More on requested fulls, those problems we all want to have

With my third novel (a thriller), after two weeks of querying, I have 10 agents reading my full manuscript, and 2 partials out.

Question 1: I know you've addressed this a couple of times on the blog, but if I get additional full requests, should I let them know ten other agents are reading? More recently you said a writer should only reveal that information if an agent asks, but in a previous post a few years ago "When to reveal you're popular," you said it was okay to tell an agent if they request a full. I want to know if I can mention this without coming across as rude.

Question 2: Before I sent the manuscript out the first time, I believed it was completely ready, but after reading it again several times, I've found a handful of errors (for example, peak instead of peek). These happen after page 100, and I know you've mentioned that this is unacceptable, but I'm wondering if an agent will stop reading if they encounter an error or two past page 100.

None of the agents have responded so far, and I know you advise sending a revised manuscript, but I can't help but feel like the agent will think I would make a bad client if I do. Or will think it's annoying. If the changes are a few typo fixes is it worth sending a revised copy? If I do, how do I phrase that email?

Generally you only need to inform agents if another agent has made an offer.  I sometimes get those "another requested the full" emails, but they don't have any impact on when I read the manuscript.  If there's an offer, I will move that ms to the top of the list.

I caution all of you scofflaws out there who just had the bright idea of telling all agents that you've got an offer so as to get your ms to the top of the list. DO NOT DO THIS.  There are two reasons: lying is a TERRIBLE way to start a relationship with anyone let alone someone you will be working with long term.  And yes, you'd be amazed how easy it is to find out it was a lie.   Second, because I'm reading quickly I'm more likely to stop if I'm not totally thrilled. I'm Unlikely to offer any comments or revision suggestions.

The answer to your question is this: if an agent asks if anyone else is reading, it's fine to say yes, but it's almost impossible to inform everyone of full requests and not sound rude.

As to your second question: I don't stop reading unless the mistakes are frequent or egregious. If it's clear you didn't run spell czech I generally give you a chance to revise and resend.  I'm really not the comma police.

If you've got a LOT of homonyms I'll mark them until I lose patience, then send it back to you with a stern warning. Often I'll read a revised version if the author cleans up the ms.

If you've got a cleaner version of the ms, you offer to the agents reading the full.

Here's how to do that: Dear SharkForBrains, I found some errors that mortify me. I fixed them. Here's the cleaner version.  Yes, I consider myself gnawed. Love and kisses, woodland creature

I'd ALWAYS rather read a cleaner version. Every mistake yanks me out of the story. The fewer times that happens, the more I can concentrate of other things: pacing, tension, plot holes.

And none of that would make me think you'd be a bad client.
In fact, knowing the ms had errors and not caring? THAT's a problem.

Prologues

Speaking of prologues, those poor inoffensive often maligned, numberless chapter before the chapter...

Recently I watched the movie Spotlight. If Spotlight was a novel it would have a prologue. The first four or five scenes take place in 1976 (25 years before the main focus of the movie begins.) The scenes take place in a police station. It's not quite clear what has happened but we know that a priest has been brought in for some kind of crime, and will not be held to answer for it.

The last of that prologue is the faceless priest, escorted by the assistant district attorney, being driven away from the station, free to go.

The next scene is at the Boston Globe and the main story begins.

The function of the prologue is important: it lets us the viewer know something that the characters in the movie do not: something is very wrong, it's been going on a long time, and the powers that be are covering it up.

The tension in Spotlight comes not from "did he do it" but "will they get away with it …again."

That's all possible because of the prologue. It's hard to hate something that plays such a pivotal role, no?

Well, that's the trick of course: pivotal role.

Unless a prologue IS pivotal to the manuscript, it's probably not useful and can be discarded. I often tell writers that if the backstory in a prologue is important, weave it into the narrative. In the case of Spotlight that would be impossible. No one involved in the coverup, nor any of the contemptible priests are going to be visiting with the staff of the Boston Globe to give them backstory. If anything quite the opposite.

You need to ask yourself: what's my story? Is it "did he do it" or "will he get away with it again." Knowing the kind of story you want to write, and the kind of tension you want to build will help you know if a prologue is the right tool to use.


