Category — DIY MFA

Welcome back to your Do-it-Yourself MFA program.

Let’s say that you didn’t get an agent, that you’ve been banging your head for a year or several years or several projects and you still don’t have an agent.  There are other paths to publication.

Self-publishing is open to everyone. You pay a fee, and they put your manuscript in book form. Prices range from a couple hundred to several thousand. Self-publishing utilizes a system called POD or Print-on-Demand and it’s similar to Cafepress. They do not waste materials until someone wants the book; meaning, the reason you can usually only get self-published books online rather than in a bookstore is that they don’t exist until someone makes a purchase and then they are printed within the day and mailed out.

The writer pays an upfront fee (Booksurge, Amazon’s program, asks for anywhere from $800–$6000 depending on what you need done–and I’m sure there are places that do it for much less, but you also sometimes have lower quality with the lower fee), and then receive back a portion of the book sale–sometimes up to 35%. So … just to explain the math to see if this option is right for you, if a book costs $15, you should receive back $5.25 per book sold. You’ll need to sell a little over 150 copies of the book to break even and after that, you’ll turn a profit. (That is, if you go the cheapest route on Booksurge.  You’ll need to sell well over 1,ooo books if you choose a more expensive option.)

Advantages are clear–it is entirely within your control. All you need to do is write the book.  And frankly, if you’re not up to enduring a lot of rejection (because even JK Rowling endured rejection), self-publishing is the way to go. It is a sure thing. You also have control from start to finish, deciding what goes in the book as well as the look. Though you have to front the money for the process, if you have a thousand dollars to invest, you can easily turn a profit if you have a decent platform. And for most writers, turning a profit is not the reason they wrote the book: it’s to get the information into the hands of people who need it or would enjoy it. Therefore, self-publishing is the perfect way to make sure that information or a story doesn’t linger unpublished on a Microsoft Word doc on your computer. It is the only way within your control to make sure that it gets sent out into the world.

One other advantage is that some PODs then get picked up by a publisher, though this is uncommon and not something that can be controlled. This scenario is the needle in the haystack and I can only think of one book like this off the top of my head, but the point is that self-publishing does not need to be the end-point.  It can also be the starting point to prove the book’s worth.

The disadvantages are clear too–since anyone can publish a POD, there is a big range of quality. POD-dy Mouth used to be the place to go to separate the wheat from the chaff, but with that site closing, it’s really up to you to exercise a buyer beware mentality as a reader. Every book you are purchasing from a publishing house (small or large) has been professionally edited as well as vetted if it is a work of non-fiction, with research notes examined and challenged.  Publishing a book is VERY different from writing a book, and self-published books miss out on the whole publishing process.

Having been a freelance editor–sometimes called a book doctor–(as most MFA grad students are at some point in their life) and having been on the receiving end of a publishing house edit, I can tell you that it’s two very different processes where one is receiving a collection of notes (book doctor) and one is participating in a collaborative process with (1) some control over using the notes removed but (2) a keen-eye focused on getting the right message across (a traditional editor at a publishing house). Removing the publisher from the publishing process can remove some credibility depending on the reader.  There is much, much more to publishing than slapping a cover on a book, arranging the pages, and getting it listed online, and self-published books miss out on some important steps in the collaborative book birthing process that come with traditional publishing.  Self-publishing should actually be called self-printing and not publishing.

The other disadvantage is marketing. You are entirely on your own for marketing with a POD unless, again, you pay for services. If you have a pretty strong platform or the book gets a cult following, this isn’t an issue. But it means that you keep having to take the initiative to get it out there and it can be exhausting (and avenues can quickly be exhausted). Most publishers expect authors to take a certain amount of initiative, so it isn’t as if this disadvantage is unique to PODs, but the difference is that (1) you will not get the foot traffic picking up your unknown book off the shelf at a bookstore because it’s usually only offered online and (2) some traditional reading sources and media outlets will be closed to PODs.

The last disadvantage is that as an author, you think like an author and you can’t see the big picture that someone on the other side of the business can see.  Traditional publishers have seen which covers work and which do not.  They know where to focus their energies on marketing a book.  You know your book best, but they know marketing best.  Self-publishing rejects the idea that professional out there might know a thing or two.  Sometimes, you’re right.  Unfortunately, sometimes you’re also wrong and if you’re wrong, you might be out a lot of money.

