Chip MacGregor .com

How do Agents Work?

I've had a number of questions about literary agents in the past month...

Seth asked, "What's the first thing you look for in a proposal?"

My reply: Voice. I'm a sucker for great voice in a writer. If I see great voice, I'm almost always willing to take the next step with an author. 

Daryl wrote to ask, "As an agent, do you ever 'go after' an author? I mean, do you see a person you think has good book potential, then try to track them down?"

Very rarely. I mean, it happens occasionally, but not often. I was in the air on September 11, had to make an emergency landing, saw first-hand the things going on in the air and at airports, and was emotionally impacted by the events of that day. So a couple days later, when Patti and I were watching the President speak, we saw him introduce the very poised Lisa Beamer. I turned to Patti and said, "She could do a great book." So I started trying to connect with her, spoke to her pastor about how to handle media requests, and put her in touch with B&B Media to help her manage all the people approaching her. Eventually Lisa and I met at her home, talked things through, and started shaping a book. I brought in Kenny Abraham, who did a fabulous job working with Lisa on her manuscript. That book hit #1 on the New York Times list, and was the bestselling nonfiction book of the year. So, yeah, having an agent seek out an individual can happen... but not often. People with the platform of a Lisa Beamer don't show up every day (the Lord just worked out the circumstances on that one). Besides, most of us are seeing pretty good proposals on a regular basis, so there isn't much of a need to chase anyone down. 

Anne asked, "Doesn't it seem like most literary agents work in either the CBA market exclusively, or the general market exclusively? Why is that?"

I suppose it's that way because this business, like every business, is based on relationships. If an agent has a bunch of relationships with CBA editors, that agent is most likely going to do a lot of CBA deals. But not all agents work exclusively in one market. Some of us do plenty of deals in both markets (though it depends on the year -- I've found myself doing a TON of CBA deals this year, meaning I was contracting books in CBA far more than I was last year). Still, there isn't anything keeping an agent who does the majority of work in CBA from landing some projects in the general market. It just requires a bit more research, stretching the network a little wider. The best thing to do is to simply ask the agent -- "Would you be interested in a general market novel?"

Alice wrote this: "Don't get mad, but I publish poetry. Why is it that agents don't want to see any poetry submissions?"

Hey, I don't get mad at those types of questions, Alice. I think that's a legit question. The answer is simple: there's no money in poetry. I love good poetry (also intentionally bad poetry, if you're a regular reader). If I could make money representing poetry, I would. But I can't. There's no market for poetry, no way to make a living at it, and since I'm not independently wealthy, I have to choose to represent projects that pay me money. 

Ginger wants to know, "As an agent, what do you think is the best way a writer can improve his or her writing, without actually writing? (I'm serious about this question.)"

My response: By reading great writing. I think a writer can improve, get ideas, and be inspired by seeing what a great writer is doing -- how he or she handles the text, what words are chosen, how the story unfolds. Too many writers ONLY write, or only read in their genre. Most of the great writers I know read widely. 

Dom sent this: "You haven't been picking on anybody lately. I know you're trying to be nice, but... well, what is currently driving you crazy? We'd all like to know."

I received a proposal today that was addressed to 17 agents. All of our names and emails were in the "to" line. I've received at least a dozen of those recently. I'm blaming it on the rampant use of hallucinogenic drugs in this country. I mean, come on... The author is cc'ing his proposal to a bunch of us, then expecting us to take it seriously? Like I'm going to fight other agents to grab this one crappy proposal? All of us had the same response: hit "delete." That's the current thing that's driving my crazy.

Wait... it gets worse. So I read this one, then sent the author a note, explaining that cc'ing a proposal to a bunch of agents at once makes it look like Amateur Hour, and that he should study the industry, figure out how to create and pitch a proposal, then approach an agent he feels might be a fit. Isn't that how you'd approach any other line of work? Do a bit of research on it, to make sure you didn't look like a moron? I took time out of my day to try and help this guy. And what was his response? To send me a nasty note, complaining about the fact that i was scolding him for not doing it right. 

That gets him put into my Black File, of course. What is it about the fact that some people simply can't admit they don't know everything? Just assume you've screwed up, learn from your mistake, and do it better next time. Don't get defensive. I've pretty much stopped going to a couple popular online writing groups for that reason. I had originally been involved because I thought the participants were there to learn, and after a few decades in this business, I figure I've got something to share. But it began to feel like pearls before swine after a while. People want to share their ignorance, then HATE to get corrected when they say something stupid. So I'm just not even reading those any more -- I figure if writers want to read the advice of the uninformed, it's not my job to police it. There you go, Dom. Happy? 

Good grief... where's the Christmas spirit?

Hey, we're going to do an ASK THE AGENT week next week. Anything you want to know, send it in and ask the agent. We'll try to do a BUNCH of questions, and I promise to keep my answers (relatively) short. Send it along - HO HO HO!

Keeping Up the Conversation

Back to the questions you're asking... On recent blogs, we've had some people ask questions in the "comments" section that I felt would be helpful for everyone to read. 

Lea Anne asked, "With publishers facing such a tough publishing environment, are advances going to be a thing of the past? Do you see publishers moving toward book-on-demand systems, and paying authors with royalties only?"

It's true that advances are down (I've heard several agents use the joke "Fifteen is the new thirty" when talking about the deals they're doing). And yes, we're seeing some elements of publishing move away from paying any advance, relying strictly on royalties to compensate authors. There's some fairness to that, I suppose, since it mitigates the risk for publishers. But no, I don't see advances going away. Here's why... publishing is a competitive environment. Every company is looking to sell more books than the other guy. And publishing is very much an 80/20 business (that is, 80% of the income comes from 20% of the books). In fact, publishing might well have become a 90/10 business in recent years. The big, breakout books are what pays the bills. And to keep signing up bestselling authors, publishers are going to have to pay advances, because an author routinely hitting the bestseller lists is going to get offers from other publishers. So if one house decides not to pay an advance, you can be sure somebody else will. 

