What Agents Really Do

First of all, I know it has been a while since I posted. Things have been "uber-crazy" here. Still, time to get back with some posts for you.

Recently, I read a post that came across my social media feed. This author wrote an article talking about the number of agents who have closed shop after a lot of years. Yes, this list is big and the names of the offices that closed was equally impressive. What jumped out at me was the way the author took the article. 

She proceeded to note that just because agencies are closing, opportunities for authors is still there. She then spent the bulk of the article talking about the number of publishers that take unsolicited manuscripts. What she seemed to be implying is that the only significant role of an agent is to get an author into publishers and to take care of contract issues.

This is far from the truth. 

Now, let me first say, do we get you through the system a bit easier without going though the slush piles? Yes, this is a benefit. But we do a lot more.

Our job is to work with you on stories through the developmental editing process, to ensure that your story is ready for market and something that fits with what is currently being purchased by the readers. 

We also work with career planning, helping you make the right decisions about which project you want to work on next.

We also work as an intermediary between the publishers and you so that when issues do arise, we can often work out the issues without interfering with the creative connections you have built with your editor. 

Don't be deceived. We are not simply a contract lawyer. 

Finding the Right Agent

Looking for the RIGHT agent is crucial, if you are planning on taking this approach with your writing. While all agents might seem like they are all the same, this is far from the truth. Every one of us certainly do a lot of the same things, but the approaches we take are vastly different. Today, I wanted to take the time to talk about how you go about finding that perfect agent for you.

Before I start, I want to give yo a couple of analogies.

Let's start first with where you shop. Whether it is for clothing, groceries or whatever, the odds are you have stuck with the same place over and over again. You may justify your decision with any assortment of reasons, but, for the most part, you have stuck with these places because you know these places. These are familiar locations. I go to one grocery store because I know where everything is. I can be in and out fast because I can find those darn Kalamata Olives really fast. Is it the cheapest? Are these the best? I don't know. What I do know is I am comfortable with that store.

What about vacation locations? Do you go to the same place over and over again. You can again justify it with cost, temperature and so forth, but my bet is you go to the same place over and over again. The reason is the same.

The final analogy deals with college searches. We seriously went through this with my oldest son. He knew he wanted to do Bio-Chem (he is now straight up Bio), he knew he wanted to swim and he knew he wanted small. Where did we look? The colleges we knew of. When we got him a college swim agent, things changed and now he is in upstate New York at a college we did not even know of. (I'll explain this link later). The point is, if you have ever done the college search, you looked to what you knew and what you were comfortable with.

This is what people do with agents.

Writers search for agents they know of. Who did they read about in an article? Who did the see at a conference. Eventually, over time, that agent becomes the "perfect" agent simply because you know what that person does.

I see this all of the time with people who submit projects to me simply because I am the person they follow on social media.

But here is where the problem comes in. Am I the right fit?

When I said we were all different, I was very serious. We each handle how we work with you and your works in progress differently. Some of us edit and some of us give general feedback. We all work with editors differently. We all approach movie rights and international rights differently. We all have different favorite publishers.

Too many authors, when they search for agents, simply look to lists published by some random person. They look to see (hopefully) if the person acquires their genre and that is it. They have no idea really who this person is on the other side of the submission.

Finding that right agent takes time. It takes talking to people. It takes following them on social media and just listening. It take asking questions. It takes reading who they represent and their thoughts about that person.

Look, just because you know the name of an agent does not mean it is the right fit. There are a TON of great agents out there, and, the odds are, you are not looking for that person. Don't just stick with what you know. Look around.

It's More Than Just Your Story

When editors and agents look at submissions, we often all say that it all comes down to the writing. It is the story that matters! And, while this is true, this is not really the complete picture. When I look at a submission, and I am sure other editors and agents do the same thing, we look beyond the story and take some time to get to know the author as a person.

A great many writers seem to think (either consciously or unconsciously) that the process a book goes through is pretty simple. They write, send it out for edits, revise and then it is published. While this is certainly an element of the process, those people involved other than the author are not just tools in the process. These are professionals that authors must interact with.

We often talk about the author-agent or author-editor relationship as being a marriage. This is a long-term commitment. We are not looking for you to simply write one book and move on. We are attempting to work with you to build your career. This means that we need to really be involved in you and your writing.

When I talk to potential new clients, I am often looking at several things that go beyond that story.

DOES THIS PERSON HAVE A REALISTIC PICTURE OF HIS OR HER FUTURE This is a big one. We often hear at conferences, authors talking about how much money they plan on making, or how they already know their story is going to be on the New York Times Best Seller list. Authors also go on and on about how they already are planning on their books going straight to movies. When I hear this, I already see this person really does not see a sense of their future. They simply do not get the business of publishing.

It is good to have lofty goals and we certainly want you to set your goals high, but, with that said, these goals need to be realistic. Thinking that after your first 3 books in a series romance, you are immediately diving into single titles and 10-20 K for each book is not realistic.

IS THIS PERSON OPEN TO LEARNING AND GROWING We all think we have a full grasp of our writing. We know how to write a great book! But in this business, we also need to be able to adapt and grow with the times. We have to be able to listen to critique and feedback, and then be able to make those changes.

I have worked with authors in the past who simply do not want to make changes to their stories. They are in the mindset that this story is fine the way it is, despite the fact that we have gotten feedback from editors that say otherwise. Those relationships stopped fairly fast.

HOW MUCH "EXTRA" WORK WILL I HAVE TO PUT IN TO GET THIS PERSON READY I think I talked about this just recently. We get that new authors will have a bit of a learning curve. We are open to that. We know that we will have to take initial time to make sure the author knows how to get from Point A to Point B. But, this is where we have to really stop and think. Is this author going to require a year of just education and training before we get to a project that is going to sell? Is this author going to require a ton of emails and phone conversations just to explain concepts he or she should already know? This is where we have to ask, is it going to be worth it?

IS THIS PERSON PROFESSIONAL Authors need to understand that while the publishers and agencies represent them, they are representing the agency and the publisher. We want to make sure that when an author is out there in public, they are demonstrating a strong sense of professionalism. It makes it really hard when I have to go to talk to an editor and hear that they are frustrated with how that author is acting or behaving. Yes, I have had these talks and I can honestly say, these conversations are not fun. As an agent, I have to attempt to run damage control between the editor and the author. Not fun.