And really, at the heart of this, is a central idea that everyone needs to remember — book writing and book publishing are two very different things.  You may find that you love the idea of book writing, but hate the actual process of book publishing.  If that’s the case, self-publishing may be the best route for you.  But some people really want to experience both sides of the process — the writing of the book and then the publishing of the book — and may find that it’s better to leave a document on the computer or choose the route I’ll discuss below instead of self-print the book.

It’s sort of the difference between a veggie burger and a hamburger.  They look alike, but a veggie burger is not a hamburger.  And if you’re craving a hamburger, you’re probably not going to be fully satisfied with a veggie burger.  Though sometimes you just want food and if the veggie burger suffices, eat it.

So, to review about self-publishing–-it’s great if you want control of the process and you want it to just happen without having to jump through hoops. Yes, you need to front the money, but if you can sell between 150–1200 copies, you’ll recoup your investment. And if you have a strong platform, selling 150–1200 copies won’t be a problem. The information will be out there instead of sitting on your hard drive. And there’s always a chance it will hit cult-success or be picked up by a traditional publishing house. I am personally a fan of self-publishing because there’s a lot of good stuff that will never be considered by a publishing house because it doesn’t have marketing potential (remember, a publisher buying a manuscript is essentially making an investment and just as you wouldn’t buy stock in a company that looks like its going nowhere, publishers will not invest in books that they don’t think will make a profit. And publishers need to sell many more than 150 copies to turn a profit).

One thing happening right now is that self-publishing is trying to move away from its earlier title of “vanity press” by renaming itself independent publishing.  But something already exists called independent publishing and it’s the smaller presses (non-big six presses) we’re going to talk about below.  I know this can be confusing, but when I use “self-publishing,” I mean places you pay to print your book for you (such as BookSurge).  I use “independent press” and “small press” interchangeably to mean any publisher that is not a big six publisher, though I tried to stick to the term “small press” to make this clear.  Think of the distinction the same way you would (with similar advantages and disadvantages) between a large bookstore chain and an independent bookstore.  Both contain books, but the way they market books is different.  Big six publishers are the chain bookstores and small publishers are the independent bookstores.  Self-publishing is equivalent to the book peddler, with one person selling their one book.

Okay, so now that we’ve established that, the other option is self-representation.

Sort of like applying to college, self-representation is open for everyone to try, but you’ll have to be accepted. Though small press publishers prefer to work with agents, some will accept direct submissions. (Big six publishing houses will not accept submissions that do not come through an agent with few exceptions.) Most small press publishers work with a specific genre or within a specific swath of the population, but if you fit their profile, you may be able to send your work directly to the house and have it considered for publication. If you get accepted, it contains all the advantages with working with a publishing house–you get paid to write the book, you get a professional editor, and you get help in marketing the book. It will appear in bookstores and you will have readings and reviews (hopefully–but even that is not a given these days).

The advantage with self-representation is that you don’t need to first obtain an agent. You can present yourself however you wish, meaning, you can highlight what you think is important rather than having the agent decide what to highlight. In certain cases, you can represent yourself better than an agent, though with few exceptions, an agent always represents the book better (meaning, you know you, but your agent knows books). Personally, I’d trust the agent because you’re not selling yourself per se, you’re selling the book. But there are cases where this is important (for instance, if your book is about social media and you can’t find an agent who is Twitter-proficient and you know of a publisher who would be perfect for the book.)

The big advantage is that unlike self-publishing, you will never have to layout any money to be published–they will pay you. If a publisher asks you to pay for any part of the process beyond mailing your manuscript, you will know it is not a legitimate press. Publishers will not ask you to layout your money because by buying your manuscript, they are essentially making an investment.

Some people who self-represent to get the deal will turn around and get an agent once they have an offer on-hand. They will have the agent look over the contracts and help negotiate things. Personally, I see a lot of advantages and disadvantages to doing this: you get an agent, but you miss out on the reason for having an agent in the first place (more on that in a moment). But I do think it makes sense if you see yourself writing more books or negotiating more contracts (international rights, film, etc) later on.

