Chip MacGregor .com

A history lesson and rah-rah session

 

      I'll admit, blogging is not my favorite thing to do, made obvious, perhaps, by my lace of presence here. It's not that I'm a wildly private person or anything so mysterious. It's simply that when I sit down to blog, something else which feels much more productive is waiting for my attention.

    I honestly don't know how Chip does it all. He's a genius, of course. With an unlimited capacity for words. I think he must never sleep or eat. Though I do happen to know he'll pause to tip a Guinness once in awhile. But, hey, he's Scottish. It's required, I think.   

    Don't take it personally that I don't show up here often. I love you all, I really, really do. Thing is, I prefer to ponder topics for awhile before I bother putting them on paper (yeah, I'm so, so deep!) Ugh. Not what I meant. 

    Anyway ... I've been thinking a lot lately about how much time it takes to build a career in this industry. Whether on the author, editorial, or agenting side of things, this is a slow business.  Writing is slow. Publishing decisions and the editing process is slow. And the money is getting slower than ever. Success in this business rarely happens overnight, though I often get the impression that's what authors are after.   

    So, the other day I was at the Nike employee store exchanging some shoes a friend had purchased for me. On the wall behind the counter hung a framed poster of one of Nike's original white leather models. Maybe you can picture it? The long, rounded toe and bright red iconic Swoosh along the side. I had a pair just like it in high school.   

    As I pushed my shoes across the counter and waited, I looked at the poster and it got me thinking about Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight's collaboration. About how their long-term partnership, which I happen to know began the year I was born,  didn't really pay off big until a decade later when, in a blink of inspiration, Bowerman poured liquid urethane into his wife's waffle iron and created their trademark outsole.   

    I thought about that waffle iron idea and wondered if they knew at the time that was the moment which would help define who Nike would become. Did they realize they were creating something upon which entire careers would rest? Could they possibly forsee the colossus world headquarters they would eventually build?  Probably not.    

    At that moment they were just trying to fill a need. Build a shoe for Bowerman's star runner, Steve Prefontaine, which would grip the new running track at the University of Oregon. (Yes ... THE University of Oregon. The very same place where, this week, the Ducks shut the door on the Oregon State Beavers first chance to return to the Rose Bowl since WWII. Sigh. Congratulations, Chip.)

    Bowerman's idea must have seemed strange at first. Especially to his wife. And it was probably hard to explain, like most ideas are at first. But, Bowermans's willingness to take a risk and Knight's motivation to find a market for their product eventually turned into the worldwide empire we all take for granted today.   

    It took decades for them to build Nike into the entity it is today. Love 'em or hate 'em, Nike employs over 30,000 people. In fact, in my neck of the woods, you can't swing a golf club without hitting someone employed there. Sports memorabilia, artifacts, and tributes are all over the Nike Campus. Some of the world's recent top athletes have entire buildings named after them. Prefontaine, Jordan, Armstrong, McEnroe, Woods (hey, I said TOP, I didn't say admirable. Let's try and stay on the subject here, k?)   

    Which is what?, you're probably wondering. Well. Here's the big aha I've come to in all my pondering.  When Phil invited Bill to become his business partner, Bill might have originally been motivated to do so to encourage his former track student. Or, he might have recognized a business opportunity. Or both. But, you can bet he was motivated to say yes to Phil's invitation because they had a common vision. Together they recognized the world was in need of a better track shoe.   

    Did it happen overnight? Nope. But, they stayed with it until, together, they figured it out. Their combined efforts created a product and a company which would change the habits and expectations of consumers. It's history now, but at one point, it was just an idea.   

    You know what? I see and hear ideas ALL THE TIME. Some are inspired, others, not so much. Some obviously have experience and substance behind them. Others are as thin as the air they were pulled out of.   

    A big part of my job as an agent is recognizing the potential of an idea and seeing beyond what is staring back at me in black and white.   

    Wanna know when I get most excited about an idea? It's when I see the combination of a great idea, and the promise of great writing, delivered in a fully developed, executable proposal. When I see that an author has worked hard, taken their time, done their due diligence, and carefully delivered a fully developed proposal which proves they can execute the idea beyond the writing of it, I sit up and take notice.   

    For me, a good proposal is where the rubber meets the, er, track. It's really frustrating how many folks send or pitch me an idea, but then don't back it up with a full, clear proposal. Worse is when I ask to see something and then receive bits and pieces of a project as if the author expects that I have the time to wade through it all and put it in order.

    Oftentimes I will help and consult with an author on a proposal. And sometimes, I'll spend a lot of time with it, but only for the best of ideas. I think authors need to do the research, invest some grey matter, study the market, prove they know what they are asking me, and prospective editors to invest in.   

    I'm picky about proposals, and getting pickier all the time. And for good reason. I know that when an editor agrees to take a proposal to their team, and possibly then on to a pub meeting, they are in the hot seat with the idea. They have one shot to present an idea, and they need the proposal to be bullet proof.    

    Don't get me wrong. I've seen some good ones I've had to pass on for various reasons. I can't possibly handle every project which comes my way. But, the ones I do choose to take on need to deliver.

    Authors who are willing to accept that their original idea may need a little tweaking here and there;  those who understand that my job as an agent is to help make it accessible, available, and attractive to prospective editors and publishers -- those are the authors I most enjoy partnering with.   

    And, like Bowerman and Knight, I like to think that together, we (I and the authors I represent) see their career as a product in the making. One which may take time to develop. It may not eventually come in hundreds of shapes, sizes, colors, and product lines. We may not launch world-wide empires, nor have a crystal clear vision of what the future will bring. But, in the end, I want to work with authors who will invest time, effort, and dedication on their end, and who trust that I have their backs - even when the rejections keep coming and the waiting gets unbearable - and who believe that, together, we have what it takes to run the race for the long haul.  

Amanda (Chip's assistant) steps in...

I'm Amanda -- Chip's assistant at MacGregor Literary. I've been handling the over-the-transom queries sent to the office for the past few months. It's been enlightening. Below are a few strange yet horrifically common trends I'm seeing with queries. They'll make you laugh, they'll make you cry, but hopefully, they'll make you check over your queries to see whether you're among the guilty. So, without further ado, I present:

Three Things Currently Annoying Amanda

1)    People who don't do their homework. Within a week's span, I saw about five different queries from self-professed psychics who wanted to take the next step in their career by publishing a book. Now, I've taken great pains to resist the urge to chastise them for wasting my time when they could just as easily have consulted their special powers and foreseen my inevitable rejection.

But I'm too nice. Furthermore, their failure to use their powers to their advantage isn't the core problem. The core of the problem is this: Authors seeking an agent don't do their research. A bit of poking around at macgregorliterary.com would have thrown up obvious red flags and told authors such as this that Chip typically represents Christian authors. He's probably not interested in anything that has to do with special powers.

2)    Relentless submitters. It's one thing if an author truly polishes their work and queries it again. It's another if they're on query number 77, having ignored the first rejection that came after query number 06 (yes, this has happened).

Another pet peeve are the authors who get antsy and resubmit a pending submition. My only piece of advice to these people is this: Don't get offended if this results in your work getting rejected twice. You submitted it twice, after all. It's only fair.