So, in the end, yes the story is important. But we are signing a complete package and not just a book!

Agent Etiquette

There are a lot of things in the current business community that really upsets me. One of those is the lack of communication between different parties. We are operating with ideas such as "no answer means no" from the editors and agents, to simply a lack of timely responses. I think there is this belief that since we live in a digital age, it is OK to take this approach. 

Personally, I do not agree. 

When I get submissions in, I make sure that I respond to everyone. OK. there are some that get no response, but these are the people who tell me in a query letter that The Great Gazoo told them to

submit their project to me. I also try to let people know in a timely fashion. My policy is that I say I will get back to you in under 3 months. In reality, I feel guilty when I don't get back to someone within a month. 

Today, however, I want to talk about the proper etiquette I believe writers should have when contacting editors and agents. I am bringing this up because I had an author just in the last two days do the RIGHT thing. 

First of all, we know that you are probably submitting your project to several agents or editors at the same time. This is understandable. But here is where the good behavior comes into play. Let's say you submit to Agent X but Agent Y gets back to you quicker and offers you representation. Good etiquette is to let us know that someone else offered. 

Now, there is a caveat to this. If someone did offer you representation, do not expect us to drop everything to make a decision on our end. Hearing someone else offers is not going to rush things, UNLESS we had already been madly in love with your initial query. Proper etiquette though is to let us know, which this author did. Doing so does not burn any bridges you might need later, AND saves that editor or agent the time of reading the project of he or she has not gotten to it yet.

A second standard of good etiquette is not to harass the editors or agents. In my case, I say I will get back to you in a maximum of three months. If you have not heard by then, sure, contact us and just make sure the project got there. You will notice the approach I took. As an author, I am sort of taking the blame here. I am not saying that the agent is at fault, but simply approaching this from the standpoint that I might not have submitted it correctly. 

The key is BE POLITE!

Along the same lines, emailing the next day to "make sure the project got there" sort of falls under the category of being pushy. If you sent it and did not get an error message, then the project made it. 

Finally, if the agent does pass on the project, simply say thank you. Do not respond back in a way to somehow argue for your case. You got a no so live with it. If the person did send some feedback to you, it is OK to respond back with a thank you and tell them you appreciated the feedback and will use it with your work. So, maybe you don't but saying that is fine. I will say, if you do take that feedback and use it properly with your next submission and mention it, you will likely get some bonus points. 

Just some business things to consider. 

Why Agents Reject Great Stories

A lot of writers are frustrated out there. I get it! The market is still tough right now. Since the bubble of 2008, publishers and agents have been extra cautious about who they sign. And still, writers are frustrated, especially with the agents, who seem to pass on great writing time and time again. But please understand, there are reasons for this apparent strange behavior.

It is important to first remember that this business is extremely subjective. This is something I often say frequently in rejection letters. The writing may be good, but it is not right for me. You know how this works. All of the members in your critique group may love this new author, and yet, you pick up the book and it does not click with you. The plot is fine, the writing is fine, but it just doesn't connect. For an agent, that happens to us as well.

As a writer, you want to have an agent who completely drools all over your story. You want that person so excited about your story that he or she cannot stop talking about it. If that does not happen, the story is not going to be right for us.

It is also important to remember that agents like to limit their client lists. They want to keep that one-to-one feel with their writers. You do not want to just be a number at an agency. You want to be able to call your agent and get a response.

Finally, I know that as an agent, I never want my writers to be in conflict with one another. I never want an editor to have to make a decision between who they sign to that next contract. I may have several historical romance authors, but they all write in different time periods and they will not end up in conflict with one another. We are looking to fill specific needs and slots.

Please understand that for agents, this is a business and sometimes we have to be pretty cut and dry. Don't take it personally. If your story is great, it will get signed.

Forget Agents...They Are A Waste Of Time and Money

I have seen in the last couple of days a lot of people posting on social media, Twitter and the like about how agents are really a thing of the past. In today's climate, you really don't need to have an agent to be successful.

And they are right. 

As I reviewed the people writing these articles and making these proclamations, they are 100% right. They do not need an agent. Agents really are a waste of time and money.

And I know you are waiting for the bomb to drop here. You can't be expecting an agent to write a post saying that his job is useless. So yes, here comes the twist to the story.

As I reviewed these authors, there are a lot of trends that you have to ask yourself if you fit into their mold. 

First of all, many of these people who have dumped the "agent" route or even the traditional publishing route already have a career. They already have a following. And, when I talk about a following, I am not talking about some wimpy group of people who follow you on Facebook. These are people who have hit the REAL  New York Times and USA Today Best Selling List multiple times. I say REAL because we know of the hidden additional list that few can ever find and know of. These are the authors who have had many years with multiple book contracts. 

Think about it. When you see your favorite author come out with a new book, are you looking to see who published it? Probably not. For many of these people, they have skipped out on all of the traditional approaches and doing it 100% on their own. 

Secondly, these people have the time to do all of that marketing and publishing stuff. I found many who had no kids left in the house, a husband or wife making all of the money so they could simply just write and do their own thing. It is amazing how much you can get done when you have no other obligations such as work, kids and so forth. 

Next, these people, because of the time they have spent in the business with the agents and editors KNOW THE BUSINESS. They understand contract law. They understand how to get those books to the book buyers and sellers. They know how to promote beyond simply your "Join My Newsletter " promotions you use on Facebook and the like. Because of that time spent, they have made those connections.

They have also not cut those connections to traditional publishing. It is amazing how many of them still "dabble in that business." Look, once the contracts are up and rolling, it is easy to just stick to what you have, continue to write adequate books and not have to do anything with new contracts.

Finally, many  (I started to say all but I could not go that far), they are nice people. Because they have not burned any bridges, those book sellers, the reviewers and the like are still willing to do a lot of things for you. When they call their editors, they are able to get many of the changes they wanted because they have played nice and they have not been jerks along the way. They have proven to the world that they can be trusted.

In other words, do you really need an agent. No. Not if you can fit that mold of the authors I have talked about so far.

But...

