Guide to Literary Agents

Successful Queries: Agent Mary Sue Seymour and "A Gift of Grace"

Chuck — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:51:42 GMT

've meant to start this new series on the blog for a while now, but am just now getting around to it. It's called "Successful Queries" and I'm posting actual query letters that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting the actual query letter, we will also get to hear thoughts from the agent as to why the letter worked.

The third installment in this series is with agent Mary Sue Seymour (The Seymour Agency) and her author Amy Clipston, for her book, A Gift of Grace.

Dear Ms. Seymour,

I am seeking representation for my Amish inspirational novel, A Gift of Grace, complete at 80,000 words. It is the first in my Kauffman Amish Bakery Series. The sequel, A Promise of Hope, is nearing completion, and another freestanding book featuring the same characters is in outline form.

Rebecca Kauffman's tranquil Old Order Amish life is transformed when she suddenly has custody of her two teenage nieces after her "English" sister and brother-in-law are killed in an automobile accident. Instant motherhood, after years of unsuccessful attempts to conceive a child of her own, is both a joy and a heartache. Rebecca struggles to give the teenage girls the guidance they need as well as fulfill her duties to Daniel as an Amish wife. Rebellious Jessica is resistant to Amish ways and constantly in trouble with the community. Younger sister Lindsay is caught in the middle, and the strain between Rebecca and Daniel mounts as Jessica's rebellion escalates. Instead of the beautiful family life she dreamed of creating for her nieces, Rebecca feels as if her world is being torn apart by two different cultures, leaving her to question her place in the Amish community, her marriage, and her faith in God.

I’ve visited Amish Country in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, many times and have spent extensive hours researching the spot.

A member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), I hold a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and work full-time as a public information specialist.

Thank you for your generous time. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Amy G. Clipston

Commentary From Mary Sue

The project was the perfect length and I like how word count was immediately mentioned. Also, she mentioned the book was completed - many first time authors never complete their books

It was a series and I happened to be looking for series right then.

A lot of why I loved this letter was due to her pitch. Her pitch was nicely abbreviated and proved she could write. I liked the concept and the characters from the start.

She had actually visited Amish country, which is the best way to research. I was impressed. She had a college degree, too. Although one isn't really isn't necessary, it can't hurt.

How to Write a Novel Synopsis

Chuck — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:08:44 GMT

This is a "Blast From the

Past" post. To celebrate the

GLA Blog's 2nd birthday, I am

re-posting some of the best

"older" content that writers

likely missed.

If you write a novel and want to sell it, you'll need a good synopsis to hook a literary agent. A synopsis, simply put, is a long summary of your fictional story, detailing the events and characters.

At a recent writers' conference, I critiqued several synopses from amateur writers. When I met with the writers, I found myself repeating the same things over and over regarding formatting, content and length. I'll try and relay some tips in this post, so writers don't follow in their footsteps.

First of all, synopses have a specific format. They begin on a new page and should have all your contact information in the upper left corner of the first page. Just below your contact info, centered, should be the book's title, its genre and your name.
The body of the synopsis is double-spaced.
Use dialogue sparingly, if at all.
You can get to the point, meaning you can say if a character is "a hopeless romantic."
Starting on the second page, there should be a header at the top of all pages, looking like this: Author/TITLE/Synopsis. That should be pushed left while the page number should be pushed right.
Things must be explained. You can't say a character has "psychic powers" or "finds a surprise around the corner" without saying what these things mean. I find that writers, when questioned about confusing details, will often say, "Well that's explained in the book." Then I say, "OK ... but an agent won't read the book if they're confused by the synopsis. Make sense?
Try to stick with main plot points and characters. This will help cut down on confusion. Ideally, an agent won't get any name/character confusion because the synopsis doesn't detail needless subplots or minor characters.
When characters are mentioned for the first time, CAPITALIZE their name.
I read somewhere that a synopsis should read like you've summarizing a story for a 12-year-old. This is good advice. To practice, read a novel. Then explain the plot and characters of the story to a child as if it were a bedtime story. Tell the tale from beginning to end in 5-10 minutes. That's a synopsis.
Remember that queries and synopses are different things. You would never find a synopsis in a query. A query is a one-page letter that explains what you've written, who you are, and why the agent should represent you. In a query letter will be a pitch, which is a explanation of your story in 3-8 sentences. It's like the text you see on the back of a DVD box. It's designed to pique your interest. A pitch, like the back of a book or DVD, will not spill the beans regarding the ending.
I recommend having TWO versions of your synopsis - a "long synopsis" and a "short synopsis." Let me explain. In past years, there used to be a fairly universal system regarding synopses. For every 35 or so pages of text you had, you would have one page of synopsis explanation. So if your book was 245 pages, double-spaced, your synopsis would be seven pages approximately. This was fairly standard, and allowed writers a decent amount of space to explain their story. I recommend doing this first. This will be your "long synopsis." The problem is: Sometime in the past few years, agents started to get really busy and they want to hear your story now now now. They started asking for synopses of no more than two pages. Many agents today request specifically just that - two pages max. Some may even say one page, but two pages is generally acceptable. You have to draft a new, more concise synopsis - the "short synopsis." So which one do you submit? Good question. If you think your short synopsis (1-2 pages) is tight and effective, always use that. However, if you think the long synopsis is much more effective, then you will sometimes submit one and sometimes submit the other. If an agent requests two pages max, send the short one (because, naturally, you've been instructed to). If they just say "Send a synopsis," and you feel your longer synopsis is far superior, and your long synopsis isn't more than eight pages, I say just submit the long one.

New Agent Alert: Stephanie Maclean of Trident Media Group

Chuck — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:55:52 GMT

Reminder: Newer agents are golden opportunities for new writers because they're likely building their client list; however, always make sure your work is as perfect as it can be before submitting, and only query agencies that are a great fit for your work. Otherwise, you're just wasting time and postage.

