Chip MacGregor .com

Talking Agents and Authors

 Suzanne wrote to ask, “How do agents feel about being ‘talked about’ by their clients? I rarely see published authors mention their agents in conversations, or hear them say, ‘My agent told me…’  Is there a protocol for mentioning your agent?”

I think you should feel free to say, "Sandra Bishop is my agent” or “I’m represented by Amanda Luedeke.” Most agents don't mind at all being talked about by their authors. We might get nervous if you were giving it out to everyone at a conference ("Call my agent Chip with this idea – here’s his home number"), but aside from that, there's no problem with talking about your agent to people. However, if it makes you feel nervous, you can just pass around a note in gym class ("I like Chip - check X for 'yes' or Y for 'no'").

Joni wrote and noted, “In a recent column, you said that agents prefer ‘proven authors.’ But then you went on to talk about how tough it is to get published without an agent. How can I be a ‘proven writer’ if I’m not published? How can I be a ‘proven writer’ if I don’t have an agent?”

You know, on its face that might seem logically inconsistent… but it's not. At least, not in my view. What I mean by a "proven writer’ is someone who has proven themselves, whether by books, articles, a blog, e-zines, curricula, or what have you. Someone who has done enough writing to prove himself or herself to me. If you haven't proven you can write, then you're going to have a hard time finding an agent. That's what I meant. Not just proven by doing books, but proven as in "she has proved to everyone she can write, and she knows it."

Writing fiction has its own set of issues, and it's very hard to prove yourself apart from doing some books. Joining a writing group and doing well with them is a nice step. I don't know if there's a way to prove yourself apart from that with fiction – maybe by doing short stories in literary journals.

This is the classic author/agent question. You can’t get published unless you have an agent; but you can't have an agent unless you're published. A conundrum, to be sure. It is fair? Of course not. (Show me the Bible verse where God promises "life is going to be fair.") It's just one of those frustrating difficulties we live with.

Jim wrote this: “I’m just starting out and really want to get my Christian book published. What sort of advice do you have for me?”

To begin, you may find it helpful to begin connecting with other writers via an online web group. Try visiting the Yahoo group The Writers View, a Christian discussion group of more than a thousand writers who explore topics and questions each week. That's a nice place to start, and it's free. (If you’re not writing religious fiction, there are a bunch of other online groups you can locate.) You could also consider attending a writers' conference -- check out something like the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference, or the Write to Publish Conference at Wheaton College. There are many others, but those are two excellent conferences. (If you’re writing a novel, you should definitely check out the American Christian Fiction Writers organization. They’re great, and their conference is happening in Indianapolis later this month.) A conference like that will give you a chance to meet other writers face to face, take some excellent writing workshops, and introduce yourself to editors and agents. And, of course, you can always choose to take a live or online writing class, just to improve your craft. You may want to check out a proven writing journal such as Writers Digest, which offers a TON of writing advice for very little money. There are a bunch of excellent writing books on the market, of course, and they can really help you hone your skill. If you need some suggestions – well, check the sidebar of this blog. And if you've got a writing group in your community, it's nice to be able to show our work to others and let them critique it once per month. That should get you started. Blessings on your writing journey.

By the way, literary agent and friend Janet Grant wrote about agents and authors  today on her blog. I love what she had to say (and you’ll find all sorts of useful stuff on her blog anyway). Check it out at:   http://www.booksandsuch.biz/blog/

And, while I'm thinking about it, novelist Ted Dekker often has interesting stuff to discuss on his Facebook blog. Today he's talking about "how much sex to insert into a novel," noting that his publisher in Holland just dropped his latest book for being "too sensual." He's got an interesting discussion going -- as he often does on his Facebook wall. Check it out at: http://www.facebook.com/notes/ted-dekker/the-final-taboo-why-holland-has-banned-my-novel-immanuels-veins/431675774854

Finally, in case you can’t get enough Chip, Nicole Petrino-Salter interviewed me on her blog yesterday. It turns out I’m charming and acerbic. You can read the whole schlamozzle at : http://hopeofglory.typepad.com/into_the_fire/

 

 

 

On Relationships in Publishing

Donna wrote to ask, "Is it possible to have two agents, one for fiction and one for nonfiction, or one for ABA and one for CBA?"

It's possible, I guess. I'm not a fan of this plan, since I think it makes it harder for an agent to do his or her job in terms of career planning. Still, some people do it. The alternative? Find an agent who fits what you do. 

Julie wrote with this: "Some agents have a large number of clients, and represent very successful authors. But where does the midlist client fit in today's market?"