If you still need someone to play "good cop, bad cop" for you in negotiations.

If you still need someone to translate those ugly contracts.

If you still need someone to help  you with career planning. 

If you... I think you get the idea....

Then you might not be ready to throw out that whole "agent thing."

Why Are You Sending Your Story To THAT Editor or Agent

Writers are simply making huge mistakes when it comes to the submission process. In simple terms, they have no clue why they would be sending that story to that particular editor or agent. Oh, they THINK they know. They many even come up with all of these specific reasons, but in readlity, those reasons are probably way off the mark.

I thought I would take the time to use myself and the Greyhaus Literary Agency as a model for this discussion today.

For most authors, they start with the simple submission list (or at least they should). This is where I have listed the things I acquire and the things I do not acquire. So let's start there:

The following is directly from the website. I have eliminated all of the specifics for each, but this is the list. As shocking as this may seem, I reject so may authors submitting things on that bottom part of the list.

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WHAT SCOTT IS LOOKING FOR

Greyhaus represents both Single Title and Series romance/women's fiction.

Please note I ONLY acquire these two genres. If you submit something other than traditional romance or women's fiction, expect a rejection letter. 

HARLEQUIN AUTHORS 

Word Count should be according to the Harlequin Guidelines www.eharlequin.com 

NEW ADULT

SINGLE TITLE CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

SINGLE TITLE HISTORICAL ROMANCE

SINGLE TITLE PARANORMAL ROMANCE

SINGLE TITLE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

SINGLE TITLE WOMEN'S FICTION

WHAT GREYHAUS DOES NOT REPRESENT

Fantasy

Single Title Inspirational

YA or Middle Grade

Picture Books

Memoirs

Biographies

Erotica

Urban Fantasy

Science Fiction

Screenplays

Poetry

Authors interested in only e-publishing or self-publishing

For most authors,  

Writers need to go beyond this list. This is where you need to take the time to get to know the likes and dislikes of the agent or editor. Although we might acquire many of the same genres, we really do have different things we are looking for. This is where you have to spend the time following the agent or editor on social media, or even taking the time to visit with those people at conferences. 

So, when it comes to Greyhaus, let's talk about things that I like or don't like. 

HARLEQUIN STORIES: I like this company. I have spent a lot of time researching each of the lines. So, with that said, if you are someone who does not read this genre, then you might want to reconsider submitting stories. Now, with that said, I am someone who will reject a story that is just trying to copy plot lines from other books. The goal with writing category is to know the voice and the nuances, but develop your own voice. 

NEW ADULT: First of all, this genre is not simply teens having sex. This is  not just a tamer version of 50 Shades of Anything. These are stories about people making a transition between youth and adulthood. These are stories about people finding themselves in situations of "Oh S...T, Now what?" These need to be authentic voices. These need to be from the heart. These need to be stories people in this age group can relate to. Do not go over the top and dump EVERY teenage angst situation into the story. 

CONTEMPORARY: I say this over and over again. I want stories of REAL PEOPLE. Does this mean a fictionalized story of someone real. NO!!!!!!! I want to read a contemporary and be able to say, "I know people like this." One pet peeve I have here are stories that dump a ton of baggage on the characters. Not happening here! I will reject. I will also tend to reject the following tropes: wife finds that husband had an affair, stories about band groupies, and stories with adultery.

HISTORICAL: First of all, I have great historical authors so you have to be up to their standard. I can spot a mile away authors who write historicals from what we call "Source Books." These are the equivalent of Wikipedia. You have to know your research. Please also note, that some time periods just do not sell. At this moment, Victorian is making a comeback. Stores set in strange countries are not selling. Civil War is still a tough sell. 

PARANORMAL: I hate Vampire, Werewolf, Shapeshifter and Psychic stories. I think that sums it up well.

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE: I am going to reject stories that are unrealistic. A good example would be when someone being stalked from a sexually abusive husband suddenly is thinking of having sex with the detective. Also, dump those standard tropes of trapped in a remote location and then falling in love. Not buying it. 

WOMEN'S FICTION: Let me just say, this is not just large stories with female protagonists who are older. Women's fiction focuses on the female journey. These are stories that allow us to get into the female psyche. These are stories that any reader can connect with. I always use this as an example, even though it is not women's fiction - the novel, UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN. First of all, I am not talking about the movie, but the book. This story gives us a chance for the reader to relate to Frances Mayes through the analogy of renovation of a house. We get to see culture and others as she comes to understand who she is. 

Like the contemporary stories, I am going to reject stories such as road trips, husbands who are adulterous, overly melodramatic, and stories that are "not real." Please remember, when I use this phrase, I am talking about stories that people can relate to, not memoirs that have been fictionalized.

AUTHORS: I am also pretty picky when I see authors who simply have no clue about the business As an agent, I am here to assist with careers, hold hands in tough times and so forth, but, I am not here to teach you how to write. I am also going to reject a ton of authors who simply cannot follow directions. This would include, but no limited to:

• Inserting your whole story, or even a partial in the query letter.
• Using the submission form on the website to include information I have not asked for.
• Attaching your general query letter you use for everyone as an attachment
• Telling me how you are going to do things differently
• Telling me you are the next great author and I will regret passing on your project.
• Telling me you are currently being considered by major studios, the Nobel Prize selection committee or the like.

The point of all this is pretty simple. Get to know who you are sending the project to and WHY you and your story fits what that agent or editor is looking for in a client. If all you look at is your story matches the genre they have on their websites, you are SOOOO MISSING THE POINT!!!!!

What I Am I Looking For When Reading A Submission

I have talked in the past of the things I am looking for in an author when I read a submission, but I thought today that I would talk about the actual writing. What is it that I am looking for in the manuscript as well as the synopsis.

First of all, let me just say that I do read the synopsis. I know there are a lot of agents out there who say they do not, but I am one who does read that document. I read it to really get a sense of the entire story line. Remember that most of the time, I am only reading a partial of a story, so I want to get an idea of how the entire story plays out.

