Chip MacGregor .com

Ask an Agent - Part Four (and last!)

2009-12-24T14:22:26-08:00

Merry Christmas! We've taken this week to get through a bunch of questions writers have of literary agents. Let me try and blast through the last batch...

At what point in the process does an agent want to see a book proposal? After the book is completed?

Most agents will look at a nonfiction book proposal before the book is completed, but after the author has figured out what he or she wants to say. That is, the author has figured out the question and the answer, and has tried to put some structure (in terms of an outline or table of contents) to the material. With a fiction proposal, most agents want to see a synopsis or overview, just to know what the basic story is, then the first five to fifty pages. If the agent reads a portion and likes it, he or she will probably ask for the rest of the manuscript.

Is nonfiction really dead? It seems like all the questions have to do with fiction.

My wife was cooking an East Indian dish the other day, and needed a recipe. Where did she go? To a cookbook? Nope, she went online. I was looking for the answer to a port wine question yesterday. Did I look at one of my wine books? Nope, I went to the web. The internet has made basic information available on every topic to anyone with a computer. That puts the core of nonfiction at risk. I think this points to a major shift we're seeing in publishing -- away from most nonfiction in traditional print form. There will still be plenty of nonfiction that sees print (history, memoir, and much of the "literary" side of writing), but much of the how-to side is quickly shifting to an electronic format. People still love and buy nonfiction books, but only when they NEED to or the material is not readily available in a digital format.

Is it the agent's job to tell the publisher they're being too slow, or to withdraw a project from a house, or is that the author's job?

If the agent sent a project to a publishing house, it's the agent's responsibility to follow up on that project. That said, I don't often tell a publisher they're being "too slow." Publishing is a slow business. I will often check on a project, to make sure it's being reviewed and hasn't fallen through the cracks, but I don't often push them to make a decision. (Why? Because when pushed, the easiest answer is "no.")

If I regularly read an agent's blog, should I mention that when I query them?

I would. It establishes a connection.

You've often encouraged authors to promote themselves, yet you do a lot of Christian books. How do you reconcile self-promotion with the Christian teachings on pride and being self-effacing?

I was just asked this question on the Novel Journey website recently, so let me share the response I gave to them: "Promotion" and "overweening pride" are two separate things. The Bible tells believers to beware of pride -- not to have too high an opinion of oneself, or to take all the credit for something, lord your success over others, or brag about how wonderful you are. When we do that, we lose our perspective as to where our talent comes from. But "promotion" is different than "pride." It simply means we are encouraging or advancing something (and with a clear conscience, it's promoting something we actually believe in). Move this out of the realm of books for a moment... If you were selling vacuum cleaners, would your faith keep you from advertising them? ("I can't tell anyone about my vacuum cleaners -- they're really good, but it would look like I'm too proud of them.") That's crazy. If you work hard, have confidence in your work, and feel your product is helpful to others, should you feel awkward about telling others about it? I don't think so. An author is creating art, so would we ask a singer not to sing in public, or a painter not hang her art in a gallery for fear others will notice their gifts? Of course not. Similarly, I think authors can promote the books they create in good conscience. Sure, that can cross over into the realm of unhealthy pride -- any business where people are publicly successful holds that trap. So an individual take steps to make sure that doesn't happen. I see nothing in my religious faith that tells me not to share the products I believe in with others. (And by the way, there are some really insightful comments on the site I referenced. Visit www.noveljourney.blogspot.com )

Will self-publishing my novel help me or hurt me when I approach a traditional publisher?

Most likely, the answer is "neither." Self-publishing WON'T help you land a deal with a traditional publisher unless you sell a bajillion copies. Yeah, yeah... The Shack did exactly that, but that's news because it's so rare -- for every Shack there are ten thousand other self-pubbed novels that did nothing. And besides, if you sell a bajillion copies, you may not need that traditional publisher. But I don't think self-publishing will actually HURT you, unless your book is so horrendously bad that it becomes an insider joke.

I wrote a story that is being produced as a play. A friend suggested I invite an agent to come see it. Is that common? Would it help me in any way?

It's not common, but I don't see how it could hurt (assuming the play is good, of course). My suggestion: contact the agent, introduce yourself, explain the situation, invite him or her, then leave two good tickets at the door. Who knows?

How difficult is it for an author to break into more than one genre?

If you're a fiction genre writer (that is, you're basically writing romances, or historicals, or mysteries, or westerns, or romantic suspense novels, etc), then each time you switch genres, you have to start over. If you're a literary fiction writer, it's a bit easier, since you don't have a genre-specific readership. However, be aware that if you have a loyal following in one genre, your readers might view your move to another genre as breaking your promise ("You ALWAYS write legal thrillers! And now you're writing boring novels about poor people painting their house?!"). As I stated earlier, moving from fiction to nonfiction is exceedingly, abundantly difficult. Fiction readers won't cross over to read your nonfiction, and the skills used in the genres are very different.

