The Right Yes

by Charlee Vale

"You only need one yes."

I can't tell you how many times I've heard this. It's one of those platitudes that gets splattered all over querying writers, or writers thinking about querying, or anyone who has even even thought about trying to get published. In the face of the vast enormity of trying to find an agent, and then an editor, this phrase does us the favor of shrinking down something daunting to a manageable size.

Back in 2011, when I was querying for the very first time, this was my mantra. I did everything I was supposed to do--I compiled a list of agents, worked on my query, started querying in batches. I was waiting, I was ready. After all, I only needed one yes, right?

Through a quirky situation (and a miracle) I got a full request on my very first query. Naturally, I did what every brand new writer does on a full request an fantasized about getting and offer of representation. Which was when I discovered something troubling: I wasn't necessarily excited about the thought of accepting that offer. I was nervous, and frankly kind of queasy.

I spoke to an author friend about my imaginary offer, and she said something to me so simple that I felt stupid for not realizing it sooner. 'Why would you query someone you wouldn't want to work with?'

I had made a list of every person I could possibly find that repped YA, and they were all on my list to query. Because in my mind, each of those agents was a potential yes. A potential chance at representation and the road to publication. However, I hadn't even considered that quantity in querying isn't necessarily the same as quality. It's true that you do only need one yes, but that's not the important part. You need the right yes.

So do your research. Find the agents you think you would want to work with, using whatever qualifications you're looking for, and make a list. Do you want an agent who is very editorial? Someone who is a newer agent trying to build their list? Someone who's a veteran and seen everything that can possible happen?

That final list may be twenty agents, five, or fifty. But every agent should be one you want to work with. After all, if they aren't, then why would you put yourself through that?

Keep trying to get that one yes, but just make sure it's the right one.

Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, on Novel Thoughts, on Twitter, and doing research for her next round of queries.

Twittequette Tips

by Jemi Fraser

I remember joining Twitter a few years ago and being completely overwhelmed. I've seen/heard/read a lot of questions popping up here and there regarding Twittequette lately so I thought I'd tackle that today.

Twittequette Tips for Interacting with Agents & Editors

• Is it okay to follow agents and editors on Twitter or do I need an invite?
• Absolutely okay to follow them!
• Is it okay to talk to agents and editors on Twitter?
• Yes, but don't be pushy. Start small - retweet what appeals to you, answer questions they ask. Personally I suggest doing a lot more lurking and learning than interacting.
• Is it okay to ask agents and editors business questions on Twitter?
• Not usually. If there's an #askagent #askyaagent or similar chat going on, go ahead, but don't be a pest at other times.
• Can I pitch agents and editors on Twitter?
• NO!!! Absolutely not.
• Unless it's a contest, then check out the rules and feel free to participate.

Twittequette Tips for Self Promotion

• Is it okay to promote my book?
• Yes.
• I sense a BUT... coming, what is it?
• But... don't do it very often.
• A standard tip I've seen is to have at LEAST 5 tweets (10 is probably better) about something and/or someone else in between your tweets about you.
• Don't promote every review you receive but when something genuinely excites you go ahead and post it! (Need I repeat... not too often.)
• If all you talk about is you and your books, you'll soon be talking to yourself.

General Twittequette

• Follow people because you're interested in them ... NOT because of what they can do for you.
• DON'T unfollow people shortly after you've followed them to inflate your numbers. Nobody really cares about numbers and this makes you look like a dweeb.
• Listen to Mrs. Rabbit. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.
• having said that it's OK to be funny and snarky ... just don't aim at a person. I follow some hilarious people who are incredibly snarky but they're never mean. If you don't know the difference, err on the side of caution.
• Be yourself and relax. Twitter is all about fun and connections.

Any Twittequette tips to add? Any questions to ask of our knowledgeable readers?

Jemi Fraser is an aspiring author of contemporary romance. She blogs and tweets while searching for those HEAs.

De-Deifying Agents

by Charlee Vale

Anyone who has done even the most basic research about getting traditionally published will come across the term literary agent. An agent will most likely help you get your book into the best shape it can possibly be. Having one of these is a really good step toward getting a book deal with a legitimate publisher. They are a commodity, something that is highly sought after and notoriously hard to procure.

Notice anything about that last paragraph? The language I intentionally used in the above paragraph about agents, is language that could be used about anything. Not once did I refer to them as people—or even human—and this is pretty much our normal perception of them.

In the internet community of aspiring writers, you'll often hear agents described as something: gatekeepers, the way to fame, elusive, or any number of positive and negative things that dehumanize them and make us treat them like the mythical creatures of the publishing industry.

The language we use to describe literary agents inherently has problems in it. When we stop referring to people as people, they become objects. And when someone becomes an object, not only can they be acted on without their consent, but a whole host of behavior is opened up that would be otherwise unnacceptable.

I've heard more than a few horror stories—writers tracking down agents' home addresses to send them material, showing up in person at a non-business location, screaming at agents at conferences for not accepting their pitch, following them. Would we ever consider doing these things to a random stranger? No, probably not. So why is it okay to do it for someone with the title literary agent? It's not, and it's the image that agents are somehow not human that is to blame.

Literary Agents are people just like us. They have families, birthdays, apartments, and houses. They cook, clean, get dressed, and go to the bathroom. They are people, they have names—more than that, identities. Being a literary agent is their job, and despite most of them loving what they do, it isn't who they are.

When interacting with agents on the internet and in person, get to know them. They're really fun people. I encourage you to talk to them looking to hear their thoughts and opinions rather than looking for an opportunity to pitch to them. Listen to their interests in order to get good book recommendations instead of trying to seek out the next trend. Try to see them as a person with hopes and dreams similar to the ones you have, not just a potential business opportunity.

Don't make literary agents gods—that image puts just as much pressure on them as it does on you, probably more.

"What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person." —Paper Towns (John Green)

Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter.

Doing Contests Write

by MarcyKate Connolly

If you're a writer in the query trenches, you've likely seen and even participated in writing blog contests. They're fun! They're exciting! And it's oh so easy to get swept up in it all. I know, because it was one of my favorite things to do!

But before you shoot off that entry, take a deep breath, relax, and make sure you're doing it right.

DO be sure your manuscript is complete and polished within an inch of its life. There's nothing worse than winning an agent request for your full manuscript and realizing you need to scramble to finish that first draft. And oh, crud, you gotta revise that puppy, too? All that pressure can be avoided by just finishing the dang thing first.

DON'T enter a contest if you've queried all the judging agents. I know how tempting it is. Maybe they'll see your book differently now that you changed that paragraph in your query, or rewrote the opening scene. Or maybe it still won't be for them and all you've done is take a spot from someone else. Don't be that guy or gal. Mystery agent contests are trickier because you don't find out who the agent is until the picks are made. Obviously not much you can do there but close your eyes, hit send, and hope for the best!

DO ask questions. Most blog contests have an announcement post before the entry window. If you're unclear on the rules, don't be afraid to ask in the comments. Others might have the same questions.

DON'T freak out if you don't get picked. Sometimes you'll miss the submission window. Sometimes your entry won't get past the preliminary judging. Sometimes every entry will get a request but yours. This is totally normal and even to be expected. Subjectivity is kind of a bitch. Sure it sucks, but don't let it get you down for too long. Keep trying—maybe next time will be your turn to win :)

DO make friends with other contest entrants! This is a fabulous opportunity to find new critique partners, or just general writerly camaraderie. Case in point, last year's Writers Voice contest.

DON'T stress too much. I know it's hard, but it's important! Your writing career does not depend on any single contest. Seriously. So have fun, keep your chin up, and try not to stress.

DO keep querying. Every contest is different and provides a new way of presenting your work. I've seen everything from one line pitches, Twitter pitches, one paragraph pitches, full queries, first lines, first pages, first paragraphs—you get the idea. Not everyone is good at all of these. Just because your 13-word pitch didn't blow an agent's socks off doesn't mean your actual query won't.

If you're looking for contests to enter, you're in luck! There's a bunch coming up and several blogs that run them regularly.

Current Contests:

• FTWA's own Mindy McGinnis, R.C. Lewis, and myself will be running a Pitch A Partner contest in February.
• Cupid's Literary Connection blog is running the Agent Blind Speed Dating contest with several submission windows coming up. 
• Miss Snark's First Victim Secret Agent contest - January submission window opens today!

