Guide to Literary Agents - Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Q. One of (my group's writers) is co-authoring a book. She wants to know if she and her co-author would be advised to pitch this book to agents together at our upcoming conference, or if they should they pitch separately, maximizing their coverage. What should they do?

A. Depends. I recently pitched a book to an editor with my writing partner nowhere in sight. It didn't matter because I knew answers to questions. If these writers are a two-headed monster (perhaps one knows the material, the other the marketing), then they should stick together for sure. Presenting together tends to give off a professional approach. To me, at least...
If time is an issue, then you they want to split up. At our conference in LA last weekend, we had some long lines for a few agents and hundreds of writers running around. We keep the pitch time very short so the line keeps moving; but if you truly fear you will be missing face time with agents you really want to see, then split up down the stretch.

Pitching | Q&A from Blog Readers

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 3:47:33 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Meeting Miss Snark - Again!
Posted by Chuck

Last year, at BEA in Manhattan, I had the wonderful experience of coming across famed agent and blogger Miss Snark during the expo. I wrote a post about it. For those who don't know, Miss Snark's original blog was a work of genius and gave infinite great advice. Her real identity is a secret.

Anyway, I ran into Miss Snark on the floor of the book trade show again this year (see picture of the floor in the post below) and we had some laughs. But it wouldn't be a true Snark conversation without a great quote from the agent master herself - and I got one. When we were on the floor walking around, we came within view of one of her clients (or perhaps it was a potential client? Not important...) The client was a very attractive woman.

"Wow," I said. "She's hot."

"Yeah, Chuck," Miss Snark said. "That's what we like to call platform."

Platform | Writers' Conferences

Sunday, June 01, 2008 2:41:35 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [22]

Saturday, May 31, 2008

My Adventures in Los Angeles: Part II
Posted by Chuck

So many things to say...

I'm traveling home (connecting in Charlotte) from the conference and BookExpo in Los Angeles. Just like last year, BEA was insane. So many people wheeling and dealing. "Buy this. Sell that. Did you see that one book? Is it hot in here or just me?" As usual, there were plenty of free books around for attendees (advanced reader copies) that I snatched up for future reading. Score.

Before I forget them or lose my notes, here are some things I learned at the conference and expo that I want to pass on to other writers.

Concerning memoir and femoir, agent Sharlene Martin of Martin Literary Management said that she wants to see a full book proposal with a memoir and not the full text, continuing the neverending debate on whether you treat memoir like nonfiction or fiction regarding submission instructions. This just seems to vary with every agent, so it seems like you may have to do both, which sucks. Also, there was some subtle memoir bashing at the conference because, frankly, there is just too many of them out there.

Concerning YA and MG, agent Andrea Brown of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency told conferencegoers that these markets are still red hot, and publishers really want to gobble up authors, which is why it's very common to see a six-figure deal upfront for multiple books. That's pretty cool.

Concerning queries and submissions, Brown also had some more advice. She advised those writers who doubt their query writing skills to include the first page (yes, just the first page) with their query. She encouraged writers to write the query and paste the first page below the query in the body of the e-mail. Although this goes against the "Submit how the agent tells you to" advice, I kind of liked this tip. It's only one page, and it may show that you know how to write and hook in an audience quickly. Interesting tip, and you rarely hear something like this from an agent.

Concerning water pipes, was anyone else staying at the Historic Mayfair Hotel downtown? This hotel's faucets had no rhyme or reason as to what degree water temperature you would get at any time. Disaster.

Concerning graphic novels, they are in! I don't know if this is your bag or not (and I have to admit that I don't know much), but there was some buzz at the expo about these properties. Mike Kuciak of AEI Entertainment and Literary Management was at the pitch slam, and he ended up sitting next to some literary agents and the three of them talked graphic novel business all afternoon.
If you're interested in this, see the interview below (in May) with agent Bernadette Baker of Baker's Mark Literary.

Queries and Synopses and Proposals | Writers' Conferences

Saturday, May 31, 2008 8:07:40 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Thursday, May 29, 2008

My Adventures in Los Angeles: Part I
Posted by Chuck

Been long enough since I blogged? (Don't answer that.) I know - I've let you down this past week, but I was knee deep in duties concerning our writers conference out in LA in conjunction with the BookExpo America trade show.

The cheapest ticket to LA involved me getting up at 3:50 a.m. and flying out of the airport at 6 a.m. I even splurged and bought one of those horseshoe travel pillows. Flying that early did give me the opportunity to see the sunrise over the clouds and capture this snapshot:

Who says flying out at 6 a.m.
doesn't have its priviledges?

Anyway, I made it to LA safely, though I've been battling a nasty cold, and the downtown hotel we got a good deal on is kind of a dump - BUT - the good news is: The conference went very well. Nay, it went awesome. Attendance was good and the LA Convention Center was very nice. It was more hectic than last year, and I can recall three times during the day when I was in a flat sprint trying to do something. Here are some more photos from the day:

This was a panel of script managers who
shared secrets on breaking into Hollywood.
From left: Ken Sherman of Ken Sherman Associates,
Garrett Hicks of Will Entertainment, Margery
Walshaw of Evatopia, and Marc Manus of Manus Entertainment.

Lunchtime speaker Blake Snyder kept the
crowd laughing as he spoke on "What Hollywood
Has Taught Me About Storytelling."

I included this photo of Blake at lunchtime
so you can see how big the conference is. I'd say
the amount of attendees you see is about
60% of all that were in the room.

The Pitch Slam, which featured agents, script managers
and editors, went very well. Here you can see
four different agents sitting down to talk with
writers and listen to ideas.

Writers' Conferences

Thursday, May 29, 2008 12:39:10 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [10]

Monday, May 19, 2008

Cool Dialogue Contest!
Posted by Chuck

Fun contest online!

Agent Nathan Bransford of Curtis Brown, LTD is sponsoring a new contest to find the next great writer who can compose scintillating speech and dominating dialogue (not to mention awesome alliteration).

It's a dialogue contest! Being that my first love was playwriting, this contest excites me (and I may even submit). All the details are on his blog, so you may want to open up a new tab/window and check those out. Here's the gist. You submit 250 words of dialogue and the necessary prose/description that goes with it. Logically, it would have to be a bit dialogue heavy.

