Chip MacGregor .com

More on how to make money with your writing...

Continuing the thoughts about making a living at writing...

4. The most overlooked area of writing is still the ‘zine market. Especially special market magazines -- and there is basically a magazine or e-zine about anything you'd ever want to study. I still do some writing for The Linking Ring (the magazine for the International Brotherhood of Magicians), and have done work for numerous other magazines, e-zines, and newsletters. But don't start sending things indiscriminately. Check out a copy of the magazine at Barnes and Noble, then go to the mag's website and you'll find directions on how to submit, how many words, required focus, etc. 

There are two keys to success in writing for 'zines: (a) Know the magazine so that you understand the readership, focus, and editorial tone; and (b) Know the editor to approach, and how to approach him or her. If you're not familiar with the 'zine, spend some time getting to know the tone and approach they use, so you can shape your writing to best fit their expectations. Remember that magazine editors are like everybody else -- if they like your work and find you easy to deal with, they'll soon be using you on a regular basis. 

5. You might be able to go to your local newspaper and try to get a column. Or go in and suggest a focus for a column, like "gardening" or "farm life" or "parenting" or "travel." Make it unique, think it through, and give the editor a reason to say yes to the idea. Many book writers I've worked with over the years have found a regular column in a newspaper is helpful because it helps get them writing regularly, and helps them build a readership. 

6. Keep in mind that every piece of ephemeral or periodical literature is a monster that must be fed. All of us who started in magazines or newspapers know the pressure that comes from someone saying, "We're going to press this afternoon." It isn't like writing books, where you have months to work on it, then can still turn something in a few days late without major consequences. On magazines and newspapers, you write your piece, you get it done, and you turn it in. If you can't work on a deadline, don't try this.

7. And that leads me to one last comment: THIS IS HARD WORK. I find most writers are in love with the idea of writing a book and seeing their name in print on the cover, but some are not all that interested in working hard. (Sorry -- not trying to offend the hard-working writers out there. I'm sure you're both very nice people.) Writing for a magazine doesn't allow you the luxury of staring out the window for an hour while you think of the perfect lead. There's no extension while you polish grammar, and no waiting on production so you can get the conclusion just right. It's words by the clock, and you train yourself to bang out words in order to meet the deadline. It's also great training -- I suppose I still most appreciate the writers I know who have a jounalism background, since they know what it's like to sit at a desk, one eye on their computer screen, the other on a clock, banging out the best words they can in order to fill the page.

So there are a handful of ideas to help you generate some income at writing. What is it that has worked for you?

 

How can I make money with my writing?

Pam wrote to ask, “Can you say more about the whole freelance writing concept? I’m looking for practical ideas to help me make a living.”

A couple thoughts from a guy who would basically write for anybody, so long as they paid me...

1. If you live near a major city, check and see what organizations are located near you. Most nonprofit organizations have a magazine, newsletter, or web site, and they all need content. Check them out, find out what sort of articles, interviews, and sidebars they use, then offer them some material. I sold hundreds of things to companies and nonprofit organizations when I was free-lancing. Nonprofits have to stay in touch with donors, and that means somebody has to write their copy for them. (They also need report writers, researchers, and grant writers, if you want to check into those opportunities.) 

2. Drive down any of your streets, and you'll see businesses on both sides. Nearly every one of those businesses have a website, and they all need content. That's how the internet has changed business -- every mom-and-pop shop now has the opportunity to hawk its wares worldwide via the web. And think about the changes in websites over the past few years. You used to see something that resembled a highway billboard -- a business name, phone, address, and slogan ["Don's Plumbing of Portland -- Great Service, Low Rates. Call Today -- 555-1234"].