Other Blogs to watch for Contests:

• Operation Awesome
• YAtopia
• Brenda Drake Writes
• Mother. Write. Repeat

MarcyKate Connolly writes middle grade and young adult fiction and becomes a superhero when sufficiently caffeinated. When earthbound, she blogs at her website and ferrets out contests on Twitter. Her debut upper MG fantasy novel, MONSTROUS, will be out from HarperCollins Children's Books in Summer 2014.

3 NaNo NoNos

by Jemi Fraser

It's easy to get caught up in the euphoria that surrounds a NaNo win. After all, writing 50k words in 30 days is something to be proud of. Go ahead and celebrate!

But...

There's always a 'but', isn't there? Here are a few Nano NoNos to keep in mind.

NaNo NoNo Number 1

Submitting your novel on December 1st. Or any day in December. By and large, this is a very bad idea. Maybe you are Super Drafter and your story is error free, but I have my doubts! I know mine sure isn't. I imagine agents cringe when they see the words, "I've just finished this novel for NaNoWriMo..."

NaNo NoNo Number 2

Revising right away. So you decide to give those agents a break over December, but on January 1st, you're submitting. After all, the agents will be rested and salivating over the thought of a new story. Wait! For most writers, it's a really a good idea to let your first draft sit for several weeks before you go back in and revise it. That way, you've got a bit of distance between you and the story. Your brain will actually see the words you've written instead of the words you THINK you've written.

NaNo NoNo Number 3

Putting your novel aside - forever. This is kind of the opposite of the first two. Don't assume your story is garbage just because you wrote it in a month - or because you're sick of it at the moment. Sure, it might be a hot mess, but the idea sparked enough of your creativity for you to spend 30 days on it. I bet if you give it those weeks I spoke about in #2, you'll find there's a lot to like.

So, give yourself some time away, then go back in and dig into the wonder of that first draft your wrote.  Once it really shines, submit away! And make sure you have some cupcakes to celebrate along the way!

Any more NaNo NoNos you can share?

Jemi Fraser is an aspiring author of romantic mysteries, currently recuperating from her NaNo win. She blogs and tweets while searching for those HEAs.

How's Social Media Working for You?

by Matt Sinclair

This past weekend, I attended a nonfiction agent panel conducted by the New York Writers’ Workshop. These panels are done in coordination with the organization’s pitch weekends, where writers learn how to and then pitch their manuscripts directly to editors, which sounds like a great program, though I’ve not done it myself.

I've attended these panels before-- both for nonfiction and fiction-- and met several different agents, many of whom are household names in the households of aspiring authors. This time, the agents on the panel were Peter Rubie, CEO of Fine Print Literary Management; Katherine Fausset, an agent with Curtis Brown; Rita Rosenkranz head of the Rita Rosenkranz Literary Agency; and Richard Florest, an agent with Rob Weisbach Creative Management.

The panels are great opportunities for writers in the NY area to get a sense of what these agents are looking for, and as Fausset said, you can slide mention of these workshops in your query letter as a small demonstration of your dedication to the craft and to answer the question about why you’re pitching your manuscript or proposal to the specific agent.

To be honest, this particular panel reiterated a lot of the basics that most of us have heard before, and I’m not going to go over them point-by-point. The good news is nonfiction is currently a strong market for writers, especially if you have built a strong platform. One tidbit I found particularly interesting that I wanted to share here: If you can show that your self-published book -- fiction or nonfiction -- sold at least 5,000 copies, your ability to succeed in an agent’s eyes goes up significantly. Of course, 10,000 is better, and they’re not saying that they’re going to rep that specific book that you self-pubbed, but they’d be willing to hear your pitch for the next book. But if your first book still had an audience to meet, then maybe they would pick it up. It’s not common, but it happens.

I also enjoyed the discussion of “community,” in other words, your reach on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. But, as Rubie said, “No one knows yet how social media translates to sales.”

I spoke with Rubie after the panel and he explained that there really are no metrics to determine what a strong community means in terms of sales. Part of the problem is that things are changing so quickly that the value of something as a measuring tool is ephemeral. Basically, what worked last summer might have run its course by Thanksgiving. Moreover, followers don't translate to product moving out the door. You might have 1500 Twitter followers, for example, but it’s entirely possible that fewer than ten of them will buy your book.

To be honest, I'm starting to wonder if I, and most writers without major marketing teams behind them, are approaching social media the right way. I know Twitter is a great way to develop conversations with your audience, but I'm not sure it sells books. Facebook? I've found it invaluable to rebuilding friendships with those I went to school with. And I've met writers I wouldn't have met otherwise. I might even have sold a book or two, but probably not a lot of them. My blog? Let's just say it is in the midst of a rethink.

Although the panel didn’t discuss this, it reminded me of the concept of “influencers,” which is a term used in advertising about the specific word-of-mouth folks who can really change people’s minds (Oprah being the most often-cited example, back when she still had a ratings-dominant television show.) Not everyone’s Oprah. But you probably have an influencer or two in your lists of followers. If you are the type of person who understands how to drill down into your twitter and Facebook following data, if you can quantify your audience that way, you might be able to drive home the potential audience for your book to an agent. More power to you. In fact, if you know how to do that well, I might want to chat with you…

Indeed, I'd like to hear from you on a few things. How is social media working for you? Do you have any real metrics for how it's helping you build your audience? Or do you use it for other purposes?

Matt Sinclair, a New York City-based journalist and fiction writer, is also president and chief elephant officer of Elephant's Bookshelf Press, which earlier this year published a short story anthology called Spring Fevers, available through Smashwords, Amazon, and in print via CreateSpace. EBP's latest anthology, The Fall, will be released in late October. Both anthologies include stories by fellow FTWA writers, including Cat Woods, J. Lea Lopez, Mindy McGinnis, and R.S. Mellette; R.C. Lewis and Jean Oram also have stories that will be in The Fall. Matt blogs at the Elephant's Bookshelf and is on Twitter @elephantguy68

 

3 Great Hashtags for Writers

by Jemi Fraser

Many writers have Twitter accounts and we use those accounts for all kinds of reasons. Calista Taylor did a great Twitter 101 post a while back.

Today, I thought I'd focus on 3 Twitter hashtags I find fun and useful.

1. #askagent

There are a LOT of agents and editors on Twitter and they often have impromptu chats under the #askagent hashtag. There are some variations on the theme (#askyaagent, #askeditor) as well. The #askagent chats aren't scheduled and the agents, editors and other publishing people who attend them vary. I keep an #askagent column open on Tweetdeck so I can catch the ones that happen when I'm available too. Sometimes there are rules about what not to ask ('trends' & 'what are you looking for?' come to mind), but generally it's an open chat. Another rule (and good manners) is to never pitch an agent or editor during a chat (or any time that is not a contest). I've learned a LOT from lurking and participating in these chats.

2. #editortips

Adrien-Luc Sanders is an editor at Entangled Publishing and he runs this hashtag. Many week nights at 7:00 p.m. EST he will post several editing tips. As an added bonus, he's hilarious. His Twitter handle is @smoulderingsea if you want to follow him (which I'd highly recommend). I keep this as an open column on my Tweetdeck too.

3. #amwriting

A lot of writers use this hashtag to connect with other writers. It's not a chat or an advice column, more of a communal meeting place for writers to chat, vent, share, ask for help/advice, and have some fun. Johanna Harness (@johannaharness) created the hashtag and the website that goes with it.

I'll do another post on other hashtags one day. Any ones you use regularly you'd like me to include? Do you use any of the three I've mentioned?

Jemi Fraser is an aspiring author of romantic mysteries. She blogs and tweets while searching for those HEAs.

A Gatekeeper's Manifesto

by R.S. Mellette

In May of this year, Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos told the New York Times, “I see the elimination of gatekeepers everywhere.”

As co-Director of the Dances With Films festival, I am somewhat of a gatekeeper myself, and I can tell Mr. Bezos, the world is not ready for raw art.  Without gatekeepers, there is nothing to tell the consumer, "This product is good; that one is a waste of time," and believe me, the majority of unfiltered art is horrid.  Much of it is so bad it's painful to experience.  With leisure time at a premium, there is a tremendous value in the consumer being able to shop from behind well-kept gates, buying only what has been keeper-approved.