One last thing: In my last blog post, I noted that I was the #1 agent for all of 2009 in terms of the Publishers Marketplace ranking. Just so you know, my good friend Steve Laube was #2, I believe, and I know that Janet Grant and Natasha Kern were also in their top ten. A remarkable showing for Christian literary agents. If you go just a bit further down their list, you'd find Sandra Bishop (who works with me here at MacGregor LIterary), Greg Johnson, Karen Solem, Deidre Knight, and others. It's not perfect (it begins by having agents self-report their deals), but it's one of the few measures of how busy an agent is. I didn't want to bring it up to toot my own horn, but to answer the very legit question of "how can an author know that an agent will keep busy and do a good job?" Thanks to all who noticed and said something nice (including Michael Hyatt, the President of Thomas Nelson, who continues to amaze me with his ability to apparently read everything that relates to publishing!).

Okay, I'm out of time. Thanks to all who participated in our ASK AN AGENT discussion. Here is wishing you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! May the joy and peace of the season fill your home.

Chip MacGregor

Ask An Agent - Part Three

2009-12-23T13:22:36-08:00

This week we're doing a quick run-through of questions authors have of literary agents...

I'm a beginning author, have written a novel, and want to start submitting query letters. What advice would you have for me?

First, make sure your novel is well done. Have some other writers read it, get feedback from some experienced writers, and if possible talk with an editor about your work. The #1 reason projects get rejected is because the book isn't really done -- it might be a good idea, but it's basically 70% completed. Second, do some research on literary agents. Don't do a mass sending to a bunch of agents -- find out who represents the type of book you write, who among that list is taking new clients, then try to get some sort of introduction. Publishing, like all businesses in this country, is a relationship business. If you can meet and talk to an agent (perhaps at a conference, or simply through an introduction from a mutual friend), you'll be much further down the path in the submission process. Third, research what makes a good query letter. I sometimes laugh when I see an author has spent two years writing a book, and two minutes banging out a query letter.

I'm interested in getting an agent. How do you know which agent will work hard for you? For that matter, how can an author know which agents the publishers view as legit?

If you want to know about an agent, you can always start by asking around. Ask publishers and editors in confidence what they think. Go onto the agency website and check the agent out. Check with "Predators & Editors" and "Writer Beware" to see which agents are not considered legit. Look into "Agent Query" and the other agency-ranking organizations. Pick up a copy of Chuck Sambuccino's Guide to Literary Agents so you can do some research into the agent. In my opinion, you should look for an agent that's a member of the Association of Author Representatives (AAR), the professional organization for literary agents. To see if the agent will work hard for you, all you have to do is to see which authors are happy and which agents are doing deals -- you can find information on the number of deals done by an agent in the "Dealmakers" section of Publishers Marketplace (um... sorry to brag, but that would be the place that currently has me listed as the #1 agent for all of 2009). A lot of people will just tell you to "talk with authors," but I find that less than helpful. First, most people don't want to say bad things about an agent, or worry that saying something honest will lead to a lawsuit. Second, many authors don't often know a good agent from a bad one -- if their agent got them a deal, they're happy. I know some authors who have a lousy literary agent, but they're completely satisfied because they don't have anything to judge it against.

What word count should I shoot for with a light romance? I heard one agent say if a novel gets over 115,000 words, she gets nervous. Are some of the long bestselling novels (Redeeming Love, DaVinci Code, etc) exceptions?

The genre romance houses are basically asking for 55,000 words for contemporary novels, and 75,000 words for historical novels. If you move away from a genre house and begin talking to more of a general lines publisher, you'll find this lousy economy demands more from writers -- so novels are often in the 90,000 to 100,000 word range. But yes, I am VERY reluctant to take on someone who has written 120,000 words. The investment by the publisher is huge, it takes extra work, the production costs are higher, and the final price point will be higher... so publishers find it easier to reject a book like that. They have to fall in love with a longer novel to contract it. (Pointing to mega-bestsellers like Redeeming Love and DaVinci Code is an exercise in futility. Better to look at the norms, not the exceptions.)

I recently won a writing contest, then saw how many "winners" there were... It felt like I had "bought" the win with my entry fee. How do agents and publishers feel about writing contest winners?

I realize the people managing contests want to have happy customers, so they name a lot of "winners." But in my experience, agents and publishers still like to see authors who can tell them they won a national writing contest. There's still a prestige associated with that.

I have published a novel, but now want to do a nonfiction book. What advice would you have for me?

A nonfiction book is a completely different animal than a novel. A novel basically offers entertainment -- a nonfiction book offers a solution to a problem or an answer to a question. It requires a different writing style. You'll need to think about scope and sequence, strong principles with clear solutions, and good, illustrative stories. Don't expect your fiction readers will cross the aisle and read your nonfiction book -- they won't. If you're just trying your hand at NF, my best advice would be to study the basics of writing again. It's not easy to slide from fic to NF.

I have a work that has promise, but needs a good, literary editor. Are there any grants or programs available to help Christian authors fine-tune a work?

I am not aware of any grants, however joining an online writing group or a critique group might prove helpful. It gets your writing in front of other eyes, so that you gain from the perspectives of others.