And as an afterthought: you just gotta love a movie where one of the lines is "golfing is not a verb."

Searching the blog for info

I have a question for the blog! If this has been covered I couldn't figure out the search terms to find it.

I've been remiss in labeling posts, and labels aren't as helpful as a good keyword search.

When you search for a post, use google. Type in "Janet Reid" and then the keywords you're looking for: Felix Buttonweezer, Carkoon, La Slitherina, rant...whatever it is you're looking for.

Most times that will get you what you need, or pretty close.

I always have to use that to find this post, cause I can never remember the phrase I coined.

If anyone has any other brilliant ideas I'm glad to hear them!

The distinction between rhythm and cadence

Recently a twitter follower asked me.

That's a good question.

If you look in my new favorite dictionary, Merriam Webster you find:

Rhythm: the effect created by the elements in a play, movie, or novel that relate to the temporal development of the action

Cadence:  a rhythmic sequence or flow of sounds in language the grand cadence of his poetry


The definitions aren't going to help much are they? This is one of the most interesting parts of being a word wrangler: really delving into the nuances of similar words.

I think the best way to talk about cadence is to read it or hear it.

This recent article in the WaPo has undeniable cadence: notice the short alternating paragraphs. It's almost like the call and response of the drill Sergeant calling cadence. 


 
 

or for those Bill Murray fans in the audience




Clearly cadence is rhythmic, but not all rhythm is cadence.

Here's rhythm that isn't cadence




Bob Fosse is probably the closest to a cadence style in his choreography (oh god, what a great artist he was) but it's still not the call and response and repetition of true cadence.


Here's why this is important to think about: you always need rhythm, and sometimes the rhythm you need is cadence. Rhythm and cadence are conveyed with word choices.  You can have flexible, flowy phrases and still have rhythm (think Faulkner) but cadence is going to use short sharp words. Think of the difference between marching and dancing.

Making these kinds of distinctions will help you choose just the right word which is a key element of compelling, interesting writing.  Here are some examples to start you out:

1. Pale and wan
2. Amble and saunter
3. Rage and fume
4. author and writer
5. trump and win (oh yes, I did that one on purpose)
6. hurl and toss
7. invective and insult
8. gamble and risk
9. pay and remit
10. shark and agent (ok, ok, that's just a joke)

Yes you can go overboard on this, much like you can on commas and other forms of rebellious punctuation, but I'd rather fish you out of the lagoon, than not have you dive in.

11. Chastise and upbraid
12. snarl and growl
13. nefarious and underhanded
14. the devil and the deep blue sea (ok, that's also a joke)



Now, marching off to the office:

I don't know but I've been told
Query No's are really cold

Sound off! Sound off! Three, four

Requested fulls are sent with hope
Waiting time will make you mope

Sound off! Sound off! Three, four.

Get "the call" and leap for joy
Ours is just to write and die!

Sound off! Sound off! Three, four

Speaking of the Canon

The canon is what one must have read to be considered well-educated. There is the canon for Western civilization which is largely books that are non-fiction. There is the canon of English literature (the books you'd see in an English Lit survey class in college.) There is the canon for literature of the American West.

And of course there is the canon for whatever category you write (or in my case read) in. I mentioned the canon a few days back as something you'd need to know if you wanted to write something fresh and new in a well-trod category.

I hadn't heard the term "the canon" till I got to grad school when it was the subject of fierce debate. I mean fistfight debate. Of course that was just about the time a lot of people realized the literary canon should include people like Alice Walker, Margaret Atwood, Tillie Olson, and all those other people who didn't have the balls to be old white men.

But enough of my misspent youth.

Recently, I was reading my requested fulls. One was a fresh take on the old familiar country house murder trope. I had LOVED those books as a kid. Not just for the murder but for the world they created. No surprise I grew up to love Upstairs, Downstairs, Downton Abbey, and my beloved Gosford Park.

Which brings us to The Secret of Chimneys which is an Agatha Christie novel. You might not have heard of it because the main character is Superintendent Battle not the world famous Hercule Poirot or Miss Jane Marple (who I think is the best character ever, and to hell with that walking Belgian mustache.)

