Doing Your Homework: Beyond the Obvious

I treasure epiphanies. They occur so rarely in adult life that one must cup the moment in trembling hand, cherish the feather-light strokes of wings, the fragile dust of magic, even the transitory nature of the creature.


This, however, was more like the smack in the middle of the forehead, roll of the eyes, and jaded, "DUH!" blurted out to all who would listen.

1. Do your homework. Yes, I know this. I'm actually holding the 2008 Guide to Literary Agents by Writer's Digest Books. Flipping to the back, under Literary Agents Specialties Index, I can even browse agents by topic, specifically Fantasy and Science Fiction. There are lots of other agent resources, but, then, you knew that.

2. Double check your sources. Just because someone is listed in the Guide, it's not carved in granite. If a website is provided, jump online and verify that the agent is still with the company listed. And yes, I've lived through this, having just received an email last week that stated, "Mollie X is no longer with Agency Y. Your email is being forwarded to Jenny Z at jennyz@agencyy.com. Boy, did I feel lame.

3. Don't just randomly query, even within your genre. Now some may disagree with me and recommend that you query anyone with a pulse, but I have discovered that some discretion may simply save time. Take me for an example. To my ever-living shame, I actually queried an agent who specifically stated on her website that she was looking for something other than high fantasy. Yes, she was looking for fantasy, just not what I was peddling. It was a bloody waste of both of our times, and I should have known better. (I'm still wondering if I'm a masochist.)

4. Improve your chances. This was the part I failed to figure out until just the other day. I don't know if I was being stupid or lazy, but here's the deal: create a list of the living authors who write in a similar fashion. Do a Google search for their agents. Then query their agents. So I've googled Kristin Britain and she has Anna Ghosh of Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency listed as the contact for "licensing and rights inquiries." I am currently cooking up a query for Ms. Ghosh, though in checking a list of of her recent sells, I see that this is the only fantasy listed. Hmmmm....Decision to be made.

5. Phone a friend. When in doubt, seek out your beta readers, your spouse, or your mom's friends and ask: if you had to put me in a category, who would the other authors be? Use their ideas to track down the most appropriate agent for your work. Who knows? You might find an answer that you wouldn't have targeted on your own.

Any other tips or thoughts or random bits of genius for all of us agent-seekers? It's a simplistic process but oh so painful...and easier to endure when there are friendly fellow bloggers participating in the same trial by fire. What's your story of failure? joy? humiliation? success?

Nathan Bransford: Literary Agent for Curtis Brown, Ltd

Previously this week, I mentioned Nathan Bransford as a blogging agent that anyone interested in publishing a novel should check out. I was serious. I've decided to post some of his gems, but I recommend that you seek his site out yourself.

Five Gems from Nathan Bransford:
1. August is a traditionally slow month in publishing, though he notes that it doesn't seem particularly slow this year. I had no idea that a particular time of the year was considered slow.

2. Quotes and blurbs from authors, editors, or clients are met with healthy skepticism, so don't bother soliciting them. On the other hand, if one of these respected individuals personally contacts him to refer your work, he'll definitely look at the manuscript.

3. He has a great post on the vital intersection of plot and character. The discussion of conflict, both external and internal, resonates. If the first and final images of your character aren't radically different, nothing happened during the course of your novel.

4. Query letter do's and don'ts. An interesting post on 1) copycat trends, 2) ripped from headlines trends, and 3) "simultaneous thought" trends is on the same page.

5. Nathan does a fascinating query critique of three brave authors who submitted theirs for public dissection. This is the open window into how one agent thinks. Valuable.

Find a Literary Agent

Book finished? Revised four times? (Why is it that every time I talk with a "serious" writer they tell me, "I'm on my fourth revision"? Is four the magic number? Am I missing something? Have I lost out simply because I didn't do the requisite four?!) Have you toiled over your synopsis? Have you executed a finely turned query letter? Well, then, it's time to look for a literary agent. Good luck.

Actually, this post is not about finding the right literary agent. In fact, I think it's best to start with what this is not about.

• It's not a list of agents. You can find that anywhere. Try Guide to Literary Agents, either online or in book format.
• It's not a matching service. Zirdland is currently testing one, however, if that floats your boat.
• It's not a get-rich-quick scheme. But I do have a large tract of undeveloped land to sell if you're interested.

There is a ton of information out there about each of those items. (Read my previous posts, if you're bored. Truly.)

What I've discovered, however, is that there are literary agents out there blogging who are phenomonal writers in their own rights. Treasure troves of information, inspiration, and motivation, they provide real tips in a timely fashion. So, my advice is to find a literary agent who "speaks" to you; who blogs on topics near and dear to your heart; who is honest about the work and the glory. You don't even have to query her. You just have to listen.

My contribution to the blogging agent list: Nathan Bransford. I'm not only impressed with his prolific blogging, but also with his uncanny ability to blog on topics I'm currently needing. Or even on topics I didn't know I needed but found great use for. Check him out.

Are there agents you subscribe to? Do you find yourself checking one agent blog in particular simply because there's always a gem nested there? Have you ever queried an agent that you found via blog? Let me know if you've found the perfect agent blogger; I'm always looking to expand my horizons.

How to Publish Without an Agent

My advice is to secure an agent (see previous posts). However, it's still possible to see your book in print without the advice and guidance of one. Read on for tips.

It is possible to be your own literary agent. I don't personally know anyone who has gone that route, but I do know it's been done.

1. Search out publishing companies that accept unagented, unsolicited manuscripts. There are lots that say they do, but whether or not your manuscript receives more than a cursory glance is hard to determine.

• Heather Osborn an acquiring editor of Tor Books (imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC) is looking for paranormal romance or urban fantasy. She suggested Stacy Hague-Hill (Thanks to twinkiethekid for spelling advice) as someone actively looking for Science Fiction / Fantasy aquisitions.
• Check out Fleetwood Robbins, an editor at Wizards of the Coast, as well.
• Ace & ROC of Penguin Group will also accept direct queries from authors.

2. Do the research. Each of these publishing companies details specific guidelines for submitting your work. They're all different. Look up what they want, do a google search for an editor to send it to, and then personalize the query letter.

3. Find out what it takes to represent your own work. I would recommend Martin P. Levin's book Be Your Own Literary Agent: The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Getting Published. While not the final word on the subject (chapter on contracts advises finding a lawyer or an agent) , it will still give you some tips on getting an editor to look at your work.

Are you someone who has gone the unagented route? What were your experiences? Did you find that getting published led you to an agent? Or did you decide to continue on alone?

Publish My Book: Steps You Can Take

Note: This posting is a continued conversation on the topic of Agents & Publishing.

So, what now? It's really a matter of choosing a course and following through. If you're determined to get published, you must commit to the following steps:

1. Write the best novel you can. I can't tell you how many people I talk to who have a great idea or have just written the first fifty pages. Stop talking and write. There's too much competition out there to simper over what you're going to do. Just do it.

2. Do the research. Who repesents your market? Who's accepting unsolicited manuscripts? There are so many good resources out there already (on-line: AgentQuery, Writer Beware, ForWriters, Writers Write & book form: Guide to Literary Agents, Literary Marketplace, Writer's Market to name a few), that I'm not going to repeat it all here.

3. Do the research part II. Think you're done? Not by half. Once you find a sizable agent list, research them. Visit their websites and find out exactly what they want. If they're looking to publish urban fantasy with a steampunk edge and you're writing high fantasy, look elsewhere. Tailor everything you do in your query to each specific agent. Yes, that means that you might be doing a great deal of editing and work. That's okay. That's your job.

4. Do the work. Write a darn good query letter. Again, this means doing your homework, discovering what a query letter is supposed to accomplish, and perfecting your work of art.

• Reminder: Different agents require different things. Look up their requirements on their website. They may ask for a query letter, a synopsis, or a chapter outline, an ounce of blood or DNA proof that you're not a child of the antichrist. Give it to them.
• Note: If agents have no unsolicted manuscripts written on their site, that simply means that you need to write an effective query letter. Don't strike them off your list.
  

5. Send off your queries in batches of ten (see previous post on this strategy).

6. Don't stop -- Keep writing. Just because you've written the next best thing since LiveScribe doesn't mean you rest on your laurels. Nope. Instead, you keep on a' truckin'. You write. After all, it's what you do.