As an writer, I've also run into some gatekeepers I'd like to kill.  Generally, these fall under the heading of those who use the phrase, "People don't like..."

Believe it or not, it is not a gatekeeper's job to guess what people will like—or even, what they will buy.  This concept flies in the face of what every gatekeeper thinks their job is, so I'll say it again.

It is not a gatekeeper's job to guess what people will like—or even, what they will buy. 

Marketing executives, who have somehow become the biggest gatekeepers of them all, like to think they believe this manifesto.  They rush around with spreadsheets of sales figures on works that are "like the product we're considering" (aka "comps") to predict—not guess—exactly how much people will like this new product and how many they will buy.  Often, they are quite accurate.

But it's still just a guess, and it doesn't address products for which comps are hard to find.  It only works for established customers, and doesn't consider new ones.

So what if we take out the idea of what other people like or don't like entirely?  What if gatekeepers all followed the three rules of criticism: 1) Are the Artist's objectives clear? 2) Does the Artist achieve those objectives? 3) Does the Artist do this in a way that I like?

Yes, rule number three goes against the marketing idea so many MBA's learn in college that "your opinion doesn't matter."  I say it does, and here are the numbers to back me up:

According to the US census, there are about 314 million people in the country right now.   So let's say you, as a gatekeeper, are an average member of that population.  That means you're in a group of about 157 million people.

No?  Since you're a gatekeeper that means you probably went to college, you read more than the average person, might have traveled more, etc.  Okay, so let's err on the conservative side and say you represent, not 50% of the population ... and not 25% ... let's say you share just 1% of the same taste and sense of quality as the rest of people you grew up with, went to church with and hang out with.

That leaves 3 million customers who will like the same stuff you do. 

Of course, not all 3 million are reachable and not all of them are going to buy whatever it is you're selling, but in this model, they are interested.  So let's say only 10% of them are buyers.

That's 300,000 in sales.  Is that good?  Noah Lukeman writes extensively on the subject of book sales, so an educated person's answer would be, "maybe."  But here's a quote from his calculations I find interesting.

It is easy to gauge if a book is a huge failure, selling only 100 copies, or if it is a huge success, selling 100,000 hardcovers—but what if it falls into that gray area? What if it sells 7,000 hardcovers? Or 11,000 trade paperbacks?

By those standards, one tenth of those potential buyers would be a good hit for a first time author.

So, without regard to what people may or may not like, if a company can sell to one tenth, of one tenth, of one percent of the population, or .01 percent, then they are doing well. 

Now let's look at the gate keeping process for books.

LEVEL ONE—The Author.  If an author is good—which is a big assumption—they have slaved away to create the best work possible.  This means they've had beta readers.  They've done workshops.  They might have hired editors.  They have created to the best of their ability a finished product, which they submit to:

LEVEL TWO—The Agent.  This is the front line.  The agent faces pure raw art.  Mike Rowe should do an episode of Dirty Jobs on the muck they have to slog through to find a single gem.  I know from working with the film festival, that finding those gems is as exciting for the agent as it is for the people who created them.  Together with the author(s), the agent will polish the work for presentation to:

LEVEL THREE—The Editor.  An editor is not looking for a diamond in the rough, but a diamond among other precious stones.  If the agent and author have done their jobs, then any one of the works submitted to an editor should be able to find a market (see the numbers above).  In theory, an editor should then be choosing, not so much the books that are of the best quality—since they are all gems—but the books that best fit into the entire piece of jewelry the imprint is creating.  Here is where it is important for the imprint to have good internal communications.  If the editor isn't sure what pieces they are looking for, then how can they make an informed decision?  Once the editor has found a manuscript, then he or she will work with the author and agent to present it to:

LEVEL FOUR—Acquisitions.  Mathematically speaking, at this point a blind monkey could pull the submissions from a hat and have the same chances of finding a successful book.  I don't mean that figuratively.  I can't remember where I read the article, but someone ran the numbers and found that random selection of projects submitted to a Hollywood Studio would be as successful, if not more so, than choices made by the executives.  Acquisitions often means a committee of people, usually dominated by:

LEVEL FIVE—Marketing.  Imagine an executive walking into his boss's office and saying, "I am not good enough to do my job, so you should make it easier for me."  Sounds ridiculous, but that's what marketing has been doing for years.  "We can't sell that," they say.  Or, "there isn't a market for that." 

And people believe them.  The gem that has been vetted and polished by the author, the agent, the editor, and presumably the editor's boss is tossed aside because someone says they can't find a market for it.  Out of 314 million possible customers in the United States alone, they can't find a market?  Out of 7 billion people on the planet, they can't find a market for something that every gatekeeper before them has said is a quality product?

What happened to a salesman's pride?  What happened to the salesperson who would say, "I can sell shoes to a snake?" 

Moreover, what happened to the boss who would tell the sales department, "this is the product we're making, now go sell it." What happened to the boss who would fire someone who said, "I can't do my job"?

So is Mr. Bezos right?  Will we see the day when all gatekeepers are as unemployed as the writers they reject?  I don't think so.  I certainly hope not.  But some of them should be told, "Thank you, but step away from the gate.  Your job is inside."

R.S. Mellette is an experienced screenwriter, actor, director, and novelist. You can find him at the Dances With Films festival blog, and on Twitter, or read him in the Spring Fevers anthology.

Hangin' with Jennifer Rofé

by R.S. Mellette

How lucky am I?

For months and months I've been getting e-mails from my local Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) about schmoozes they have for authors in the area. And for month and months, I've been too busy to go. Finally, I got the e-mail right when I had nothing on my schedule and could easily make it. And what's the topic of this get together of local writers? Jennifer Rofé, of Andrea Brown Literary Agency is coming for a living room chat.

Awesome!

The hour plus discussion with Jennifer and a handful of writers was informal and off the record, so it would be improper of me to get into details, but I don't think it's out of bounds to say that she is:

• Hilarious
• Delightful, and
• Wonderfully blunt.

I wouldn't advise asking her for an opinion if you're not ready for a raw, honest answer. And believe me, that's refreshing here in Hollywood.

Blogs were mentioned as the evening broke up and Jennifer said to pass on her mantra about queries. MAKE THEM PROFESSIONAL. Of course, if you're reading this blog, then you probably know about AgentQuery Connect and have worked hard to have a professional letter, so no worries there ... right?

Something else she said that I think all writers—or, in fact, all people—should hear again and again.

Don't live your life in fear.

Jennifer was talking about writers who are afraid to do this-or-that, when in fact both this and that fall well within the realm of reasonable professional behavior. Say a writer meets an editor at a conference who invites the author to submit. "Should I?"

"What do I do?"

"Will this ruin my career!?!"

Don't live your life in fear. Do what your intelligent, professional gut tells you is right. Wars will not be started over your submission. There is no patient on the table waiting for brain surgery, so relax. Take it easy.

Of course, we hear this over and over again, but it always bears repeating. Go for the gusto. Live life like there is no tomorrow. Learn the rules, then break them. Enjoy yourself.

And I can't help but think, here we are, writers. Like gods, from nothing we create people that live in the minds of others. We turn blank paper into whole new worlds, and yet we're afraid to say hello to an agent at a conference.

Live life without fear.

Live life like the characters you create.

R.S. Mellette is an experienced screenwriter, actor, director, and novelist. You can find him at the Dances With Films festival blog, and on Twitter, or read him in the Spring Fevers anthology.

Thank the Gods for the Publishing Industry

by R.S. Mellette

Yes, that's right, an unpublished writer who is between agents and has been through the hell of notes from Big Six editors just got down on his knees to bless the crankity, old, slow, 1800s-built steam engine that is the publishing industry.

Why? Because a television agent came to talk to my writer's group the other day.

Before I say another word, I have to tell you that not everyone in Hollywood fits any particular stereotype. This agent was pleasant, intelligent, cared about writers, etc. Having interacted with both development executives in major studios and editors at the Big Six, I can tell you that they are comparable. Some have brilliant insight that can turn a good writer into a great one. Most are just pretty good at their job—like the rest of us. They mean no harm. They are Salieri to their counterpart's Mozart.

