A fresh start with a new agent!

I have a new agent!

Lara Perkins of Andrea Brown Literary Agency!

This is my dream agency and has been on my radar for years!! Many of my critique partners are with ABLA  so I've heard such wonderful things.

I am so happy to be at another crossroads in my publishing career.

As many of you know, I have had many ups and downs in publishing over the last several years.

Got a great agent. Didn't sell my first book - boo! hiss! (though it got sooo close!)

Wrote another book. Didn't sell that either. boo! hiss! (again close, but no cigar. As my dad says, 2nd place is just the first loser :)

In the spring of 2011, my agent and I parted ways. I was back to square one.

Even though I knew the separation was the right decision, it sucked big time. I liked my agent. She worked hard and did everything right. I'd worked so hard too. At the time, I thought my career was over and didn't write for 6 months.

In the fall of 2011, I finally decided to self publish my books - it was not a strategic decision, it was simply a way for me to move on in my writing. Get my mojo back. I lost some friends over this decision, yet gained many new ones who supported me along the way (esp the Indelibles!). I had nothing to lose. 

I had no idea my books would sell well. If at all. I just tried to put out the best book I could and invested in the product.

2012 became a very interesting year. It was hard, yet I had a blast. Full of tears, frustration, cheers, and some big wins.

Untraceable did great in sales, but on the other side, my beloved middle grade, On the Bright Side, sadly didn't do as well. Even with a great Publisher's Weekly Review! "Johannes kicks off the Starling series with this fresh novel about an angel's peripatetic path to earning her wings...A humorous addition to the angel story genre. "- Publisher's Weekly

Recently, I took OTBS off the market to shelf it for later- a hard personal decision but a smart business decision. And in the end as much as we don't want it to be - publishing is a business. (IE: Middle grade ebooks  just don't sell well. For now.) 

Since self publishing, in 18 months, I have sold approx. over 30,000 copies of my series. I've won several national awards and gained a great Kirkus Review. I've learned a lot about the business and made some wonderful indie friends. I've gained confidence and learned to swallow my pride along the way.

But this has been a very hard road. Self publishing is tough! It's a lot of work, some guessing, and about overcoming many hurdles. I have loved the challenge and plan to continue in some fashion b/c I enjoy it. But sometimes I just want to write again. Leave the business aside for a little.

Not to mention, I missed having an agent. Since then, I have still wanted that one person on my side. The one who believed in me and my writing. My career as a writer not just my books. Self publishing can be lonely and invalidating.

Yet, as I said awhile ago in a post, I want to experience both sides of publishing. This was before Hugh Howey's crazy deal and during Amanda Hocking's traditional success. No matter what some people believe, I personally think traditional publishing offers authors some things that are hard to find in self publishing. And vice versa. So I feel both sides have pros and cons. Both sides are hard. Both sides are sometimes a total crap shoot. Luck and timing is 20% of the battle.

Last year, while the Untraceable series was selling, I started writing a brand new secret series that only a few critique partners knew about. The project I've been really excited about.

Last Nov, I attended the Atlanta Writers Club conference in Atlanta as well as another conference to work the manuscript. If agents are ever in Atlanta or at a conference I'm attending, if I can, I always try to pitch or have something critiqued.  The knowledge I gain in those critiques and pitches is invaluable.

Lara Perkins happened to be in Atlanta along with other great agents. I almost didn't go but some spaces opened up at the last minute. I signed up for a pitch and critique with two different agents.

To be honest, I wasn't even thinking about getting an agent at the time or a few reasons. 

1) I'd given up on that dream.

2) I was planning to self publishing my new book. 

3) Lara wasn't even taking on her own clients at the time. She was working as Laura Rennert's asst as well as the digital manager for ABLA. The other agent, Anita Mum, was the foreign rights agent at Kristin Nelson's agencies. So this conference was just about gaining some feedback.

4) It was ABLA and Kristin nelson agency - those are too good to be true.

But I did know those 2 agencies were on the forefront of publishing and digital publishing so I figured of all the agents, they would understand where I was coming from. And many agents don't take too positively to self publishing.

At the conference, I ended up winning Best Pitch from Lara and Best Manuscript from Anita in the AWC awards (which I almost didn't even attend!!)  They both offered to see the book when it was done. I really hit it off with both of them so I figured "why not" and continued writing.

In late Jan, as I was working to finish the book, an agent I met at another conference requested a partial of my new series. Out of courtesy, I asked Lara, Anita and a couple others I had met if they wanted to read the partial too. They all did.

What I didn't know is that Lara had been recently promoted to an agent and was actively building her client list.

Within days, I had a couple offers for exclusive revisions (on a partial!). But as you may remember, I went through 3 noncontractual revisions with my tween book during the Acquisitions process (only to not sell the book) so at first, I was not too keen on this. But i decide to listen to them anyway.

I went ahead and set up a meeting with the agents and listened to their visions/ideas. I have found you just never know what will work for you in this industry unless you meet people and listen. Still unsure of traditional pubbing. 

After talking with Lara, I realized not only did we click but we had the same vision of the book. Our meeting went well over the scheduled time and by the time I got off, I wanted her to rep me so bad. My husband kept telling me not to get my hopes up - after all they had been dashed so many times and I was doing fine on my own.

Lara and I set up a couple phone meetings in Feb and brainstormed the synopsis and book.  She gave me her editorial notes and talked me through what worked and what didn't.  We really hit it off.

A few months later (after several email exchanges and a couple calls), I sent Lara the full manuscript and she asked for a 2 week exclusive read. I was hoping she would take me on but told myself she prob. wouldn't (b/c I have not had the best luck with agents.). 

I decided that it was either Lara or self publishing. This was my crossroads and this time, there was no downside for me. It was a matter of which path I was moving ahead on. I wasn't interested in querying the world and taking whoever would take me. I didn't want anyone else after working with her on the project. Of course, I didn't tell HER that :) 

There were so many other small serendipitous things that connected us like : she had been to place where my book was set, she knew the history behind my character's name (which no one does), and she's a thriller geek like me (knows them all!), and she is really interested in the news on computers/hacking (my book is a hacker series).