But I digress.

I realized as I was reading the manuscript that it had been quite some time since I'd read one of the original country house mysteries. I popped online and sure enough, The Secret of Chimneys was right there in paperback and ebook. I bought the paperback (somehow I had the idea if I did, I'd also get the ebook, but that was my stupidity.)

I started reading the ebook only to discover it stopped about 20 pages in and I'd have to buy it to keep reading.

Now, writer fiends, here's the point of this blog post: I didn't wait till Tuesday, a mere 48 hours from that exact moment, when the paperback would arrive. I didn't wait till Tuesday to finish reading a book I've read at least five times before (admittedly some years back, but I knew whodunit, and I knew the ending.)

I bought the ebook so I could finish the book then and there. And I did. And it was as good, if not better than I remembered (although the racism and classism is just really hard to ignore.)

And that is the pudding proof of damn fine writing.

Thus my suggestion to you: list five go-to books for the canon in your category. Go read them again. See if they hold up. If they do, you know you've got an author to study closely. What they're doing has stood the test of time, changing fashion, changing tastes.

You might not be able to read 100 books in your category but you surely can read five.

If I were to pick five they would be:

The Mirror Crack'd by Agatha Christie
The Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan
The Key to Rebecca by Ken Follett
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
When the Sacred Ginmill Closes by Lawrence Block

And even as I look at this list I think of all my faves who are not here: Lee Child, Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly, Catriona McPherson, all my clients!!!, Nick Petrie, Lou Berney, and a dozen others I'll think of in another minute.

But my point here is not to choose only five, it's to figure out what works in a novel that appeals to you for YEARS. A novel that you'd use to illustrate essential elements of a novel (I use Key to Rebecca on shifting POV all the time.) A novel that can be YOUR signpost for moving ahead.

When I go to the Met, I often see students painting copies of the great masters. By copying they are learning. It's not plagiarism to copy. It's plagiarism to copy something and pass it off as your original work.  Thus, I suggest using these authors as guideposts, but don't just change the names in The Secret of Chimneys and expect to have a bestseller.  Superintendent Battle and his sharkly fan will not be happy if you do.

Do you have some classics that have stood the test of time?

PS writer fiends is not a typo

Where do I start?

I've received two requests for fulls (woo hoo!) from my first round of querying about 20 agents. Yes, you were in that round and sent me a polite no. Before I started querying, I worked with an editor who has a literary bent. She was fabulous and strongly believed I should start my book with Chapter A, which is something of an "intro" but squarely puts the deeper drama of the story in the reader's hands by the third paragraph.

My main beta reader is a successful commercial thriller writer - and boy, does he know how to start a book. He disagreed with literary editor and suggested I flip the order of my first two chapters, following instead the rule of starting "in scene" in a tense moment, then inserting the "intro" into Chapter 2.

My book is a crime family saga that is more literary than commercial, but it's not exactly literary enough to win prizes. So I followed Thriller Writer's suggestion.

My first requested full came from a query only, no sample pages. The second requested full came today from a kind agent who flat out told me she didn't connect with the first chapter (that was all she requested with the query), but she was intrigued enough by the premise that she wanted to read the rest. Most agents won't give me such benefit of the doubt. I'm wondering, should I now flip the chapters for the next round of queries to see if a different first chapter connects better?

Or does it matter? I'm sure all agents are savvy enough to discern from the query and the writing style when it's possible the writer just hasn't started in the right place, but they don't have time or interest to grant the leeway I was so graciously given today.

If you had any idea about how we chew over stuff like this here, you'd feel right at home. This week I worked on a pitch letter--17 revisions later I think we have the final version. And that's small potatotes compared to a novel.

But what those two things have in common is that in the end, you have to have confidence in that final draft.

So, you'll read it over. You'll get some opinions, and then you'll fret some more.

There is no right or wrong answer to this because every reader comes to a book with different tastes. I love starting in the middle of action, but it drives me bat shit crazy to then LEAVE the action and start filling in the backstory.