Now if you go to that site, you'll find an introduction to the business, a history of the company, a bio of each employee (complete with photos), a self-help section to fix your own plumbing problems, a link to order specialized plumbing parts, a section on the history of indoor plumbing, and an ask-the-expert compendium. And, of course, somebody has to write all that stuff. Most businesses do it themselves (until they figure out what's they've written is awful, since they are plumbers and not writers), then they go to a PR firm to create copy for them. This is why I've been saying to people at conferences there have never been more writing jobs than there are right now -- ask anyone in the industry, and they'll tell you there is a huge need for creators of content. And, if you really check in to it, you'll find they don't teach writing in schools as much as they used to, so this need has arisen at the very time when there are fewer people who can put together a string of coherent, interesting paragraphs. If you can learn to create good marketing copy, you can make some extra money. OR you can specialize in editing other people's web copy, since it all needs another set of eyes on it. (I have a friend who has made a steady part-time living doing "editing checks" of company websites.) This may not be exactly the type of writing you want to be doing, but it's a great way to generate income while you're working on that thriller novel you've got going.

3. If you are friends with academics, think through which professors have popular classes that you could turn into books for them. Frequently a popular seminar speaker will have great content, but will struggle with moving his or her ideas into print.  This is how I got started in the freelance writing business -- I introduced myself to a couple profs who had great seminars, but wrote like academics. I simply turned each section into a chapter, and in the end, they had a book.

By the way, if you know any motivational speakers, or if you live near a mega-church with a well-known, charismatic pastor (um..."charismatic" in the classic sense of the word) who creates and sells downloadable or CD sermon series, go in and offer to turn those speeches into book chapters, You can also create study guides to go along with the series. I made great money doing this, thanks to a writing friend who introduced me to some people who were creating these types of projects. 

There are opportunities with both digital and print writing. For all the talk about publishing being dead, the fact is more people read now than ever before. That means there are plenty of avenues for making freelance writing money. 

 

When is a writer ready to go full time?

Emily wants to know, “As a writer, when are you ready to go full time?"

This is a favorite question of mine, since I routinely see wannabe authors get a book contract, quit their jobs, then wonder why that lousy agent of theirs can't help them survive financially.

I have three rules of thumb for authors who want to go full time:

1. You need to have four-to-six books earning you a royalty;

2. You need to have 18 months to 2 years of book contracts;

3. You need to have a plan in place. (That plan will include a budget, a writing calendar, an accountability partner or writing support group, a writing space, adequate equipment, and most likely a therapist, since you're probably delusional to consider the idea anyway.)

Let's look at reality for a minute -- let's say you just got a decent two-book deal. The publisher is paying you, say, $10,000 per book on an advance, so the total deal is for $20,000. You get a third of that on signing ($6666 -- but if you're an evangelical, don't take that as a sign of the apocalypse, okay?). You need to be able to live on that for the next few months while you write your book. If you can write it in three months (relatively fast for most novelists), you've had to live on $2200 per month. Pretty thin stuff. If it takes you six months to do a novel, you're having to make do on a thousand bucks a month. You see where I'm going with this?

Once the publisher approves your manuscript (which can sometimes take a few months), they'll send you your completion check for that book -- another $6666, payable thirty days after they request the check. You've now made a whopping $13k, you're months into the process, and you just used up all your good ideas on your first book. So it's on to book two!

Many novelists take eight months to write a book. But at that rate, even a healthy $16,000 advance (which is pretty good for any novelist) means you're getting by on $2000 a month. AND if you take that part-time job to make ends meet, you now find you have LESS time to work on your novel, so it takes you a year to complete. You don't want to hurry it up, since then you won't write as good of a novel, and writing a lousy book is sure to kill your career.

This is why I'm always reminding authors how tough it is to make a living at writing. You need to have books that are already out there earning you money, so that you know you've got some income from projects you are no longer working on. (Without this, you're simply trading your time for income.) You also need to have contracts in hand that will earn you MORE money -- and that money is easy to track, since you know when and how much you'll be paid. AND you need a plan for how you're going to move forward. 

Let's be honest: the first rule of writing is "don't quit your day job." Stop acting like writing full time is some sort of God-given right. If you had chosen painting or sculpture or singing or dancing or any other art, you'd probably be facing even longer odds at making a living at your craft. The fact is, MOST artists struggle financially. That's why most writers have some other source of income. Either they work full time, or they work part time, or they have a job related to the industry (freelance editor, reporter, book salesperson, counterfeiter), or they are married to somebody who has a real job that pays the bills. Don't lose sight of the fact that it takes most people years to get to the place where they are writing full time... IF they ever get there.

