Guide to Literary Agents - Monday, June 23, 2008

Q. I have recently completed a manuscript for a children's book. I have looked online for publishing companies to send the manuscript. All the publishers I contacted said they do not except "unsolicited" manuscripts. I came across the Guide to Literary Agents website looking for direction. Do you have any suggestions on how to get my manuscript to the publisher for review?
        - Marci H.

A. This basic question is probably one of the most common ones out there, so I thought I would address it, even if some readers already know the answer.
       First of all, let's just define it real quick: An unsolicited manuscript is one that has not been requested. So what that means is you can't send any mss in for review that were not first requested. If you do, these submissions will not be considered.
       To get over this hurdle, you basically have two options. First, you can look for a literary agent who will represent you. The literary agent represents your work when dealing with editors and only sends it to editors she knows. Therefore, the work is now solicited.
       Second, you can query the publisher. Just send them a one-page letter (the query) asking if you can submit the entire ms or at least a sample for review. If they like your query and are intrigued by the book's concept, they will request sample chapters or perhaps the entire thing. Since they have just requested some writing, the work is now solicited.

Queries and Synopses and Proposals

6/24/2008 2:36:27 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Be Realistic. It's a Tough Market Right Now.
Posted by Chuck

Talked to agent Andrea Hurst yesterday and the conversation turned to the current state of the market. According to Andrea, things are tough out there. The publishing business is in no way immune to the recession going on and it's difficult to sell books. To paraphrase her: How good are a new author's chances when agents are having trouble selling the work of their established authors? Eek.

Agent Rachelle Gardner, who specializes in Christian work, echoed the concern, saying times are tight.

The point is: Don't get discouraged if you're having trouble finding an agent right now. It's a tough time. When you've got agents spending more time than usual trying to sell the work of their client list, that doesn't leave a whole lot of time for them to be reading queries. Just tell yourself: It's a bad time right now; this will pass.

Keep your chin up!

6/24/2008 2:26:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Monday, June 23, 2008

Calling All SW Virginia Writers!
Posted by Chuck

I will be presenting to the Smith Mountain Lake Writers Group the night of Wednesday, July 2. That's right - I'll be in "the jewel of the blue ridge mountains." Smith Mountain Lake is somewhat close to Roanoke (southeast of it) and not terribly far from Greensboro, N.C., if you're trying to place it on a map.

If you're in the area and have time prior to your July 4 plans, I will be presenting on "How To Get an Agent" and then I will answer any and all questions on publishing and writing that the crowd dares to ask.

According to the official agenda, I begin at 7 p.m. and will go for at least two hours. We meet at the Moneta/Smith Mountain Lake Library. Members of the Valley Chapter of the Virginia Writers Club near Roanoke are warmly invited, it seems.

Hope to see you there!

Some of Smith Mountain Lake from the air.

Writers' Conferences

6/23/2008 5:53:10 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Expert Guidance: Janet Reid
Posted by Chuck

"I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important it is to be PLAINSPOKEN in a query letter. I'll be happy if you never use more than one adjective, adverb or metaphor in a paragraph. Tell me who the characters are, what happens to them, and why I should care."

- Agent Janet Reid of FinePrint Literary Management, on her Query Shark blog.

Queries and Synopses and Proposals

6/23/2008 11:09:54 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Sunday, June 22, 2008

My Adventures in Austin...
Posted by Chuck

Just got back from the Agents & Editors Conference in Austin, put on by the Writers League of Texas. Good conference in a crazy city that brings out the fun in everyone. There was so much to see and do. Live music everywhere - too much to handle, actually. Music overload. Amazing amount of tattoo parlors per capita. We saw the bats fly out from underneath the bridge, which is a famed Austin spectacle each day at dusk. I also got to see the Barton Springs pool. Just imagine if the UT kids would have been all there. Insanity.

The conference seemed to go real well. Sara Nelson from Publishers Weekly was the keynote speaker. There were plenty of agents and editors around, who were taking pitches day and night (though agent Lilly Ghahremani and editor Toni Plummer did stop long enough one night to get owned by me and editor Brooke Warner at pool. Lilly and Toni will deny this up and down, perhaps even adding that they did indeed "win" the first game. But there is no proof of this. So we'll just go with how I remember things: They got owned).