I think your question presupposes that having a small list of clients is a good thing -- perhaps better than being part of a larger agency. In my view, it's not as simple as that. First of all, I don't think most authors would know what a large or small number of clients is. I represent around 40 or 50 authors. Is that large? Not in publishing -- it's fairly small. But so what? You don't sign up with an agent because he or she has only five clients, do you? You sign up with an agent because he or she does a good job, knows how to help you, is a fit for you and your work, and can help make you successful. Move from the world of books to the world of investments for a moment -- Would you prefer to hand your hard-earned money to a startup guy who admits he doesn't have many clients, or to somebody with a proven track record of success? (And I"m not making an argument for going with a big agency here -- I'm just trying to show the weakness of this particular argument.) Janet Grant, a friend and a very good literary agent, and I are two of the people who have been agenting the longest in CBA. We've both seen lots of agents come and go, and we both represent about the same number of authors. One of the things we've noticed is that some agents seem to work best with a smaller group of authors, and other agents do fine handling a large list of authors. So some of this is going to be personality and/or personal preference. But why would you make a decision against one agent because "this guy represents a lot of authors already"? Oh -- and as for where the "midlist" client fits... isn't nearly everyone a midlist author? Publishing is made up of a handful of A+ stars, a group of newbees starting out, and a huge group of midlist authors. If you're midlist, welcome to the club. Most of the folks an agent represents could be considered "midlist." 

Jennifer asked, "What do you do if an agent has had proposals with publishing houses for longer than a year, and you don't hear from them unless you request a status report?"

The biggest complaint authors have is that they don't hear from their agent often enough. Having regular communication is a fair request -- so how often do you need to hear? Once a quarter? Once a month? Once a week? I think you should make it clear what your preferences are when you're having a conversation with your agent early in your relationship. If you don't feel you're hearing frequently enough from him or her, GO TALK TO YOUR AGENT. Explain what you'd like to have happen, and be willing to listen to the agent's responses (I can tell you from firsthand experience that it's frustrating to call four weeks in a row and say, "well...there's nothing to report!") This is a key point when selecting an agent -- talk through some of your expectations, so that you won't be surprised at the amount of contact. And keep in mind that contact points go up and down, depending on where the author is in the project. Some authors want to talk to me about their piece as they're planning their next book; others could care less about my opinions, but want to talk a lot during contract negotiations. Some authors want me to read their work and comment; others really want an agent to handle the business stuff and not get too involved in the writing process. So it would be a good plan to figure out what YOUR expectations are, then find an agent that seems a good match. Um... and if your proposals have been with a publishing house for year, you probably need to face the fact that the publishers are not terribly keen on the idea. 

And Trisha sent this in: "You have talked in nice terms about parting ways with an agent or publisher house, but CBA is a small world. Is there a backlash when a client leaves a well-known agency? Are there hard feelings when an author leaves a publishing house?"

Last week's issue of Publishers Weekly had an article on the fact that several A-level authors were changing houses (the article mentions Philip Yancey, John Maxwell, Dave Ramsey, Frank Peretti, John Eldredge, Beth Moore, David Jeremiah, Ted Dekker, and Charles Swindoll). The bulk of these authors seem to be landing at a couple houses -- FaithWords (a division of Hachette) and Howard (a division of Simon & Schuster). And some of the people quoted in the piece claim this seems to be a combination of authors seeking greater distribution, agents seeking bigger deals for their clients, and the lousy economy throwing everything into a state of flux. 

The way I look at it, this is nothing new. Authors have always bounced around, and agents have always been on the lookout for bigger opportunities. This is a business, and everyone accepts that authors leaving is part of it. The house seeing authors leave certainly isn't happy, especially if they invested a lot of resources into making the author successful to begin with. But no, for the most part there aren't a lot of hard feelings toward an author leaving one house for another. I was an associate publisher for Time-Warner Book Group when Joel Osteen left us to do a book with S&S. I thought it was crazy at the time. TWBG had sold millions of copies of his book -- how much more success could he expect to have? But the deal with S&S was huge, and I'm sure he felt it was a great "next step." It proved to be okay, I guess. Joel's next book hit the bestseller lists. But he didn't have the runaway hit he'd seen at TWBG. I thought we knew him, and had helped build him, and could have cross-sold his books -- but who's to say we'd have had greater success with that second book? There aren't any real guarantees in this business.