It's easy to hang out at a writing conference and assume that "everbody else in writing is making a living at this except me." Not true. Many of these folks are doing something to pay the bills. (For example, Steve Laube serves as a "double" for Shaquille O'Neil whenever he's in Phoenix. Sandra Bishop is the Queen of Roller Derby. Janet Grant is soon going to be taking over the judge's role on "The People's Court." And, of course, I'm a model for Speedo.) I'm really not trying to dissuade you, just trying to help you gain a realistic picture of what it takes to make a living in this business. 

 

What if I hate talking money?

A writer who wishes to remain nameless sent this: “I hate talking money when it comes to my writing. I wanted to do this for the art, not the paycheck! How can I get over my reluctance to talk dollars?”

I realize some authors are reluctant to talk about money issues, but it’s necessary if you’re going to get to know the business. When I was a free-lance writer, I noticed that publishers (both magazine and book publishers) tended to put me on the bottom of the pay ladder because I was a small free-lancer. I once called a publisher to complain that I hadn't been paid, and the response was, "Oh. Yeah. Sorry. Guess we'll get you next quarter." To them, it was a measley $1500 they owed me. But to me, it was MY HOUSE PAYMENT that month. So, yeah, I eventually got over my reluctance to talk money with publishers.

That means you have to know what you're worth (in terms of money-per-page or money-per-hour), and you have to be able to share that with others. The good news is that it gets easier to talk about when you have a pretty good feeling of your value. I mean, if you know you should be making $3000 per month, and the publisher asks you to work on a freelance project that will take two months, it's much easier to say, "I'll need to make about $6000 for that project" than to take a wild stab at a number. 

So let me suggest something... Figure out what you'd like to make from your writing in a year. (You need to be reasonable. Don't say, "A million dollars" unless your name is James Patterson, Suzanne Collins, or George R.R. Martin.) Let's say you think it's reasonable for you to make $18,000 this year from writing. That means you need to make, on average, $1500 per month, or about $375 per week. If you start looking for ways to generate some income with your writing, that may not be so far-fetched. And if you land one book contract that pays an advance ten or twelve thousand, the goal becomes much easier. But start by figuring out what "financial success" is to you, as a writer.  

Often writers act like they can't talk about the money they make ("I signed a confidentiality agreement!") -- which may be true, but only in terms of sharing the wording or the deal you received. It may not be a violation to talk honestly with friends about how much money you're making with your work. That's one of the reasons I encourage writers to make friends in the industry, attend conferences, and learn from other writers. It's so much better to have some friends who understand how tough this industry can be, and talk with you openly about what they're doing to earn income. (And by the way, when I was a freelance writer, I found one excellent way to feel better about my income: Exaggerate. You just feel better when you can look at someone at a conference and say, "Oh, yeah, I made $50,000 via my writing last year." Just a thought...) 

Let's face facts: If you're uncomfortable talking about money, or you can't be bothered nagging that publisher who keeps forgetting to pay you (and there are a some publishers who struggle with this), then you need to find an agent you're comfortable with, who is competent with both numbers and negotiation, and talk to him or her about handling this for you. You'll find it's worth it to you.

But back to your question: If you're uncomfortable talking about money, you probably either need to give that concern over to someone who isn't, or you need to find a way to get comfortable with the topic by introducing it to other writers and starting to share your stories. 

 

 

How does my book get selected by a publisher?

Cheryl wrote to ask, "What is the process of getting your proposal selected by a publishing house?"

Think of a publishing house as being an actual building. Your proposal probably isn't walking in the front door. More than likely it's sliding into the building by way of a window known as an acquisitions editor (often an acquaintance of your agent, sometimes a person you met at a conference, or maybe a guy who lost a bet). He or she will read through it, make some suggestions, talk it over with your agent, and eventually make a decision on whether or not they think it's worth pursuing.