Submit it by Wednesday, May 21, for consideration and the winner will be announced soonafter. The winner gets a variety of prize choices, including a phone conversation with Nathan or a query critique.

Reservoir Dogs had good dialogue.

Hat tip on this great
info: future famous
writer Nancy Parish.

Contests

Monday, May 19, 2008 4:16:55 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [10]

Friday, May 16, 2008

Agent Michael Stearns Interviewed on CWIM Site
Posted by Chuck

Update 8/20/2009: Michael Stearns has left Firebrand and Firebrand has closed. Michael Stearns founded a new agency called Upstart Crow. His interview is still valid, though - check it out.

----------

My great co-worker, Alice Pope, recently posted her interview with super-editor turned Firebrand Literary rep Michael Stearns. See the entire interview on her Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market blog.

The interview has a lot of good advice from a new agent. Check it out, and way to go, Alice!

Buy the 2010 CWIM!

Want more on children's writing?

Examine Great High-Concept Hooks for Children's Books.

New children's agent seeking submissions.

How to write picture books for kids.

Buy the kids writers' bible: the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market.

Interview with kids agent Joe Monti of Barry Goldblatt Literary.

Read a successful young adult query: "Wake" by Lisa McMann.

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!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Children's Writing | Random Updates

Friday, May 16, 2008 11:19:01 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Lucienne Diver Moves to the Knight Agency
Posted by Chuck

Lucienne Diver, an accomplished and experienced agent has moved from the Spectrum Agency to The Knight Agency.

I got the chance to meet Lucienne when I was presenting in Florida and she was a joy to be around.

I learned the news by reading the blog of Nephele Tempest, another agent at Knight. If she was on your short list of agents, note this change. Lucienne's main areas of interest include fantasy, science fiction, romance, mystery, suspense and erotica.

Lucienne Diver

Genre Writing | Random Updates

Friday, May 16, 2008 11:11:49 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Agent Advice: Bernadette Baker of Baker's Mark Literary
Posted by Chuck

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

This installment features Bernadette Baker of Baker's Mark Literary. Bernadette deals in many subjects, but her passion and specialty is for graphic novels and comics.

GLA: Tell us a little about yourself. How did you come to be an agent?

BB: In 2005, I was finishing up my master’s degree and working as the marketing director for Beyond Words Publishing, now an imprint of Simon & Schuster. I had been accepted to law school in Chicago and had every intention of leaving Portland for Chicago in the fall, but three things happened in early 2005 that directly resulted in the development of Baker’s Mark.
        The first thing that happened was that I met Gabriel Boehmer, the author of City of Readers: A Booklovers Guide to Portland, Oregon. Gabe had simply one of the best proposals I have seen to date, and so I arranged a meeting between him and the publishers of the (then) new publishing house Tall Grass Press. Because of my experience in publishing, Gabe asked me to help him in negotiations and management. This ended up being my first book deal. Simultaneously, I had been approached by an investor who was interested in growing an agency with me. And finally, Janet Hill of Doubleday’s Harlem Moon imprint introduced me to my long-time colleague and mentor Victoria Sanders. These three things really happened in a matter of about 90 days, which was a huge indicator that something was going on, pointing me to launch Baker’s Mark.
        A couple of months after I had established Baker’s Mark, I met my business partner, Gretchen Stelter. She showed an incredible amount of enthusiasm for publishing, is a voracious reader, and very intelligent. It was clear that she and I really had a lot to offer one another in business. She also possessed a number of strengths that I did not have. My background is in Marketing and Sales, while Gretchen’s background is in editing and journalism. Our varied expertise really became an asset to our company. We are just approaching our three-year mark.

GLA: What's the most recent thing you've sold?

BB: Our agency sold two books immediately after the New York Comic Con in April. Oddly enough, neither were comics! The first book, however, does have its roots in the comic book world because it is written by veteran comic book creators Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett. World English and first serial rights for Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel, the definitive history of the world's first robot soldier, were sold to David Cashion at Abrams Image.
        The second book that we sold after NYCC is our first fiction sale as an agency, and it is a debut fiction for the author, 18-year-old Dan Elconin. Neverland is a modern and gritty retelling of the story of Peter Pan, where Peter is the antagonist. The retelling captures all of the original elements of the classic with very dark, witty storytelling that will change how everyone thinks of Peter Pan. Look out for this book in hard cover in Fall 2009.

GLA: You specialize in graphic novels - something the blog has not touched on much. When a writer queries you and submits something, does the writer compose both the text and the illustrations, or just the text?

BB: Every book is different. We do represent single creator books, but not all comic book writers can draw, and not all illustrators can (or want to) write, so submissions for graphics come in many styles and formats. Short of a completed work, we typically request a full script and/or a fully developed synopsis, 15 pages of representative artwork, a full bio for the author/illustrator, and other materials that may be helpful in our decision making process, such as thumbnails.
        Typically (and there are exceptions to this rule), when it is a separate artist and writer, we are looking for projects where a team is already established. We represent the amazing team of Jamie S. Rich and Joëlle Jones. While Jamie also writes prose, and while they both do work for hire, they came to us after their wildly successful 12 Reasons Why I Love Her with more ideas for collaboration. Another great example is Jesse Post and Ted Slampyak, who teamed up specifically for a brilliant book called Small Plans (deal news to come). Post and Slampyak shared a vision for the work and were able to team up in a way that makes a lot of sense for the full realization of the graphic novel.
        Then again, we also did two book deals in a co-agenting arrangement with Victoria Sanders, for writers Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan. Their scripts are brilliant, they both have an amazing platform, and we were able to place these books with no art attached at all.
        All that said, the answer to this question also depends on the types of publishers we will be approaching with the work. But generally speaking, it is a long shot that we would acquire something without art attached.

GLA: What makes a subject matter or plot "worthy" of a graphic novel format?