It seems like the information about "platforms" is always geared to nonfiction authors. What steps would you suggest for a fiction writer to start building a platform?

That will depend on your novel, of course. The core of marketing is to figure out where the readers who would be interested in your story are gathering, then go stand in front of them. So if you're writing Amish fiction, it would be good to figure out where people who love Amish gather -- what sites do they visit, what 'zines to they read, what programs do they follow. You want to figure out how to get in front of those folks. I've said this before, but think of "platform" as a number -- the number of people you can say read your words and have some sort of investment in you, so they're strong possibilities to buy your book. If you have a blog, do articles in your local newspaper, write things in your church or denominational newsletter, contribute to an online e'zine, speak to groups, teach classes, and appear in the media, all of those activities have a number of potential readers associated with them. You build your platform by participating in those activities, getting your words in front of people, and making sure they know the words are from you. You do your best to capture that audience, so you can approach them with your novel when it releases.

I hope you're finding this helpful. Happy to answer your lingering questions on the last of the ASK AN AGENT segments...

Ask An Agent - Part Two

2009-12-22T18:46:15-08:00

What have you always wanted to ask a literary agent?

Must a novel always be 100% finished before an agent will want to take a look at it? Or if you spotted great voice in an unfinished work, would you take a look and offer encouragement?

If I absolutely love the voice, I might sign an author based on the writing. That happens on occasion. More often, I will look at a project and offer encouragement to the writer if I like his or her writing voice and think it has potential, but still think it needs to be completed. Right now the market is more or less demanding a novel be completed if a publisher is going to take a risk on a new or newer author. So yes, an agent might very well say he likes your work, but put off a decision to sign you until you complete your novel.

What is "voice" in writing?

Voice is the personality of the author, expressed through words on the page. When you write your word choices, phrasing, structure, thinking, and themes all help establish your personality as a writer. So the way I talk about writing is different from the way someone else talks about writing -- my personality needs to come through, and show how I'm different and unique as a writer. (An example: Stephen King and William Faulkner both like long sentences, psychological implications, semicolons, and the use of the word "and" in their works... but nobody ever picked up a Stephen King novel and mistook it for a William Faulkner novel. Each writer has his own personality, and that comes through on the page.) Of course, not every writing voice is good -- just as not every singing voice is good. A great writer has a voice that is appealing and interesting.

How does a writer know when he has established a strong voice in his work?

It takes time. I've always thought a writer recognizes his or her own voice as it becomes clear there is personality on the page. Your words don't sound like mine. Your stories don't sound like mine. I was in the air on Sept 11 -- the way I tell the story of that day will be different from the way YOU might tell it. The writers we love best express themselves through their voices, and we love hearing those voices because they are individual, and, in the words of Carolyn Sloan, "they teach us to be ourselves by supplying us with an example of genuine emotion..." Great voice in writing is a unique and courageous act. And I don't think it can be created -- I believe it rises up from the soul of the writer.

Is there home in religious publishing for a strong Christian story, but with rough patches of reality along the way?

Of course there is. Publishing is replete with examples. If you unfamiliar, read the works of Lisa Samson, Flannery O'Connor, Claudia Burney, Susan Meissner, Elizabeth Musser, and Charles Martin.

Do Christian publishers really have such overly strict requirements that they cannot use such words as "priest" without being dismissed?

No. At least, not in my extensive experience. Sure, if you're doing a sweet romance, you can't use racy language -- but that sort of expectation is extant in ANY publishing line. You write to your audience. What I think you're referring to is a recent blog post from Ted Dekker, in which he cited a long-out-of-date document from Harlequin that listed certain words they didn't want used in their religious fiction (in order to keep from sounding sectarian). But Harlequin has since taken down that document, and the discussion has moved on. (Check out my posts of Nov 14, 16, and 23 for more on that situation.)

I'm entered in the Writers Digest Short Story competition, which states that Writers Digest has one-time publishing rights for the top 25 entries. So if I've entered, have I given up my publication rights? And as an agent, would you chew me out for being a bonehead? I just want to know if I've made a mistake in giving up my non-exlusive rights.

You might very well be a bonehead (I'm reserving judgment), but you're pretty safe with the WD contest. First, if it's really "non-exclusive" rights, you're free to re-sell those rights. And if this is a one-time agreement, it's similar to any other print publication article. I doubt I'd chew you out... especially in the short story market, which is a tough, tough place to get published.

What have you always wanted to ASK AN AGENT? Send it in and I'll get you an answer!

Ask An Agent - Part One

2009-12-21T20:42:45-08:00

Okay, we're going to spend this week doing ASK AN AGENT -- where YOU write in whatever question you've always wanted to ask a literary agent, and I'll do my best to give you a good answer. Here are a bunch of the questions I've already received...

What do you think of POETS & WRITERS magazine? Do you subscribe? Why/why not? And if you used to, why don't you now?