3)    Friends of the Archangel Gabriel. Believe it or not, I've seen queries from more than one person, claiming that the Archangel Gabriel visited them, told them super-sensitive information, and now it's up to me to see to the fruition of God's will in the form of a 90,000 work of nonfiction.

That's right. The fulfillment of God's will is dependent upon me. Me. (And you thought your job was stressful . . .)

Now, if only I could make them believe that my rejection is a sign from God as well . . .

Questions about Fiction Proposals

Sorry to have been away from the blog for a while. I'll do better now that I'm home for the month of August. 

Jennifer wrote  and asked, "Where can I go for formatting and style guidelines? I'm writing my first novel, and I'd hate to write the whole thing, then go back to fix my stinky format."

There are a number of books you can research that will talk about formatting your novel proposal -- Writers Digest has a couple, and the Dummies people cover this really well in their book on writing romance novels. Or you could simply Google the topic, and you'll discover thirty blogs and at least three You-Tube clips on how to format your novel. OR you could look at the sample novel proposals that are on agent websites (check www.MacGregorLiterary.com or www.Alivecommunications.com -- there are others). But, in my view, you don't have to sweat the formatting of a novel very much. You're going to present it in a Word document, double-spaced, with good margins and a readable font like Courier. You'll let the system number the pages and indent each paragraph, you'll use a page break (not a series of returns) for the start of each chapter, and you'll use a # for a break in the middle of a chapter. Don't overthink the formatting, Jennifer. Make sure your manuscript is good -- that's the part you should be sweating. 

Bob asked, "What's the number one reason you reject a novel proposal?"

The number one reason? Because it isn't very good. I don't see as much of the truly awful stuff I used to get when I was a beginner at Alive (proposals in crayon, proposals from correctional facilities, proposals about some strange guy's fantasies). Instead, I see a lot of proposals that are just okay. The writing is okay, but not great. The story is maybe okay, but not great. Everything feels about 60% done. Those usually get a rejection. If I see potential, I might tell the author to work hard and get it 100% done, but... that rarely happens. Good writing is hard work, and most people approach it as a fun thing they're going to dash off, then send to the agent so he can make a million bucks on their behalf. 

You want to stand out? Write something that's great. Write something that's so good I just can't say "no" to it. I'm always reminding authors at conferences that the BEST way to get published is to "become a great writer." All the great writers I know are published. (And if they aren't I want to meet them, because they soon will be published.)

Marilyn noted, "You've encouraged CBA novelists to join Chi Libris. How does one join Chi Libris?"

Chi Libris is an association for Christian novelists. The members get together to talk about writing and the industry, share wisdom, and (most likely) brag about the deals they're doing. It's a good group to be part of, and one of those "by invitation only" organizations. You must have published two novels in order to join [correction: you must have three published novels], and you have to be a Christian. They have an annual retreat, which for the past few years has taken place in the same city as the International Christian Retail Show, just prior to ICRS. [Kidding about the "bragging" part. I think Chi Libris is great. Take a look at Angie Hunt's note in the "comments" section.]

Nicole sent me this: "I just read an author's debut novel and loved it. I then read the second book in her trilogy and thought it was good. Then I found out the publisher was canceling her third book. Is that probably due to low sales? And is there a way to create a small print-run for something like this? Or can publishers do a POD on a book like that?"

If the publisher is canceling the third book in a trilogy, it's possibly because they didn't sell enough copies of the first two books. But this is a tough publishing economy, so the publisher could be facing struggles on any number of fronts -- returns, cancellations, nonpayments, etc. But, yes, if the books were selling well, they'd most likely publish that third book. 

As for creating a small print run, you've got to view this from the publisher's side -- they still have to invest in substantive editing, copy editing, interior design, cover design, et al. Then if they were to do a small print run, the cost of the books would go up. So it's cheaper for them to simply cancel the contract and back away. In such a case, the author might want to produce and sell a POD or digital version of that third book. If he or she can locate the readers, and sell them the book directly, that's the type of project an author can do well with. 

Mary asked this: "Is it okay to enter my novel into a contest while still waiting for an agent to respond? I wondered if this was a breach of author/agent protocol. And will winning a contest help me land an agent?"

I can't answer for all agents, but I don't find this to be any great breach of protocol. I think it's great when an author enters a contest, and even better if she wins. Being able to say something like, "I won the Daphne Du Maurier Contest" certainly can't hurt. 

Martha wants to know, "How can I convince someone my idea is sellable? What makes a great query?" 

A great query does six things: First, it tells me in one simple, non-technical sentence what the book is. Second, it tells me who the author is and why he or she is the correct person to write this book. Third, it tells me about the manuscript -- the title, the word count, the genre, the fact that it's complete. Fourth, it reflects the author's writing. (Why do some authors spend five years writing a manuscript, then five minutes creating a query?) Fifth, it clearly presents the author name and contact info (since all agents have seen interesting query letters that had no contact info, and the return email didn't work). And sixth, if we've had some contact in the past, it offers me a bit of context -- something along the line of "we met at the Harriette Austin conference in Atlanta, spoke over dinner, and you said you were interested in a novel that combined Amish people, vampires, and the recipes of Martha Stewart." 

As for "what makes it salable," that best way to describe that is to picture a Venn Diagram -- three circles that overlap. Those three circles represent a big idea, great writing, and a significant author platform. Publishers would like to see all three of those aspects in order to say "yes" to a deal. The book's story or main idea should be of interest to a specific audience, the writing should sing, and the author should be able to show the publisher that her platform will help sell a lot of books. 

George wrote to say, "I understand that fiction books are usually sold with the manuscript complete, and that nonfiction books often have the manuscript incomplete, so the editor can have some say in the process. Where do memoirs fit? Do I need to have a completed manuscript in order to sell my memoir?"

Most memoirs are treated like fiction, where the manuscript needs to be done (or largely done) in order to get the publisher interested enough to make an offer. So treat it as such -- complete it, then get some editorial help to make it as strong as possible. Don't rely on the bigness of the story alone -- make sure the craft is great. 

Someone wrote to ask, "Have you heard of the Spacecoast Authors of Romance?"

Just a note: There are a bunch of these types of author organizations. Most are regional member groups of larger organizations. Spacecoast is the regional Florida group of the Romance Writers of America.  I happen to represent an author (Rachel Hauck) who is a member of this one. But there are dozens of others like this -- groups that belong to RWA or to ACFW or to some other writers' organization. These are good places to meet local writers, talk books, and learn from those who are a bit farther down the path. 

Got a writing or publishing question? Send it along. 

10 Questions about Proposals

Here's how this blog works: You send in questions about writing and publishing, and I try to offer some answers. I've recently received a whole slug of questions about proposals and pitching, so let me try to get to a bunch of them...

1. Beth wrote to say, "I have two novels -- one is a romance, the other is a thriller. Can I mix genres in a query letter to an agent?"

No way. All that does is confuse the agent. At this stage in your career, are you a romance writer or a thriller writer? You might eventually be both... but you've got to convince me initially that you're good at one of those genres. Pick your best and approach the agent.