I did three sessions, including a pre-conference workshop on pitching to agents. Everything went well.

All pictures below courtesy of photo master Deanna Roy!

Me presenting on how to woo
an agent. This session was
pretty packed.

I love this photo. The
man on the left is Uwe Stender
of Triada U.S. Literary Agency.
He's talking to writers and hearing
pitches, but secretly I think
they're all playing Texas Hold 'Em poker.

Each day had a cocktail party where
writers, editors and agents all
informally schmoozed and talked.
Pictured here: Agent Andrea Somberg
of Harvey Klinger (right) listens to writers.

Writers' Conferences

6/22/2008 11:30:01 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

New Agent Alert: Guichard Cadet of Serendipity Literary
Posted by Kristen Howe

Serendipity Literary, a cool boutique agency founded by Regina Brooks, has a new literary agent looking for material.

Guichard Cadet is "looking to represent a balanced mix of fiction and nonfiction but is not interested in magical realism, fantasy or science fiction. He has a special affinity for pop culture, sports and Caribbean themed titles."

Previously, Guichard founded the independent press, La Caille Nous Publishing. See his full bio here!

The agency has different submission guidelines for adult fiction/nonfiction than they do for children's and juvenile work. Adjust accordingly.

Genre Writing

6/17/2008 10:41:22 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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New Agent Alert: Eddie Schneider of JABberwocky Literary
Posted by Kristen Howe

JABberwocky Literary has a new literary agent: Eddie Schneider.

Contact info:
Eddie Schneider
JABberwocky Literary
P.O. Box 4558
New York, NY 11104
(718)392-5985

Fiction areas of interest: Literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, humor/satire, young adult. How to contact: Send a query with a SASE. No e-mails. He's seeking projects with a greater literary emphasis to his tastes than is typical of many agents who represent authors in these genres.

Tips: "I like things that are dark, that break rules, and that possess wit and humor. I like being thrust into other cultures, and similarly, I go for books that draw me into other worlds that exist on their own terms. Strong, evocative writing is a must."

Prior to his current position, he was an agent with Folio Literary. Do not send Eddie any unsolicited mss. Query him through snail mail and include a SASE.

Eddie Schneider.

Children's Writing | Genre Writing | New Agency Alerts

6/17/2008 10:37:23 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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2009 Article Excerpt: Nonfiction Book Proposals
Posted by Chuck

I have officially wrapped up all editing on the 2009 Guide to Literary Agents. It's over. Finally. Done. (I. Love. Using. Periods.) To celebrate, I thought I'd post excerpts from the forthcoming upfront articles.

2009 Article Excerpt:

Agent Mollie Glick of the Jean V.
Naggar Literary Agency talks
about nonfiction book proposals.

"...There are lots of ways to think about book proposals. Some agents, like Jean Naggar, president of The Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, think of proposals as a blueprint for what the finished book is going to look like. Other agents, like Richard Morris of Janklow & Nesbit think of it as an author's first chance to show off his/her unique narrative voice. In this tough market—a market in which editors are looking for reasons to reject projects rather than reasons to accept them—I think of proposals as an argument for why an editor can’t afford not to take a book on. Any way you look at it, a book proposal is your first chance to prove that you’ve got all of the elements needed to spin your raw idea into a literary goldmine.
        So what exactly are the essential elements that publishers and agents are looking for when they read your proposal? Five Things:
        1. An original idea. What fresh, original and engaging idea will your book present?
        2. But not too original. What published books share the same audience as your book? Why were those books successful, and why will your book appeal to the same readers?
        3. A clear sense of what you want to achieve and how you’re going to get there. What’s the scope of your book? How are you going to set about gathering and presenting your information?
        4. Why is this an important book? How is your book different (and better than) other similar books? Why is now the time to publish a book on your chosen subject?
        5. Why are you the go-to-guy (or gal) to write a book on this subject? You may have heard the word “platform” floating around and wondered what it means. Put simply, there are two kinds of platforms, and ideally you want to demonstrate that you’ve got both. First: What makes you an expert and the clear choice to write the book you’re proposing? Second: What media connections do you have that will help you reach your intended audience with your message?..."