The problem is in the way the Hollywood machine has evolved. What The Industry calls "Literary Agents"—meaning they represent film and TV writers, and have nothing to do with books—don't read new writers. When asked where he finds new writers, this agent had a rambling answer that amounted to: writer's assistants, script coordinators, managers, personal references ... anything but, "Send me a query and I'll take a look at it."

When asked where managers find new writers, the agent didn't know—which is fair, he's not a manager, but still, it's frustrating. Yes, the bottom line in writing for the big and small screen is still "Write a good script," but after that there is no well-worn path to success. The machine is too new. Parts wear out from overuse and are replaced so quickly it's hard to tell how the machine works.

So, my fellow literary-as-in-books scribes, let us take a moment to thank those gatekeepers we usually curse. We thank them not for keeping us out, but for having a gate at all. Yes, there are hurdles and obstacles between us and the gate, and our gatekeepers are relentless in making us master these impediments—but they are there. We can see them.

You write a good manuscript and polish it to perfection. Then you write a good query letter that pops off the page. Then you query hundreds of agents. You query until fingers bleed, and if your work—and your work alone—is good enough, one agent will say yes. And together you head off toward the next gate.

Compare that to: You write a good script and polish it to perfection. Then ... well ... I don't know. Some people say you should get a manager, or ... maybe you want to find a production company, but you have to make sure they have a housekeeping deal at a studio. Depending on the budget, you might want to ... and of course, you have to be liked, or no one is going to want to work with you ... and so on, etc. yadda yadda yadda.

So cheer up, struggling artists. The beatings will continue until morale improves.

R.S. Mellette is an experienced screenwriter, actor, director, and novelist. You can find him at the Dances With Blogs film festival blog, and on Twitter.

New York Writers' Workshop, Nonfiction Agent Panel

by Matt Sinclair

If any of you were wondering what Ms. Query Shark, Janet Reid, has been up to lately (she is closed to new queries until July), I met her recently. She was sitting on a panel of nonfiction agents for the New York Writers’ Workshop.

First, let me just say that I really love these NYWW panels. This is the second time I’ve attended one and there’s another coming up in April for fiction that I plan to attend, too. They get top-notch agents like Reid of FinePrint Literary Management, who was joined this day by Rita Rosenkranz of Rita Rosenkranz Literary Agency and Regina Brooks, president and lead agent of Serendipity Literary Agency.

NYWW is an interesting organization, and I learned that they don’t cater only to New York-area folks. The agent panels are part of their pitch conferences, where writers from all over come to hone their proposals and pitch to editors. (I was told that they’ve had people fly in from Australia to do these things!) The workshop is the teaching division of an organization called New York Writers’ Resources, and they also have a webzine called Ducts that publishes personal stories – both fiction and nonfiction – and a publishing arm called Greenpoint Press.

Back to the agent panel. I came looking for what’s going on in nonfiction, but a lot of what they talked about pertains to fiction writers, too. In particular, I wanted to hear their thoughts on the brave new world of independent publishing/electronic publishing and what effect it was having in nonfiction. The first question was about whether writers still need agents. Obviously, the panelists have a vested interest in saying yes, but their answers were to the point, and I’d argue that they could have emphasized their value even more than they did.

Rosenkranz said that while writers can be more entrepreneurial these days, there’s more for agents to do with writers. The rights areas alone are changing to say nothing of the markets themselves. You still need strong writing, a hook, and a platform to get anywhere in nonfiction, but if two of the three are strong, a good agent can help you work on the third. Agents also are crucial to helping steer your career in the right direction. Janet Reid said there are lots of tools out there (e.g., Absolute Write, Agent Query, Query Tracker) that can help you find agents who represent what you’re writing.

The trick is finding a good agent for you. Make sure they’ve sold something. Don’t be too concerned if they don’t have a Web site, she said, since there are many excellent agents who don’t. That said, each of these agents recommended writers consider the new, hungry agents who are starting to build their lists. In fact, Reid brought two FinePrint agents with her – and they’re very much open to queries, by the way.

So, how has electronic publishing changed nonfiction? Some of the categories have thinned out, they said. Books on parenting and cooking, for example, aren’t doing so well with agents. Reference books are almost exclusively on the Web these days. What’s still working? History, narrative nonfiction, politics, and science.

Brooks said that with regard to nonfiction e-publishing, they’re all still figuring the market out too. Things like Web-enhanced books and audio books are changing the rights areas – which is another reason why it’s important to have an agent.

How do you break through all the noise? “Never lose sight of your audience,” said Rosenkranz. Communicate with your readers happily and frequently through social media vehicles (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) But she added that you shouldn’t burn yourself out on this. You need to maintain a presence, not be a meteor and fizzle out.

One thing that surprised me was when Brooks said memoir is doing extremely well. “Even stories about overcoming adversity can do well in this market,” she said. “But it needs to be a very well told and interesting story.” There too, you need to be diligent about your promotion.

Reid did a quick overview of how to write a nonfiction book proposal. There were no surprises there. All the usual suspects (writer's platform, table of contents, overview of the marketplace and competing titles, etc.) were there and they are all still important. With the exception of memoir, agents of nonfiction are not looking for completed manuscripts. If they like your query, they would ask for your proposal, not your manuscript. In case you were wondering, they want the proposal ready before you query. For those of you who aren’t aware, proposals are major projects in themselves and often run longer than fifty pages.

One of the messages these agents kept emphasizing was know where to find your audience. Who is going to buy your book? Where are they? “It’s incredibly important to have the platform,” Brooks said, “but if you can’t prove that you know how to get to your audience, it will be very difficult to get a publisher to fund the project.”

Developing the platform, of course, is not a simple thing. I'll circle back on that topic again in the future.

Any questions? I have additional notes from the panel session. Perhaps I can share more of their wisdom.

Matt Sinclair, a New York City-based journalist and fiction writer, recently published a short story anthology called Spring Fevers, which is available through Smashwords and Amazon. It includes stories by fellow FTWA writers, including Cat Woods, J. Lea Lopez, Mindy McGinnis, and R.S. Mellette. He also blogs at the Elephant's Bookshelf and is on Twitter @elephantguy68.

Giving Birth To Premies: When Acting Impulsively Can Hurt Your Writing

by Cat Woods

My nephew was born early and the doctors did nothing to stop his delivery. In their defense, he had a large head and weighed nearly seven pounds. Neither his measurements nor his calculated due date gave any indication that he was eight weeks premature.

As the first grandchild in the family, his birth was joyfully anticipated. His struggle to survive was not. Quite simply, the doctors had made a nearly fatal error. Not unlike some writers I've known.

Premies arrive in this world before they are ready. Among other things, they struggle to breathe on their own and eat on their own. They cannot regulate their own body temperatures and their heartbeats can be erratic. Over the first few years, their physical and emotional development can be stunted as they valiantly attempt to catch up to their full-term peers. In short, every day is an effort to survive.

As writers, we often put ourselves in premature situations. We are so certain we are ready for the next step, we jump at the opportunity to query and submit long before we hit our professional due dates. This often ends in rejection ... or worse.

**A Word of Caution**

Creating and sticking to a publishing plan of action is a lot like committing to a pregnancy. A mid-term mind change can effectively destroy all viability. Therefore, it is vital that we understand the ins and outs of the publishing biz long before we embark on our query/submission journeys. Once we have committed to a plan, we must very seriously consider the ramifications of switching gears halfway through. If we decide termination of one plan is in our best interest, we need to act professionally when it comes time to wrapping up all loose ends before moving on.

