I Really Don't Care About Your "Beta-Readers"

It is almost a certainty that I will receive at least one submission each week with a reference to the "beta-readers" for that writer's new story. This ranges everything from random quotations, to quotes from people with supposed "professional ties" to the industry. I know this may sound cold and heartless, but frankly, I don't care who read your stories. Those comments mean nothing to me. O.K. let me back that off a bit. If someone tells me an established author that I know said they loved the book, and that author sent me a private email telling me it is amazing, I might do something.

The point is simple. Those reader comments mean nothing when it comes down to the business of writing and submitting to an agent. When we see a project, we look at:

1. Do we personally feel attached to the project?
2. Is this something that we market?
3. Is there some marketablity to the project?
4. Is this something we feel we could sell?
5. The professionalism of the writer.

One of the biggest reasons for ignoring those comments stems from something I have said here on the blog in the past when we deal with "critics." In a book that I love called THE POCKET MUSE the author mentions that every author needs to have two critics. Someone who thinks everything you do is amazing and someone who will tell you the truth. Too often, the people we have read our stories early on are the people from that first group. Family members, friends, critique partners and the like will often tell you only good things. Even those authors that use those online writing groups where you can post your stories to get feedback fall into this group. The people reading those stories are folliowing you because there is something they like about you.

As far as we are concerned on this end, seeing those additional comments really doesn't sway us one way or another. Just write a dang good story and sell it to me!

Scott

I Have A Feeling About This...How my gut tells me the story is good.

As we have said time and time again, the publishing industry is really subjective and is never predictable. What works one day may not work the next. It is a bummer for writers that there is so much randomness with this business, but it is the simple truth. I have to say though, there are situations when the time of day or the mood I am in is completely factored out of the equation. This is when my gut tells me the story is good.

Surprisingly, you have all probably experienced this same feeling before.

Think of those books that you pick up and start reading. I'm not talking about those every day books. I'm talking about those that you pick up and simply can't stop reading. It is that feeling that I get when I find a story that I want to represent. When I get a submission that I feel I have to read that day, without interruptions, then I know I have something. It doesn't happen all of the time but I have to say, when it does, it is the most invogorating experience.

So, the simple question to you is, does your story hook me from the first sentence and make me want to keep reading? If you have to say, "just keep reading, you'll really like what is coming," then your story simply doesn't have it.

Hook me and keep me hooked.

Scott

I Want My Oompa Loompa and Contemporary Romances Nooowwww!

Now that we have hit the beginning of 2011, I thought I would state up front a few of the stories I would really love to see and those that I am not really looking for. Of course, please remember that the list on the website is always the accurate list so stick to that one. While I might not be actively looking for it, your story might be something that will catch my attention.

My Want List!

• CONTEMPORARY ROMANCES - I want big and powerful romances. I want real characters in real situations that are falling in love without all of the extra baggage and problems we often see being thrown in to keep the story going. I want to see these characters really come to know and love each other. I want single title size and feel for these contemporary romances.
• CATEGORY ROMANCES - I am still actively looking for all lines of category romances. Read the guidelines for those publishers and be fully able to demonstrate you know the line and you see your place there. I also want authors that plan on staying there for a while and don't simply see this as nothing more than a stepping stone to supposedly bigger things.
• WOMEN'S FICTION - Please make sure to read my definition of women's fiction. In this case, again, I want real women in real situations. They don't have to be in traumatic situations but I want to really focus on the "female journey." I want women to read these books and say to themself, "Ah, I now understand myself." I want books that women will want to share and talk about with each other. The focus here has to be on the woman and her journey.

Things I am not overly excited about...

• Chick-lit trying to pass itself off as "romantic comedy"
• Paranormals with vamps, werewolves (or simply demons and angels doing the same thing) Find me something unique
• Haven't really gotten hooked on urban fantasy. Personally, I am still not impressed

Yeah, I think that about covers it.

Scott

How Much Negotiation Is There With Contracts

I saw yesterday a couple of agents Tweeting that they were "negotiating contracts." Wooo, that sounds so cool. Writers just get tingles hearing those words because of what they are now thinking. The image is clear to the writer. The agent is probably on the phone, telling the editor they want the world or they will never let the editor see the manuscript ever again. They're probably arguing for a 6 figure deal for that book. They're pushing to maintain all of the rights.

Um, not.

When it comes to contracts, there is a lot of material in there that simply isn't going to get changes. I am sorry to break that one to you. Yes, we do negotiate some things. Yes, we do push to get the writers the best situation, but really, for the most part, the use of the word "negotiate" is a bit extreme. It is implying something much bigger.

For the most part, this "negotiation" is involving simply a re-working of a lot of the details. Depending on the author, the book, the agent and what not, there might be some maintaining of rights. Maybe this agent has some great connections and wants to keep the foreign rights. Maybe this person has just talked to some people about TV and movie rights and they want to keep those. It doesn't happen with every book, but that is a maybe.

Sometimes we spend the time talking about the advances and the royalties. There might be some trade-offs to take a smaller advance and higher royalties. Maybe it is the payouts.

Most of the time, it is simply a wording to make something a bit more comfortable for the agent and the writer. Not really changing the context of the contract, but the wording.

The thing to remember is that really, in the end, all parties are really wanting to work things out so that everyone is happy. But we do have to remember that, while writing is fun and writing does involved the creative side of things, this is still a business.

Scott

Push The Edge But Don't Cross The Line

I am asked frequently from writers how far they can "push their novels." This recently came up with a question on Twitter asking how far a writer can push the romance in her YA. The answer is simple. You can push it until you have crossed the line and made it something the market can't tolerate. Sure the market might change later but we are talking about the present day market.

If you think back in the history of publishing and the movies, people have been pushing the envelope. What you will notice though, is that they don't shove but nudge the envelope. Think Gone With The Wind. When the producers decided to leave in Rhett's famous line, they were pushing it. One word and there was a controversy. They didn't have him ranting and raving with the lanugage of a sailor. They allowed him the one word. Yes, I know there was a financial price, but we have to remember it was just a nudge.

When it comes to your writing, you can push the envelope. Editors and agents want to see you try new things and give us something to think about. Don't just give us carbon copies of what is already out there. But, with that said, you don't have to be shocking and push it that far. Just a nudge.

The other thing to consider would be the guidelines of the publisher or agent you are submitting to. This is especially true with the YA's. If the publisher says to do it one way and not another, then don't cross that line. They have a reason for it. I can promise you, the publisher will not consider your manuscript if you don't follow their guidelines.

Scott