Do Agents Still Hold the Gatekeeper Key to Getting Published?

 
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

The world of publishing has changed radically over the past few years. With the evolution of ebooks and indie publishing, everything that was once tried-and-true has been shaken. As the construction dust settles, many are trying to figure out what remains of the old traditional way of doing things and also what is new and necessary.

Of course, one of the things many writers want to know is, "Do I still need an agent?" 

In the not-too-distant past it seemed that everyone was talking about getting an agent. In fact, when I first started my agent hunt about six years ago, the frenzy was at an almost ridiculous high. Most agents already had full client loads but occasionally bestowed their favor upon a giddy new writer plucked out of the slush pile.

As agents began blogging and tweeting, aspiring writers scrambled to get noticed in the new medium. At times among the cyber-hallways, it felt as though there was a "high school popularity contest" mentality both among aspiring writers and between agents.

The few writers who got an agent's attention were considered lucky and special. Because like it or not, everyone knew that agents held the gatekeeper key to getting published. Most publishers didn't have the time or staff to weed through manuscripts of all the wannabe's. So, for the most part, they let agents do the gate-keeping job for them.

But alas, the hype over agents has died down (finally!). The popularity contests are over (thank goodness!).

However, new, unagented writers are left scratching their heads wondering what to do. Do they really need an agent? And if they get agent, what would that person do for them anyway?

If you're planning to self-publish, then no, you don't need an agent. At least not right away. When you've written multiple books and they're hitting best-seller lists, then you can possibly consider acquiring an agent to help you expand your reach into traditional publishing, foreign print, and even film. (Sidenote: I'm not self-published, so I can only share what I've heard from indie friends. For those who are self-published and agented, feel free to chime in with the benefits you've experienced with your agent.)

For those still seeking traditional publication with a bigger publisher, yes, you likely WILL still need an agent to get a book deal. Once in a while, writers make connections with publishers at writing conferences. Every now and then, indie writers catch the attention of publishers if they have high sales like Hugh Howey with his Wool series (which I'm currently reading and enjoying). (Read his fascinating publishing story here on WD.)

But for the most part, traditional publishers still usually find authors from manuscripts submitted by trusted agents. Savvy knowledgeable agents not only broker deals but also provide much needed career direction (which I could expound on in a whole other post). The truth is, some agents are better at their job than others, and new writers should be careful to get feedback from agents' current clients before signing.

So how does a writer go about getting an agent? Sometimes writers connect with agents at conferences or get referrals from agented friends. But the most common way to get an agent is still through direct querying. Most agents have query guidelines on their website for exactly WHAT to submit (usually a query letter containing a synopsis and then a specific number of sample pages), HOW to submit (usually via email), and WHERE (usually to an agency email address). Follow those guidelines as carefully as possible. 

If a writer's skill is honed, if a story is well-told and captivating, and it holds general market appeal, it WILL eventually garner an agent's attention. From my many years of critiquing for new writers, I've learned that it's VERY easy to spot a talented writer and a great story. The problem is that many writers think they're at the graduate level before they really are and so end up querying an agent too soon in their writing career (like after their first book or two). Most successfully published writers will attest that they had to write several books before their writing skill reached a publishable quality.

My advice for writers who are beginning to query is this: Send it out and see what happens. If the story doesn't "hook" an agent right away, keep trying. But in the meantime continue to write AND improve your writing skills. Writing and learning must always go hand in hand.

The traditional publication process still takes lots of patience. But the good thing is that it's not the ONLY option available to writers. Our hopes for a writing career don't all hinge upon it anymore. If the traditional door stays shut, the future is still wide open.

So what about you? Do you still think agents are necessary in today's changing publishing industry?

Telling the Truth About Client-Agent Problems

By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

A couple of weeks ago, I read an article on The Passive Voice blog called, "I think my agent's dead, what to do?" The article shares a letter from a writer lamenting over her agent's long periods of silence and lack of communication.

After many months and repeated attempts at contacting her agent, the writer said this:

"I’m stuck wondering what happened to her and where does it leave me? Do I have an agent? Is my novel out there being considered? Or did she get terrible responses back from the editors and decide she hates it after all? Does she regret signing me on? Is that why she’s gone AWOL on me? Is she seriously ill? Dead? Did she quit her job? If she has dropped me, shouldn’t she let me know?"

The letter was interesting and sadly all too familiar. I wasn't too surprised to see over 100 plus comments from other writers sharing similar agent experiences. Over the years, I've heard stories from friends who've had frustrating and difficult periods with their agents.

Unfortunately, silence, poor communication, and uncertainty are all too common problems in agent-client relationships. 

In the age of self-publishing, many writers have decided to forgo the frustrations and have chosen not to have an agent at all. And that's a completely valid option.

For those who are traditionally published or hybrids (a combination of indie and traditional), then having an agent is still an important consideration.

Recently, I've changed agents. While I really liked my previous agent on a personal level, over time it had become clear to me that I needed a new agent to better fit my working needs. I didn't really consider the possibility of NOT having an agent, since I have too many projects in the traditional publishing fires.

During the whole process of changing agents, I realized that it's really difficult to know the quality of various agents out there. The majority of writers don't like to publicly bad-mouth anyone in the industry. So most of the time when we complain about agents or publishers, we tend to do so in general terms (without naming anyone specific).

Sometimes we say nothing at all because we blame ourselves for the problems. We think if only we were a better writer or more interesting person that perhaps our agent would like us better. And because none of our agent's other clients are saying anything, we think we're the only one having problems.

But staying silent about the problems doesn't help the writing community. Our silence only perpetuates the problems in the industry. And after all the frustrations I've heard about over the past few years, I'd like to see client-agent frustrations become the exception, rather than the norm.

So what should we writers do? Should we speak out more openly about our experiences?

Perhaps . . . if we can find a professional way to do it.

Of course, there is the Writer Beware site that lists thumbs down agents to steer away from.

But what about reputable agents? How do we know who's good and who's not? Who communicates well and who doesn't? Who works hard and knows the industry and who is just getting by?

My solution before switching agents was to get plenty of references on the new agent I was interested in approaching. I contacted several authors who'd been working with this agent for many years. And I asked them pointed questions about the quality of the agent, her work ethic, how she communicates, how often they experienced frustration, and any problems they'd had.

After getting their honest responses, I had a much clearer picture of the new agent. And then of course, I had a long conversation with the agent before signing, in which I shared some of my concerns.

Obviously, I'm not the world's perfect client. And there's no perfect agent either. But I think too often writers are settling for much less than they deserve in the client-agent relationship.

So my advice to anyone searching for an agent for the first time (or the second or third or more) is to make sure to get references. Ask current clients lots of questions. (Most agents have a client role on their website that you can look at.) Ask previous clients why they left that agent. And don't sign until you get a clear picture of how that agent operates.

Also, I would caution new writers from becoming so desperate for an agent that they end up ignoring red flags and settle for just anyone they can get. Such a decision could eventually do more harm than good.

What are your thoughts? Do you think writers need to be more open about agent problems? If so, how?

Are Agents & Publishers Too Picky?

If you’ve ever been rejected, you can’t help but wonder, “Are agents and publishers too picky?”

My debut book, The Preacher’s Bride, was rejected many times before finally garnering interest. And during the series of rejections, I had two main questions: “Am I getting rejected because of the quality of my writing?” or “Am I getting rejected because of my story idea?”