Before the 2 weeks was up, an email popped in my inbox. She said she loved the manuscript, was 1/2 way in, and wanted to talk. I - of course - was still skeptical, afraid she was going to reject me over the phone. Which has happened to me in the past - believe it or not!

Last Monday, we spoke on the phone for 1.5 hours and she offered representation. I immediately said yes. What I love is that Lara was very supportive of my self publishing record and she knows all about digital publishing. 

So I am now with my dream agency. Almost 2 years to the exact date I parted with my first agent.

Moral of the story? 

Keep your chin up and know things can always change at the drop of a hat. 

Keep writing and keep trying. 

And, even when things seem over, maybe it's just a new beginning.

Good luck! :)

Some News and 2013 Focus

So I have some great (unexpected) news that came up over the holiday!

I have a new foreign rights agent! Yay! Jennifer Custer is with AM Heath in London, one of the oldest literary agencies in the UK. Now Untraceable and friends will be at Bologna in March and fingers crossed we can jump the pond. :)

In a way it was serendipitous as I think these things often are - Jennifer is from Atlanta and the South so she personally connected to the story when it came across her desk. She lives in London with her hubby so we also share foreign hubbys (not the same one but our hubbys are foreigners :). Also - a big thank you to the Alliance of Independent Authors because they introduced me to Jennifer. You can find out more about them on the right side of my page.

This is very important to me. For one - it is hard to get your indie-pubbed work out internationally. And two - I must say it is nice to have someone on my side again. I haven't had that for a couple years since my last agent and I parted - so this is a great change for 2013.

I've also reestablished my goals for the year.

I'm trying to balance social media with writing and giving back to the writing community. I don't want to just focus on one or the other. And as I've mentioned before, giving back in some way is important to me.

Priorities

• Write more on a schedule
• Post blogs on a schedule - 2-3 times a week
• Schedule time on social media when taking breaks
• Only attend conferences I speak at or have a direct tie in to my craft or the business of publishing
• Find ways to give back to all authors and the writing community.

Publishing Goals

• Continue indie publishing while maybe testing out some traditional publishing options.
• Query my shiny new project to see what publishing path is best - indie or traditional (haven't decided yet)
• Release Unstoppable (book 3) in May (indie)
• Finish releasing the SUFFOCATE novelette series over the summer (indie)
• Release a fourth book in Fall? (indie)

Marketing goals

• Reach the reader more directly - skype visits etc
• Update my web site - lord knows it needs it
• Continue to be authentic
• Try to find a way to support a couple nature organizations with my Nature of Grace series
• National coverage (have not clue how yet :)

Aggressive but doable only because my books are already planned and plotted - it's just writing and editing, which is the easiest part for me.

A huge personal goal is to establish my worth and stick to it. Without going into detail, I often accept less than what I deserve to accommodate others or I give more than is expected - so this shift in mindset is a hard one for me.

Writing Goals


From a writing perspective, I am moving in one direction for now: Contemporary Thrillers (adult and new adult)

I want to create fast-paced novels. Untraceable was not as fast-paced as Uncontrollable (in my opinion). I think that was primarily because there was too much feedback on Untraceable in the beginning and I lost confidence in my own work with my old agent.

• Tone down my urge to add descriptions and narrative
• Up the pacing
• Plot in advance to make the writing part easier
• Continue being open to feedback and learning my craft

What are your goals for writing/publishing this year? I'd love to hear them :)

Diana Fox (Fox Literary) talks Marketing

Diana's Agent Pitch Contest starts tomorrow and ends Wed night at midnight EST. Come back tomorrow for deets!

Here is Diana Fox to talk about marketing and tell you what she likes!

Tell us about yourself/your agency

I started my career as an intern at Writers House in 2004, and began taking on my first clients while working as an assistant there. In 2007 I opened Fox Literary, a boutique agency, primarily representing young adult and adult commercial fiction, along with some literary fiction and nonfiction with broad commercial appeal. Since then, I've represented a steadily-growing list, including some bestselling and award-winning authors I've been incredibly lucky to get to work with. I also love the challenges of running my own business, and I've learned so much in the last three years that I could never have learned any other way.

How do you, as an agent, encourage your authors to market themselves?

It depends on the author. Not every author is going to be good at marketing themselves in the same ways, so it's important for individual authors to figure out what works for them. But there are a couple of things I encourage all my authors to do.

1) Have some kind of online presence. What that is can vary--there's so much to choose from when it comes to social media these days, but it should be something the author is good at doing and doesn't hate, and which will help them reach their target audience. I also encourage authors to maintain a basic website with information about how to contact them and on their books (and links to where readers can buy the books!).

2) Network. This category is VAST and networking can take many forms, but I encourage authors to cultivate relationships both with potential readers and with people in the industry, like fellow authors, librarians, booksellers, and other publishing professionals. Some ways to do this include:

• -- going to conferences
• -- joining writers organizations (such as the Authors Guild or specialized groups like RWA and SCBWI, which are especially valuable for unpublished authors but can greatly benefit published authors too)
• -- establishing relationships with local booksellers and librarians
• -- offering to do school visits and talk to book clubs (either remotely or in person)
• -- attending events to support fellow authors
• -- authors promoting one another by doing things like participating in group blogs, retweeting and interviewing and guest blogging for one another, giving away books by other authors, planning events together, etc.
• -- being active in writing forums like Backspace/Absolute Write/Verla Kay/OWW/Romance Divas
• -- interacting personally with readers online (I'll never forget how pleasantly surprised I was the first time an author sent me a message on GoodReads thanking me for reading and reviewing her book--and I've thought well of that author ever since!)
• -- last but not least, have other interests and participate in other communities that aren't directly related to writing and publishing.