Stephanie Maclean

Trident Media Group, 41 Madison Ave, Floor 36, New York, NY 10010. Fiction areas of interest: Romance, Women’s Fiction and Young Adult.

How to contact: "Please send queries by email or regular mail (Email is faster). Please include a cover letter, synopsis and the first chapter of the manuscript. I only respond to queries I am interested in."

How to Establish a Connection With an Agent

Chuck — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:09:00 GMT

Previously, I wrote about the three basic parts of a query letter to an agent. In part one (the first paragraph), I recommend explaining two things: what the book is and why you're contacting the agent. To address this second aspect, I thought I'd mention the most common ways to establish a "connection" with an agent.

1. "I read your interview..."

Dear Ms. Agent:

I recently read your interview on the Guide to Literary Agents blog and saw that you're a huge baseball fan. To say I'm a huge fan of the game is like saying Captain Ahab had a slight interest in some whale. Because of our mutual love of baseball, I thought you might be a good fit for my middle-grade novel, Bottom of the Ninth...

2. "Thanks for speaking with me at XYZ Conference..."

Dear Ms. Agent:

Thank you for speaking with me at the Wyoming Writers Conference about my Western romance, Saddle Up. It was very nice to talk with you, and I enjoyed listening to your publishing advice. As you requested, I have submitted a query and the first ten pages of my novel...

3. "Because you represented (that), I think you might like (this)..."

Dear Ms. Agent:

I'm not sure, but I think I was at sitting in a coffeeshop the first time I overheard two people talking about Dead Cat Bounce. Curious, I picked up the book at Borders and finished it the same day. When I learned you were the literary agent that represented this amazing medical thriller, I knew I wanted to query you regarding my own book, Injection, which is complete at 86,000 words.

Around the WD Properties: 7-7-09

Chuck — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:56:45 GMT

Here is a look at things going on
around the Writer's Digest world
and more.

Call for Submissions!

The editorial staff of Writer's Digest Market Books is now open to queries for the 2010 editions of Photographer's Market, Songwriter's Market and Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market (which will be published in October 2009).

These books, similar to Writer's Market, offer craft- and business-related articles for photographers, songwriters and artists as well as interviews with both newer and more experienced professionals in these areas. (Refer to past editions for examples.) If you have an idea for an article or interview, e-mail your query to alice.pope@fwmedia.com.

Short Short Story Competition

The 10th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition is accepting entries! We're looking for fiction that's bold, brilliant ... but brief. Send us your best in 1,500 words or fewer. But don't be too long about it—the deadline is December 1, 2009.

The Grand-Prize winner will receive $3,000 (that's $2—or more—per word).
For guidelines, prizes and to enter online, click here.

Sign Up for My Magazine Freelancing Webinar!

Editor's note: I did the webinar yesterday with Zac and everything went very well. Keep your eyes on www.writersdigest.com/webinars to see the next time we teach the class

I am teaching a webinar on Freelancing this Thursday at 1 p.m. It's all about the basics of freelancing for magazines, newspapers and online. We'll talk about everything - how to come with ideas, how to compose a query, how to resell old pieces, how to pitch a market correctly - all that stuff. Freelancing should not be underestimated. You bring in more money, you build your platform, you build your credentials and you make sure you're not putting all your eggs in one basket.
And as if the webinar wasn't awesome enough already, I will be joined by Writer's Digest managing editor Zac Petit, who will chime in with some great advice. Every question asked will be answered, either live during the seminar or afterward. Sign up today!

Is a Literary Scout Like a Literary Agent?

Chuck — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:29:02 GMT

Q. What does a literary scout do?
- Geoffrey

A. A literary scout is someone who, simply put, reads a lot and looks for excellent works. A literary scout may work for foreign publishers. They read all the new books coming out—fiction and nonfiction—and try to pick out the works that have the best potential for translation overseas. So a publisher in Italy may call upon someone in New York to be their scout—to scour through advance reading copies of books and then recommend what they should purchase foreign rights for.
They are not like literary agents and cannot represent writers to sell their work.

Literary scouts are not to be
confused with other scouts.

Questions About Writing Memoir...

Chuck — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:36:26 GMT

Q. I'm a first time author, and have written a memoir about my autistic
son. How important is having a platform for a memoir? I keep
hearing that memoir is treated like fiction. I'm wondering if my query letter might be the reason for rejections. I'm getting no response. Can I re-query with my new query letter? What is the standard word length for memoirs? Mine is 53,000 words.
        - Hank

A. Lots of questions.   Let's take these one at a time.
        A platform is attractive, but not totally necessary. Memoir is essentially treated like fiction, so if you're written an amazing, touching manuscript, you are golden. However, a good platform could help your case if the manuscript is only "very good" and not "outstanding." I am a fan of writers creating mini-book-proposals for their memoirs to help set their work apart.
        Hank, if your queries are getting no requests for a partial (sample pages), then yes, the problem lies with the query itself.
        I would wait at least a year or two before requerying the same agent. Change the title and completely overhaul the query letter before you do so that agents will approach it with a fresh eye.
        Memoirs usually run the same length as a novel - 70,000 to 100,000 words. Yours seems a bit short. Push it to more than 60,000 words and then start querying.

Successful Queries: Agent Sammie Justesen and "Over-the-Counter Natural Cures"

Chuck — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:19:33 GMT

I've meant to start this new series on the blog for a while now, but am just now getting around to it. It's called "Successful Queries" and I'm posting actual query letters that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting the actual query letter, we will also get to hear thoughts from the agent as to why the letter worked.