Now that I’m on the other side of the publication fence, my questions have been answered. I’ve learned that the quality of my writing was up to par (at least I think so, since The Preacher’s Bride has done well in sales and awards!).

But there was some hesitation about the story, the setting, and the time period of the book. Before offering me a contract, my publisher had to think long and hard about whether my book was the type that would interest their readers.

Of course, most agents and editors don’t have the time to offer a lot of feedback (if any) when they decline a project. So if they indicate that our writing skills aren’t strong enough then we really need to take that to heart and buckle down and work on improving.

But when we’re certain our writing skills are at a publishable level (we’ve started finaling in contests, we get positive feedback from objective sources, etc), and we still get rejections, we’ll often hear things like:

• This book won’t fit with the needs of our readers.
• It’s too similar to other projects we have right now.
• It’s too different and we don’t want to take a chance.
• The setting, time period, or subject matter won’t sell well.
• The genre isn’t clear.
• The story just didn’t resonate or grab me enough.

Are publishers and editors just being too picky when they cite those reasons for passing on a manuscript? Shouldn’t they be willing to take more of a chance? Try new things? Give new and fresh ideas a shot? After all, think about how many out-of-the-box stories have gone on to have huge commercial success?

The longer I’m immersed in the industry and the more I learn about the business aspect, the more I understand why publishers and agents must be so picky. In fact, I foresee the need for publishers to become even more choosey if they hope to succeed in today’s changing market.

Why? Why do they need to be so particular?

Here are several lessons I’ve learned:

1. Debut authors are a huge investment.

Whenever a publisher gives a contract to a debut author, they’re taking a risk. They have to pay out an enormous amount of money (for the advance, editing, cover, marketing, etc.) before the author brings in a dime. With all of the authors competing for a reader’s affection, there’s just no guarantee of recapping the money they’ve invested.

2. An author’s brand still sells a book.

If you look at the bestseller lists, they’re top heavy with brand name authors—usually those who have been writing a long time and continually put out books that readers fall in love with. Those are the bread and butter authors for publishing houses. We, smaller & newer authors, rely on them for our existence. They help foot our bills—at least until our brand becomes more established.

3. It takes many books, a lot of time, and hard work to develop a strong brand.

Even if an author occasionally makes the bestseller list, like I have, it still takes a long time and a lot of work to build a strong brand. My agent pointed out to me recently that I have only a fraction of the readership that I could have, and that I’ll continue to need to work hard at marketing each book. I’m still very much at the beginning of my writing career and have a long way to go to develop my name and readership.

4. The growth of e-readers and cheap e-books is changing the nature of building a readership.

With the growth of e-readers and the ease of buying cheap e-books, traditional publishers have more competition for a reader’s already overloaded time and attention. The fact is, as more and more books inundate the market (via e-publishing or traditional), all authors everywhere will have to work harder to obtain and maintain readers.

My Summary: In light of all of the above points, publishers and agents must be choosey in order to survive. This is a tough business for all of us—writers, publishers, and agents.

If your book is rejected because of the pickiness that is apart of traditional publication, you may just need to keep writing until you find your “break in” book. Or you may need to consider a smaller niche publisher or even self-publishing.

Whatever route you choose, it will be hard. There are no easy paths in today’s writing industry.

What about you? Do you think traditional publishers and agents are too picky? Are they justified in being choosey? Or do you think the system is unfair?

*Photo Credit: Flickr


In celebration of the countdown to the release of my book on Sept. 1, I'm giving away a signed copy of The Doctor's Lady this week! Click here to enter the drawing!

6 Benefits of Having an Agent in Today's Publishing World

In today's quickly changing publishing industry, what role do agents play? With the growing prevalence of self-epublishing and ebooks, many writers are opting to publish without the help of an agent. Even those pursuing traditional publication are beginning to see that an agent’s job description will likely need to morph as publishing evolves.

Obviously, most traditional publishers still work primarily through agents who essentially act as curators for publishing houses. (Agent Steve Laube had a great article about the function of curation in publishing.) So, yes, for now agents are still important to writers who want to land book deals with traditional publishers.

But what need (if any) do agents serve above and beyond the initial book deal? Should a writer pursue representation, particularly if they’re planning to self-epublish? Are there benefits to having an agent that transcend the type of publication we pursue?

As I’ve wrestled through these questions, I jotted down six benefits I’ve experienced from having an agent in today’s turbulent publishing world:

1. Agents have connections.

Agents are in regular contact with others in the publishing industry. They work behind the scenes with a variety of editors and publishers. As a result of their inside connections, they’re privy to industry news and publishers needs. They can pass those needs along to clients giving them an advantage. And because agents are always on the lookout for ways to help their clients, sometimes opportunities arise in unexpected and unplanned ways.

2. Agents help with career planning.

I recently finished a three book contract with my publisher. So over the past few weeks my agent and I have had many conversations (via phone and email). We hashed out potential scenarios for what will ultimately be best for my long-term writing career. With her knowledge of the industry and her experience, she was able to direct me how to proceed.

After all the discussion, I wrote up six ideas for future books with the hope that my publisher would like at least three of the ideas and offer me another 3-book contract. Rachelle tweaked what I wrote, put the ideas into a professional format (which is something else she’s very good at), and sent them to my publisher.

3. Agents act as arbitrators and negotiators.

My agent is skilled at acting as a go-between. Even though I have a very open and amiable working-relationship with my publisher, Rachelle is able to act rationally, calmly, and logically on my behalf during times when I’m more emotionally invested in the situation.

She’s tactful and proceeds carefully. Through experience, she’s developed the skill of working with a variety of publishers and professionals without harming relationships or future prospects.

4. Agents offer feedback on books.

Many agents will read their clients’ books and give editorial notes before attempting to sell the book to publishers. They want to help the writer polish the manuscript to make it all the better in order to have the best possible chance of making the sale.

During my previous book deal, whenever I completed book, I sent it directly to my publisher. There was no need for my agent to read it first since my synopses and ideas had already been accepted and approved. But, my agent went above and beyond with The Doctor’s Lady. After my second rewrite, Rachelle read it and offered both encouragement and valuable feedback.

5. Agents can provide emotional support.

The writing industry is tough. The waits are long. The revenues are low. It’s easy to get discouraged. My agent is adept at sensing when I’m having a low moment. She has surprised me with encouraging calls at those times.

Whenever I have a conversation with my agent, I feel inspired to keep going and work harder. She has a way of building me up, telling me the things I need to hear, and pushing me to give my writing all I’ve got.

6. Agents are in touch with the industry pulse.

With the speed at which things are changing in the publishing industry, I have a hard time keeping up. I'm already devoting my most concentrated work time to my writing. And now we're needing to take ownership of our own marketing as Michael Hyatt explained in his post: Four Reasons Why You Must Take Responsibility For Your Own Marketing.

So, with both writing and marketing, I don't have time to keep up with all of the changes within the industry. Rather, I rely on my agent to stay on top of the latest developments and to keep me informed of what I need to know as it pertains to my writing career.

My Summary: Yes, the publishing climate is changing and agents’ roles will likely change too. But in working with my agent, I’ve come to realize the incredible benefit of having an advocate who’s working in my best interest.

Sidenote: Since I write my blog posts a week ahead of schedule, I had no idea the role of agents would end up being the topic of the week! For additional thoughts check out Elizabeth Spann Craig's article: Why My Agent is Still Needed and Anne R. Allen's post: Literary Agents: An Endangered Species?

What about you? Do you think that the need for agents is changing? Are there are still benefits to having an agent in today’s turbulent publishing world? Why or why not?

