What We Say We Represent, We Really Do Mean It

I have to post this today because I find it really funny. Now, when I say funny, I mean, it is something I laugh at because I can see how unprofessional, and yes I am going to say "stupid" here, people are in this business. People who think they somehow know better. 

I want you to learn from these people and to NOT do what they are doing. I especially want you to learn from this considering this is another one of those "AGENT" people that someone has gone out and hired to find an AGENT to represent their client. 

When an agent or an editor states clearly on their website (or for that matter anywhere in public) what they represent or acquire. That is it. This is a black and white issue. There are no tricks to this. There are not hidden secrets. We are not like the "secret menu" at Starbucks or any other restaurant. We put that information out there for a reason. To help you make the right decision. To help you decide if we are the right place to send your project to. Here is an analogy.

If you see this...

Are you going to yell at the store manager when they don't have...

I would doubt it. 

You wouldn't even go into the store. You would drive right by it and go find the store that is right for you. Why? Because you used that skill you learned in Pre-school and Kindergarten when you started with...

And yet...

Here we are today. With this nice little rant on a Thursday. When I say I only represent traditional romance and women's fiction. When I say I DO NOT represent movies. What do you think that means? 

So I got one...and I rejected it... Because it was a Mafia, Thriller, Screenplay with no romance at all. 

And the guy proceeded to reply back with how the state of the industry had gone down hill and how on Earth could someone turn down someone who had been represented by William Morrow (OK, so if he had been why isn't he now and why is he selling his soul to this guy?) and he had sold over 20+ books with WM and I can see his success on Google and Amazon (again, if he was that good, why isn't he still there?)... 

But I am getting sidetracked. How is it the industry that is failing. It is the simple fact that we have another case of someone not using their reading skills. What I say I represent, I really do mean it. 

End of story. 

Please share this.

Why I Don't Represent Specific Genres

I recently posted on TikTok about something (who knows what?) and people were asking two things: First if I represented a specific genre; and secondly, why I didn't represent a specific genre. So, with that in mind, I want to answer both of those questions today. 

Let's start with the first one and the easiest one. What do I represent? READ MY WEBSITE!!!! I know, weird huh? A) it says traditional romance and women's fiction; but B) it also lists the specific sub-genres that I represent and do not represent. 

OK, done with that one. Now to the bigger question.

Why don't I represent certain genres.

The answer is actually relatively easy and has two parts to it. The first is that I represent what I like to read. I have to enjoy a story to really want to read it over and over again to edit it and hype it up to editors. But the bigger reason is that these are genres "I get." Sure, I have studied a lot of different genres. I am, in fact a literature major. I have a BA in English Literature, a MA in Literacy and one in Creative Writing. I focus on literature. I study literature. But, like a literature majors, we had an area of focus.

Therefore, when people ask why I don't represent HIGH FANTASY, it isn't that I don't appreciate it, the simple fact is that I am not as well versed in it to truly be able to help an author out in the getting it to the right place and shepherding it through the writing process.

When it comes to real hard-core Christian Romance or Christian Fiction, this is just not a market I get. This is a truly different beast, much like the screenwriting and film market. They approach things differently. It is just not my cup of tea. 

I hope that makes sense. You as an author have to find the person who knows your genre and who can best guide your project in the right direction. Greyhaus Literary Agency is right for those people who want to write traditional romance and women's fiction. It might not be right for you.

Are You Following Up On Requests?

I went through my submission requests lately and was really concerned. I was actually on a roll requesting a lot of projects that sounded really good. In fact, I requested several full manuscripts, which I do not do very often. Look, when I do that, it means I REALLY like your story concept. Now, here is the twist. Many of these requests go back over three to four weeks ago.

What do I have? Crickets?

Now, here is what I find funny. I see a ton of authors who post on social media about how they hate when editors and agents "ghost" them instead of giving them an answer about submissions. Hmmmm, do you see what is happening here? I think what is even more funny from my end is how there are a lot of authors out there claiming that editors and agents don't want to read new submissions, AND YET... here we are requesting and authors just don't follow through.

So, let's examine a couple of reasons why this might be happening.

1. After I submitted I did my research and realized you were not right for me. So here is the problem with this. You should have done the research first. You should never just send manuscripts out to people you do not plan on signing with if they offer representation. 
2. My story was not ready. Then why on Earth did you send it out? Did you think they would just wait? When we request, it means we want it now and we are expecting that you have written the whole darn thing!
3. I was afraid I would get rejected. Again, this means you are not ready. Yes, there is a REALLY good chance you might get rejected. I hate to say it, but even if you get published, people may write bad reviews. If you don't have a thick skin in this business, you should not be writing. 
4. I wanted to send it to all of my critique partners first. See #2
5. I wanted to hear from the other people I sent it to first. If this is the case then clearly I am not your first priority. Honestly, I am not sure if I want to work with you either. I know that sounds harsh but let's say you send out 5 proposals, if any come back with a yes, you sign. No questions asked. 

The reality is this. The longer you wait, the more likely I am going to lose faith in you and forget what I even thought about your book or liked about your book. And that is a shame because at one time, I really liked what you wrote. 

Are You Thinking About Your Characters' Motivations?

What is really driving your characters to do what they are doing? Is it all external? Is it internal? Is it even rational? Honestly, I am rejecting a lot of authors simply because the characters are doing things that, in the real life, no human being would ever do. The authors did it simply to advance the plot. 

When we start talking about motivation, we always focus in on that infamous concept of GMC, or Goal, Motivation and Conflict. What is the goal of the character, or what is it that they want to achieve. What is it that is motivating them to get there? And more importantly, what is it that is standing in the way of getting there? That is the conflict!

Now that motivation also involves not just the plot level, but the things that happen at the scene level. I had a director in a play I was in who openly told us he would rather all of us just stand still on the stage than randomly move around. The problem we were all having is that we were moving with no purpose. Here is how he described it. You don't just go to the front door and go and see who is there UNLESS there was a knock on the door or something that signaled someone was on the other side. You don't go and answer your phone UNLESS the phone rang. Get it? 

But there is another twist to this. Characters WILL NOT do things that would seem totally stupid. For example. Let's use the door example. There is a bad guy (or woman) on the other side of the door screaming "I have a gun and I demand to be let in so I can kill your spouse!" You are terrified! Would your character go to the door and think, "Hey, maybe it is a bluff. I'll let the person in and scare them or maybe hit them on the head with a frying pan. Heck, Rapunzel did it, right?" No way! You would be calling the police and running the other way. 

Here is another twist. I see this all of the time with romantic suspense. Forgive me if this is repetitive but I use this all of the time as an example. A rape victim is running from their abuser. They take shelter with the detective. Oh, but now they suddenly find it attractive to have a sexual encounter. Sorry to say this but I think romance is the furthest from their mind. 

I was talking with one of my authors a week ago and she was at this pivotal moment in her book and was struggling. I asked her what was happening. Her comment was simple. "I know what needs to happen next but I can't figure out a reason for them to get into bed." In other words, the motivation was not there yet. She couldn't just insert a phrase, "He do you wanna?" That simply would not work.

The problem is, most authors do just that. They are thinking only about THEIR story and not THE CHARACTERS' STORIES. You have to focus on their motivations. Not your motivations.