The second installment in this series is with agent Sammie Justesen (Northern Lights Literary Services, LLC) and her author Shane Ellison, for his book, Over-the-Counter Natural Cures. Note from Chuck: I'll get a sample fiction query up here soon as I can.

Dear Sammie Justesen,

1. I appreciate your passion for selling. I thought you'd be interested in my work as a rogue drug chemist turned consumer health advocate.

2. Americans are under attack. Obesity, lethargy, depression, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are a ghastly epidemic in our country. And all these serious health issues can be attributed to a lack of nutrients. How severe is this problem? According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 90% of Americans are nutrient deficient. Armed with little more than "symptom masking drugs," Western Medicine is powerless against the onslaught.

3. The Wal-Mart Cure: Ten Lifesaving Supplements for Under $10 will teach Americans how to easily and inexpensively avoid being nutrient deficient by using key nutritional supplements that are readily available on the shelves of Wal-Mart.

4. Americans spend $6 billion a year looking for the "right supplement," often basing their health decisions on hype and false advertising. They use overpriced, ineffective, and even dangerous products and wonder, "What the hell am I supposed to take?" The Wal-Mart Cure reveals the answer and shows readers how to:
•    Replace prescription drugs with supplements
•    Ensure proper dose for best efficacy and safety
•    Choose the best time to administer (chrononutrition)
•    Avoid dangerous drug/supplement interactions
•    Combine nutritional supplements with healthy diet and lifestyle habits
Studies show that the proper use of nutritional supplements could save a whopping $3 billion in prescription drug costs annually. The Wal-Mart Cure will not only protect Americans from diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or even cancer. It will also protect their bank accounts from Big Pharma.

5. Known to my readers as "The People's Chemist," I am an award-winning scientist and a prominent health professional with a master's degree in organic chemistry. I write health advocacy articles (thepeopleschemist.com) that reach over 400,000 readers monthly. I have written Health Myths Exposed and The Hidden Truth About Cholesterol Lowering Drugs and co-authored 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health with Dr. Joseph Mercola and Dr. Julian Whitaker.

6. The Wal-Mart Cure - a 6x9, nonfiction book with 11 chapters and nearly 60,000 words/200 pages - will be the first of a 3-part "People's Chemist" series that will target not only Wal-Mart shoppers but millions of diabetics and athletes. To follow are The Wal-Mart Cure for Diabetics and The Wal-Mart Cure for Athletes.

7. My proposal is available upon request.

Sincerely,
Shane Ellison, M.Sc.

Commentary From Sammie

Why I swallowed the hook:

This is a great letter, and Shane Ellison’s proposal lived up to the promise of his query. I found a publisher for his project within six weeks. Let’s dissect this winning letter one paragraph at a time:

Paragraph 1: Shane uses my name, instead of “Dear Agent.” His opening salvo implies he’s familiar with my work, but he doesn’t go overboard and slather me with false compliments. I love the way he describes himself as “a rogue drug chemist turned consumer health advocate.” This tells me he has a sense of humor and doesn’t take himself too seriously. He writes with a confident voice that grabs me right away.

Paragraph 2: Shane outlines the problem his book will address, using valid statistics. Because I’m a nurse, the health topic interests me – and I know he did his homework to find my interests. I like his first sentence, “Americans are under attack.”

Paragraph 3: Shane introduces the title of his book and describes what it’s about in one sentence (a logline). His title is clever (though he wasn't able to use it for legal reasons), and expresses what’s in the book. By the way, vague, boring titles are a turn-off. I asked myself, “How is this book different than other books about health supplements?” The title answers that question: The Wal-Mart Cure shows us how to fine cheap, effective supplements at discount stores. Shane will tap into a market of consumers who don’t like to shop at expensive health food stores and want to get rid of their prescription drugs.

Paragraph 4: Shane elaborates on why his book is needed, then uses bullet points to summarize exactly how he’ll help readers. Who doesn’t want to be healthier and save money at the same time? But again I’m wondering – how will he sell this book against so much competition?

Paragraph 5: Shane answers my question when he presents his qualifications. I’m thrilled to see he’s building a platform now (400,000 readers), instead of waiting until the book comes out. These days, publishers expect authors to develop web sites, create blogs, and build a marketing base upfront. When I read the titles of Shane’s previous books I checked online and found they were self published. This might have turned me off, but I saw how he used the books to gain an audience.   Even better – Shane has already branded himself as “The People’s Chemist.” Good for him! With that personal brand, he’s reaching out to folks who shop at discount stores and believe expensive prescription drugs are a rip-off.   Shane knows his audience.

Paragraph 6: In closing, Shane provides a word count for his book, although he forgot to mention when it will be finished. The word count is within acceptable limits, which isn’t always the case with authors. I’m glad to see Shane has two follow-up books in mind.

Closing: Shane remembers to ask for what he wants – he’d like to send me the proposal. I’m relieved to know he has one, because some nonfiction writers get things backwards and send queries before writing their proposals. Other writers sign off without telling me what they want. I’ve actually had to contact people and ask, “Are you looking for representation, or just announcing your book?”

Shane’s credentials are impressive, his letter is well organized, and his voice sounds confident. He’s out there branding himself and working on a platform instead of waiting for someone to sell the book for him. His professional attitude tells me we’ll work well together.

Book Note: I sold Shane’s project to Peter Lynch at Sourcebooks. Watch for it in bookstores this fall (2009). On a personal note, my husband and I are taking the supplements and getting great results from Shane’s book.

Three Reasons You Need an Agent, as Explained by Mollie Glick

Chuck — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:52:12 GMT

At the recent Southeastern Writers Workshop, the agent in attendance was Mollie Glick of Foundry Literary + Media. Mollie and I hit up a lot of the conference circuit together and attendees love her cause she's so nice. It's rare that I actually get to sit in on one of her sessions. Fortunately, that's just what I did Monday night. Mollie spoke for 90 minutes on a variety of different subjects.