The disadvantage to self-representation is that fewer and fewer small press publishers will accept unsolicited manuscripts (the term for a manuscript that you want them to read, but they did not ask to read nor did it come from an agent). So on one hand, it’s more immediate than getting an agent, but it’s also harder to have your manuscript read. And once you’ve taken this path, it’s hard (though not impossible) to get an agent to look at your manuscript because it has already been out there. So it’s a path I would only take if you’ve already exhausted searching for an agent or if you’re prepared to either self-represent yourself to the end of the road or self-publish.

The other big disadvantage is that you will always be negotiating (instead of having someone negotiate on your behalf) and you’ll have to be vigilant. I think only those who know what to expect and look for within publishing should take this route. The way it was explained to me in graduate school is the offer you will receive through an agent is so much greater (not just financially, but in retaining rights et al) than what you can receive for the most part on your own, that it’s worth the cut an agent will take from your contract because you’ll still come out ahead.

So, to sum up self-representation, if you’re pretty savvy, have connections in the publishing world, have access to free law advice, or want to try this before self-publishing, it’s a great route. If you are set on publishing with a publishing house, this isn’t a great starting point, but it can be a good finishing point before you throw in the towel.

Okay class, any questions on what was discussed here? Please leave them in the comment section below and I will answer them in the comment section below. Keep in mind that I have a lot of topics to cover so your question may be answered in a future installment (see below). So keep your questions about self-publishing and self-representation.

Heads Up and Looking Back: topics that will be covered in future installments or that were covered in past installments

1. Before You Even Get Started

2. Are You Ready to Be an Author?

3. How to Write a Non-Fiction Book Proposal

4. Why You Need an Agent

5. How to Get an Agent

6. Querying Agents

7. What Happens Next–Waiting for a Book Sale

8. THIS POST

9. What to Expect After You Sign a Book Deal

10. Be Your Own Publicist

11. A Mishmash of Leftover Questions and Answers

Welcome back to your Do-it-Yourself MFA program.

This installment assumes that you’ve signed with an agent.  If you’ve exhausted your list and you haven’t found an agent and still wish to publish, you’ll need to wait for the next installment.  Similarly, some will decide to skip the agent step altogether and you’ll find the next installment on small presses and self-publishing more helpful.

So, you’ve signed an agency agreement–now what?  Sometimes, an agent will ask you to do an edit on a manuscript or proposal and it’s in your best interests to do so.  They are trying to make it as strong as possible for the sale.  But after that, your work is somewhat done for the moment.

Up until this point, you’ve been taking a very active role, and now is your time to step back and let your agent guide the sale.  This is not to say that you can’t help brainstorm and throw out a few publishers you’d love to work with, but if you trust your agent (and you should), you’ll know that she is putting together the best list possible of publishers who might want your book.

Your agent will have a particular method–she may make a few calls to specific publishers and offer them a first look.  She may send it out to a list of ten possible publishers and wait for offers.  Your agent will probably keep you in the loop by telling you which publishers are looking at your manuscript or proposal.

I have always found this part of publishing the worst part.  On the first day, you’re really excited over the idea that this! could! be! it! but after you get your first rejection, the reality that having an agent doesn’t guarantee a sale and that all you have now is a new hoop to jump through can be a bit nerve-wracking.  My advice–let yourself feel whatever you’re going to feel and remind yourself that this is a finite space.  Either the book will sell or not sell, but you will not need to endure this anxiety indefinitely.

If your agent receives more than one offer, they may auction the book, taking the best offer.  If you receive one offer, your agent should still close up loose threads with other publishers still holding your book.  Again, your agent will keep you in the loop and ask your opinion before they make any binding decisions.

If you are publishing with a small press or big six publisher (in other words, anything other than self-publishing), your offer will come with an advance–that’s pretty much the only information you learn with the offer. Your advance can be tiny–$1–or enormous–$1 million.  You may be thinking that everyone obviously wants the million dollar advance, but not so fast, my friend.

An advance is money you can live on while you work on the book.  It is an advance payment of money the publisher believes the book will earn once it hits the shelves.  Usually, the larger the advance, the more money the publisher believes they will make in the long-run.  But what if the publisher is wrong and the book tanks?  Just because the publisher thinks the public is hungry for this book doesn’t make it so.  If the author can’t produce sales that warrant the big advance, their next book will receive a small advance…or no advance at all.  In other words, their career may somewhat be over before it has begun.