Things are definitely changing, of course. Publishers are getting squeezed by bookstores, who want to be able to return any unsold books. That's not how it works in most industries -- you purchase product, and if you can't sell it, you discount it and sell it for less, or use it as a loss leader, or give it away. With books, if a store hasn't sold them in 90 days, they can return them for full credit, so the publisher has unique financial pitfalls to deal with. And publishers are taking steps to put more of the burden on the authors -- Random House's decision to try and withhold one-quarter of the advance until a year after a book releases is one very unfair example. (I'll bet they aren't asking the printer to wait a year to be paid 1/4 of their fee, or UPS to wait a year to be paid 1/4 of the deliver charge.) We're seeing publishers try new avenues for making money (the recent decisions by Thomas Nelson and Harlequin to get into self-publishing is just one example). But do I think all advances will disappear? Nope, I don't. At least not anytime soon. An author understands that, at some point, he or she needs some sort of guarantee that they're going to make SOMEthing for their work. 

On a related note, Cecelia asked, "Is it true some big-time, bestselling authors don't earn out their advance? They get a huge advance, and the publisher knows they won't earn it out, and that's okay? Why would a publisher do that -- just to make the author happy?"

Actually, the majority of books don't earn out their advances. And yes, sometimes a publisher will pay a huge advance on a book because they know they can sell enough to make money even if the book never earns out. But this gets to a truth many authors miss: just because a book doesn't earn out its advance, that does NOT mean the publisher lost money. Some writers just don't understand this. An unearned advance means the publisher made less, but it does not equate to a "loss." If you did a book with Acme Publishers, they paid you a $10,000 advance, and you earned back $9000 of it, the overall numbers don't equate to a publisher "losing" $1000. Why? Because you, as the author, were paid 10% of the retail price as your royalty. Where does the other 90% go? To the publisher. 

That's not a bad thing, of course. The publisher is the one who put up all the money to edit, design, cover, produce, and ship your book. They've got big costs, even on a small book. But they've gauged your advance by the number of copies they think they can sell. If your book tanks, sure, they might lose money. But more than half of all books don't earn back their advance, and they couldn't stay in business if they were constantly losing money on each title. 

Let's look at some numbers... A 256-page hardcover book costs about $3 in ink/paper/binding costs. There's another dollar in overhead costs, maybe some money in marketing. So the publisher is into your book somewhere between four and five bucks. The book retails for $21.99, and they sell it to Borders for a bit less than ten bucks. They pay you a royalty of $2.20, and keep the remaining $7.50. So their profit after all expenses is maybe $2.50 per book. If a book breaks out, the production costs go down and the profits go up. They try to plan out a strategy where they won't actually LOSE money on the book. A publisher will argue that they "lose" money if an advance doesn't earn out -- but in the big picture that's not correct. What really happened is that they didn't make as much profit (which is different from losing money). 

And Susanne asked, "How does an author working with a smaller publisher wrangle a good contract without an agent? I'm on my fifth book contract, but because I work with smaller publishers, I've had agents say, 'You're not worth my time.'"

There's nothing wrong with an author choosing to work with a small house -- I did it myself when I was making my living as a writer, Susanne. The best thing to do is to become self-taught at things like contracts and marketing, since you're going to have to negotiate your own deal AND become your own marketing manager. If you want to wrangle a good contract, you're going to have to learn how to negotiate, and that means learning the economics of publishing (so that you make it a financial win for both sides) as well as learning how to talk through the process and stand up for yourself. You should definitely study up on book contracts (Mark Levine and Jonathan Kirsch both have good books on the subject), and maybe do some study on the art of negotiation (there are dozens of good books on the topic). The biggest thing I've found when negotiating with a small publisher is to understand their economy of scale -- what is reasonable and workable for their size company? what added value can I bring? what is and is not important to me? 

As for having agents tell you you're not worth their time... well, I'm sorry, and I sincerely hope they were more polite about it. But do understand the cost-to-value equation. If you're doing small deals, and their commission is 15%, it may NOT be worth their time. Let's say I help an author do a $1000 deal... my commission on that is only $150, but it takes just as much time as a $10,000 deal. Frankly, I could earn more doing something else, so the cost-to-value isn't there for me. I might help answer some questions just to be nice, but... well, I'm not sure it would be worth it to me to take it on, then face doing several more $1000 contracts. You could try talking to newer agents, who are often willing to do smaller deals just to get their foot in the door. But you've got to balance that by making sure that agent knows what he or she is doing, so ask questions. You don't want to get stuck with some Bozo who locks you into a bad deal because he doesn't understand the business. 

Sandra's Self Evaluation ...

 

My husband came home from work one day this week and we briefly discussed the results of a review he'd done for one of his employees. Nothing confidential, of course, and to this employee's credit, most everything my husband had to say was quite positive.

It got me thinking, though, how much I DON'T MISS the formal quarterly job review process. The nerves leading up to it. The pre-evaluation work required. The "wonder if I'm cutting it?" worries. The hoping for a fair raise and the resulting reminder that as much as I'd like it to be otherwise, my performance was not always directly linked to my paycheck.

When I worked as an employee, my review results were always very positive. "Hard worker. Excellent work ethic. Resourceful, respectful, creative, team player," yada yada. All good skills.

Of course, it's different when you work for yourself. The feedback system is just ... different.

Now, Chip and I discuss our work all the time. We talk through the frustrations and challenges, and celebrate victories together. Work out plans for the future. Help each other figure out strategies for moving our authors move forward. This friendly partner relationship is much more fun than filling out accountability evaluations, trust me. And it's a blessing to know I can go to someone with the wealth of experience he brings to the job of agenting without worrying that I'm exposing my performance "weaknesses."  I've learned more this past 18 months than I thought possible.

And so, realizing that I've hit another milestone in my new(ish) career, I decided to do my own performance review. Chip and I talked about these things earlier this week (while he was in my home office unknowingly spreading the flu bug, thank you very much!) and then I thought since people are still asking me "hey, how's the agent thing going?" and because I'm way overdue for a blog post, I figured I'd share the results here.

Because I usually approach everything from a "what can be better" angle, I started with my "Needs Improvement" list:

1. I don't blog often enough (yeah, yeah, I know ...).

2. I'm still not the email Ninja I wish I was, but I'm working on it.

3. I have a tendency to keep trying new tracking systems - have yet to find the ONE perfect foolproof and simple system which works for me. I need to just pick one and make it work.

