There Are No Rules - Agents

How to Succeed in Today's Publishing Industry (Takeaways from Conference)

Jane — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:33:06 GMT

By noon on Saturday, attendees were commenting that they'd already gotten their money's worth. I consider that a big win!

If you missed the event, you can still get some valuable takeaways:

Meryl Evans has compiled Tweets from the event, which I've made available for printing and download on Scribd.
You can also read this fabulous recap from an attendee: 8 Gatejumper Tips Heard at the Writer's Digest Conference.

And most remarkably, Meryl Evans sent me a note to help attendees make sense of what to do next! See below. My big thanks to her generosity.

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So You Went to the Writer's Digest Conference. What Are You Going to Do Now?
by Meryl Evans

In the Writer's Digest Conference blog, Robert Lee Brewer reported on something he overheard:

So, earlier today, in the hallway, I overheard one writer speaking to another. She said, "I don't have the time to handle all this."

I was not surprised to hear this kind of statement at a conference on publishing and marketing and communicating and podcasting and basically everything we've been going over since Friday. But, of course, I started thinking about how successful writers should be, at least, trying.

Well, after a long pause, she continued speaking to the other (very good listener) writer, "But I have to make the time if I'm serious about making this work."

The writer caught on. Not all of us think about how we're going to make the most of a conference. Or we feel overwhelmed that it paralyzes us preventing us from taking action. We bring home all the notes we took filing them away only to never see them again. Then the least we can hope for is that our brains remembered a few key points while we wrote or typed them and apply them.

Review Your Notes
Take five or ten minutes to look over your notes. You can handle that, right? As you review your notes, pick one to three things you want to use. Post them in your to do list or whatever you use on a regular basis so you can remember and practice. Give yourself a deadline—you're a writer, you can handle it. Check off each item as you do them.

Got 'em all done? Great. Now, go back to your notes to cross them off. Pick one to three more things to try. Repeat.

That wasn't so bad, was it? Turning loads of notes into a couple of doable tasks makes a difference.

Write One Article
You probably walked away from the conference with a few article ideas. Rather than trying to do it all, I pick one topic and write the article within a couple of days after returning home. You can make it a blog entry, an article for your publication, whatever. In writing the article, those ideas will stick with you. Plus, you gain a bonus of sharing that with others.

When you finish the article, revisit the other article ideas and what you can do with them. Rather than feeling spread thin with all your article ideas, you focus on one article at a time while putting the rest away for later. You've captured the ideas on paper or on your laptop. They won't disappear. Well, unless you delete them, lose them or trash them.

Key Points from WD Conference
You can find great tweets from the conference by searching Twitter for WDC09. Here are some highlights worth remembering, captured from tweets and the blog so you don't have to read it all:

Christina Katz: Platform is everything you do with your expertise. So many tools are available; must prioritize, maximize your time. Do you see yourself as the producer of your writing career and take 100% responsibility for your success?
Jane Friedman: Platform comes first! Book second. Without a strong platform and topic—creating demand—your book will have a difficult time finding its place in the market. Any changes publishers want to make to the book is what they believe will help increase book sales. They basically want what's economically best for your book—and that's ultimately a good thing.
Scott Sigler and Seth Harwood: Once you show you can move (sell) books, publishers will take notice. That's why giving away your first book online for free and building up an audience is essential to getting publishers—who have ignored you for years—to wake up and realize your talent and value. "You are the best person to sell your book," says Hardwood.
Alice Rosengard: Sees organization as a common problem with nonfiction proposals.
David Mathison (Be the Media) keys: Have a direct relationship with your audience. Control your rights. Repurpose your content.
Chris Brogan: The best way to get a book published is to not try to get a book published. The whole trick about promoting is to not talk about yourself. Learn to talk about other people. Twitter is not about talking; it's about listening.
Agent Miriam Kriss: A lot of "overnight successes" are 10 years in the making.
Agent Panel (Jessica Sinsheimer, Regina Brooks and Michelle Humphrey): Difference between freelanced editing and traditional editor is the latter cares, has a vested interest in the book. Professionally edited, professionally typeset, professionally designed are critical for success via POD.

5 Reasons Pitches Can Be Detrimental Rather Than Helpful

Jane — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:59:09 GMT

I've read and listened to hundreds if not thousands of pitches during my decade in book publishing. And while I think it's important for writers to get out there and interact with and understand professionals in the business, I also think pitching can be a very difficult and unrewarding process for some writers.

