Why I Don't Acquire Sci Fi, and the other Mysteries of Life

I have been asked a lot as to way I limit my searches to women's fiction and romance. Along the same lines, I have been asked why I even limit the romances and don't acquire certain genres, specifically sci-fi, fantasy, inspirational and erotica. I have to say, I am really not unlike any other agent or editor out there. I have parameters that I work with for very specific reasons.

When I eliminate specific genres, it isn't that I don't like reading the stories every now and then, it is simply because I haven't figured out all of the twists and turns of that genre. As all of you know, I am a big fan of dissecting novels and figuring out what makes a book tick. With some of these genres, what makes the story tick is really unique and unlike a lot of other stories out there. Take sci-fi and fantasy for example. For the most part, these readers have very specific tastes. If an author doesn't "nail-it" with that story, the book is a goner.

For me as an agent, I am certainly not going to sign an author in a genre that I am not overly comfortable with selling. I may love the story, but if I haven't quite figured it out, then my sale of that book will be awful. I should note there is a parallel here to all of the things I have told you as authors. Just having a good story is not enough.

I have also limited the types of book I acquire for simplicity. As many of you know, just keeping track of the romance industry is tough. Genres shift, editors move, trends (if there really are any) are always a moving target. When I opened Greyhaus, I realized this tendency with this genre and I have never regretted the decision.

I guess finally, there is that element of having to like a genre to promote it. There are many times I have rejected a story, not because the story wasn't good, or that the writing was bad, it was simply because I wasn't drawn to it. Agents have to love a story to want to keep calling editors and pushing for it.

I hope that answers a few of those questions...

Now to answer a couple more mysteries of life...

• Krispy Cream doughnuts are perfect for making Bread Pudding.
• Multi-tasking is the key to success
• The weather in the Pacific Northwest is not always rainy.
• The Seattle Mariners really are the most polite MLB team out there.
• Slice Anise in small pieces and saute with butter, salt and pepper, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese - yum.
• Scott's favorite gift is a Starbucks Gift Card

Think that covers it.

Question from a Writer - Trends - And a Blog Flog!

I know you don't have a crystal ball (do you???) so this is just a question about your personal opinion/preference and your finger on the pulse . . .

Concerning story premise: what do you think would be more marketable right now (assuming the writing is SUPERB, let's say!)

an inspirational
a Mills and Boon style medical
a contemporary
an urban fantasy
a space opera
a Victorian mystery

Where do YOU see the opportunity for growth?

Tsk, Tsk Tsk. Karen, you are asking me for trends, aren't you? For that reason you get a little blog flog.

When it comes to writing, you have to write what you have the heart for and where your interest is at. If you don't write what you are interested in, you will end up not having the enthusiasm to want to finish the project. The side effect may also be your family screaming at you (husbands especially) saying, "why aren't you just finishing the project!) :)

I would also say that based on your list, you have a lot of different potential options to go. Find the one that is the right fit.

As I look at it though, there are some places that editors are probably wishing they had more of a variety to pick from. Medical romances from Mills and Boon are always in demand and very few people in the medical profession (if you are in this line of work, it might be where you want to be) write this genre.

Inspirationals are really big but you have to know that market inside and out. As far as the others, I don't really see trends.

Hope that helps and enjoy the "small" Blog Flog.

Scott

Question from a Writer - Submissions

Most of the information I've learned on querying suggests a round-robin approach where you only query a small amount of agents at a time, wait for a response, and then repeat firming up the query as suggestions are made.

Given slush piles must be formidable at the publishing houses that even accept queries from unpubbed, is it advisable to add editors to the round-robin approach or just focus on agents alone?

Great question Leslie. Sounds like you are getting ready to make that next move with your writing.

When it comes to submitting, the first thing to remember is that your story is not going to fit at all agencies or publishers. Take the time to find the location that your story, and the voice of your story fits the best. I always like to use the example that Vampires at Dorchester are different than Vampires at Avon or Berkely. Find the one that fits best to you.