Below you will find the three reasons she gave concerning why having an agent is a good thing.

Why Having an Agent is a Good Thing
As Explained by Mollie Glick

1. Publishers don’t often handle unsolicited works - at least big publishers, that is. There are too many manuscripts for editors to look through every one.
In addition, it’s a copyright issue. She said Hyperion, which is owned by Disney, will not even look at an unsolicited ms because of the fear of being sued. They will only deal with agents.

2. Agents have “intense relationships” with editors—that’s their job. Agents track where editors go, take note of what they like, know where they grew up, if they have kids, etc. Agents realize that fiction is a very subjective thing so they try to get to know not only editors’ tastes, but also them as people. She has lunch three times a week with editors.

3. Agents can help negotiate a bigger deal. The contracts that publishers use are not easy to understand. This is for a reason. She also added that some publisher royalty statements are “almost incomprehensible” - again, no coincidence.
Agents are a step removed. They can play “bad cop” with an editor or house if need be. If the editor wants to change the book’s title, for example, and you (the writer) hate the decision, Mollie will step in and play bad cop. It allows you to stay removed from the argument so you can keep on good, editing-only terms with the editor.

My Adventures in Jackson Hole ...

Chuck — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:33:11 GMT

Just got back from the Jackson Hole Writers’ Conference, and a nine-day, two-conference travel tour. The second stop was Wyoming, and I was instructing at the JHWC and also critiquing work from writers. I got to kick off the entire conference taking Q&A about magazine craft & business with People staffer Allison Adato.

On Friday night, I gave my longest speech of all time – 2.5 hours straight. It took three speeches to fill the time, but the attendees seemed pleased and I got a nice little ovation at the end. If I live to be 100 years old, I may never give a speech that long again.

Before my mega-presentation on Friday
night, I played some piano as attendees
gathered. (You can see the writers
massing and sitting down in the reflection
behind me.)

Jackson Hole is at the northwest corner of Wyoming, and is an amazingly beautiful little city that sits at the base of the Grand Teton Mountains. When not instructing, I did get out to see a good deal of the area. I hiked around Jenny Lake and Taggart Lake. I got to raft down the Snake River. Animals on display included Moose, bald eagles and elk. I talked to some people who came across bears, but I saw no bears myself (thank God). I’ve heard that bears hate to be startled, so I basically sang to myself the entire three-hour hike trip.

All presenters at the event are treated
to a spectacular treat: a hot air balloon
ride up above the city and mountains.
This picture above of two balloons was
taken by me from a third balloon while
up in the air.

The conference happens every year around the end of June and includes having 15 pages of your work read by three different presenters. Agents are present, too. It’s a pretty good deal in an amazing location, so think about heading there in 2010.

A view of the Tetons’ tallest peaks
while hiking around Taggart Lake.
(By the way, that's not me in the shirt.
I took the pic.)

How I Got My Agent: Lisa Dale

Chuck — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:27:08 GMT

"How I Got My Agent" is a new recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings.

To see the previous installments of this column, click here.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics.

This installment of "How I
Got My Agent" is by
Lisa Dale, who writes fiction.

SOME SMUTTY, ILL-RESEARCHED ROMANCE

I wrote my first novel during my senior year of college, while I was working on my senior thesis, "Magical Realism and Post-Colonial Vertigo; The Narrative Strategies of Rushdie's Midnight's Children." While my thesis went on to be nominated for best in my entire graduating class, the “big” project I was working on secretly was a romance novel – a smutty, ill-researched, 500-page whopper of a romance set in Colonial America (which is, incidentally, not a great time for romance).

When I finished, I stepped back, took a look at my heaping (and heaving) doorstop of a book, and I thought, well, it’s bad—but why not try to get it published? I figured I’d learn something about the process, if nothing else. So the summer after I graduated, I began the research to find an agent. I was in up to my eyeballs in market books and Post-it Notes, and when it came time to mail queries, I wallpapered the whole city of New York with them. And that was just the first round.

Oddly enough, I had this feeling something good would happen even though I had a lackluster bio, no publishing credits, and no idea how the industry worked (I figured I’d work that trivial stuff out as I went). And lo and behold, I got an offer from a boutique agency based out of a home office. I went for it. I figured that if getting an agent was so easy, it was only a matter of time before I hit the bestseller lists.

DISAPPOINTMENT

And then … nothing. The agent wasn’t sending the book out and I was too petrified to call her—dialing her number made me feel like Dorothy sidling up to the Wizard of Oz. I agonized. When she did start sending the book out, I suspected she was sending my book along with other writers’ books at the same time, and my rejection letters from editors showed not only my name, but the names of other unlucky writers are well. I ignored my suspicions in favor of feeling optimistic (read: willfully ignorant) about my prospects. Any agent was better than no agent, right? A year later, when my agent still hadn’t sold the book (and I’d written another novel, equally as bad as the first, if not worse), we parted ways.

That’s when I started to realize four important things: 1) I was going to have to learn how to write, not just crap out bad novels as fast as I could, 2) I’d have to learn something about the business of writing, 3) I’d have to build a really impressive bio to prove to people I meant business, 4) I needed to get honest about my true writing voice (which meant soul-searching and time).

ROUND TWO: DOING IT RIGHT

Instead of writing another book, I interned at an NYC literary agency. I worked for free to learn about publishing from the business side, and I even though I kept on writing, I put it largely to the side. A year or so later, when the owner offered to let me become an acquiring agent, I said sign me up! I really liked working with authors and editors; I tried exceedingly hard on behalf of the writers I worked with. But in the end, it was sort of like I was trying to make my head fit the shape of the hat instead of the other way around. I realized I wouldn’t be able to avoid my real passion: writing.