Is Schmoozing the New Way Into Traditional Publication?

I recently raised the question: Is the Query System Dying? And in response, I mentioned that writers may need to look for new ways to relate to agents (i.e. via social media or conferences.) If agents and editors have an overwhelming number of queries and manuscripts to look through, it stands to reason they’d be more inclined to give priority to people they “know.”

If mingling with industry professionals can help give us an advantage, then that begs the question: Is schmoozing the new way in the door of traditional publication? Do writers who “hang out” with agents and editors on blogs, twitter, or even at conferences have an easier time getting in the traditional publication door?

In a post titled “How to Attract an Agent,” agent Wendy Lawton said this: “I like to see queries from writers whose names I recognize because they Twitter with other writers, they comment on writer blogs or they follow a number of my writer/agent/editor friends on Facebook. (And yes, we all notice names that appear regularly.)” (Emphasis mine.)

More and more often, I hear stories of writers getting agents because of twitter or blogging. So, my friends, times are indeed changing. And we need to be willing to roll with the changes if we hope to keep up. But does that mean we need to turn to schmoozing, stalking, brown-nosing, and groveling to get published?

I have to be honest. I’m not very good at schmoozing (aka being nice and flowery to someone in order to get something I want). The very thought of resorting to schmoozing sounds as appealing as the root canal I’m going to need soon.

In fact, back when I was agent-hunting, if I’d had to turn into a groveling, sappy, “I-love-you-and-you’re-the-best-agent” kind of writer, I don’t think I could have done it. I would have respectfully declined to participate in the schmoozing party.

But is that really what it takes? Do writers have to ingratiate themselves to industry professionals in order to get published? Or can we take up the new methods of relating and getting noticed without having to schmooze?

Here are just a few of my thoughts (besides writing an outstanding book, which is a given):

1. Make YOUR web presence the focus.

In other words, use social media effectively and consistently. Write great blog posts. Start to make a name for yourself. Stand out from the crowd. Tweet interesting things. (All of which, by the way, is great practice for what we hope to accomplish with our published books.)

When you work at increasing your web presence, then people will begin to talk about you. Your name gets splashed around cyberland. You become someone that agents will recognize, not because of all your schmoozing, but because of your strength, your professionalism, and your magnetism.

2. Be confident in who YOU are.

I love what James Scott Bells says in his book, The Art of War for Writers: “To keep from turning off those who can publish you, you must not be desperate . . . There are many ways writers can give off the sense of desperation. And believe me, agents and editors can pick up that scent from a distance.”

Yes, I recommend commenting on agent blogs, retweeting them, and interacting with them throughout cyberland. In fact, I go as far as suggesting specifically getting your name and avatar in front of the agents you hope to query.

But . . . I caution against coming across desperate or trying too hard. Professionals will be attracted to those who exude confidence and professionalism. Those are the kinds of writers they’ll want to invest in long term.

3. Know when you’re REALLY ready to increase your efforts.

Yes, conferences can be a good way to get your work in front of agents and editors. But the costs can be prohibitive. If finances are a concern, I suggest waiting until after you get consistent, objective feedback that your work is of publishable quality before investing the money in a conference.

And while I do think there are a lot of benefits to starting social media early in a writing career, I don’t think there’s a lot of benefit to investing a TON of time and energy into it until you’re further along. After all, if you get an agent’s attention but your work is still amateur, you might possibly end up doing yourself more harm than good.

~My Summary: Although at first appearance it may seem like we have resort to schmoozing to get noticed in today’s tight publishing market, we can take a different approach. We can stand out, stand tall, and stand proud. If we do that before publication, then we’re setting the pattern for later.

What do you think? Have you ever felt the pressure to schmooze agents or editors to get noticed? Is there a better way in to get a foot in the door? If so, what?

Is the Query System Dying?

My agent, Rachelle Gardner, shared some statistics last week. This was one of them: “Queries received in 2010: around 10,000. New clients taken on from query (no referral): 0.”

When I read that statistic, I was shocked. If you read Rachelle's blog, did the statistic surprise you too?

Think about it. Those 10,000 queries represent approximately 10,000 writers who have dreams of seeing their book in print, who’ve likely spent months on a manuscript, who are desperately seeking a chance at traditional publication.

Out of 10,000 ideas, surely there had to have been a handful--even just a couple--that showed some promise. But Rachelle didn’t take on any new clients from those queries. Of course she took on new clients through other methods (referrals, conferences, blogging, etc.). But NONE through cold querying.

I can’t help wondering what this would have meant for me. You see, in mid-2008 I cold-queried Rachelle with The Preacher’s Bride. I didn’t have a referral from one of her clients—I didn’t know any of her clients. I’d never met her at a conference—in fact, I’d never even been to a writer’s conference. I hadn't mingled with her in cyberland—at the time I hadn't started blogging.

In other words, I was just another unknown writer and another statistic in her in-box. The truth is, if I’d queried Rachelle in 2010 instead of 2008, things could have been very different for me. My query most likely would have gone unnoticed along with the other 9,999. But that wouldn’t have meant The Preacher’s Bride didn’t hold promise or was unpublishable—because obviously, the book is now in print and recently hit the CBA best seller list.

So what does that say about the query system? Does it really work anymore? Is the system slowly dying?

Of course the system isn’t dead yet. From time to time, I still hear reports of writers landing agents through cold-querying. But if the statistics of gaining an agent through querying are slim and growing narrower, what can writers do to increase their chances of getting an agent?

Seek out new agents through reputable literary agencies.

When I queried Rachelle in 2008, she’d only been an agent for about a year. She was still actively building her client load.

Yes, there is some risk in going with a new agent. They don’t have a big track record of sales. Their influence among publishing houses might be minimal. But all agents have to start somewhere, and newer ones are often more open to debut authors; whereas, established agents have less time or need for new clients and are more choosey.

Realize the query system may not be enough.

Even though Rachelle requested a full as a result of my query, I didn’t gain her attention until I finaled in a nation-wide contest for unpublished authors.

Contest finals can often be a way to give our queries an advantage. A personal connection with an agent at a conference can help too. During those appointments, agents often give writers permission to send in a partial or full, which then bypasses the cold-query pile and gets the agent’s more immediate attention.

Shift to a new way of relating to agents.

Through social media, many agents are more accessible than ever before. Numerous agents hang out on twitter or have blogs. If a writer spends some time building a viable web presence before querying (like commenting on agent blogs or mingling on Twitter), then agents will already be familiar with our names and more likely to take a look at our query over a complete stranger’s.

My Summary: Yes, the query system as we’ve known it may not work well (to put it nicely). But as with all the changes in the industry, we have to be willing to adjust. Writer friends continue to land agents. In fact, a wonderful blogging friend, T. Anne, built a web presence, and after months of perseverance and connecting with agents online, she was offered representation by Rachelle Gardner. She’s celebrating over on her blog today!

So, what do you think about the query system? Do you agree that it’s dying? Has it failed you? And have you felt like a failure as a result? Well, take hope. The query system may not accurately reflect your potential or your story’s possibility. You may just need to look for other ways to seek out an agent.

The Slush Pile Slump Syndrome

Waiting is one of the hardest parts of the publication process. No matter where we’re at, we all have to wait. We have to wait for an agent to make a decision on our query, for an editor to look at our proposal, or a publisher to renew our contract. Maybe we’re waiting for contest results or sales figures that tell us we earned out our advance.