As an article in New York magazine points out, it’s better to have no sales record than a bad sales record.

With smaller presses, the advance will probably be smaller as well, but the trade off is passion and personal attention.  It’s not that the big six publishers don’t bring that passion to their authors, but it is difficult to be a midlist author at a large publisher and not get lost in the shuffle.  Think of it like the coins in your purse–you don’t put a lot of thought into the pennies, though you probably care about your quarters–and all of those coins are jumbled around together.  Publishers also need pennies–all those pennies add up–but they don’t put their energy and marketing dollars into pennies.

The other thing to consider is royalties.  You do not begin to see royalties on the book until the publisher recoups the advance.   Which means that the advance may need to last for a very long time–more than two or three years from the signing of that contract depending on the size of the advance and book sales (and how long it takes a publisher to get the book out on the shelf.)  Hence why I said back in that first installment that book publishing just isn’t a good way to try to support yourself exclusively.

So, you hear the advance amount and you agree to the deal and now your agent’s true work begins.  Your agent will negotiate all the various aspects of the contract, trying to retain as many rights for you as possible and make the contract work in your favour down to how much time you have to do edits to the rate you’ll be paid in the future if the common royalty rate for e-book sales change.  Seriously, there is so much to consider, and this is why I made that point a few installments ago that publishers want to negotiate with agents and not you.  And frankly, your agent is going to do a better job at retaining rights and making your world better than you’ll be able to do negotiating with the publisher directly–even if you think you’re qualified because you have a law degree or an MFA.

After the contract is negotiated (which can take a bit of time), you will sign the contract and start talking directly with the editor and/or publisher.

Um…okay…though here is another possibility and it’s worth talking about in case it comes up.  What if you’re having problems with your agent?  What if everything seemed fantastic when you signed with her and now things are unraveling and you’re not working well together at all?  Not being able to sell the book is not the sign of a bad agent (since not all books will sell), but if you are feeling uncomfortable, getting a sense that your agent doesn’t have your back, or your agent is blowing you off, you do have the right to end that relationship and start over from scratch.

There will be details in your agency agreement stating how to end the relationship (always in writing!) and how long you have to wait to look for a new agent (usually 30 days) as well as what happens if your agent already had a deal in hand for you.  There should be a very good reason for why you are ending the relationship and not a general, “maybe she’s not doing a good job and someone else could do better.”

Okay class, any questions on what was discussed here? Please leave them in the comment section below and I will answer them in the comment section below. Keep in mind that I have a lot of topics to cover so your question may be answered in a future installment (see below). So keep your questions about that period of time when you’re trying to sell the book.

Heads Up and Looking Back: topics that will be covered in future installments or that were covered in past installments

1. Before You Even Get Started

2. Are You Ready to Be an Author?

3. How to Write a Non-Fiction Book Proposal

4. Why You Need an Agent

5. How to Get an Agent

6. Querying Agents

7. THIS POST

8. No Agent? Other Paths to Publication

9. What to Expect After You Sign a Book Deal

10. Be Your Own Publicist

11. A Mishmash of Leftover Questions and Answers

Welcome back to your Do-it-Yourself MFA program.

You have your possible agent list, clearly arranged by my ranking system from 1-3.  Now it’s time to start querying.

It’s not really a surprise that agents would like you to query them one at a time, after all, if they’re dedicating the time to read your audition, they don’t want to think of their own time wasted because you’re auditioning for hundreds of others and may go with someone else.  At the same time, you will be 98 years old if you query agents one at a time.  A nice compromise is to have no more than 10 queries out at a time (um…and y’all know that when I say it’s okay to have 10 queries out at once, I mean write 10 separate emails to 10 separate agents.  DO NOT bcc 10 agents on one email.  Believe me, they talk to one another, and this will bite you in the ass.)

So you’re going to start a second spreadsheet, this one titled “Queries” and in it, you will track the following information:

• Name of agent
• Name of agency
• Date query was sent
• Method of query (was it email or post)
• What was sent (just the letter, the letter and proposal, the letter and the first 5 pages of the book, etc)
• Date you heard back
• The agent’s answer

Pay attention to the agent’s answer.  Was it a flat out cookie cutter rejection?  Did they invite you to query again if you made major changes?  Did they say they’d be interested in hearing about a future project?  Note all those things.  You’ll use this spreadsheet in the future.