Now, I read these at two different times. In some cases, if it has been a while since I requested a project from a writer, I will read the synopsis, or at least the beginning of it to simply remind myself of what the story was and hopefully, what it was that intrigued me enough to want to read more of the project. The other time that I read the synopsis is when I have read a partial, like what I see, and then want to see how the story is going to finish. Please note, I look at this, if the writing has something that has caught my eye. If the writing just does not do it for me in those opening pages of 40-60 some odd pages, the odds are there is not going to be much in the synopsis that would convince me to want to read more.

When it comes to the actual writing, this is where I really dig into the story. This is where I really make some significant decisions.

One of the first things I look for is if the writer has a sense of how to write. This is not just an issue of the grammar, but an issue of whether or not the author knows why he or she is writing that way. It becomes very clear in those initial pages if the author is just inserting things because he or she was told to do so from a workshop or a book. There are a lot of times that writers will use specific techniques simply because someone said it would be a good idea to do so. While that technique might have worked in another piece of writing, it might not work here.

The second thing I look for is the knowledge of the genre. Again, I have talked about this here several times, but an author has to fully understand a genre to really be able to write it well. Multi-cultural is more than a different setting and characters with ethnic names. Scottish romances are more than kilts and saying "Doona". Regency is more than tea, the Ton and saying "La."

I am also looking at how well the author draws me into the story in those initial pages. We know that readers rarely have the patience to hold out for chapters 7, 8 or 9 for the story to get good. If you don't hook us in those first three pages, then it is over.

Finally, and this is a big one, I have to look to see how much work it will take to get the story ready to go to editors. While the premise may be great, and the writing is OK, but needs work, and the synopsis says the story has potential, I have to really see if this writing is going to be worth the 6 months to a year to get it ready. Is the author really ready for that amount of editing? Is this story going to require a complete over-haul, or just some minor tweaking. This is really a big issue. I will admit, I see a lot of stories that have some potential, but the gamble of spending this amount of time to get it ready might not be worth it.

Hope this helps with some insight into what I (and other agents) are thinking when we read your submissions.

Greyhaus 2018 Wish List #MSWL

It is that time of year when I look back over the submissions I saw and the trends I saw, so that I can start shaping how the next year will look. This year, I am going to take a slight twist and discuss the things I am going to be looking for in the authors and projects that come across my desk. I am not going to go into what I think are "potential trends." This is directed more to the authors and the voices of the stories. Here are 6 ideas to consider:

Authors with patience
I saw this a lot from authors over the year. These are people who wrote a book, tried to sell it to editors and got no where. So they immediately ran to self-publishing services to prove to the world they could be published, only to find the book isn't selling there.

This business takes time. There are a lot of authors out there and only so many readers. This is an issue of supply and demand and it is currently not balanced. This means that the books that are being bought have to be AMAZING. It also means that authors need to take the time to get it right.

The patience issue also plays into people who submit a manuscript to an editor or agent and then, within a week are immediately writing back to see if the project made it to their "to be read" pile. Remember, editors and agents have a lot of reading and work to do. They have a lot of clients. Some even have other jobs. Translation = they are busy. Oh, and they probably have a home life and family that they like to see every now and then.

If you are someone who expects everything to happen on your time line and everyone else around you has to adapt to it, then publishing is probably not the industry for you.

Authors who have taken the time to learn to write
Yes, there are some people who are "natural storytellers", but I am sorry to say this, 99.9999% of you out there are not that type of person. Just because their are opportunities out there for you to be published does not mean you are ready to be published. This again plays into the time issue. You have to learn how to write.

Think of it this way. My son wants to do some work in the biochemistry field. So what is he doing? He is in college right now "learning" the basics. He will eventually be "learning" to do lab work. After that, he will "learn" how to craft his own labs. He is not going to go out there, right after high school and get a job.

And neither will you as a writer.

You have to go beyond simply knowing that books have chapters, plots, settings, characters and dialogue. You have to know how to put all of those ideas together effectively.

I should also note that editors and agents are not there to help you learn how to write. They are there to shape the writing that you are already doing well, into something that sells.

Figure it out before you submit to anyone!

Authors who have taken the time to learn the business
Another learning moment here.

My wife and I had a friend who was getting to graduate from my wife's college with his BA. He was all excited because he knew he would be getting a 6 figure salary immediately upon graduation. So, after the professors and everyone in the room got off the floor laughing, we had to break it to him. For his career, that was NEVER an option.

He did not know the business.

For an author to be successful, you have to know how everything works. You need to know all the components and cogs in the big publishing machine to get your 75,000 word manuscript to the bookshelf.

If you think it is:

• Author types story
• Author sends to publisher
• Publisher prints book
• Author makes a ton of money

Then this is not the business for you.

Authors who are not looking for the short cut
I have seen a lot of authors this last year looking for short cuts. They start stalking us on all social media outlets and then attempt to by-pass the submission process. They think they are being aggressive and showing persistence. In reality, they are giving us one more reason to reject them.

This last year, I was at a conference where an author showed up, but did not pay to attend the conference. She did not go to the sessions to learn the craft. She just hovered around the lobby areas and watched for the editors and agents. When they were alone, she would immediately "go in for the kill" attempting to sell her project to them. Of course she got no where. But here is the kicker. About a week or so after the conference, she submitted a project to me saying, "I loved the conversation we had at the conference about my book, [insert title]. After seeing your excitement over the book, I am submitting it for your consideration."

Ummmm, no! Immediate rejection.

If you cannot follow the rules. If  you think rules and submission guidelines are for the weak and only those how can show the initiative to "be different" will make it in this world...

Then this is not the business for you.

Stories that don't rely on clichés and gimmicks to make it interesting
I am so tired of this. In this situation, it comes back to the idea of learning how to write. These are the authors who read another author's book, borrow a cliché or gimmick and just shove it in their book. The problem is, they have no clue what they are doing.

Since I only focus on romance and women's fiction, let me tell you the following ideas are not the only way to make money:

• Secret babies
• Women's fiction where the wife, after an amazing life, finds her husband in bed with another woman (or even guy)
• She is a secretary with an Associate's degree but wants to become a lawyer with a full law firm and thinks working for a hot lawyer will get her what she wants.

I am simply not looking for authors who seem to think stringing together a ton of these will make a story.

Stories that are realistic
I say this over and over again. I want stories that are real.

Now, before I go any further let me say something really clear here.

Greyhaus Literary Agency ONLY focuses on traditional romance and women's fiction. This is ALL fiction. That is it!