So, I regrouped again. I went back to school for my MFA because I knew I needed to improve my technique. I volunteered for everything, read anything, wrote in all genres, worked tirelessly. I built up my credits with numerous publications in the small press/university market, and even got nominated for some cool awards like the Pushcart Prize and Best New American Voices. And, outside of the MFA program, I wrote my first women’s fiction/romance (Simple Wishes, Grand Central, 2009). The book felt more like “me” than anything else I’d written. I found a way to combine my love of culture, art, and drama with my love of, well, love.

The second time I went agent-hunting, it was a whole different scenario. I had all the ammo I needed: the bio, the technique, the experience—and the proof (in terms of the publications and awards for my poetry and short prose). I sent out some feelers to agents I had met in my travels—people who I thought might remember me from various panels and conferences, people who I thought might enjoy my work. I also sent some queries to agents I had not met but who were interesting to me, though I got more positive feedback from folks who knew me.

Ultimately, I hooked up with Kim Lionetti of Bookends, an agent who I’d sat on a panel with years ago. Kim, you might guess, is a fantastic agent—what an agent should be. She’s also a former editor, and her generosity in sharing her editing expertise with me is—I’m certain—one of the biggest reasons she scored us two different offers of publication for Simple Wishes

It was a long, very convoluted process to finding an agent and getting published—with lots of highs and lows. But I wouldn’t change a thing. The highs keep me going when the lows get the better of me, and the lows are learning processes that I do my best to be grateful for. I’m still working all the time, searching for new opportunities and inspirations. In the end it will always come back to just doing what I love: writing stories. That’s where it begins and ends—convolutions aside.

To Follow Up or Not To Follow Up...

Chuck — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:54:15 GMT

Q. If you don't mind, I've got a quick question. You indicated in one of your talks to us that it was probably okay to re-query an agent if he or she had not responded to your initial e-mail query after about a month or so (and hadn't stated somewhere that no response meant no interest). On the other hand, I came across the following "warning" on (another) website: "Do not re-query agents if they have not responded to your initial query. Especially if it was an e-mail query." So which do you see as being the preferred protocol? Re-query or not?
       - Buzz

A. I think you mean "follow up," here, Buzz. When people use the term "re-query," they usually mean a scenario where you send a query, it's rejected, but then you resubmit the book a year later or whatever after significant overhauls.
       Now, on the subject of "following up," I say do it - but it depends on some important things. First of all, it has to be a little while after an expected time of reply. So - if an agent says they will reply within 4 weeks, maybe give them 6-8 and then send a nice follow-up. In the follow-up, you basically say (very humbly and gently) that you had queried 6-8 weeks ago and heard nothing. You say that the original query probably goty caught in a spam filter or lost in cyberspace, so you have simply pasted the original query below. And then you have some nice sign off like, "Thank you for considering my query."
       And you're correct, Buzz, in saying that some agents will only reply to queries that interest them. So keep an eye out for that little tidbit in their submission guidelines.

My Adventures in St. Simon's Island ...

Chuck — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:16:01 GMT

Presented at the Southeastern Writers Workshop in St. Simon's Island, GA this week. It was fun. St. Simon's is one of four islands off the coast of Georgia and there is a fun mix down there of old Southern culture and wildlife with new touristy stuff to do.

Man, it was HOT. Arrived to 102 degree weather. It got worse before we left.

This is the road to the retreat
where the conference was held.
Take note of all these insanely
big live oak trees, which are
protected on the island because
they're like 150 years old.

I ended up giving four speeches, which drained me by the end, but all went well. As usual, a nice group of writers and everyone seemed passionate about being there.

My buddy Mollie Glick, an agent with Foundry Literary + Media, was the only agent in attendance and got plenty of pitches. She gave a sprawling 90-minute speech on dealing with agents and ended up sharing a lot of good advice. I will end up composing a post or two just to share her good tips. Look for those soon.

Meanwhile, if you're in the southeast and looking for a nice place to take the family while you attend a conference, check out this event in 2010.

I did get to the beach and that
was awesome. The water felt
like it was 80 degrees - almost
like sitting down in a lukewarm bath.
Very nice. I know - rough job.
Somebody's gotta do it.

Successful Queries: Agent Michelle Wolfson and "Timing is Everything"

Chuck — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:05:32 GMT

I've meant to start this new series on the blog for a while now, but am just now getting around to it.

It's called "Successful Queries" and I'm posting actual query letters that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting the actual query letter, we will also get to hear thoughts from the agent as to why the letter worked.

The first installment of this series is with agent Michelle Wolfson, and her client, Mark Di Vincenzo, and his book, Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon: A Guide to the Best Time to Buy This, Do That and Go There.

Dear Ms. Wolfson,

Have you ever wanted to know the best day of the week to buy groceries or go out to dinner? Have you ever wondered about the best time of day to send an email or ask for a raise? What about the best time of day to schedule a surgery or a haircut? What’s the best day of the week to avoid lines at the Louvre? What’s the best day of the month to make an offer on a house? What’s the best time of day to ask someone out on a date?

My book, Timing is Everything: A Guide to the Best Time to Buy This, Do That and Go There, has the answers to these questions and hundreds more.

As a long-time print journalist, I’ve been privy to readership surveys that show people can’t get enough of newspaper and magazine stories about the best time to buy or do things. This book puts several hundreds of questions and answers in one place -- a succinct, large-print reference book that readers will feel like they need to own. Why? Because it will save them time and money, and it will give them valuable information about issues related to health, education, travel, the workplace and more. In short, it will make them smarter, so they can make better decisions.

Best of all, the information in this book is relevant to anyone, whether they live in Virginia or the Virgin Islands, Portland, Oregon, or Portland, Maine. In fact, much of the book will find an audience in Europe, Australia and Latin America.