Once you have your two spreadsheets in order (the first one ranked, and the second one ready to go), you’re ready to write your query letter.  Queries consist of four parts (and are never longer than a page):

• Opening paragraph–drag them in with a great first line.  Let me repeat that–drag them in with a fantastic first line that makes them want to read the rest of the letter.  Give some basic information such as the name of the book or the type of book.  If someone has introduced you to this agent, state that relationship here (do not make up an introduction if there isn’t one.)  If the person represents a book you know is similar to your own, mention it here to establish why you’ve chosen to write this particular agent.
• Second paragraph–explain what the book is about in one paragraph.  Think of the sort of paragraph that would appear on the back of the book to entice the reader to pick it up.
• Third paragraph–a brief biography containing your writing credentials such as where you’ve published, degrees you’ve earned, or your blog info.  Make sure you mention what you’re currently working on to show the agent that you’re not a one-book pony.  I wouldn’t go on and on about all of your future projects, but I’d add one sentence in about how you’re currently at work on…(and then fill in the blank).
• Fourth paragraph–closing and thank you.

Agents expect this format because it allows them to read quickly.  Their eye can go to the paragraph that matters to them most and find the info they’re looking for quickly.

Make sure you address the agent directly (do not write “to whom it may concern” or Dear Agent).  And be super honest.  If your first book is self-published, do not say that you have a published book, instead, say it’s self-published and talk about the sales record.  These small details matter because this is a relationship built on trust.  The agent would rather have you honestly admit that you found them on agentquery, you have a small blog, and no other publications but you can write the hell out of a query letter and have a fantastic book idea in your back pocket to boot.

Do not waste an agent’s time or your time.  Keeping things brief is a way to be respectful.  Don’t make huge claims like you’ve written the next Twilight.  Even if you believe that.  All you’ll get is an eyebrow raise because how could you possibly know?  On the other hand, you should mention that it would appeal to the same type of audience that reads Twilight.  It helps the agent picture the book and understand how they can convince a publisher that it’s marketable. Making sure you’re querying an agent who represents your type of book is also important–think about how annoying it would be if your boss kept slapping work down on your desk that was entirely outside your realm.  Would you be grateful for the new opportunity or would you be annoyed that your boss isn’t paying attention to your job description?

Every once in a while, an agent will ask for an exclusive look.  An exclusive look is when you agree not to query any other agent for a set period of time and allow only the agent asking for the exclusive to decide whether or not to represent you.

You will need to decide whether or not you want to give them exclusive access to your project.  If it’s a great agency, it’s worth your while to give them two weeks (make sure you set the duration of time–don’t leave it open-ended.)  If it’s not a great agency, you may want to think twice.  You would never give an exclusive look on a query, but I have given an exclusive look on a manuscript.

Oh, and spend a lot of time proof-reading and editing your queries.  They’re the first impression you’re making on the agent.

And only send what the agent asks to receive (and again, pay close to attention to how they say they want it sent.  If they say “no attachments,” they mean “no attachments.”)  Sending more is not going to be endearing or get it read.  If they don’t specify what they want, just send the query letter.

Lastly, how to pick your ten: you cannot query two agents at the same agency at the same time.  Therefore, make sure you only have one agent on your list from each agency at a given time.  If one agent rejects it, you can write a different agent at the same agency (the only time this isn’t true is if they have one central online submission form–in that case, once the agency rejects you, that agency is closed for this current project.)

Go with your gut in determining your ten and get a thick skin.  You may endure a bunch of rejections before you sign with one.  Don’t get emotional–just lick your wounds for a few minutes and send out the next one.  Think of it as simply a task you must do rather than a personal rejection.

A side note–sometimes junior agents or those building their lists are a great choice because they’re “hungry”–they’re not mired in focusing on their established clients and they’re more likely to take a risk with a new author.  If they’re part of a larger agency, they have the benefit of the agency name plus the help of more established agents for advice.  So don’t shy away from new agents.