Most publishers are relying on agents to do the initial filtering of junk, so the slush pile has sort of moved from the publishing house to the agent's office...which means you're going to have to sell it to an agent first, therefore adding one more step to this process.

Once it's in the building, if the acquisitions editor likes it he or she will take it to some sort of editorial committee, where they sit around grousing about their pay and making editorial jokes. ("I'm having a DICKENS of a time with this one!" "Yeah, let's catch a TWAIN out of town!" Editorial types love this sort of humor. That's why they're editors and not writers.) Eventually they'll run out of bad puns and be forced to discuss the merits of your proposal. If it's a non-fiction book, is it unique? Does it answer a question people are asking? Is there a perceived market for it? Does the writing feel fresh and offer genuine solutions to the question that's posed? If it's a novel, does the story have a clear hook? Is there a well-defined audience for it? Does it feel new, or as though it's a story that's been told a million times? (The fact is, it probably HAS been told a million times. There are only so many stories. The question is really if the author can make it feel as though he or she has a fresh take on the story.) If the whole package passes muster, it moves to the next step...

The Publishing Committee, which is a group generally made up of folks from editorial, marketing, sales, accounting, and administration. They'll meet somewhere between once a  week to once a month, and they'll have an agenda of books to talk through each time, with the various representatives offering their own perspectives -- the editors will talk about the merits of the words; the accountants will figure out the costs and potential dollars in play; the sales guys will begin discussing who they can sell copies to; and the marketing people will sit around trying to think of how to cover their sorry hind ends. They'll talk about the market for the book, if it fits with the rest of the books on their list, the author's platform, what it would cost to print the book, what the marketing costs would be, and how many sales they think they could generate. This is the group that will explore the feasibility of doing your book. They may send it back to the acquisitions editor to do some work.

At that point, the editor has to run a Profit & Loss sheet or pro forma, in which they'll take wild surmises as to how many copies they can expect to sell in the first year, what the hard costs of ink/paper/binding will be, how much money they'll have to throw at the money-grubbing author, who, if she really loved words, would write her damn books for free, since we all know the publishers are only in it for the joy of reading and to serve humanity. The editor will take all this information back to the publishing committee, who by now has had all sorts of time to think up new reasons why they shouldn't do the book. They'll talk about it again, this time with hard numbers attached. Eventually the pub board will be forced to make an actual decision, so they'll probably throw the Urim and Thummim, maybe pull out an Ouija board, and make a decision.

I've heard people say there are a series of "sales" to get to this point. The author sells the agent. The agent sells the editor. The editor sells the editorial team. The editorial team sells the pub board. Once they make a decision to actually contract the book, they have to negotiate a deal, then put it on a list and make it part of the process -- because the sales guys are going to have to sell it to retail accounts, who will attempt to sell it to the reading public. It's a lot of work. And all of that points to one thing: It's tough to get published. Each step along the way is an investment, so even the books they say "no" to have had dollars spent on them.

A publishing house has all those filters in place so that they can do the easy thing and say "no" to you. (Really.) The purpose of the process is to say "no" to most everything. Therefore create proposals they can't say "no" to. Yes, that's easier said than done, and we're going to start talking about creating great proposals in the next few weeks, but that's the basic mindset -- work on your proposal so that it piques their interest, provides a clear hook, and answers any objections. If you do that, your proposal is much more apt to be selected by a publishing house. 

 

What are some good resources for writers?

Dan wrote and said, "I hear you've taught a couple classes for colleges, and I know you do the occasional conference. For those of us who can't get to another state to hear you, what would be some resources you'd recommend for writers?"

One of the best things you can do for yourself as a writer is to attend a good writing conference. They have conferences all over the country, usually featuring experienced writers and publishing professionals. It's a great way to meet people, ask questions, and connect with others who are also trying to make it as writers. There's undoubtedly a GREAT conference happening somewhere close to you in the month, as the conference season kicks off (for example, I'm attending the Left Coast Crime conference in Sacramento in two weeks). You'll rarely regret investing in a good conference.