4. I tend to over-analyze, and over-think things. (Hence number 3).

5. I still carry a fair amount of "not good enough" around in my head all the time, specifically as it relates to my work. I still struggle with my perfectionistic tendencies - don't know whether I owe this to the left over father abandonment junk I still carry around with me, or maybe Staff Sergeant Goo (yes, that really was my drill instructor's name). Ahem. That's quite personal, isn't it? Oh well. See #4, I guess.

6. My personal disciplines (excercise, daily devotions, domestic routines) have taken a serious hit this past year.

And of course, to balance things out, I created a list of areas where I've seen improvement and where I feel I excel:

1. I'm progressing in working out the professional vs. personal life balancing act of working (mostly) at home.

2. I'm slower at submitting than I'd like to be, but getting better.

3. I'm good at evaluating and helping my authors create proposals. REALLY GOOD, actually.

4. I have good instincts.

5. I create excellent comp lists for work I'm planning to submit. It's time consuming, and takes me awhile to get to sometimes, but I find this one of the most enjoyable parts of my job.

6. I'm a good critiquer.

7. I've done a solid enough number of deals during a crappy economy to convince me I know what I'm doing and that I'm going to be good at this for the long haul.

8. I get along with people and generally, people tend to like me.

9. I get great feedback all the time from editors who say how comfortable it is doing deals together.

10. My authors consider me a friend.

11. I'm still taller than Chip. And, so far, I still look better in a skirt than he does.

I should probably come up with one more just to round this to an even dozen, but, I figure that's enough self-examination for one week.

But hey, one more thing ... it was such fun this week to place "my" first book on the shelf I recently cleared in my office for those I've agented - Tia McCollors' THE LAST WOMAN STANDING, from Moody's Lift Every Voice line. (And I laughed when I realized it took 18 months and that someone (certainly not me) could have birthed two babies in that time.)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Sandra

So ... Self-Publishing is the New Black?

Sandra here.

Who doesn't see much point of getting into topics just to stir debate. Not afraid of conflict. I just don't see the point of adding another voice to what is destined to become an overcrowded, noisy room.

Okay. So, Thomas Nelson is starting a new self-publishing line. That's interesting. A sign of the times, perhaps. Something to watch and a new topic to discuss at writing conferences, debate on blogs, squawk about with retailers. We'll see. I have my opinions about it, but frankly, it's not my business. Literally. It's not my decision to make. Last time I checked, I didn't own Thomas Nelson.

I respect Michael Hyatt and the other fine folks at Thomas Nelson. And I'm positive they (and their shareholders and/or corporate suits) all put much thought and consideration into this decision. My guess is that they're expecting flack and have steeled themselves (and have pre-written press releases waiting) in preparation for it.

However. Ahem ... pitching this new venture as a "farm team" to authors? Excuse me?

That is a giant, sticky, wad of hooey, man.

Look. I know the lines between what once worked and what will work in the future are blurring and that we all need to do what we can to A) keep publishing viable and relevant and B) figure out a way to keep the pipeline of books strong so we can keep spreading the word and doing what we love. 

Call me cynical, but I'm thinking the motivation behind this decision might have something to do with the fact that opportunities to profit from books are growing slimmer by the second. Or is that just coincidence?

Thing is, there really is nothing new under the sun.

Back in the late eighties when I worked in the marketing department of a major CBA publisher, it was standard fare to gasp when authors held out for larger advances or asked that the publisher spend a few dollars on advertising, tours, publicity. "Greedy authors. Don't they understand Christian publishing is a ministry?"

Then the wall fell. Big hair started giving way to grunge. And agents began coming onto the Christian publishing scene (another gasp).  Soon after, the veil of ministry this and other Christian publishers were hiding behind was pulled away and Christian authors were suddenly encouraged to get over it and begin thinking of writing as a business. Hmmm...

At its core, publishing is a business whose end product happens to be the packaging of free expression and creative thought.

It is a capitalistic, money making venture. With some exceptions (Gideon comes to mind) it always has been. Still is. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Thomas Nelson's attempt to legitimize their venture into self-publishing by pitching it as place for them to cultivate and find professional authors is, at best, a stretch. Do they really need to start their own self-publishing venture to do this when there are others who this exact thing already, and do it well?  Go ahead and do it -- just call it what it is.

I don't follow baseball, but (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) aren't farm teams peopled by amateurs looking to work their way up the ranks to the pros? And aren't they typically supported (at least minimally) by the parent clubs or ticket sales? I'll admit I'm not exactly sure how farm teams pay for the gas to get from game to game, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't come out of the pockets of players. And are they expected to invest their own money in order to dress just like the big boys so fans and spectators can't tell the difference? I don't think so.

Seems to me that calling this self-publishing venture a "farm team" is an attempt to hide behind a curtain again, and mask the reality that this is a business venture and a way to mitigate risk. Trouble with that is those of us who have been around awhile can see that there's money behind that curtain.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Sandra

Questions about Literary Agents

Recently I've received a number of questions about working as an agent...

Megan wrote to say, "I'm working with a brand new agent, and she's not sure how to answer my question. Can an article that's appeared in a magazine later be included in a book, say as an introduction or as a chapter?"

If you own the rights, you are free to use that material again. But be aware: If you sell this as a book, your publisher may have a clause that restricts you from using any material that has been in print before. So before you sign the magazine contract, be sure rights revert to you once that magazine comes off the shelf. And before you sign the book contract, make sure to explain that you're re-using some material from a magazine piece that once saw print. You just want to cover your bases and make sure you don't get into trouble. But for the most part, this happens all the time. Keep in mind that a book is rarely a collection of magazine pieces -- it's more in-depth, more complete, and offers a longer view than a short piece in a magazine or e-zine.

Richard asked, "Do you get queries from people randomly -- I mean, queries from people who have not checked you out or read your blog?"