Okay, so you send out your queries and now the responses start coming.  It can go one of several ways:

• Standard rejection (enter it on the spreadsheet and move on.)
• Personalized rejection with some advice (if it resonates with you, take it to heart.  Otherwise, enter it on the spreadsheet and move on.)
• A partial request (yay!  Send them what they ask for and enter it on the spreadsheet.  Do not get too excited–a request is good, but it isn’t an acceptance.)
• A full request (yay! Send them what they ask for and enter it on the spreadsheet.  Do not get too excited–a request is good, but it isn’t an acceptance.)
• An offer of representation.

Obviously, what you want is that last point–an offer of representation.

My advice, this is the point where you leave the confines of email and you have a conversation over the phone.  Before you sign is the time to decide if you’ll work well together.  I told my agent things about me such as how I work.  I asked her questions about the way she works.  We decided it would be a good relationship based on what we could know in that moment.  And that’s what this is–a leap-of-faith relationship based on a mutual love of writing and books (including your own).

Your agent will probably ask you to sign an agency agreement.  Read it and have a second person (perhaps someone with a law background) read it too.  And then you’re on to the next step–selling the book or proposal.

Okay class, any questions on what was discussed here? Please leave them in the comment section below and I will answer them in the comment section below. Keep in mind that I have a lot of topics to cover so your question may be answered in a future installment (see below). So keep your questions about agents.

Heads Up and Looking Back: topics that will be covered in future installments or that were covered in past installments

1. Before You Even Get Started

2. Are You Ready to Be an Author?

3. How to Write a Non-Fiction Book Proposal

4. Why You Need an Agent

5. How to Get an Agent

6. THIS POST

7. What Happens Next–Waiting for a Book Sale

8. No Agent? Other Paths to Publication

9. What to Expect After You Sign a Book Deal

10. Be Your Own Publicist

11. A Mishmash of Leftover Questions and Answers

Welcome back to your Do-it-Yourself MFA program.

The subtitle of this post is “how to find and sign with a reputable agent” and yes, the emphasis should be on the word reputable.  While reputable has ethical connotations (and this matters a lot too), what I really mean is “how to sign with an agent who will actually get your book sold rather than one who is taking a real crap shoot with your project and may end up doing more harm than good.”

Did that scare the shit out of you?  Good, because it should.  You should go into this part with your rose-coloured glasses off because this relationship will be the most important one you create.  Publishers will come and go, but a good agent will hopefully be by your side for life.

Which is not to say that you can’t switch agents.  I actually did switch agents once, and even though it was a really good parting, it was sickening and gut-wrenching with a lot of “what have I done” feelings mixed in as well.  Do yourself a favour and choose carefully.  Oh, and go back and review the last installment to keep it fresh in your mind as you read this one.

A lot (though certainly not all) of the best agents are in New York, where most of the publishing houses are located.  Though all good agents will have a sales record (and have it be easily accessible either through the agency site or by a quick Google search on the Web) or be a junior agent with an established literary agency (junior agents generally assist agents, learning the ropes, and then start to build their own list with the assistance of an established agent in their agency.  I would not be nervous about using a junior agent at a place like Writers House) and therefore you can view their agency’s sales record.  I would not work with someone who has not made sales at the type of publishers you want to work with (in other words, if you want to work with a big six publisher, make sure your agent has made deals for their clients with big six publishers).  You are looking for a sales history that fits your book–not just any old sales history.

Because anyone can slap on the title agent and try to sell your book.  But that has the potential to seriously damage your project.

Let’s say you sign with your friend’s Aunt Tina who works as a solo literary agent in her own self-named agency and you think how lucky you are to have this connection and get an agent so easily.  Aunt Tina sends your book to a few publishers blindly and they reject it outright because they don’t know Aunt Tina.  You’ve now closed off the possibility of working with those publishers.

Okay, not completely because a good agent can undo some damage, but what I’m trying to get across is that it matters that you take the time to find an agent who works well with you personality-wise (be clear about your needs and they’ll be clear about their needs–this is a working relationship), who has connections in your area of writing, and who follows AAR (Association of Authors’ Representatives) guidelines (they don’t have to be a member of AAR, but I like to see that they follow AAR guidelines).