2. Suzie asked, "Do I really need to finish my entire novel before I send it to an agent for representation?"

In a perfect world, the answer would be "of course not -- just be a good writer." But we don't live in a perfect world; we live in a world with a sucky economy. So if you are unpublished... yeah, to get an agent to represent your novel, you're probably going to have to complete the whole thing. The economy has made things in publishing much tougher, so publishers and agents are less willing to take a chance. Make it easy on yourself by completing the novel before sending it to an agent for consideration.

3. Jim wants to know, "Should I tell an agent the page count of my novel?" 

The version of your novel you printed out at home has little to do with the eventual page count your book would have were it to be printed by a publishing house. And the way software allows us to manipulate font, spacing, and leading means that a publisher can add or subtract pages to make the text fit the eventual page count. Instead, tell the agent the word count of your novel. That will prove much more helpful. 

4.  Hannah asked, "When I print my manuscript out to send it to an agent, can I print it single spaced to save pages?"

If you do, it probably won't get read. Single-spaced manuscripts always look too busy and unprofessional. Agents like to sit and mark up any manuscript they're giving a real reading, and they can't do that with a single-spaced document. Be a big spender -- hand over the extra two bucks and print it double-spaced.

5. Leslie noted, "I sent a book proposal to an agent I met at a conference, then accidentally sent it to her a second time. Oops! What should I do?"

Nothing. If I get something twice, I just assume there was a computer glitch, or the person had a hard time getting it through my filter, or maybe that the internet fairies made a mistake. There's no harm in my receiving the same thing twice. But if you were to send me a third note, explaining that you screwed up, it just calls attention to the fact that you made a mistake. Why do that? Why admit to being a dope? Just let it go.

6. Elizabeth sent me this: "My writing is great, but my synopsis is awful. What should I do -- just send it as is and hope the editor looks at the writing first?"

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. If it were me, I'd get some help creating a better synopsis. As an agent, I occasionally see an author who has spent two years creating the manuscript, and two minutes creating the synopsis. I'm the type of agent who doesn't care that much about the synopsis initially (I always look at the actual chapter first), but eventually I'm going to get around to exploring the overview of your story. And let's face it -- if your synopsis is terrible, that's going to color the way I view the rest of the book. Why risk that? Make sure your synopsis reflects the strength of your writing.

7. Amy said, "I was thinking of doing something creative with my proposal, just to make it stand out. Does that sort of thing help?"

True story: I once received a woman's romance proposal wrapped inside a lacy thong. Apparently the author thought it would make the project stand out in my mind. It did -- I assumed the author had lost her mind. My job is interesting enough as it is; I don't need to add t"ouching someone else's underwear" to my to-do list. This sort of creative thing can seem downright weird unless you explain it. So no -- I don't think these types of extra bonus things help very much. Ultimately it comes down to the idea, the writing, and the platform of the author. If you do a good job with those three things, you'll be way ahead of everybody else.

8. Jennifer asked, "Is it really important to include comparative titles in my book proposal?"

Absolutely. Good comparable titles make the editor's job easier. It sets up your manuscript and gives it context. It allows the editor to tell his or her sales staff, "This book is like that book." Besides, it's not that hard to do -- spend some time on Amazon, then poke around the shelves at Barnes & Noble. You'll quickly find some appropriate comparable titles. The one lesson I'd keep in mind is "not too big, not too small." In other words, don't compare your book to Left Behind, Harry Potter, The Purpose Driven Life, or The Shack. That just looks stupid -- you can't really be expected to compete with runaway hits. By the same token, don't compare your book to something nobody has ever heard of, a book that sold 12 copies, or a book that died a dog's death. Hello! That just suggests your book includes a one-way ticket to Loserville.

9. Rob wants to know, "If an agent at a conference invites me to send him a proposal, how long is okay to wait before I send it?"

Generally you'd want to send it as soon as possible. I mean, if you need a few days to polish it, by all means put the finishing touches on your work. But agents see a lot of proposals, and they aren't going to remember many they saw briefly at a conference. True Story II: I received an email from someone last week that reads, "I met you at a writing conference two years ago..." Um, who cares? I'd have a hard time telling you what cities I was in two years ago, let alone remember some guy who had another book idea. Besides, the marketplace for books changes all the time -- I don't know if an idea that was good two years ago will still be viable today. So don't delay. If an agent asked to see it, send it along.

10. And Anita asked me, "Can you show me a sample book proposal?"

If you go to my company website (MacGregorLiterary.com), you can find a sample fiction and a sample nonfiction book proposal. If you go the website of my former employer, Alive Communications, you'll find sample fiction and nonfiction book proposals (Alive is a very good literary agency). If you need help, I recommend Terry Whalin's wonderful little tome, Book Proposals That Sell. You can find it on Amazon for about ten bucks, and it's got great information to help you create a winning book proposal.

Next time we'll deal with questions about agents...

Proposals - a few thoughts from Sandra on why and how

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and aside from the fact that I'm stuck in bed with the most wicked head cold I've ever had, it's a perfect day here in our neck of the woods.  Speaking of perfect, let me answer a few questions in regard to proposals -- one area where my perfectionist tendencies run amok. Just last week two editors mentioned that my proposals are among the best they've ever received. So, I think I'm well qualified to answer a few proposal questions.  So, Here goes ...

Anna wrote and asked "I'm having trouble trying to decide where to focus. I started putting together a proposal for my second novel, but I'm sure I'll go back and tweak the story some when I start editing it. I feel like I have to have it complete and ready to go before I bother with a proposal. Do I completely edit and polish the novel at this point, or do I dive into creating a strong proposal?

After a novel is finished, it's best, if you can, to let it set for some time before going back to edit it. So, in answer to your question regarding what to do next, I'd say dive into creating the strongest proposal you know how, then spend more time going back through it and making sure it is clean, presentable, factual, current, and well organized.

Katherine wants to know:  "Should I include sales figures for my previous books in my proposal? My first novel sold pretty well, and the second was about the same. But my publisher decided to pull back from the specific category of fiction I write and so I'm thinking I'll probably look into getting an agent and that I'll probably land with a different publisher. How important will sales figures be to them?"

First off, congratulations on the sales of your first and second novels, Katherine. As "pretty well" could mean considerably different things to different publishers, and sales history is one of the first questions out of editors mouths these days, now would be a good time to round up a current figure so you can be prepared to answer that as specifically as you can - either to your new agent or to any editors you might have the opportunity to pitch your work. And, there's no use in trying to mask sales figures as most agents and editors are able to access the facts with a phone call or email. So just be honest. It is what it is. If you had a particular issue (one of the authors I represent "lost" two editors and her agent to maternity leave prior to the release of a book and she's still recovering from lost momentum) most editors will understand -- if the writing holds up, of course. I'd say, though, if you're looking for an agent, leave these details up to him or her to discuss. Yeah, I know ... we get to have all the fun.