I think Poets and Writers is a wonderful magazine. It offers very good information on writing and the industry, incorporates a lot of event and academic stuff, and has always worked to get writers connected to one another. There's not much else like it. I used to subscribe, but I no longer do. That has nothing to do with the quality of the magazine, but instead with the fact that I can't stay up with so many publications. A couple years ago I took steps to simplify my life, and that included giving up some of the magazines that were good, but that I didn't have time to adequately read. (I took further steps this year, cutting out even more magazines, axing TV news, and moving to a small town.) For those writers interested in the literary side of the industry, Poets and Writers is an excellent resource.

How much of a difference does it make to an agent to hear I've been referred by one of their current clients? And how does that compare to a face-to-face with an agent at a conference?

It always makes a difference to me when one of the authors I already represents sends a talented writer my way. I figure the writers I represent are already my friends -- we understand one another, so they're probably going to send people my way who would likely be a fit. So consider that a good start. That said, it still takes a face-to-face for me to really get to know someone. A conference meeting is often too short (sometimes ten minutes), but it's a start as well. In both cases, it will need to be followed up by great writing and a long talk or two, where we both get a feel for whether or not we're a fit for one another.

How are royalties paid out? Why it is the contract says you get 10%, but the author never sees that much?

The standard ABA contract pays the author 10% of whatever a book sells for (on the first 5000 copies -- then it rises to 12.5% on the next 5000 copies). The standard CBA contract will pay the author somewhere in the 12-to-18% of net (that is, it pays not on the retail price of the book, but on the amount of money received by the publisher). The publisher keeps tabs on how many copies are sold, and quarterly or semi-annually pays that amount to the author. For subsidiary projects (that is, the words sold in another format, such as an audio book or an e-book), there will be a separate royalty amount. Sometimes a large company (read: "Wal-Mart") will purchase a big quantity of books, but to do so they'll insist on a huge discount. In a case like that, the author will be paid a discounted royalty. That's why it can be hard to track a book's exact earnings. I recently had an author on the bestsellers list receive a very disappointing check -- the bulk of the sales were done through big box stores like Sam's Club and Costco, so while the number of books sold was high, the discounts made the royalties lower than expected. (Does that adequately answer your question?)

I sent something out to an agent prematurely. The agent rejected my project, but was nice enough to make suggestions for improving/finishing it. Now that I've taken her advice to heart, would it be reasonable to re-send to her? How unusual is it for an agent to reconsider an author they've already rejected?

While it's fairly rare for an agent to want to see a project he or she has already rejected, the situation you're describing is a type of exception you'll occasionally find. I wouldn't make a habit of re-sending rejected proposals, for fear of establishing a bad reputation with agents. But if an agent has offered helpful advice, and you've really taken those words and improved your work, it wouldn't be considered impolite to at least go back and ask if that agent would like to see the better, polished version. But be careful... Make sure it's REALLY better. Nobody is going to look at it a third time.

I've quered a few agents who said they liked my writing, but there was no market for memoirs. Is there no market for memoir? Should I try to pitch the book as something else?

Well, if the agents you're approaching are saying there's no market for memoir, then there's no market for memoir. So you either have to look for other agents (who perhaps work in a different field), or alter your book. My guess is you've written something that YOU see as memoir, but agents see as just a personal story -- something that doesn't have the broad appeal it needs, but is simply a cool story about something that happened to you. That's the sort of thing I see ALL THE TIME, and there's no market for it. That type of story fits best as a magazine or e-zine piece. If you want to reshape it into another book, you may want to think about the lessons you've learned -- how can you turn your story into a self-help book, where you focus on the principles for living more effectively, and use your personal story as backstory to buttress your points. That might hold more appeal. OR you could leave it alone and do it as a magazine article, which will garner you more readers anyway.

I'm a finalist in a writing contest. I'm also talking with an agent. If I win and get published, would if be customary for my agent to take 15% of the book? Or part of that 15%?

I love a question that's off the beaten path. I don't know that I've ever heard this before, so let me try my hand at it... If you came to me, and already had a publishing deal in hand, I would probably not take 15% of the deal. Since I didn't help you shape the piece, or help you improve it, or shop it to publishers, it wouldn't feel right to me to do so. I would probably offer to negotiate the contract for you, and hope to improve it, and perhaps suggest taking half my usual commission. (And, if you think I'm simply posing, I invite you to talk with some of the publishers. I've done exactly this in the past, so this isn't some sort of empty windmill-chasing.) That said, other agents may disagree with me entirely. A good agent is going to help you shape your career, not just land one book deal, so they may feel entirely comfortable participating fully in the deal via a 15% commission. Depends on the individual. Don't let it be a surprise -- ask this question up front, in a non-combative way. No sense letting this create a headache for you later.

You do many Christian books. Is there a website that connects Christian writers specifically with Christian agents? If not, do you think there's a market for one?