Waiting is unavoidable and it doesn’t end when we get an agent or book contract. It’s a continual part of the professional writer’s life.

However, with that said, I have to admit that the slush pile wait is one of the hardest types of waits a writer must go through. At least it was for me.

For many of us, querying is the beginning of venturing out of our writing isolation, putting our precious books out there, testing if our writing skills and stories are ready for publication. So when we get a nibble from an agent—any sign of interest—our hopes escalate. The request for a partial or a full fills us with excitement, because maybe—just maybe—we have what it takes.

We send off our manuscript to the requesting agent with trembling fingers and wildly thumping hearts. But then something happens we didn’t expect (or at least secretly hoped wouldn’t happen to us). We end up waiting, and waiting, and waiting . . . for weeks, then perhaps months. We can’t help but wonder if the agent lost our manuscript or made a decision and then forgot to tell us.

The reality is that our manuscript is still sitting in an enormous slush pile, and the harried agent just can’t find enough time in the day to get to it.

So we fall into what I call the “Slush Pile Slump Syndrome” or SPSS. How do we know if we suffer from SPSS? Here are a few signs:

• When you check email every 5 minutes just in case the agent has finally made a decision.

• When you follow the agent so closely on Twitter you have their daily schedule memorized.

• You decide to name your next child after the agent because it’s the name you think about most.

• You send the agent a Christmas present—and sign it “to my agent to-be.”

• You start eating chocolate and drinking coffee at every meal to prove that you’re a real writer.

All humor aside, the slush pile wait is incredibly difficult. In order to avoid catching SPSS, here are a few things to keep in mind:

An agent’s decision does not determine our worth. Yes, an agent’s praise can validate we’re on track. But we have to remember if they say no, that doesn’t mean we stink and that our story will never sell. Plenty of agents turned down The Preacher’s Bride, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t saleable.

Connect with the agent on Twitter or through blogging. Leave comments. Retweet their links. Increase your online presence so that agents can’t help but see your name and wonder about you. Be friendly, but professional. However, be careful not to come across as desperate or obnoxious.

While waiting, keep writing. The very best thing we can do once our manuscript is in the slush pile is to start working on the next book. Not only does it divert our attention, but it also helps us continue to grow in writing skill. Besides, if the agent decides she likes our writing but doesn't think she can sell our slush pile story, we’ll have another one ready to give her.

Look for ways to get an advantage. One of the best ways to get recognition is to final in a contest. My final in a national contest helped propel my manuscript to the top of my agent’s slush pile. Another advantage is to get an endorsement or recommendation from one of the agent’s clients (this usually only works if you’re already friends).

No matter what we do to alleviate the stress, the slush-pile wait is downright difficult. If nothing else, we can look at the wait as one more part of the process that toughens us and prepares us for the long waits and difficult days that are still to come in the life of a professional writer.

What about you? Have you ever had to wait in a slush pile? And have you ever caught the Slush Pile Slump Syndrome? (Tell us your what you did during your slump!) What did you do to pull yourself out?

P.S. There's still time to enter the Christmas gift drawing for The Preacher's Bride! Click here for rules and to enter the giveaway.

How to Get a Foot in the Door With Agents

Since most royalty paying publishers are closed to unsolicited manuscripts, writers usually need to find an agent who can represent them to publishers. But the "agent hunt" can be one of the most discouraging aspects of the quest for traditional publication.

When I began my agent hunt, I quickly realized that a large number agents had hung out the "not accepting unsolicited manuscripts" sign too. After I narrowed down those that might possibly be interested in what I write, I was left with a very short list of agents to query. I felt rather discouraged, knowing if none of the agents were interested, I might end up at a dead end.

With so many publishers AND agents closed to unsolicited manuscripts, what are writers supposed to do, especially if they're seeking traditional publication? What hope is there of getting a foot in the door when it seems like it's slamming shut?

It may appear hopeless, but the longer I'm in the publishing world, the more I realize that there are ways to get around the dead ends and push the door open a crack, especially when hunting for an agent. Here are just a few of the ways to overcome the barriers:

1. Get to know the agent through blogging, twitter, or facebook.

It's probably not a good idea to "stalk" agents in cyberland! But commenting regularly on their blogs, joining in their twitter discussion, and retweeting their helpful advice or posts can make a difference if done appropriately.

The internet makes agents more accessible than ever before. When we take the time to get to know them, they in turn can become familiar with our names (which is an important reason why we should be careful of the kind of online image we’re projecting). Of course there's no guarantee agents will remember our names among the hundreds they see every week, but I've heard plenty of stories about writers who were able to get a head start with a query or manuscript request because agents recognized their names through the interactions on blogs and twitter.

2. Developing a strong web presence could perk the attention of an agent.

In addition to getting to know agents on their home turf, we can take our internet presence a step further. When we begin to develop a wide-reaching web presence in our own unique ways, and as our name shows up more and more, we might garner the attention of an agent.

Agents sometimes pop onto writer blogs. I’ve had agent visits from time to time, especially when I’ve written a particularly interesting post or if I’ve discussed something an agent talked about in one of their blog posts. While most agents aren’t out cruising blogging-land for new clients, I have known writers who’ve landed their agents because of their strong web presence.

3. Attend a writer's conference to pitch to agents.

This tends to be one of the primary ways for writers to get their material in front of agents (and editors) who are otherwise closed to queries. It can be a fantastic way to get a foot in the door. It’s also expensive. If we hope to garner interest from an agent through a conference, we should do our research thoroughly. Get to know the agents and what they represent, target the best fit, and make sure our writing is really ready (we should even consider having a freelance editor help us polish the first 15 pages).

4. Connecting with published authors could lead to agent referrals.

Of course no published author wants to feel like someone is befriending them in order to get a referral to their agent. But because authors (like agents) are so accessible, it’s possible to form genuine friendships with them. Sometimes, through those relationships, authors will make recommendations to their agents on behalf of friends.

5. Building relationships within the writing community can lead to new possibilities.

All writers must start as unagented and unpublished. But as we move forward on the journey toward publication, doors will begin to open. We’ll soon find ourselves or our best buddies getting agents. Through the natural progression of our networking and friendships we never know what fresh opportunities will arise for us. That’s why it’s so important to join in and become a part of the writing community. We can all help each other reach for our dreams.

What about you? Have you ever been frustrated by reaching a dead end in querying? When so many top agents are closed to querying, what’s a writer to do? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Will My Grandma Like My Book?

My dear grandma is 92. She lives in an assisted living facility in Iowa and she has the spunk of a teenager. Like most grandmas, she’s always been proud of my accomplishments, no matter how big or small. Now with the release of my debut book only months away, she’s bursting her buttons.

She might boast about me to her friends, but once she starts reading my book, will she actually like it? Maybe she’ll think the romance is too sensual. Perhaps she won’t like the realistic way I’ve tried to portray the violence of the 1600’s. She might even think I’m sacrilegious to take the life of a real person and twist it into a fictitious tale.

I won’t be disappointed if she doesn’t like it. In fact, I have a feeling there will probably be a number of other family and friends who will buy The Preacher’s Bride to support me but won’t particularly enjoy the book (yes, including some of you, my loyal blogging friends).

The fact is, I have to keep my expectations realistic. It’s easy to start thinking all my blogging followers, twitter pals, and long-lost friends on facebook will buy my book, read it, and actually like it. Some might not like historicals, others may not want a romance, still others won’t consider picking up anything unless it’s Amish.

Bottom line: Our books won’t appeal to everyone.