BB: I think all subjects are worthy of the graphic format, but the success of a comic is all in the execution. The story, or the subject matter, should be served by the marriage of illustration and writing. It is a huge letdown to read a comic and feel no influence from the illustration. On the other end of that, a well executed comic can provide some of the most poignant, satisfying reading I have ever experienced. For each comic, there must be a reason to tell the story in sequential art style, an advantage that you gain only by telling the story in comic format. It is really clear when a creator has conscientiously used the art and writing together to convey the story.
        When I first started really reading graphics, I remember being surprised at the broad range of material that was being published. I first met Scott Allie, an editor at Dark Horse comics, shortly after Gretchen and I decided to represent comics. I remember that he scolded us for referring to graphic novels as a genre—“Comics can be written in any genre, you see”—which was really an eye opener for me. While I immediately fell in love with “classic” memoirs like Maus, Blankets, and Persepolis, there were also things like Capote in Kansas and Deogratias (though that came a little later) which were completely unexpected. Now, more and more, I look for comics that are trying new things with genres of all types.

GLA: You say you're looking for comics "with an indie bent or that will appeal to women." Can you give a few examples?

BB: These are really two different things, so I will talk on both. When I talk about comics that appeal to women, I am really talking about myself. I know it is selfish, right? But I am a woman reader. And I love reading comics. There is something about the format that works so well for me. And I could put this same statement out there when it comes to prose, except there is a lot more material geared toward women readers in the prose world than in the comic book world. When I say that I want to rep more comics that appeal to women, I primarily mean that I want more comics with female lead characters (especially for the YA market), but I also want to rep books that are character and emotion driven. I want to represent comic literature. I want something that I could give my sister, who probably has never even cracked a comic book page, and she could really fall in love with. It is a hard sensibility to describe because I couldn’t really see myself representing Lara Croft books, even though she is a kick-ass female lead. I guess I want things that experiment more with the format as new literature and that quite frankly keep me interested as a woman reader.
        When I talk about an idie style of art, I am talking about an organic feel that generally results from having only a single artist or a couple of artists illustrating a book. I typically don’t really like art that is overly digitized, even though it can be really clean and in some cases quite beautiful. I enjoy comic art that has the clear identity of the creator behind it. For instance, when I look at my client Farel Dalrymple’s art, he has a very distinct style.

GLA: Let's say you're talking to someone who has very little knowledge about starting as a comic writer. What are three invaluable tips you can give them as they start out?

BB: Usually, when asked this question, I tell people to begin reading comics voraciously. I would also definitely recommend Scott McCloud’s books on creating and understanding comics and Douglas Wolk’s new book Reading Comics. And later this year, I will recommend Chris Ryall and Scott Tiption’s forthcoming book from F+W Tow Books, Comic Books 101 (that is right, Chuck, I am plugging you and my clients, all in one sentence).
        Then, read more comics. Learn what you like, what you don’t like. Read books that are similar to the ones you want to write and study them. What is working and what is not? Figure out which art styles appeal to you most; even if you never ever have to work directly with an artist (unlikely), you will be giving the artists direction in your script. You must develop your understanding of sequential storytelling. Some of the Slave Labor books have sample scripts in the back of the book. Take a look at what the scripts look like. I also think comic book conventions are a great way to network with other creators, fans, and publishers, and there are a lot of hidden opportunities there. Comic book conventions take place nationwide, so try and find the one closest to your region to start.

GLA: What upcoming conferences will you be at where writers can pitch you?

BB: Gretchen Stelter and I will both be attending the Writer's Digest Books Writers' Conference and BookExpo America, as well asthe San Diego Comic Book Convention. We also attend the New York Comic Book Convention, Stumptown Comic Book Festival, and Emerald City Comic Con. Our hope is to make it to the shows abroad in the near future.

        The comics that most interest Bernadette Baker right now are historical stories, biographies, fables, mythology, memoir, and urban fantasy. But she is also a great fiction lover, and would really like to see more psychological thrillers in the comic format; I don’t think that area has been explored enough. And more, more, more books with females as the main character.
    See her agency website here. Submission information is available online.

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Graphic Novels

Thursday, May 15, 2008 3:28:21 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Auction Offers a Chance For Writers to Impress Agents
Posted by Chuck

This is an exciting post to write. It's exciting because it involves amazing opportunities for writers, as well as making the world a better place.

Author extraordinaire Brenda Novak is thick in the middle of her 2008 Online Auction to Benefit Diabetes Research. To make a long story short, Brenda has managed to get about a million cool things for free, which she is auctioning off to the highest bidder. The money goes to charity.

Here's the coolest part: There are dozens and dozens of services and things being auctioned off that benefit writers!

Let's go over some of the examples:
    - A professional editor will write your query letter for you
    - A professional editor will edit your entire ms
    - A professional writer will edit and critique your entire book proposal
    - And so much more...

If it's agents you're specifically interested in, check out the list of agent evaluations that were donated.

Among the agents who donated their time for this good cause are the following: Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary, Michelle Grajkowski of 3 Seas Literary, Lois Winston of the Ashley Grayson Literary Agency, Donald Maass, Laurie McLean of Larsen/Pomada Literary Agents, Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary Agency, Eileen Cope of Trident Media, Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency, Annelise Robey of Jane Rotrosen Literary, Rachel Vater of Folio, and many more...

Super cool. I'm guessing the money you pay to get these amazing opportunities will not be cheap by any means, but hey, it's for charity! And your career!

Hat tip on this great
info: future famous
writer Nancy Parish.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 12:07:55 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

New Agency Alert: The Croce Agency
Posted by Chuck

Reminder: Newer agencies are golden opportunities for new writers because they're likely building their client list; however, always make sure your work is as perfect as it can be before submitting, and only query agencies that are a great fit for your work. Otherwise, you're just wasting time and postage.

The Croce Agency

PO Box 449, Leonia NJ 07605. Phone: (201)248-3175. E-mail: submissions@thecroceagency.com. Web site: www.thecroceagency.com. Contact: Nicholas Croce. New agency actively seeking clients. Prior to becoming an agent, Nicolas was an editor. He is also a writer. Established: 2008. 25% of clients are new/unpublished writers. Currently Handles: 50% Nonfiction Books; 50% Novels

Nonfiction areas of interest: Biography, Business, Parenting, Cooking/Foods, Current Affairs, Ethnic/Cultural, Health, History, Humor, Money, Popular Culture, Psychology, Science, Self-Help, True Crime. Fiction areas of interest: Action/Adventure, Comic Books/Cartoon, Confession, Detective/Crime, Ethnic, Experimental, Family Saga, Glitz, Historical, Humor, Literary, Mainstream, Mystery/Suspense, Religious, Thriller, Women's. How to Contact: Query with SASE. For fiction, a one-paragraph synopsis, author bio, 3 sample chapters. For nonfiction, send a one-paragraph synopsis, book outline and author credentials and platform. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 8 weeks to queries; 4 weeks to manuscripts. Returns materials only with SASE.