There are, however, some huge unearned advances out there. Signing a hit author and asking them to jump to a new house means the publisher has to figure out how to woo all those readers to a new imprint. And jumping houses is no cure-all for a waning career. John Eldredge had a huge hit with Wild at Heart at Thomas Nelson a few years ago, and followed it up with Captivating, a hit book he co-authored with his wife, Stasi. But then he did several titles that didn't have nearly as much success, and he decided to jump to Doubleday. A lot of us were surprised, thinking he just needed a bit more time for the magic to happen again at Thomas Nelson. Um, have you seen his book with Doubleday? Yeah, me neither. Love and War tanked. You've got to wonder if he'd have been better off staying with Nelson -- or if things had grown stale and he simply felt a need to try something new. Again, sometimes we just can't know the right answers.

As for leaving an agency, I was an agent at Alive Communications for years, and had great relationships with authors. I got fired a few times -- sometimes for doing something stupid or hurting someone's feelings, and I still hurt over those relationships. But other times I was cut loose for less meaningful reasons. (One author fired me when she discovered I'm not a charismatic. Color me surprise.) Again, I'm truly sorry for the people I hurt, and I still feel bad about every relationship that ended unresolved. I eventually left Alive to go be a publisher for Time-Warner (a shrewd business move, moving into a job that wasn't a fit). When I left Alive, I had to say good-bye to all my clients. TOUGH DAY. But with only a handful of exceptions, I'm still friends with nearly everybody I represented while at Alive. Several years ago I came back to agenting. I have stayed away from most of the people I used to represent at Alive, not because I'm applying for sainthood, but because it seemed like the right thing to do. I'm still friends with the folks there (a great group of people, by the way), and maintain a deep respect for The Boss (Rick Christian). I've only been fired by authors a handful of times in the last several years. Usually they were surprises, and none of the people spoke to me about any problems we were having before leaving me. So sure, it hurts. But I love those authors and wish them well, and couldn't imagine wanting anything bad to happen to anyone's career, if that's what you mean. Life's too short to hold a grudge. And this business is too small to want to create a backlash. 

A Dirty Dozen Notes on Agents

We had several interesting comments sent to us on that last post. Let me offer a dozen comments…

1. One author's suggestion to "do your homework" before selecting an agent is key. DON'T sign up with somebody just because they say they're an agent and they want to represent you. I know that's a temptation, but this is a professional relationship. Would you go to a guy's office for your health problems just because he claims to be a doctor? Ask around. Check him out. This is the biggest mistake people make with agents, in my view. This past year at CBA you could toss a rock in the air and when it came down it would most likely hit somebody claiming to be an "agent." Um... these guys are going to be taking your ideas and helping you sign legal agreements regarding them. Don't take that lightly.

2. Be wary of any agent who charges a fee or advertises what the charge is to work with them. That's a total violation of the guidelines for the Association of Author Representatives (and, in fact, those agents wouldn't be allowed as members of AAR). There are a couple relatively successful agencies in CBA who do that. It's unethical, and authors should stay away, if they want to keep from being scammed. On the other hand, I was VERY glad to have someone write and tell me that "Steve Laube is my agent and he's good." Don't we all get tired of people sort of beating around the bush, telling us one person is bad and another is good, but never mentioning names? The fact is, Steve IS good. So is Lee Hough and Janet Grant and Wendy Lawton and Rachelle Gardner and Natasha Kern and Greg Daniel and Karen Solem and Greg Johnson and Andrea Heinecke and Robert Wolgemuth and Sandra Bishop (the last works with me at MacGregor Literary). My guess is that none of these individuals are for everyone; and neither am I, of course. But they're all professionals who have proven themselves by doing good work for authors. Beware of working with "Bozo and Associates."

3. Check out more than one source. As an agent, I can be perfect for one person and perfectly awful for somebody else. Besides, you're more apt to get the facts that way. For example, there is one person I know who has it in for a particular agent. I've heard her say some really bad (and in my opinion, overblown) things about that individual. Okay... she didn't sell your manuscript. It happens! Get over it and move on to something else.

4. A couple people wrote to me to say, in essence, "I don't have an agent because I like doing my own deals," or words to that effect. Good for you. As an agent, I have to wonder if you know how to negotiate and therefore got the BEST deal, or if you really protected yourselves. Or if you really want to spend your time learning how to do that. Not everybody needs an agent, but if you don't know the market, or don't know about contracts, you might want to think carefully before throwing out the idea.

5. On two or three occasions I've had the chance to see a contract evaluation done by Sally Stuart (who lives in the Northwest and does the "Christian Writer's Market Guide" every year). She does great work. If you don't have an agent, at least consider working with Sally or an experienced contract person like Susan Osborne. Some company's contracts read like they were created by lawyers from Mars, so be careful signing a document you don't understand.