There are multiple ways to find an agent:

• Use connections: do you know agents, did you meet one at a conference, do you have a friend who could introduce you to your agent?
• Go to the bookstore and peruse titles that are close to your book, but not exactly the same thing.  And then look at the thank you page to get that author’s agent.  In other words, if you want to publish a book on potty-training techniques, go find other parenting books and write down those agents.  When you query those agents, you’re going to mention this book so keep track of which agent represents which author.
• Get a one-month subscription to PublishersMarketplace and use it to find out the agents of favourite authors.  When you write them, mention that you think they’d be a great fit for your book because they already represent so-and-so.  Point out that you’ve done your homework and there’s a reason you are writing that agent specifically.
• In that vein, use Amazon to find authors similar to you (and then look on PublishersMarketplace to find their agent).  Look up a book by a similar author (for example, if your book would have the same potential readership as a Jennifer Weiner book, look up Good in Bed).  Now scroll down to see other books readers have purchased who have bought Jennifer Weiner.  Look up their agents and mention this book when you write the agent, not only showing that you’ve done your homework, but again, there is a specific reason for writing this specific agent.
• Go on agentquery–the best site I’ve found on connecting people with agents–and do a search in your writing area.

Start creating a spreadsheet of names.  Information you’ll want to track:

• Name of agent
• Name of agency
• Address of agency
• Email address of agent
• How they like their queries (can you email them or do you need to send them via post)
• Any specific instructions about their queries (important!  Only send them what they want)
• Other books they represent that you like (this column may be blank in places)
• Did they check out during your research

Okay, that last point–you are not going to query any agent that you haven’t done a bit of research on.  If they belong to an established agency (Trident Media, Writers House, Curtis Brown, Harvey Klinger, Levine Greenberg etc), you can feel pretty certain that you’re in good hands.  But at the very least, run by a site like P&E and look up their name (this site usually alphabetizes by the first name).  Do a Google search and see that they have deals listed in PublishersMarketplace or are speaking at conferences.  In other words, is everything kosher.

Remember that last installment when I talked about the agent’s reputation with publishers?  You want to make sure your agent has had sales.  That they have connections.  That they are going to open doors for you and the only way to do that is to have an established relationship as acting like a filter for a publisher.  So make sure you check on agentquery and see the books they list as sold.

By the way, if it’s a reputable agent, you should not have to pay any money until the book is sold (and then, the money comes out of the book sale).  Some agents will have a line in their contract that says you must pay for office costs such as xeroxing or delivery fees, and that is totally kosher–the money will come out of the sold manuscript.  But there should be no money exchanged upfront.  I’d also beware of any fee-based book editors or agents who point you towards them.  This is why: agents are going to have you do an edit for them anyway once they sign you.  Then publishers will have you do edits too.  So while there are good freelance editors, you should not have to shell out money to one before an agent will represent you (or even after an agent represents you).  Despite what freelance editors promise, edited manuscripts do not get sold or represented more than manuscripts that you put together yourself.

Lastly, before we start querying, take this time between now and the next installment to rank your list.  “1”s for the agents who would be a fantastic fit for your book and you’d love to work with them.  “2” for the agents who would be a good fit for your book and it would be great to work with them.  “3” for the agents who might be a good fit, but you need to learn more about them.  Anything other than a 3 should be dropped from your list.

You’ll understand this ranking system when we get to the next installment.

Okay class, any questions on what was discussed here? Please leave them in the comment section below and I will answer them in the comment section below. Keep in mind that I have a lot of topics to cover so your question may be answered in a future installment (see below). So keep your questions about agents.

Heads Up and Looking Back: topics that will be covered in future installments or that were covered in past installments

1. Before You Even Get Started

2. Are You Ready to Be an Author?

3. How to Write a Non-Fiction Book Proposal

4. Why You Need an Agent

5. THIS POST

6. Querying Agents

7. What Happens Next–Waiting for a Book Sale

8. No Agent? Other Paths to Publication

9. What to Expect After You Sign a Book Deal

10. Be Your Own Publicist

11. A Mishmash of Leftover Questions and Answers

Welcome back to your Do-it-Yourself MFA program.

Your fiction manuscript is complete or your non-fiction proposal is done.  Now, you need to find an agent.

I think it’s really important to understand what an agent does and why you need one before we talk about how to get one.  Because the first bit of information will inform the second bit of information.