Mason got a little whiny, but his concern is pretty universal, so I'll humor him. He said "I'm trying to make sense of all the information I've gathered for putting together a proposal. It seems like it could go on for pages and pages! Why do they ask for so much? "

Okay, look. There are tons of books on crafting proposals and even more websites and samples floating around on websites. We have a fiction proposal on our website which leans toward the technical side, but they don't all have to be that way. One thing I always try to keep in mind when I'm advising authors (or sometimes helping them) with proposals is that editors are busy and overwhelmed. They need good information put together in a manner which makes it easy to find the specific details they will need if/when they're discussing your project with their counterparts or presenting it in a pub meeting. So yes, the sections you see in a sample proposal can seem confusing and a bit like you're being asked to jump through hoops, but if you're willing to make their jobs easier, trust me, you and your work will stand out and they'll appreciate you for it. 

Having said all that, personally, here's a framework for how I like to see proposals organized:

INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION

Basic overview info to help orient the reviewer to your project. Genre, category, setting, word count, status (finished or not), brief author intro.

CONTENT SUMMARY
What is the book about? This is a one paragraph (or one sentence, if you can do it) handle at this point - not the full synopsis.

AUTHOR/MARKETING
Why is the author the one person in the universe qualified to write this book and what are his/her plans for helping the publisher promote and sell it?

MARKET
Who are the specific consumers likely to plunk down their hard earned cash to buy your book?

SAMPLE CHAPTERS
Answers the question - can the author really write?

SYNOPSIS
For fiction, I like for this to follow the sample chapters so the editor has a chance to get the same first impression a reader would. Hard to do if they've looked through the synopsis first.

Different editors look for different information first. Some like to see right away if they recognize the author before they go any further. Some jump right to the bottom and read a few lines to see if the person can write. Still others want to know how the book fits in the marketplace and how this author/project compares to what's already out there. If the information and supporting elements are easy to find and deliver answers to their key questions, that's really what most editors want initially. The reason publishers need so much covered in a proposal is that this is often all they have to go on when they are making decisions in meetings about which projects to potentially make an offer on. And the editor who is presenting it is often taking a bit of a risk.

By the time it reaches the final decision stage, typically editors will have already gone through the discovery phase and answered several questions for themselves. Yes, they look at the sample chapters, but they rarely convince a publishing committee to make a "yes" decision (i.e. take a business risk) solely on the writing alone. It happens, but, like I said they often need, especially for newer authors who may not be widely recognized, good support information to help them sell it the project in-house.

Gary said "It seems to me that editors should just read the manuscript and see if they like it before they ask authors to spend so much time putting together a proposal."

Sometimes that happens, Gary. But usually only if it's recommended by an agent the editor trusts. I don't know an editor who enjoys reading sample chapters just for reading pleasure. Trust me, like us, they all have stacks of recommended books they'd really rather curl up with.

Look. A good proposal answers a few very important questions upfront. Does the written material really match what the query promised? Is there enough information, overall, to help me come to an informed decision on this? Should I bother to discuss this with my fellow editors? Try to get this on the agenda for the next  pub board? Does it compete with that other idea I'd had in mind to bring up this month? Should I round file the whole thing and tell the author they'd be better off making a living scraping gum off the bottom of chairs at Burger King?

Deciding whether they love your writing is important, Gary, but it's often the what you put in the material leading up to the sample chapters that convinces an editor it's worth their time (or not) to read it.

Thanks for asking. Feel free to reply with further questions and we'll do our best.

Stay Healthy, and Happy Spring!

Your Questions about Proposals and Books

I'm in limbo, staying with a friend until the moving truck arrives with our stuff. So I figured it was the perfect time to reach into my grab-bag of questions writers have sent in and respond to a handful that have been sitting and waiting for me...

John wrote to say, "I met with an agent at a conference, he got excited about my book idea, and he asked me to send him a proposal. But that's been months and I've yet to hear a word from him. How long should I wait before sending a brief note asking about the status? Six months? A year?"

If an agent has actually asked you to send him something, I think it's fair to drop him a short, polite email after three months. Just something quick that says, "I wanted to stop by  and see what you thought of my writing." Don't make any big demands, just drop by to say hello. If you haven't heard a month or two after sending that note, it wouldn't be unreasonable to send another, just to check on the progress. Some things take time. Patti and I have been going through a move, and I've recently had to apologize to some authors for not getting to their projects sooner. But if the agent has had it a year, and you've not heard, the most likely scenario is that the agent either didn't receive it or isn't terribly interested in it. This is a time-sensitive business, and we all move forward on the projects that excite us.

Tim asked, "I know bookstores are reporting drops in sales due to the bad economy, but is that true for both fiction and nonfiction? I've read that movie ticket sales are actually up, since movies are relatively cheap entertainment, and I'm wondering if fiction sales might also be improving."

According to Nielsen's Bookscan, romance sales in 2008 were up 18% over the previous year, and even in this bad economy romance was up 2.4% in the first quarter of 2009.  There's evidence to suggest that genre romance, historical romance, fantasy, and some young adult fantasy are all looking up, even in this crummy economy. People in hard times are looking for an escape -- especially one where things turn out for good in the end.

Scott wrote to say, "I have a manuscript that's more of a manual than a book. It has templates with references, and is aimed at the religious market. Where do I look for publishing companies that might consider this sort of project?"

A good place to start doing any sort of research is a big bookstore. Wander into a Borders and a Barnes & Noble. Check to see which publishers already do the type of book you're writing -- since they already publish in that genre, they'll be your most likely candidates. Since this is a religous book, you can also try visiting a good Christian bookstore, and you can do some research online at places like Amazon. Once you figure out which houses produce and sell projects similar to yours, you'll be better prepared to know who you can approach with your own manuscript.

Abby asked, "In your view, does a novelist stick with the one big idea that's in her head, or look for an idea that a publisher might get excited about? I've got what I think is a great idea, but my writing friends are suggesting I research what the publishers want instead of working on my own story."

There's not really a correct answer to this question. If you think you've got a great story, and you feel you have to tell it, then you probably need to follow your heart and spend the time writing it. But, of course, you could be wrong about it's potential for success, so you may want to spend some time researching to see if there will be any interest in your manuscript when it's completed. (For example, you could write a fabulous western right now, but it probably wouldn't sell -- the westerns market is dead.)

On the other hand, I generally think it's a mistake to blindly chase the market (i.e., "Fantasies are hot! Amish books are hot! Vampire books are hot! Let's do an Amish romance set in the future, where Sarah and her kinsman-redeemer are chased by vampires!"). The problem with this sort of thinking is that by the time you can spot popular trends in bookselling, the publishers have already lined up the needed titles. So while I think some research is important to make sure there is actually a potential market for your book, simply selecting a genre because it appears hot rarely leads to success.

Sandi asked, "Does a reputable publishing house release free copies of a published book to the authors? If so, how many copies should an author expect?"

Yes, your publisher will offer you some free copies. The standard contract will offer you about ten, so you've got a few for your bookshelf. An author can frequently get more if they propose to use them for marketing purposes (which is to say the author is going to give them to influential people, or as giveaways on their website, or to people in the media). Asking for a case of books is generally reasonable, and a good agent can often negotiate more. What publishers don't like is the author who insists on getting 200 free copies, then proceeds to try and sell them all at her speaking engagements. That doesn't help the sale of the book at all, and winds up competing with local bookstores. Learn to view author copies as marketing tools, to be given to those who can help you drive other people to a bookstore in order to purchase your book.