I do not know of a website that connects Christian writers and agents. That doesn't mean there isn't one, it just means I don't know of one. There are websites that attempt to connect Christian writers and publishers, including ChristianManuscriptSubmissions.com, but I don't know if there's one aimed at agents. Would there be a market for one? Probably -- my sense is there's a market for just about everything. The questions would be "is it any good?" and "is it better than what we currently have?" The industry is rapidly changing, which means the role of agents is going to have to change with it. Some well-meaning sorts tried to create a Christian literary agent association last year. I thought it was a noble effort, but I also wasn't in favor of joining... I just didn't feel it was set up appropriately. You'd have to think through things like "how are you going to define Christian?" and "what sort of guidelines are we going to have?" I have no doubts about the salvation of a couple Christian agents -- I just doubt their business practices, so I'd be uncomfortable being lumped in with them. (And I don't toss out that criticism lightly. One agent I know is a great guy, but, in my humble opinion, is a boob when it comes to this job. Another is an upstanding Christian leader, but he runs his business in clear violation of the code of ethics of AAR, so I can't recommend him.) If you were going to have a site like this, you'd have to consider those sorts of qualifiers in setting it up.

What have you always wanted to ASK AN AGENT? Send us your question, and we'll get you answer!

Some perspective as we head toward Christmas...

2009-12-19T20:10:31-08:00

It seems like everybody has been touched by this lousy economy. I read a report yesterday that explained why this is by far the worst economic climate of our lifetimes. Not only is unemployment at more than 8%, but the world of work has changed considerably. Over the past decade, there were many more people who were working at home, working part time, telecommuting, and cobbling together a living. If you include all those people (who weren't "laid off," they simply no longer have freelance jobs available to them), the unemployment rate is something closer to 15% -- the worst since the Great Depression. We've certainly seen that in publishing. Every house has cut staff, most have trimmed the number of books they'll release. Borders is on the ropes, some publishers look like they may be in trouble, and even Scholastic (who made a fortune introducing the world to Harry Potter) appears to have some serious issues. There's carnage everywhere in publishing. And even though we know that books are recession-resistant, overall sales have been down.

What does a writer do in this sort of economy? I'd like to make a handful of suggestions to you.

First, while things in the world economy may be dire, a depression isn't just about the world. It's about your individual projects. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to suggest you take break from the unrelenting bad news heard on the mainstream media. And even the sidestream media. I mean it -- turn off the TV, don't listen to talk radio, and stop checking FoxNews.com. It's the Christmas season, so give up broadcast media for a while. Consider yourself on a "news fast." You might think it's silly, but if you try it, you'll soon realize the benefit of not having fear-mongers and outraged talk show hosts fill your head with bad news. Decide you're going to take from now until Martin Luther King's birthday and stay away from the news. See if your attitude doesn't improve. (And let me tell you how this works for me: While many agents are spending time whining about the lousy publishing economy, I just keep working on the projects my authors represent. And I find them selling. Maybe not as many as two years ago, and maybe not for as much as they'd have sold for one year ago, but I"m still doing deals for people. Even in this bad economy, there are book deals to be made. I've found this to be true with other agent friends of mine -- we just keep working.) So turn off the Chicken Little, World-Is-Coming-To-An-End types, assume somebody will tell you if something important happens, and focus on your writing.

Second, I want you to consider recent sales. Because the contracts I negotiate for my authors generally have confidentiality clauses, I'm not going to reveal the particulars, but I can tell you this much: the majority of deals I've done in the past five months have been exclusive. In other words, the project was created with one particular publisher in mind. There was forethought put into what the project would be, and who it would be aimed at. The author really focused on the needs of a particular house, created it especially for that publisher, and we sold it to them. Of the last ten deals I did, eight of them were designed with ONE publisher in mind. Let me offer one example, since it shows some insight into the way this works... Gina Holmes runs the popular "Novel Journey" website. She has worked on that for years, meeting people, making connections, slowly building up a name that people in the industry would recognize. When she began writing, she didn't have one particular house in mind, but she knew she had a strong story that would work in the market. Over time, we began to target one publisher that would be a nice match for her story.

I spoke to the editor in charge of fiction there, so she'd know Gina was working on a book for her. The two spoke, the editor offered ideas for helping improve the story. Over time, Gina created exactly the novel that publisher wanted. And because Gina wasn't in a hurry, she was able to create a much stronger book. In the end, they made Gina a great offer -- much better than she'd have received if she had simply banged something out. There's not any one factor in this, but several ingredients that came together -- Gina's platform, her story, her writing ability, the relationship with the publisher, the allotment of time to let the story build, the feeling of partnership that developed (since we all prefer to do business with people know and trust). In a lousy economy, that's how publishing still works. So think about creating a book that is ideal for one house. (And this would be a great place to mention that Gina's novel, CROSSING OCEANS, is releasing next summer. It's going to be great!)

Third, even if there's financial discouragement around you, commit to write every day. It's what you are gifted at, and what you are called to do. Why give up your best gift and your calling at a time when things are tight? Fix a time in your schedule, sit down at the same place each day, and bang out those thousand words (or those five thousand, depending on how fast you work). Continuing to write is probably your best therapy when the rest of the world looks like it's falling apart. Besides, in a world that's struggling, there is still a need for books that will change us, inspire us, encourage us, spur us to action, offer us an entertaining escape, or cause us to live more effectively.