I said it this way because every time I say I want real stories about real people, I end up with a ton of memoirs, true-life crime, biographies, auto-biographies and so forth. I also end up with people who say, this story is about my grandmother but I fictionalized some of it. Not fiction.

The key to a successful romance or women's fiction is the connection it makes with the reader. They want to feel all of the same emotions and passion the characters feel. To do this requires the things happening in the story and the people living these stories to be realistic.

We want characters who get angry for a real reason. We want characters who will not violate their work ethic for some random reason (just read one where a pastor swore like a sailor and his relationship reminded the reader of a BDSM story).

The stories too need to be realistic. We have to know that something like this "could" happen.


So, hopefully this will give you some things to think about, not just for what I am looking for in a project, but for what, I am sure, other editors and agents are looking for.

Sales Sell, Reviews Don't

When authors submit query letters to editors and agents, they are often told to show the success of your writing. This is so true. If you have written in the past, we want to know of those successes! We want to see that we are getting someone who not only knows the business, but has found a way to do well in the business. We do the same thing when we submit resumes and cover letters to potential employers. The goal is to demonstrate that new company is getting a winner.

When it comes to query letters though, many authors miss the mark. These authors rely on reviews and comments they have received for their novels and not sales. Now, why is this not going to work for us? For the simple reason that reviews are not only subjective, but can be written by anyone. Let me give you some examples.

Let's start first with Amazon. This is a known procedure that many companies have used around the world. To hype up the quality of their business, they write their own reviews. They have their friends write reviews. Yes, they get great reviews, and yes, they now show up as 5 star reviews, but it isn't really an accurate reflection of what the whole public is thinking about. Authors do the same thing. When their novel comes out, they "take to the streets!" They get their followers to hype up the quality of their book.

I am not saying those reviews are lies. Those followers love their books. They would buy anything that person puts out. But these are VERY subjective and don't give the editors or agents an accurate picture.

Another twist to this would be getting those advance reviews for your books. This is always a great way to add comments to those advertising campaigns. but again, this can be a bit subjective and still will not give the editors and agents an accurate picture. Why?  Because authors know which places to send their books and where to avoid. If they already know a particular review site tends to be extra critical, or is not a big fan of a particular genre, they avoid it. Smart move, but again, not an accurate

picture.

What gives us a true picture are sales. How many units have you sold? How much money have you brought in on that book that you now want to be represented? Give us an accurate picture.

Again, be accurate with this. Don't try to hide the fact that you sold a ton of books, but did so marking everything down to $.99 to hype up sales.

Here at Greyhaus, I am always willing to look at books that have been previously published, but I always ask for authors to send me sales figures. If you show us the last three months worth of sales, this gives us a great idea.

A couple of days ago, I posted something similar when it came to the Shark Tank concept. I mentioned one guy heading into pitch to the Sharks but only had $200 worth of sales. Despite the fact that the product sounded like it was amazing (note, this came from reviews), when he showed sales, he demonstrated that the product might not be as strong as he had hyped it.

I want to remind you of something you have all been told when it comes to your writing. SHOW DON'T TELL. The same holds true with your stories and the marketing!

Learning From Shark Tank

I fully admit it! Watching Shark Tank is a guilty pleasure of mine. No, I don't DVR the show, but if it is on, I love to swing by and watch these people up there pitching their products. What I find most appealing is how these people try to convince the Sharks as well as, listening to the reasons they end up with their decisions. I bring this up today, because I think it is important for authors to spend some time watching episodes of this show. Through this, they might be able to finally realize why everyone has passed on their project.

I watched one just a couple of days ago and there were several rejects that stood out as analogous to the things I see authors doing.

One guy had, what seemed to be, a lot going for him. Great back story! Great enthusiasm! Great product! And yet, he almost lost it, and frankly, I seriously doubt even the sharks will save him. He had several problems.

First of all, when he pitched his product, he spent all of his time talking about his personal growth story. He spent the time talking about the people he was helping through his work. He only spent a little bit of time talking about the product. So, what was wrong with that?

I see authors do this all of the time when pitching a story to me, either face to face, or through a query. If you are not showing us your story and showing why your story is the most amazing thing out there, you are missing the point. A frequent mistake I see in a query is the author spending over the first third of the query telling me all of the other stories their project is like (but never being specific). Then the spend a small paragraph giving me a back-cover blurb that really doesn't give me a sense of the character, the plot of the story. Then, the spend another large block of time telling me how they got into writing, the books they read and why their debut novel was a "labor of love." Mistake! Tell me about the story.

Now, here is where the guy on Shark Tank made another mistake. He had not done his research. He didn't know how the product would get made. He did not know how it would be distributed. And, what is worse, he had only made a total of $200 in sales.

For authors, we see the same thing. Authors write a story and immediately start shipping it out to agents and editors and not having a clue about the industry. I don't care what approach you want to take with publishing. you have to understand the business you are entering.

On a second level, there are a lot of authors who have been selling their stories independently, or simply getting feedback from others on their books, and tell editors and agents that a ton of people like their project. A Lot means more than just your extended family. Fantastic reviews mean much more than just your friends on Amazon and Good Reads. Show us objective review. Show us sales of 50K or more.

On that same show, their was another person pitching to the Sharks who had a pretty good product. The problem is that their product was not as big as they projected it to be. Look, you can be enthusiastic about your product, or a story for writers, but know the true potential of your story. Don't think your story is bigger than it really is. I am sorry to say this, but your novella is not likely going to be a movie that hits the big screen.

This same person on Shark Tank made another huge mistake. She argued with the Sharks. You can be persuasive. But remember you are coming to the editors and agents because you believe they can help you and you need their expertise. Telling them they are wrong is not a good political or professional move.

Take a look at the show Watch it and listen. But when you watch it, don't get hung up on the people or the products. Listen to the arguments and the pitches. Now go and think about your query letters and your pitches. Think about the books you have pitched and gotten no where with. Think about your critique partners who also may have gotten less than favorable responses. Do not think about the story or the catchy things in their story. Listen to the words. You may be find what you have been missing.

A Thought From The Video Game Community

I was listening to an article on NPR a couple of days ago about the inventor of the Atari Flop - The ET Game. He mentioned something that I think is worth considering.