Keep a log of which "first chapter" garners the most requests. Use that info to refocus/revise as needed.

A longer quiz (part two)

In part one of today's blog post, there was a quiz about what to do when you get an offer and you have requested fulls out with other agents.

Scenario One:
You've sent out queries and gotten several requests for full manuscripts. You've sent those out. You've gotten confirmation of receipt. At least one of those receipts mentions the dreaded "wait 90 days before following up".

Then, trumpets sound! Angels arrive! An offer! You're going to have an agent! It's not quite a miracle of course cause that's a Damn Fine Novel, but you're feeling pretty damn good!

What do you do next?
1. Accept the offer (after doing all the stuff you're supposed to about questions and research etc)?
2. Ask for some time to give other agents who've requested fulls time to read?
3. Accept the offer and notify the other agents who've requested fulls that you've accepted the offer and thank them for their time?


Scenario Two:
Trumpets sound! Angels arrive! An offer! You're going to have an agent!This one IS a miracle because it's absolutely your Dream Agent! Your DREAM AGENT wants YOU!!! You're not just feeling good, you're feeling so good you can leap tall buildings in a single bound.
What do you do next?
1. Accept the offer (this is, after all, Dreamy herself!)
2. Ask for some time to give other agents who've requested fulls time to read?
3. Accept the offer and notify the other agents who've requested fulls that you've accepted the offer and thank them for their time?


 Scenario Three
More quickly than you thought possible, less than 30 days later, Angels arrive! An offer! You're going to have an agent! You're so stunned at how quickly this happened that you actually call the library to verify today's date.
What do you do next?
1. Accept the offer (given that you're not supposed to nudge anyone till at least 90 days later)
2. Ask for some time to give other agents who've requested fulls time to read?
3. Accept the offer and notify the other agents who've requested fulls that you've accepted the offer and thank them for their time?



This is the ONLY right answer. Even if the agent making the initial offer is your Absolute Must Have Dream Agent. Even if it's been less than 90 days.  Even if you're terrified the offer will be withdrawn (it won't, as long as it's a SHORT window: less than a week)

Here's why: if you sign with an agent (any agent), then email me to tell me, my conclusion is you signed with someone you preferred more than me. No problem. I can live with not being your first choice.  Of course I feel a bit insulted but I'm not going to do anything about it like write back and say "how about a heads up here, Writerly One."

BUT if that relationship with Shiny New Agent doesn't work out (and I hope it does, really I do) and you're querying again next year, and you start with all the people who liked your work before (ie me) you're not Shiny Prospective Client anymore. I'm the one you didn't want the first time around. You think I don't remember? Think again.


If you believe "don't nudge for 90 days" means you shouldn't let me know of an offer, you're incorrect. I'd rather know than not. Give me a chance to get in the scrum. I'm a competitive beast. It's one of the things that makes me good at this job, and dreadful at a lot of others (nun, truckstop waitress, girl scout.)

Publishing is a long game, and you'll be very smart not to burn any bridges unless you absolutely have to.

Is this the post of a massively inflated ego? Yes of course. But it's still true, and it's still something to watch out for. In other words, my ego probably isn't shrinking ever anytime soon.

put your contact info on your damn blog

Recently, a writer made a very astute comment on a QueryShark blog post.
A comment that gave me a real epiphany.

Naturally, being sharklike, I wished to send an email chastising her for being brilliant and insightful.

She, being clever, did not have her contact info on her blog. Or on her blog commenting profile.

Foiled!

But I will not be deterred.


Bethany, I'm looking at you.

And in case you're wondering, here's the comment (I underlined her comments I found particularly helpful and blue ink is a comment I added):

The problem with fantasy is that there's so much world building that it can be hard to write a sensible query without spending too much time on world-building. There's also a LOT of fantasy out there, and since high fantasy doesn't depend as much on current culture as other genres, you have more competition. There's no intrinsic reason why a high fantasy novel written in 2016 will mean more to me as a reader than one written in 1975. (This would apply to historical fiction as well)

So how do you set your query apart? I don't think the answer is by focusing on the plot. By all means, describe the stakes and the plot in the query, but that's not where your edge should come from. Your edge should come from your characters. There is nothing new under the sun, plot-wise. But fun, engaging, rascally characters? They're timeless.