Lonnie wrote and said, "I've heard an author needs to acquire their own copyright for their books. How does she do this? And do publishers usually agree to this, even if you're a new author?"

There's an old fallacy that an author needs to print a copy of his book, seal it in an envelope, and mail it to himself in order to preserve his copyright. But we in America have the best intellectual property rights laws in the history of the world -- if you wrote it, then it belongs to you. A copyright is implied in your creation. The only reason to seek a copyright is if you are going to produce and sell printed copies -- and any legitimate publisher is going to arrange to have your work copyrighted, in the author's name, and have that information printed in the frontmatter of your book. (And I should note that I'm not a lawyer, so I am not giving you legal advice. If you are seeking a legal opinion, you should ask an intellectual property rights lawyer to answer your questions.)

Janice sent this: "I've been publishing nonfiction magazine articles for years, and am working on a book proposal that one editor told me had great potential. Is it a good idea to start focusing my article writing around this one concept? And can an agent help me figure out what steps to take next?"

My response to you is to say, "Only focus all your article-writing around this one concept if (1) there is clearly a market for the idea, (2) the concept is big enough to require several different kinds of articles, and (3) you feel passionate enough and knowledgeable enough to want to focus your writing life on it." Since I don't know your idea, I can't offer any advice as to whether or not it's big enough/important enough/interesting enough to make that sort of decision. But yes, a good literary agent should be able to help you think this through.

Valerie wrote, "I'm nearly done with the second book of a trilogy, but still don't have a publisher for the first book. My question for you: If I get a deal for the first book, what will happen to the sequels?"

While negotiating with the publisher, you (or your agent) needs to bring up the fact that the initial book is the first part of a trilogy. The publisher may make the deal based on publishing all three titles. Or the contract may stipulate that it's a one-book deal, but the publisher has an option on books two and three. Sometimes a book contract will grant the publisher first right of refusal on any additional books that maintain the same characters or have the same setting. And, frankly, it's especially tough to sell the second and third books in a series to a publisher other than the one who did the first book in the series. So be up front with them about the entire trilogy.

After my previous post, Lea asked if agents actively look for information from publishers, in order to stay on top of what the various houses are seeking. The context for her question was that she has researched an agent to discover what he represents, but then receives a rejection stating the project "does not fit what we're seeking."

Here's the thing to understand: Most agents have a standard rejection wording. They don't want to write back and say, "Yikes! This idea is terrible, and the writing sucks. No thanks." So they gentle it up a bit and say something like, "I don't think this is for me." Don't get me wrong -- I'm not saying that everyone who receives a "not for me" rejection has a terrible idea or can't write. I just think authors should know that getting a letter stating that a project "isn't a fit" might simply be receiving a form letter. But to answer your question, yes, most good agents are definitely checking to see what various houses are looking for.

And one more...Tiffany Colter, who runs the Command Performance Speakers Bureau, speaks French fluently. She noticed that a recent post of mine was mentioned on a French writers' site, and noted that the name "Chip" didn't exactly translate well. They referred to me as "Morsel MacGregor" -- literally as le sur le morceau MacGregor. I just think it should be noted that someone in France sees me as a yummy dish. (And faithful blog readers will remember that my name in Chinese was translated as "Chip-Chip," which is some sort of candy, apparently. Better that than the Native American guy who said his only known reference to "chips" had something to do with "buffalo chips.")

Patti and I are back on the west coast, after having spent a little more than a year in the midwest, where I was teaching a couple classes as sort of a visiting professor in the Professional Writing Program at Taylor University. SO NICE to be close to the Pacific Ocean again! And I'm trying to catch up on writing and publishing questions. If you've got something to ask, this is a good time to send it in.

Proposals and Getting Started

I've got a backlog of questions to work through, so let's jump right in...

Bethany wrote to ask, "Since publishers are struggling in this bad economy, is it better to submit a completed manuscript with your proposal, rather than a proposal, outline, and sample chapter?"

In my opinion, it is always better to tell the publisher your manuscript is complete. That reveals to the publisher that you're serious about this business, and it means they have less risk -- they don't have to wonder if you're going to hit your deadline, or if you're up to the task of completing the book. Of course, I don't particularly like the fact that you could spend months crafting a manuscript that won't sell, and it may not be fair to you as the author... but there's no question that having a manuscript completed makes it easier to sell. (And, of course, if you're writing a novel, you pretty much HAVE to have your manuscript complete.)

Deonne asked, "What with these hard economic times, and publishers cutting the number of titles they are doing, wouldn't it make sense that an author seriously consider self-publishing?"

The short answer: It only makes sense to self-publish if you know how to sell the book. So, yeah, you can go ahead and self-pub your title. It will cost you a lot of money to get it edited, jacketed, designed, printed, and shipped. Then you've got to warehouse the copies somewhere and THEN you've got to spend money to market and sell it. But if you have the money, and you know how to reach your readership, then you might find this pays off. (In fact, for people who know how to market and sell their books, they find they make much more money than those who sell books through a regular royalty-paying publishing house.) Still, most people who self-pub lose money because once the book is printed, they don't actually know how to market and sell it. So that's the litmus test. I've found the people who do best with self-pubbing are the speaker types who have a speciality niche. They print their books, go around and speak at conferences, then sell them in the back of the room. Or they are well known in their field, and know how to market the books through magazines and websites. But aside from those scenarios, I think an author will find it very hard to sell enough copies of their book to make it financially viable. This is especially true for novelists -- I'd be willing to bet more than 90% of self-pubbed novelists lose money. (And yes, the author of The Shack is the exception to the rule. He self-published his novel and made money. But that's a fascinating story because he succeeded when most people fail, and he spent money on advertising through e-zines.)

Jeanette wrote this: "An author friend spoke with an editor at a writers' conference. The editor asked my friend to send in her manuscript. She seems to think that it's now a done deal -- that she's about to get a contract. I've tried to tell her that's not true. What do you think?"

I think your friend needs to sit down and take her reality tablets. Editors ask for proposals at conferences because (1) they don't have time to actually read stuff in the fifteen minute appointments authors are given, (2) they are fatigued and it's easier to say "no thanks" later in an email than to say it face-to-face, or (3) they are weenies. (And there is #4 option: that the author misunderstood. I regularly have authors tell me things like "the editor at Random House insisted I send this to her," when in fact the editor from Random House had said something like, "I don't know, and I'm racing off to teach my workshop, but it you want to send it, go ahead.") So no, having an editor ask to have a proposal sent them is NOT a sure sign that a contract is coming. Even if the editor says something cool like, "I think this has merit -- why don't you send it to me and I'll take a closer look," that doesn't mean she is going to like it enough to make an offer, or that the rest of the pub team is going to endorse the idea. Don't get me wrong -- I think having an editor ask you to send your proposal is better than having an editor tell you to drop dead or go away or consider giving up writing for a career in dry cleaning (ESAD, as we used to say in the business). But no, it's not tantamount to receiving a contract offer.