6. Cec Murphey, who has been in the business since the Cooledge Administration and became famous after writing dozens of books, knows what he's talking about when he says in a blog post, "Writers can still sell books without agents, especially to the smaller houses. What's wrong with starting with smaller houses?" Nothing. All of us start small and move to bigger things. That's how a career (any career) is built. 

7. One author asked, "Are there times when an agent might hinder a publishing opportunity?" Sure...when the guy is a jerk. When he doesn't know the market (which happens a lot...try using an ABA entertainment lawyer working with a smaller CBA house sometime). When he sees negotiation as a "win/lose" proposition. An agent should take the approach that publishing is a partnership between author, publisher, and agent. If he tries to squeeze the publisher to the point where the publisher is losing money, that is no longer a partnership. Yes, my authors expect me to protect their interests, but I have no interest in pushing publishers into losing money...that just hurts the market for other projects down the road. (But, on the other side, I've seen publishers lowball authors way too many times. A good agent will recognize when that's happening and take steps to protect you.)

8. One writer wrote and asked, "How has having an agent affected the relationships you've built over the years with editors - or has it?" My perspective is that acquisition editors are my friends. Ask around and you'll probably find that most publishers will tell you their relationship with our authors is better than if we weren't in the picture. (Really.)

9. One person wrote to contend that "you should be given copies of your rejection letters," and complained because her agent hadn't shows all the rejections to her. Um... I have to respectfully disagree. It used to be true, when things were done via snail mail and there were far fewer projects. Now almost everything is done via email and we rarely get a detailed response. Most rejections these days are nothing more than, "We're declining Bob Smith's novel 'Home.'" There's not much info to share. However, whenever I get a detailed response, or thoughts on improving the manuscript, I forward it to the author... AND I send a thank you note to the editor.

10. I also have to disagree with the folks who contended that "the agent will take over the marketing of my book." Hey, an agent should be able to assist with the planning, but as an author, YOU are most responsible for marketing your book. Do not leave that up to the publisher, the agent, the sales staff, your mom, or anyone else. Nobody knows it better than you, nobody has more investment in it than you, and nobody is more committed to its success than you.

11. Again, the biggest complaint most agented authors have about their agent is "lack of contact." That's why you want somebody who you like (love covering a multitude of sins, and all that). But to the person who wrote to say they hadn't heard from their agent in six months... for goodness' sake! That's terrible, to my way of thinking. I guess every author is different. Some want to hear from their agent every week. Others are happy connecting twice a year. Talk about your expectations with your agent -- make sure you both can live with them. But remember that most agents are working with lots of authors, so be willing to understand his/her business and adjust your thinking.

12. A thought...learn to be polite. I never mind an author saying to me, "HI Chip -- I hadn't heard in a while, and I was just wondering if you had an update for me. Have we heard from anyone?" On the other hand, I have a different reaction when somebody writes and says: "WHAT'S HAPPENING?! HOW COME YOU DON'T CALL AND SAY YOU LOVE ME? FOR GOSH SAKES, I NEED A LOT MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU'RE GIVING! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?" (Of course, my mom used to say that to me, but I prefer not to have the authors I represent talk that way to me.) 

I hope this helps clarify…

More on working with an agent...

After my recent post on agenting, a couple people said they didn't see why anyone would need an agent. One author suggested that all you need is a good proposal, and another asked, "What can an agent do for a writer that s/he can't do for him/herself?" I have some answers...

First, I'll admit that not everybody needs an agent. If you think you have the relationships and knowledge needed to succeed, then go ahead. There are authors who make that work. In my experience, most authors simply don't have the access to editors or the knowledge of contracts and negotiations they need to maximize their careers, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. It can. 

Second, there is almost always wisdom in experienced counsel. That means a good agent should bring something to the table to assist with editing, writing, reading, negotiating, checking royalty statements, and marketing. I'm sorry to say I've heard from several authors who had bad experiences. Hey -- it happens. The huge growth in Christian fiction over the past ten years led to a whole slug of people calling themselves "agents," but who didn't know what they were doing. One of the few good things that has come out of this lousy publishing economy we're experiencing is that many of those agents have dropped out, since they can no longer make a living at this business. As I noted previously, there are about 15 agents doing 95% of the CBA books.

Third, a good agent will have relationships that will get their authors' proposals looked at by decision-makers... something that many authors simply don't have. (A clue when selecting an agent: find somebody who is well-thought-of by ack editors. Ask around. See who your agent has worked with, who he or she has done deals with, and if others in the industry respect them.) A good proposal often isn't enough...it's got to get through the filters and be seen (and sometimes SOLD) by a person with experience.

Fourth, some publishers simply won't deal directly with authors. As we become a more specialized society, that will be more true, not less. As an author, you may not like that, but it's the way things have gone in this industry. 