Not everyone is going to want to “buy” our books. That goes for agents, publishers, as well as family and friends.

*Agents: Agents are attracted to different projects for various reasons. Of course they’re always looking for a well-crafted, saleable story. But agents have differing tastes in what they’re drawn to and we would be wise to try to get a grasp on what they’re looking for.

Many agents have client lists on their blogs—I suggest looking at the types of books they represent, perhaps reading a few to get a feel for what appeals to them. Take the time to get to know them through Twitter and blogging. This may help narrow the search for agents who will be most likely to “buy” our books.

*Publishers: Publishers often gain a reputation for certain types of books. For example, my publisher, Bethany House, is known for putting out terrific historical romances. Sure, they represent other genres. But they’ve built a name for strong historical romances.

I personally think it’s best to have the expertise insider advice of an agent in finding the publishers who will be most likely to “buy” our books. But we can also do our homework. Make a list of the top houses that represent work similar to ours. Look at their websites, browse through their books at a bookstore, get a feel for their tastes.

*Family & Friends: Forgive me for stating the obvious again: Not everyone is going to want to buy our books. It’s something I’m telling myself, especially the closer I get to the release of my book. And I won’t be offended if YOU don’t (although if you refuse, you may force me to TP your front yard with The Preacher’s Bride bookmarks).

It’s best to remember the bulk of our fans are Readers of our genre. I’m learning that there are a few places I can begin to connect with readers. I’ve recently signed up for accounts on GoodReads, Shelfari, WeRead, BookArmy, & LibraryThing. I want to be in the places where readers congregate so that I can begin to connect with the people who will enjoy my book the most. Many of these sites have pages for authors, as well as ways to chat with readers, do book giveaways, and draw in new fans.

Will my Grandma like my book? Will my nephew serving in Iraq like my book? (Last week he was very sweet and told me he was going to order it!) Will faithful blog readers like my book? Will they like yours?

Friends and family will support us, be proud of us, and cheer us on. But not everyone will fall madly in love with our books. As much as we want to strive to have a saleable, marketable books, we just can't expect to please everyone. We have to know our target audience, the true fans of our genre. They're the readers we'll want to please.

Where does that leave us? Be wise with professionals. Be realistic with friends. And most of all, make sure we love what we’re writing. Because when we’re passionate about it, it’s a lot easier to get others to love it too.

Will your Grandma like your book? Do you have realistic expectations about who will like your book? And do you know your target auidence, agents, and publishing houses?

What an Agent Does After the Book Contract

Everyone knows agents try to match authors with the appropriate publishing houses and get book deals. My agent, Rachelle Gardner, sent a book proposal to Bethany House Publishers and secured a three book deal for me (read more about it here).

But what happens after the deal is done and the contract signed? What does an agent do then? In other words, are there any other benefits to having an agent besides helping authors get book contracts?

Now that I’m on the other side of the contract fence, I would have to answer, yes, there are a number of other benefits to having an agent besides their expertise in clinching book deals.

Here’s a sample of a what an agent does after the book contract:

1. Supports the writer’s career: It’s a tough, complicated, ever-changing industry, and we can all benefit from having an expert at our side rather than navigating the choppy publishing waters alone. Agents not only get behind our current projects, but they’re looking out for our future ones too. They’re investing in our writing career, not just a book.

Rachelle offers the kind of support that makes me feel like I’m her only client (even though I know she has quite a client load!). Whether with phone calls, emails, or Twitter messages, she’s by my side whenever I need her. When I went to visit my Publishing House in January, she flew out too. She sat in on most of my meetings and supported me every step of the way.

2. Oversees the ongoing details of the contract: An agent helps negotiate the terms of book contracts for authors. But once we sign, that’s only the beginning. The agent helps make sure both sides fulfill their aspects of the contract in a professional and timely manner.

Rachelle keeps tabs on a variety of contract details that I don’t have the inclination or savvy to pay attention to. Advance schedules, due dates for synopses, book cover feedback—she’s right there on the front line helping me handle it all.

3. Promotes the author’s platform: I’m not sure if this is something every agent does. But because Rachelle has such a strong web presence, with thousands of twitter and blog followers, she’s able to give her clients extra boosts of “prime time” attention.

She occasionally hosts clients on her blog and has a link to client books there. On twitter, she shares about client book deals or other exciting news. She sometimes tweets about client blog posts and leaves links. All of this is professionally done and helps us in our efforts to build platforms.

4. Assists in all other writing-related issues: We all know having a writing career involves so much more than simply writing books. Although the writing needs to remain the foundation, other areas demand attention too—marketing, publicity, websites, blogs, etc.

Even though these issues are my primary responsibility, I’ve brainstormed with Rachelle on a couple different occasions recently on how best to proceed. Since she’s familiar with my publishing house and my writing, she’s able to offer the best possible advice to direct me.

My Summary: While not everyone may need or want an agent’s help, I’ve found an incredible sense of security in having an advocate for my writing career. On a professional level my agent works very hard for me. But I’m blessed, because on a personal level, she’s become someone I can talk to about anything.

What do you think? For those who already have agents, what have I missed? What else has your agent done for you? And for those still agent-hunting, what is most important to you in an agent?

5 Ways to Gain an Agent's Attention

The traditional editor slush pile may be near extinction, but the agent slush pile is still alive (See last post). But for how long? Already many agents no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts. And those that still do close their inboxes from time to time because they’re overwhelmingly busy.

Writers bite their fingernails and wonder if it’s possible to even find an agent anymore, much less get into a larger traditional publishing house. Is there hope? And how can a writer increase their chances of getting noticed?

Let me start by saying, yes, there is definitely hope. If an obscure wannabe like me can land an agent and a subsequent book deal with a major publishing house (Baker/Bethany House), then it can happen to anyone. I’m just an average writer and I didn’t have any inside connections to give me a boost.

So, how did I get noticed? How in the wide world of enormous, overflowing slush piles can any author gain an agent’s attention?

1. Write a book that grabs attention. Yes, this seems like a no-brainer, but while many of us want to write heart-grabbers, we don’t always know how or what.

I made myself a student of my genre. I read widely and decided how to approach my stories in a way that was unique from what was already available. If we can find a fresh spin, present a new voice, or develop a gripping plot, then we'll give agents a reason to take a second look at our story.

2. Learn industry standards and be savvy. We can’t crack open the latest Literary Marketplace guide and start sending out manuscripts. Instead we need to spend time familiarizing ourselves with the current market practices, learning standards, reading guidelines, and becoming a part of the pulse of the publishing world.

When someone tells me they’re a writer and then proceeds to ask me how to get published, I always point them to agent blogs. Read past posts, dig deep, learn as much as possible before querying. Agents can smell the difference between those who know their stuff and those who have absolutely no clue. And they don’t have the time to waste on writers heavily laden with the scent of ignorance.

3. Final in a writing contest. This worked for me. After I finaled in the ACFW Genesis contest, I emailed Rachelle Gardner to let her know. My manuscript was already buried in her slush pile, but the final was enough to perk her attention. She dug out my book, looked at it, and called me a day later.

Of course, the larger the contest the better, especially contests that agents and major publishing houses recognize. The book also needs to be finished and already out on submission or at least ready. I’ve seen far too many writers final in contests but not have their books completed and polished in order to take full advantage of that final.

4. Look for ways to introduce yourself to agents. Most agents blog and twitter. Following them not only helps us grow more savvy about the publishing world, but gives us an opportunity to leave comments or respond to tweets. In such interactions, we broaden our web presence, get our names out there, and perhaps eventually gain more than a passing glance.