Beverly asked, "Do agents write the proposal for an author, or does the author write it and the agent tweaks it and sends it?"

You're the author. You're the expert. It's going to be your book. So YOU write the proposal. Sure, you can expect me to tweak it, and make it fit a house's preferences, and sprinkle my fairy dust on it so that it really stands out. But the author is the one who does the hard work of creating the proposal. If you need a good resource to help you with that, take a look at Terry Whalin's Book Proposals that Sell, a really well done handbook for writers. You can also see some sample book proposals on my business website.

Stan said this: "I've had a couple agents turn down my proposal, but offer to help me rewrite it (or introduce me to their editor who will rewrite it) for a fee. Should I take them up on their offer?"

No, you should get up and walk away. Then you should turn them in to Writer Beware and Predators and Editors. As I noted in my previous post, any agent who tries to cross-sell you his editorial services is in violation of the agent's Code of Conduct. They aren't trying to help you sell your book and make money, they are simply trying to make money off of you. No legitimate agent does this. Stay away.

Darice wrote to say, "A friend of mine posted chapters of her novel on her blog. Do you think that will hurt her chances of landing a deal with a publisher?"

 I doubt it will hurt her chances, Darice. There's some evidence that giving away chapters to increase your readership will actually help you. And while there are still some houses that frown on this sort of thing (they're afraid readers will feel as though the book is already out there on the web), for the most part I'd say your friend won't hurt her chances too much if she posts a couple chapters, garners some attention, and can say to a publisher, "Hey -- I've already had 25,000 people stop by and read the first two chapters of my novel!"

Daniel asked, "What do you know about www.christianmanuscriptsubmissions.com?"

That's the big electronic slushpile put together by ECPA publishers to help writers get their manuscripts in front of editors. You pay $99 and submit an overview, table of contents, and sample chapter. It goes into a database that editors at religious publishing houses can peruse. On the one hand, you could argue that it's one of those "by any means necessary" tactics for authors. On the other hand, it could be $99 wasted, since most editors already have plenty of submissions flowing onto their desks from agents. I'm afraid of looking like I'm defending agents by bashing the competition, and I really want to be fair here, so let me just say I see VERY few deals coming out of this service. Editors have plenty of submission to look at, so asking them to spend a few hours wandering around a huge electronic slushpile -- well, it just doesn't seem terribly effective. One man's opinion.

Jocelyn sent me this: "I'm not sure if you're familiar with bookendslitagency.blogspot.com, but they just opened up their blog to allow writers to say everything that drives them crazy about agents. (This came after they opened it up for agents to complain about what drives them crazy about proposals.) Have you checked out what authors had to say?"

The folks at Bookends Literary have a wonderful blog for authors, and they sometimes have something fun like this. I was a bit disappointed in the reactions of writers, to tell you the truth. There was a ton of negativity, and it reflected a bit on the fact that some writers seem to think an agent is obligated to respond to them. As an agent, I try to be polite to people, and to respond to serious queries. But... look, I get some really stupid stuff sent to me. I put on my business website (www.MacGregorLiterary.com) that I generally represent established authors, yet I'm regularly beseiged with unpublished wannabes who haven't even given a cursory glance to my site. I don't represent pornographic novels, or children's books, or science fiction stuff, and I say that clearly on my site, yet every month I can count on somebody sending me a proposal that is a pornographic children's sci-fi novel. (Okay, not really, but you get the idea.) Where is it written that I need to give these people my time and energy?

I've had some people write in to say that I'm not being fair, that I shouldn't reveal bad proposal ideas sent me, since it makes it look like I'm picking on certain ones. Um... I am. I don't poke fun at the legitimate projects I am sent to review -- not even if I reject them. But the fact is, if somebody sends me something unsolicited that is truly awful, I don't owe them anything. If somebody can barely write, or blindly sends in a project that is outrageously bad, or has spent no time figuring out how to do a good proposal, that means they aren't really serious about this business. They haven't gone to a conference, or read books, or researched this stuff on the internet, or even read this (and many other good) blogs. Frankly, it's hard for me to treat that sort of person as a professional. I wouldn't show up at an investment guy's office and say, "You need to listen to me, because I had a brainstorm -- I insist you invest all your money into Enron stocks!" I'd be tossed out of the building. So why am I expected to take everybody who sends in a crappy idea seriously?

If you haven't read this before, I like to use a bakery analogy. If I ran a bakery, I might occasionally bring you into the back room, show you how things work, and give you a tour of the bakery. I'd answer your questions. If you were obviously knowledgable about my industry, I'd be happy to talk about the business. And who knows -- I might even invite you to work with me in some capacity. But my full-time job is running a bakery, not giving bakery tours, or listening to all the crazy recipe ideas people have ("Have you considered salmon-flavored muffins?"). So at some point I just say, "Enough. I've got a business to run. I don't owe every person who wants to know about bakeries an interview."

Understand me -- I don't revel in being rude, and as much as possible, I try to be respectful of peole who are trying to learn this craft and grow and maybe get something published. But there's a feeling of entitlement that comes across in the responses on that Bookends blog that rubs me the wrong way. It seems to assume that an agent OWES an author a response; that an agent MUST reply to every query sent them. Sorry, but I don't agree with that thinking at all. I won't show up at your job and tell you how to do it, and insist you give me a bunch of your time -- so I just expect the same courtesy, I guess.

Please feel free to comment on this topic. I'm actually looking forward to seeing how people respond. And if you've got a publishing, question, feel free to send it in. I'll do my best to answer it.

Questions about Proposals and Manuscripts

I've been away at a conference (and, unfortunately, dealing with the death of a close friend -- see my post of August 20 if you're interested), but I need to get back to questions about writing and publishing. We've had a number of questions about proposals and manuscripts lately...

Kathie wrote to say, "I'm interested in writing humorous novels. Are there many humorous novels in CBA? Should I be seeking out and reading some comparable works?"

Humor has proven to be a tough sell in the CBA market. There are certainly some novelists who have done some funny projects (check out Dana Mentink's novels, or the writings of Jenny B Jones or Todd Hafer), but it's a tough way to make a living. I had a conversation with a couple editors recently about this very topic, and they both warned me that selling humor is still an uphill climb with the Christian market. You should definitely be reading comparable titles, and there are some very funny nonfiction writers in CBA (Chondra Pierce, Anita Renfroe, and the wonderful Charles Marshall book, I'm Not Crazy But I Might be a Carrier). However, I can tell you the biggest problem with humor writers in CBA has been their tendency to move away from humor and feel a need to turn everything into a sermonette. Sticking a "deep and meaningful insight" onto the end of a funny story has a tendency to turn it into a graduation speech ("here's a funny joke...but with a thoughtful point..."). Stay away from that -- the fact is, those books never sell. It's hard to write funny, and hard to sell funny, but I continue to believe people in our world are looking for something that will make them laugh.

Ben wants to know, "What is the minimum length for a novel to be considered a complete manuscript?"