Another thing to consider is a critique group -- a chance to sit down with a small group of fellow writers and compare notes, critique each others' work, and talk books. It offers you perspective from others, and it gets you talking writing with people -- something many writers have discovered is hard to find. You can often connect to them online, and many local bookstores will help authors in the area come together in order to network and critique one another. A third resource is one of the online writing groups -- one helpful such gatherings is the Yahoo group "The Writers View," but there are numerous others. Most of these groups discuss writing and publishing, and many have a panel of experts to bring some wisdom to the discussion.

If you're already involved in some of those things, let me suggest a writing course at your local college. It can be a lot of fun to take a literature course or participate in a creative writing class, and the instructors can often give new insight into your work that can help move your craft to the next level. When I was in college, I got to take a class from Ursula Le Guin, one of America's foremost fantasy writers. It was a wonderful experience, and one you can't get just anywhere. Check to see who teaches college courses near you. Another idea is to take a look at the world of writing by subscribing to Writer's Digest Magazine or The Writer, and carefully checking out what's new in the "writing" section of BAM or Barnes & Noble. There are more new resources being created every few months, so if it's been a year since you looked at books about the craft, by all means check out the latest.

Two more thoughts for you... If you're a nonfiction author, the folks at www.bestsellingauthor.com have re-released their CD set, "Become a Bestselling Author: Lessons from an Anonymous Publishing Giant." This is like a master's level course in publishing -- a freelance writer interviews the president of a major publishing house, who gets into the mechanics of publishing, the psychology of editors, and the methods for creating a great proposal. They cover things like "landing a literary agent" and "generating free publicity" and "conducting great book interviews." It's a wonderful resource, but it's not cheap. I think the cost was about $300, but now that they've re-packaged it and are re-releasing it, they're selling for something like $149. Still spendy, but WELL worth the investment. (And no, I don't work for them.) Check it out.

If you're a novelist, by all means go to my friend Randy Ingermanson's site www.advancedfictionwriting.com. Randy gives away some great information (make sure to look at his free e-zine and his famous "snowflake" method), and also sells his Fiction 101 and Fiction 201 classes as downloads or on CD. All of his stuff is well done, and he's one of the few people out there who has something realistic to say about fiction writing and marketing. And Gina Holmes' "Novel Rocket" site has some of the best mix of interviews and insights into the writer's life. 

Of course, if you really want to move forward in your career, consider a writing career coach. I blogged about what Lisa Samson is doing last week -- her company, Luminary, offers manuscript guidance from one of America's great novelists... what more could you want? And, of course, by doing a bit of hunting online, you can discover a number of others who offer similar assistance. 

Hope this helps. What are the resources all you like to recommend?

 

More on how an author negotiates a book contract...

We're continuing our thoughts on what to have in mind when facing a book contract negotiation.

4. Be Clear when Talking. One thing that will hurt you in a negotiation is to wander around your point. For example, if you know you don't want to grant dramatic rights to your novel, be clear about it. Problems often arise in a negotiation because of the things that aren't said -- an author wants a certain advance but won't admit it, or the writer wants to retain foreign rights and doesn't say so clearly. If you know what you want, be ready to say so clearly in a polite, organized, and clear manner. This is why it's important for you to have a plan and write it down before you begin talking, so when faced with a question, you can refer to your notes and remind yourself of what is important.

5. Learn to Listen. Kenneth Tynan once referred to the activities at the United Nations as "a dialogue for the deaf." One speaker gets up and harangues people with some information, then the next guy gets up, starts talking, and acts as though he heard nothing that was just said. You'll be amazed at how much better negotiations will go when you learn to be quiet and hear the other side occasionally. You'll discover you learn things about the publishing house when you listen. It will make you a better negotiator. And a bit of silence can help you focus in the midst of a discussion.