I‘ve worked as a journalist since 1984 and have made a name for myself as someone who exposes wrongs, such as rampant abuses at mental hospitals and decades of neglect by government agencies that monitor the environment. I've won numerous awards, competing against reporters from The Washington Post, The Washington Times, the Associated Press, the Richmond-Times Dispatch and The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot. In 1999, the Virginia Press Association created an award for the best news writing portfolio in the state – the closest thing Virginia had to a reporter-of-the-year award. I won it that year and then again in 2000. The next year I beat out reporters from The Charlotte Observer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to win the Southern Environmental Law Center’s first-place journalism award. I then became metro editor at a 100,000-circulation newspaper in Newport News, Va. Over the years, I’ve honed my long-form writing skills by doing magazine cover stories and writing short stories. During the summer of 2007, I left newspapering to pursue book projects and long-form journalism.

I saw your name on a list of top literary agents for self-help books, and I read on your Web site that you're interested in books that offer practical advice. Timing Is Everything offers plenty of that. Please let me know if you'd like to read my proposal.

Sincerely,
Mark Di Vincenzo

Commentary from Michelle:

This query caught my attention and I requested it less than 3 hours after I received it. I’m pleased to say that Mark became my client and his book, with the new title Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon: A Guide to the Best Time to Buy This, Do That, and Go There will be coming out from Harper Collins in October.

I loved the opening to Mark’s query. I tend to prefer it when authors jump right into the heart of their book, the exception being if we’ve met at a conference or have some other personal connection. Otherwise, it’s safe to assume I know you are looking for representation and I like to get down to business.

Mark chose clever questions for the opening of the query. All of those questions are in fact relevant to my life—with groceries, dinner, e-mail, and a raise—and yet I don’t have a definitive answer to them. Then the next paragraph he got a little more offbeat and unusual with questions regarding surgery, the Louvre, buying a house and dating. This showed a quirkier side to the book and also the range of topics it was going to cover. So I knew right away there was going to be a mix of useful and quirky information on a broad range of topics.

The next sentence was great. By starting with “As a long-time print journalist,” Mark immediately established his credibility for writing on this topic. While I needed more—which he provided later—this was great to know right away that he had experience researching topics. And the second half of that sentence helped show that there is a market for this book. This established the need for such a book.

And what do you know? Mark had the solution! A book that answers that need. And he does, in the rest of that paragraph. I think he could have shortened it a drop maybe to “…hundreds of questions and answers with valuable information about issues related to…” I would also be careful not to be too specific about how you envision the final book, and this is something I am always changing with authors in their proposals, since if editors see it differently, you may turn them off by having such a rigid format already described. Why large print? Who knows. I would not put that in a query.

Mark’s next paragraph is interesting because I like it if an author can describe his target audience. However, when most authors say their audience is everyone, as many do, I pretty much automatically reject it. And even as I type this, a query comes in for a YA vampire novel that will, “find a market in most reading ages, similar to the first couple Harry Potter books.” But Mark’s book really does have broad market appeal and he made his point based on a regional basis rather than age, although I think it cuts both ways in this particular case. But keep in mind this is a reference book—and facts are facts and they really do apply to all people.

Mark’s bio paragraph is a little on the long side but offers a lot of good information. Again, I think a journalist is the perfect background for this kind of book since being an expert on any one thing wouldn’t help; you really need to be an expert in researching information and delivering it in an entertaining readable fashion. Overall, I felt I gleaned enough information to feel confident that we could present Mark’s platform in an impressive enough manner to find a publisher.

I liked Mark’s final paragraph, of course, since it’s all about me! Seriously though, it is nice when I feel like an author has sought me out specifically and thinks we would be a good fit. Here I am saying Mark is going to be doing a research heavy book and he has taken the time to research agents as well and has personalized his query with a little flattery thrown in. Always a nice touch.

Of course, now that I’m looking at the query with an eye towards critiquing the query itself, I will comment on the little nitpicky things that I notice, but wouldn’t necessarily stop me from requesting something. Since I just mentioned personalization, I’ll say that on closer inspection, I noticed that the "Dear Ms. Wolfson," is in a different font than the rest of the query. Now I don’t expect you to send me an exclusive query; in fact, I hate them since I then feel pressured to respond right away when that’s not how I generally work if I’m not interested. But you could at least make me feel like you’ve typed it out just for me, and a different font calls attention to a writer's admirable, yet meant to be secret, time-saving methods.

Guest Column: "Seven Things I've Learned Now, In the Middle of My Journey," by Nancy Parish

Chuck — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:38:45 GMT

If you follow the blog, you probably know that I've just finished my first middle grade novel. I'm revising it now. One thing you wouldn't know is that at least once a week, I wander over to the desk of Nancy Parish, a co-worker who also writes middle grade. Nancy is querying agents for her first book, and thick into writing her second. Since she's been querying agents for a while, I asked her to write up a small column on what she's learned thus far, being thick in the agent querying process. She agreed.

In lieu of a headshot, Nancy
sent this picture of her
beloved cat, Lucky.

-----------------

7 Things I’ve Learned So Far

by Nancy Parish

1. A finished manuscript isn’t necessarily a publishable manuscript. There are manuscripts I’ve written that are simply dreadful and I’m a bit embarrassed to have submitted them back in the day. Each manuscript gets better than the last. I’ve learned a lot just going through the process.

2. Revise, Revise, Revise. Then let the manuscript sit and revise it again.

3. Writing is a solitary endeavor, but trying to get published doesn’t have to be. When there wasn’t an active local chapter of SCBWI in my area, I posted to a SCBWI listserv and started one. That was six years ago and we’re still going strong. Writing groups like this are a great way to network with other writers and get feedback on query letters, manuscripts etc. Just recently I swapped novels with two other writers in the group for a critique.

