Guide to Literary Agents - Monday, November 10, 2008

Q: I am puzzled. You state in your coverage of copyright that a writer should not put text of a manuscript online as it could lead to the lifting (paraphrasing here) of the material by another writer. These days, so many publishers and agents ask that writers do just that: send the first five pages or more in the body of an e-mail. This certainly can lead to this very thing, although I am not the suspicious type. It does happen, doesn't it? Then why are writers asked to put their ideas in jeopardy of this is the case?
      - Sylvia

A: You sound suspicious for not being the suspicious type.
      Regarding my advice to not put portions of your work online, I'm not talking about e-mail. I'm talking about placing chunks of text (chapters, usually) online on your Web site. Sending your work in an e-mail, or as an attachment, to an agent or editor is quite safe. Like I said before, agents and editors don't steal work; writers steal work.
      Putting part of a novel or short story online for no one in particular to see is usually a mistake, because very little good can come from it.

Contracts and Copyrights and Money

11/10/2008 11:14:58 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [3]

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Appleseeds Management Closes
Posted by Chuck

Appleseeds Management, a California-based literary and talent agency, is no longer in business. I got a letter from the founder, S. James Foiles, saying so.

Take note if they were on your "To Query" list.

Random Updates

11/6/2008 4:22:41 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Networking at Writers' Conferences
Posted by Chuck

Guest Blog Column
by Hanish "Han" Vance

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

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

Writers' Conferences

11/5/2008 3:12:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [5]

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

New Agent Alert: Amberly Finarelli of Andrea Hurst Literary
Posted by Chuck

Andrea Hurst Literary Management, a Sacramento-based agency run by the talented Andrea Hurst, has a new official rep, Amberly Finarelli, looking for clients. She is currently looking for new clients in the following areas:

Nonfiction:

humor/gift books
crafts
how-to (financial, house and home, health and beauty, weddings)
Relationships/advice
Self-help, psychology
Travel writing
Narrative nonfiction

Fiction:

Commercial women's fiction
Comic and cozy mysteries
Literary fiction with a focus on the arts, culture, and/or history
Contemporary young adult.

Learn more about Amberly Finarelli on the Andrea Hurst agency site. Her e-mail is amberly@andreahurst.com. Submission instructions can be found online.

Children's Writing | New Agency Alerts | Nonfiction

11/4/2008 2:21:06 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Friday, October 31, 2008

Let's Talk Copyright
Posted by Chuck

A few people were talking copyright today, so I figured I would blog about the subject, as it's something that writers are very interested in. (Not surpringly, no one wants to get their work stolen.) Here are some common copyright Q&As.

Q. If you mail yourself a copy of your manuscript and then never open the package, is that the equivalent of an official copyright?

A. No. What you're talking about is called "poor man's copyright." I don't know who first perpetuated this myth, but it is indeed a myth.

Q. Are there different kinds of copyright?

A. Two kinds, basically. To put this simply, there is the "guaranteed copyright" you get whenever you write anything down, and there is the official copyright (think of it as a "super copyright") you get when you register with the national office in DC. The difference between the two is that having a "super copyright" (which will cost you approx. $45/work) will allow you to sue for more money and damages should you ever have to sue.

Q. Should I include the copyright symbol on my work?

A. If you're submitting to agents and editors, no. They know that the material is owned by you, so including the mark is the sign of an amateur. However, if you are giving your work to fellow writers or putting it online, yes yes yes.
Agents and editors don't steal work; writers steal work.

Q. In general, what can I do to protect myself?

A. Don't put your work online unless there is a good reason to do so. If you post a short story online so people can get a taste of your skill and voice, you are letting your idea out there. People cannot cut and paste paragraphs of your work, that's for sure, but they can take your concept or idea and give their own spin on it.

