your kind of work (I write mostly self-help and how-to books, and my new proposal is in the same vein), then make a list of your top ten favorites, query them, wait a couple of weeks for feedback, make any necessary adjustments to the query letter, make another list of ten agents, query them, then repeat, until either someone makes an offer of representation or you run out of agents to query.

CONTACTING NEIL

Fully prepared for a long siege, I drafted a query letter and gave my proposal a final polish, ready to start contacting agents. Then I remembered what Marilyn had said about Neil. So I did some online research and found out who he represented, what books he'd sold recently, and came away with the belief that he could do good things for my career. So I e-mailed him, reminded him of our brief introduction and our mutual friend, and he immediately suggested we get together over coffee, talk about my new project and see what we thought of each other. (Yes, the theme is emerging: Hanging out at coffeehouses is instrumental in building your career.)

So we met. In the first few minutes of our conversation, he showed that he was squarely on the side of the author, that he knew a lot of people in publishing, and that he could sell books. Also, he liked my book proposal, and he had ideas about it - lots of ideas, which was wonderful. I was specifically looking for someone who could keep up with me because I try to write as much as I can.

He offered representation right away, we signed an agreement and now I'm looking forward to a long and mutually prosperous relationship.

How I Got My Agent: Lisa Janice Cohen

Chuck — Sun, 24 May 2009 02:18:30 GMT

"How I Got My Agent" is a new recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics.

This installment of "How I
Got My Agent" is by
Lisa Janice Cohen, author
of both YA and adult novels.

EARLY ATTEMPTS & THREE BOOKS

I completed my first novel in the summer of 2005 and, with only a minimal understanding of the process of publication, began to search for an agent. Between August 2005 and August 2006, I sent out queries to 50 agents who represented fantasy novels, who had profiles on agentquery.com, and were considered legitimate by Preditors and Editors. (At least I knew enough to not get scammed in those early attempts.) Those attempts garnered one request for a partial, many form rejections, and the rest never responded.
      As I was racking up the rejections, I was also hard at work writing novel No. 2, a near-future thriller. Figuring I had given the fantasy novel its best shot, I began to query the thriller. I sent out 42 queries. This query received a handful of personal rejections, and the odd assortment of form rejections and non-responders.
      By that time, I had completed novel No. 3, a YA urban fantasy called House of Many Doors. I knew my writing was stronger and I was better able to see what was not working in my first and second novels. I started querying the YA novel in March of 2007, almost by accident (as I was still actively querying the thriller). A writer friend of mine contacted me asking me if she could pass my info on to a poet friend of hers who was also a literary agent.
         The agent was interested on the basis of my teaser and asked for a partial, then the full ms. She requested edits, which I thought were all excellent suggestions and I was over the moon, assuming that I had finally figured it out and was about to get an agent. Months passed and she finally called me to let me know she did not feel the manuscript was commercially viable without massive rewriting and that she was going to pass. I was devastated and confused.
      But I continued to query novel No. 3, sending queries to an additional 28 likely agents. One of those agents was Nephele Tempest of The Knight Agency.

SUCCESS WITH NEPHELE

I initially queried Nephele in September of 2007, as part of her Back to School query contest on her blog. There had been an announcement of this contest and a link to her blog through Forward Motion for Writers (fmwriters.com). Nephele blogged that she was specifically looking for YA urban fantasy and, lo and behold, I had a completed manuscript in that genre (novel. No. 3).
      She liked my query and asked for sample pages within 24 hours. About a month later (October 2007), she requested the full ms. After not hearing back from her for four months, I sent a polite status check e-mail and Nephele was quick to respond that she was swamped and current clients needed to be her priority. About every 3 months, I would correspond with her, asking for a status update.
      In the meanwhile, I had the good fortune to be asked to submit the manuscript to an editor at a YA imprint of one of the NY publishing houses. (This was through a personal connection - the editor's fiancee worked with my husband.) While the editor loved the story, she felt it was ultimately not right for her imprint. But, she sent me wonderfully detailed editorial notes on her impressions. Those notes translated into a further revision of the manuscript. After completing the revisions in the fall of 2008, I e-mailed Nephele wondering if could I send her the revised manuscript. As she hadn't yet read the original, she agreed. Within a few weeks, she had read the revised manuscript and offered me representation.
      So while it took from September of 2007 to January of 2009 from query to acceptance with an agent, the process actually began in August of 2005 when I sent my first unsuccessful query for my first novel. Since then, I have finished a total of 4 novels, and am on track to finish novel number five this summer.

How I Got My Agent: Chuck Sambuchino

Chuck — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:20:46 GMT

I want to start a new recurring feature on the blog called "How I Got My Agent." I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics. To start off the column, I figured I'd just recount my own route. It's not a super-exciting story, but a lot of these won't be. It's just important to see different examples of how writer & rep teamed up.

AGENT? WHY GET AN AGENT?

In 2006, I was hired as an editor for Writer's Digest Books. By that time in my life, I had written tons of newspaper articles, a few dozen magazine pieces, and even had several stage play productions of my work. Things were going pretty well, but I never really thought too much about getting an agent because I didn't have any book-length works to sell. After all, you only need an agent if you have either a novel or a nonfiction book (more specifically, a book proposal) to sell.

MEETING SORCHE AT A CONFERENCE

In October 2006, I attended the Midwest Literary Festival in Aurora, IL as a panelist. (By the way, this event was cool but no longer exists, I believe.) At the festival, I moderated an agent panel. One of the participating agents, Sorche Fairbank of Fairbank Literary Representation in Boston, was asked a question regarding whether publishers came up with book ideas and then simply "found" writers to complete the project. Sorche said "yes," and also added that agents, as well, will conjure up good ideas and seek writers for projects. She then said something along the lines of, "Right now, I'm thinking about how come no one's done a book on old movie houses still in operation." This caught my interest.

It caught my interest because I was just starting on a 10-part series for Pennsylvania Magazine on historic theaters around the state. I chatted with Sorche a little bit at the writers' conference but didn't talk business. (This is something I still think is underrated—just talking to an agent like a normal human being and making a nice impression in their mind—rather than giving yet another pitch.) A week later, after the conference was finished, I e-mailed her and said, "Thanks, nice to meet you, etc," but I added, "I'm writing this series for Pennsylvania Magazine. I'm a produced playwright and old, historic theaters is a topic that's kind of up my alley. I know it's not 'movie houses' like you mentioned, but if you were ever interested in seeing something more on this subject, just let me know. Thanks."

I stared at my inbox and phone. Nothing happened.   week went by and I pretty much forgot about the whole thing. Three months later, I checked my work voicemail and it was her. "Sounds interesting," she said. "Give me a call and we'll talk."

DEVELOPING THE FIRST PROPOSAL

On the phone, Sorche hashed out what she wanted to see in terms of a book proposal. After that, I started educating myself with lots of books on book proposals and asked writer friends for sample proposals. It took a few months to put something together and send it to her. We crossed paths again in New York in May 2007 and she had a marked-up copy of my proposal with suggested places to revise and expand. The next part took a while (nine months—probably above average), as we passed the proposal back and forth while I was making revisions and she was explaining how to better it.

By the beginning of 2008, we were just about done. Sorche and I crossed paths at another writers' conference and she had brought a contract, just like she said she would. The contract was only for a one-book agreement (meaning we would only be tied together for that one book, legally), but we had dinner and talked about what else I had in my head. She liked my other nonfiction ideas and said she was game to rep other proposals when I finished them.

And that's pretty much it! I could go on with stories of revisions and submissions to editors, but it doesn't have a whole lot to do with how her and I got linked up.

Want more on this subject?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com

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

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

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