Consider:

You may have little experience or practice in pitching, and walk into the pitches unbelievably nervous and anxious. All of that anxious energy usually detracts from the quality of the pitch. (So many writers fill the first few minutes with apologies for being nervous—not sure what to do, or what to say.) While it's a skill I wish more writers would practice (the art of persuasion or the art of selling), most writers expect their heart and passion to carry them. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.
You may consider the pitch a make-it-or-break-it moment—like awaiting the official verdict on whether your idea is worthy of further review and publication. The reality is that in-person pitches have about the same success rate as a cold query (less than 1% in my experience).
Because you are so focused on this mythic opportunity (and hearing that "yes" or "no" verdict), you might miss out on the greater benefit of the pitch experience—getting instant feedback on your project, or having a meaningful conversation about the market for your work. Such information can dramatically reduce future frustration and shorten your path to publication. Sometimes just 5 minutes of very insightful professional advice can change your perspective, approach, or slant. Plus flexibility and openness to change in today's publishing environment is important to long-term career growth and success.
That said, most pitch sessions don't offer enough time to have a solid conversation about your best path forward (next steps). At least 75% of the writers I meet with have a fuzzy or misdirected goal or path, and no clear idea of how to make progress. Fifteen minutes (or less!) isn't enough time to have a coaching session, plus most writers are so focused on the pitch they aren't in the right mindset to receive redirection. (Not to mention that such redirection can be a huge blow to a writer because it equates to rejection.)
Most writers don't experience the pitch process as part of the business of being a writer. Most writers I meet experience the pitch as a highly intense, emotional, and personal process. Unfortunately, whenever engaging in a business conversation (which is what a pitch is), it's important to have some distance and perspective. That's why I always love meeting potential authors who have a business or marketing background, because they know that getting an idea shot down isn't personal, and they're more likely to be receptive to a conversation about marketability of a project and alternative routes to success.

Bottom line: Sometimes it's more valuable and important to know if you're headed in the right direction, rather than to succeed with a pitch.

But this mindset is tough to adopt. "Education" and "course correction" is not the dream. The dream is "get an agent" or "get published."

For all writers who walk away disappointed from a pitch, remember that success is rarely attained in those 5-15 minutes. Rather, it's all the years of work leading up to that moment, and how the years of work and experience (and your passion, your confidence), give you the smell of success.

Agents/editors can tell when someone is on the brink of success (though we might not know when someone is years away from success). But you'll rarely see a publishing professional be that direct or blunt in a pitch session. That's because writers approach the pitch with so much of their personal life on the line that agents/editors (as human beings too) don't want to be the one to poke holes in your soul. It's better to say, "Sure, we'll take a look" … and then reject in business-like fashion after it arrives in the mail. But we knew in our gut when we heard your pitch it would not be ready for the market.

Photo credit: fadderuri

The Art of Live Pitching (3 Rules)

Jane — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 05:19:37 GMT

Today I arrived in Portland, Oregon, to participate in the Willamette Writers Conference. I first came here in 2004 to hear pitches and take appointments, and I often return to Cincinnati with a great author for Writer's Digest (e.g., Christina Katz and Sage Cohen as the most recent).

Tonight I took part in a "pitch the pros" panel with Jeff Herman (agent), Charlotte Cook (Komenar), and Krista Lyons (Seal Press). More than 20 writers had about 3 minutes to pitch their work and get feedback from the panel. Overwhelmingly, most pitches could have been improved if they followed these three rules:

Keep it short. (Brevity is your friend!) Just because you have three minutes (or 5 or 10) doesn't mean you should take up all the time. Never talk for as long as possible—it can take a mere 15 seconds to deliver a convincing storyline. The longer you talk, the less time the agent or editor is talking. And isn't that why you're meeting with them—to hear THEIR feedback and reaction?
Focus on a character and the character's problem. When it comes to fiction, it's much easier to follow a pitch and remain interested when we can connect to a character and immediately understand the problem or conflict facing that character. Why are we going to care? What are the stakes? So what?
Stop at a moment of tension and wait. Rather than talk and talk (which sometimes happens because you're nervous), remind yourself that it's OK not to explain all the details or the final outcome. It's more effective to stop just as you've established the key stakes or tension, and wait for a reaction from the agent. Let them guide the discussion; find out what's caught their attention or what piece is missing.

In the next few days at Willamette, I'll be taking appointments, sitting on another panel, and also giving an educational workshop. Hope to have another update with some more advice, including tips from the many talented agents/editors who are gathered here.

Not All Books Need to Be Well-Written to Sell

Jane — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:58:18 GMT

If you're writing a nonfiction book, the first question you need to ask yourself is whether your book is more about ideas/information or art.