Why should I care about Blackwater? Is he noble? Blah. Is he a reluctant hero? Yawn. Is he funny? Hmm... I could work with that. Brooding? I'm a sucker for brooding heroes. Is he finicky, whiny, feisty, big-hearted, foolish, intelligent, beautiful, ugly, sharp, dull? The only things I know about your characters are their circumstances. That isn't enough.

You've got a little of this with your first two paragraphs, though the shark is right. First person is confusing. But I sense reluctance, bitterness, and regret - three things that make characters interesting. You lose that in the rest of your query. Give me the regret, give me the heartache, give me the spilled blood. I want to see your character staring over the edge of a cliff. Gimme! :)  

My insight: What's at stake for the hero/heroine, what s/he wants, should reveal his/her character.

I don't think I've ever said that when we've talked about getting plot on the page, but I think it will be very useful.

Thanks Bethany. Now put your damn contact info on your blog so I can swim over with a thank you note.

Author names for mutually exclusive categories

I have several projects aimed at a fairly wide variety of audiences:

(1) YA fantasy
(2) children's short story collection (Christian)
(3) intimacy and sex

I've been told the general trend is not to use multiple names, that I need to focus on building my brand. While I understand building a brand, and that building multiple brands is a lot more work, I also feel that these particular markets might not mix well. Some parents of genre #2 might be put off by #1, and some would *definitely*[1] be put off by #3. And it seems that some readers of genre #3 would likely not take seriously an author in #2, and possibly even #1.

I have a book out under my real name in genre #1, and books nearly ready in the other two.)

If I were looking at you as a prospective client, the first thing I'd tell you is to focus. You've got a lot going on here.

I'm assuming the third category is non-fiction, and that's where platform is a requirement. You must have visibility there for any kind of book proposal to have traction.

Thus, pick the name you want to use for that, and start building your platform there.

You don't need platform for novels. I don't know enough about the Christian market to know why they don't like fantasy (for that you'll need to read Rachelle Gardner's invaluable blog---something you should be doing anyway.)

We've talked a lot here on the blog recently about how hard it is to do more than one thing really well. You might want to think about which of these projects is the most important to you, and focus on that. 

I'm not sure you need a different name. In this day and age of total transparency, trying to be two people is a whole lot more difficult than it used to be.

So, who were you again?

Recently I received a late night email from a writer I've been in touch with for about seven months. He'd queried me and I'd sent back his requested full with some chipper notes and a flinty-eyed demand for revised pages. In other words, we're as close to pals as anyone can be with a shark.

He's also a regular commenter here and might have won a flash fiction contest.

In other words, we're pals AND I know his name.

Too bad my spam filter didn't.

Priscilla is a petulant thing. She is stupid as only a literal-minded thing can be (not quite on the level of sheep in that she's not quite suicidal but close.)

When I tell her in no uncertain terms that AuthorPalOMine@SharkForBrains.com is a pal, and his emails should be color coded green and speedily sent to my inbox with a trumpet flourish, she will do that.

But she'll ONLY do that if the email is AuthorPalOMine@SharkForBrains.com.
If it's AuthorPalOMine@AuthorPalOMine.com, Priscilla balks.

And by balking I mean she does not color code it green, does not speedily deliver it to my inbox and all trumpets have fallen silent.

Given we all have multiple email addresses (I have six, three of which you'll see associated with my agenting gig) it's really important to remember that Priscilla and her ilk require consistency.

Always query from the same email address. Always follow up from that address if you're doing revisions or anything else.

If you're pals with a shark, and you know you're going to change email addresses, let me know. That way I can make sure Priscilla's instructions are updated.

Here's the reason you want to do that: If you send something with an attachment, it's likely to get sorted into spam if your address isn't in my address book. Once you're in spam, my response time drops like a rock cause I do forget to check it sometimes.  Oh, I'll find you eventually sure, but neither of us really want a delay like that.


I do pay attention to the people I know, but the way I make sure of that is by color coding your email address. Change your email address and you've stymied me. I'm pretty sure this is NOT what you want to do.