6. You Have Options. Keep in mind that you don't have to agree to a bad deal. You always have options -- even if the only option is to say no thanks, get up, and walk away (whether permanently or temporarily). This is a basic truth that people in negotiations sometimes forget. The fact is, you may not be able to come to an agreement, so it could all fall apart. If you have a plan for what you really need in a deal, you'll know what that threshold is. But remember that there's a give-and-take in negotiations -- the publisher will ask you to give them world rights, and perhaps you counter with granting foreign rights so long as you retain dramatic rights. Or the publisher is offering a small advance, and you counter with something a bit bigger, but offer them a reason why they should be able to pay a bit more. Keep track of what you get and what you give away -- it'll show both sides that this is a good-faith negotiation.

7. Everything is Negotiable. Everything. Not just the advance and royalties, but the grant of rights. Your book title. The page count. The due date. Author copies and buy-back rates. Revisions, acceptance policies, cover approvals, reversion rights, publication date, termination, and non-compete language. Everything is negotiable. You're not going to win every point. You're probably not going to get everything you want. But that's what a negotiation is -- a series of compromises, so that both sides feel they like the deal that's put into place.

Know what's important to you ahead of time, do some research so you know what's fair and workable, then negotiate in a spirit of cooperation. This will keep your negotiations from being those painful, knock-down/drag-out affairs that leave you with a bad relationship and too much brain damage.

I hope this helps you. Best of luck with your negotiation!

 

How do you negotiate a book contract?

Kevin wrote to say, "I'm about to negotiate my own book contract! What is important for me to know?"

If you're at the stage of negotiating your own publishing contract, congratulations. It means you've created a strong proposal, shopped it to publishing houses, and found an editor interested in your work. Those are huge hurdles, so you've already done well. Now what's going to happen is that the publisher is going to approach you with some details and numbers. Let me offer a handful of thoughts for you...

1. Have a Plan. A contract negotiation isn't just a bunch of random conversations, helping two people move things forward. It's one piece of a larger discussion about your book -- how both sides view its value, what it will pay, how it's going to be produced and marketed, etc. Therefore, do your homework before you go into the negotiation. You should have researched what the market is paying (so you get a fair deal, but you don't ask for the moon), you should know what rights you want to keep or give away, and you should have a familiarity with the issues that will be involved in a publishing contract. All of this takes time (and all of this is why authors get agents who, presumably, know this stuff).

2. Take a Positive Approach. Too many people seem to have learned all their negotiation strategies from watching television dramas -- the two high-powered lawyers point fingers, pound the table, make demands, and generally act like jerks. That's not an approach that's going to work very often in publishing. From my point of view, you have to develop a relationship with the person you're going to negotiate with. That way there's a sense of trust on both sides. You really want to establish some rapport with the person you're negotiating with, so that you both keep in mind the big picture of making this a successful book. Think of it this way: would you rather buy insurance from a trusted friend who happens to sell insurance, or from some stranger who shows up at your door? All of us prefer doing business with people we know. So approach your contract negotiation in a spirit of cooperation, rather than a spirit of confrontation.

3. Think Win/Win. The publishing of books is a business, so put away all your thoughts about just being helpful or friendly, and approach this as strictly business. Believe me, the publisher will take this approach. The goal isn't just to "win," but to help both sides feel as if they're winning. The publisher needs to be able to sell the book at a profit. The author needs to be able to make a living. From the start of your discussions, let both sides be thinking of winning, of doing well, of making this project succeed. Again, television dramas have a tendency to make it seem as though one side must win and the other must lose. In the real world, that doesn't work. I want every publisher I deal with to be successful. I want them to make money, to sell lots of books, and to want to work with me on other projects. So as you're putting your plan together, don't just focus on "how can I get this deal to my advantage?", but think of "how I can help the publisher succeed?" If both of you come out of this negotiation feeling good, you've set yourself up for a healthy long-term relationship.

More on this topic tomorrow... but feel free to ask questions about negotiations. 

 

"I'm trying to figure out how to work with an agent..."

Rita wrote to say, "I've been offered a contract on my novel. Since I don't have an agent, should I seek one at this point? And if the agent accepts, should he or she still receive 15% of the deal, even if they didn't market my book or secure the deal for me? Would it be better to have the agent simply review the contract for a fee?"