That depends on the genre you're writing for, Ben. If you are creating a contemporary romance, the publishers will expect it to be somewhere in the 55,000-to-60,000 word range. If you're writing a historical romance, most of the publishers will ask for 75,000 words. For contemporary stand-alone novels, publishers are basically looking for 90,000-to-100,000 words, so that the reader feels there is adequate cost-to-value. And some genres (epics, some speculative fiction, and all Harry Potter rip-offs) are going to be in the 110,000-to-120,000 range. Literary fiction (defined here as novels that are usually contemporary relationship-driven novels exploring the bigger issues of life) can range from as short as 60,000 to as long as 100,000 words. Of course, publishers are always willing to bend the word-count a bit if they fall in love with a manuscript, but this will give you some ballpark numbers to guide your planning.

Ed wrote and noted, "When Jesus showed up, he chose a dozen common, uncouth men to be with him. I figure he chose needy people because that's who he was going to reach. So if I create a story with needy, uncouth characters who curse and engage in unhealthy behaviors, would there be a market for my novel?"

The world of fiction is made of novels about folks who have issues -- people who don't know the answers, or who make bad choices, or struggle with sin/identity/relationships. So, sure, there's a market for a well-told tale about needy people who make decisions. In fact, I'd challenge you to find a successful novel that only includes the stories of the happy, the successful, and the contented. Would make a boring story, in my view. But I think where you're going is to ask if there's a market for this in CBA, and my answer is "maybe." I represent Lisa Samson and Claudia Burney, two authors who have dealt with some very difficult people and issues in their novels. But be warned -- if your writing isn't great, you'll find CBA publishers unwilling to take a chance on offending a readership by creating edgy novels from not-ready-for-primte-time writers.

Martin wrote a nice note and asked, "How much of your novel should you post on the internet before you have an agent or publisher? I posted three chapters, and it has proven to be so popular that I now have readers writing to me and begging me to post more of the story. My fear is that I don't want to give it away, but by the time I wait for a traditional publisher, my readers will be gone."

Interesting scenario, Martin. I have never encouraged an author to post his or her chapters on a web site outside of a promotional campaign for a book's release, since it seems like there's no way for the author to win. You might garner some attention from an agent, but it would seem like you'd be more apt to get some of the know-nothing, fly-by-night types to contact you. And as for readership, you've hit the problem dead on -- you might gain readers, but will they stick around long enough to buy the book? Doubtful -- from the time you turn in a completed manuscript, you're looking at a year's wait before there are ink-and-paper copies on store shelves. A better alternative might be to post one book, use it to build a readership, then try to steer faithful readers to purchase your new release.

Gene asked, "What did you think about the quality of writing in The Shack? It's become a phenomenon, selling more than a million copies, but I heard the author had to self-publish because it was 'too Christian for the general market publishers, and too edgy for the Christian publishers.' True?"

I don't know why everyone rejected The Shack, but I can tell you that I've talked with a few editors who will openly admit they turned it down because they felt the writing wasn't up to par. There's been a rumor floating that CBA houses were scared off by the story (or the notion of God being in the form of an African-American woman), but I've yet to talk to the publisher who agrees with that scenario. The fact is, the author showed it around, couldn't find a taker, so he self-published some copies. It started to grow via word of mouth, he printed some more, advertised on "The Ooze," and eventually it took off. Recently the authors sold the package to Hachette.

We live in a world of spiritually hungry people, and The Shack speaks to that need. So while I found the story interesting, I thought much of the writing was weak. In fact, I might very well have rejected it had it come across my desk (and since I had a computer die, I admit that I don't have a record of having done so, though I've talked with plenty of agents who claim to have rejected it). Of course, I take no pleasure in saying that. I'd have loved to have represented a million-seller. It proves, once again, that this is an art as much as a science. I'm not sure I agree with those in the industry who seem to think this proves that people have bad taste -- the fact is, there are numerous writers who have done well with novels the literati look down on (J.K. Rowling and Jerry B Jenkins are two recent examples). Perhaps we sometimes want to impose rules onto novels unnecessarily. My guess is that the author of The Shack, Paul Young, hears the criticism of academics, then cries all the way to the bank.

Got a question? Let me have it. -Chip

Questions on Proposals and the Industry

A host of questions came in over the 4th of July weekend (all those writers with nothing to do but watch fireworks and drink beer), so let me try and tackle several of them...

Dania wants to know, "What is the purpose of a market analysis in a proposal? What kind of information are you looking for? And how much info do you want? It seems like the agent is the one who knows the market, so I'm not sure why an author is asked to do this."

A market analysis serves as an advance organizer to a publisher. It helps reveal that there is a market is for the new book, helps describe the potential audience, and helps the publisher think through how they could market and sell the new title. A market analysis is a way of saying, "You once published this title, and my proposed book is similar." The author does the legwork to put this together because it's the author's job to create the best proposal possible. A good agent will work with you to tweak this section, perhaps recommending other titles or revising the descriptions to best fit each publishing house.

Often writers will come to me with a pitch that says, "Nobody has ever done anything like this before!" That fails to recognize the real world of publishing. Companies discover how to produce and sell certain types of books -- for example, Bethany House knows how to sell historical fiction, and the folks at Baker know how to sell books to pastors and church leaders. Imagine walking up to a nonfiction publisher and saying, "You've never done western novels before, so the market is wide open!" It's stupid -- that's not how publishers think. If you bring them a new project, you need to explain the market for the book, and help them to see how they are going to succeed with it.

Generally a market analysis lists three to eight published books that have had some success, explains each book briefly, and may subtly define how the new, proposed book is unique. But it doesn't bash any current books on the market, and it should not include any over-the-top comparisons (if I see one more spiritual memoir that says, "This book is exactly like Blue Like Jazz," I'm going to scream).

Jane asked, "What is the industry standard for citing sources in a proposal?"

The standard is pretty much the same as in a book -- you want to cite your sources adequately. Sure, a proposal isn't going to be published, so you don't have all the same legal requirements that you do in a book, but you still want to make sure you cite the words correctly, you identify the source, and you give enough information that a reasonable person could pursue the source and confirm your citation.

Angie wrote and noted, "I have a busy life, and I seem to spend much of it in front of my computer. How can I keep up with the industry? Can you tell me websites, blogs, lists, etc, that you feel are worth sacrificing my writing time to follow?"

My choices may be different from your own, of course, but I subscribe to Publisher's Weekly (the bible of our industry), and I get Publishers' Lunch and PW Daily on my screen every day. These keep me in touch with the industry. There are a number of blogs I like, but I'll admit that I tend to look at the blogs of the authors I represent, and I can't quite keep up with all the good blogs that have been created. So if I leave out the funny ones and the thoughtful ones, and simply focus on those from an industry standpoint, Novel Journey at blogspot is good because it keeps you on top of a lot of titles. Most of the publishers have their own company blogs, and some (like Mike Hyatt's excellent "From Where I Sit") have their own personal blogs as well. I do a lot of work in CBA, so I still look at CBA Retailer+Resources magazine, which is just okay, and Christian Retailing magazine, which offers a decent overview of the CBA side. I also belong to a couple discussion groups to talk about the business and marketing side of publishing.