Mid-Term Writing Risks

1. Querying Agents After Subbing to Editors: While this doesn't sound like a big deal, it can have a huge effect on an agent's ability to represent a certain manuscript. Agents possess no more power than Joe Writer when it comes to resubmitting a project. If we've submitted our work to editors, agents lose the personal edge to call on their insider knowledge of those editors. And in this business, personal relationships between agents and editors can make the difference between a deal and a rejection.
2. Querying Agents After a Self-Pubbing Fail: More than a handful of writers have fallen into this trap. After a dozen or so painful rejections, Willa Wanna-be self-pubs believing the masses will LOVE her book ... because, well, because it's dang good. For 1001 reasons Willa Wanna-be decides to go back to the Agent Submission Process. Agent Incredible will very likely shy away from this project for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest reasons being that once a book already has an ISBN, the opportunity for a solid publicity push has decreased exponentially. This translates to a serious loss of sales potential.
3. Querying Multiple Projects Simultaneously: While this sounds more efficient than detrimental, having several projects in the hands of a handful of agents can really muck up the query process. Nicholas NetCaster grew impatient with the time it took to get a response and figured he'd up his chances by sending several stories into the query world at one time. Having to 'fees up to his faux pas when more than one agent expressed interest turned several on-the-fencers away. They simply did not want to deal with untangling his literary knots. Once a problem, always a problem? Maybe not, but why set yourself up for long explanations and perceived unprofessionalism?
4. Querying Half-Assed: A favorite editor of mine frequently blogs about this problem. Isabelle Impulsive sends query letters to agents while submitting packages to editors while keeping track of nothing. In time, Polly Publisher and/or Agent Incredible get around to the submission. S/he wants this project, but ... Impulsive Izzy already forgot who she sent packages to. She's already a) signed with an agent, b) signed with an editor or C) self-pubbed and D) failed to let any of the above know about her promiscuity and mid-term abortion. This can make even the most patient agents magic-marker your name on "the list". And trust me, agents and editors have been known to talk.
5. Marrying the Not-One: After being painfully single for a lifetime, Patrick Premie not only dates the first agent or editor to bat her eyes his way, he goes for the ring exchange. I can't say this enough: Do a background check on your literary love match. Preditors and Editors, baby. Word of mouth. Blogs, book acknowledgements and bad press (or no press). You would never let a proctologist deliver your baby. Why would you sign a contract for your picture book with an agent who only reps erotica? Or hasn't sold anything in three years? Or who really is a scammer in disguise preying on your desire to see your name in print?
6. Inducing Pre-Term Labor: Worse than signing on with an incompetent book doctor is inducing labor yourself via premature self-publishing. Please, please, please wait until your writing has reached full-term. Wait until you are absolutely certain your manuscript is the best it can be. Wait until you can commit to a full-scale marketing plan. Wait until you hear back from all agents and editors you sent a query to. Wait until you have a doctorate in self-pubbing so you don't end up in a legal battle over minor mistakes. Wait for the right time to do your project justice, and most importantly, wait to self-pub for the right reasons. To do otherwise is to shortchange yourself and your writing career.

How have you ever misjudged your writing due date? How has this changed your writing journey? Please share your premie stories and tips of avoiding them to help other aspiring writers reach full-term with their projects.

After giving birth to four healthy babies, Cat Woods would like to deliver her juvenile fiction to a bookshelf near you. You can follow her writing journey at Words From the Woods.

An SAT with Our Own Sophie Perinot

by Mindy McGinnis

Today is an exciting day for me here at From the Write Angle as I get to pick the brain of our own Sophie Perinot. On my personal blog, Writer, Writer Pants on Fire, I do a series of interviews titled the SAT (Successful Author Talk) in which my participants tell us about their writing process, agent hunt, and publication journey. Sophie is spilling it here on FTWA today, and she graciously agreed to pull double duty and tell us about her submission process as well. The SHIT (Submission Hell, It's True) is posted over on Writer, Writer.

Sophie Perinot writes historical fiction. Ms. Perinot has both a BA in History and a law degree. She left the practice of law to pursue artistic interests, including writing. As someone who studied French abroad and a devotee of Alexandre Dumas, French history was a logical starting point. Her debut novel, The Sister Queens, will be released by NAL on March 6th 2012. Set in 13th century France and England, The Sister Queens weaves the captivating story of medieval sisters, Marguerite and Eleanor of Provence, who both became queens - their lifelong friendship, their rivalry, and their reigns

Writing Process:
BBC: Are you a Planner or Pantster?

SP: I am a procrastinator. No wait, that wasn’t on the list. I am a hybrid.

As a writer of historical fiction research is a huge part of what I do, and what is research if not a type of plot-planning? In order to research effectively I need to know upfront who I am writing about, what time period he/she is living in, what historical figures he/she will come in contact with, and what historical events are germane to my plot. That means thinking ahead and planning the general narrative arc of my books.

When it comes to actually composing my manuscript however, I am a bit of a Pantster. By the time I sit down to write I’ve steeped myself in my research notes with a goal of absorbing as many details as I can so that as I am writing scenes and dialogue the historical elements flow right out with my words and integrate themselves into the story. I do not use any sort of detailed plot outline. I have a timeline, sure. I know what my plot climax is. I have some definite ideas about how I am going to get there. But once my characters come to life they like to take charge. They very often say and do things I don’t expect—even things that are in opposition to what I had planned for them.

BBC: How long does it typically take you to write a novel, start to finish?

I haven’t written enough novels to have a “typical” timeframe yet. I can say I am not a quick-first-draft person (you know the type who—miraculously from my point of view—opens the floodgates and has a completed first draft in a month or two). On the other hand, I get the impression I do far fewer rounds of edits than a lot of writers. So I guess my style could be dubbed “ponderous perfectionist.” It may take me a while to finish a draft but my first draft is not something I wouldn’t be embarrassed to show my agent.

BBC: Do you work on one project at a time, or are you a multi tasker?

SP: One at a time. And I need a break between projects. I have to purge the characters from one book from my head and find the voices of my new characters. Besides, I don’t want to inadvertently muddle my history. For example, The Sister Queens is set in the 13th century but my current wip is set in the 16th century. If I tried to work on both at once the odds of someone eating, riding, saying, or wearing something inappropriate would go way up (farthingales in the 13th century – I think not!)

BBC: Did you have to overcome any fears that first time you sat down to write?

SP: I cheated with my first book. I didn’t sit down and write it (and I do think that blank computer screen would have been intimidating). I dictated it (yes the whole thing) into a hand held tape recorder. I honestly think that made the whole process less frightening. I was just telling a story. God knows I love to talk.

When I started The Sister Queens I also began by dictating. But I soon realized that my schedule for finishing the manuscript really didn’t allow time to record and then transcribe the entire book. So I transcribed what I had and then went on from there. That was an adjustment.

No matter how many books we have under our belts or how we string together the words that become those books we all have terrifying moments. You know the ones I mean—when the ideas just don’t come. I have to remind myself that they will, probably at the least opportune time (like while I am in the shower). When they do (when a scene comes to me suddenly, all shiny and nearly fully formed), I will do just about anything to get it down before it escapes. I once pulled to the side of the road and wrote a scene a Starbucks napkin because that was all I could find in my car.

BBC: How many trunked books (if any) did you have before you were agented?

SP: None. I know that’s not what people (and by people I mean writers) want to hear but it’s the truth. But folks should bear in mind that while the first manuscript I queried secured my wonderful agent it did not sell. So it is trunked now, and my second manuscript is ready to launch as The Sister Queens.

BBC: Have you ever quit on an ms, and how did you know it was time?

SP: Quit, no. Shelved, yes. Timing is a huge part of this business. You need to have the right manuscript at the right time. I had to accept that my first manuscript really wasn’t “debut novel” material, but I still hope to see it resurrected later in my career.

Querying and Agent Hunt Process:
BBC: Who is your agent and how did you get that "Yes!" out of them?

SP: I want to say up front that no agents were hurt in the making of my debut, lol. But seriously, my agent is Jacques de Spoelberch a long-time industry veteran, and a true gentleman (something we writers of historical fiction particularly appreciate). I attracted his interest with an old-fashioned, printed on paper (good paper) snail-mail query. I can still remember getting the note from Jacques requesting my full (also by snail mail). After he read it, we were fortunate to be able have lunch together in the city and discuss his reactions to and ideas for my work. It was kismet. By the end of the meal I had representation.

BBC: How long did you query before landing your agent?

SP: I sent 57 queries. The first couple of rounds were actually wasted (though I didn’t know that at the time) because my letter was flawed.

BBC: Any advice to aspiring writers out there on conquering query hell?

SP: When you think your query (or your manuscript for that matter) is ready it’s probably not. Don’t let your enthusiasm for your manuscript and your excitement over actually finishing it drive the boat – patience, self-control and discipline are your friends. Let everything sit. Get feedback. Let that feedback percolate. I am a big fan of AgentQueryConnect as a source of both writer-to-writer support and query critiques.