Contracts and Copyrights and Money

10/31/2008 4:23:56 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [3]

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Looking for Agent/Editor Feedback
Posted by Chuck

Here at Writer’s Digest Books, we’re in the process of updating our popular title, Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript, and are looking for insight from agents/editors on how the industry is changing. Here are a few things we’re interested in knowing.

How have queries and submissions changed for you in recent years? Do you request different information? Do you accept email queries? If so, do you prefer electronic or paper queries? How important is format and formality in electronic communication?
What are your pet peeves and turnoffs?
What are your dos and don'ts for writers?
Have you changed how you select authors? How many of your authors are found through queries, and how many through other means? Do you want to hear about an author's platform?
What recent changes in your market do you want writers to know about?

Writers are also welcome to comment and offer tips.

10/28/2008 10:22:49 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Friday, October 24, 2008

When an Agent Loses Your Pages...
Posted by Chuck

Q. Perhaps it is the influence of the instant age of communication, but I would have assumed sending a synopsis and pages to an agent who says they want your work (at least to consider it), I must confess I am rather surprised it takes as long as it used to back in the days of snail mail and sending an entire manuscript in terms of hearing a response.
        Worse still, this agent (who shall not be named) in question seems to act as if she can't find said pages. I understand it is possible to receive hundreds of writers' pages, but I would think there would be some plan in action for keeping track.
        Am I expecting more than I should? I don't wish to flood the agent's inbox with more questions than necessary about my pages, but I am at a place - having held on to some of my writing for decades - where I just want to get on with it! And to be honest, your (28 Agents) article gave me hope. It released the fear and made the choice small enough for me to navigate and decide then act upon. Am I being ridiculous? Be honest.
        - Teresa

A. Yeah, it's a slow process, Teresa. Let me try to answer all your questions.
       Concerning how quickly you can hear a response, the age of electronic communication is helping for quicker replies, but does not guarantee one, if that makes sense. Plenty of agents still request 6-8 weeks before you even hear back on a query. Now, concerning how this agent can't find the pages you sent, you have two options. You can simply resubmit the pages and say "Here they are again - it's no big deal to resubmit them." Or you can ditch this agent and simply move on. Yes, she should have a system in place to track queries and pages - but if you've ever seen an editor's desk or an agent's desk, it's never pretty.
       My best advice to you is not to flood her inbox with questions about your pages, but to just write and say "No problem, let me just resubmit," and then do so.

10/24/2008 9:52:04 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Breaking Down the Query Letter
Posted by Chuck

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

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

Paragraph One:

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

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

Paragraph Two:

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

Paragraph Three:

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

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

Queries and Synopses and Proposals

10/16/2008 11:23:31 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [5]

Literary Agent Offers Strategies for Success
Posted by Chuck

Therese Walsh of Writer Unboxed recently alerted me to a fantastic free resource online for writers.

Literary agent Donald Maass, who is a contributor to WU, has a free download available online to whomever wants it.

It's called The Career Novelist: A Literary Agent Offers Strategies for Success.

Check it out!

10/16/2008 10:46:42 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

Monday, October 13, 2008

Agent Advice: Abigail Koons of The Park Literary Group
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 Abigail Koons, of Park Literary Group, LLC.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

AK: After working for EF Education, a large Swedish company specializing in educational travel, I decided to make the switch to publishing. I attended the NYU Summer Publishing Institute and started working as the foreign rights assistant with agent Nicholas Ellison the week after I finished the program. That job eventually morphed into an agent’s assistant position and here I am, six years later, an agent and the director of foreign rights at The Park Literary Group.

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

AK: Actually, the most recent sale for me was just this week. After many years of trying to find a publisher for Nicholas Sparks (author of The Notebook and most recently, The Lucky One) in Korea, I concluded a four-book deal with Magic House Publishing.

GLA: Your bio says you seek "travel narrative nonfiction." Can you help define this category for writers? What are some examples of this category?