Writing conferences can also give us access to agents, help them to get to know who we are, and give them a glimpse of our writing. The ten minute appointments may not be much, but combined with all of the above, could work to push us to the top of the slush pile.

5. Last but not least, persevere. When our manuscripts sit in agent slush piles for months, it’s easy to begin to think our books aren’t good enough, or that we’re not cut out for writing. But as I mentioned in the last post, most of us have done our time in the slush pile. We should just expect to languish a long time, and then if we defy the odds, we can consider ourselves blessed.

In the meantime, we need to write another heart-grabber. Agents and editors want to see that we can write more than one book, that we’re not a one-book wonder. And perhaps that second or third book will be the catalyst that pushes our other book out of the slush pile.

What do you think? Can you think of anything else that might help to get the attention of an agent? What do YOU plan to do?

Is the Slush Pile Really Dead?

The Wall Street Journal recently had an article entitled, “The Death of the Slush Pile.” (Jan. 15, 2010) As I read the article, I couldn’t keep from asking, is the slush pile really dead?

The “slush pile” is basically another name for the enormous stacks that used to accumulate on editor desks or floors consisting of unsolicited manuscripts authors would send with the hopes of getting "discovered."

Many years ago, when I first started writing, I remember trudging to the post office with my books and paying to mail them along with a SASE for the dreaded return. I knew my rubber-banded sheets would eventually make their way to a publishing house to a sky-scraper high stack, where they would sit until a harried editor gave them a quick glance.

The Wall Street Journal article said, “Now, slush is dead, or close to extinction.” Most major publishing houses no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts, not even emails. If writers call a publishing house like Simon & Schuster, they’d get an automated message that says something like, “Submissions must come to us via a literary agent due to the large volume of submissions we receive each day.”

The article went on to say the slush pile “has been transferred from the floor of the editor’s office to the attache cases of representatives who can broker introductions to publishing.”

In other words, the slush pile isn’t dead. It’s just moved location—it’s moved to the agent’s office. And not only has the slush pile moved location, it’s also no longer a “pile.” It’s a file, on a hard drive.

So, yes, in the traditional sense, the slush pile is indeed dead. But I want to propose that it’s still very much alive. Those of us querying agents can testify to the reality of the new slush file.

Stephanie Meyer author of Twilight, sent 15 query letters and got 10 rejections. One of those rejections came after she’d already signed with an agent and received a three book deal from Little Brown.

My book, The Preacher’s Bride (releasing in the fall), sat in Rachelle Gardner’s slush file for nearly 9 months. She had requested the full but didn’t pull it from her hard drive until I finaled in the Genesis Contest. Then she read it and subsequently offered me representation.

I’m sure we can all point to countless other examples of manuscripts languishing in slush piles. It still happens all the time. Agents are not only overwhelmed by the numbers of queries they receive, but then struggle to wade through the requested manuscripts that perked their attention.

What does all of this mean for us as writers?

1. Waiting in a slush pile is part of the process. It’s easy to get discouraged when we end up waiting for weeks, even months to hear back from agents. But remember, most of us have done our time in the slush (or are in the process of doing it). Look at it as part of the initiation into a writing career.

2. We can’t let slush piles determine our worth. Just because a manuscript isn’t picked up right away doesn’t mean it won’t go on to be published and have great sales. In other words, the slush pile time has nothing to do with the future success of a book. When our manuscripts sit, we get discouraged and begin to question our writing ability and our books, but we need to remember time in a slush pile is not indicative of our quality.

3. If our stories are good enough, they’ll rise to the top of the pile. . .eventually. Fortunately agents and editors are still looking for talented and well-crafted books. They want to find those gems within the pile. That should encourage us--if we continue to grow in our writing and ability to tell great stories, we’ll get noticed.

What do you think? Is the slush pile really dead? Have you done your time in a slush pile yet? What was your experience?

What Do Agents REALLY Offer Writers?

Last week Harlequin announced that it has formed a new self-publishing division called Harlequin Horizons. This comes on the heels of Thomas Nelson's decision to create WestBow Press, also a self-publishing division.

These decisions by major publishing houses have sparked many debates about self-publishing and what affect it will have on the future of publishing. My agent, Rachelle Gardner, posted two very thought provoking posts last week about this issue (here and here).

Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson, wrote a blog post: Why Agents May Be Opposed to Self-Publishing. It, too, was very thought-provoking.

One statement in particular from Michael Hyatt's post caught my attention. He said this: "The primary thing an agent sells is “access.” I fully realize this isn’t the only thing, but I would argue it is the primary thing, especially for new authors. The agent offers access to acquisition editors who otherwise wouldn’t give a would-be author the time of day."

I haven't had an agent very long, just since May of this year. Even though I don't have years of agented experience to draw from, something about Michael Hyatt's statement didn't settle right with me. After a few days thinking about it, I've put together my thoughts about what I think agents offer writers.

Yes, agents do offer "access" to big traditional publishing houses. Since most editors do not accept unsolicited manuscripts, agents have become the first door through which writers must pass in order to realize the dream of publication.

But is "access" really the primary thing agents sell? I have a few writer friends who've managed to get book contracts without agents (either via writer's conferences or through the category romance lines that still accept unsolicited manuscripts). Even these authors eventually go on to get agents.

Why would such writers bother to get an agent if they already have access? What do agents REALLY offer writers? In my humble opinion, here are a few primary reasons agents are necessary in today's publishing world.

1. Agents Are Gatekeepers. There are a lot of people writing these days. Okay, that's an understatement. There are a zillion people writing. One only has to look at the follower gadgets on agent blogs to see a fraction of those serious about publication. The competition is very high.

Agents have the tough job of sifting through numerous manuscripts and finding books that are ready for publication. As gatekeepers, they help offer an industry standard. And lest writers think the standard is too high, I believe if a story and craft are good enough, an agent will see that at some point. I have several writing friends who've recently landed agents. Don't lose hope.

2. Agents Are Teachers. Indirectly (via blogs and the querying process), agents push all writers to be better students of the writing craft. Those serious about a writing career work harder and study the craft and industry even more. And perhaps the faint-of-heart learn they need to pursue writing as a hobby and nothing more.

More directly, agents teach their clients many, many things. They help us improve our books, titles, proposals, and skills. They educate us on the realities of the publishing process, direct us how to market, and challenge us to grow. Agents have an invested interest in our writing careers and therefore want to teach us how to succeed.

3. Agents Are Matchmakers. This is perhaps the biggest advantage to having an agent. In the enormous, complicated publishing industry, writers need experts who know editors, who are familiar with all of the publishing houses, and who interact with them on a daily basis. Agents have their fingers on the pulse of the publishing industry in a way that the average writer could never hope to achieve.

My agent laid out a plan of action for my books almost immediately. She picked a publisher she thought was perfect for my books, made initial connections, and then proceeded to strategically negotiate until the deal was done.

What if I hadn't needed an agent for access? What if I could have submitted to Bethany House without Rachelle's help? First of all, I don't think I would have known just how perfect they were for my books. And secondly, I probably wouldn't have had the tenacity and savvy to get the deal she did. It's possible, but I'm thankful I didn't need to try it myself.

Agents do much more than I could possibly list in this post. I'm one writer who's grateful for agents--especially my agent. She offered me access, but in a way that went far above and beyond anything I could have ever done without her.

Thanks, Rachelle.

