Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Location: Return trip from author-agent-publisher meeting
Now that you’ve created all the materials necessary to obtain an agent–a great project with an attractive title; a strong proposal; and a query–you’re ready to find an agent. But let’s be clear about one thing: You don’t want just any agent; you want the right agent for you.
Agents come in all sizes and shapes. By that I mean, not that they vary in height and breadth, but that they are highly individualized in how they function within the publishing industry. Some agents are heavy weights in the best sense of the word. They are well-connected, have worked long within the industry, have a strong sense of where the industry is headed, represent authors who have created a significant presence in the market, and know how to be tough when necessary and nice when necessary.
Other agents are just beginning. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. When starting out, they need to build a client base and make sufficient sales to continue as an agent. These are highly motivated people.
Agents also can be divided into two other categories: good and bad. A good agent works hard for you, is responsive to communication from you, has a good sense of what will sell, and is an able negotiator and strong in keeping track of details (a very important quality in an agent).
A bad agent doesn’t get your projects submitted, doesn’t know where to submit them, doesn’t have a publishing network, isn’t willing to work hard, can’t tell what makes a project salable, has a soiled reputation in the industry, isn’t liked by others in the industry, isn’t trusted, isn’t trustworthy, isn’t a competent contracts negotiator. Sounds awful? Sounds unbelievable? Uh, no. Such agents exist.
So decide right now that you will live by this mantra: It’s better to have no agent than to have a bad agent.
A bad agent is a career killer, not a career starter.
How do you know if an agent is bad? Ask around. Obviously, if you’re reading a blog, you’re connected in some way to the publishing community and to authors. Ask who their agents are and why they like that person. Become involved in writers loops, where such questions are easy to pose. If you attend writers conferences, you’ll meet editors. Ask them which agents they regard highly. Never ask about a specific agent unless you put that agent in a grouping.
Think about it. If you’re an editor, you have to work with agents of all stripes. Should a writer ask you about an agent you’d rather take a dive into an alligator-invested swamp than work with, how can you answer honestly? If you diss that agent, word could get back to him or her. Then you’re left with still having to work with that person, only now the waters are even muddier than before.
But you can ask, “I’m interested in the following three agents. I don’t know if they’d represent me, but if you could choose between these people, whom would you rather work with?” Editors generally will respond to such a question, and you’ll soon see a pattern as you ask various editors. (It’s especially helpful to ask editors who work in the genre or category you hope to publish in.)
Another way an agent can be a bad agent is by being a bad agent for you. If you’re looking for a shark as an agent, then a dolphin won’t do. Or vice versa.
Ask yourself, how do you want an agent to represent you? If you think having a tough, nail-chewing agent will serve your purposes, then ask any agent you’re considering if they fit the bill. Or if you want an agent who is more of a consensus-builder, mediator, make sure that’s whom you’re signing on with. Maybe you want an agent who has a reputation of having a good eye for your type of writing. Or you want an agent who works regularly with a publisher that you think would do well with your project.
When I became an agent in 1996, finding out what distinguished an agent was tough. Few had websites, social media was nonexistent, online research was not commonly done. So many online resources exist nowadays that enable you to be a savvy agent-shopper. Including, of course, reading agents’ blogs and following and befriending them in social media. You actually have a chance to get acquainted before you even submit your query. And, yes, when someone’s name pops up in our lives regularly, we immediately recognize it.
What are some of the questions you’ve asked agents (either on their blogs, in personal conversations, on the phone, or via email) that you found instructive in deciding if that agent was someone whom you’d like to have represent you ?
Wendy
I want a good agent.
Hmm. I’d love to know what gets the agent fired up in both a good way and a bad way about the industry. I’d love to know more about what kinds of books they enjoy (love how you have the What We’re Reading widget on this blog).
An agent/author relationship is built on trust so I’d want to have a good sense of the agent’s character. I’d want to understand their area of expertise (marketing, editing, etc.). It’s wonderful how many resources are out there for researching today. I know I appreciate it.
And just for kicks I’d want to know what makes them laugh.
~ Wendy
Sarah Thomas
I’ve checked out many agent blogs and the thing that impresses me most is when they are consistently responsive to comments. When I first started reading, I assumed the agents were sitting in towers dispensing wisdom to the masses while remaining aloof and unreachable. And a few are. But the ones I now follow regularly ask for feedback and then respond. Not only is this kind and polite, it’s also an indcator to me that these agents are working hard. They’re keeping up with that great sea of writers–published and un–who are the source of books. Rather than wait for manuscripts to just show up, those who interact with writers via their blogs are sowing seeds, cultivating soil and ultimately harvesting something good. Now that’s the kind of agent I’d like.
Rich Gerberding
I can thank Dave Ramsey (Financial Peace University) for putting in words what I’ve felt for years but hadn’t been able to fully explain.
Whether a professor, boss, coach, – or agent – I look for someone with the ‘heart of a teacher.’
There is a world of difference between dispensing information and teaching.