Fifth, a good agent should know about contracts and be able to negotiate you a better deal. If he/she can't, find another agent. Or learn those skills yourself.

Sixth, the MOST IMPORTANT thing a good agent should offer is career guidance. Most of the authors I represent aren't starting out -- they are published authors who have had some success and realized they need help to achieve bigger success. Rather than thinking they are "giving up 15%" to me, they think of it as investing in their business in order to achieve greater success. If you aren't there, you probably aren't a good candidate to work with an agent. (And let me state for the record, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. Sometimes I get this feeling from a few agents that "when an author finally gets right with Jesus, he or she will hire an agent." Rot. I believe in the value of realtors, but my wife and I have sold five homes on our own -- we used a realtor on the two we couldn't seem to sell, and it was worth it to us. On the other hand, when it was time to create a will, I went right to a lawyer, so that I wouldn't screw up a legal document. And when I set up my retirement, I did some on my own, and used a professional for some of it. Hiring an agent is not a matter of maturity, it a matter of choice, and sometimes a matter of competence.)

This isn't a commercial, just a fact: at MacGregor Literary, we have some tools we use to help authors make career decisions. When I was in my doctoral program at the University of Oregon, I had a Graduate Teaching Fellowship that stuck me in the role of Assistant Director of the Career Planning and Placement Office, and I specialized in working with students who were graduating in the arts (music, dance, theater, fine arts, writing, etc). That doesn't make me a miracle worker, but it DOES give me some good experience for helping authors figure out how to move forward in their writing careers. A good agent provides something to help you with that portion of your professional life. 

Seventh, I’m already tired of people coming to me and arguing, “In the future, we’ll all do e-books, so nobody will need an agent.” Balderdash. As I noted above, you can sell your own house, but you might find the best deal by using a professional. You can create your own will, but you might find it’s better to let a professional handle that for you. You can create your own retirement portfolio, but most people are more comfortable having a professional assist with the process. All those people who are insisting e-books are going to cause the death of the industry by making them rich and famous? Um… to this point, I haven’t recognized any of your names. Come back to me after you’ve made a living, okay? The fact is, the advent of e-books has given writers more opportunity to be published than ever before -- so there's more bad writers getting published, and therefore more competition. Therefore a good writer needs a wise adviser if he or she is really going to move forward. The delivery mechanism for a book has changed, and the systems in publishing are changing to accommodate that, but the need for wise counsel and career guidance is still important. 

Got a question about writing and publishing? Send it my way and I'll pontificate some more. 

We have big news ...

Amanda Luedeke is joining MacGregor Literary as an agent. This is a big step for us, and we're very excited.

Amanda is a 2006 graduate of Taylor University’s Professional Writing program, headed by Dennis E. Hensley. She's got a long background in books and words, and this is a step she's been moving toward for the past year.

Since her college graduation, Amanda has made her living as a full-time writer, freelancing for newspapers and marketing agencies as well as operating her own writing business. Her current full-time job is with a marketing group in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she writes and assists in the marketing strategy for clients such as Vera Bradley, Peg Perego and Baekgaard. Like both Chip and Sandra, Amanda understands what it takes to make a living as a writer.

Amanda came on board with us a year ago as Chip’s assistant, and she's been going through the slush pile, helping out with research, and taking care of other odds and ends. We’ve really enjoyed her help here, but now that she’s gotten the hang of things, we’re excited to move her on to the next step – so she's becoming a literary agent.

Amanda will be working with childrens, YA, speculative, and post-college-aged fiction and nonfiction. This is great for us, because we currently don’t have "specialists" in these areas. Bringing Amanda on will help expand our knowledge of the industry and allow us to take on more authors with differing interests. She's just getting started, and will focus her time on a handful of clients as she gets her feet wet. Amanda will also be helping us with our foreign deals -- an area we've been wanting to expand in order to help authors maximize their income potential.

She's going to be attending the ACFW conference with us in Indianapolis this summer, so if you write children's books (for either CBA or the general market), YA books (ditto), speculative fiction, or books aimed specifically at the twenty-something market, we're going to be open to seeing proposals. Amanda may be contacted at amanda (at) MacGregor Literary (dot) com. Please join me in welcoming Amanda to our team!

Choosing and Finding an Agent

Tracy asked, "How can I find an agent?"

First, you should know that BEFORE seeking an agent, you should have an idea of what you're looking for. Different types of personalities require different types of agents. Some authors need a contracts manager, some need a career counselor, some need an editorial type, etc. If you haven't explored your own strengths and weaknesses a bit, if you don't know what sort of person you'd partner well with in a business relationship, and if you don't know what you actually need in a literary agent, I suggest spending time researching those issues.