Oh, sure. All the time. I get queries from people who have never met me, never checked me out, never even taken the time to so much as read my website and query guidelines -- and then sometimes they'll say something like, "I think you'd be a great agent for me." How would you know? For example, I state very clearly on my site that we don't represent children's books, poetry, screenplays, or sci-fi novels. Yet just this week I have had queries in all four of those categories. That sort of thing amazes me. I mean, these are perfectly smart people, and I doubt they'd wander into a car dealership and ask to buy a garage door opener. Sure, "cars" and "garages" are somehow linked, but... Anyway, the lesson is that ten minutes research into an agent can reveal a lot of helpful information.

Marlene wants to know, "What is a typical day for a literary agent?"

A typical day looks like this -- rise early (I live on the west coast, which makes me a bit different from many literary agents), go running, shower, make myself some coffee, then sit down and plow through all my emails. I normally get more than a hundred emails per day, and I try to work through them all first thing, get them out of the way, and not keep going back to them. Then I catch up on phone calls, which I group together so as to try and keep them shorter. Then it's on to projects, which means reading manuscripts, editing and tweaking proposals, contacting authors and editors, and sending stuff out. There are a few things I handle on a weekly basis instead of a daily basis -- finances, reporting deals, looking at submissions, catching up on the industry news. The thing that's hardest to stay on top of is the reading -- lots of hours spent reading, so that I don't get as much pleasure reading in as I'd like. 

I have a great agent who works with me, Sandra Bishop, and we talk most days, and try to meet once a week to go over stuff together. I also have an assistant, Amanda, who helps with things like submissions and databases. Both of these folks are really good, and help make my workload easier, but it's still a lot of hours. Actually, it's always tough to talk about the hours you put in, since it looks like you're either whining or trying to impress people, but I work for myself, and like anyone who works for himself or herself,  the hours are long -- maybe 70 hours per week. I'm not complaining -- I've always been the hardest working person I know. Ask the folks who have worked with me at Alive or at Time-Warner. I was always the first guy in, the last guy to leave. It's why I've become very selective about taking on any new authors. They can't just be good -- they have to stand out in a crowd. 

Jeff asked this: "If somebody really wanted to get into the industry, get to know things, maybe even become a literary agent some day, what advice would you give him?"

First, learn to differentiate great writing from good writing. Then learn what a salable idea is. Those are the two most important keys to success in this industry, in my view. If you were going to be an agent, you'd need to study publishing contracts. (I'm still amazed at the wannabe agents who don't understand contracts.) Make friends with editors, since we all do business with people we like and trust. Do some writing yourself, so that you keep your hand at the creative process. Learn to foster talent. Again, if you're going to be an agent you should join AAR -- I think it's a mistake that many of the CBA agents haven't joined, since it's the one legitimizing body we have in publishing. 

What else? Um... don't lie, even when the news is bad. If the sales numbers suck, just take a deep breath and share them anyway. Only represent people you like, since life is too short to deal with the frustrations that come with working closely to folks you can't stand. Study the market and its trends. Build a network. Always take the approach that "good" is better than "fast." Give things away (your time, your money, your advice), so you don't turn into a completely selfish jerk (like me). Pray for your clients. Track everything you do, so when you're asked about it, you'll have a record. Hey -- the fact is, if you're an aspiring literary agent, the BEST thing you can do is to find an agent mentor who will show you the ropes. Learn from someone who is doing this successfully. (And this is where I get to say THANKS to Rick Christian and Greg Johnson, who showed me how to do this job.) 

Danni asked, "You frequently poke fun at the dumb stuff in publishing, but what do you enjoy most about publishing?"

What I enjoy most about this business is talking books and words with people. No question. I started out making my living as a writer, and sort of slid into being an agent. I love agenting -- it keeps me working with authors, and focused on words and books. I started doing this more than a decade ago, and have loved every minute. The fact is, I once left agenting to go be a publisher with Time-Warner, and thought I'd enjoy working on the publishing side. I was wrong -- it wasn't a disaster, but it also wasn't nearly as much fun. I really like being on this side of the desk. 

In which Cecil Murphey answers an agent question

We had Cec Murphey on the blog for a couple days last week, and wanted to give him a chance to respond to a question that was raised. So, one more time, here is Cec...

I love being quoted and it makes me feel significant. Last week I answered questions about agents and one person responded with this quote: "Some bad-tempered agents represent big-name clients. Those agents may sell, but they're not liked."

This question followed: This is great advice, but difficult to follow if a writer is new to the industry. Advise new writers how they could find out such information. (I know attending writer's conferences is one helpful way, or at least, it can be. But in this economy, most hopeful writers are able to attend maybe one regional conference if it is not too expensive). How does one go about getting the skinny on a Christian agent? Who would spill the beans?

Answer:

First, don't overlook conferences. If you don't have the money, ask for a scholarship. Most conferences provide scholarships that go anywhere from total-expenses provided (except for travel), partial scholarships, and work scholarships. If you truly need help, ask. If you're convinced you're ready for an agent, you might consider borrowing money to attend. This is a financial investment in your career.

I also want to say that too many unpublished writers start seeking an agent too soon. Their work isn't ready for an agent. Chip will tell you how to know when it's ready, right, Chip? [Right. -ed.]

Why do I list conferences first? You actually see the agents in person. (You might also get to see Chip too, because he appears to warn potential clients.) See how they interact with others. Set up an appointment and as you respond, monitor your reactions.

Second, go to the Internet before the conference—regardless of whether you attend. Read everything on the Site. What books has the agent represented? Who are the clients? What tastes do you see as obvious? If the agent doesn't nave any thriller-authors as clients, you can assume that's a no-interest category. Don't decide, "Oh, she doesn't have any authors who write thrillers. I'll become her first." If I saw no clients or books in that category, I'd assume the agent didn't want to rep that genre.

Third, if you can't go to a conference, contact two or three of the clients listed on the site. Go to the authors' websites. They'll usually have a way to contact them. Write them something like this: "I'm interested in the Lovey Dove Agency and I write Christian horror. You're a client of Lovey Dove. Would you recommend her?"  (See #7 below.)

Fourth, if I were starting to look for an agent today, I'd definitely attend a conference and ask questions, and I'd set up an appointment with all agents who had a slot. Unless their attitude came across as negative, I'd ask for representation.

Fifth, if the agent says yes or expresses interest, that's when I'd ask other writers. Some of us in CBA circles speak of the small world of Christian publishing—and it's like a small town in many ways. Ask questions. Quite likely at the conference you can meet a client of that agency or meet someone whose friend is a client. Ask questions to gain information.