AK: Travel and adventure narrative nonfiction is the type of book that takes you away to another place. It is often a memoir, but can be a journalistic story of a particular event or even a collection of essays. The key here is that it tells an interesting and engaging story. It is also very important these days that the story is fresh and new—you’d be surprised at how many people have had the exact same experience with the rickshaw in Bangkok that you had. Some recent successful examples of this genre are Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love, and most things by Paul Theroux and Bill Bryson.

GLA: When you get a query for a commercial fiction novel such as a thriller, do you want the author to have a series in mind? Should they mention this? Or just pitch it as one book?

AK: The author doesn’t have to have a series in mind to pique my interest because frankly, not all thrillers are meant to be series. If the do intend for the novel to be the first in a series, it helps to know, but it’s not necessary. The most important thing is to pitch the strengths of your project—don’t just say what you think the agent wants to hear.

GLA: What are you looking for right now and not getting?

AK: To be honest, I’m not seeing great thrillers! I’d love to find a political or military thriller set today that addresses the very real issues that we’re facing. An intelligent and exciting novel set among the Iraq War or covert missions in Pakistan (we’re talking fiction, here). I’d also like to see more funny novels that aren’t completely over-the-top. I love outlandish characters but I still want them to be believable. I am seeing too many memoirs, however, and I’m taking on very, very few.

GLA: Let's say you're looking through the slush pile at query letters. What are common things/elements you see in a query letter that don't need to be in there?

AK: If your query letter is more than one page long, there are things in there that are superfluous. The most common unnecessary addition is a description of the writer’s family/personal life if the book is not a memoir. Some personal background is good, but I would much prefer to know about the amazing novel you wrote. The personal information can come later. The other most common misstep is listing weak qualifications for writing the book. What I mean by that is when someone says “I have a daughter so I am qualified to write this very general book about how to raise daughters.” In today’s very crowded book market, you must have a strong platform to write nonfiction.

GLA: Will you be at any conferences in the future where writers can meet and
pitch you?

AK: I will be in Austin, TX the weekend of Nov. 14 leading a workshop about query letters.

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

AK: Keep it professional. Although many agents and editors are in publishing for the love of books, it’s still a business. It’s hard not to take rejections personally, especially at the beginning, but responding to a rejection with an angry e-mail, letter or phone call will not serve you well.

"Eager to work with emerging and established talent, Abigail Koons is currently looking to add to her list of diverse and engaging authors. Her passion for travel makes her a natural fit for adventure and travel narrative nonfiction, and she is also seeking projects about popular science, history, politics, current events and art. She is also interested in working with commercial fiction, especially superb thrillers and mysteries." See her agency web page here.

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Nonfiction

10/13/2008 2:30:26 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Friday, October 10, 2008

Turning Off an Agent
Posted by Chuck

The new issue of Writer's Digest (Nov/Dec 2008) has a fiction column by novelist Steve Almond, where he talks about Anton Chekov's theory that new writers need to start their book later in the story so the opening is more interesting.

This goes along somewhat with the "agent pet peeves" we've been talking about recently. Check out what Almond has to say:

"If you're wondering whether you should cut the first three pages of your most recent draft, consider the following questions:
       1. Is your protagonist alone for these pages?
       2. Is he in bed or in a bathtub?
       3. Is he imbued with an indeterminate sense of malaise?
       4. Does the 'action' consist of your protagonist thinking while carrying out activities that demonstrate his malaise?"

If you say yes to any of these questions, you have an opening that will likely turn off an agent. Beware.

10/10/2008 11:41:12 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [9]

Monday, October 06, 2008

Agent Advice: Scott Eagan of Greyhaus 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 Scott Eagan, founder of Greyhaus Literary Agency near Seattle. Scott specializes in romance and women's fiction.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

SE: I had been teaching English for more than 10 years and had just moved from the K-12 system to the collegiate level. At that time I had also done some work with my own writing (I write poetry on the side). I was looking for a change of career and everything sort of fell into place at the right time. With my background in English, degrees in English Literature, Creative writing and Literacy, this seemed to be the right move.