What do you think agents really offer writers? Do you wish you had the access to traditional publishers without having to go through agents? Or do you think agents have become a necessary part of today's publishing world?

Benefits of a Conference: Meeting Agents

One highlight of my recent conference was meeting my agent, Rachelle Gardner, for the first time. Here we are at a dinner WordServe hosted for their fiction clients. I had the lucky privilege of sitting next to her during the meal!

In addition to our dinner together, we had the opportunity to sit and chat for a while one night and get to know each other on a more personal level.

Did I really need to meet Rachelle in order to have a good working relationship with her? Absolutely not. But because we've interacted face to face, I believe our partnership will be even better. We got a taste of each other's personalities and styles. And I realized I can communicate with her about deeper issues. That's not easy to do with everybody. So I consider our connection a huge bonus!

Most conferences provide opportunities to meet with agents in appointments, at meals, and through panel discussions. These agent interactions provide many benefits:

1. Gaining confidence. With all of the agent blogs that are surfacing, agents tend to take on a larger-than-life status. A conference is the perfect place to see that agents are still just our size. We can cower in shyness or we can force ourselves to reach out with confidence. I took advantage of meeting other agents, besides my own, for that very reason. After one workshop, I shook hands with the agent who taught it and thanked him.

2. Promoting ourselves. If we've already been building a web presence, visiting agent blogs, and twittering, then there's the chance that our name and face will spark their attention when we finally meet them at a conference.

3. Learning more about publishing trends. Agents are a wealth of knowledge about the pulse of the writing industry. Hearing other writers talk about their pitch sessions with agents, about what various agents are looking for, was incredibly informative. I came away from the conference with a much greater feel for what is selling and what isn't.

4. Pitching manuscripts. Of course, having the one-on-one time to pitch a manuscript is what most writers crave out of a conference experience. If we're lucky, an agent might request a partial or full. Several of my blogging friends had this happen. Hopefully, because of the personal meeting, their manuscripts won't wallow in a slush pile once they send them to the agents.

A word of caution is in order, however. Meetings with agents aren't always sunshine and roses. I heard one story of an agent who looked around the room during the entire pitch, acting bored. Another agent wouldn't even glance at sample writing or a one sheet. And then there were some agents who requested manuscripts from everyone they met, without any discrimination.

Those kinds of experiences are frustrating, especially when a writer spends hundreds of dollars to attend, hoping for a genuinely helpful agent/editor meeting, even if it ends in rejection.

Writers should take advantage of all of the benefits of meeting with agents at conferences. But at the same time, we need to go in with realistic expectations. Agents are busy every minute of every day that they're at the conference. We may not get much time with them and it might not end up being the quality time we hoped for. That's the reality.

But here's the good news: excellent stories with superb writing will get an agent's attention eventually.

If you've gone to a conference, did you have a beneficial agent experience or did you leave disappointed? And if you haven't gone to a conference, how would you hope to benefit from meeting an agent at one someday?

Finding An Agent: Tips From Christina Berry

As a single mom and foster parent, Christina Berry carves time out of her busy schedule to write about the heart and soul of life. She lives with her family in rural Oregon. The Familiar Stranger is her debut novel. She’s visiting today to share her tips for finding an agent.

1. What was your agent-hunting experience like?

Let me check my file. (You all DO keep a file, right? The IRS considers a file of rejections to be proof your writing is a career and not a hobby. Casual writers don’t get rejections!)

All told, we submitted to agents nine times before receiving an offer of representation. I say “we” because my mother, Sherrie Ashcraft, and I were pitching our joint projects and were a package deal.

We first submitted to Natasha Kern in 2002, garnering our first agent rejection. Our last rejection came from Steve Laube on August 3, 2006—the very day the Van Diests asked for our full manuscript!

2. Every writer dreams of getting The Call. How and when did you get your Call?

It’s a little hard to remember exactly how that call played out because I’ve been with the Van Diest Agency for three years, which is a testament to their belief in my writing. I often hear stories of agents and authors parting ways when a sale has not occurred within the first year.

Let me jump in my time machine and go back … back … back to 2006 … I’m pretty sure we wore leg warmers and had huge bangs with side ponytails then, right?

My mother and I pitched a book called On the Threshold to Sarah & David Van Diest at the Oregon Christian Writer's Summer Conference. They told us to run through the entire plot, then asked to keep the proposal. Unusual, but definitely a good sign.

The next day, just as Randy Ingermanson was promoting his workshop from the podium ["What do we want to do? Create a Powerful, Emotional Experience in our reader." Yes, we want PEE], Sarah Van Diest poked her head between our shoulders and said, “That’s what you did for me.” Despite knowing the plot, she had cried in the first chapter of the book.

The Van Diests requested the full manuscript shortly thereafter and offered a contract within six days, which was before several other interested agents could even reply.

I read their email at about 2 AM. The adrenaline rush hit so hard and stayed so long, I only got about an hour of sleep. I remember lying in bed with my eyes refusing to close and my body literally humming.

3. What tips do you have for writers searching for representation?

• Follow agent blogs. It amazes me how much Chip MacGregor, Wendy Lawton, and Rachelle Gardner (among others) share about the business on their blogs.

• Attend conferences. If you don’t meet with potential agents, how will you know if you “click” or not?

• Hire a professional editor. Getting an agent is almost as hard as finding a publisher these days. If spending some money now takes your craft to the next level and garners the attention of an agent, isn’t that money well spent? Consider it getting a jump-start on your publishing career.

• Accept feedback. If you are fortunate enough to get ANY feedback in a rejection from an agent, thank the Lord and pay attention to what he or she has said.

Summary (Jody here): It's interesting to note that Christina and her mom looked for an agent for approximately four years. Four years is a LONG time!

While we're waiting on agents, it's often hard to know what's causing the hold up. Sometimes it's the nature of the game; there are so many factors outside our control (poor economy, busy agents, tall slush piles, etc.). However, sometimes our stories just aren't ready; agents are rejecting our work because we need to improve our writing skills.

If only we knew what was REALLY going on with those manuscripts we've sent out, then we'd have clearer direction on how to proceed. Have you ever been frustrated by the agent-hunt delays? If you're waiting for agent responses, do you have any guesses on what is causing the hold up?

Thanks to Christina Berry for sharing her agent story! Here's a little more about her debut novel.

The Familiar Stranger: Craig Littleton has decided to end his marriage with his wife, Denise, but an accident lands him in the ICU with fuzzy memories. As Denise helps him remember who he is, she uncovers dark secrets. Will this trauma create a fresh start? Or has his deceit destroyed the life they built together?

If you would like to learn more about Christina visit her here:
http://www.christinaberry.net/
http://www.authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com/

5 Tips for Hooking an Agent

Most writers seeking traditional publication need an agent. Those writing category novels, pursuing a small publisher, or self-publishing might not need representation. But the vast majority of us at some point will have to throw out the bait and try to hook an agent.

More and more agents are blogging. Setting up a lawn chair and camping out at their sites is THE best way to get a picture of who they are, what they represent, and what their submission guidelines are.

Once we've studied agent blogs, educated ourselves about the submission process, and narrowed down the list of who to query, then we're ready to toss our letter and sample chapters into the pond and wait for a bite.

But as anyone who's ever fished knows, sometimes the fish just aren't biting. In today's tight economy and flooded writer's market, agents don't seem to be biting. They might be nibbling, but often we dangle our line into the murky depths and wait. Endlessly.