Sixth, if the agent wants to represent you, listen to your instincts. Don't think that if you turn down that agent you'll never get another chance. Ask yourself: Do I like this person?  Is s/he an agent to whom I think I can relate? If you have mental reservations, thank the agent and decline. Make your refusal short and with as little information as possible.

Seventh, this is when I'd ask other writers. I'm tired of receiving emails from those who have never published and they want to know if my agent or another agent is "any good."  (That's the usual end of the question.) They also say, "I want to know about Chip before I approach him." That person is a stranger to me and has no assurance Chip will say yes. Even if I know the person, it's still premature. It's like saying yes to a marriage proposal before you've seriously dated.

I've received emails from three prospective clients after the Knight Agency offered to represent them. I didn't mind answering questions.

Eighth, Sally Stuart produces a list of agents in her annual Christian Writers Market Guide. Each year in The Christian Communicator she publishes a list of what she calls her recommended agents. She's given me permission to forward that list. For a copy, email Sally STUARTCWMG@aol.com or me  cec_haraka@msn.com. 

 

More from Cec Murphey

Part 2 - Continuing our discussion with bestselling writer Cec Murphey...

8. The most frequent complaint I hear from writers is, "My agent has forgotten me." How do I avoid that happening to me?

Ask a few questions before you sign the contract. "How do you prefer that I contact you?" These days most agents want email, but it's still a good question and it shows your professionalism in wanting to be clear. Follow up with, "After I've emailed (written or phoned), how long should I expect to wait to hear from you?" All agents are different. My agent once told me that if I haven't heard within 24 hours, to email again. Another agent said he tried to get back within 72 hours. Ask.

You don't want to be known as a HMA (high-maintenance author) so don't make unnecessary contacts. Occasionally, agents drop an otherwise good client because the person demands too much attention. This is business; it's not friendship. You have a product and you hire the agent to sell it for you.

One way to avoid the agent-has-forgotten-me problem is to be clear at the start. Ask, "When you send out my manuscript, will you tell me where you send it and each response you receive?" Sometimes agents will send a manuscript to only one editor—which was the old system. Most of them will contact several editors (My agent calls it her hit list) and sends out the manuscript to five or even twelve editors.

Then comes the waiting. My observation is that generally the rejections come first, although a few serious editors procrastinate. Some agents will notify you or  forward you a copy of each response as it comes in. Others prefer to wait until they hear from every editor. Ask your agent's policy.

Sometimes the editors ask the agent if the manuscript is still available, because they don't want to go forward unless they can make an offer. They also might say, "I'll take this to the publications committee Tuesday." Assume that if you haven't heard by 5:30 on Tuesday, the agent doesn't know either. The same with Wednesday and Thursday. Don't panic; don't ask.

9.   If we get more than one offer, does my agent decide which one?

You decide. Good agents explain the offers. For example, one publisher might have a larger advance but a small percentage of royalty. Ask your agent, who is your sales representative. If you can't rely on the agent's advice, change agents.

10. How do I get my royalties paid to me?

Until 20 years ago, publishers sent all royalties to the agent who took the commission off the top. (Fifteen percent is standard.) The agent sent you a check for the rest. These days, some agents contract so that the publishers mail them their commission and send the rest of the royalties directly to you. Publishers pay royalties differently and the contract will tell whether they pay quarterly, semi-annually, or annually.

11. If I can't complete the manuscript before the deadline, do I notify my agent or the editor? What if I have problems with the editor?

By the time you have a contract you'll deal directly with the editor. But if an emergency arises (illness, death in the family), notify your agent as well as the editor.

If you have problems with your editor that you can't resolve, definitely contact your agent. Whether you're right or wrong, get your agent involved.  I once had an editor that promised to have the edited version back to me by a certain date, which she never met. I did four books with that publishing house and she was never on time. That editor and my agent had several messages between them, but I didn't have to get involved and the exchange didn't affect my relationship with the editor.

12. Why do agents and clients part?

They sever the relationship when one of them is unhappy. Sometimes both.

A few writers get impatient and complain, "My agent isn't selling anything." I respond: "Maybe you need to send a better product." The agent can't make a best seller for you. There's no guarantee that everything you write will sell. I read a few years ago that the top New York agents sell about 70 percent of the books they represent.

13.  What are other reasons for dissolving the relationship?

Here are a few things I've learned from writers.

(a) They don't get information from their agents. The agent works for you and you are entitled to know the status.

(b) "I can never reach my agent." Does s/he respond to your emails or phone calls as verbally agreed?

(c) Misunderstandings occur. If you feel slighted or misunderstood, clarify it. I've been with my current agent twelve years and twice we've had serious misunderstandings. We were able to clear them up with phone calls.

14. How do I know when it's time to fire my agent?

(I don't like the word fire, but that's the term I hear most often.) I know several writers who fired their agents and regretted it. One woman has had four agents and currently seeks another. Her books haven't sold well, but she's convinced a "really good agent" will do better. Be cautious. Don't jump out of a contract because you think another agent will get you better deals.

There are times to make changes. If, despite your efforts to make the relationship work, you don’t like or respect your agent, end it. But be sure you've made your dissatisfaction known to the agent before you ask for a divorce.

15. How do I break the relationship?

That's usually spelled out in the contract: Most of them state you must send them a written notice 30 or 60 days in advance. (Anything the current agent has received from you is still that agent's manuscript to sell. Sometimes agents will say something like this: "I'm returning Dead in Debt and it has been rejected by…  and I will no longer represent it.")

If you break the contract, be professional. I've heard stories of rude, mean-spirited writers and the word gets around about them. If you're determined to break the contract, I suggest that the less you say the better. If the agent has sold any of your manuscripts, that agent will continue to receive the 15 percent as long as the book is in print.

16. Any advice on signing with a new agent?

Explain why you left your previous agent. Don't go into details and don't bad mouth the person, but offer enough so the new agent won't see you as a HMA. If you messed up, say so and add, "And I've learned from that experience."