And while you are polishing that letter and otherwise preparing to query, use the time to learn about the business of publishing so that later -- when the happy day arrives and you have an agent and a book contract – the facts of life (e.g. authors need to be involved in marketing and promotion) and even simple definitions (do you know the difference between line and copy edits? Do you know what it means to “earn out”) won’t stop you in your tracks. If you haven’t taken the time to learn about the business than you shouldn’t be querying, no matter how ready your query letter is.

On Being Published:
BBC: How did that feel, the first time you saw your book for sale?

SP: I won’t have the chance to see The Sister Queens for sale in the “real world” for a few weeks, but judging by how I felt (and acted) when it was first listed for pre-order in the virtual world I predict I will be overwhelmed and l likely do something stupid (like race around the local Barnes and Noble holding a copy while chirping “I wrote this.”) God I hope not.

BBC: How much input do you have on cover art?

SP: I’ve blogged on this. Bottom line, if you want to publish with a major house you have to stop thinking of your book as solely yours. Working with a major house is a collaboration. You get the final say on some issues but not, unless you are a veteran writer and NYT bestseller, your cover.
I am NOT saying that good publishers don’t seek author input on their cover. My editor asked me for examples of existing covers that I loved as well as examples of covers I didn’t like. She encouraged me to explain why I felt as I did. She also asked me to collect images from art imbued with the feeling I wanted my cover to have, and to submit descriptions and pictures of what my 13th century sisters might have worn.

I am also NOT complaining about the state of things. I am not sure my having complete/sole control over my cover would have been a good thing. Covers aren’t just “ooo pretty,” they are sales tools, and the truth is I am not in a position to predict what will catch the eye of the average book buyer. I am not trained to do that. The folks in my publisher’s art and design departments, on the other hand, ARE in a position to predict what will make a reader reach out and lift The Sister Queens off a table full of books all looking for a home. They have been designing covers for years. That’s why design departments and not authors get the final say over what book covers looks like, and why that fact doesn’t bother me in the least.

BBC: What's something you learned from the process that surprised you?

SP: Lots of things have surprised me, pleasantly. For example:

• As I began querying I kept hearing, “you can’t find an agent without connections,” and “publishers aren’t buying books from unknown authors anymore.” Then I got an agent (without connections) and sold a book (without being a celebrity). And it’s not because I am an exception or I am so great – I currently know more than two dozen debut authors with books coming out in the next twelve to eighteen months and expect to hear good news from several more writer friends soon. The fact is, you need to be a realist if you want to be a writer but there is no room for pessimism. Deals do happen, so get busy.

• I also heard, “publishers don’t edit anymore,” and then I was acquired by my marvelous editor and she gave me so much valuable input. I honestly believe The Sister Queens is much improved as a result of our collaboration.

• I’ve also been surprised how willing and eager the veteran author community is to embrace newbies. Authors who I consider household-names in my genre have gone out of their way to offer me advice on the publication process. They’ve let me ask them really stupid questions. And they have publically supported my book. The collegiality among writers is one of the great perks of this business.

Social Networking and Marketing:
BBC: How much of your own marketing do you? Do you have a blog / site / Twitter?

SP: The days of the recluse writer (or at least the successful recluse author) are over. You can insist your job as an author is just to write the best book possible and let the chips fall where they may, but there is a good chance you aren’t going to like where those chips land. Now I accept absolutely that being good at writing and being a brilliant promoter are different skill sets. I also accept that some good writers are not good at promoting and some mediocre writers excel at it. But there is absolutely no point in deploring the realities of the situation – authors have to participate in the marketing and promotion of their books. The best advice I got from veteran author friends? Don’t try to do everything (you do need time to write more books). Rather, do what you enjoy (if you love to blog, do it) and leave what you don’t (hate facebook? Then stay off it).

Personally, I am a bit of an extrovert so I have a personal blog and also participate in our fantastic group blog here at From the Write Angle. I also tweet, have an author page on facebook and another facebook page specifically for The Sister Queens.

BBC: When do you build your platform? After an agent? Or should you be working before?

SP: I know “platform” is a word with big buzz these days (I wish my novel had that much buzz) but honestly – here comes the sacrilegious part – I believe it always has been and continues to be much more important in non-fiction than fiction.

I do think it is important to extend yourself and actively become a “value added” part of social media communities. But from my point of view that is not the same as building a platform, it’s just old-fashioned networking gone digital. You should be networking the minute you start writing. And you need to make sure you are genuine in your efforts – that you are connecting with people, supporting people, contributing to dialogue, not just shilling a product.

BBC: Do you think social media helps build your readership?

SP: Absolutely. The Sister Queens has already (pre-release) been featured on a number of historical fiction blogs and made some “most looked forward to in 2012” lists. I can’t imagine that would have happened without twitter, facebook, gracious bloggers, etc. Heck, in the pre-social media era it is hard for me to imagine that anyone outside a fifty-mile radius of where I live (with the exception of family and friends on my Christmas card list) would even know my book existed until it showed up on a shelf somewhere. Yet right this minute, right on this blog, someone is learning about my novel for the first time by reading this post.

There's No Relaxation in R&R

by R.C. Lewis

Last week on my blog, I did a post breaking down the various responses we get in the wonderful roller coaster known as querying. For most of the possible responses, my advice was not to agonize over it.

No response means no? Move on. Form rejection? Don't bother dissecting every syllable.

One of the exceptions to the "don't agonize" rule is the R&R—the Revise & Resubmit.

Technically, this is still a rejection. But it is (or can be) the best and scariest rejection. It's a rejection that leaves the door open. One that says, "I can't take you to dinner as-is, but if you lose ten pounds, clean up a little, and stop wearing those acid-wash jeans ... then maybe."

(Good grief, if anyone in the dating world ever says anything like that, do humanity a favor and smack him/her. But you get the idea.)

This is definitely a time when at least a little agonizing is warranted. Do the revision notes resonate with you, giving you ideas that you're confident can make your story better? If not, maybe a "Thanks, but no thanks" is in order. Was the feedback so vague you're not sure how to address it? Maybe a brief, polite follow-up email to clarify would be all right—but only to make sure you understand the agent clearly, not like you expect said-agent to hold your hand through the revision process. (If someone has a differing opinion on whether this is an appropriate time to email the agent back, please speak up. I'm making this up as I go.)

Or maybe you're like me in the first twenty minutes after I got my R&R email. After taking a moment to get over the stab to the gut ("Another no! And so close! But wait...!"), you realize the feedback totally makes sense. You wonder why you didn't see those issues before.

And you have no idea if you can fix it.

Critique partners to the rescue!

If ever there was a time to be glad for solid critique partners who will re-read your manuscript at the drop of a hat, tell you to your face that you need to stop using clichés like "drop of a hat," and hold marathon brainstorming sessions with you by email, this is that time.

I don't know yet if my R&R was successful. I know I made the story better, but this particular agent may still feel it's not for her. But in the end—I learned new things about writing and improved my work. So either way, this non-relaxing, very scary and nerve-racking R&R has been worthwhile.

Have you had an agent request revisions? What tips do you have for getting through the process?

This Writer Is Thankful—And Not Just for Her Book Contract Either

by Sophie Perinot

As Thanksgiving approaches (yeah, it’s the day after tomorrow so if you don’t have a turkey yet you’d better get moving) I’ve been spending a little time pondering what I am grateful for when I wear my writer’s hat.

Some things are pretty obvious. Like my book deal. This time last year I didn’t have my deal, and it represents the realization of a huge dream and a bit of validation (take that all you casual, social acquaintances who smirked when I said I was writing a novel and thought I was just some eccentric nut job) so when my family gives thanks around a table groaning with goodies I will be thankful for my deal. But I am also thankful for a number of things that might surprise you and that, I hope, will help you to view events along your personal writing road with new (slightly more grateful) eyes.