Authors need to care about--and talk about--more than just themselves and their books, and often, other people who share their non-writing interests will be a good potential audience for the author's books as well. To give a brief example, my client Seanan McGuire participated in the science fiction community as a fan and a singer-songwriter for years, putting out several CDs and traveling to conventions to perform and building a fan base for her music that also eventually produced many readers of her books.

Now she goes to those same events as a published author and has a chance to interact with those readers, lots of whom she's known since before she ever had an agent or sold a book! So when it comes to building a readership I feel like the most effective and organic way for authors to do that is to participate in activities they enjoy with people who share their interests--both book-related AND not.

How have things changed with agencies promoting their author books? What things do agents/literary agencies do to help promote their author's books?

I think that in general, agents are taking over more and more of the work that publishers used to do, and that includes publicity. When I say this, I want to be very clear that I'm NOT saying publishers aren’t doing their part--I'm so grateful to the marketing and publicity teams who work with my authors, and I see how hard they work!--but given the ever-increasing amount of books being published and the proliferation of outlets for promoting those books, publishers have to be selective about where their resources are best spent.

As a result, I'm seeing more agents act as unofficial publicists and publicity consultants to their authors, especially when it comes to online promotion and social networking. Many agents have blogs, Twitter accounts, and Facebook pages which they use to promote their individual clients in addition to themselves and their agencies. (Some editors do this now as well.) In addition, some of the larger agencies have publicity managers on their staff, or publicity and marketing interns.

As an agent, when evaluating whether to take on an author or book, I'm assuming you Google them.

Yes--and sometimes I Google them even earlier. If I see a fantastic query and request the manuscript right away, I’ll often Google because I’m excited to learn more about the author. If I’m on the fence, sometimes I’ll Google to see if they have a blog or website with further excerpts from the book I’m considering requesting, to help make up my mind.

And when I’m thinking of offering representation, I go through everything I can find: blog posts, Twitter, Facebook, posts on message boards and writing forums, online publications, etc. Mainly because I want to make sure my clients know how to act professional in public, but I also want to see what they bring to the table (in addition to a great book, of course!) and their online presence is a part of that.

When you Google authors, what do you look for? What would turn you off?

I look for clean, easy to read websites that get the job done. An author website doesn’t need a lot of bells and whistles, at least not at the query stage--I just need to know who you are, what you write, and how to get in touch with you. Ideally, however, a website will also give some sense of the author’s personality and whether they know how to market themselves appropriately for the genre they’re writing in. For instance, when I first saw Elizabeth Loupas's website, I thought it was a perfect author website for Elizabeth; like her, it’s simple, classy, and relevant to the interests of the audience for her work, and that made me even more certain that she was exactly what I was looking for in a client.

What turns me off is a website that’s difficult to navigate and/or has spelling and grammar errors, and authors behaving unprofessionally online. Some agents spend a lot of time on the Internet, and if we see writers engaging in behavior we find unprofessional (such as trash-talking agents and the publishing industry, or constantly posting to message boards & hanging out on Twitter instead of writing their books), it will make us less interested in working with them. That doesn’t mean authors can never say anything remotely critical or negative--just that if they're doing so in a public forum, they should be aware of that, and choose their words and actions accordingly.

What advice do you have for authors trying to promote their books to agents?

The most important thing is to have written a good book! I know agents say this all the time, but it’s true: if the book is good enough, everything else is secondary.Beyond that, my advice for unpublished authors is pretty similar to what I encourage my clients to do.

Again, networking (both online and off) can really help authors looking to connect with agents. I find the majority of my clients through a combination of referrals, meeting them at conferences, and discovering them online; only about a quarter of the authors I currently represent queried me directly. I'd also reiterate that it’s useful to have a website, but if you do, it needs to look professional. A bad website is worse than no website.

And, authors need to be easy to find! I can’t stress this enough. Connect your social media--if I can find your twitter/Facebook, I want to be able to click through to your website or blog without having to spend a long time hunting around for the link, and vice versa.

Finally, I love authors whose online presence shows that they are savvy when it comes to self-promotion and marketing. A good example of this is when I see authors having fun putting together book trailers for their manuscripts, or authors who have already bought the domain for their book at the querying stage. (My client Michelle Hodkin bought maradyer.com, maradyer.net, and maradyer.org before we even sold her debut novel THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER, and I loved that she had done that.) I also love when authors put elements in their books which are brandable and lend themselves to marketing.

What are you looking for right now? What are you OVER seeing?

In young adult, I’m still enjoying the recent dystopian and paranormal trends, in addition to continuing to look for realistic contemporary YA. Historical can be a harder sell, but I'd like to find some voice-driven, literary historical fiction too (like Jennifer Donnelly or Judy Blundell). I’ve also just signed my first middle grade project after being like “I don’t really do middle grade” for the past three years, so now I want to see more middle grade in the hopes of discovering something else that awesome.

On the adult side, my wishlist includes romance--especially historical and paranormal romance--and historical fiction, either realistic or historical fantasy/alternate history. And I’m looking for a commercial thriller that breaks the mold a bit, since I’m kind of all over the map when it comes to what I read in that genre, which is everything from voice driven literary crime fiction to black comedy with serial killers to speculative high concept, high-octane thrill rides.

I'm not over seeing anything in particular, because I always look for a strong writing style and voice. If a book has that, I'm not concerned with whether I've already gotten fifty other submissions along the same lines that week. We retell beloved stories over and over--that's what genre and mythology are all about--but it's the WAY the story is told that makes it fresh and exciting. Either that, or the concept should be original and unique enough that it makes me sit up and take notice!

Here's a link to my submission guidelines (on my new blog): http://foxliterary.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-to-query-me.html

Thank you for stopping by!

Chris Richman Agent at Upstart Crow Literary

Hi guys - I'm back and looking forward to connecting with everyone again.

Who ever comments this week will be entered into a HUGE ARC drawing contest. Just to say Happy New year!

I have done a few conferences with Chris now and I adore him. He's as funny as he is smart. And he knows books. Last year, I had the pleasure of interviewing Michael Stearns as well. Enjoy!