If you have unsold manuscripts and the previous agent has sent them out, please tell your new agent. It can be embarrassing for Chip to offer Love Me Forever to Zondervan and learn they rejected it six months earlier. Or even worse for him to receive an email that says, "We have this same manuscript submitted by a different agent. Who actually represents Jerry MacCracker?"

 

Cecil "Cec" Murphey has written or co-written 113 books including 90 Minutes in Heaven for Don Piper. His two most recent books are When Someone You Love Has Cancer  and When God Turned off the Lights.

 

Cec Murphey stops in

Chip says I'm the only active writer who's been around since the invention of the printing press. (True.) That means I've watched immense changes, especially since the advent of the personal computer. I bought my first computer in 1983, when most writers asked, "Why would I want to get rid of my typewriter?"

In 1984, I jumped into full-time writing and have made a living at the craft. In 1989, I was one of the first Christian writers to sign with a literary agent. For the next five years most editors said, "We'll never work with agents." (What a change since then.)

In respect of my advanced wisdom (or was it my advanced age? I forget.) Chip asked me to guest blog and tell you how a full-time writer sees the agent-writer business.

1. At a conference, I plan to talk to two different agents. What should I do to prepare for the 15-minute appointment?

Go to their site and read their guidelines. See what kind of books they represent. Who are their clients? If the agent represents people who write in the same general category you do, you may be a fit. Don't say to the agent, "I know you don't usually represent science-fiction picture books, but I thought . . ." If you write in a genre that the agent doesn't represent, don't waste that appointment. Let someone else have your time slot. Agents have prejudices toward and against certain types of books. Say within their zone of interest.

2. At my appointment, what should I show the agent?

Not much.  I recommend a simple, direct approach. You hand the agent what we call a one-page and keep it simple. Have a full proposal ready, but don't show it unless the agent asks. You have 15 minutes and you don't want the agent reading the entire time. Always try to make it easy for the agent and if s/he wants to see more, I assure you, that person will ask. Even Chip gets excited about good prospects.

The first paragraph of your one-sheet contains your concept. Don't get cute, tease, or throw in silly questions such as "Will Hilda find true love in Bulgaria?" A brief statement of the plot and genre is enough. If it's nonfiction, what's the thrust of your book and who are your readers?

A second paragraph is about you, your background, and your interests. Provide it in no more than five sentences. Use bullets if you can. Think of it this way: You can leave the single sheet with the agent to read again. Spend most of the time with a focus on the interaction between you.

3. Besides offering the one page, what should I say?  

Why not let the agent respond to your one-page? Be prepared to listen and to answer questions for clarification. Resist the urge to tell the agent the entire storyline. (It's usually boring to anyone else.)  Don't argue, justify, or try to convince the agent that s/he must take you.

Don't try to hit with a big sales pitch. Your manuscript is the pitch. The more natural you are, the more the agent will have the opportunity to assess who you are. The chemistry between agents and writers is highly significant. Your response says a great deal about you.

4. If the agent wants to see my manuscript, what do I do?

Ask a simple question, "Do you want me to send you the proposal, the complete manuscript, or both?" (You will have written your proposal, right?)  Don't waste an agent's time by saying, "I want to write a book about. . . "  Unless you're highly published, the agent has no way to know the quality of your work.

If the agent shows interest in your project, you follow up with, "May I send it as an attachment or would you prefer hard copy?" If you send it by email, on the subject line type: Requested Material, Philadelphia Conference. If it's hard copy, on the outside on the package, bottom left, say the same thing. This reminds the agent that you had permission to send material.

5. What else should I ask?

"How long may I expect to wait until I hear from you?" That's a reasonable question and it indicates your level of professionalism. They may have that answer in their on-line guidelines, but I suggest you ask anyway. Sometimes the guidelines say something such as, "within three weeks," but five weeks may be more realistic.

6. The agent accepted me as a client. Now what?

Read the contract. I've seen three ways that agents accept clients. (1) They represent only the one proposal you show them. They don't commit to anything beyond that. I've seen this mostly with what I call the iffy books—the agent likes the manuscript but isn't sure it will sell. (2) A time-contract on the book. The agent may represent your book for a year, 18 months, or possibly two years, and if it hasn't sold, the agent no longer represents you. If it sells, you may move into an ongoing contractual relationship. (3) You're signed as a client and remain one for every book you write until you or the agent terminates the agreement.

7. Before you sign, ask yourself: What do I want from an agent?

(a) Do you want an agent who emails or phones every day? That’s not reasonable, and most writers won’t find such a person, unless the writer gets mega-buck advances. Even then, I wouldn't count on daily contacts.

(b) Do you want someone to whom you can send ideas before you write anything? Ask the agent before you sign. Most agents will agree and tell you how to proceed.

(c) Do I need an agent who will help me plan my writing career? A few agents don't do long-term talking with their clients, and you need to be aware of that. I would sign only with an agent who wants to talk long-term goals and offers to help me focus. When I made my living as a ghostwriter and changed agents, one of the first questions my new agent, Deidre Knight, asked was, "Where do you want to go as a writer?"

(d) Do I like the agent? In your initial contact, you size up the agent as much as the agent assesses you. If you don't like that person in the beginning, don't assume it will morph into a good relationship. Trust your instincts. I did in 1997, and still like my agent. She's encouraged me during some dark moments. I also wanted an agent who gets along well with editors. Some bad-tempered agents represent big-name clients. Those agents may sell, but they're not liked.

(e) Does the agent's personality match mine? I'm straightforward and that's the kind of person with whom I relate the best. I spoke with several agents before I signed with Deidre Knight. But after we met, I knew within five minutes that she fitted my personality.

Because I've been around so long, I can't stop now. I'll add a few more things in the next edition.

 

Cecil "Cec" Murphey has written or co-written 113 books including 90 Minutes in Heaven for Don Piper. His two most recent books are When Someone You Love Has Cancer  and When God Turned off the Lights.

About Approaching Agents

I've had a number of questions about approaching agents lately...

Denise wrote to say, "I'm only twenty. How much, if at all, does my young age affect how seriously agents and editors will consider my fiction manuscript?"