He noted that in the video game creator community, the use the phrase "Greed Kills." As he describes it, think of when you kill off your characters in video games. It is when you start playing for those bonus points and when you start taking risks that are really not worth it.

I do believe this is something more and more authors need to consider in the publishing world. You will be risking your career if you start playing for those dangerous "bonus points" and "bonus targets." In other words, when you start focusing on the contracts, on the money, on the reviews, on the bonuses and raises, you are forgetting the one true thing that got you that first contract - your writing.

My wife's grandfather used to play blackjack. According to the family, he was good! But he also operated with a similar rule. The moment he started thinking, "If I can win this next hand, I can make back those loses" he would get up from the table. The reasoning was clear. He was thinking about the money and not the game.

I teach as an adjunct, English at the community college level. I tell my students the exact same thing. If you start into writing a paper only thinking about the word count, the page count, or what it will take to "get an A", the paper will end up being a flop. But, those students who concentrate on writing a great paper will find that the grades will follow. Why? Again the focus is on the writing.

So, as you work on your story, or if you are heading out to pitch to an agent at a conference, or if you are writing that query letter, quit thinking about what needs to be done to get the contract. Focus instead on what it takes to just tell a damn good story!

Wanted: Active Authors

When I am looking at new authors to potentially sign at the agency, one of the things I am looking for is how active the writer is. No, I am not necessarily talking about someone who is writing 20 books a year, but I am looking for someone who is always striving to make forward movement. Unfortunately, there are many authors who seem to think that once they get an agent, they just have to sit back and let that person do all of the work. This is far from true.

What we are talking about here is really an issue of "Out of sight. Out of mind." To really be successful when you have an agent, or even an editor, is to make sure they know what you are working on at all times and to show progress. Doing so keeps your name in their mind, so when they
are talking to editors, your name will always pop up.

I think one thing many writers seem to believe is, if they are working on a project and really have nothing new to share, they don't want to bug the the editor or agent. In reality, we want to be bugged. We want to know what you are doing. It doesn't take much. A simple update in a couple of lines with an email is enough.

When you just disappear, the agent is not going to know if you have decided to move on or not.

So, if you haven't talked to your agent recently, send them an email. Let them know what you are working on and if you have some new projects to review. Who knows what may happen?

Do I Need An Agent?

This is from a prior post, but I think it was worth repeating.


First of all, I get it. Agents are not for everyone. There are a lot of authors out there doing really well without having an agent. However, there are a lot of authors out there who have found themselves in predicaments that made their publishing careers less than pleasurable. These might have also been situations that could have been avoided, had there been an agent in their corner.



What people need to know is that agents are not there to only negotiate contracts for you and take your money. They are part of your team to step in when things might not be going along so well for you. They are there to allow you to focus your attention on the creative side of your career with your editors. That icky business stuff is left to them. One editor I worked with described it as a way to make sure that fun part of the relationship is still in tack while the agent deals with the business.

I see all of the time authors who are unhappy with the way a publisher wants to do things with his or her book. While the editors have in mind changes that would make the book more marketable, an author might see things a different way. The author's approach might be taking the book in a different direction. Now, this might be due to the author not knowing some marketing trends and the publisher's approach is the better decision, or it might be that both approaches have merit. It is just a matter of communication. However, when authors are now sitting in a situation like this, the whole writing process can reach a stand-still. And here is where it gets ugly.



Authors can now view the publishers as being unwilling to do things "their way". They start to be difficult when it comes to the writing and communication back and forth with their editors. They may even find themselves sitting on social media, chat groups, or talking with other writers just to vent. They aren't thinking that what they say will get filtered around to others (including the editor they are supposedly trying to work with, other editor and certainly agents). Look people do talk.



And then things get really nasty. When it comes time for new contracts, suddenly what they wanted may not be there. The publishers decide to "take a new direction". They aren't doing this to punish the author and say, "See, I told you we would win." They are indeed taking a new direction because that working relationship was damaged and too hard to maintain. The may have also done this because they had heard from all of that external chatter that the author was unhappy and may indeed be wanting to go another direction.



I should also note here that this doesn't just happen to brand new authors who haven't been around the block. This can happen to a lot of seasoned authors who may have been doing this on their own for a while. Things were moving along nicely for years and then, WHAM! That one book with some issues brings in a ton of problems. Not fun!



Now let's bring in an agent. First of all, will an agent be able to fix everything? No! Is an agent a miracle worker? No! But they can be the one to serve as an intermediary to help smooth things out. Those issues you had with the book that brought things to a standstill? They can talk it through using different words and approaches that might open the eyes of the publisher, or simply be able to come back to the author and describe what the publisher was really saying.



The agent is also there so you can vent in private. Yell and scream at them. They can take the punishment and you know that information is not going to go anywhere else through those pretty leaky internet social media sites.



Now, as an agent, I hope to never find myself in a situation such as this. We want things to always move like clockwork. But, in those rare situations, having that agent in your corner might be enough to keep you moving and through that rough time in your career.

Bigger Isn't Always Better

Along with working as an agent, I help out with Writer's Digest and their 2nd Draft Editing service. This is a chance to help out writers drafting query letters, or putting together their synopsis. I recently read a query where the author was targeting an agent at a pretty large agency. This particular agency has locations all around the world and handles everything from screenplays, to novels, to television shows and movies. This is BIG!


As I read this query, I was really trying to figure out why the author had chosen this agency. Was it the size of the agency and the fact that it looks as if there are connections all over the place for the story? Was it the reputation for making big deals? I don't know. Sure, on the surface, it would seem that if this author works with this agency, there are more resources available, but that does not mean this author's writing is going to have access to all of these services.


What authors need to consider is not necessarily the size of the agency, but what that agency can do for the author. Along the same lines, authors need to consider what their personal needs are as an author and whether or not the agency is going to meet those needs. Although all agencies offer many of the same services, the approach each agency takes will be different.


I think it is all about deciding if you want to be a big fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a big pond. Sure the agency is large, but if you are a new author and they have nothing but the big authors in the agency, where do you think the agents will be spending their time? With the people who make the big money. Until you get tot he point that you are showing you can earn money, you will probably not get all of that attention you want.