Is it?

Unfortunate first impressions

Referrals can be a good way to warm up the otherwise-arctic query process. Good referrals are a recommendation to an agent from someone the agent knows. Really good referrals are when that someone has read your book, likes it and says so.

I pay very close attention to these kinds of referrals; when they come from my clients, I act on them immediately.

By act immediately I mean I google the author being referred.

Recently, one of my clients gave me the name of an author who was looking for an agent. The author was talking to friends, getting names. My client sent me a heads up that she's read the author's book, liked it, and had passed my name along to the author.

When I got my client's email, I immediately googled the author. Her website was the first item on the google results list so I clicked on it. (The other options were Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, her publisher's site, Twitter, and then some book reviews.)

The website was a disaster of epic proportion.

Not least among the problems was that her website allows comments on her pages, and her comment column was filled with spam. (Remember discussing using blogs as websites?)

This is a TERRIBLE first impression.

If you're querying, you want to make sure your website or blog is spiffy.

Now, I can hear some of you plaintively asking why? why? It has nothing to do with the writing!
That's very true. It has nothing to do with the writing.
It has an ENORMOUS amount to do with the my impression of how much coaching you'll need on what are now the fundamentals of Being a Published Writer.

When you're a published writer, your competition is no longer the slapdash, the ignoramus, or the wretchedly bad writer. It's GOOD writers. It's PUBLISHED (or about to be published) writers. You're no longer competing for agents. You're competing for readers.

And if you think agents are tough to please, wait till you meet real readers in the trenches of the Amazon reviews. Or on your blog.

Or worse: not at all.

You want a website that gives readers value for their eyeball time. They're looking for info on your books, probably some info about you, and often a way to contact you. What they're not looking for (at least on your site) are cheap term papers or scented dog poop bags or ways to attract a man.

And yes, I help my clients with that stuff. So yes, I'm much MUCH more interested in someone who's at least on the ball enough to watch their blog for spam.

If you're at this stage of querying, google yourself to find out what I'll see first. Then make sure what I can see looks polished. At the very least clean up the spam! And have you checked your Goodreads page lately? What impression will I get there?

You'll notice all this happened BEFORE I knew anything about her writing or had even gotten a query from the author. In other words, this is something to take care of EARLY rather than waiting till you think you need it.

This kind of googling tells me how to prioritize this referral and subsequent query. If I'd seen something less daunting, I might have reached out to the author. As it is I'll wait for the query, and it's not going to be one of those I drop everything to read.

Any questions?

novel proposal

My agent has asked me to write a proposal for my new novel. Since he wrote the proposal for my last (and only other) novel before submitting it over a year ago, I am genuinely terrified I'm going to mess this up. This novel is in a genre he normally doesn't rep, so I guess I'm the best qualified to write this.

Is this something literary agents expect their clients to know how to do (and do often)? I've bought a couple books and have googled a ton to make sure I get this right, but I can't get my agent to even answer my (few and far between) emails to ask him (I know... I know... that's a whole other problem). Thanks in advance for your advice. 

I'm a tad perplexed here since  I've never asked anyone to write a proposal for a novel. Generally my clients write either
1. a novel or
2. several chapters and an outline.

Which is not to say I haven't sold books based on notes on a cocktail napkin but that's not a proposal either.

Maybe several chapters and an outline is what your agent means.

The best thing to do though is ask him to show you what he wrote for your first novel proposal.  In fact, why is it that you haven't seen it?


You've also not mentioned if the first book sold. If it did, what the publisher needs in order to decide on acquiring the second book (or option book) is spelled out in the contract. It should say "full manuscript" or "synopsis" or "three chapters" or something very similar. It should be clear what's expected.

If your book did NOT sell, you've pointed out a problem with communication with your agent. You might think about addressing that before moving ahead on the next project.

Communication only improves when both parties are aware of the problem and working to fix it.

So, my life is about to implode, should I mention that?

For reasons I won't get into, my personal life is going to be an unholy mess soon. I've been sending out queries and the responses are pretty good. How upfront should I be with a prospective agent about the soon-to-be shambles of my life?