I am thankful that my first novel didn’t sell. Honestly, I am. Mind you I thought it was “shelf-worthy” and so did my agent, and when we had our last “near miss” with an editor I felt like the bottom fell out of my world. But, funny thing, I realize now that while it might make a brilliant “later work” it would have be a very challenging debut to market. Being a debut novelist is über-challenging these days. The number of books coming into the market each year is staggering. The retail outlets for those books are contracting. The time each book spends in stores seems to be getting shorter and shorter. In addition, authors are expected to do a great deal of self-promotion and marketing—something that demands a different skill set than writing a good book, a skill set an author may or may not have. Bad sales figures on a first novel can make it an only novel. So, if you are going to throw the newbie-novelist dice you want those dice loaded in your favor. That means you want your first book to be not just the BEST thing you written but also the MOST marketable. The novel I’ve got scheduled to come out in March is more marketable than my first MS was. I can see that now. I guess publishers just saw that before I did.

I am thankful for every person who said, “This isn’t working,” whether about an idea, a character, a sentence, a paragraph, or a chapter in any of my manuscripts. I am thankful for the critique partners who held my feet to the fire and said, “Really? Come on you can do better than that.” I am even grateful for the time my own mother told me that one of my projects just wasn’t that great. It is A LOT easier for beta readers to pat you on the back and croon “good job.” Really critiquing a manuscript (or a query letter) takes time and energy. It also takes guts. So tough, honest, critique partners and editors who send highly detailed editorial letters are high on my list of things I am thankful for and they should be on yours too (maybe you have a slice of homemade pumpkin pie you’d like to share with them this week?).

I am thankful that I have an agent who has strong opinions about which project I should write next. Lots of writers seem to chafe at the idea that once they are represented their agents might want to “vote” on which projects they pursue or even (*gasp*) veto some of those projects. Why? If you are writing just to pursue your creative passion then by all means write that book about a man who falls in love with his goldfish only to eat it in a fit of pique, told in the first person from the POV of the goldfish. But if you want writing to be your career (hopefully a money making career) then shouldn’t you want your market-savvy, experienced agent to guide you (e.g. “you know books with fish protagonists that run 200k are not particularly marketable”)? I had a project planned (research in the can, all ready to write) before starting the manuscript that became The Sister Queens. I shared that idea with my agent and he, politely, pointed out that it was incredibly and relentlessly depressing—quite possibly too depressing to be marketable. Believe it or not, I hadn’t noticed this (my dear husband had, but I, or so he now claims, completely ignored him when he made the point). Of course a writer’s vote counts too and sometimes we have to go with our gut, but if I am going to put months of my life into writing a new book I’d rather have a candid assessment from my agent up front as to whether or not he thinks he will be able to sell it.

I am thankful for the few (see next paragraph for a discussion of the majority) established authors I’ve met who were unkind, and the few fellow writers I’ve met who, imo, were incredibly unprofessional. Watching writers behave badly is a valuable cautionary tale. For example listening to certain writers scream (or tweet) “buy my book, buy my book, buy my book” has shown me how ineffective and irritating that behavior is (and as writers we know that SHOW is always better than TELL). Writers who were snippy, catty, or hyper-competitive illustrated just how ugly that behavior is, and reminded me that being nice to others doesn’t take any longer than being unpleasant.

Perhaps most of all I am thankful for the dozens and dozens of fellow writers who have overwhelmed me with support, generous advice and random acts of kindness. These are the folks who’ve realized that a rising tide of high-quality reading materials—and, correspondingly, of avid readers—lifts all authorial boats. The people I complained about in the last paragraph will be forgotten tomorrow. But I will always remember the folks at AgentQuery Connect who held my hand and covered my back during the query and submission processes; the established historical fiction authors who sat down with me at writing conferences and corresponded with me on-line offering useful tips on everything from participating in the cover process to marketing and planning for the next book; and the advanced readers who have taken the time to endorse my novel, to put it on their “to review” list, or simply to tell me they enjoyed it.

As you walk the “writers’ path” this November what are you most thankful for? Did any of the things you are now grateful for look like bumps in the road when you saw them first?

Writing 411: Picture Book E-Queries

by Cat Woods

Picture Book Manuscript? Check.

Targeted Agent List? Check.

Query Letter? Heck no!

We all know that writing for very young children is different than penning novels for older kids and adults. Make no mistake, writing a query letter for picture books is an equally unique process. It is also highly nuanced, making it necessary for writers to really research potential agents and their guidelines.

In my experience, more agents are open to receiving a full manuscript for picture books than for any other age group. In part, this is due to short word counts. After all, it is easier to enjoy a book by reading the book rather than by reading a summary of it. With picture books topping out at 500 words, manuscripts can be shorter than the query letters representing them.

Thus, e-querying agents for picture books falls into two distinct categories.

1. Agents who accept manuscripts along with a query letter.
2. Agents who do not accept manuscripts with a query letter.

You can figure out your targeted agents' preferences by visiting AgentQuery, Query Tracker, agent websites/blogs and market resources such as those found at and by Writer's Digest. Verla Kay's Blue Boards is another great resource, as is the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

For the sake of space, I will address only the first instance (with manuscript), as a cold query letter without a manuscript or sample pages is the same for picture books as it is for older novels. Additionally, the example provided below is not a MUST DO, but rather a guideline that I used when searching for my agent. My method is a conglomeration of info gathered on websites, via magazine articles, at writing conferences and my own personality.

Subject Line: Query: TITLE, picture book, 475 words (Capitalize your title.)

Method to My Madness: all my pertinent information is available at a glance. Agents immediately know I'm sending a query letter for a picture book within the acceptable word count. They should also get a feel for my manuscript based on my title. In this way, I'm not wasting anybody's time.

It also serves a secondary purpose. If an agent were to provide feedback and request a revision, a simple change to my subject line would keep Said Agent up to date on what is coming in, while remaining consistent and keeping my title in the agent's mind. My new subject line would look like this: Requested revision for TITLE.

Dear Mr. Agent Awesome: (Don't forget to double check spellings for names and end with a colon.)

(Very brief bio and/or a relevant blurb on why you chose this agent.)

As a library board member, a child advocate in the court system and a past preschool teacher, I recognized a need for stories about XYZ. I am a member of the SCBWI and a moderator on AgentQuery Connect. I have also presented at Young Writer's Conference across Southwestern Minnesota.

I follow your blog/met you at a conference/etc ... and feel TITLE may address your interest in XYZ (a tie into your bio would be nice). Per your guidelines, I have included the full manuscript for my picture book.

Method to My Madness: The agent will get to read my manuscript. It's pasted into the body of the text, and therefore does not require a blurb. In this instance, I feel it is a good idea to let the agent know who we are and what we're doing. This is our time to connect with the agent and let our personalities shine through.

But be brief. Agents have little time to wade through our backgrounds from infancy to old age. We should provide only those details that lend credence to our ability to write this particular story. Case in point, I said nothing about my pubbed works in the adult arena or that I have four children. Avoid telling the agent about the story. Again, Agent Awesome will have the opportunity to read our text as long as we don't bore him with our life histories first.

I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you.

Method to My Madness: I'm a people person. A warm thanks is my style. Some people may argue it lacks professionalism or that it sounds needy. I tend to believe it's a whole lot better than a sterile and abrupt end such as "Thank you" or a rude "Call me". The choice is yours, but know that agents don't reject a manuscript based on this line. And if they do, they're likely not the kind of agent you want.

Sincerely,
Cat Woods

Phone number
Address
Words From The Woods

Method to My Madness: with luck an agent will need to contact us. If we fail to provide this information, we may inadvertently slow down the process or fail to make a viable contact with an interested agent altogether. I do add my blog address to my writing correspondence, as an interested agent may google me. If you don't have one, don't fret. Blogs are not necessary to secure an agent.

Next, paste your manuscript into the remainder of the email—never, ever send agents to your website or blog to read it or send it as an attachment unless expressly requested by the agent—and check for the following things:

• formatting: spaces, line breaks, etc. You want a clean copy for easy reading.
• white space: you may need to adjust how your manuscript looks to make it easier on the agent's eyes.
• italics should be capped or underlined, as some email servers don't support fancy schmancy text.
• likewise, centered titles can be brought to the left margin for a clean look.

Finally, dip your fingernails in Tabasco so you can still answer the phone when it rings! There's no point in chewing your nails when you could be typing your next book.