There's quite a debate about this issue. I suppose many agents would say, "Sure -- call me!" They'd be happy to get 15% for a deal they've done no work on. But my advice would be to think long term. Is there an agent you like and trust -- someone you want to work with in the long term? If so, call him or her. Talk about the situation. They may be willing to take less in order to work with you. They may review the contract for a fee. If, for example, you've got a $10,000 advance coming, make sure it's worth the $1500 to have the agent assist with this contract. (It may be worth it -- a complex situation, or a novel that is going to be made into a movie, or a potential bestseller probably call for a good agent to get involved). That said, it doesn't really seem fair to me to take the full comission for a book I didn't sell, though not everyone in the industry agrees with me. You can always talk with a contract-review specialist, who will review your contract for a flat fee (usually somewhere in the $300 range). You can also talk with an intellectual property rights attorney, but be careful -- they're generally paid by the increment (anywhere from a six-minute to a 15-minute increment), and their goal is to keep the clock moving. The longer it takes them, the more they are paid. I know of at least one author who paid more to have a top-flight entertainment lawyer review the contract than they were paid in advance dollars. Generally speaking, your family lawyer won't have enough experience to really help you with a publishing contract. Congratulations on getting the book deal, by the way.

Chris asked, "Should I worry about a literary agent who turned me down, but suggested I work with his editorial service?

Absolutely you should worry. Here's how this commonly works -- you send a manuscript to an agent, who says, "I really like this, but it's not ready. However, we have an editorial service here who can help you. For just $500, they'll get this proposal ready for us to represent..." The agent sends you to his editor friend, then pockets half of that "editorial fee," so he or she is making money off the author. That's a total violation of ethics for literary agents (and I'd argue the reason we're seeing some agents do this is because we've had a group of people jump into agenting who don't really know what they're doing). The Association of Author Representatives has a clear canon of ethics printed on their opening web page which precludes an agent from doing this very thing. It's ripe with potential for abuse. My advice: If an agent tries to cross-sell you some other literary service that charges you a fee, stand up and walk away. You can find a better agent.

Phoebe had this situation: "I signed with an agent, but wasn't happy. I fired that agent, and moved on to another. But now my first agent is claiming that anything I ever talked with her about is her responsibility! She claims that if I ever get a publishing deal for the projects she represented, she is to be paid the agent's commission. Is that legal?"

This is another one I can't fathom. I understand getting paid if I've done the legwork -- let's say that I've worked with an author to develop a project, showed it to publishers, and started to get some interest. If the author hears about it, fires me, then approaches the same publishers to try and get the deal and save themselves the 15% commission, I should still get paid. I state in my agency agreement that if I'm working with a publisher on your behalf, I'll still get paid even if you fire me and do a deal with them within a year. But I've seen this a few times lately -- an agent claiming that if you EVER sell the book they represented, they'll still get paid. I'm not a lawyer, so I cannot give legal advice, but I would think this would be awfully tough to have stand up in court. My advice: read any agreement carefully before you sign it. If the agent has a clause that's incredibly restrictive like this, ask to have it altered.

 

Does a beginning writer need an agent?

Amy wrote to ask, "In your opinion, does a beginning writer need an agent?"

It depends on the writer. There are some authors who are well connected in the industry, don't mind dealing with contracts and negotiations, understand career direction, and can survive without an agent. But in my view, it's rare to do those things well while maintaining a writing career. I used to tell people that I'm not an evangelist for agents, and over the past 15 years or so I've tried to maintain a balance -- I haven't always believed that every writer needs an agent in order to succeed.  But I'm now changing my tune. Most publishers require you to have an agent or they won't look at your material. Things have changed significantly in the past few years,  so that publishers are  moving toward relying on agents to be the first line, reviewing proposals and weeding out the chaff. Working with an agent professionalizes the relationship -- an agent is not as emotionally tied to a work as an author, so he or she can be more dispassionate about discussing a project, and the agent is going to be more familiar with the business of contracts, so ostensibly things will move along better for both sides. I recognize that some have said the future is in self-publishing, so that means authors won't need agents. I think that's completely wrong-headed. If you're going to be responsible for your book, you should think about working with someone who knows what they're doing and can help you. Think of the way realtors have changed the home buying market: You can still sell your home by owner, but it's gotten considerably more complex to do so. You've got to know the market, understand how to show your home, know how to get the word out, feel comfortable negotiating a price, and perhaps most importantly, understand how to fill out the mountain of paperwork that goes along with every home sale. (My wife and I sold three homes on our own, and another five homes through realtors, so I understand the difference a professional can make to a deal.) There are still plenty of small publishing houses that prefer to work directly with the author, but any publisher of size will want to work through an agent.