You’re going to work with a lot of people as you publish your book–your editor, publisher, copyeditor, designer, publicist–but the only one who always has your back and is always on your side is your agent.  They are always looking out for you, guiding you, and helping you make good decisions.  An agent may take a percentage of your profits, but they will also usually get you more money (and protect your rights) than you could get on your own, so losing 15% of $10,000 is much better than getting to keep all of $500.

Here’s the point of an agent: the big six publishing houses and many of the smaller, independent presses, will not accept unsolicited manuscripts or queries (meaning, they didn’t ask for them) because in order to run their business, they can’t also field the requests of millions of writers all clamouring to get their book published.  But it’s easy for a publisher to keep a relationship with several hundred agents (rather than several million people) and have them act as the gateway, separating the wheat from the chaff for them.  If an agent is representing your project, they are essentially vouching for your writing abilities.

And it’s not just the filter affect: most publishers do not want to deal directly with authors.  They want to work with someone who understands the industry and so much of the initial contact is in negotiations and contracts.  A publisher does not want to negotiate directly with an author and wants that middle person so they can frankly define the relationship.  In other words, publishers want someone they can actually talk to and that person will be your agent.

That relationship with publishers is why an agent can’t just take on anything (an explanation if you know an agent personally and are frustrated that they’re hemming and hawing when it comes to your project).  They only make money if they sell a project, so their reputation is on the line.  If they keep bringing things to a publisher that would never fit their list, they will damage their own reputation and that publisher will cease to work with them in the future.  Agents take those relationships seriously and they will only pitch to a publisher if they think it’s a good fit for that publisher.

Each agent has focused on building relationships based on what sort of project excites them.  One agent I know has made a living representing a ton of vampire romance books.  If you’re writing one, she is the person to have represent your book because she rocks at selling those.  But while she has a few other types of books on her list, she wouldn’t be a great person to represent a sports title.

Which is why, when we get to the next installment of your DIY MFA, we are going to work on finding the best agents for your project.  Because it matters.  Just because someone is an agent doesn’t mean that they are going to be able to represent your project.

Agents also need to diversify their list while making those strong connections with publishers (agents, frankly, sound like they have an exhausting job, so thank your agent profusely once you get one).  Think of it like the stock market.  If they only represent vampire romance novels and the general public stops buying vampire romance novels, they’re screwed.  So they diversify by taking on similar, yet different types of books.  That same agent may do well to represent other types of romances, or other types of genre fiction–thrillers, mysteries, etc.

At the same time, publishers are making those types of diversified investments too: they are building a focused list while being flexible to go with the market.  So there are two layers of investing that is taking place–an agent needs to see your project worth their time AND a publisher needs to see your project as adding to their list.  Agents (and publishers) are essentially making an investment in you.  Agents are investing time with the pay-off being money and publishers are investing money with the payoff being that they make money by investing money (more on that when we get to publishers).

If agents make no money off of you, their investment has kept them from other investments.  So they pick carefully.  They are also looking at the long-term.  Once you sign with an agent, they are representing your future projects.  They don’t want to keep finding new clients; they want their current clients to keep producing new books.  So show them that you’re also looking at this as a long-term relationship, something worth making an investment on with long-term gains.

Last thoughts, an agent represents you–they are your voice out there in the world of publishing.  Make sure you understand that because it should be your guide in picking an agent that will work well with you.  Who will have a lot of connections and do well by your book.  After all, you take the time to surround yourself with friends who support you; you should think of your agent in the same way–they should be excited about your project and have your back.  A good agent is worth their weight in gold.

Okay class, any questions on what was discussed here? Please leave them in the comment section below and I will answer them in the comment section below. Keep in mind that I have a lot of topics to cover so your question may be answered in a future installment (see below). So keep your questions about what agents do and next time, we’ll talk about how to get an agent.

Heads Up and Looking Back: topics that will be covered in future installments or that were covered in past installments

1. Before You Even Get Started

2. Are You Ready to Be an Author?

3. How to Write a Non-Fiction Book Proposal

4. THIS POST

5. How to Find and Sign with a Reputable Agent

6. Querying Agents

7. What Happens Next–Waiting for a Book Sale

8. No Agent? Other Paths to Publication

9. What to Expect After You Sign a Book Deal

10. Be Your Own Publicist

11. A Mishmash of Leftover Questions and Answers