Fourth, if you really are worried about your writing career in this lousy world economy, do something for someone else each day. I mean it. When you do something tangible for someone else, when you encourage them or make a point of complimenting or thanking them, it changes your attitude about the world we live in. In her wonderful book Making a LIterary Life, Carolyn See says the two essential elements in a writers life are to write a thousand words a day and to send someone a charming note each day. That's great advice. So if you're concerned about the world and the economy, then take eight minutes every day and send a thank you note to that editor who talked with you at the conference, or write a note of encouragement to that author whose book you liked, or tell your publicist how much you appreciate her. Sure, it's a great way to network. But that's not the reason to do it -- you do it because it's one of the few things you can do as a writer that will get you out of your own world and into the world of someone else. Aren't you always encouraged when, out of the blue, you get one of those nice "thank you" notes for something you did that you considered a small token? Hey, we've had some very tough things happen lately. A couple authors I represent are married to people who have lost their jobs. A couple folks have faced serious health issues. A couple authors lost a parent or father-in-law. Several are facing a serious financial crunch. One good buddy, a wonderful guy who is doing a series of books with Bethany House Publishers, lost his twelve-year-old son unexpectedly just a few months ago. He and his family are facing their first Christmas after a huge loss. People need encouragement, and that's one tangible thing you can provide.

Fifth (and get ready because I'm about to sound like Pastor Chippy), examine your faith in God. Our treasure isn't in this world. Our trust really isn't in our stock portfolio or our 401k's. Our trust is in God, and He wasn't surprised when this depression began. He isn't sitting in heaven, slapping HIs forehead in surprise and saying, "I sure didn't see THAT coming." The fact is, I don't care if you're one of those people who reads this blog for the publishing advice and doesn't really believe in God. I have full confidence that God is still in charge, and still paying attention to this world, even if it looks like it's all falling apart. He still cares about you, and will still take care of you, even in difficult circumstances. So learn to trust God, however you perceive Him to be. If you're finding it hard, commit to reading your bible a bit each day in order to build your faith, and take the time to talk with someone about your concerns. We're all in this crazy business together, and at heart, we all love it. Publishing can be fickle, and certainly has the ability to ruin a promising day, but the fact is, we all know that words still matter, and if God really exists, that means He is in charge of publishing just like He's in charge of everything else. End of sermon.

I hope you have a merry Christmas. If you've got a question for an agent, send it in, because next week we're going to do a series called ASK AN AGENT. You can ask anything you've always wanted to ask an agent, and I'll try to answer it briefly but completely.

2009-12-18T16:07:32-08:00

Um... are YOU the one who sent me the Esther Price chocolates? Because they just showed up today on my doorstep. No card, no name. I'd like to send a thank you card, but...

How do Agents Work?

2009-12-18T12:16:36-08:00

I've had a number of questions about literary agents in the past month...

Seth asked, "What's the first thing you look for in a proposal?"

My reply: Voice. I'm a sucker for great voice in a writer. If I see great voice, I'm almost always willing to take the next step with an author.

Daryl wrote to ask, "As an agent, do you ever 'go after' an author? I mean, do you see a person you think has good book potential, then try to track them down?"

Very rarely. I mean, it happens occasionally, but not often. I was in the air on September 11, had to make an emergency landing, saw first-hand the things going on in the air and at airports, and was emotionally impacted by the events of that day. So a couple days later, when Patti and I were watching the President speak, we saw him introduce the very poised Lisa Beamer. I turned to Patti and said, "She could do a great book." So I started trying to connect with her, spoke to her pastor about how to handle media requests, and put her in touch with B&B Media to help her manage all the people approaching her. Eventually Lisa and I met at her home, talked things through, and started shaping a book. I brought in Kenny Abraham, who did a fabulous job working with Lisa on her manuscript. That book hit #1 on the New York Times list, and was the bestselling nonfiction book of the year. So, yeah, having an agent seek out an individual can happen... but not often. People with the platform of a Lisa Beamer don't show up every day (the Lord just worked out the circumstances on that one). Besides, most of us are seeing pretty good proposals on a regular basis, so there isn't much of a need to chase anyone down.

Anne asked, "Doesn't it seem like most literary agents work in either the CBA market exclusively, or the general market exclusively? Why is that?"

I suppose it's that way because this business, like every business, is based on relationships. If an agent has a bunch of relationships with CBA editors, that agent is most likely going to do a lot of CBA deals. But not all agents work exclusively in one market. Some of us do plenty of deals in both markets (though it depends on the year -- I've found myself doing a TON of CBA deals this year, meaning I was contracting books in CBA far more than I was last year). Still, there isn't anything keeping an agent who does the majority of work in CBA from landing some projects in the general market. It just requires a bit more research, stretching the network a little wider. The best thing to do is to simply ask the agent -- "Would you be interested in a general market novel?"

Alice wrote this: "Don't get mad, but I publish poetry. Why is it that agents don't want to see any poetry submissions?"