Dennis said, "I have an opportunity to do a book with an on-demand publisher. There's no fee and no advance, but they pay 25% of profits to the author, and it seems like a way in the door. Do you think that's wise?"

The wisdom I'd share is probably tied up in your expectations, Dennis. What do you want to accomplish in publishing this book? If you're hoping to make some money, it most likely won't provide that for you. The fact is, I don't know of any on-demand publisher who is really selling many copies, so 25% of nothing isn't exactly a lot of money. If you're expecting publishers will look at a POD book you've done and treat you as "an author," you'll be disappointed. Publishers aren't stupid, and they've figured out that anyone can claim to be published these days. If you really want to make a living at this, or if you have a message you feel is important, you're going to want to stick with a regular print-based publishing house. But if you have some means of selling these yourself  (say you've got a big online presence, or you're speaking at seminars around the country) then this may be an option. However, if you just feel a need to tell people, "Hey -- I wrote a book," I can't really advise you. For the majority of POD authors, writing a book is nothing more than an ego stroke, and I really don't care one way or the other about most author egos. I realize I can sound like a crank on this subject, but I keep running into really lousy writers who will tell me they've done a dozen books -- then I discover they did all those books with some POD publisher nobody has ever heard of. So think about your expectations before deciding which way to go.

Lisa asked, "With the economy taking a downturn, would you recommend writers, especially new writers, wait for better times to approach agents and publishers?"

I am SO tempted to say, "No, I recommend they call another agent," but I won't because people keep accusing me of being snarky. Um... Lisa, for all the talk of oil prices and home mortgages ruining our economy, people still seem to be buying books. Yes, I think publishers are a bit scared (everybody seems to be retrenching a bit), but I can guarantee you they are all looking for a GREAT idea, expressed through GREAT writing, by an author with a GREAT platform. If you have all of those pieces in place, don't wait. If you don't have all those pieces... well, you probably aren't ready anyway.

And Tom wrote me and asked this question: "You've talked about how much you appreciate the people who came before you. Who are the people in publishing you most admire?'

Not writers, but people working in the industry? Yikes. There are a bunch. Rick Christian, President of Alive Communications, is the person who most helped me take a leap forward in my career. He knows great writing, is a fine agent, and is one of the handful of people responsible for pushing CBA into the modern age. Mike Hyatt is perhaps the smartest guy I know in publishing, and though we don't know each other well, he's always been very kind to me. I've loved watching him turn things around at Thomas Nelson. I've long appreciated that Dwight Baker of Baker Books can continually move  a big publishing company forward while at the same time remain a regular guy. (He hides his smarts by making you think he's Mr. Normal.) Two men I very much admire who have moved on are Don Stephenson, the longtime publisher at Baker who is one of the best guys on the planet, and Scott Bolinder, the former publisher at Zondervan -- the most reasonable and godly man I ever worked with. Others I admire would be Ron Beers of Tyndale, David Young at Hachette Book Group, Carolyn McCready at Harvest House. Dudley Delffs at Zondervan has the best eye for fiction of anyone I know, and Terry Glaspey has the best mind for publishing concepts. There are also some agent friends I very much admire: Steve Laube and Janet Grant and Deidre Knight and Natasha Kern.

The scary thing about putting together a list like this is that I have a bunch of friends who work in the industry I value greatly, and I don't want them to feel slighted -- Angela Scheff and Andy M and Shannon and LaRae and Andrea and Greg and Beth and Becky Nesbitt and Brian Hampton. Wow. The more I think about it, the more I realilze how blessed I've been to be able to spend my life with such good people. No kidding. Guess that causes me to lose the snark factor quickly -- there's nothing like being reminded of the important people in your life to give you some perspective on how good you've got it.

Well, there's your 4th of July sermon... Take a moment to say thanks to all the people who have helped you get where you are today.

Talking Compilations and Agents

Jacob wrote to me and said, "I submitted to one of those compilation books, and the company requested I put my social security number on all my submissions. I wrote to ask them about the practice, since my submission had not yet been accepted, and was told by one of the people who helps with the project that he 'puts his SSN on everything' he submits. What's your advice on this subject?"

My advice is clear: DO NOT PUT YOUR SSN ON YOUR PROPOSALS. In fact, my guess is that anybody who routinely sticks that sort of confidential information on all his proposals is a dipstick. Don't take career advice from that individual. Yikes.

Belinda wrote and noted, "I have been accepted into a compilation book, but their contract has an endless non-compete. When I asked them about it, I was told they 'don't mean it like that.' What should I do?"

Sticking with the dipstick theme, if the editor said to you, "I know the contract only calls for you to make a 2% royalty, but we don't mean it -- we'll pay you 15%," would you agree to sign? No way. The reason you have a written contract is to clarify exactly what the deal is. If they want to offer a broader non-complete clause, get it written down, or suggest some wording for them to insert into the contract. Basically a non-compete is there to protect a publisher from an unscrupulous author writing a book with one house, then writing a very similar book and producing it with another house, thereby cannibalizing sales. An author who regularly writes and speaks on a particular topic needs to gain some freedom, so as not to be prohibited from ever writing on that topic again. A good contract strikes a balance between the publisher's protection and the author's calling to speak to a certain issue.

Timothy asked, "How long does a publishing house normally hold a submission before they make a decision?"

I don't think there is a "normal" period of time, but generally if a house likes a project, you figure they're probably going to get back in touch with the agent with a decision within two or three months. S0metimes it's much faster. But if a publisher has had a project for four or five months, they most likely don't have a lot of enthusiasm for it.

Stephanie wants to know, "How long does an agent wait after they've queried a publisher before they check back with that publisher?"

That depends on a myriad of factors -- what's the project? who's the author? what's my relationship to the editor? how much interest am I getting on this project? how big of a hurry are we in? It's not uncommon for me to check back within a couple weeks on a normal project, just so I get a feel for how a submission is being perceived by the publisher.

Shanielle asked, "Assuming someone approaching you is a great writer, would you take them on as a client if he or she was not yet a full-time writer? And would you take on a person who has no plans to become a full-time writer?"

Most agents I know would be thrilled to take on a great writer, whether the author is full-time or part-time. But I'd say the goal with many writers is to move toward being full-time. Not everyone shares this dream -- I represent a novelist who has clearly said to me she doesn't have the desire to move toward a full-time writing career. But she's probably in the minority.

Chris wrote to ask, "How can I find a listing of reputable agents who will accept queries from unpublished writers?"

There are four books you should review... You can look at Chuck Sambuchino's comprehensive Guide to Literary Agents, from Writers Digest Books; or try Writers Market, the  guide to the industry also published by Writers Digest each year; or Sally Stuart's Christian Writers Market Guide, published by Random House each year; or Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents, an annual from Three Dog Press. You can also go online to numerous sources in order to research literary agents -- try the Association of Author Representatives site, or simply begin to do some googling.

Two sites every author should be aware of include Writer Beware and Predators & Editors. Both are sites aimed at protecting authors by offering advice and pointing out unscrupulous agents. They serve an important function in an industry that sometimes attracts some bad characters.

Got a publishing or writing question? Send it in and I'll try to get you an answer.