Agents as a Critique Service?

I have had several writers ask me, since opening Greyhaus, why I wouldn't sign an author with a sotry that was sort of OK but might have the potential if the writer had the guidance from the agent? We all know that with time, writers can improve, and certainly with the guidance from someone in the business, that writer can really grow. We see it all the time with writers that have agents. So why not start now.

Although, in a perfect world, it would be great to work with every writer, crafting and molding their stories into that perfect NYT Bestseller, but there is simply not enough time in the day. This is not to say that agents (and yes, I know there are some that might not) don't want to help out, but it just doesn't work that way.

As a writer, I know it is frustrating to receive a rejection and want to grow and learn from the comments that you received from an agent. That, I have to say, shows the potential for growth in a writer, and certainly the professionalism we all want to see. With that said, reviewing all stories 2 and 3 times would beyond swamp any agent with work. For example, just in the last month, I have received over 300 submissions. Now I understand some agents receive that in a week (or sometimes a day) but remember I only look at romance and women's fiction - they look at much more. The point though is that if all 300 of those then turned around and re-submitted revisions... you can see where we are going to with this.

I will tell you though, this is not a hard-fast rule. I have asked writers to revise and re-submit to me in the past and I may do that in the future. When I do this though, it is because I saw something screamingly good in the partial or full I saw the potential. I went back and reviewed my submission log and noted that in all of these cases I requested a partial first, liked what I saw and then requested the full. Only then did I ask for a revised manuscript. The funny thing is that since 2003 when I opened the agency, only 2 writers have ever re-submitted.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. A writer yesterday asked if she could submit a second story, even though I rejected the first. When I get a message like this, I scream enthusiastically, YES! This is a chance for someone, if they did their homework, to demonstrate they have grown and learned. When I get a manuscript from someone I have already rejected, I review my notes from the last time and see if the growth has happened. Yes, I also look at the story with a fresh eye. If that growth has happened, I often ask to see much more of the story.

And in answer to some of your questions, yes, I have signed an author in the past for their second project. As to the first, we can now take the time to go back and work on it, now that we all have a stake in the work.

There are also a ton of other ways to learn and grow from agents, even if you haven't signed with one yet. First of all, there are a lot of agents out there blogging away in the effort to teach and guide new writers, The Nelson Agency, BookEnds, Caren Johnson, Janet Reid, and Jessica Jackson, to name a few. Frequently, these agents, answer "Questions from Writers" so ask them! That is why they created the blogs.

Secondly, sit and talk with them at conferences. When we go to conferences, we are there to network with editors about our current writers, but we are also there for the new writers. We run workshops, we sit on agent panels. Go there and ask questions.

Finally, invite them to your groups. In the next couple of months I am off to Wisconsin, North Houston. These groups simply took 2 minutes out of their lives and sent me an email. I fly there, I talk, I teach. Has your group done that?

Can't afford getting the agent to you? Guest blogging and electronic chats are also a great way to make that connection. I have done guest articles for the Atlanta chapter, live Q&A with the RWA Online chapter, and guest blogged for the South Carolina Writer's Workshop and NINC. How did they arrange this? They simply asked.

Look, the point of this is not to say we refuse to help with your stories. We want to and there are ways we can help out.

If You Don't Have Something Good To Say

I am not one of those people that believes in hiding the truth or sugar coating things. I have always found that we can only improve if someone tells us the truth, even if the truth hurts. This goes for critiques I give and for responses to submissions. With that said, writers need to remember that great line from Sense and Sensibility. The youngest girl is told to talk about the weather if she has something negative she wants to say about someone.

I bring this up for those writers that want to reply to responses after being rejected by an author or editor. While rejection letters are always tough to deal with, it is something that "goes with the job" of being a writer. Editors and agents know what they are looking for within their own house and sometimes the story is just not going to work.

Here is the catch though. If you get a rejection, it is not something to be taken personally. The comment is about the writing and how the writing just doesn't fit with that person. But, replying back to the editor or agent with a negative comment, trying to get "the last word" in will not get you anywhere.

I actually had someone a while ago that sent me an email after I had rejected them. The comment said that they were already in consideration by the Oprah Book Club and several "much more established" agencies and wanted to tell me how I was making the biggest mistake of my career. This author went on to say that they would personally drive to my agency and hand deliver an autographed copy of their best seller.

Does this make me want to re-think my decision? Did this person really think that I was going to write back and say, "Oh, I am sorry about the response and you are right, I need to re-think this. In fact, I should just sign you without reading it!" Absolutely not. In fact, this confirms for me I made the right decision. This person is far from ready to be a professional writer.

And by the way, I am still waiting for that book from that author (smile).

Scott