Donna wants to know, "How will I know I need an agent?"

If you're a novelist, but you don't have a completed manuscript yet, you probably do not need an agent. (And, to be completely honest about it, you'd have a tough time landing an agent.) If you're a nonfiction writer, having a great idea and great writing in a proposal is essential, and bringing some sort of strong platform to the table will help a lot. The bottom line is this: if you have something that is worth selling, then unless you know how to sell it and who to sell it to, you’re out of your depth and need an agent. If you have a great book idea and a solid proposal, you probably should at least consider interviewing potential literary agents. Again, you can learn to do some of this on your own, if you want to put the time in. 

Jon wrote to ask, "What should an agent do for me?"

Again, that depends on your needs. My relationship with one of my authors (say... bestselling novelist Lisa Samson) is quite different from my relationship with another one of my authors (let's say a first-time nonfiction writer). Each author is going to have a unique set of needs. But, generally speaking, an agent should help you evaluate ideas and discuss publishing trends and the salability of your manuscript. He or she should help you create a dynamite proposal, tweaking it as necessary and working with you to make the writing as strong as possible. (You get one shot with a publishing house... so don't turn something in that's only 80% ready.) A good agent will help you improve your work, understand the industry, suggest editing or writing help if you need it, introduce your work to key acquisition people, and sell your proposal for you. He or she will negotiate a good deal on your behalf, paying special attention to key contract issues, and help you create a partnership with your publisher. The agent should ensure contract compliance, help you maximize your marketing opportunities (something that's becoming more important in the current marketplace), be a pain when you need someone to kick things into gear, read a royalty statement and spot errors, be your biggest fan and encourager, assist you with career planning, champion your projects, and grow with you over time.

So the follow-up question probably needs to be, “What do YOU need in an agent?” Because your needs may be very different from your friend’s needs. And every agent is different. Some are great editors. Others are great contract people. Some are basically sales people. Others are negotiators. And still others are life coaches. If you figure out what you need most from an agent, you’ll be better equipped to find the agent that’s right for you, Jon.

Tammy states the obvious roadblock: "I feel stuck -- you can't get an agent unless you're published, but you can't get published without an agent. Help! What's the best way to go about finding an agent?" 

You're right -- it's not fair, and you're screwed. Sorry! The most important step in finding the literary agent that's right for you is to make sure you've got a great idea, expressed through great writing, and you can back it all up with a strong platform. Those are probably the first things you need to have completed. Once you're ready to start looking for an agent, you can begin by looking in any of the "find an agent" books that are on the market. Check with Writers Digest books, and look at B&N for a book that lists literary agencies. Next, you can meet agents at writer's conferences, book shows, or at publishing functions like BEA or ICRS. These are still the best places to get 15 minutes of face-time with an agent. It allows you to get a feel for him or her, and see if you think the two of you might work together. At some writers' conferences, you can send in your material ahead of time and sign up for an appointment. If you're going to do that,  remember to create a good presentation -- after all, you are selling yourself. Put together a cover letter that tells about your life and work. Include your previous writing and book sales. Show the agent a great proposal, and make sure it's as strong as you can make it. Be ready to talk about yourself, your books, your ideas, and your platform. An author who shows huge potential for the future is much more likely to garner interest from a good agent.

I hope you're finding this series helpful. I've got several more questions, then I'm going to move onto contracts.