When I look at a manuscript, I generally review the words first. I always figure I have to like the writing before we explore much of anything else. Most agents and editors will approach things that way -- so they'll have no idea how old you are when they take that first look at your proposal. (In fact, I'm wondering why I'd need to know an author's age... most writers don't include that in their proposal.) So at least initially, your age isn't going to matter much at all.

That said, there's a practical matter that needs to be brought up: Most twenty-year-olds don't have enough life experience to create a good book. I'm sorry if that sounds rude, but I've found it to be true. I think there is a depth that comes with age and experience, and it's why there are almost no successful novelists in their early twenties. I tend to think college writing programs flatten out writing voice by suggesting there is a "right" way to write. And that, coupled with the fact that many writers in their early twenties haven't had enough hard experiences to add depth to their words, has mitigated against the success of younger novelists. But that's not to say it can't happen. Shelagh Delaney was 18 when she penned A Taste of Honey, Mary Shelley was 19 when she wrote Frankenstein, and more recently we've seen 18-year-old Helen Oyeyemi's Icarus Girl. Still, it's proven to be a steep hill to climb.

Veronica noted, "Many publishing houses will not accept manuscripts from un-agented authors, but many good agents will not accept manuscripts from unpublished authors. How then do I solicit an agent?"

This is the common conundrum faced by beginning writers. My response? You're screwed. But that's the writer's life. The best way to find an agent is to approach the problem professionally. First, write a great book. Next, do some research. Find out who represents the sort of thing you write. Try to figure out a way to meet and talk. Go to a conference or two and try to meet the agents you've discovered. See if you have a mutual friend who can arrange an introduction. Write to them and ask them to take a look at your work. Be persistent, but not a pest. And be professional. Every agent I know is interested in seeing a great manuscript, even from a new writer. It's true that it's harder for a newbie to get started, but that's true in any field -- it's hard for a new musician to get bookings, or a new painter to get into galleries, or a new life insurance salesman to land clients.

So one word about new authors: Make sure you're really good. You see, the majority of stuff I see from newer authors isn't turned down because the writer is new; it's turned down because the writing isn't all that great. Don't assume you're a genius just because your mom (or spouse, or best friend, or priest) told you so. Get some professional opinions, listen to others, and become a better writer. All those people I named above (musician, painter, salesman) weren't very good when they first started. They all needed to practice, to get training, and to learn from more experienced types before they could succeed. The same is true of writers. Learn the craft, create a really good manuscript, and your chances of landing an agent improve tremendously.

Jill asked, "Are agents willing to look at manuscripts if they come recommended by authors they already represent?"

Almost every agent is willing to look at the manuscripts that come recommended by current clients. Just make sure the established author has really read your work and is willing to say, "I genuinely think this new writer has talent." All of us get some projects sent to us from people who are owed a favor. And I'm always ready to look at friends of my current authors... but that's not a guarantee that I'm going to say "yes." The friend can get you in the door -- but it will have to be your writing that will get me to agree to represent you.

Stan wrote with this: "I read that new authors should not bother submitting to agents. One famous author's blog claims that a beginning writer doesn't really want an agent, since most (if not all) of the money paid on a book will go to the agent. Would you say that is true or false?"

False. Unquestionably false. Most new authors don't have the experience or the relationships to get their work in front of editors, so they can't sell their words. And an agent is going to be paid 15% of the deal -- the other 85% is going to be paid to the author. That should always be true. I'm thinking you might have misunderstood what that famous author was saying on the blog.

Carl wrote to say, "I just finished a manuscript set in 12th Century Europe. I had it edited, and have query letters created, but some other writers told me submitting letters to agents is a waste of time. Do you agree?"

Absolutely not. I mean, I haven't read your manuscript, so if other writers are saying it's bad or needs work, then yes, sending out query letters for an underdone project is probably a waste of time. However, the general process of sending out query letters is still one potential means of landing an agent. You first write a great manuscript, then you write a great query letter, then you send it to an agent who seems a likely fit.

That said, take a look at my earlier answer: Do your research. Try to make a connection. If at all possible, try to meet the agent. Use your resources to see if you have a relationship that can help you. Printing off 100 query letters and sending them blindly to agents isn't a very effective method -- just like printing off 100 resumes and sending them off to businesses isn't a terribly good system for finding a job.

And Darwin noted, "A literary agency just contacted me to offer their services. They said they would send out a press release to their data base for a reasonable fee. I checked them out and they seem legit, but I'm wondering if this is the sort of thing my publicist could be doing. Thoughts?"

Sure -- my thought it that it sounds like a scam. A reputable literary agent isn't trying to sell you other fees. He or she is not going to say to you, "Hey, this is pretty good... It's not quite ready, but let me introduce you to our editor, who can help you get this in shape for $500." Real agents aren't cross-selling products or services to you. We are paid by the publishers, not by our authors. So an agent who approaches you with a fee-for-service like this is probably not legit.

One last note: I've had a couple people ask me if I ever get hate mail from the people who have sent me bad proposals. Sure I do. In fact, this last week one author wrote to complain that I was being a jerk. May I share some thoughts with you?

First, I never reveal the author's name or the project's title. In other words, I'm not trying to belittle an individual. I'm trying to help people see the silly side of this business.

Second, I'm trying to educate people. Honest. I try to talk about both the bad and the good -- and the truly bad gets a pretty brief mention on this blog.

Third, I want people to have a sense of humor. Look, if a guy sends in something genuinely awful, he ought to be able to see the problem and laugh at it. Hey, I made some truly dopey moves when I started writing. I thought I was  a genius. I had bad ideas. I tried selling stuff that others laughed at. That didn't make me a terrible person -- it simply showed I was inexperienced. So relax. I also poke fun at myself on this blog.

Fourth, I never make fun of genuine questions people ask. If you've got a question, feel free to run it by me. I try to treat people who really want to learn about writing with respect. So ask away.

-Chip

Tell Me About Agents...

We've had several questions about literary agents recently, including...

Stan wrote and asked, "I just waited four-and-a-half months for an agent to give me a response to my proposal. Why does this take so long?"