4. Don’t treat Guide to Literary Agents and Writer’s Market like they are phone books. The market guides are a great starting point to determine which literary agencies accept submissions in certain genres but the research shouldn’t end there. I learned to use sites like Google to find more information about agents I wanted to submit to. I now look for interviews the agent has done and try to find examples of books they’ve sold to determine if my manuscript is a good fit. Often times, I crossed the agent off my list because of what I learned in my research.

5. Sell the Sizzle and the Steak. Once the manuscript is the best I can make it, then I focus on the query letter. I’ve learned that for my queries to be effective, shorter is better. I try to write the pitch like it’s the jacket copy of a book.

6. Finding an agent, is like dating. Some agents “Just aren’t that into you”. I’ve found that even if an agent asks for a full manuscript, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will provide feedback. Some won’t even respond - move on!

7. Rejection sucks but keep going. Randy Pausch in The Last Lecture said it best: “The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”

Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket By Writing Only One Book

Chuck — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:02:34 GMT

At a recent writers' conference in New York, I was asked by someone in the audience to give my best pieces of advice. Thinking fast, I ended up throwing out four tips. One of those tips was "Don't put all your eggs in one basket."

In my mind, if you have written only one novel or memoir, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

At any given time, I have from 3-8 different projects going on. That includes articles due, articles turned in, book proposals to my agent, book proposals in progress, or new plays I'm trying to get produced. Something is always cooking. Besides having multiple rounds of "good news" with so many projects, it also allows me to never have writing downtime. It's not like I send out 10 queries and say, "Well ... nothing to do now but wait for agents to respond, I guess." Nope - none of that. Something is always cooking, and I enjoy the variety.

In addition, as an agent said to me recently, a lot of first novels really aren't that good. This is a hard fact of life. If you spend 6 months or a year on a book and it turns out bad, it's not the time to quit. Start the next one. Writing gets easier - and you get better at it.

Diversify! Nothing bad can come from it. If you start writing articles, for example, that means more bylines (awesome), more credibility and platform (double awesome) and more money for writing the pieces (triple awesome).

On a side note, I apologize that it took me several days to finish this darn post. I was sick and then traveled to Georgia for a writers' conference. (I'm at St. Simon's Island now. Of course, if you were my Facebook friend, you already knew that!) In the interim between the start and finish of this post, I see agent Scott Eagan posted with his own take on the subject.

How I Got My Agent: Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Chuck — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:57:06 GMT

This installment of "How I
Got My Agent" is by
Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, who
writes children's books.

LIFE PRE-AGENT

Though I didn't have an agent when I first began to write, I was lucky enough to get my work published. Over the course of six years, thirteen of my books - twelve children’s activity books and one middle grade novel – came to life. It wasn’t that I didn’t want an agent – I did, and had queried a half-dozen or so over the years. It’s just that other things fell into place first.

THE SCBWI CONFERENCE

In February 2008, I attended the annual SCBWI conference in New York. At a panel of agents addressing the state of the publishing industry (because there is always a panel of agents addressing the state of the publishing industry), I was very impressed with Tracey Adams of Adams Literary. Aside from the fact that she said she loved historical fiction (my favorite genre), she mentioned that the goal of Adams Literary was to produce beautiful children’s literature, and to work on building each of their client’s careers. That's music to writers' ears.

I queried her the moment I stepped off the plane back in Nashville. I was excited when she requested the full manuscript of my latest historical fiction story. But things weren't so simple.

UNDER REVIEW BY AN AGENT AND EDITOR

At that time, I was obligated to submit my book-in-progress to an editor I had worked with previously. The editor read it and requested big changes. I explained the circumstances to Adams Literary. "Would you mind waiting?" I asked, "while I made these changes?" They said they would wait. They said, in fact, “Enjoy the writing.”

Enjoy the writing! These people got it.

And thank goodness they are patient. Nearly a year later, I sent them a, “Hey! Remember me?” message. And yay – they did remember! After I sent in the revised manuscript, Josh Adams, Tracey’s husband, called a couple of weeks later to offer representation. I now feel like I can concentrate on becoming a better, stronger storyteller while they handle the rest. Adams Literary has, in just a few short months, taken my career in new and exciting directions. I thank my lucky stars that Tracey was presenting that day, and that Josh became my (fantastic! thorough! ever-patient!) agent.

As a final note, I say writers should know it’s never too late to follow up on interest. If someone likes your story, they will remember it. They will remember you. This is not to say that you should query an unfinished project. But if circumstances prevent you from following up immediately on a request, that doesn’t mean you should chuck that relationship. Finding someone who loves your story as much as you do is a treasure.

Cover Band Soap Opera: Biggest Show of the Year Goes Awesome, Though Lead Singer Insults Catholic Parish's Choice of Beer Provider

Chuck — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:52:37 GMT

My cover band had its biggest show of the year last weekend. It was one of those things where we were playing for a few thousand people and our amps were cranked to 11 and, like Alan Shepherd, we were like "Please don't let us #$%& up."

Thankfully, things went very well. Our wild card lead singer did an amazing job of holding back on "sensitive" lyrics where need be at the Catholic Parish Festival. Our only low point came when the lead singer held up his bottle of Miller Lite (the beer provider for the event) and remarked that he was amazed anyone actually drank it - calling himself "a beer snob."

To just put the icing on the cake, when the set ended and we went to get drinks, he remarked that he was flat broke and needed $3 for another Miller Light. Must be pretty hard being a beer snob when you got moths in your pockets.

Pictures below for your enjoyment.

What is a "Boutique" Literary Agency?