Actively seeking commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. Does not want to receive poetry, children's, sci-fi, romance, horror or fantasy. Recent Sales: Red: A Curious History of the Rarest Hair Color, by Jennifer Papale Rignani (Univ. Press of Florida). Terms: Agent receives 15% commission on domestic sales; 20% commission on foreign sales. This agency charges for postage if a sale is made. Writers' Conferences: Maui Writers' Conference; BookExpo America; San Francisco Writers' Conference.

Agency Profile | New Agency Alerts

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 10:29:29 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [4]

Eberhardt Moves to Reece Halsey North
Posted by Chuck

April Eberhardt has recently left the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and moved to Reece Halsey North. ABLA confirmed the move to me recently. Both agencies are located in the Bay Area.

Here is what she is looking for: "Her specialty is adult literary fiction, particularly ironic family dramas and realistic midlife tales, often with a twist, preferably involving strong female characters. She is attracted to collections of interlinked stories with a common character or theme. An original voice and smart, speedy delivery are critical, as is a subtle sense of the absurd. She enjoys working with new authors to edit and streamline their manuscripts before submitting them to publishers. April does consider selected nonfiction works. She does not represent mysteries or murders, thrillers, historical fiction or fantasy, nor does she represent children's titles."

Contact her at:

Reece Halsey North
98 Main St., No. 704
Tiburon, CA 94920
info@reecehalseynorth.com

A full submissions page for April and the agency is available online.

Literary Fiction | Random Updates

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 10:19:57 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Monday, May 12, 2008

All Hail the Query Shark!
Posted by Chuck

Awesome new blog on the Web: Query Shark, run by the great Janet Reid of FinePrint Literary Management.

I talk about query letters all the time at conferences, and attendees always ask the same question: Where can I go to see examples?

I always pass on a few good websites, but this one looks like it's going to be quite a helpful monster in no time. The blog is still relatively new, but extremely helpful. Stay locked in to not only Query Shark, but also other agent-related blogs (see my blogroll on the left side of this page) to get a mix of opinions and thoughts on query letters.

Queries and Synopses and Proposals

Monday, May 12, 2008 10:19:51 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Principles, Not Rules!
Posted by Chuck

Remember the movie Adaptation? (Second mention of that movie in a week! I know!) There is a scene where two brothers are sitting around, talking about the craft and business of screenwriting. One brother is discussing screenwriting workshops he recently attended and singing their praises. The other brother warns against workshops and instructors, saying that anyone who says they possess all the rules of writing is lying, because "there are no rules."
       The first brother counters, "Not rules, Charles. Principles. A rules says 'you must do it this way.' A principle says 'this way works, and has worked since the beginning of time.'"

Well that's what you have to keep in mind when reading my blog or others like mine. I, for one, speak in terms of principles, not rules. The thing is: Since there truly are no rules of writing, you can probably find a contradicting opinion to a lot of writing instruction, mine or others. You can't get every agent to agree on anything.

At past writers' conferences, I've heard agents say things such as:

1. "Oh, I will open unsolicited e-mail attachments."
       Sending them is generally a big no-no.

And the mind-blowing:

2. "I wouldn't say you have to have the whole novel finished before querying."
       Are you kidding? Can't we agree on anything???

Agents all have their little weird quirks that go against general principle. Some wants things this way. Others like to see this and that. You just have to look for these weird quirks in their submission instructions.
       I am not an agent. I don't factor in a single agent's strange likes and weird quirks. I speak to you from having interviewed and met many, many agents and hearing their general advice and instructions for submitting. Just keep that in mind...

"Wow them in the end, and you've got a hit."

Wednesday, May 07, 2008 10:27:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [5]

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Agent Advice: Paul S. Levine of Paul S. Levine Literary
Posted by Chuck

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

This installment features Paul S. Levine of the Paul S. Levine Literary Agency. Paul has 27 years experience as a lawyer and has helmed his agency since 1996.

Paul S. Levine

GLA: What’s the most recent thing you’ve sold?

PL: I just sold a fantasy book—it’s the first fantasy book I’ve ever sold. It’s by an author named Steve Savile, who is a British author living in Stockholm, Sweden, and I sold it to a brand new start-up publisher called Variance Publishing.

GLA: If you don’t usually rep fantasy novels, how did this one fall in your lap?

PL: Steve was referred by another client. It just goes to show you once again that the best way to get an agent is through a referral.

GLA: When you go through the slush pile, what are you looking for but not getting?

PL: A professionally written query with something I can sell. In nonfiction, I’m looking for self-help and how-to books with authors who have a so-called "platform"—people who are experts in their field, who can get out and promote and publicize and sell their book. For fiction, I’m looking for commercial, salable mysteries, thrillers and chick lit, among other things.

GLA: You once told me that you’d like an emotional connection to a book, but more so, you are looking for projects and novels you can sell. How long does it take you to size up a book proposal and judge whether you’re interested?

PL: Two minutes. After I look at the overview, I flip to the most important sections: the “Marketing” section and the “About the Author” section. I can size up a query letter in three seconds.

GLA: 75% of your clients are new and unpublished. That’s high for an experienced agent. Are you plucking people from the crowd and getting them to write good books?

PL: I represent new and upcoming authors who I hope will become the next Stephen King. We’re all looking for that author who will break out of the pack and become a bestseller. I like to take on beginning writers who have potential. Obviously, my agency is not an ICM (International Creative Management), so I can’t attract writers who have 10 or 15 books published.

GLA: You bridge gaps between a lot of areas in the literary world. You rep fiction, nonfiction and some movie rights. You’re also a lawyer. How does having your toe in all of these pools help you excel at what you do?

PL: I started off as a lawyer representing a large book publisher here on the west coast, so I know the kinds of tricks that publishers try to play when they issue their contracts. When a client signs with me, they get a 2 for 1. In addition to selling their work, I will also look over their contracts.