Be upfront but NOT in the query. This is information I'll need to hear in our conversation after I've read your manuscript.

If you've got a problem, it's better to know ahead of time so we can plan effectively.  If you don't tell me, and my emails start to disappear into the ether, my first thought is that you're a flake not that your life is having its way with you.

Shambles can cover a lot of things: illness, divorce, impending arrival of a child (for both mother and father!) moving, taking a new job. Even expected events can arrive in unexpected ways (like my dear friend's first baby who arrived 90 days early and introduced us all to the miracle of neo-natal intensive care.)

What you're really wondering is whether, upon hearing this, an agent will run screaming for the exit. That's a realistic concern, and certainly some might.

And I hope that us sharkly types will realize that letting a mermaid hold our fin while her tail is being mended is a very good use for fins.

That's not photoshop, dear reader!

Query on, be up front, and plan for success.

May 2016 be a terrific year for you.

Contract in hand, but not an agent

 There's a recurring question covered in blog posts by agents and authors that's often titled: "Is an Agent Worth It?"

I do not have an agent and have just received a contract for a 3-book deal. I would now say, without reservation, that an agent is DEFINITELY worth it.

I would give my left foot to have someone more experienced with more clout be in charge of this contract and the negotiations.

The story of why I am agentless is too long to include here, but I definitely want to strap on my armor and find an agent for any books subsequent to Book 3.

When is the best time for me to look for an agent under these circumstances? And, is there anything I need to know about querying under these circumstances -- anything that is different from the general agent-search advice? 

For starters, if you (or any writer reading this) find yourself with an offer and no agent, email me and I'll put you in touch with people who review contracts for authors on an hourly rate. Most of them are former publishing company contracts department people.

As to your actual question: You'd do well to query now even though the agent will not be the agent of record for those books.

Never assume someone won't be interested in establishing a relationship with you early on.

Also, you can pay an agent from your contract proceeds directly. The publisher pays you, you pay the agent 15%.

If you are unable to secure interest at this stage, you'd query next when the publisher is talking about the option book for this contract. 


This is one of those times when hitting a good writing conference will be useful since talking about your situation with an agent might be a lot easier than querying about it.

 

Query Question: more on waiting time

I am a contemporary romance writer and have been submitting my third novel to agents.

I'm delighted to say that I have had 6 Full requests and 2 Partials (the most positive responses I have ever had) since 25 May but have not heard a thing back from any of these agents so far.

Could you tell me please what the "average" process is when an agent might be considering offering representation to a writer and how long these things can take?

I'm trying to keep busy with other writing (and planning Book 4) and the last thing I want to do, is come across as impatient! I have only "checked in" with one of the agents so far (after 10 weeks) and she apologised, saying she was swamped and would get to my MS asap.

I suppose I'm just apprehensive that all 8 are going to reject my work!

Of course you are. You are a writer. Worrying about things you can't control is pretty much #1 on your To Do list each and every day.

The industry standard for full manuscripts is 90 days. That means you don't utter a word till August 25.

After August 25 you can email ONCE every six-eight weeks, very politely, asking for a status update.

I will tell you that I'm running VERY late on requested fulls right now because I've had a lot of client work come in, and that comes first.

I think everyone is running long right now except those efficient elves AWESOME AGENTS and FIERCE WORD WARRIORS, KICK ASTERISKS AND TAKE NAMES Sarah LaPolla and Jessica Faust

I see those tweets and I look more like this:

I know you're anxious, but the very best thing to do is keep sending out queries, and work on your next book.  The pace in publishing is glacial for the most part.  Time to fortify your coping mechanisms.

Query question: republishing short stories

In several posts you comment on the negative impact that self-publishing may have on securing a traditional publishing contract for a novel. Things like poor sales record online, can’t be pitched as a “debut novel”, etc.

In your opinion is there any downside to republishing a previously published short story from a professional print anthology, if rights have reverted to the author? There seems to be a demand for short fiction on Amazon and I wondered if having previously published short fiction online might potentially have the same negative impact when pitching a debut novel? What if it is a novel based on the short story? I have not gone that route, but if I was to do so, would there be an expectation to mention that in a query?