Second, go into this with your eyes open. Be aware that there are no requirements to call yourself a literary agent -- so I've seen complete dipsticks try to pawn themselves off as agents. And...it's not like I can name then on a web site, since I'd quickly find my derriere in a sling. But don't take someone's word that they're good just because they say so. Check out their reputation. Learn to ask good questions (like "who do you represent?' and "what books have you contracted in the past year?" and "who did you contract those books with?").

Third, you can find lists of agents in books like the Writers Digest Guide to Literary Agents. (There are numerous others -- check on Amazon.com or go to any big bookstores and look in the "writing reference" section.) Sally Stuart's Christian Writers Market Guide has a list of agents who focus on the CBA. Some other organizations (such as the Writers Information Network) post a list of "approved" agents.

Fourth, you can search some of the helpful web sites, including some that name names on the real stinkers (such as Writer Beware and Predators and Editors).

Fifth, if you subscribe to Publishers Lunch and Publishers Marketplace (and if you're planning a career in writing, you should consider doing so, just to keep tabs on the industry), you'll find a database of all the announced publishing deals for the last several years. That would allow you to see WHO has represented WHAT.

Sixth, to be fair to some of the CBA types, they haven't always participated in Pub-Mar, so perhaps all their deals won't be listed. I was doing deals for years, but it wasn't until I had a book hit #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list that some of the agency watchdog people bothered to even list my name.

Seventh, be aware that some are NOT members or fans of the national literary agent organizations. Those organizations have had a tendency to be slightly to the left of Ralph Nader, so unless you endorse every nutcase liberal cause, you may not be a fit. (I, for example, can't ascribe to the divinity of Hillary Clinton.) However, I'm a member of AAR (The Association of Author Representatives) because I think it's important to show people in the industry that I'm part of the only self-governing body for agents in publishing. 

Last, I want to encourage you to listen to the wisdom being shared by some of your fellow writers -- the BEST way to find an agent is to go meet some. You wouldn't normally pick a lawyer or a doctor or a realtor out of a book. Don't rely on that method to find yourself a good business partner in your publishing career.

A Bit About How I Got into Agenting

William wrote and asked, “Can you tell us why you became an agent?”

Okay...I got into agenting by accident. I was making my living as a freelance writer, collaborating on books with some great Christian speakers (David Jeremiah, Bruce Wilkinson, Howard Hendricks, Joe Stowell, etc). I had worked as an editor, and knew about writing books, so I felt confident about the "word" side. But something had always stuck in my craw—the fact that when I did my first book deal, I simply didn't know what I was doing. The editor called me on the phone, made me an offer, and...I was stumped. I had no context for deciding. Was this a good deal? A bad deal? Normal? Incredible? No idea. So I said yes, wrote the book, and started doing my research on the "business" side.

Over the next couple of years, I got a great education. I learned about printing and publishing. I studied contracts and read up on intellectual property rights. I did my doctoral work in Organizational Development, so I'm fairly well organized, and good at seeing the big picture. I began doing talks at writer conferences about "how to make a living writing" and "how to get your writer's business going." Pretty soon writers were asking me things like, "Would you take a look at this contract?" and "How would you handle this publishing situation?" In essence, I became an agent without realizing that's what I was doing. (And I was doing it for free!)

The thing is, I have always had a heart for mentoring/discipleship. It's sort of been my ministry, and since I've spent my life as a words guy, I was naturally drawn to helping writers with things like career decisions, contracts, and proposals. And I suppose if I have a strength (a topic that could be debated), it would be simply that I get along with people. So pretty soon I was putting people together, assisting authors and editor friends.

About that time Harvest House Publishers offered me the job of Senior Editor. I took it, not really knowing what that meant. Loved the company, generally enjoyed the role, but realized after a couple of years that what I really wanted to do was represent authors. (And I had three kids who were in school at the time – meaning, "How am I going to pay for my kids to attend college when I'm working for a Christian publisher?") So Patti and I began talking about what I should do, and voila! The folks at Alive Communications came to Eugene and took me to lunch. They asked the question, "Have you ever though about becoming an agent?" and I was quick to say, "Where do I sign up?" I just knew it was the right thing, and I felt "prepared" to do the job.