Hey, I don't get mad at those types of questions, Alice. I think that's a legit question. The answer is simple: there's no money in poetry. I love good poetry (also intentionally bad poetry, if you're a regular reader). If I could make money representing poetry, I would. But I can't. There's no market for poetry, no way to make a living at it, and since I'm not independently wealthy, I have to choose to represent projects that pay me money.

Ginger wants to know, "As an agent, what do you think is the best way a writer can improve his or her writing, without actually writing? (I'm serious about this question.)"

My response: By reading great writing. I think a writer can improve, get ideas, and be inspired by seeing what a great writer is doing -- how he or she handles the text, what words are chosen, how the story unfolds. Too many writers ONLY write, or only read in their genre. Most of the great writers I know read widely.

Dom sent this: "You haven't been picking on anybody lately. I know you're trying to be nice, but... well, what is currently driving you crazy? We'd all like to know."

I received a proposal today that was addressed to 17 agents. All of our names and emails were in the "to" line. I've received at least a dozen of those recently. I'm blaming it on the rampant use of hallucinogenic drugs in this country. I mean, come on... The author is cc'ing his proposal to a bunch of us, then expecting us to take it seriously? Like I'm going to fight other agents to grab this one crappy proposal? All of us had the same response: hit "delete." That's the current thing that's driving my crazy.

Wait... it gets worse. So I read this one, then sent the author a note, explaining that cc'ing a proposal to a bunch of agents at once makes it look like Amateur Hour, and that he should study the industry, figure out how to create and pitch a proposal, then approach an agent he feels might be a fit. Isn't that how you'd approach any other line of work? Do a bit of research on it, to make sure you didn't look like a moron? I took time out of my day to try and help this guy. And what was his response? To send me a nasty note, complaining about the fact that i was scolding him for not doing it right.

That gets him put into my Black File, of course. What is it about the fact that some people simply can't admit they don't know everything? Just assume you've screwed up, learn from your mistake, and do it better next time. Don't get defensive. I've pretty much stopped going to a couple popular online writing groups for that reason. I had originally been involved because I thought the participants were there to learn, and after a few decades in this business, I figure I've got something to share. But it began to feel like pearls before swine after a while. People want to share their ignorance, then HATE to get corrected when they say something stupid. So I'm just not even reading those any more -- I figure if writers want to read the advice of the uninformed, it's not my job to police it. There you go, Dom. Happy?

Good grief... where's the Christmas spirit?

Hey, we're going to do an ASK THE AGENT week next week. Anything you want to know, send it in and ask the agent. We'll try to do a BUNCH of questions, and I promise to keep my answers (relatively) short. Send it along - HO HO HO!

Questions about the Publishing World

2009-12-16T18:36:51-08:00

A bunch of quick questions and answers on the world of publishing today...

Mike wrote to ask, "Would you recommend an aspiring writer attend a seminar like 'Story' by Robert McKee?"

Absolutely. I think attending a good writing seminar or conference is one of the best investments a newer writer can make.

Tim wants to know, "What do you make of Kirkus Reviews closing down?'

Hate to see it. If you haven't heard, Nielsen Business, the owner, is not only shutting down Kirkus Reviews, but selling off Adweek, Billboard, and The Hollywood Reporter. Kirkus has been around since the Great Depression, and while it had a reputation for savaging a lot of books, it was also an influential source for writers and publishers. But reviews have moved to the web, so that's the place to go if you want info on books these days.

Wanda asked this: "Are digital books going to ruin the book publishing business?"

Nope. They're just the latest form of books. I would note that this week some of the big publishers (Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Thomas Nelson) announced they would delay some of their e-books until after the hardcover has had its own sales season. Some reviewers saw that as a mistake, as though publishers were caving into author and agent demands. Baloney. They're doing it to try and bring perspective back to the industry. Amazon does everything in secret, demands exclusivity, and has been no friend to authors with its financial demands. Everyone is waiting to see what happens when Apple releases their e-reader next year, since word is they're going to be much more publisher-friendly.

Marvin asked, "What is the best website you read?"

There are several, and I've mentioned them in the past (Mike Hyatt, Rachelle Gardner, NovelJourney, Writers Digest, Absolute Write, Publishers Marketplace, etc). But let me steer you in another direction... If you come to this site and you've got a church background, by all means check out Stuff Christians Like. It's one of the ten-most-read religious websites in the country, and it's a hoot. The author, Jon Acuff, has a book coming out with Zondervan next spring, and people have already ordered thousands of copies... for a book that is five months away from being printed. Amazing stuff. Funny and insightful, and the author is being asked to speak at conferences everywhere. Check it out at www.stuffchristianslike.net

Amy wants to know, "Is the market glutted with YA fantasy right now?"

There's certainly a lot, and most of it fueled by TWILIGHT (for a market that, in my view, was begun by the success of the Harry Potter books). So, yeah, there's a lot of YA fantasy right now. A glut? Depends on your perspective. As long as it keeps selling, there's not a glut.

Timothy asked, "Does the movement of traditional publishers into self-publishing mean that the publishers are all destitute?"