If your book is more about ideas/information, it means:

you need credibility or authority of some kind in your subject area to be taken seriously by publishers and other insiders
you need expertise and/or experience to understand the conversation/community you're entering into and how to present fresh and compelling ideas or information
you need an excellent understanding of your audience and their needs
your platform (or visibility) in a community will be essential to selling and promoting yourself and your book
you don't do the book first to become an expert; you're an expert or credible source first (with a platform) which justifies having a printed book
you write a book proposal because you need to present a business plan for why the market needs your book
your audience doesn't care as much about the quality of expression (artform) as the quality of ideas and information

If your book is more about art, it means:

you need skill at the craft to be taken seriously, which usually means years of practice
you may not need any expertise/experience of any kind if your writing evokes strong emotion, passion, or deep meaning
you often need to write the book first, and write it flawlessly, in order for it to sell (assuming you are not a celebrity or notorious or bizarre person who can garner media attention)
you might write a proposal, but when it comes to art and making meaning, storytelling is much more powerful than statistics and business plans (of course, remember that even a book about ideas/information needs a mythical story behind it or a way to help people find meaning to stand out from the crowd)

If your book is about ideas/information, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be as well written as possible. In fact, the most powerful books about ideas (by people like Malcolm Gladwell) are works of art.

But when you're pitching an agent or publisher, make sure you know whether your book is idea-driven or art-driven. It makes a difference in your perspective and slant.

When it's about the ideas or the information, you're a salesperson armed with information on the market and your authority. You can do the same with your art, but if the art doesn't match your sales hype, you're back to square one.

Photo credit: Sailing: "Footprints Real to Reel"

Recap of 2009 BEA/WD Writers Conference

Jane — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:40:22 GMT

We had another amazing year at our writers conference hosted in conjunction with BookExpo America. Here are a few places you can find reaction and summaries:

LA Splash has the most comprehensive take on the event, and offers insight into several of the sessions, as well as the writers attending. And there's a photo of me.

Literary agent Janet Reid (and blogger behind QueryShark) helped with pitch slam practice by entertaining a crowd of nearly 400 writers, showing them how to tighten and structure their pitches. Here's her inspiring take.

Literary agent Robin Mizell also mentions starting to receive submissions from writers at the pitch slam, plus shares wonderful insights from Mike Shatzkin, who gave an educational session at BEA on the day following our event.

WD author and presenter Christina Katz has a great scrapbook of the event, with videos of Karin Slaughter's keynote address and the bookstore signing!

Writer's Digest editor Chuck Sambuchino has a brief recap on his Guide to Literary Agents blog, as well as a summary of agent Ted Weinstein's advice from the agent panel.

Conference attendee Michelle Reynoso blogged about her experience here and here.

We were honored to have Ron Hogan from GalleyCat at our conference, where he live-tweeted N.M. Kelby's session:

Sitting in on N.M. Kelby's Closet Writer's Workshop. She's got 2 books coming out in September.

N.M. Kelby's advice starts with believing in yourself.

N.M. Kelby quotes Robert Frost: "No writer has ever been corrected into importance."

N.M. Kelby has another Frost: "Why have we wings if not to seek friends at an elevation?"

"write. read. write more. travel. write even more. repeat. And show people your work!"

"When I say 'get a hobby,' I mean it. There's nothing that will drive you crazier than writing."

N.M. Kelby also preaches the importance of proper nutrition for writers. Live mindfully!

"When you write, it's art. Once you send it out, it's business."

"If you can give the book to your mother-in-law," it can become a bestseller. "But more importantly, if the publisher doesn't treat the book like a bestseller, it's unlikely to be one."

"Publishing is all about relationships. Play nice." Join writers groups, be active in the literary community.

You can find Ron Hogan's Twitterfeed here.

If you'd like some images from the event, I've posted several on my Picasa account—click here.

3 Reasons Why You Should NEVER Pitch at BEA

Jane — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:49:41 GMT

I've said it before—and many other people have said it, too—but it always bears repeating.

Do not go to the BookExpo America trade show to pitch your book or self-published book to a traditional publisher or to an agent.

The only exception to this rule are well-known authors who get into the trade show by invitation of a publisher, and are already networking/connecting with publishing professionals.

BEA is not a candyland of publishers and agents offering you a sweet opportunity to get your project noticed. It is NOT like shooting fish in a barrel, it is NOT fun, and it is likely to KILL your chances at a deal.