This is also an issue of knowing where your writing belongs. Your story does not fit with every agency out there. It also does not belong with every publisher out there. Your writing has a voice and style that will limit your market. You need to know that market and send that story to the place that fits the story the best.


As far as that author who wrote that query? I really don't know if he will get the response he wants. It would be great if he did? But, from this angle, it looks as if he may be shooting for something that is too big for his story and his writing career.

Why Don't Agents Accept All Genres?

I frequently get submissions from authors for things I just don't acquire. Personally, I am always shocked by this because the guidelines are pretty darn clear on my website. But what I find interesting are those authors who write back to me after a rejection questioning why I would not look at their work. I have even had some authors complain that they think I am not being open enough to consider "their books." What people fail to realize is that agents specialize in genres for a reason.


These are the novels they understand.


Now, let me explain that the lack of understanding is not an intelligence thing. It is simply the fact that the genres we represent, we get all of the nuances of this style of book. We know what makes books that are successful in this genre tick and what makes some just fall flat.


Consider this. You probably read a lot of different genres out there. You can probably pick up a book in a different genre and say it is good or bad. But here is the catch. For those books that are out of your "normal" genre, you might not be able to pinpoint what it is about that book that works or doesn't work. Sure, you might like it but your reasons for liking it are probably pretty general.


You may have already experienced this if you have tried to write in a style or genre that you are new to. If the writing came across as a struggle, or you wrote things that came across as being very formulaic, or basic in style, then you really don't get that genre.


A lot of times, we also stick with genres that we simply like and enjoy. Look, when we are reading an excessive amount of submissions, we have to enjoy it! Work simply would not be fun if we were reading things we really don't like.


For me, when I opened Greyhaus 13+ years ago, I decided to stick with just romance and women's fiction. Why? I read it before I opened the agency and I loved knowing that these are stories about people. I also represent series romance, and especially Harlequin, because I have spent years getting to know the lines and what it takes to really write well in those lines.


This knowledge also gives us the connections that we need to make the sales for you.


So, as you consider who you want to send your stories to, really take the time to learn how much that agent really knows about the line. The more they know, the more they can help you!

Step One To Finding An Agent: Know what you need

One of the things many writers seem to miss when querying agents is understanding their own personal needs and desires. It really seems that the only thing many writers look at is whether or not the agent acquires your personal genre. While this is obviously a good starting point, you need to do much more to truly be successful.

Although agents are all doing much of the same things, we still have different approaches to how we do business and how we work with our clients. Because this is really a marriages of two minds, you have to find the best fit for you.

What are your needs as a writer? Here are a few to consider:

• Do you need someone who is there for you 24/7 for constant feedback?
• Do you need someone there to help you with editorial feedback?
• Do you need someone to always keep you updated with every single nugget of information they get from the editors they send it to?
• Do you need an agent with a hands-off approach. You write and they market?
• Do you need an agent who will spend a lot of time helping you with marketing?
• Do you need an agent who is all about business and can be a tough person when it comes to negotiating?

I think you can see where I am going to with this.

The thing is that with the agents out there, one size does not fit all. Your critique partner might have a great agent, but that is not to say the agent will work for you.

Before you even start sending out queries, take the time to really make a list of your personal desires in this person who will represent your work. You have to consider everything down to personalities of the agent. Don't be shy about your list either. It has to be pretty comprehensive. I know it will seem that you will not be able to find an agent who meets all of those needs, but the right agent is out there who can probably meet 90% of those needs.

Once you do this, then take the next several months researching and stalking those agents. Learn all that you can about that person. Get to know the agent well. Once you do this, you can better personalize that query letter because you know exactly who that person is.

A Case For Agents

First of all, I get it. Agents are not for everyone. There are a lot of authors out there doing really well without having an agent. However, there are a lot of authors out there who have found themselves in predicaments that made their publishing careers less than pleasurable. These might have also been situations that could have been avoided, had there been an agent in their corner.

What people need to know is that agents are not there to only negotiate contracts for you and take your money. They are part of your team to step in when things might not be going along so well for you. They are there to allow you to focus your attention on the creative side of your career with your editors. That icky business stuff is left to them. One editor I worked with described it as a way to make sure that fun part of the relationship is still in tack while the agent deals with the business.

I see all of the time authors who are unhappy with the way a publisher wants to do things with his or her book. While the editors have in mind changes that would make the book more marketable, an author might see things a different way. The author's approach might be taking the book in a different direction. Now, this might be due to the author not knowing some marketing trends and the publisher's approach is the better decision, or it might be that both approaches have merit. It is just a matter of communication. However, when authors are now sitting in a situation like this, the whole writing process can reach a stand-still. And here is where it gets ugly.

Authors can now view the publishers as being unwilling to do things "their way". They start to be difficult when it comes to the writing and communication back and forth with their editors. They may even find themselves sitting on social media, chat groups, or talking with other writers just to vent. They aren't thinking that what they say will get filtered around to others (including the editor they are supposedly trying to work with, other editor and certainly agents). Look people do talk.

And then things get really nasty. When it comes time for new contracts, suddenly what they wanted may not be there. The publishers decide to "take a new direction". They aren't doing this to punish the author and say, "See, I told you we would win." They are indeed taking a new direction because that working relationship was damaged and too hard to maintain. The may have also done this because they had heard from all of that external chatter that the author was unhappy and may indeed be wanting to go another direction.

I should also note here that this doesn't just happen to brand new authors who haven't been around the block. This can happen to a lot of seasoned authors who may have been doing this on their own for a while. Things were moving along nicely for years and then, WHAM! That one book with some issues brings in a ton of problems. Not fun!

Now let's bring in an agent. First of all, will an agent be able to fix everything? No! Is an agent a miracle worker? No! But they can be the one to serve as an intermediary to help smooth things out. Those issues you had with the book that brought things to a standstill? They can talk it through using different words and approaches that might open the eyes of the publisher, or simply be able to come back to the author and describe what the publisher was really saying.

The agent is also there so you can vent in private. Yell and scream at them. They can take the punishment and you know that information is not going to go anywhere else through those pretty leaky internet social media sites.