Spent several years at Alive, then made the mistake of leaving agenting in order to go be a publisher for Time-Warner. (Don't ask. It's a great company with good people -- but in many ways I wasn't a fit for it.) Now I'm happy being back at agenting, and I can't really see myself doing anything else. Started my own agency four years ago, and it's gone incredibly well. I love the mentoring side. LOVE working with authors. Love talking trends and "what sells/what doesn't." Love helping craft proposals. Love making friendships with editors and doing deals with them. Love mapping out author careers. (Folks have sometimes complained that I don't work with enough people, but I enjoy doing what I do, and feel called to it, and don't feel I could give my best to a huge group of folks.) I had the chance this past year to go work for a couple other publishers, but really felt my calling was to go back to working with authors full time. In my view, the best agents (and there are some really good agents) view their work as a calling, not a part-time career choice.

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

Let's talk a bit about what I call The Christian Connection.

I've seen it one too many times: Some Christian writer with big-time aspirations discovers that Chip, one of the top agents in the business, is also a Christian. Ba-da-boom, the query is sent, the correlation made, and the aspiring author sits back patiently awaiting Chip's acceptance.

And then they're rejected.

They slump in their chair, defeated. Demoralized. Because it was meant to be.

And now they'll have to venture out into the cold, dark world of the eternally damned.

Give me a break. 

We all know finding the right agent is about more than your personal belief system. It's about how you interact, what your expectations are, what work you produce, and whether you feel any chemistry. Authors who rely on the Christian Connection generally miss this whole concept. And I'm really fine with that. I am. It's their loss.

What I'm not fine with is how the Christian Connection communicates a general fear of interacting with the unsaved.

I feel it in the twelve exclamation points that follow each reference to Christianity. I see it in the continual reminder that God's will must be at work, bringing two like-minded professionals together like this. And it bothers me. Aren't we to be salt and light?

But what if my agent swears?! Drinks?!! Cheats?!!! Or does all three while I'm meeting him at a club in Las Vegas?!!!!

Here's the bottom line. Chip likes representing other Christians. He really does. And there are times when the connection is there and there's no doubt that he should represent another Christ-follower. But  when it comes down to it, well … If Tony Dungy (former coach of the Indiana Colts) put each and every Christian football player he ever met on his team, do you think they would have won the championship? Do you think they would have even come close?

And what's more important, do you think his impact on football would have been half what it turned out to be?

Nope. Not a chance.

-Amanda (Assistant at MacGregor Literary)

Agent Questions (and cool news!)

Darlene asked an agent question: "I've been working with an agent I was introduced to at a conference, but I'm not sure she knows what she's doing...nor do I know what she should be doing for me. It seems like I basically did the deal myself. Can you help me?"

Sure. A good agent should (1) give you career advice, (2) introduce you to people you don't already have connections with, such as editors and publishers and marketers, (3) offer wisdom on book ideas and writing, (4) help give guidance on your marketing, (5) negotiate your contract [and do a good job of it], (6) ensure contract compliance, and (7) be your insider -- the person who knows the industry and offers some experienced wisdom, serving as your advocate when necessary, taking on the hard issues and conversations when necessary. I suppose many times the agent also serves as the author's friend and encourager, though that doesn't always happen. If you ended up basically doing the deal yourself -- well, that's a shame. It happens sometimes, but you probably need to have a conversation with the agent and clarify expectations, Darlene. 

Bobbie asked this: "How do agents feel about writers following up on a query or proposal submission? What is an acceptable time period to wait before following up?"

Well, I TRY to get back to people within three weeks. The fact is, I’m often much faster. But I'll admit that I hate having people send me short notes in order to remind me that I’ve failed them (“I sent you my proposal a month ago!”). Those folks have forgotten that I don’t owe them a reading. If I agree to read their proposal, it’s because I choose to. (Sorry if I sound cranky, but I got two of these today, from two people I’ve never heard of. My first reaction is to say something snarky like, “Okay, if you’re forcing me to decide, my answer is no. Now leave me alone.” But no, I’ve never actually done that.) So I guess following up after a few weeks in a short, polite note (maybe thanking the editor or agent for looking at it) is fine. I prefer just a quick email that reminds me I’ve got your proposal, and asking me if I need anything else. No whining, no blame, just a reminder. I will tell you that I’ve heard from a couple authors recently about some editors who have kept things for a YEAR without a reply. I find that unconscionable. You wonder how these folks keep their jobs. Look, if the person hasn’t responded in a couple months, move on. Move on emotionally at least. If they've had it a year, they're not really interested.

Susan wants to know, "How does an agent work in an author's best interest when it's also in the agent's best interest to keep publishers happy?"

An agent works on behalf of his or her client. Period. Every publisher understands that -- in fact, it's why publishers prefer working with agents rather than working with authors directly. It allows the editor to talk books and contracts with a professional who knows the business and isn't tied emotionally to the project. I don't know of an agent who is more interested in making the editor happy than in making the author happy...but if you run into one, feel free to send 'em to an editorial friend. I know several editors who would love to be more happy.

