Finding an Agent: If, When, How

Last spring at AWP, I got to meet literary assistant Anita Mumm of the Nelson Literary Agency, which is located there in Denver, and we had a fun conversation one evening while overlooking the lights of downtown. 

A writer herself, Anita has her B.A. in linguistics and French and an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language, and she's taught English and creative writing in the United States, France, and China.  (The photo is by Daniel Hirsh.)

This fall, Anita was kind enough to answer questions from my graduate students in creative nonfiction at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln--and kind enough to let me share her answers with you here on the blog.  Plus, at the end, she included a recent column by agent Sara Megibow on how authors can do publicity right. 

 

Question from ENGL 852A:  What are the pros and cons of having an agent?  What is the relationship like (or what should it be like) between agent and writer?

Anita:  PROS:  The publishing world is an incredibly complex, ever-changing industry (esp. with the advent of e-books and the hugely complicated contractual changes this has entailed); it's hard for a writer to stay on top of everything. That's what agents do--it's their livelihood. Not only can they advise an author on whether a deal is in their best interest (or help them choose the best deal if their book goes to auction), they are an author's advocate in cases where there is a dispute with a publisher over royalties, bonuses, etc.

Another reason, which your students are probably aware of, is that it is REALLY hard to get published as a first-time author with little or no publishing history; I receive over 100 query letters a day, mostly from first-time authors, and I can't even imagine how many a publishing house like Random House must receive. A good agent has a network of publishers and editors she is accustomed to working with, and with a track record of successful sales, can get attention for a promising new client.

CONS:  Hmm, this one is tougher! They take the industry standard 15% commission out of sales? (This isn't really a con, as an author is likely to get better deals to begin with if he or she has an agent).

It is really important to find an agent you feel comfortable with. This is someone you will be working very closely with, so if there are personality conflicts, different work/communication styles, etc. that could be a possible con. Your agent is also your first editor, so you need someone you trust with the story itself and who understands your vision.

Q:  When, in one's writing/publishing career, is a good time to get an agent?

Anita:  This is really up to the author. Many of our clients were unpublished before they came to us; others already had several books out and wanted an agent to help them increase exposure, navigate the business better, change genres, etc. As I mentioned, it can be tough difficult for a first-time author to get a publishing house's attention, so an agent can be vital in the early stages. Personally, when I reach the stage where my novel is ready to go, I would definitely want an agent on board!

Q:  Should we seek out an agent or let them find us?

Anita:  Definitely seek them out. Unless you're an author who has already received quite a bit of attention or had pieces of your work published in prominent venues, it is unlikely an agent will find you.

Q:  What role, if any, do blogs play in getting the attention of agents and publishers? How do agents generally view blogs that have created a specific niche?

Anita:  A blog or some other type of web presence is VITAL for authors working to establish their reputation and gain more readers. Even well-established writers should work on their self-marketing. Our agent Sara Megibow often addresses this topic on Twitter and in her articles for our newsletter. I've pasted in one of her past newsletter
articles below, where Sara profiles the online genius of her romance client, Ashley March. Students can also refer to any of our clients' websites for examples from other genres as well--links on the "Clients" page of our website.

So it's great to mention in your query letter that you have an active blog/website that attracts attention. But it still boils down to whether or not we like the premise/story outlined in your query letter. If not, we probably won't be able to spend time looking at the blog.

Q:  Is it professionally discourteous to make simultaneous submissions of query letters to different agents at the same time?

Anita:  No! Absolutely not. In fact, we tell authors it is in their best interest to query several agents at once; the whole "not putting your eggs in one basket" thing. If an author had to wait for an answer from each agent before querying another, it could take years to find the right fit. It is almost unheard of for an author to be offered representation by every agent she approaches; rejections are a given in this business, so be proactive and give yourself a number of possibilities.

That said, we do ask that authors keep us posted. If they receive an offer of representation from another agent, they should let us know right away, and also whether they will give us time to finish reading their manuscript and respond. This helps our agents avoid wasting time reading a ms that is no longer available.

Q:  Are the manuscripts from authors you represent polished to varying degrees (in need of work v. "all done")? What is your reaction to a manuscript based on how well polished it is?

Anita:  Because of the volume of query letters, sample pages, and full manuscripts we review, an agency has to be pretty selective. That means your work should be well-polished before you send it out. In rare cases, Kristin or Sara may fall in love with the idea behind a manuscript where the writing is good but still needs a bit of work, and they may decide to take it on anyway. (By "a bit of work," I mean things like tweaking dialogue, strengthening minor plot aspects, etc; NOT the type of deeper issues that new writers or those who are still developing their craft tend to make.) Again, this is rare because agents are tremendously busy people--they simply don't have time to slog through heavy-duty editing to get the manuscript ready for submission to publishers.

To be clear--I'm not saying a manuscript has to be absolutely perfect! Even with strong projects that they absolutely love, agents expect to work with authors on some fine-tuning before the book goes out on submission. And of course, once a book has been bought by a publishing house, the author will have an in-house editor for the next round of editing before publication.

If you think of other questions, there's a good chance the answers are addressed on our website (www.nelsonagency.com) or on Kristin's blog--there's a link to it on our website as well. You can also sign up for our newsletter, where Kristin and Sara give advice and talk about current news and trends in the publishing industry.

Best wishes to you all!


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TIPS FROM THE SLUSH PILE by Sara Megibow

Ready for a success story?

It's my pleasure to announce the release of SEDUCING THE DUCHESS by Ashley March on October 5th!!!

As an agent, I have to be very careful not to take credit for work that I didn't do. That being said, please understand that I am not responsible for selling SEDUCING THE DUCHESS - only for falling in love with it. Ashley contacted our agency when her previous agent left the business. Surprisingly, this scenario happens frequently. So, I reviewed her work and fell in love with the voice, the passion, the characters - everything! My job was to jump in and help promote this debut novel. And THIS is where the success story starts. In addition to being a brilliant author who is already garnering amazing reviews (Booklist is calling Ashley one of the "new stars of historical romance"), she has proven to be a marketing genius.

These are only SOME of the things that the talented Ashley March has done to promote her career - take good notes y'all:

1) Ashley set up 15 blog interviews for herself to celebrate the release of her book. (For example, read her take on the "unlikeable hero" here at the RomCon Blog: http://www.romconinc.com/index.php/conversations/post/520)

2) She has a book giveaway and exciting updates on her very professional website www.ashleymarch.com

3) And, she is helping to open a chapter of Lady Jane's Salon in Denver. Lady Jane's Salon is the nationally famous monthly romance reading series - more info here: http://www.ashleymarch.com/blog/?p=9

Nelson Literary Agency has a terrific marketing manager. Penguin Group has an internationally famous promotions department. Even with both of those assets, Ashley has really gone above and beyond for herself. So, this is my time to say congratulations and well done! SEDUCING THE DUCHESS is an amazing book - fans of historical romance are going to be blown away by Ashley's debut! All around, this is a success story to celebrate!

Sincerely,
Sara Megibow