Three reasons why:

Agents/editors do not like to be pitched on the show floor. Most have to take care of existing authors/clients and have many other obligations and meetings while at the show. We're also dirt-tired, thirsty, and cranky as the day wears on.
The trade show is for and by publishing industry professionals. That's why it's called a trade show. You wouldn't go to a trade show for lawyers and prospect for a new lawyer, would you? You don't go to a trade show for publishers and do prospecting, either.
If you decide you're the exception to the rule, and decide to pitch anyway, you'll have trouble finding the right people to pitch (very few editors actually attend BEA—it's mostly sales/marketing/executives), and once you DO find them, they will likely put a black mark next to your name, diminishing your chances of success later.

I've attended BEA for five years, and each year I am pitched on the show floor by people I don't know. I never enjoy it, and I have never pursued or signed a project as a result. The meetings that HAVE been productive (usually with authors and their agents) are those where an appointment was made well in advance of the show.

Apparently, BEA has recognized there is a contingent of attendees who are not bringing "value," and they have cut down the "miscellaneous industry professional" category by 1,350. You read more on BEA show director Lance Fensterman's blog. (And it will be a smaller show this year, for many reasons.)

Recognizing that many writers were trying to use the trade show in hopes of advancing their careers, BEA partnered with Writer's Digest in 2003 to create a one-day conference for writers with an opportunity to pitch editors and agents. And so the BookExpo America / Writer's Digest Books Conference was born.

This year, even if not attending, you'll be able to follow along on Twitter: #wdbea09

A few of my favorite breakout sessions this year include:

The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maass — based on Don's all-new book for us this spring. Don is known as a superlative speaker on the craft of fiction. Not to be missed.

Self-Promotion & Social Networking by Alice Pope — one of our most active editors in social media will teach writers the ropes of using Facebook, Twitter, and blogs to help grow your career.

The Closet Writer's Workshop: How to Write Fiction That Sells by N.M. Kelby — we're very proud to feature award-winning novelist N.M. Kelby at our conference for the first time this year. Later in 2009, Writer's Digest will release her craft & technique title, The Constant Art of Being a Writer.

The conference will also feature past favorites Christina Katz, with a super session on platform building; editor Chuck Sambuchino, who will help you practice your pitch; and yours truly, speaking on do-it-yourself publishing options. Plus nearly the entire Writer's Digest crew will be there! We can't wait to meet you. Read more about our program and pitch session.

Registration is still open! Click here.

Great Agent Advice from Pennwriters

Jane — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:06:39 GMT

This was my fourth year speaking at the wonderfully run Pennwriters annual conference. I gave a workshop on building platform, critiqued nonfiction with editor Matt Holliday (Pennsylvania magazine) and agent Uwe Stender of TriadaUS Literary Agency, and participated on a nonfiction Q&A panel with Matt.

Aside from Uwe Stender, other agents in attendance were:

Lucienne Diver (Twitter: @luciennediver), Knight Agency
Colleen Lindsay (Twitter: @colleenlindsay), FinePrint Agency
Becca Stumpf, Prospect Agency
Paige Wheeler (Twitter: @pwheeler_agent), Folio Literary Management

You can read an account of the conference by one of the agents, Lucienne, who has a blog and posted here. (Colleen also blogs; if she decides to post, you'll find it here.)

Below are my notes from the agent panels (which are adapted from my live Tweets of the event):

Queries/submissions and what they're looking for

Paige Wheeler gets 35 e-queries/day. Stender gets 135 queries/day. Colleen Lindsay is closed to submissions. Becca Stumpf and Lucienne Diver get queries through an agency system.
Lucienne Diver: Only thing that matters is VOICE and characters to deeply care about. This can and should come through in the query letter.
Colleen Lindsay looks for amazing characters she can get excited about every time she reads the story. No self-indulgent navel gazing.
Colleen Lindsay says granting exclusives can be bad for your career. You can say no. If you say yes, limit to short period (e.g., a week and not a month).

Industry trends

Uwe Stender has noticed an impact on business due to changes in the industry: two YA books would've sold without a problem a year ago, now there is hesitation and revision before an offer.
What's? hot: romance!! Harlequin is doing very well.
Editors seeking middle-grade books suitable for boys (boy voice/protagonist, still accessible for girls)
Plentiful interest in urban fantasy from publishers
Market has compressed for mystery. Really need great hook or high concept that WOWS - people MUST read when hearing it.
Romantic suspense still popular, but tough for a new writer to break in unless you can really blow the agent away.
Trend is toward DARK and sexy. (Or the polar opposite: inspirational)
Platform is particularly important for anyone writing literary fiction. You need street cred, placement in great journals and magazines.
Biggest seller of books is word of mouth, which is often driven by author platform rather than publisher's publicity. (And Jane says: A great author platform spreads word. Platform is developed over life of career, not a one-time act, not overnight occurrence. A good resource for platform building? Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz.)

Tools

Colleen Lindsay recommends Online SF&F Workshop as a fabulous writing group with lots of success stories. Run by a former book editor.
Online reviews for genre fiction are key. E.g., Dear Author and Smart Bitches are two of the greatest review sites for romance.

My heartfelt thanks to the conference organizers for another wonderful year, and also to the agents/editors who I had the chance to meet and chat with (and graciously put up with my constant sneezing, sniffling, and tissue trails).

News, Events, and Free Info at Writer's Digest

Jane — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:49:40 GMT

Today I'm taking a little break to let you know about some other stuff happening at Writer's Digest. Tomorrow I leave for the Pennwriters conference in Pittsburgh and will be Tweeting (@JaneFriedman) and blogging throughout the weekend.

Cool stuff on other WD blogs

What Should You Include on Your Bio for Agents?

Interview with Poet Justin Marks. Good tidbit where he says, "I've been given such large heaps of bad advice over the years I'm hesitant to offer any of my own. So maybe my advice should be, 'don't take any advice.' Then again, I've also gotten some good advice that has often helped sustain me: Trust yourself. Don't let anyone or anything stop you. Be willing to change. Perservere. Stuff like that."

Veteran writer and editor Mark Garvey gives advice to writers who are new to blogging.

Great agent advice from Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich

From Script Notes: Are webscripts useful writing samples?

Free excerpts from new writing books

Download a PDF excerpt with great creative writing prompts, from our newest creativity title, Take Ten.

Check out a conversation with The Office co-creator Stephen Merchant where he talks about where the idea for the show came from and how it got onto the air. (From an upcoming title, Here's the Kicker.)

Upcoming events

WDB/BEA Writers Conference (May 27). This is the big kahuna where you can pitch to 66 agents and 4 editors during a 2-hour window. Even if you aren't successful in your pitch attempts here, you will learn so many amazing things about what makes an agent or editor jump on a project. The interaction is invaluable and can shave years off your path to publication. The full day costs $199 and includes the pitch session (plus lunch and terrific networking). I'll be there, as will most of my colleagues from Writer's Digest.

WD Editors' Intensive (June 20-21). Once again, we're opening up Writer's Digest HQ to 50 people for a personalized weekend of writing and publishing instruction. We spend a day coaching you about how to succeed in the changing landscape of publishing, then wrap it up with a one-on-one 30-minute appointment to discuss the first 50 pages of your manuscript or proposal. We've received excellent feedback from writers who've attended who love the up-close-and-personal interaction as well as the practical, hard-working information.

Online education

Guide to Literary Agents editor Chuck Sambuchino is hosting a live session tomorrow on how to land a literary agent. There's still time to register; follow the link here.

Writer's Market editor Robert Brewer (also known for his Poem-a-Day Challenge at Poetic Asides) is hosting a live session on May 29 on how to get your poetry published. You'll never meet a better expert, and you'll get an opportunity to ask him any question you like on the topic during the live event. Again, visit this site for registration links.

Unsure if an online event (webinar) is right for you? You can find our FAQs here.

We're launching a new WOW course, Hooked, which is focused on how to craft an amazing beginning to your novel—one that will catch the attention of agents and editors. It's nearly full, but we're still accepting students. Class starts on May 28. Go here for more info.

Competition deadlines

The deadline for the Writer's Digest International Self-Published Book Awards has been extended to May 20. Enter in 10 different categories, from poetry to humor. You could win $3,000, plus some winners are noticed by agents. (Yep, we have success stories of authors who have been picked up by a traditional house after winning this contest.) Click here for more information or to register your entry online.

This Friday marks the deadline for our biggest contest of the year: The Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition, now in its 78th year. Grand prize includes a trip to NYC with a Writer's Digest editor to meet with agents.

As always: You can sign up for the WD newsletter on the homepage and receive a free-book on 70 common writing mistakes. You can also sign up for musings strictly from me, on writing and publishing (launching July 1). Go here to register.

Photo credit: Sister 72

Thanks to Query Letter Survivors, Plus Free Resources

Jane — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:43:56 GMT

Today I hosted a 90-minute session on query letters, dissecting and revising writers' queries to make the best impact on an agent, so you can get that wonderful request for your partial or full manuscript.