And by the way, a response to the person who commented that "my editor...told me I didn't need an agent." Uh-huh. That's a perspective that used to be pervasive in the paternalistic world of old-time CBA. It stems from the "just-trust-me" style of management, since they're all smarter than you, and they are SURE to look out after your best interests, being as how they're all nice Christians who are only in it for the ministry. That thinking went out of style 30 years ago in the general market, and at least ten years ago in CBA. I doubt you'd get that same advice from...well, from any significant publisher in CBA, and you'd get it from zero publishers in the general market. (Does the term "amateur hour" mean anything to you?)

Some cool news: This website has been selected as One of the 101 Top Websites for Writers by Writers Digest Magazine. Woo-hoo! Also on the list was Rachelle Gardner's CBA Ramblings blog [ www.cba-ramblings.blogspot.com  ]and Thomas Nelson President Mike Hyatt's blog [ www.michaelhyatt.com  ] -- two of the few sites I read regularly, offering great wisdom on a daily basis. Of course, there are a bunch of other super sites on the list for writers, including the wonderful Writer's Digest blogs (if you're not familiar with Chuck Sambuchino's site, you should definitely pay a visit at  www.guidetoliteraryagents.com  ). 

Cool news II: Jim Rubart's novel, ROOMS, has just released with B&H Fiction. It's a great read (think of it as a cousin to THE SHACK), and it's currently the #1 book on Kindle. Wow! Jim was also just featured in the current edition of Writers Digest, in the "Breaking In" section.  

Cool news III: Irene Hannon's IN HARM'S WAY, a romantic suspense with Revell, is on the bestseller list. Here's why that's so cool -- this is the third book in her HEROES OF QUANTICO series, and all three made it onto the bestseller list. AND Irene's EYE FOR AN EYE, the first book in that series, was named a RITA Finalist as Book of the Year in the Inspirational Romance category. You rock, Irene!

Children's Books

We're trying to take all your publishing questions, so send them along. Jan wrote to ask about children's books: "I read recently that an author doesn't necessarily need an agent if she is writing for children, and that it might be a better use of our time to submit directly to a publisher. Do you think that's true?"

Um... Okay, I'm not the children's book specialist. Just so we're clear, I rarely have represented children's books (a few times, like Rene Riva, I couldn't say no). So I'm not the expert. However, I've certainly been around children's books and children's book authors and editors. And in my experience, I would disagree with what you read. In my experience, most of the children's publishers want proposals to come through agents. (We can get into why that is, if you want -- a good agent knows what the publisher is looking for, helps the author make sure it's ready, know how to help prepare the proposal so it fits the publisher's format, understands the economics of children's publishing, etc.) So I'd tend to disagree with whoever wrote that article. 

This is a good place for me to point out that, over the years, I haven't exactly been the "agent evangelist." I made a good living as a writer without having an agent. (Truth? I kept talking to them, and I always seemed to know more about the industry than they did.) Is it possible to make it in this business without an agent? Sure it is. But it's getting harder. Most publishers simply won't accept un-agented proposals any more. They've done that as a means of trying to professionalize the relationship. They've also done it because the scads of young editorial assistants they used to have don't exist any more, so they don't have the personnel to wade through the unsolicited slushpile. It doesn't get talked about much, but the fact is publishers now rely on agents to be the first filter -- to go through the material and clear out the dross. They expect agents to help bring in publishable, salable manuscripts that fit the house and are well-written.

Now, having said that, the role of literary agents is definitely changing. Self-publishing is exploding, publishers are moving toward more e-books, and no one is quite sure what this business is going to look like in ten or twenty years. To which I say... "yeah? and this is new?" Hey, publishing is a dynamic industry. We've never really known what direction it was headed in. We all get surprised by mega-sellers that come out of nowhere and take us in new directions (Left Behind, Twilight, The Da Vinci Code, The Shack). So I expect the industry will be very different in a few years. 

That said, my guess is we'll still have publishers. People will still want information and entertainment. They may read it on a device, but somebody will still have to write it, and others will still edit and produce it. Authors will still need help with careers, and will still be looking for guidance on things like ideas and topics and writing. They will still need someone who understands contracts to handle the business side, and they'll still want someone else negotiating for them and singing their praises and protecting them. (As I've noted before, your publisher has a team of lawyers and accountants working for them. Who do you have as an author?) So I think those of us who are good at this job will continue to work and make a living. A longer answer than you might have anticipated, but those are my thoughts.

chip