Even though agents might not seem to be biting, they are. I recently hooked an agent. And if I can get one, then certainly there's hope for all of us, especially if we look for ways to increase our chances of getting a bite. So, here are a few things that worked for me.

5 Tips for Hooking an Agent:

1. Don't send out a book unless it's been critiqued, preferably by another writer who's further along in the writing journey. Editors and published authors are ideal. Critique partners are helpful, but not always able to provide critical feedback due to lack of honesty or skill. The bottom line is that we MUST have EXCELLENT writing skills and we often can't see our own work objectively enough to know if it's truly excellent. When we're getting consistent positive feedback from qualified sources, then maybe, just maybe we're ready to send it out.

2. Have two books polished and ready to sell. While one book might be enough to showcase our story-telling ability, two books are even better. I first queried one book to Rachelle, but after I had two professionally critiqued, well-written manuscripts, Rachelle seemed to take a greater interest in my writing.

3. Take advantage of contest wins, awards, or national recognition. Many of us are entering writing contests (if you're not, why not?). After I finaled in the Genesis contest, I decided I had the perfect opportunity to follow-up with Rachelle who still had my manuscript. If she wasn't interested, then while I was in the spotlight I needed to get my name in front of other agents familiar with the contest. Thankfully, she was interested.

4. Network among the writing community. Building a web presence is critical. For a previous post on this topic, click here. Another of Rachelle's clients, Billy Coffey, was rejected by Rachelle at least once. Through blogging, he became friends with a client of Rachelle's who liked his writing. That client talked to Rachelle who then agreed to read his manuscript and subsequently offered him representation. Conferences, blogs, twitter, facebook--if used correctly, they can help make connections and put our names in front of agents.

5. Don't get discouraged and give up. My manuscript sat in Rachelle's slush pile for months. I followed up periodically. But as I waited, I wrote the next book, entered contests, and worked on improving my writing. If we're getting continuous rejections on one book, then we need to put it aside, write the next one, and do even better. If we keep on improving, we can't go wrong with that.

These are just a few tips based on my experience. Do you have any other helpful ideas to add to the list? What has discouraged you most in your attempts to hook an agent?

Advantage: Finding Fresh Ideas

This week we're talking about ways writers can find advantages that may help move us out of the slush pile. Hiring a professional editor may be one way. But even more important is finding a fresh idea.

In agent Steve Laube's Seekerville blog interview, he indicated that he takes on very, very few new writers a year. In response, I mentioned how depressing his statistic was and encouraged us to think of ways we might get an advantage to beat the odds.

Steve took the time to make a comment in response to my post (click here to read the post). Here are his exact words. (Forgive me if you've already read the comment.)

"Sorry that the statistic was depressing (rejecting 99.9% of what I see). But I'd rather be honest than lead a new writer down a path only to break their heart.The math speaks for itself.

If I took only 1% of the proposals I see it would mean 20 new clients per year. That would make sense if I was just starting out, but it would also mean that less than half of those would find a publisher in a reasonable time.

I prefer to look at it this way. We should demand excellence from each other because we are in the "business" of changing the world through our writing. The reading public is pretty savvy and usually sniffs out the dreck (not always, but usually). So if a writer is commited to a career they need to be better than the writer next to them.

Therefore most agents are very picky. They should be. In a sense the agents and editors are a line of defense against mediocrity. I never intend to disappoint. But I try to be intentional about excellence. From your list I would pick...the idea. And then executing the idea in an excellent manner."

So, there we have it, straight from an agent. Another way we can get an advantage is by finding an incredible, fresh, never-been-touched story idea. Along with finding the idea, we need to execute it in an excellent manner.

I would have to add that even if our over all story concept is fresh, we have to go even deeper to make sure our characters and scenes are not cliche. Maass, in his Breakout Workbook, suggests cutting scenes that take place in kitchens, living rooms, cars, or where a character is drinking coffee or tea (especially in the first 50 pages). Such scenes are usually cliche and often lack tension. The point is that we want to be fresh and unique with just about every aspect of our stories.

With so many writers striving to find new ideas, how can we ever hope to find one that's never been touched? Is it even possible? Do you have any secrets for where or how you find yours?

Agent Visits

Over the last couple of weeks I've had the honor of having three agents visit my blog.

The first agent was Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency. I regularly read her agency blog and occasionally make comments. Last week Wendy blogged a series about the various things that signal the Kiss of Death to an author. I posted an ordinary comment. When I checked back the next day, I noticed she'd written a personal response to my comment. Her last line was: BTW I like your blog.

The second agent to visit my blog last week was Steve Laube of Steve Laube Agency. You may remember I quoted one of his statistics last week. (Click here to read it.) Steve was kind enough to write a comment in response to my post that day. I'm still not exactly sure how he found my blog, but I was excited he took the time to stop by.

The third agent was my new agent, Rachelle Gardner of Word Serve Literary. She honored me by reading through some of my posts, and she even made a comment on the same post as Steve Laube. (I will definitely be blogging about both of their comments next week!)

I learned a few lessons from these visits.

• Posting comments on agent blogs might be a useful way to help agents get to know who we are. (This is still debatable!)


• Make sure we guard what we say on our blogs because we never know who's watching! (And always say really wonderful things about agents!)


• Put an effort into making our blogs more attractive to agents and editors who might pop by for a surprise visit.

It's the last lesson that I'm ruminating on the most. I realized I don't have any way to give an agent or editor more information about my novels or myself as a writer. Of course if I had a website link, then they could click over to find out more about me there.

But even if we do have websites (which I'm planning to start soon), we still might benefit from having sidebar links on our blogs. The guests of honor could quickly and easily read more about our books, publishing history, platform, etc.

What do you think? Should we put links into our sidebars to help promote our writing careers? If so, what kinds of things would be most important to include?

We never know who might stop by our blogs for a visit and we want to make their stay as memorable as possible! (I'm considering having on hand a box of raspberry-filled Ghiradelli dark chocolate squares. *wink*)

Agent News!

As many of you know, one of my novels has been sitting in the slush pile agent Rachelle Gardner for a long time. I'm sure you've heard me lament about it plenty!

After finaling in the Genesis Contest, I decided now might be a good time to follow up with Rachelle and let her know about the contest results. So, I wrote her an email, told her both my manuscripts finaled, and spelled out some goals I had for getting them ready to pitch to editors at the ACFW Conference.

You can imagine my excitement when she emailed back and asked me to resubmit 50 pages of both manuscripts to her along with a synopsis for each. I jumped on the chance and got them to her Sunday evening.

Yesterday morning, Rachelle and I emailed back and forth a few times. Then finally she sent me an email that made my heart stop. I'd love to have a phone conversation with you sometime soon. Could you send me your number and some possible good times to talk?

For those who read Rachelle's blog, you know she recently posted about making THE CALL to authors. (Read about it here.) I prayed and hoped when my phone rang a short time later that Rachelle was making the call to offer me representation and not to tell me I needed to take a hike back to the drawing board!

She immediately put my fears to rest. She gave me the kind of news I'd been waiting to hear for a LONG time: she liked my work and wanted to offer to represent me!

The rest of the story will have to wait for future posts. But I will say this, Rachelle said she was excited about my projects! And she gave me a list of things I need to start working on. I'm going to be VERY busy, very, very busy!

And, Rachelle is just as sweet and fantastic on the phone as she is in her blog. I consider myself privileged and blessed to have the opportunity to work with her!

Thanks for letting me share this with you today! I know all of you writing friends will understand exactly how excited I am!