GLA: Do you also represent TV writers and screenwriters?

PL: No. I don’t represent screenplays. I only deal with the movie and TV rights for literary projects I’ve sold. I have rarely, if ever, been able to sell a project to a Hollywood producer or studio without a publishing contract first.

GLA: Talk to us about the process of “vetting” a manuscript. How does that work and when does a manuscript need someone like you to vet it?

PL: Vetting is when you look for libelous content – something that is a false statement of act that tends to lower one’s reputation in the eyes of the relevant community. That’s the legal definition. I look for anything that would remotely defame or libel a third party.
        When I vet a true crime book or some other supposedly true story, such as a memoir, I’m looking for backup for anything that the author says that may be libelous or slanderous. There has to be some independent corroboration of what’s being alleged. For example, if a memoir accuses somebody of committing a murder, but person was never convicted of murder, then that’s a problem. A complete defense to libel is truth.

GLA: Speaking of memoirs, what is the current market for selling them?

PL: After James Frey, memoirs are really, really tough to sell. Publishers are shying away from anything even remotely controversial. Unless you’re Lindsay Lohan or somebody like that, I’m not taking on your memoir.

GLA: What are some basic tips and info on copyright you think all writers should know?

PL: Register your work for copyright the moment you’re starting to circulate your work to potential agents and publishing houses. Register each substantial revision to the work. If you make minor changes, those don’t warrant a new copyright, but if you make some major revisions, then you should register the revised work. Spend the $45 and download the form “TX” from the copyright office web page. Register your work as soon as it’s finished, so that’s it’s registered prior to the date it’s ripped off. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
        In the nonfiction area, registering the book proposal with the copyright office is basically useless. What a copyright protects is not the ideas, but the words themselves – the expression of the idea. A copyright for a proposal is not appropriate.
        By the way, the most fun an author will ever have is to fly to Washington, D.C., go to the Library of Congress and check his or her book out, because the Library of Congress is just that – a library.

GLA: You have an online submission form – is that the best way to query?

PL: That’s a good way, sure. But I also take e-mail and snail mail queries. I’m also open to carrier pigeons and strip-o-grams, but no writer has yet to query me like that.

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming conferences where writers can meet and pitch you?

PL: I’ll be at the Writer’s Digest Books Writers’ Conference in Los Angeles (May 28, 2008), the Santa Barbara Writers’ Conference (June 21-26, 2008), the Great American Pitchfest (June 20-22, 2008), and the Cuesta College Writers Conference.
        This summer, I’ll also be teaching classes as part of the UCLA extension and writers program. Starting June 7, I’ll be teaching “Fiction and Nonfiction Writers’ Essential Guide to the Legal and Business Aspects of Getting Published.” On Aug. 9, I’ll start “Filmwriters and TV Writers’ Essential Guide to the Legal and Business Aspects of Getting Published.”

GLA: Best advice on something we haven’t discussed?

PL: Keep plugging away.

Want more on this subject?

How to Write a Query Letter.

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

Why Your Manuscript Can Get Rejected, by Hallie Ephron.

10 Hidden Gifts of Rejection Letters.

Google Alerts and 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!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Contracts and Copyrights and Money | Memoir

Tuesday, May 06, 2008 2:55:02 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Monday, May 05, 2008

No More Excuses: Find a Writers' Conference Near You
Posted by Chuck

I know how important writers conferences are to writers. They energize us, allow us to network, and give us the chance to meet agents face to face and increase the chances of snagging one exponentially.

That's why I have listed about two dozen conferences below. I have tried to find at least conference for every state that's either smallish in size or population, so people can no longer use the excuse, "Well I would but there's none around here." The only state without a conference is South Dakota. Note: Not all states are listed here, because plenty of states have multiple conferences and finding them should be no problem.

Here you go:

Alabama: Writing Today, Birmingham, AL
Alaska: Alaska Writers Guild Speculative Fiction Conference, Anchorage, AK
Arkansas: Ozark Creative Writers Conference, Eureka Springs, AR; Arkansas Writers Conference (PDF), Little Rock, AR
Connecticut: Wesleyan Writers' Conference, Middletown, CT
DC: Washington Writers' Conference, Washington, DC
Delaware: Writers at the Beach: Seaglass Writers' Conference, Rehoboth Beach, DE
Hawaii: Maui Writers Conference, Honolulu, HI
Idaho: Idaho Writers League Writers' Conference, location varies; Sun Valley Writers Conference, Sun Valley, ID
Indiana: Midwest Writers Workshop, Muncie, IN
Kansas: Kansas Writers' Association's Scene of the Crime Conference, Wichita, KS
Kentucky: Kentucky Christian Writers' Conference, Elizabethtown, KY; Kentucky Women Writers' Conference, Lexington, KY
Louisiana: Words & Music, New Orleans, LA
Maine: Writers' Conference at Ocean Park, Ocean Park, ME
Mississippi: Mississippi Writers Guild Writers Conference, Vicksburg, MS
Montana: Flathead River Writers Conference, Whitefish, MT
Nebraska: Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference, Lincoln, NE
Nevada: Las Vegas Writers' Conference, Henderson, NV
New Hampshire: Keene State College Writers Conference, Keene, NH; Seacoast Writers Association Conference, Chester, NH
North Dakota: University of North Dakota Writers' Conference, Grand Forks, ND
Ohio: Columbus Writers' Conference, Columbus, OH; Northwest Ohio Writers Conference, Toledo, OH; Cleveland Rocks Romance Writing Contest, Strongsville, OH
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Writers Federation Annual Conference, Midwest City, OK
Rhode Island: Northeastern Writers' Conference, Bristol, RI
South Dakota: None!
Utah: BYU Writing and Illustrating For Young Readers Workshop, Provo, UT
West Virginia: West Virginia Writers Spring Conference, Ripley, WV; West Virginia Writers Workshop, Huntington, WV
Wyoming: Jackson Hole Writers Conference, Jackson, WY

By the way, there are several conferences in Canada, as well. I've also found international conference (with English-speaking presenters) in Paris, Italy, Geneva and Tokyo. Note that cities (locations) can change year to year. For example, the Pennwriters Conference (PA) has its conference each year in a different city around the Keystone State.