No. But this economy sucks, and books, which traditionally have been recession-resistant, have been hit hard. Publishers are in business to make money, and the technology and distribution of books has changed significantly in recent years. So some of them (notably Thomas Nelson and Harlequin) have announced they're opening up a self-publishing division. (And, in case you're wondering, MacGregor Literary is in business to make money as well. If I saw an idea that could produce good income, and I thought it fit with my skills and the vision of my company, I'd have to explore it as well.) Correction: Michael Hyatt, the president at Thomas Nelson, wrote to say they are NOT delaying the release of e-books.

And some notes from the world of publishing...

--I think it's cool that David C Cook Publishing is starting a debt-relief plan to help out small Christian retailers. You don't see THAT sort of ministry-minded thinking in this business very often, so it should not be overlooked.

--The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is number 6 on the Kindle bestsellers list... which is amazing since the book was one of the first novels ever released by Abingdon Press, the book publishing arm of the United Methodist Church. Library Journal just named this novel from Joyce Magnin as one of the top five Christian books of the year, so Abingdon is giving it away FOR FREE. If you've got a Kindle, drop by Amazon.com and download it. (If you don't own a Kindle, they've even got a free software download that will let you put it on your computer. How sweet is that?!)

--And as long as I'm bragging about the authors I represent, I want to add that Ann Tatlock's The Returning also made the LIbrary Journal list. So TWO of the top FIVE Christian novels this past year are books we represented. Time to celebrate!

--Wayne Pollard is a cartoonist who creates a funny world where people discuss books over their coffee cups. If you're unfamiliar, check it out at: http://boscafelife.wordpress.com/

Got a question about writing and publishing? Send it in and we'll offer you an answer.

Digital Readers - Some thoughts for last minute shoppers

2009-12-13T12:09:40-08:00

Interesting article in Friday's USA Today regarding the digital reader wars. Lots of talk about the impact they are having on the industry, which we can discuss later.

In the meantime, in light of the fact that gift giving is on everyone's mind and several folks have emailed me recently asking if I have thoughts or opinions about one over the other, I thought it would be timely for us all to discuss the pros and cons of readers, and discuss their features and benefits. Maybe this discussion will be too late for all but the last minute shoppers and those who have parking and shopping angels on their sides, but I thought it would still be interesting and helpful to create a forum for those of us who have taken the digital reader dive to share what we've learned.

I own the Sony Reader and love it. I'm a fan of quality (basically because I'm thrifty and hate having to replace expensive electronics) so was really excited several years back when Sony announced they were creating one. I made myself wait until the second (or maybe it was the third) generation was released, and I bought the PRS 505. I've been very happy with it. Of course they've tinkered with it and released several newer versions: one with a backlight which quickly proved unpopular; a touch screen version which allows the user to highlight text and take notes and creates the sound of a turning page; and a more compact version (perhaps in an attempt to satisfy people under forty who are still capable of reading tiny, tiny print?)

Obviously I've closely followed Sony's progress, though I've yet been lured into an upgrade. Thing is, I mainly use mine for reading manuscripts and proposals, and it serves that purpose very well. It handles PDF's and Word docs beautifully, with no conversion needed. (I do have to save them to Sony's ebook library on my computer and then move them onto my reader via a cable, but it's a simple process, and I like that everything is backed up on my own computer in my library.)

To tell you the truth, I've yet to actually purchase a book for it, but it works very well with library programs and handles most audio books nicely. I'm shopping now and planning to treat myself to a pair of noise canceling headphones to go with it. Big decision in front of me is whether the new pair from Bose (vs. Sony) is worth the extra money.

Back to the reader, though. There are other readers on the market, of course. In addition to the Sony the most popular are Amazon's Kindle, and the latest new the Nook from Barnes and Noble is making a splash. If you've had the Nook in mind, either for yourself or as a gift, you'll have to settle for a gift card at this point as they are not shipping any again until after the first of the year. As far as I know, the Kindle is only available online, so there may still be time there. The whole Apple universe is foreign to me -- I'll let someone else chime in there.

Whether or not it benefits last minute gift givers, I'd love to hear from users regarding the pros and cons of their particular reader, and the ups and downs of using one.

Let's compare notes ...

2009-12-12T09:34:14-08:00

Cool news! In 2010, I'm going to co-teach a writing seminar with bestselling novelist Susan May Warren! We're going to explain the elements of a bestselling novel, show how to create great characters, and help you get going with the plotting of a story that is both memorable and meaningful. We promise to make the whole process understandable, and you'll leave having taken a major step forward in the creation of your novel.

We do all this in a Friday-Saturday seminar, and hope you can join us. Susan and I are going to offer this four time in 2010 -- In Phoenix January 22-23, Atlanta February 26-27, Portland April 23-24, and Denver June 18-19. We'll start at noon on Friday, so you'll have time to fly in that day. We plan to be done by dinner time on Saturday. If you're at a place in your writing where you want to know the secrets to moving forward with a good, commercial novel, we hope you'll make plans to be with us.

If you'd like more information, check out our website at: