Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Location: International Christian Retailers Show, Denver, CO
Many writers see agents as just another gatekeeper, barring entry into the garden of publishing. The common lament is, “You can’t get published without an agent, and you can’t get an agent to even look at your manuscript.” I addressed that fallacy in an earlier post but the truth is agents love nothing more than to discover a treasure.
In fact, that’s one of the best parts of my job. Not all books are discovered, of course, but each has its own path to travel.
Some of the books I’ve sold have come about through trial and error–submitting and honing, testing and going back to the drawing board. Other books, especially nonfiction books, develop as a team effort. The author may know where he wants to go, but there are so many possible ways to get there. We all put our heads together to brainstorm the format. I call it “building the book,” and sometimes it takes testing a lot of building plans before we find the right structure on which to hang the material.
Recently, we’ve had a number of book ideas come from publishers. An editor comes to our agency with an idea he would like to see, and we help him to find the right author for that book. I’ll talk more about matchmaking tomorrow–it’s another great part of our job.
But perhaps the most fun of all is dipping into a manuscript and finding that perfect gem. Every agent can tell stories of their favorite discoveries. I’ve got a slew of them, like the time Gayle Roper, head of the fiction mentoring track at Mount Hermon, slipped me a note that read, “Look for Camy Tang. Amazing.” I did, and she is.
Or when I had an email from N.J. Lindquist, director of Write! Canada, asking me if I’d look at a manuscript from a brand new writer, Bonnie Grove. Halfway through the manuscript, Talking to the Dead, I called Bonnie and offered representation. The book is pure genius.
Novelist and teacher at many writers conferences, James Scott Bell told me to watch for Debbie Fuller Thomas. It only took a few chapters of Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon for me to know Jim was right. (That book ended up being a finalist for the Christy Award held Saturday night.)
Novelist and Internet guru Randy Ingermanson pointed me toward Sharon Souza. Her novel, Lying on Sunday, is a finalist for RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice award.
Hmm. Looks like I’ve had a lot of help with my discoveries.
Jennifer Valent is another debut author I loved at first read. When I met her, she had just won the Jerry Jenkins/ Tyndale House Operation First Novel Competition at Writing for the Soul. Her novel, Fireflies in December, received a starred review in Publishers Weekly and has been critically acclaimed.
I’d known Andy McGuire for a while before I ever saw his art and writing. Andy was my own fiction editor. At a writing conference, he showed me the art for his first picture book, Rainy Day Games. It was love at first sight. Andy is both an extraordinary illustrator and a gifted writer. His book is a finalist for the 2009 Retailer’s Choice Awards.
I could go on and on. There’s nothing better than discovering one of those books readers will treasure forever. But now it’s your turn. What part have you had in discovering a new writer? Readers discover gems all the time and recommend authors to others. Tell us your favorite discovery.
I “discovered” this author through my dear friend and critique partner (and published author) Jill Stengl. Her daughter, Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s first novel HEARTLESS will release from Bethany House next year. I got to read an early draft and loved it – and happily gave my endorsement for her query to Rachel! I can’t wait to read the final edited version. Annie is one talented author, whose work I look forward to reading for years to come!
After an online class in writing deep POV, the instructor asked if I would be willing to critique with another student. I was enthusiastic about the project but not about the genre–contemporary romance.
Before I offend anyone, let me say that I love a good chick flick as much as the next gal. Contemporary romance tops the charts, but the sheer volume of stories makes it a challenge to come up with a fresh plot–one that’s neither hackneyed nor contrived. Obviously, skilled writers manage to do just that, but I always skim the first chapter with some skepticism.
Melinda’s story surprised and delighted me! Her vibrant, 3-dimensional characters soon seemed as real as my next-door neighbors. The heroine is not young. The hero is not handsome, yet both are so endearingly flawed that I cheered them through to the delicious end. The story was completely original. I will sign up for Melinda’s fan club as soon as she’s published. 🙂
Seeing the potential in a story and rooting for the writer is such fun!
I don’t have anything to add to the list of discoveries, but it’s interesting to me that you talk about discovering “books” rather than “writers”.
I have heard of non-fiction writers being approached and represented before there was even a complete “book” to be found.
Thanks for the encouraging blog, Wendy. I read many blogs but this is one of the best around, no doubt.
On a not completely unrelated topic: how difficult is it for a picture book writer (who is not an illustrator) to land an agent in the current market? I have read some places where it’s more advisable to find a publisher, THEN approach an agent. Thoughts?
Hello.It is so great to meet you here on this wonderful page. I am in search of so very much really. I want to write. I have been writing a blog since the beginning of the year. I use to make up stories for my children when they were small after they had read all of them at the library.My blog is a christian blog about my walk with Christ, struggles we face, how to overcome them, family, friends, and love. I want to place my blog in a one year devotional to reach many others seeking to walk closer to Christ. I am at a lose on just how to do this, and I am looking for someone who is honest, and willing to step out for me, for I know I can write, and my writings bless others in many ways. I would be so thankful for your advice, for your help and to go to my site and really read, and give me a chance to prove just how I can write and I am willing to work hard to produce a book, and hopefully many more to come. Thank you for giving me your time. I will wait to hear from you, again thank you, Robin Prater
Rachel, I would feel like a proud mama too! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoy Anne Elisabeth. I am truly impressed with her and her writing. So glad you are working with her! And I can’t wait to see her book on the shelves – her whole series, in fact – soon! 🙂
Jill, Anne Elisabeth is a joy to work with and I love HEARTLESS too! Thank you for being a supporter and encourager for her. I can’t wait for HEARTLESS to actually release.
I get so excited about my clients’ books. I’m always telling everyone I know that they need to watch for my authors’ books on the shelf. 🙂 I feel like a proud mama.
I’ve never had the chance to ‘discover’ anyone before publication, but for me, a joy has always been to find a brilliantly written book that has fallen through the news feed one way or the other. Wandering used bookstore shelves, sometimes you can find a treasure of a story. To me, that is my favorite sort of discovery.
Wendy, every day I thank God AND Gayle Roper for bringing me to you!!!! 🙂
Camy
Kirk, just to jump in to answer your question about a children’s book author finding an agent, it really is easier, if you’re writing picture books, to find a publisher and then an agent. The picture book market has been flat-lined for some years, but once an editor discovers and loves a voice, then an agent can bring some nice energy and guidance to the process.