Writers' Conferences

Monday, May 05, 2008 3:30:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [20]

How Many Words Constitute Plagarism? I Want to Know What You Were Taught in High School.
Posted by Chuck

So I just blogged a little about what constitutes "fair use" and how it's all debatable. On this note, I want to talk about plagarism. Now I'm not really interested about talking about the law, per say, but rather what you were taught.

In high school, I had a strict English teacher who said anything up to and beyond "three distinct words" was plagarism. Now that didn't include proper nouns and such. So "the United States of America" only counted as one distinct word. But you couldn't lift the words "(1)detrimental to the (2)country's (3)future" from a source without a direct quote. Now, granted, even if you took the gist of the material and reworded it, you still had to attribute it with an endnote, but we're talking quotes, not endnotes.

When I got to college, it would be junior year before I heard any teacher address how many words you could get away with, but I was very surprised to hear my prof say "10 words." Whaaaat? 10 words? Heaven!!!

So ignore the law for now. Just let me know what you were taught back in the day. How many words could you use in sequence before you had to quote?

Mrs. Walker, my high school English teacher
(who is still teaching today at my school).
I was quite the troublemaker and
would often test her nerves.

Monday, May 05, 2008 2:04:42 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [6]

Literary Definitions: Vol. 6
Posted by Chuck

Ever come across a publishing term and wasn't sure what it meant? (Who hasn't?)

The Buried Editor and I are
pairing up to start a series to
help define some oft-used
terms in the publishing world.
Here's Volume Six:

Attribution (Levels)
       On the record - When everything in an interview is fair game to be printed and attributed normally. This accounts for 99.9% of interviewing for most writers.
       Off the record - When a source explains something not for publication by any means, but just as a personal explaination to the interviewer. To be truly off the record, both the source and writer must agree to it. If a source simply says "Off the record" and gives their thoughts without the writer agreeing to stop reporting, then the conversation is not truly off the record, and the writer must determine whether to use the material.
       Unattributable - This is the current term for when you quote a source but keep their identity anonymous.
       On background - What's said cannot be quoted nor can the source be identified, but the gist of what's said may or may not be printed. For example, "A source inside the McCain campaign, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of this information, hinted that they may be as few as only two names on McCain's short list of potential vice presidential candidates."

Boiler Plate Contract (also know as a "standard contract") - (n.) A standard throughout the industry written document between the publisher and the authors that determines the advance, royalty rates and subrights distribution.

Faction - (n.) Works that are presented as fiction but that use actual facts, events and persons in their story and plot lines. Fictional characters are often incorporated as well, which separates the "factional" novel from the nonfiction novel. (In the latter, the documentary facts, characters and plot are based on real events.)

Fair use - The amount of copyrighted material that may be quoted - especially for the purposes of criticism, news reporting, teaching or research - without infringing a copyright. Fair use is usually determined by four factors:
       1. the purpose and character of the use (for example, commercial or not-for-profit educational)
       2. the nature of the copyrighted work
       3. the amount used in proportion to the copyrighted work as a whole
       4. the effect on the market value of the copyrighted work

Imprint - (n.) A smaller line of books within a larger publishing house. These often run kind of like a small press within a larger press. They have their own editorial staff but will often share other departments with the rest of the publishing house.

Subsidiary Rights - (n.) Rights associated with the publishing of a book that do not deal with the actual physical book. This can include film rights, merchandising rights, foreign rights, and electronic rights. Some authors are able to keep all of their subrights, but this is rare and generally requires your name to be J.K. Rowling or Stephen King.

Writer's Block - (n.) An unfortunate occurrence where an author can not think of a single phrase, thought or word towards his/her current project. Although often remedied by a good night's sleep, these writing slumps can occassionally last for weeks or months. Let's use the word in a sentence: When trying to think of words for this list, I suffer from writer's block.

Writer's Block: "Maybe I should write a few pages
and reward myself with a muffin. OK, I need to
establish the themes. Banana Nut - that's a
good muffin."

Definitions

Monday, May 05, 2008 1:49:04 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Friday, May 02, 2008

Around the Properties: May 3, 2008
Posted by Chuck

Here's what's going around around the WD properties...

The launch of There Are No Rules is here. My boss, Jane Friedman, the editorial director of Writer's Digest Books, recently launched her own blog to tackle the big questions of publishing.
I remember watching Jane speak at a conference one time when an attendee asked, "How do publishers get books on those tables you see when you first enter Barnes & Noble?" (I was thinking, Good question! I have no idea...) Jane didn't miss a beat. "They pay for it," she started, explaining the whole process. If you want to know things about trends, publishers, remainders, sales and all that, Jane's blog is a great place to check.

Writer's Digest staffer Brian Klems, who runs the Questions & Quandaries blog, recently answered a pair of submitted questions:
1. Why do authors use pseudonyms?
2. What is a literary executor?

Keep your eyes on the blog for forthcoming interviews with Jacqueline Hackett, an agent at Literary-Works; as well as Bernadette Baker, an agent with Baker's Mark Literary who specializes in graphic novels.

And I won't talk much about this last part because I plan to do a bigger post soon, but the Writer's Digest Books Writers' Conference (in conjunction with BookExpo America) is set to go down on Wednesday, May 28, in downtown LA at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Be there or be square!

Around the Properties

Friday, May 02, 2008 11:58:56 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

Why Can't I Get Past the Query?
Posted by Chuck

Q. I know this will sound trite, but I have exhausted a multitude of possibilities, and have come up with a dismal fact. Unless you are a well-known actor or perhaps a sports personality, having a manuscript even looked at is like urinating on a rope and expecting the flow to reverse itself ... so that it travels against gravity.
I won't bore you with what steps I've taken, but suffice it to say that my lack of success isn't due to the manuscript's quality - or lack thereof, since nobody will even respond to heartfelt pleadings of even a 2-3 page read! What must a person do to become a success? I have paid thousands of dollars to "vanity publishers" on my first two books, and just will not do it again on this - my best and third book. It's a political horror (Is there any other kind?) and the word count is 270K. Entitled: Necromancer, and if you read that alone, and knew anybody with a shred of curiosity, then you've at least digested the title, could you provide the name of an agent for me to e-mail or call? The book is worth it, and promises to entertain even the most selective of publishers/agents.
- David