Republishing short stories is fine. Stories are very different from novels in that respect. For starters, you aren't really responsible if it only sells one copy. Editors expect stories to sell in low numbers.

If the novel is based on the story, you're still ok.

If you've had a short story selected for publicaiton,  whether or not the novel is based on it, you mention that in the publication credits paragraph of your query.

Rant: send All

In yesterday's email I found this:

For the last 40 plus years I've communicated with my family and friends to share our fate and fortunes.  The numbers receiving this at one time topped 700 and has been whittled down a bit though the number is large and many share with others which is fine. 

Yes, it's the form letter in the annual Christmas card. Sent to "family and friends" which this nincompoop has mistaken for everyone in her address book. I'm not her family, and I'm not her friend. I'm one of the agents she queried in 2011; she's one of the writers who received a form reply.



If you would like to make sure that I never see any email from you again EVER, this is a sure-fire way to do it.


Send ALL is a disaster waiting to happen.  Your email address book saves all sorts of addresses and unless you look at that list and refine it, you're going to end up in this lady's shoes.

Send ALL also a sign of laziness.  It's a whole lot easier to hit Send ALL than it is to go through the list and delete names you don't need.  One of the things I'm NOT looking for in 2015 (or ever) is laziness. In fact I'm looking for the exact opposite.

Be smart. Send smart.

You have to ask the right question

Recently, I've gotten several voice mail messages from a writer asking me to call her back to tell her if "I'm accepting new clients."

I'm not going to call her back (now, or ever) because it's clear from the question that she doesn't understand how this query process works, and I don't want to spend 20 minutes on the phone doing Query 101, or worse Publishing 101.

She's asking "Are you accepting new clients" much like you'd contact a physician or dentist to ask if they are accepting new patients.

That presumes there are a certain number of slots and the next person to ask gets the one that's not filled.

That's NOT how querying works at all.

Even if I'm not eagerly searching out new clients, I'm always willing to read your query.  Frankly most agents are. We're always on the hunt for good projects.

So, the right question to ask YOURSELF is "how do I query this agent?"  To answer that you look at his/her website.

You don't call to ask.
You don't email to ask.

You just send the query.
I reply.


It's so splendidly easy and simple that it's mind boggling, I know.

Ordering books from international authors

 The second book by Marie Phillips (she wrote the hilarious Gods Behaving Badly) doesn't have a US publisher yet. This strikes me as 1) a goddamn travesty, and 2) an opportunity for you to help writers and readers Read and Sell Without Borders.

How should readers buy books from international authors when publishers in their own countries haven't seen the light?

Shop on Amazon.co.uk  and pay international shipping?

Please become Queen of the Known Universe ASAP and address this grievous humanitarian issue.
 

oh my dears, I weep with shame that I have not mentioned BookDepository.com where one can order all sorts of books and get free shipping.

However, unless my eyes deceive me, I can't find any other books by Marie Phillips.  

Query Question: more on genre and category

I've completed a novel that I would describe as fitting into the genre of "women's contemporary novel", However, I think the best description for it is "book club fiction." Is it okay for me to describe my manuscript as book club fiction? For example, "One of your clients INSERT NAME suggested I contact you regarding AWESOME TITLE, my 76,000 word work of book club fiction."?

Well, since there's no genre called "women's contemporary novel" you should call it almost anything else up to and including cowgirl haiku. Book Club fiction seems as good as any.


Genre and category are often used interchangeably but they're not.

Genre generally means either (1) western, (2) crime, (3)science fiction/fantasy or (4)romance.

Categories are things that can be in any genre: erotica for example. You can have an erotic Western, and/or erotic crime.

YA is a category rather than a genre because you can have YA mysteries, YA SF/F, and YA anything else you want.

Book Club fiction is a category, but it's most often used to describe novels that are women's fiction-- character driven with plots propelled by relationships more than plots propelled by events. More of The Feelings and less of The Fisticuffs.

I think you're better off calling this women's fiction. You always want to use the designation that includes more readers rather than fewer.