With that said, I would always recommend starting with the agents and there are several reasons for this.

First, many of the publishers only accept agented material. Therefore, you might as well get heading in that direction.

Secondly, and this is a big one with me. If you submit to editors and they reject you, then there is nothing an agent can do for you now. That door is closed. Sometimes an agent is able to make something happen with a publisher that an unpublished author can't do. When you submit the project, it may simply end up in that infamous slsuh pile. It may not. As an agent, we can potentially get it to those people who are higher up in the food chain.

With that said though, this is not a fixed rule. If yo have an opportunity to pitch and you can do it well, there might be a chance. I guess in the end, it is all that gambling and crap shoot thing we have talked about in the past.

Oh, and as for submitting to agents and just waiting, I really don't think you need to do that. Just remember that some people will get back to you faster and you better be prepared to say yes. If you submitted to them, it means you would want to be with that agency.

Scott

A Question from a Writer - First Person??

I'm just completing my first paranormal manuscript in a first person (most natural for me). I know urban fantasies are primarily first person, but is there a bias one way or another in other categories?

My mind is already leaping ahead to the next project. Should I continue to write in first person, or tackle the awkward jump to third person?

Karen, this is a great question but one that, unfortunately, there isn't an easy answer for.

There are actually several issues here to deal with. The first is yor comment that urban fantasies are primarily in first person. Don't get swayed by "a trend" and stick with something because you think it is the only way to write it. When it comes down to it, whether the story is in first or third person doesn't really matter. What we are looking for is a well written story and if it is in first person then great, if it is in third person that's fine too.

What I do find is that many people attempt to write a story in first person when the story would be better in third. As you said, it is easier for you to write in first, but that is not to say the story is suited for that style. I think most people stick with that style because they can hear the characters better. The problem though is the lack of depth in terms of POV and perspective that comes from writing in first person. In fact, many of the stories I reject that are in first person are rejected for jsut that reason.

I think the second element is the bias. In this case, it is really an individual preference. Some agents like it, some don't. Same with editors. When you are determining who you want to send your project to, that should be one of the considerations.

Hope this helps?

Scott

You have to have a great start!

No, today I am not talking about those opening pages of your book. What I want to focus on is the initial premise of the story that you begin with. If you don't begin with a good foundation for your story, I don't care how much work you put into it, the story will fail.

One common rejection that I send out is that the writing is good but the premise is not something that I believe publishers will want to buy. This is not a statement about publishers being limited in their view, it is the simple, hard-core fact that the story itself is awful. What is often frustrating though, is that in many of these cases, the writing is pretty good. From those first pages, I can honestly see the author has talent. Unfortunately, I am screaming to myself, "why did you pick this topic to write on?"

I do think that writers have some great ways of first developing their story ideas. Some start with an event or the conflict. Some start with a great character. I have one author I work with that starts with some great dialogue and scene building. These approaches are fine. Where the problem comes is the element of putting it all together. Writers often fail to see the big picture and see how this will all fall into place. In other words, in an attempt to do one thing they believe the editors want, they fail to get the rest of the elements.

I see this a lot in many of the shorter e-book stories. Please note this is not a slam against the publishers. We're simply talking about the stories. If, for example, a publisher is interested in a 10-15 K word count story with a lot of sensuality, the writer focuses on just that. The dialogue, the plot, the conflict all goes away. What you end up with is a story with characters in bed and getting sweaty, with nothing more. We're talking about characters that may have never met each other, and then mysteriously, at the end of the 15,000 words, he proposes and they are married. Huh?

Kate Duffy and I always joked about the idea of Alien Vampire Bunnies but this is just one of those examples. A writer, in an attempt to focus on one element, misses the point and has a premise that will not work.

As a writer, you can't simply stick two characters together and see how it works. There has to be a symbiotic relationship between the characters, setting, theme, plot and conflict. If one is out of sync, the whole thing falls apart.