A. OK, David. Let's tackle this problem one part at a time.
      First off, 270,000 words is not only too long, it's crazy long. A typical horror novel would run aboyt 90K, so if you mentioned the word count in your query, that alone could explain why no one requested more.
      Second: the title. First off, it's "titled," not "entitled." Second, I don't even read horror, but Necromancer seems like kind of a cliche title. I would change it. On this subject, what is "political horror"? I've never heard of that subgenre. Can it just be called "horror"? If you make up your own subgenre, then it might scare agents off.
      If you change your query to meet my suggestions and don't get requests for pages, then it's safe to say the problem lies completely in your query letter. I met a writer the other day in Texas who had a great background in journalism and a great premise for a novel. "Why won't any agents read a sample of my work, Chuck?" he asked. "Well, sir," I told him. "If you have good credentials and a good premise, then it's obvious that your query needs work."
      Lastly, the very fact that you say it will entertain "the most selective of publishers/agents" is not good news. Horror is a very specific niche, and I have never even heard of "political horror." So - on the contrary - very few agents and publishers will be interested in something like this. Your difficult job is finding a horror agent who will be interested.

"It's a lonely life - the way of the necromancer.
Oh yes. Lacrimae Mundi - the tears of the world."
- Merlin, Excalibur

Genre Writing | Q&A from Blog Readers | Queries and Synopses and Proposals | Word Count

Friday, May 02, 2008 11:20:49 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Agent Advice: Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management
Posted by Chuck

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

This installment features Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management (formerly of Wendy Sherman Associates). Michelle has been with Wendy Sherman Associates since 2004, and has also previously worked with Joelle Delbourgo Associates. She enjoys working directly with emerging writers. She has a MA in Literature from New York University.

She is seeking: literary and commercial fiction, YA, memoir, pop culture, humor, graphic novels, popular science and narrative nonfiction. Books that capture elements of the strange and wonderful will always pique her interest, and she also looks for those that offer a unique perspective of the world. Submissions to her by mail and e-mail are equally OK. Please include a SASE for snail mail response, and no attachments in an e-mail.

GLA: Tell us a little about yourself. How did you come to be an agent?

MB: I pretty much always knew that I wanted to work with books in some way, but I started out in academia rather than publishing. While I was discovering that studying literary theory was actually not keeping me involved with contemporary writing, I happened on a Craigslist post for an agency assistant position with Wendy Sherman Associates. I've been here ever since, and started representing my own clients about two years ago. Every day, I wake up and am excited to go to work- I get to read and develop the work of exciting new authors, match them up with editors, and see their books hit the shelves! Who wouldn't love that?

GLA: What's the most recent thing you've sold?

MB: Most recently, I sold Breathers: A Zombie's Lament by Scott Browne to Broadway Books - it's an amazing debut novel narrated by a loveable zombie who just wants a little respect. I love zombies and see a lot of zombie-oriented books, but this one stood out to me for the amount of heart and humor Scott was able to put into the story.

GLA: You rep both memoir and literary fiction. These are two categories where cold submissions tend to be a lot more bad than good. What do you look for? What gets you to keep reading?

MB: Memoir and fiction are both difficult categories to get editors excited about right now - they just see so much, and it's much easier for them to sign up a miss than a hit. So I, too, must be really selective. In both, I'm always looking for a really good hook or well developed concept that makes the book immediately interesting, even if I haven't read a word of the sample. Unfortunately, an extremely well written, lyrical book without a pitchable subject just won't work for me. For memoir, there really must be something unique about your life, or you have such an amazing voice that you can turn the normal into the riotously funny. Once I have something with an interesting hook, I need the material to deliver on that promise.
        In literary fiction, I often look for a track record of previous publications. If you've been published in Tin House or McSweeney's or GlimmerTrain, I want
to know. It tells me that the writer is in fact committed to their craft and building an audience out there in the journals. But if you have a good story and are a brilliant writer, I wouldn't mind if you lived in a cave in the Ozarks. For the record, I have yet to sign anyone who lives in a cave in the Ozarks.

GLA: You also rep narrative nonfiction. What gets mistaken for narrative nonfiction but is definitely not?

MB: To me, narrative nonfiction is a true story about a subject that is from the perspective of the author. Memoir and narrative nonfiction have a lot of overlap, but I see narrative nonfiction as reaching out into the world more so than memoir. For example, a client of mine is writing about her experiences farming in downtown Oakland. It's her personal tale, but she also incorporates farming history, the history of her city, and a portrait of the people around her. When I see an article that I love or read about an interesting person, I try to reach out and see if the author is interested writing a book. How-to is definitely not narrative nonfiction.

GLA: What are you looking for that you're not getting? What never seems to be in the slush pile?

MB: I would love to see more accomplished literary fiction in my slush pile - a good story with the writing to match. With most of my literary fiction, I tend to read a story I like and then find out if the author is working on anything of book length, but I have seen some lovely surprises in the slush and really welcome more. I'm always on the look out for what's being called "book club fiction"- fiction that has a central issue or story that sweeps you off your feet and gets you talking. I adore slipstream fiction that mixes elements of genre with literary execution, and want to see more of that too. Commercially, I like genre with breakout potential, a la Neal Stephenson and Neil Gaiman - something that a non-genre reader can pick up and really enjoy.
        I also am actively building my YA list, and want to see YA that doesn't necessarily have to take place over a trilogy. Trilogies are fine, but that first book has to persuade me on its own.
        Some specific wishes running through my brain right now: a literary ghost story, a book club novel that explores another culture, and a YA that I can really sit down and enjoy as an adult.

GLA: Do you feel like the economic recession is hitting the publishing industry?

MB: I have noticed a little bit more of a squeeze from publishers on what they're buying. In the past few years, it seemed a little easier to sneak an interesting but atypical project into an editor's line up. It still happens plenty, though, it's just more of an uphill battle. We're seeing the biggest impact in bookstores, where sales are slowing and independents are often shutting down. But as long as there are books out there that find their audience, I think we can be optimistic.

GLA: Do you have any strong likes or dislikes when it comes to queries?

MB: My main dislike is when the author doesn't tell me what their book is actually about. That's why the query letter is there in the first place! And if you find that you can't distill the story into a pitch, that might signify a larger problem.