=================

Hi Chris. Happy New Year! For those who don't know you, tell us about yourself as an agent.

I’m an agent at Upstart Crow Literary, focusing exclusively on books for middle grade and young adult audiences. I consider myself extremely picky with the material I take on, but this selectiveness allows me to have more time to spend on my small list of clients. I guess I fill a few different roles as an agent: I’m a cheerleader (I spread the word about the book and cheer it on), an editor (I typically work with writers on revisions before sending a project out), and a big brother (I offer advice and act as the author’s protector when things get tough, fighting the battles so the author can focus on the writing).

I love that you help in the editorial process. How do you support your authors in their marketing efforts? What do you feel is most important in promoting books? What doesn't seem to work?

I tend to support my authors’ marketing in two ways: the first is by acting as a sounding board. While I don’t actively go out and pursue marketing opportunities for them, I typically discuss their ideas for independent marketing, and weigh in on what I think is worthwhile and what isn’t. I’ll offer advice based on what I’ve seen work in the past and will sometimes brainstorm ideas. I’ve even sat in on marketing meetings with publishers. The second is by acting as the aforementioned cheerleader. I talk up my clients’ books on Twitter, Facebook, at conferences (sometimes I will mention the projects I work on in speeches and request that the booksellers carry copies), and everywhere else people will listen.

The most important elements in promoting a book, especially for debut writers, is to make sure an author is making personal connections. Whether it’s with booksellers, or parents, or with other writers, it’s definitely helpful when an author is more than merely a name on the spine of a book. There’s a difference between someone saying “Here’s a book by Joe Smith. Never heard of him” and “Oh, I remember meeting Joe Smith! He came into the store and was so friendly” or “I met Joe at a conference.” The truth is, if you don’t have a big marketing effort put forth by the publisher, there’s a strong chance people won’t know who you are when you’re a debut. And with the internet, it doesn’t always have to be in person. Twitter, Facebook, and email an allow a writer to connect with people directly. People just have to remember that they’re competing with loads of people for this same space, which is why occasionally thinking outside of the box for unique marketing opportunities can be important, too.

What doesn’t seem to work is when an author tries to force things, or steps too far outside what they’re comfortable with. Do what comes naturally—if you’re not a people person, and the idea of approaching a bookseller to talk about your forthcoming work terrifies you, stick to what works for you.

What do you (agents) go through during submission time? We hear about the angst with writers, do agents have the same feeling?

We definitely get affected by the ups and downs of the submission process, but probably not nearly as much as writers do. After all, this is what we do for a living, and the longer we’re an agent, the more times we go through the process, whereas it will be the first time for many writers. Plus, although we have a personal stake in the success of each project, we’re less apt to take responses personally, since we weren’t the driving force behind the creation of projects. It helps, too, to approach it as a business.

Yes, we’re invested in the stories and the writers who craft them, but we also know it’s professional. Sometimes writers can lose sight of that. With that being said, there’s definitely a level of anxiousness that comes from going out with a new project, and excitement when we find a great home for a story.

What is the most exciting part of acquiring a book? What is the hardest part about wanting a book?
Because acquiring a single book is only the first step in what will hopefully be a long relationship, what’s most exciting isn’t the book itself, but everything that comes after, from more books, to eventual sales, to a long and fruitful career. First time writers often focus so much on getting an agent as this momentous goal, but from our side, it’s just the beginning.

The hardest part about wanting a book is knowing that, with the growing number of agents out there, there’s a good chance we’ll be in for a dog fight. Part of the reason I’ve become more and more picky as I’ve gone along is to make sure that a writer knows I’m very serious when I do make an offer to represent a project. Hopefully that works in my favor!

What are you looking for? What are you seeing too much of?
At the moment, I’m really interested in books that feel classic. I’ve sold a fair number of contemporary stories recently both in YA and middle grade, which is great, but I’d like more books like Jacqueline West’s THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE series that feel like they could have have been published 25 years ago, or 25 years from now. Books that have a timeless quality about them, so they’re still relevant going forward.

I see too much of writers obviously trying to chase trends. Trends are difficult to predict, but often times if people are noticing trends on the bookshelves, like angels or dystopians or whatever, there’s a good chance the trend is already on its way out. Plus, it’ll likely be two years before your book hits the shelves anyway, which means you could now be several years behind the trend.

I prefer writers to focus on writing the best book they can. And then send it to me!

NOTE: Get your queries ready because Upstart Crow is reopening to submissions from on 23 January 2011.

Comment this week and I will do a drawing for 20 different Arcs on Friday!

Josh Adams from Adams Literary Stops by to Chat!

Josh Adams from Adams Literary stops by before our Agent Pitch Contest tomorrow.

Hey Josh, tell us about yourself/your agency.

Together with my wife Tracey, I run Adams Literary, a full-service, boutique literary agency exclusively representing children's and young adult authors and artists. Given the focus of your blog, your readers may be interested to know that in addition to my editorial background, I received my MBA from Columbia Business School, where I won the marketing award—and, prior to co-founding Adams Literary with Tracey, worked for several years in marketing and brand strategy. These are all things that have served me well, and perhaps uniquely, as a literary agent for the children's and YA markets.

How do you, as an agent, encourage your authors to market themselves?

The first thing I'd encourage our—or any authors—to do is to write truly unforgettable books. Their work is their strongest marketing tool. But beyond that, I'd encourage them to build a network of contacts and friends in the industry, to attend conferences as participants and/or faculty, to line up school and library visits so they can connect with their readers, to think creatively about publicity, and, especially for young adult authors, to use social media to their advantage.

How have things changed with agencies promoting their author books? What things do agents/literary agencies do to help promote their author's books?

At Adams Literary, we've always tried to be forward-looking in promoting and marketing our authors' work. While it may seem rather quaint now in hindsight, when we started the agency in 2004, we were among the first literary agencies to have a web site and the first that we know of to publicly provide their client list (some surprisingly still do not). While the site is certainly helpful for people to learn about us as an agency (and most agencies use their sites that way), we view it, and indeed everything we do, as a way for people in the industry—and readers in general—to learn more about our authors and their work. Being tireless advocates of our clients' work—and publicizing them at every opportunity, including at regional and national writers' conferences—is one of our main roles as literary agents.

For people in the industry, we produce professionally designed, full-color printed and e-catalogs for major international fairs (Bologna and Frankfurt), highlighting our authors' work and available rights. For years, we've produced a newsletter that has gone to more than 1,000 people, including editors and publishers here and abroad, although more recently, it has been largely replaced by Twitter updates about our authors' new books and achievements. We also work closely with our authors, their editors and their publishers' publicity/marketing teams to ensure opportunities are being created for successful promotion and marketing.

As an agent, when evaluating whether to take on an author or book, I'm assuming you Google them. What do you look for? What would turn you off?

Well, first I'd probably visit their web site or blog, if they've provided it. If they haven't, then yes, I'd Google them. We look for the same thing we'd look for in a manuscript we're considering: a thoughtful, interesting and professional approach. We like to get a sense of the author's personality, if possible, and whether we think we'd like to work with them and would be "on the same page" about the direction of their career. We don't want to see anything inappropriate—either personally, or for the market—or that seems contradictory to the work or goals they've presented to us.

But if an author doesn't have a web site or blog, that's fine, too. (We do expect artists to have a web site that showcases their work.) It all comes back to the work itself. There is nothing more disappointing or frustrating than an author who has clearly spent more time on their web site than their manuscript.

What advice do you have for authors trying to promote their books to agents?

My first advice is to wait until you—and your work—are ready. We want unpublished authors to focus on the work, not on the marketing. As literary agents, we look for potential, not perfection—but we also want to see highly polished work. Also, do your homework to find the agent(s) that you think would be the best match for you, to target your submissions carefully, and to present your work—and yourself—as professionally as possible, without taking it all too seriously. One of our first questions is always, "Why us?" There needs to be a good answer to that. Make connections at conferences or industry-related functions; many of our new clients are referrals from clients and people in the industry. And finally, a sense of humor—and humility—can be helpful.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow at 9AM to enter the Agent Pitch Contest!

Agent Pitch Contest - Josh Adams @ Adams Literary

Yes - so I've missed you guys.

I've been working tons and with the holidays can't post as often.

But don't fret - I'll be back on the ball in January!!! with marketing contests and more.

To tie you over, I have a special holiday surprise for all my followers - just for being so loyal and hanging in with me during my blog hiatus.

An Agent Pitch Contest!

Josh Adams from Adams Literary will be reading your pitches and choosing the winners who will get to submit to him personally.

I have met Josh several times and trust me - you WANT to enter this contest. Not only is he smart and has a good eye for books. But he is hilarious and fun! What more could you want.

So polish up your Twitter Pitches and get them ready for Thursday!

Some deets:

• The pitch contest will start this Thursday 9am EST and last until midnight EST Friday night.
• Your pitch must fit into my twitter count test of 140 characters. This includes punctuation and spaces. So try to be creative!
• Must be a MG or YA.
  
• You must follow the directions and include your entry in the comments.
  
• You must be a follower to enter.

Tomorrow, Josh will stop by to answer a few questions and give you an idea of what he likes.

So come back tomorrow.

More deets to come!

The Bent Agency - Susan Hawk (Literary Agent)

NEWSFLASH: Agent Pitch Contest starts tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at 9am EST!

Work on your 1-2 sentence pitch!

Here is our agent of the month - Susan Hawk with The Bent Agency

Who you are and tell us about yourself/your agency.

I’m the children’s book agent at The Bent Agency, where I’ve been working since the turn of the year. Before this, I worked for close to 20 years in marketing for children’s books. The last position I held before becoming an agent was as the Director of Marketing at Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, where I oversaw the marketing efforts geared towards teachers, librarians, booksellers, online and in publicity. Previous to that I was the Library Marketing Director at Penguin Young Readers.

With the birth of my second child, I decided to take some time off, but had been considering agenting as a next step. One day, I read a post on an online group that I belong to, asking for interns at a new agency. The post was from Jenny Bent, and we hit it off. Over the course of the next months, we began talking about me becoming an agent, I decided to take the plunge, and here I am!

It's amazing how kids can change everything and give you a new perspective. Especially on work. Whether we are moms or writers, we all have to deal with balance. How do you, as an agent, encourage your authors to market themselves?

There are lots of ways to go about marketing your books, but there are two key things to consider before doing anything:

What kinds of marketing are you suited for? Some authors love public speaking and would be happy to present to an audience of 100. Others shudder at the thought, but would jump at the chance to work with a small group of children. Some are excited to attend an industry conference, for others this is very draining. Creating a strong online presence can be very successful, but only if you welcome the time commitment, and understand the various tools out there used to build one. I work with authors to think through not only the various options available to them as marketers, but which of those options are best suited to them. I’ve always found that the most effective marketing comes from a genuine interest in not only the object marketed, but in the tool you’re using for marketing itself. Obviously, authors are enthusiastic about the book they are marketing. We talk together to pick a tool that allows them to share that enthusiasm best.

That said, I do think it’s important for authors to have some sort of online presence. How complex that is can depend, but it’s good to make sure that all the basic information about your books and who you are as a writer is out there.

The other key issue is to keep your publisher informed of your efforts; this way you don’t duplicate each other. Also, there are some things your publisher will prefer to do themselves (such as contact national publications). Others may be something that you can handle directly, but this differs from house to house, so you need to loop them in. Working with your publisher on marketing will net the best impact in the end, and as an agent, I work to make sure that this communication goes smoothly.

I think it's important to be genuine too or it can actually backfire. In your opinion, as budgets are cute, how have things changed with agencies promoting their author books? What things do agents/literary agencies do to help promote their author's books?

We all know that promotion continues to become a more central part of any book’s success, and as that has changed over time, agents’ focus on the marketing plans that publishing houses create has grown as well. For instance, when I started in publishing, it was unusual for an agent to request a marketing plan before the book was sold, less so now.

As I mentioned above, I work with my clients to think through what marketing efforts they might want to take on themselves, and help them plan that. I’ll be launching a blog soon, and that will be a way to promote my client’s work. A particular skill that I bring my clients is an understanding not only of some strong marketing tools, but of how the process works in a publishing house, when to ask questions about the marketing plan, and when we might be able to give some input.

Can't wait to read the blog! Speaking of online presence, how important is it when you are evaluating whether to take on an author or book?

I do look to see what might be out there, but I don’t feel that an author needs to have any particular web presence in advance of us working together. That can come later.

As an agent, what are you looking for in 2010?

I’m open to many different things. I’d love to find a great YA or middle grade mystery. I’m looking for boy books and humor. I’ve always loved fantasy and sci-fi. What really captures my interest is strong story-telling, a unique, sometimes slightly off-kilter voice and memorable characters that stick with me long after I finish reading.

Come back tomorrow for deets!

Agent Pitch Contest - Sarah LaPolla (Curtis Brown LTD)

NEWSFLASH: Sarah LaPolla is doing an Agent Pitch Contest starting tomorrow morning at 9amEST! It will be an paragraph pitch of no more than 4 sentences. Winner gets a special prize (revealed tomorrow :)

So get your pitches ready and come back tomorrow for more deets!

For now, here is a little about Sarah!

Hi Sarah, tell us about yourself and how you got into agenting?

I am an associate agent at Curtis Brown, Ltd. and have been with them since 2008. I started as the foreign rights assistant and a few months ago I started building my own list. Before getting my job at Curtis Brown, I received my MFA in creative nonfiction from The New School. I still vaguely consider myself a writer, but I always knew I wanted to be the one to make things happen for other writers, as opposed to getting my own work published. (Maybe, possibly, someday though…) While I was in grad school, I interned with Loretta Barrett Books and the Renee Zuckerbrot Agency, and I knew I wanted to continue down that career path. So here I am!

What is your biggest pet peeve when receiving submissions? Query fails vs query successes?

It bothers me when it is very clear the writer has done no research whatsoever before querying me. Another pet peeve is when authors compare their books, whether for better or worse, to other popular novels. I’ve been getting a lot of Twilight-meets-blank lately and then realize that the only thing remotely close to Twilight in the book is that a vampire shows up. I want writers to be able to describe their work without relying on anything else other than their own story.

As an agent, how do you plan on helping your clients promote their books?

I have my own blog, which I will use as a marketing tool when the time comes (promote books and events, hold contests, etc.) I’m also pretty active on Twitter. I would encourage my authors to do the same. Ultimately, I think the bulk of publicity still ends up falling on the publisher and the author, but the role of the agent is changing in that way. The outlets for effective marketing also change fairly often, so I plan to keep up with those trends as best I can.

What are you looking for and how can authors submit to you?

I love literary fiction, urban fantasy, magical realism, narrative nonfiction, and young adult fiction. I’m also always looking for engaging narrators and strong, complex characters. I should also point out that I am never, ever looking for picture books, romance novels, or general nonfiction books.

Authors can email me their query letters and the first five pages of their project, pasted into the body of the email, at sl@cbltd.com.

Last question, if you could have a special power, what would it be and why?

Teleportation, easily. It would be so time-saving, and I’d go so many places! Plus, my commute to work would be pretty sweet.

If you have any questions for Sarah, feel free to leave them in the comments! Don't forget to come back tomorrow!

Mary Kole - Agent interview and Pitch Contest

Mary Kole's Agent Pitch Contest starts this Fri am at 9EST and ends Sun am at 9 EST. Winner gets a query critique from Mary. Come back Friday at 9 am EST for more deets on how to enter!

Hint - get your 140 character pitch ready!

Now, here is Mary Kole:

Hi Mary, tell us about yourself. How did you get into agenting?

I had been writing YA for about two years, got an agent, and went out on submission. When my manuscript didn't sell, I decided that I wanted to learn more about the business and see things from the "other side of the desk." I'm never really satisfied with what I know and always want to keep learning. I started reading for an adult agency, then started reading and giving editorial manuscript feedback for my now-colleagues at Andrea Brown. It was the first time I really felt completely at home doing in a job, and I've been an official agent with ABLit since August 2009.

As an agent, what would you say is the state of YA today? What are you seeing too much of? What aren't you seeing enough of?

YA is changing, I think. Paranormal is still strong with readers, but editors, who are MY primary customers, are clamoring for really unique paranormal, fantasy, and dystopian, as well as contemporary and realistic stories. I see way too many derivative manuscripts -- girl, sixteen, discovers she has powers (through a diary, book, dream, vision, amulet, ghost, etc.), right as the hottest guy she's ever seen inexplicably transfers into her class...and provides a key to her powers and her destiny. Yawn. I've read it hundreds of times. There are more interesting stories out there and I challenge YA writers to find them.

You are building a great resource/site – Kidlit? How did this come about and what is your goal?

Since you can only query one agent at Andrea Brown at a time, I wanted to differentiate myself and attract submissions. I have eight amazing colleagues and I'm the newest agent, so I wanted to stand out and get my name out there, right from the beginning. But aside from that, I also come from a writing background and really enjoy teaching. This way, I reach out to potential clients, provide valuable content for writers (see more on this, below), and talk about the publishing business and the writing craft -- all of my favorite things to do, wrapped up in one blog!

What is a queryfail for you? What is a query success for you?

The least successful queries fail to make me care about the character and story. Other, smaller failures, involve queries that are too long, opening with a rhetorical question or making hyperbolic claims ("This is the next TWILIGHT!"). Here's a formula for a successful query, from my Kidlit blog.

How do you help your clients promote their books? What is an agents’ role in that if any?

A lot of writers don't realize how important in-house support for a book can be. Publishing is a business of relationships, so I make sure that author, editor, marketing department, and more, are all working smoothly together, all while generating enthusiasm from everyone I talk to on a client's behalf. Having grown up in Silicon Valley, I'm very interested in the Internet's role in book promotion, too. I happily discuss strategy, provide blog/website advice, and brainstorm with writers. I also talk up clients at my own events and, since I travel so much, I try to make connections with booksellers around the country -- you never know when you'll need to plan an event!

What do you feel is critical when doing book publicity?

Most people are selfish creatures, and that's not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to promotion. Most readers ask themselves, "What's in this for me?" So when you do any kind of promotion -- running a blog/Twitter feed, a contest, having a reading or event, doing an interview -- make sure the reader gets something out of it, too, besides the super awesome chance to purchase your book. Do giveaways. Bring goodies to events. Give away bookmarks and book plates. Talk about writing, reading, your book's themes or subject matter -- not just about yourself and the product you're selling.

My favorite book promotion tactic comes from David Morrell, an adult author. At a writer's conference, he told the audience about his recent book, something to do with urban exploring. Except he didn't mention his book, his characters, or his story at all. He talked for five minutes about the practice of urban exploring -- sneaking into abandoned urban properties, like buildings, factories, and warehouses -- and why it's so interesting. I feel like I learned a lot during that talk -- new facts for my cocktail party repertoire, score! -- and it got me excited to give the author something in return: my money.

Give your readers and future readers something valuable or cool, even if it is just a fun factoid. I repeat, don't make promotion all about you, you, you.

Last question – what is your biggest fear and why?

I'm a pretty anxious person, so I could go on, but why air all of my neuroses? One of my biggest fears, and I never hope this interview becomes ironic, is becoming deathly allergic to something I love to eat. I'm a total foodie and I don't know if I could be trusted to choose between, say, the sushi roll or the ER.

Thanks Mary! :)

A Writer's Guide to Leaving an Agent (By Georgia Mcbride)

Before I start, I suppose I should preface by saying never ever pay an agent to read your submission or in advance to represent you. Never sign an agreement to do so and if you have, you should definitely end that relationship. Legitimate agents abide by a code of ethics (though not all legitimate agents are members) set forth by the AAR. Here is a link to The Association of Authors Representatives.

In my experience, there are a few ways a writer-agent relationship can sour and it almost always begins in the mind of the writer. Below are some real-life examples of how things can go wrong quickly.

1. Writer has questions that agent either cannot or will not answer.

Usually a writer will have questions about submissions that the agent cannot or will not answer. Just because you did not receive an answer or did not like the answer you received, don’t automatically assume the worst. Your agent may have very good reasons why (s)he did not give you the answer you felt you should have received.

You should also consider that your agent’s time may be better spent working on your behalf than justifying her thought process for half-hour just to make your feel better about things. Sure, sometimes this is what may be needed, but at the end of the day, you either trust your agent or you don’t. Now, I’m not advocating blind faith and a closed mouth. This is a partnership. Your agent should NEVER talk down to you, belittle you or flat out ignore your concerns. If this is happening, you may be in a non-working relationship. However, before you do anything, talk to your agent and be sure to voice your concerns. Always act with professionalism, dignity and respect for both yourself and your agent. Never burn bridges.

2. Writer fails to understand (fully) details and or fine print of a contract and enters into this contract at the behest of the agent. Writer later learns it is not in her/his best interest.

It is your responsibility to make sure that you are working with someone who is not only professional and experienced as an agent but someone who can effectively negotiate and explain contracts. You are responsible for asking questions and making sure that you fully understand all of the clauses in your contract (representation and publishing contract).

If you don’t, you COULD end up with a new agent but still having to pay commission to your old agent who no longer represents you AND stuck in a crappy publishing agreement for years with no release date and unable to write for anyone else.

3. Writer is signed with agent for more than a year. Other clients of same agent are getting deals while this writer remains unpublished.

After several rounds of revisions and submissions sometimes a book fails to draw the attention of editors and you need to make a decision. At that point writer and agent must sit down and figure out whether it is best to continue on together or part ways. Of course, the HUGE caveat is this. You should always be working on new material/ideas. A new story or fresh perspective is always great to have considering how long the submissions process can sometimes take.

4. After several phone calls, emails or other attempts to communicate, your agent does not return your interest, enthusiasm, calls, emails, etc.

You and your agent should have an agreed upon method and frequency regarding communication. In today’s world of emails, texting, Facebook, twitter and the like; sometimes communication can range from a few harmless tweets back and forth, followed by an email that requires a phone call which leads to a post on Facebook that links to your Live Journal page which of course requires and obligatory comment and before you know it-- you’ve touched base 5-7 times that day! Was it necessary? Probably. Was it fun? Probably. Is it a valuable use of your agent’s time? Probably not.

When I managed music acts, I set aside time each week for a formal call with each client for a weekly update. I also made myself available via instant messenger, text and email for non-emergency questions. I would respond when available and most often before the end of the day. Some clients of course, pushed these boundaries daily and tried to skirt around them. There will always be someone who feels a sense of entitlement and who does not abide by what was agreed to.

Odds are, this is the person who will be unhappy in the writer-agent relationship and want to find fault with the agent who pushes back and demands respect for the agreement that was made.

However, if your agent is unresponsive, shows a complete lack of regard for or interest in your work, you should consider looking for alternate representation. Another indication is an agent who is condescending or disrespectful to you or writers in general. But don’t lose your cool. Remember to discuss your concerns with your agent. Consider why this may be happening and the ramifications of seeking new representation.

Remember, agents are people too.

They have good days and bad days. Most are supportive and great professionals who can help you achieve your publishing goals--some beyond your wildest dreams. But there are times when the writer-agent relationship just like any other will simply not work out. Consider what you are willing to sacrifice and what you are not. No agent is perfect and it not fair or realistic to expect perfection from your agent. Your agent will make mistakes, not always have the right answer and may even disappoint you once or twice. But, a good agent will rise above these challenges if you let them.

Think about yourself and what YOU can do to make the relationship work better.

Can you be less needy? Can you educate yourself about the business side of publishing more so that your agent has less explaining to do? Can you become a better self-editor and marketer? Can you learn more about contracts and foreign rights?

If you invest in yourself and your career a little bit more, you will see less of a strain on the writer-agent relationship. Your conversations will be less about learning and playing catch-up and more peer-to-peer.

Finally, no one wants to be in a situation where they are considering changing agents. But it all starts with a small seed of doubt brought about by something that was said or done by the agent that the writer didn’t like or understand. I promise you that if you let it go the first time without a conversation, there WILL be a second time. That small seed of doubt will develop into two seeds and then three and before you know it, animosity, mistrust and anger will have implanted deep in your heart. You will have done more to sabotage your relationship with your agent than any one agent could ever have done.

Sometimes the relationship is just not productive and its time to go. You may find the agent is just as eager to end things as you are.

Be honest. Don’t wait to long to say how you’re feeling and don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Follow your gut if it’s screaming,”get out, run.” But don’t let a misunderstanding derail your career.

Good luck and I hope this has helped!

What others have to say on this topic:

Jennifer Laughran

Janet Reid

FictionAddiction.Net

Adler Books

Other places you can find Georgia:

Her Blog
YALITCHAT membership site
YALITCHAT public site
teen-themed team blog
Georgia's PRAEFATIO book trailer

Agent Pitch Contest with Suzie Townsend!

General updates

All the books that have won through today will be mailed out by Friday. Sorry about the delay

Sorry about not stopping, we had a nasty bug run through the family. Yuk.

Also the winners of this last week's giveaways:

• Greek: Double Date - DL Hammonds

• Dan Ehrenhaft's Tell it to Naomi and The AfterLife - Mandy Porto (My Little World of Books)

Today, Suzie Townsend stops by!

Agent Pitch Contest

Winner: Gets a query critique from Suzie!
When: Tomorrow, Wed July 14th. Begins at 91 EST, ends Thursday 15th at 9am EST
What: Leave your 140 character book pitch (children's books ONLY - including PBs, CB, MG and YA) in the comments.
Eligiblility: You cannot have an agent (obviously) or a book sold/published. This is for unagented/unpublished writers only.
Notes: It must NOT be longer than 140 characters. You can test this in Twitter or do a character count in Word.

Suzie Townsend, FinePrint Literary

*Comment on today's post and get an ARC of PERSONAL DEMONS by Lisa Desrochers.

Hey Suzie. Tell us a little about yourself and what made you want to be an agent.

When I first started exploring publishing, it was because my sister had working with McGraw Hill in the English textbook department. When she was working with them, she would tell me all about the job, and I found myself thinking about how much I would enjoy something similar. But getting into publishing itself was very difficult - and I wasn't sure which aspect of publishing I wanted to pursue.

I took an internship with FinePrint Literary, first thinking that it would be a stepping stone to getting a job in an editorial assistant position, but I just fell in love with FinePrint and every aspect of agenting. Luckily for me, everyone at FinePrint loved me too and offered me a job.

Tell us a little about your clients and their upcoming books.

I've sold six books now, which is very exciting, but I'll just name three of my clients' books which will be coming out in the next year.

PERSONAL DEMONS by Lisa Desrochers comes out 9/14 from Tor. It's the first book I sold, a YA paranormal romance about a girl who finds herself caught between an angel and a demon who are fighting over her soul - and her heart.

INVINCIBLE SUMMER by Hannah Moskowitz comes out April 2011 from Simon Pulse.

BELL JAR SUMMER by Arlaina Tibensky comes out summer 2011 from Simon Pulse.

In your opinion , what are some things authors should do to promote their books?

Having some kind of web presence is really important. A website with contact information, a blog, or a twitter account are all things I've seen that have worked well.

But people are different and what works for one person doesn't work for everyone so I think it's important for writers to try different things and find out what works best for them.

In terms of touring, it's really important for authors to make themselves available to their target audience. For instance, if someone is writing women's fiction that will be popular in book clubs, it's important for them to make themselves available to do talks with book clubs who are going to read the book.

In your experience, what are the top 3 query fails? Query success?

1. Sending presents. 2. Sending some kind of "I'm trying to stand out" query - like a Starbucks cup or something scented or an unusual package. 3. Claiming this is the next Harry Potter/Twilight/Da Vinci Code.

Successful queries tell what the book is about in a succinct and concise manner. It's so simple it's hard.

I spent time with you at BEA and shared your need for speed in getting the great galleys. When did you know you were a fellow Bibliomaniac? Bibliomania is an obsessive–compulsive disorder involving the collecting or hoarding of books to the point where social relations or health are damaged. One of several psychological disorders associated with books, bibliomania is characterized by the purchase of multiple copies of the same book and edition and the accumulation of books beyond possible capacity of use or enjoyment are frequent symptoms of bibliomania.

I hadn't considered there was a name for it until I read this question. But I've had symptoms since I was a little kid. Instead of picture books, my dad used to read my sister and I Lord of the Rings and as soon as I was old enough to realize there were different "editions" of the book, I tended to want each one. As anyone could tell from my TBR (to be read) room, I'm an avid book hoarder today.

If you could be a letter in the alphabet – what would it be and why?

Z. I'm not a hundred percent sure why. But it's always been my favorite letter. My parents actually spelled my name "Susie" when I was growing up, and I always wanted to change my name and spell it with a Z. And eventually I did.

If past lives really exist, what or who do you think you were in a past life?

I was a delivery girl in a past life. It is amazing how well I can go for a Starbucks run.
What is she looking for in children's books?
I'm representing everything from children’s books (chapter books to YA, both fiction and non-fiction) to adult fiction (speculative, fantasy, urban fantasy, science fiction, and romance, especially paranormal). I'm interested in strong characters and voice driven stories that will keep me up at night. I also gravitate towards strong female protagonists, complex plot lines with underlying political, moral, or philosophical issues, and stories which break out of the typical tropes of their genre, like Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel series.

You can follow Suzie at her blog or on Twitter.

See you back here tomorrow and good luck!