Chuck — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:08:03 GMT

Q. What is a "boutique" literary agency?
- Joan

A. "Boutique" is a strange word agents use when their agencies are small and/or specialized. See, there are a decent number of big agencies out there, with big-name clients, closing big-time deals. And then there are plenty of smaller agencies in pockets here and there, handling clients that sell modestly, getting medium advances, etc. The second category may call themselves a boutique.
Agents will start an agency Web site, and they want to describe their agency to the public. They can't call themselves a big powerhouse agency, but they don't want to classify themselves as a "small" agency, either. That's where the word boutique comes in. It means small, specialized, and loyal to its clients. It means, "We don't take on a whole lot of projects, and we don't get a whole lot of million-dollar advances, but we put out really good work and take pride in every project we handle."

Agent Advice: Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency

Chuck — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:10:41 GMT

This is a "Blast From the

Past" post. To celebrate the

GLA Blog's 2nd birthday, I am

re-posting some of the best

"older" content that writers

likely missed.

"Agent Advice" is a series of quick interviews with literary and script agents who talk with Guide to Literary Agents about their thoughts on writing, publishing, and just about anything else.

This installment features literary agent Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency, who specializes in romance.

GLA: What’s a recent thing you’ve sold?

LB: I recently sold the first three books in a new urban fantasy series by Ann Aguirre to Ace. They feature a woman cursed with the gift of psychometry who, after struggling to sever all ties with her past, is reluctantly drawn into the search for a missing woman along with her former lover (who would rather not be "former" any longer) and an empathic cop with similar romantic designs on her. The series has tons of danger and action, a little romance and bad guys who are are just as likely to hire a warlock as a hitman to even the score. And zombies.
Plus, I just received an offer on an erotic romance novel today, so by the time this interview posts, Out of the Ashes by Beth Kery will be my most recent sale. This one has heat and heart in equal measures, I'd say. Scorching. With a hero who is so Alpha, it hurts.

GLA: You specialize in romance. Aside from writing, what should beginning romance novelists be doing to help their careers?

LB: I think that the most important thing a beginning writer of any genre needs to do is educate him or herself about the market and how they should go about selling their work. This can be done lots of different ways, but romance writers are lucky that there is such a large and extensive group, RWA, where they can easily tap into the collective knowledge base. There is a wealth of information to be shared within that group. There are other online writing groups and loops that can be mined for information as well.

GLA: How exactly do you define “romantica”?

LB: It tends to get defined one of two ways depending on the person doing the defining. 1) It is a romance, with all the characteristics of being a romance, like the "happily ever after" ending and relationship-focused center of the plot, but with extra, extra spicy sexual content. More extensive sex scenes, more frequency, more kink, harder language (no sexual euphemisms here!), etc. If the sex was taken out, you would still be left with a complete, whole romance story. Or some people define romantica or erotic romance as being 2) a sex-centered romance with all the extra spicy elements I mentioned before: frequency, kink, language, etc. In this definition, the sex and the sexiness are fundamental to the plot and if the sex was removed, it would be clear that core of the book was missing. Some publishers consider the first definition to cover what they call simply a very hot (but not erotic) romance.

GLA: Romance can also be tied in with other genres—a romantic mystery, paranormal romance, etc. Is there a line where the writing ceases to be “romance” any longer and has shifted into another genre?

LB: A romance is a pretty specific type of book. At it's core, a romance is story about people falling in love and it always ends on an optimistic, emotionally satisfying note. A book can absolutely be romantic though, and not be a romance, per se. I think that there is room for romantic elements in almost every genre of commerial fiction and as someone who loves a good romance, I find those elements add an additional layer of depth to a novel. I think a novel ceases to be a romance whenever the focus of the book shifts away from the romantic relationship and starts to be more about the other plot elements (finding the serial killer, stopping the alien invation, making peace with the death of the character's father). If a book strays too far from traditional romance rules, it just isn't a romance anymore and that is fine. I think that genre-straddling books are fun and fresh and I love to read them. mixing genres, whether that mix involves romance or not, keeps publishing dynamic and continually evolving.

GLA: Romance has several sub-genres, such as historical romance. Is the genre continuing to fragment? or is it fairly set?

LB: I don't really think of romance as a genre that is fragmenting with all of its myriad sub-genres. The labeling of the sub-genres is really just a way to help romance readers find the books they most want to read by preference for setting and style. As long as the book has that romantic relationship core and heat, romance is romance whether it takes place in medieval times, present day, the Scottish Highlands, a church or the surface of Neptune. I think the fact that both the markets for erotic romance and inspirational romance are blooming is fabulous. I think that there are a few romance sub-genre classics that will be around forever, like historical, romantic suspense, paranormal, but I love the idea that there will always be room in romance for a new and fresh angle on a type of book that is so beloved.

GLA: If a man were to query you with a romance novel, will he likely be published under a pseudonym? If so, should he query you under that pseudonym? How does this work?

LB: Male romance authors traditionally sell more books when they are published under female pseudonyms ... or so we seem to think. Yes, the standard seems to be to publish male authors under the female pseudonym, but since I have no personal experience in that particular area, I'm not certain if it was the author's choice or the publisher's. An author can query me using their real name or a pseudonym, it makes no difference to me. I review the manuscript and make my decision based on the writing.

Laura Bradford founded the Bradford Literary Agency in 2005. She has 13 years of professional experience as a literary agent, editor, writer and bookseller. Laura began her career as a literary agent at Manus and Associates Literary Agency and is a member of the Romance Writers of America. As an editorial-focused agent Laura works closely with her clients developing proposals and manuscripts for the most appropriate markets.
The agency specializes in all types of romance (including category), romantica/erotica, women’s fiction, mystery, thrillers and young adult. We also represent nonfiction and other fiction genres. All queries sent to us will be considered with the exception of poetry, children’s books, screenplays and short stories. It does not charge reading fees for evaluating your material.