Now, as an agent, I hope to never find myself in a situation such as this. We want things to always move like clockwork. But, in those rare situations, having that agent in your corner might be enough to keep you moving and through that rough time in your career.

Do You "Know" Who You Are Submitting To?

It is really a shame that I end up rejecting so many authors simply because the person has sent a project that would never have worked for me here at Greyhaus. Far too many authors simply print off a list of agents and start cranking out those emails and submissions without taking the time to really know if the project is right or not. But, there is a bigger issue. How well do you know this person you are handing over your project to?

Before I go any further, I do need to stress that this doesn't just apply to editors and agents, but also to those of you who want to take the self-publishing route. It is beyond important to take the time to really get to know who you want to take care of your "baby" that you worked so hard on.

Here comes my "Captain Obvious" statement... Every editor, agent, or publishing company does things differently. REALLY????

But let me be serious here. While we all might offer the same services, the approaches we take to the process do differ. Along the same lines, the "atmosphere" of the company you want to work with will be very different. For anyone who has ever worked in the same industry but for different companies will know exactly what I mean. How much of an open door policy do the bosses and administrators have? What is their policy for dealing with conflict? How aggressive are they when it comes to marketing? This is just a basic list, but I think you get the idea.

What frustrates me is the approach I see too many authors take. They simply send projects out and which ever company says yes first "is the best one." And yet, how many times do we see these people in situations years, or even months later, in situations they wish they were not in. I will tell you, there isn't a day that goes by when I read a submission from an author who says, "I tried to publish with X company, only to find out that Y was happening." Did they not investigate?

As an agent, I take the same approach when sending out submissions. While I might have a paranormal romance I want to sell, and I know of a lot of places that take that type of project, I still determine what is going to be the best approach for my author on a personal level. Will this author really be able to work with the climate and the personality of that company? Is this a right match.

Now, I know what some of you are saying. There is no way to find out about these people. I am sorry to say this, but there is a lot out there. Authors do talk. Companies do have pretty transparent websites that give you a sense of who that company really is. It may not be in writing, but the personality does come out. It is just up to you, as an author, to keep  your eyes open.

In Response To An Author - Knowing Agents and Personalizing Queries

I posted a while ago about making sure to personalize your query letters for the agency and agent you are sending things to. One author commented and I wanted to take the time to respond to this.





The trouble is, agents know how unique and different they are. All aspiring authors have to go on is the brief blurb on the agency website, and maybe if you're lucky occasional blog or Youtube interview (which still doesn't tell us much). It's dreadfully hard to personalize [sic] a query letter because that's not enough to begin to get a sense of the agent as a person.



This is something I hear a lot of from authors but there is something I am seeing here that says a lot, and it all comes down to time.




As I have stated here on the blog, and I will continue to do when I speak with authors, is that this business takes time. You cannot rush this business. In fact, with anything we do in the world, to be successful takes time. If we have a career we want to enter, we take the time to learn every nuance of that business to make our resume and our background perfect for the future employer. Even when we start looking at potential companies we wish to work for, we take the time to really explore that company. We want to know what they really do, what their work climate is like and so forth.




And yet, in publishing, I see far too many authors who simply see the agent (and even the publisher) as simply a tools, as a means to the end, which is nothing more than getting the book published. They don't take the time.




In this author's comment, I see a quick search of a website and that is it. Truly getting to know that agent and who they are as a person takes time. It requires going to conferences where they are speaking and listening to them. It takes reading all of the articles they write for other writing groups or online journals. It takes asking around and hearing what a lot of people are saying. AND THEN, it takes synthesizing that information into something that is truly meaningful to you.




Yes, I do know there are agencies that maybe don't give a lot of information on their website about the specifics of what they want, but pay attention to what they are putting on their. Do they only promote certain authors? Do they have a tendency to ignore some authors? What are they spending the time talking about? This will give you the insight.




The author sent a second comment that I also want to respond to:




On the other hand, email queries make it easy (and cheap) to fire off 100s of queries; consequently, agents are getting zillions of queries. Which perhaps means some agents quickly reject and move on--more and more without even a form reply.
I'm sure it's not true of everyone, but I suspect there are some agents who will spend a little more time evaluating a paper submission than an emailed one. Am I wrong?




I cannot respond to what all agents do, but I can respond to what I do, and yes, what I have heard some agents say. Let me address some of these questions/comments individually:




email queries make it easy (and cheap) to fire off 100s [sic] of queries - This is a mistake. Your writing DOES NOT fit with "100's" of agents ( or editors for that matter). You are just throwing darts. When you apply for work, do you just send resumes out to everyone who pops up in the classified ads (for you print people) or in your online searches for jobs in your area? No! You find the jobs you are a "match" with. You should be doing the same here.




agents are getting zillions of queries. Which perhaps means some agents quickly reject and move on--more and more without even a form reply - Some are but they are receiving queries for the entire agency, or they accept a lot of genres. This is not an issue. Do we move fast through the queries? Yes! But here is the thing. We know what we want in a story and we want to see it. Remember that in the "real world" cover letters and resumes are only looked at for under 30 seconds. There is no difference here.




I would also add that it doesn't take much to "quickly reject" a project. That first read through is simply looking at the premise, the genre and the marketability of the project. This is strictly looking at the concept. If that first phase of the marketing sounds great, we can move on to the next level of checking the quality of the work (and that is the request for the material). It is shocking to say this, but authors just give us too many reasons to say no on that first read through.




Now, as to response thing... Yes, I have heard some agents take the approach that no response is a no. I personally don't agree with that. I do think at least a form letter is appropriate. Of course, I know that I have refused to answer some people who have sent things that are either far from professional or clearly someone who is a completely clued out to the world. But those are limiting.




some agents who will spend a little more time evaluating a paper submission than an emailed one. - Be careful with this one. Since we have moved to such a digital world, we like to see those projects in that form. Remember we are reading these on the move. Editors and agents are reading them on their digital devices on mass transit going to and from the office. I would also add that those paper submissions are often a sign to us that the author probably is "out of touch" with what the publishing world is really about.






Yes, this was a bit long, but I think worth it. These were great comments and hopefully gave some insight.




And I have been out of town with some conferences to that is why the blog has been quiet for a while. Will get back to this ASAP!




Scott