         - "Book Proposals: Five Elements of a Nonfiction Proposal" (page 41)

While Guide to Literary Agents is best known for its large and detailed list of literary agencies, every edition has plenty of informational articles and interviews designed to help writers perfect their craft and contact agents wisely. The 2009 edition is no different, with more than 80 pages of articles addressing numerous writing and publishing topics.

Nonfiction | Queries and Synopses and Proposals

6/17/2008 10:24:04 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Literary Definitions: Vol. 7
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 Seven:

Buzz - Interest and positive word-of-mouth talk about something. For example: "The new Hulk film is supposed to be surprisingly good. It's got some buzz." The best way to sell a novel is to generate good word-of-mouth buzz from readers.

Character arc - The emotional journey a character takes from the beginning to the end of the story, changing along the way.

Coverage - Written remarks about a screenplay usually composed by a reader or analyst. The reader will look at a script and then write 1) a story summary, 2) their thoughts on the script (a critique), and 3) their thoughts on abandoning or moving forward on the project.

Didactic - A word that means talky or preachy. Usually describes sections of a manuscript.

On acceptance - Pays when the submission is turned in and deemed worthy. Writer's Digest pays on acceptance. When a writer turns in the commissioned piece, we review it to make sure it's what we requested and expected. If it is, we pay the writer then and there. Preferred to "on publication."

On publication - Pays when the submission is published, but not before. If a magazine pays "on publication," you only get money when the article is printed. But what if it's never printed? A-ha. It's not common that an article is simply unused or thrown out, but it's happened plenty of times.

Synopsis - A front-to-back summary of your story that usually runs 1-2 pages. It's a way of telling the basics of everything that happens without spending hours reading the whole ms.

Three-act structure - The most basic and common framework for telling a story. This tried-and-true blueprint utilizes three acts, each of which has its own specific purpose. For example, in Act I, we are introduced to the protagonist and shown their world. By the end of Act I, the protagonist gets in some serious trouble and their world is being turned upside down.

"If you're expecting me to do
any publicity for this film, you
can forget about it!"

Definitions | Queries and Synopses and Proposals

6/17/2008 10:14:42 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Friday, June 06, 2008

Incoming: Writers' League of Texas A&E Conference
Posted by Chuck

If you live anywhere remotely close to Austin, I highly suggest going to the quickly-approaching Agents & Editors Conference, hosted by the Writers' League of Texas. It's set for June 20-22.

There are hundreds of writers' conferences, workshops, retreats and gatherings each year, and most of them are quite good. But I'd say there are a special dozen or so each year that are held in the highest regard because they manage to pull together an insanely big number of literary agents and acquisitions editors who can directly help writers see their work in print. And this WLT conference is one of those special dozen. In my experience traveling across the country, the single biggest opportunity for writers at a conference is the access they have to agents, managers and editors. And this one is a treasure trove of agents.

I could list all the literary agents in attendance, but just go ahead and check out the massive list online.

Writers' Conferences

6/6/2008 1:15:44 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [3]

Greg Parasmo Leaves the Agent World
Posted by Chuck

You remember literary agent Greg Parasmo as the man who gave one of the funniest agent interviews of all time last year.

He recently contacted me saying that he has left agenting for a job at Scholastic. Greg worked at Linn Prentis Literary. I was having a difficult time contacting Linn this past year because she has no Web site, though I did meet her in person last May. I'm not even sure if she is still actively agenting. But regardless, Greg is out of the game...

Random Updates

6/6/2008 1:07:21 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

How I Met One of the "20 Worst Agents"
Posted by Chuck

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

First: The Conference

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

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

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

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

Second: Meeting One of the "20 Worst"

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

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

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

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

Insane.

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

Scams

6/4/2008 3:50:47 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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