Unfortunately this is not something that comes from a question: “Do you have a heart of a teacher?” Many people think they are a teacher, or a leader, or a _____ (fill in the blank), but is their heart really in it?
Fortunately, it is something that is not difficult to determine through interaction. Do they just rubber stamp a response or apply thought to the response? Do they devote time to helping you learn – beyond what you even knew to ask?
Thanks to your whole staff for their commitment and involvement in this blog.
Sarah Forgrave
I just posted a comment on Jill Kemerer’s blog today that relates to this post. Having read Wendy Lawton’s comments a couple weeks ago about how you look for an author to be connected, it’s important for me as a writer to see an agent connected online and in social media as well. I want an agent who understands the ongoing changes in the publishing industry and can help me navigate them.
I love blogs like yours because they not only clear up many of my questions, but they help me get a sense for your preferences and personalities. Like Wendy said above, I love reading the ticker on your site that shows what you’re reading.
Thank you for such a great week of posts!
Lori
I agree with everything that Wendy said earlier, especially what makes an agent laugh.
In addition:
I would want to know what they like about their everyday job and what they dislike about thier everyday job.
I would like to know who their favorite authors (not clients) are?
Dog person? Cat person? Neither? 🙂
Katie Ganshert
This is an excellent post – and I love that motto. I just wrote a post this past Monday (7 Tips for Landing a Book Contract) and one of the tips was finding the right agent and that truly, a bad agent is worse than no agent.
Steve Laube gives a work shop at the ACFW conference called “Working with your Agent” and he asks some really awesome questions. Things like – do you want your agent to be your good friend? Do you want your agent to be your editor? Various questions that get you thinking what you really want from an agent.
Michelle Ule
We’re all dog owners at Books & Such; in fact, Janet’s dog is sitting at my feet as I type this.
I also serve a 16-year-old-cat.
I’d say we all love finding great writing and rejoicing when a well-deserved project we’re excited about sells.
We like sending out royalty checks.
Dislike? Computer problems and passing along bad news.
Favorite authors? My family on e-mail. 🙂
Bill Giovannetti
The first agent I spoke with at a conference offered to represent me without having seen my proposal. I was flattered, and very proud of myself… until I found several other people who had the same experience. Later, and other aspiring author told me that he had spent thousands of dollars having a 200K first book edited and split into two books… He did this, he told me, at the direction of that very same agent. Thousands of dollars out of pocket, and still no contracts…
As much as it hurt, I declined the offer of representation. Too many red flags.
Then, by grace, God gave me a great agent who is a perfect match for me. This agent kept my proposal for 6 weeks and set up a phone appointment to discuss it and me. She made a very thoughtful decision, and we all lived happily ever…
Anyway, Janet’s advice is sound: do your homework, don’t let desperation rule you, date wisely, and choose well. There’s a reason it’s called a “proposal…” 🙂
Bill Giovannetti
200k= 200,000 words…
Michael K. Reynolds
I thank God for my agent!
Lindsay A. Franklin
When I stumbled onto the Books & Such website last year, looking for agents who worked within the CBA industry to query, I was captivated by Rachel then-Zurakowski’s bio. She was looking for teens, 20’s, and 30’s who write for teens, 20’s, and 30’s. That’s me! Surely, I must query this agent. Before I got that far, I clicked on “Schedule” and saw this conference called the Mount Hermon Writers Conference. It was taking place in two weeks and, after reading about it, I wanted to go so badly. Somehow, we got all the travel arrangements made, my husband got the time off work to watch the kids, and two weeks later I was on a plane to San Jose.
When I hooked up with my “Buddy” (for first-timers) at the conference, she asked if there was any agent in particular to whom I had submitted my manuscript. I mentioned Rachel, and Sarah Sundin’s eyes lit up. “She’s my agent!” It must be Divine Providence. So, feeling like the stars were all aligned in my favor, seated at Rachel’s table for lunch that afternoon, I blurted out, “Rachel, you’re the whole reason I’m here!” I meant, of course, that without perusing the B&S site, I wouldn’t have found out about the conference, which was fantastic. But as soon as it came out of my mouth, I wished I could suck it back in. Good one, Stalker McCreepy-Pants!
Anyway, Rachel was perfectly gracious and didn’t seem to assume I was a stalker. And one year later, I’m very blessed to have her as my agent. Even though I was stumbling around in my flesh, trying to figure out this whole agent thing, I think the Lord spoke to me when I first read Rachel’s bio. Something clicked. Being sensitive to the Holy Spirit is an extremely important tool in finding the right agent, especially if you have a tendency to blurt out stalker-like statements around a lunch table. 😉
Gwenn McKone
I love what Lindsay said about the writer conference. I have a similar, yet different story. A few years ago, I went to a writers conference very excited to meet with a well-known agent who specializes in the Christian book market. When the time finally arrived to meet her personally and pitch my book, I found myself seated around at a table with her, and four other hopefuls. My “personal meeting” wasn’t so personal. As each of us pitched our books to her, I watched her eyes which seemed absolutely glazed over, as though she was simply enduring the session, and not hearing us at all. I, too, had wanted to say, “You’re the whole reason why I’m at this conference!” but didn’t, because she didn’t seem to care about any of the book ideas offered to her. She wasn’t even listening.