GLA: What is the most common problem you see in a synopsis?

MB: Sometimes I'll see a synopsis with too much detail. Focus on the main conflicts and turning points, not the color of your protagonist's outfit (unless that is in fact a major part of the story!).

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming conferences where writers can pitch you?

MB: I'll be at Thrillerfest and Sewanee this summer, both in July.

GLA: Other piece(s) of advice concerning something we haven't discussed?

MB: The writers who are dearest to my heart are those who've gone out and done a little bit of legwork by making a website/blog, belonging to organizations, publishing in magazines, podcasting, etc. Once your book is published, it takes that sort of self-promotion to make it work anyway, and it helps if you are laying the groundwork ahead of time. If I can present you to an editor as a promotional whiz, they are more likely to consider working with you.

Want more on this subject?

See all agent interviews here.

Word Count Guidelines for Novels and Children's Books.

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

20 Tips on Writing a Query Letter

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

What are the BEST writers' conferences in the country?

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

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Children's Writing | Graphic Novels | Memoir | Narrative Nonfiction

Friday, May 02, 2008 4:17:52 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [6]

Should You Include Pages With Your Query?
Posted by Chuck

Q. When a listing [agent] says they get back to us on queries in X amount of time and on manuscripts in Y amount of time, what does this mean? Unless the listing specifically says no manuscripts without queries first, is it all right to send a manuscript without a query?
        - Dan

A. The first part of your question is pretty simple. It means that if you send in a query for review and they promise to get back to you within six weeks, they will do just that. They will either say "no thanks" or say "Interesting. Send more so I can read it." Manuscripts take longer to review, so an agent's timeframe on that is longer. When writers send in their work, they want to know how soon they will hear back with a yea/nay. This is just an agent's way of answering that for them.
       Usually an agent/agency will request exactly what it wants in terms of a submission. If an agent says "Query. Send no mss," then it's obvious that you should query only. However, if an agency says "Query us," that, too, means send a query only. Just because they didn't specifically stop and say not to send a ms doesn't mean they want writers to include it. Simply follow their guidelines to a T.
       Even if you disagree with me on this (and I know some of you do) and will send in pages regardless, I highly advise sending only the first five pages, not any more let alone the whole ms. (You are just wasting postage.) And if you're saying, "But my story doesn't get good till page 7! Can't I just send in the first 10 pages?", then you need to go back and rewrite your first chapter so it gets interesting quicker.
        But again, do what the agent requests. That's my best advice.

Q&A from Blog Readers | Queries and Synopses and Proposals

Friday, May 02, 2008 4:00:59 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Sharing Your Ideas For Critiques
Posted by Chuck

Q. I would like to have someone with knowledge read the first draft of my first few chapters of my story to see what they have to say about it, good or bad, and tell me if I need to go back to college. (chuckle!) Do I need to pay for that service? My husband thinks that if I send my work to another (person), it may be stolen and plagarized. He and all my friends like my writing, but I need a professional opinion.
       - Jan

A. First of all, you may want to wait till you finish the whole manuscript before you get a critique. Yes, I understand you want to make sure you're on the right track, but as you complete the book, you may learn some things about the story and your writing, and go back to revise those first few chapters.
       You likely do need a professional opinion. The best option always is to get involved with a reputable writing organization in your area. Some peers will critique your work for you in exchange for you offering your opinion on theirs. But be careful that you do indeed hook up with good people. As I've said before, editors and agents don't steal writers' ideas. Writers steal writers' ideas.
       Professional editors are an option, and your work should be safe in terms of stealing ideas, but a good editor is not cheap, so you either have to cough up the dough, or risk going with someone who may or may not give you the best feedback possible.

Q&A from Blog Readers

Friday, May 02, 2008 3:51:48 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Monday, April 28, 2008

My Adventures in East Texas...
Posted by Chuck

Just got back from a camp neat Piitsburg, Texas, in the eastern portion of the state, and the Northeast Texas Writers' Organization Annual Conference. The conference went well and the attendees/organizers were remarkably nice. It seemed like every person I met with was just so pleased with my advice. I think it was more their zest for life than me firing wisdom pearls all the time.

The conference was held at a Lutheran camp site essentially in the middle of nowhere, which was a rare chance for me to relive my Boy Scout days. We stayed in cabins, not hotels, and nary a TV or iron was around. There were instructions in our cabins concerning how we should treat fire ant bites. (At the risk of sounding a tad wussy, this concerned me.) I did return back to the cabin the first night to find a black spider right on my bed. He did not live long.

So these past two weekends, I've had the chance to visit northern Vermont and eastern Texas. Here's my breakdown after having visited both. Burlington is a city full of super liberals. You've got a large population of college liberals there with the University of Vermont in town; restaurants state loud and clear on menus that their food is organic and the food made locally (because this is a selling point to the "localvores" in town); and every telephone pole is covered in signs for independent rock bands. That's Burlington in a nutshell.
      East Texas is (you guessed it) the opposite. It's a hub of Baptist/Lutheran conservatives and you can't go far without a sign or bumper sticker that praises God and/or Jesus. When we were served lunch, our placemats were the American flag. Our placemats!
      But moreso than the simple difference in political ideology and lifestyle is this: Vermont is self-aware that it is super liberal Vermont. East Texas thinks its way of thinking is how the rest of the world is, or at least should be. That's Texas in a nutshell.

Writers' Conferences

Monday, April 28, 2008 12:18:24 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Saturday, April 26, 2008

The Newest Genre: Quagmire Fiction
Posted by Chuck

First we had "cyberbilly." Then it was "elegant erotica." Now it's "quagmire fiction." This new genre, as coined by agent Barbara Poelle (see post just below), is found along the fringes of literary fiction, where the language is so intense and lyrical and rich (purple prose?) that the reader is just swimming is a quagmire of emotion and thoughts and intensity.

The bad news is: Consider how literary fiction is a tough sell, quagmire fiction is a really tough sell. The good news is: Barbara likes literary fiction (though not "the quag"), so she will certainly give it a look-see.

barbara@irenegoodman.com

Literary Fiction

Saturday, April 26, 2008 4:35:02 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Barbara Poelle's '10 For 10 Rule'
Posted by Chuck

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

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

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

Barbara Poelle