For attendees today, as well as readers, here are a few resources to help you along your way while querying/submitting:

Essential Blogs

QueryShark (by agent Janet Reid)
Guide to Literary Agents blog
No longer active but still helpful Miss Snark
The Rejecter

Great Posts From the Guide to Literary Agents blog

Information on Writer's Digest Webinars

Jane — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:47:06 GMT

New in 2009, Writer's Digest is launching a series of webinars (which you may have seen me post about last week). Each webinar has a specific benefit or focus, like how to land an agent or how to write a nonfiction book proposal—the kind of sessions you attend at a writers conference.

At first, I wasn't sure if writers would respond well to webinars, but so far, we've been thrilled with the response. We completely filled the initial webinar (offered for free) on how to get published in tough times, and our first paid webinar this Thursday is nearly full (how to land an agent by Chuck Sambuchino, see his blog post here; it also includes a link to register.)

We now have a page up at WritersDigest.com that describes all of our upcoming sessions this spring. Soon we'll have it updated to show what's on tap for the entire year. Here's a brief overview:

January 15
How to Land a Literary Agent (editor Chuck Sambuchino), 60m, $99

January 29
3 Secrets to Getting Your Nonfiction Book Published (Jane Friedman), 90m, $129

February 12
You Can Write Children's Books (editor Alice Pope), 60m, $99

February 26
Self-Publishing 101 (Jane Friedman), 90m, $129

March 12
The First 5 Minutes: How Editors Evaluate Your Manuscript (Joe Stollenwerk), 60m, $99

March 26
How to Negotiate Any Book Publishing Contract (Jane Friedman), 90m, $129

What you can do in a WD webinar:

Hear the presenter in speak in real time on the topic (through your computer or on the phone)
See any visuals the presenter wants to share (e.g., PowerPoint presention)
Interact with the presenter and other attendees of the webinar
Ask the presenter questions in real time
Receive any relevant materials from the presentation after it has concluded

If you have reliable Internet access, you should be able to easily participate in a webinar; it is all run through your Web browser—and by phone if you want to call in.

Thanks to Everyone Who Participated in WD's First Webinar

Jane — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:39:44 GMT

Welcome to all the webinar participants from today's free session: 5 Tips to Getting Published in Tough Times! Here are links to the sites I recommended in my presentation:

Also: Our first paid webinar will be on January 15, all about landing an agent, by Chuck Sambuchino ($99).

And I will be hosting a 90-minute session of January 29 on secrets to getting your nonfiction book published.

Agents & Editors: What Has Changed About the Submissions Process?

Jane — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:38:12 GMT

At Writer’s Digest Books, we’re in the process of updating our popular title Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript and are looking for insight from agents/editors on how the industry is changing. Here are a few things we’re interested in knowing.

How have queries and submissions changed for you in recent years? Do you request different information? Do you accept email queries? If so, do you prefer electronic or paper queries? How important is format and formality in electronic communication?
What are your pet peeves and turnoffs?
What are your do's and don'ts for writers?
Have you changed how you select authors? How many of your authors are found through queries, and how many through other means? Do you want to hear about an author's platform?
What recent changes in your market do you want writers to know about?

Writers are also welcome to comment and offer tips.

Click here to e-mail me directly!

Why Writers Need Agents

Jane — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:07:15 GMT

In the comments of the last post, Candy Gourlay pointed out the most charming and adorable YouTube video that she created on why writers need agents.

Everybody needs a smile in this business, so I highly recommend playing this gem!

Why Writers Need Agents at UK YouTube:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qTUGOjusOfg

> >

Weekly Roundup of Great WD Blog Posts

Jane — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:45:41 GMT

The latest and greatest information from WD editors:

How to write a nonfiction book proposal (Guide to Literary Agents blog)
The new 2009 edition of Guide to Literary Agents will hit the streets soon; here's a sneak peek at one of the upfront articles on writing nonfiction book proposals by agent Mollie Glick.

Are agents stealing my stamps? (Questions & Quandaries)
I get this question regularly at conferences. I'm always astounded. So here's the answer, if you've always wanted to ask, too.

Meeting agents in New York City (Writer's Perspective)
The editor of Writer's Digest magazine reports from the road, as she escorts winners of the Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition in face-to-face meetings with agents.

What no one tells you (Living With the M-Word)
A simple and direct answer to who is responsible for your book's success.

Rolling through stop signs (Alice's CWIM blog)
Alice has a rant this week (on frustrating people like myself! oops!) who don't stop fully at stop signs. I was even guilty of this during my driving test.

Weekly Roundup of Great WD Blog Posts

Jane — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:55:37 GMT

The latest and greatest information from WD editors:

Three acts of bad blogging (Writer's Perspective)
The editor of Writer's Digest magazine offers excellent and simple tips that will improve your blog overnight. Be sure to check out helpful comments from readers, too.

How I met one of the 20 worst agents (Guide to Literary Agents blog)
An entertaining story about a bad agent.

Help them help you (Living With the M-Word)
Our senior marketing manager talks about the harsh reality of how a publisher will (or won't) be supporting your book.

How do people read and buy books? (Alice's CWIM blog)
A Market Books editor points to a recent article with interesting statistics about people's book-buying habits.

What should you charge to ghostwrite a book? (Questions & Quandaries)
If you're thinking about writing a book for someone else, what's a fair rate?

Good Advice on How to Pitch

Jane — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:37:58 GMT

The reviews on the BEA/WDB conference are still trickling in … The latest is from an attendee who has excellent advice on how to approach a pitch slam. A snippet:

I think the most successful people were able to boil their book down to these three things:

Genre: I have a middle grade novel about eleven-year-old Billy
Cool factor: who starts an "anti-bully" business with Smacker, the monster under his bed.
Closing: Smacker disappears and darker creatures arrive under Billy's bed, threatening to destroy the town, Billy's friends, and Smacker, unless Billy can give them what they want--a chance to be on American Idol.

Read the full entry at the blog Wits and Pieces.

Weekly Roundup of Great WD Blog Posts

Jane — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:58:05 GMT

Poetic Asides
Robert Brewer offers a delightful wrap-up of his Poem-a-Day Challenge, including awards for Most Prolific Poet, Most Hated Poetry Prompt (the sestina), Most Loved Poetry Prompt (the sestina), and Most Likely to Write About a Comic Supervillain. Congratulations to everyone who met the challenge, and also to Robert for creating such a lovely challenge in the first place.

Alice's CWIM Blog
Read an interview with new literary agent Michael Stearns (Firebrand Literary), who was most recently an editorial director and foreign acquisitions manager for HarperCollins Children's Books.

Guide to Literary Agents
One of the agents who will be participating in next week's pitch slam (at the BEA/WDB conference), Bernadette Baker, gives insight into the graphic novel genre.

The Writer's Perspective
The editor of Writer's Digest magazine wants to hear from you on how the economy is affecting your writing life or career.

Living With the M-Word
Learn the importance of positioning your work.

Questions & Quandaries
Is is possible to copyright a pseudonym? Find out here.

Day 2: Pennwriters (Tips, Insights)

Jane — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:41:04 GMT

A recap of Saturday's events.

Successful Nonfiction Pitches (Irene Goodman)
In the morning I attended a session by agent Irene Goodman (25 years in the business), who spoke on developing a strong nonfiction book pitch. She posed the following question to the audience: How much will the publisher support your book, or what will they do to promote it?

A few people in the audience responded (somewhat dismally): Zero. Nothing. They do nothing.

(An aside: Even though many writers know the correct answer to Irene's question, I meet very few writers who actually incorporate their platform into their pitches—almost as if all writers believe they are the exception to the rule. Irene told me later that writers have a hard time personalizing this advice about platform. They hear it, but don't apply it.)

In any case, much of Irene's talk focused on developing a platform attractive to an editor or agent. She touched on various elements author platform, such as:

having a current Web site, with interactive elements (podcasts, videocasts, blogs)
building a mailing list (which is only meaningful if at 2,000+ names)
sending out regular e-newsletters
participating in online communities
being a joiner (putting yourself out there)
publishing articles for magazines, newspapers, etc.
speaking at organizations and events
getting attention from local and national media

An interesting point I haven't heard before: Irene said "real deal" authors (people who are experts in their area or passionate about their book topic) may not have a platform because they're busy doing their "real" jobs (being a teacher, being a doctor, etc). But even those people need to find ways to reach out and market themselves and build a platform. (She gave an example of a committed teacher who already speaks frequently to local PTA groups as part of his job. To build platform, his next step would be to find a national PTA group where he could speak.)

Other highlights from Irene's talk:

She highly recommended an e-book by MJ Rose and Douglas Clegg, Buzz Your Book.
Never put in your book proposal something like "This would be great on talk shows (radio, TV, etc)." Of course your topic would be great on talk shows. But so what? Who cares? What are you (the author) doing to make it happen? As an example of a proactive writer/author, Irene described a flower arranger who might send flowers to producers, with a note saying, "I can show your audience how to do this." Even if your attempts aren't successful, at the very least it should help you build contacts, or a network.
And: You probably have more contacts than you think. Don't be afraid to ask for things—but be genuine, be real.