Then, later, by chance, I happened to sit next to her at a table during lunch, and thought, aha, now I can get her attention. I tried to be as casual as possible and bring it up without seeming like a “Stalker McCreepy Pants.” She was a tad bit more receptive, but gave me her standard response: “Send me a query and a few sample chapters and tell me that you met me at this conference, and I will look at it.” I did so, and never heard from her again. Oh well. Onward…
So…what I look for in an agent is someone who is not simply searching for the well-connected author with a huge platform, but rather the hitherto unknown author with a unique voice, an untapped idea and writing that isn’t writing at all, but rather a conversation directed straight at you that pulls you in and holds you spellbound.
Lori
Thanks Michelle for answering my questions.
By the way, I am owned by an 11-year West Highland White Terrier.
Nikole Hahn
I follow agent blogs. Personality usually comes out in blogs and tweets. Over time, you learn about them and by the time you are ready to submit, you’ve got a few ideas.
Karen Barnett
Lindsay–that’s too funny! I accidentally stood Rachel up for our appointment at Mount Hermon because I hadn’t gone back to pick up my submission. When I finally retrieved it and read the note, “Let’s meet at such and such time” (already past) I felt absolutely terrible!
Thankfully, she’s very understanding!
Caroline
I look for agents who encourage, truthfully explain, provide sound advice, stay updated in the field, help others unselfishly (like through blogs such as this one), and give others pushes to progress. Interest in a writing career, rather than one manuscript, pulls me to that agent, as well.
I do want to know a little about my agent personally, as well, including what he/she enjoys reading, a little about family, and personality. And, of course, obedient faith and constant trust in God is a necessity. I hope we both could encourage each other in our walks in Christ.
Janet, thank you for this insightful and useful series this week. (And, thanks to Michelle for jumping in and commenting while Janet was traveling!) I so appreciate everyone at Books&Such’s time and willingness to help.
Peter DeHaan
Regarding an agent’s blog and finding a good agent/client match, I wonder if I resonate with an agent’s blogging style, might that be an indication that they would resonate with my writing style?
Conversely, if I fond their blog annoying, might that be indicative that they will find my work annoying?
If there’s a reasonable connection, this might be a worthwhile screening means that will save both agent and writer time and frustration.
Jill Kemerer
Okay, I’m laughing at Lindsay’s story! We all have creepy stalker-pants moments!
Michelle, my dear 14-year-old cat passed on last fall, so I’m glad yours is still ruling you!
Since aspiring authors–even well-connected ones–don’t really know which agents will fit their personality, I think it’s prudent to pray about it along with doing as much research as possible.
I did, and it led me straight to Rachel Kent. From the above comments by her clients, it looks as if God had a firm hand in guiding us to her!
Kate Barker
I am a relational person. My husband and I have been involved in many enterprises involving contractors, architects,CPA’s, employees and international distributors. In most of these dealings we have proceeded to become friends as well as business associates. I think I would be looking for an agent who would be willing to be relational, as well as a business partner.
This world of authors, agents, editors and publishers is very new to me. I am learning a great deal from this blog. Right now, all this information is like reading a “how to manual” before I have the product in my hand. Loving it, but not sure how to apply it yet.
Thanks for an interactive forum…appreciate the information, the comments and the responses!
Cheryl Malandrinos
Excellent end to a great week of posts. Thanks so much for your help.
Martha Ramirez
Awesome post! Thank you, Janet!
Janet Grant
I, too, want to thank Michelle for stepping in on my behalf and keeping the conversation going. Obviously, we function as a team at Books & Such and help each other out in whatever way we can. (Please pat Murphy on the head for me, Michelle.)
Peter, I suspect you’re right that, if you find a blog annoying, you’re unlikely to enjoy the agent in person. And vice versa. So much of who we are comes out in our writing.
Rachel Kent
Dear Clients,
You are all so sweet! Thank you for the lovely comments. I am so glad we are working together as well.
Love,
Rachel
Carey Corp
Thank you, Janet, for this excellent post. Such a scary, yet essential, mantra: It’s better to have no agent than to have a bad agent.
I’ve had to make some tough decisions in my writing career and now that I find myself between agents I’ve walked a way from a couple of offers that weren’t exactly the right fit. For me, finding an agent is like searching for Cinderella’s slipper. It’s tempting, like the evil stepsisters, to cut off a heel or a toe and force a fit. Or to take something that nearly fits and hope it’ll be more comfortable in time. It’s harder to wait, to trust the perfect fit is out there and when the timing is right, we’ll find it. But I, for one, believe the wait is worth it. So onward with perseverance!