Well, any good agent is busy, so it takes a while to sort through the ever-increasing stack of ideas. But let's be clear to every wannabe writer: If you just send in a blind query, you may never hear from an agent. I don't respond to most unsolicited queries. I look at all of them, and if something strikes me as interesting I might ask for more information, but I don't have the time or inclination to respond to everyone who wants to write me. (Though I do respond to all projects I ask to see, and try to get back in a couple months.) I state clearly on my website that I don't have the staff required to manage unsolicited requests, since the bulk of my time goes toward the authors I already represent. I also have a list of qualifiers on my site (things like "I don't represent children's books"), but I'm regularly surprised to find people have sent something to me without taking five minutes to check out my site. If it's been more than four months and you haven't heard, my guess is that the agent isn't interested.

Phoebe wrote to say, "I terminated my agent's contract after he apologized for being hard to reach and told me he had put his agency on hold because it's not the primary way he makes his income. I waited a few months. Was I too impatient? What is a reasonable length of time an author should wait for an agent to do something with his manuscript?"

I don't know if you were too impatient, but certainly a conversation would have been in order. Sometimes life happens that slows us down. (I was in a car accident a few months ago, and we had another family medical emergency, and all that caused me to move in slow motion for a while. Happens to the best of us.) Still, there's no set time an agent takes to develop interest in a manuscript. Sometimes it happens in a rush, other times it can take months to get editors on board. My buddy Lee Hough spent a year working on Same Kind of Different As Me -- but that book went on to a life on the bestseller lists. However, if you really can't reach your agent, or he isn't working at this full time, there's a problem. If you're a writer looking for representation, by all means seek out someone who does this full time, not somebody who represents books, runs an editorial service, is a part-time realtor, has a job as a janitor, and sells Amway on the side. Work with a professional. It sounds like the person you had was a wannabe-agent.

Deidre noted, "It seems like agents either sell manuscripts or screenplays. Is it too much to ask one agent to do both? If I decide to write a screenplay, do I need two agents?"

You're right -- most agents either sell books or screenplays. Trying to do both, in my experience, usually results in one area not being taken care of very well. The world of books is completely different from the world of movies -- it requires different relationships, it has different contracts, it needs very different expectations. The truth is, I've never really found a good book agent who knew what he or she was doing with a screenplay (though I've known many who CLAIM to do both). So while I've often sold the dramatic rights to a novel, I don't take on the screenplay, and I tell authors I'm fine with having them talk to a good screenplay agent. Not every agent feels this way.

Debbie said this: "I received different advice from my agent than I received from an editing service I hired. What's the best approach to take when you get different advice from trusted sources?"

Here at MacGregor Literary, we always rely on the Urim and Thummim. I toss them, and -- Voila! God reveals the answer. For those not as spiritual as me, you might want to assume that even good people can disagree, take the time to think things over, and move ahead slowly with the decision that feels right. Some agents may not have a lot of editorial experience. Most editors have the best interests of the publisher at heart. And it's no secret that some editorial services are using unpublished authors, who may not really have the wisdom needed for the marketplace. If you're going to work with your agent long-term, talk it through with him or her. Make sure you understand what the different sources are saying. And remember this bit of Scottish wisdom: "Good is always better than fast." So don't be in a hurry to get something decided.

Andy asked, "Do publishers have a 'fast track' for an idea that is time sensitive? Do they leave room for hot topics in their publishing pipeline?"

Sure they do, but they use it very carefully. When you turn in a completed manuscript, it's usually with the publisher for a year before it hits store shelves. That's partly because they have artistic and production decisions, but it's really more of a sales issue -- stores order books months in advance. A book that is dropped into a list hasn't been given much time to create a marketing buzz, it hasn't been presented to stores to order, and the whole process gets rushed. What I've found is that frequently an author wants to fast track a book, when if fact it would do better if the sales and marketing types put it through the usual process.

Ten years ago I represented Lisa Beamer's Let's Roll! Due to the high visibility Lisa had during those post-9/11 days, there were publishers who wanted to take the book and get it out immediately. I was worked at Alive Communications at the time, and we were afraid that would result in a book that felt rushed, and that lacked depth and texture. We didn't want something that sounded like an emotional screed. Fortunately we linked Lisa up with Tyndale, who took their time, really marketed and sold it hard, and the book not only hit #1 on the New York Times list, it remained on the list for months.

BeBe wrote to say, "You've frequently talked about the dire circumstances publishing is in. Are we through the worst of it?"

I have many skills, but the gift of prophecy is not one of them. (Okay, that's not really true. The truth is, I don't have that many skills.) So... beats me. Borders is in a world of hurt, and cut 742 managers and supervisors this week. Readers Digest, Harvest House, and David C Cook all cut staff in the past two weeks, and that's on the heels of cuts at most every major publishing house. I continue to argue that book sales aren't down as much as most retail sales in this country because they offer an entertaining escape that's a good value. But sales are down, companies are retrenching, and everybody in the industry is scared (check the stock prices of any of them). On top of that, we're looking at major changes in the distribution and presentation of books. So this is a period of significant change, and that will mean we'll come out the other end of this season as a different industry. But I'm the eternal optimist, and I think the book business will be fine. Really.

Jim wants to know, "So what's the worst stuff I've been sent this past week?"

1. A guy sent me a proposal this week detailing how we can reduce the instances of sexual abuse and the problems caused by adultery in our culture. His solution? Voluntary castration.  Huge appeal in THAT idea.  I suppose it would, um, trim the problem. (sorry.)

2. A woman sent me a very brief query to tell me she has written a 20,000-word memoir (that alone is stoopid -- just think of all those popular 80-page books you've been buying) about "the times I brought drugs to school." Very uplifting.

3. And one gent sent me a query that's in ALL CAPS (a sure sign an author's brain cells are running low) to ask, "ARE YOU A REAL AGENT? A REAL AGENT DOESN'T TURN DOWN ANYONE AND IF YOU ARE YOU CAN GET ME THE BOOK DEAL I WANT." Nothing like a man who knows his own mind. Or what's left of it.

4. One more: "In the tradition of the movie Left Behind with McCauley Caulkin where a boy is left to fend for himself..." Um... It's "Culkin." And that wasn't "Left Behind," that was "Home Aone." And it was intentionally funny, whereas "Left Behind" was just stupendously bad, and therefore funny. Aside from the fact you don't know what you're talking about, I'll bet your idea is a real winner.