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

SE: I have been doing a lot of work recently with both SourceBooks and with Harlequin Mills and Boon. In both cases, the work has been primarily in the historical romance market. Right now, my top two writers are Michele Young from Toronto and Bronwyn Scott from the US. Michele has come out with No Regrets and The Lady Flees Her Lord, both stories with unconventional but very real heroines. The men fall in love with them for who they are not what they look like. As for Bronwyn Scott, she has been active with the new Harlequin Historical undone line releasing Pickpocket Countess and Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady. She is also part of the new e-book line they are releasing.

GLA: Your specialties are romance and women's fiction. What attracted you to these areas?

SE: First of all, I have to say, I just love these stories. Both romance and good women’s fiction tend to make you feel pretty good when you finish a great book. Business-wise, I chose these lines simply due to supply and demand. Although a lot of agencies represent these genres, few only focus on the genre. I believe it is important to focus on one area and do it well.

GLA: How does a writer know she's writing women's fiction, as opposed to literary fiction?

SE: I think I have a fairly good definition of women’s fiction. These are not simply stories with female characters but stories that tell us the female journey. Women’s fiction is a way for women to learn and grow and to relate to others what it is to be a woman. When I think of literary fiction, the emphasis is placed more on the telling of a good story instead of making the female journey the centerpiece.

GLA: There is a lot of romance out there. What can set a story apart from the many bad ones?

SE: What I find separates the good from the bad is the depth I which the stories go to be unique and real. There are a lot of stories out there that are just copying a template. Sure the story is a fun read, but I just wouldn’t put it up there with the “good” stories. When I find an author that does that, I just can’t put the book down. I really hear the voice of the author coming right off the page.

GLA: Let's talk queries. Specifically - the pitch paragraph. What must be in there for you to be interested?

SE: The pitch is simple. I want to know not only the basics (the genre, word count and title) but I want to really know what makes this story unique and different from everything else out there. Anymore, it is not so much a matter of being a good writer, you have to have a story that makes us stand up and take notice. Along the same lines, I want an author to show me he or she understands the business and their place in the world.

GLA: When pitching a romance, should a writer have more books lined up or planned out? I know that romance writers usually pen multiple books (and sometimes even have multiple series). From a career standpoint, what must a writer know if they want to write romance? On this note, if a writer came to you and said "I have one book and don't plan to write another," would you take it on if it was good?

SE: As an agent, I am looking for someone to be in it for the long haul. Unless the story is such a breakout novel (which you really don’t find very often), a writer will need to have more books ready to go. Now, does this mean the author should have the books written? Not necessarily. The author may simply have an idea of how they are going to become a “brand.”

GLA: From that career standpoint, a writer needs to have a clear picture of where they want to be in the next 5 years and even in the next 10. This needs to be a realistic picture and not the belief that she will retire immediately from all the proceeds of the book.

SE: As far as the writer with one book. The odds are, I would pass on it. Again, since I am working with the romance and women’s fiction genre, they will not make enough money off that one book to make it worth our time.

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming conferences or events where writers can meet you?

SE: I have very little things on my agenda right now. I’m tentatively heading to the Silicon Valley RWA chapter in May and will be at the RWA national conference in Washington D.C. in 2009. When it comes to conferences, I go to where I am invited.
Another great place to meet me would be via my blog or even taking my online Marketing Your Fiction Novel Class (information on my website).

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

SE: I would simply tell writers to do their research and don’t rush into the publishing. Be ready to make the move both with your manuscripts and mentally. Know exactly who you are sending your works to and why. The more you know, the better off you will be.

Scott Eagan represents writers of romance and women's fiction. See more online at his website. In his words: "I am ACTIVELY (can I make that any louder?) looking for Hot and Steamy contemporary romances for the Mills and Boon Modern Heat Line."

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Genre Writing

10/6/2008 7:39:06 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

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