Today's Pitches
The best pitches I heard today were from writers who focused on their market (audience) and how the audience would benefit from the book. The less successful pitches focused on the actual content of the book. I think the right ratio for a nonfiction book pitch is:

30 seconds on who the market or audience is and what problem they need to solve
15 seconds on the book concept/hook that addresses that problem
30 seconds on who you are (the author) and your platform (how you reach readers today)

Lunch Speaker: D.L. Wilson
Novelist D.L. Wilson talked about "practice novels": write that first manuscript, just to practice your craft and get it out of the way, then lock it in the closet. It's not a waste of your time; it's an excellent use of your time, because you're practicing and getting better.

He also said that editors have such enormous workloads these days that authors should not expect meaningful involvement ... unlike the early days of Robert Ludlum, whose editorial process with his legendary editor spanned 1-2 years for his first novel (The Scarlatti Inheritance), which then became a bestseller partially due to that revision process. Do editors today have time for such an involved process? Most do not.

Publishing Trends (Irene Goodman)
In the afternoon, Irene gave a whirlwind tour of what's hot and what's not in today's book publishing industry. Keep in mind the date of this list (May 17, 2008); it will go out-of-date fast.

FICTION

Novels with "craft" themes (knitting, quilting, etc)
Female protagonists in thrillers, "damsel in control", kick-ass heroines, Buffy-derivatives
In romance, old-school is now in style
Historical fiction, particularly Tudors and Elizabethans, sexy royal soap operas
Urban fantasies, THE hottest thing is young adult urban fantasy with female protagonists
Erotica is in (both good and bad erotica)
OUT: cozy mysteries without any hook, paranormal romance, biblically based quest for a legendary object, macho guys, chick lit, American historical fiction, male private-eyes, English village mystery

NONFICTION
(Note: Irene stressed this genre is less trend driven. It is platform driven, since all you need to do is prove there is an audience that you can sell to.)

Participatory journalism
Memoirs, only if extremely well-written, if you have something very special or unusual to say. Pet memoirs.
Fun, upbeat animal books, even narrated by the animal, not too cutesy, it has to be "real"
Crafts
OUT: Elizabeth-Gilbert also-rans, green books, cutesy memoirs, parenting

Weekly Roundup of Great WD Blog Posts

Jane — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:41:49 GMT

The Writer's Perspective
The editor of Writer's Digest magazine gives you the inside dirt on how to break into a career in journalism.

Living With the M-Word
Get a nuts-and-bolts overview of essential marketing tools from our marketing manager, Scott Francis.

Guide to Literary Agents
In a recent post, "Principles, Not Rules!" (about the conflicting advice you likely receive from agents), editor Chuck Sambuchino reveals that he's a man after my own heart.

Poetic Asides
Read an exclusive interview with poet Julianna Baggot by Writer's Market editor Robert Brewer.

Questions & Quandaries
For anyone who's been tempted to quote song lyrics in a book or article, read this information first, from WD magazine's online managing editor, Brian Klems.

Alice's CWIM Blog
Discover a self-published children's book that's all about your favorite … herb.

Agents Receive Form Rejection Letters, Too

Jane — Fri, 09 May 2008 19:44:20 GMT

I was catching up on my reading this past week, and stumbled upon this gem from a Poets & Writers interview with literary agent Nat Sobel:

"I don't get too many form rejection letters anymore. I usually respond by sending my own form rejection letter to the editor. I tell the editor, 'Our agency no longer accepts form rejection letters and we have decided to remove you from our submission list.' … The editors who tell you specifically what it is that they didn't like about the book are valuable. And you don't get too much of that."

It might be comforting for writers to know that even wonderful agents (like Nat Sobel) can have a difficult time receiving a (or any) response from editors. I have to say, though, that I never dreamed an editor would send a form rejection to an agent. (I don't even send form rejections to authors!) It just feels like bad business, especially if you're counting on agents to send you their best stuff, and if you want them to see how you'll do a good job as, well, you know, an editor, an editor being someone who can actually respond intelligently to someone's work and recommend changes (although Nat says there are two kinds of editors these days: the acquiring editor and the hands-on editor who also acquires, the latter being in short supply).

The interview with Nat is very lengthy, but every word is worthwhile. Highly recommend.