Writing a query letter is not as difficult as it sounds, particularly when we can submit our manuscripts at the same time. When sending writing samples is not an option, my picture book query letters have two extra paragraphs: one for my hook and the second for my mini-synopsis. I also combine my bio and agent search info to make one small paragraph.

How about you? What tips do you have for writing picture book queries? What do you put in your subject lines and how do you close? Do you include a hook and mini-synopsis when sending your manuscript? If so, why? Do you tailor your manuscripts based on the agents you send to? If so, how? Lastly, where's your go-to resource for agent information?

Curious minds want to know!

BBC's Query Tips: Knowledge Gleaned From Years of Stalking Agent Blogs

by Mindy McGinnis
I've got a round of agent blogs that I check up on and read almost daily. From this I've learned a few things that should be basic starting points for anyone who is getting ready to jump into the world of querying, and also a good refresher for those of us who have been at it for years... and years.

1) DON'T tell the agent how awesome you are. Every single agent I've read who comments upon this agrees: A modest writer is a better writer.

2) DON'T mass email your query. Most agents won't even read a query that has multiple recipients or is not addressed to them specifically.

DO double check your spelling of the agent's name. Also, be sure of their gender.

3) DON'T tell the agent that your grandma and your son's friends love your book. Why? Your grandma won't tell you if you suck.

4) DON'T even send that query if your word count is over a certain number. That number can be played with according to genre, but basic

guidelines will tell you that any unpublished, unrepped writer querying their novel that is over 100,000 words is sunk before they leave the harbor.

5) DON'T be overly friendly with your tone. A query is a business letter. You're approaching a professional about your hope for establishing a professional relationship with them. Opening with, "What's up?" isn't how to get your foot in the door.

DO personalize in a professional manner. Do you follow their blog? Did they mention they're looking for a certain type of project

that your ms fits perfectly? Tell them that. The agent wants to know why you're querying THEM—and hopefully it's not just because

they're an agent and you're a writer.

6) DON'T make assumptions. Dear agent: I know your submission guidelines say that you only want a query, but my novel is so awesome I know you'll want the full right off. So to save time, I attached it to this email. This goes back to DON'T #1 as well.

DO follow their guidelines. Every agent has a different way they like to approach their slush pile. Some will want the query, some will want a synopsis as well, some will ask for sample pages. Always check the agency site, or agent blog to learn their preferences. Also, some agent's preferences do differ from the blanket preferences listed on their agency site. If in doubt, go with what the agent profile or blog specifies.

DO when sending sample pages be sure to check specifications. The vast majority of agents will not accept attachments. Cut and paste into the body of the email.

7) DON'T hassle an agent. Ever. Did they read your query yet? Wait and see. Emailing them to ask if they read it will only irritate them and add your name to their mental list of people that annoy them. Not where you want to be when they do read your stuff.

DO feel free to check in after a period of time if an agent has your partial or full. VERY basic timelines would be anywhere from four to six months on a partial, even longer on a full. Yes, that long. Also—a lot of agents post where they're at with their partial and full piles in their blogs. Check there before obsessing too much.

8) DON'T think that you're the exception. A query is one page. Period. A great query weighs in around 300 words. Yup, that little.

9) DON'T open up by saying that you're an author seeking representation. I have a hard time picturing an agent reading that line and dropping their coffee cup to yell over to the next office—"GUESS WHAT!!!! I've got an author here seeking representation!!!!"

DO open with your hook. There is a debate about whether or not an agent wants to see the genre, title, word count first off so that they know what they're looking at. I personally always open with the hook, and it's served me well.

DO make sure you include genre, title, word count in your query somewhere. I prefer mine at the end.

10) DON'T tease the agent. "Will Cheryl live to fight another day? Can Bob save Lucy from Mr. Villain Man?" The agent might wonder if you're writing a serial radio program from the 1940's, and that market is kind of over.

11) DON'T wear a scrunchie like the one the girl pictured here is wearing. That also, is kind of over.

Six Benefits of Agent Representation

by Cat Woods

I started my query journey differently than most of the Write Angle Crew. Before I focused on juvenile literature, I wrote for adults. I mostly penned and published short stories, poetry, essays and articles. I even had a monthly column in a fourteen county newsletter. For those projects, I submitted directly to editors.

When I began my juvenile lit journey, I continued this pattern and submitted my book manuscripts directly to editors. I’d heard that securing an agent was more difficult than securing a publishing deal. I also wanted to remain in control. Not to mention, a super-teeny part of me wanted closed publishing houses to lament their lost shot at my writing. Not my shining moment, I admit, but honesty isn’t often pretty.

At one point, I stumbled across AgentQuery Connect where several astute writers convinced me to check out the agent route. I did, liked what I saw and gained a whole new respect for agents, editors and even those stubbornly closed publishing houses.

So, what are the benefits of securing an agent versus subbing solo?

In my experience:

1. My agent is contract savvy. I’m not, and don’t pretend to be. Not unless we’re talking potty training or preschool curriculum.
   
2. He has inside contacts. I don’t. The closest publishing “in” I have is sitting two pews away from the owner of the local newspaper.
   
3. He’s industry savvy. What I know about the writing biz would fill one paragraph of a twenty-seven-chapter novel. In this rapidly changing climate, I can’t possibly advocate for my best interests.
   
4. I’m still shocked by this, but my agent loves my writing. Okay, that makes two of us, but his support and enthusiasm are amazing and inspiring on many levels.
   
5. He was an editor. Me? Not so much. While I’ve got a pretty good grasp of the mechanics, I love having my manuscripts perused with a keen eye toward plot, character and story arc. I’m a better writer for my agent’s suggestions and carefully posed questions.
   
6. He has time to shop my writing. With my busy personal and professional life, I have precious few moments to devote to my craft. Having an agent frees up my time and allows me to be a writer.
   

In your experience, what are the pros and cons to securing an agent? What can an agent do for you that you can’t accomplish on your own?

Agent Research

(credit)

by Jemi Fraser

You’ve written your draft. You’ve rewritten it ... several times. You’ve edited, revised, tweaked, slashed & burned those adverbs, then polished your story so it gleams. You’ve read Calista’s Ready to Query post & Mindy’s BBC’s Query Tips. Now you’re ready to send out your query to those agents lucky enough to receive it. Right?

Wrong.

Willy-nilly querying doesn’t work. Agents are specialists. They each represent genres they feel passionately about. Do you want someone representing you who feels ‘meh’ about your genre? Do you want to annoy an agent by sending him or her a genre they don’t represent? Heck no!

Agent research is a necessary part of the querying process. Researching is time-consuming, but if you don’t do it, you’re wasting a lot of your time—and a lot of agents’ time as well. I use three sites in particular to help me research agents. There are more out there, but these are three I use the most.

Agent Query. AQ is the first site I stumbled upon when the thought of attempting to publish my work crossed my mind. It’s an awesome site. AQ has a searchable database of current agent information. Once you’ve clicked on the link, you’ll see a couple of pull down menus on the left. You can choose fiction or nonfiction then a whole slew of genres. Choose your genre and you’ll get a list of all the agents who represent it, along with more specifics about them & links to their sites. You can narrow the search by clicking on Full Search and selecting from the new choices. This is really helpful when looking for agents who represent more than one genre.

Query Tracker. QT has another searchable database of agents. A free membership will give you access to the database and will help you track your research. Once you’ve logged in, use the tool bar and hold your mouse over the Agents tab—click on Search Agents. Like AQ, you can narrow your choices by genre and other items. We’ll get into more details about more options at QT in another post!

Both AQ & QT will lead you straight to the agents’ websites and blogs (if they have them). These are invaluable resources—we’ll tackle this topic with more depth later on.

Preditors and Editors. AQ & QT are fabulous for checking the agents they list. If the agent is listed there, you know the person is legit. There are far too many scammers out there. The P&E website is another check. This site shows you if the name (agent, agency, publisher) you search is legit or not. Click on Agents & Attorneys or Book Publishers, then click on the first letter in the name (it’s an alphabetical listing). A $ indicates actual sales listed for the person or company. Warnings are usually written in red.

Obviously, researching agents and deciding which ones to query is a huge topic. Hopefully this will give you a good place to start. In other posts we’ll cover agent bios, websites, Publisher’s Marketplace and more!

Have you used any of these sites? Any others to suggest?