Blogger: Mary Keeley
Location: Books & Such Midwest office, IL
Attending writers conferences is something most agents do on a regular basis. Not only do the conferees learn but so also do the faculty. I plan to unfold for you some of the information disseminated in a recent conference I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of.
If you haven’t been to the YMCA camp in Estes Park, Colo., put it on your list for the future. There is so much to offer for a family vacation, not to mention for attendees at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference. It snowed during the drive up to the 8,800 ft. location adding wonder to the breathtaking scenery, some of the most magnificent, inspiring settings of God’s creation.
There was a lot of publishing industry “scenery” to take in at the conference as well. I’ll be highlighting some noteworthy views this week.
1. Writers conferences are becoming increasingly important places for aspiring authors. All but one or two editors on faculty at this conference adamantly agreed that if you aren’t a well-known, published author, they will not look at a proposal you send them directly unless they have met with you at a writers conference. This may sound “exclusive” to you at first, but remember that editors receive many more unsolicited manuscripts than they can possibly read. Hence the term “slush pile” because it takes time they don’t have to wade through them—time that is for the most part unfruitful. Ouch, it hurts to say that, but it’s important to know the realities and deal with them. And many publishing houses don’t have a slush pile; they will look at only material they requested to see at writers conferences or from agent.
2. Editors unanimously agreed that, unless you are a well-known published author, they do not want to see “full manuscript complete within XX months of signed contract” on fiction proposals. They want the complete manuscript sent with the proposal. There are good and logical reasons for this: (1) it shows that the author is fully invested and passionate about the manuscript, not just waiting to see if an idea sells before finishing it; and (2) it saves steps (translated time) for the editor–and the aspiring author as well.
3. Until recently, the professional way to get a manuscript to an agent or editor has been to mail a hard copy of a complete manuscript. Times have changed. The overwhelming majority of agents and editors present now prefer that writers e-mail them. The savings in paper (I hear the trees waving “thank you”), cost of paper and postage, and time are the obvious reasons.
Some of you might already know these basics. I promise to offer more “advanced” info in the other posts this week.
How do you feel about publishers being so exclusive about which manuscripts they look at?
What do you think about waiting to submit a proposal until your novel is complete?
David Todd
How do I feel about publishers being so “exclusive” about looking at manuscripts? I suppose so long as it’s a buyer’s market for manuscripts there’s really no other choice. Publishers have to do what they have to do so as to not be overwhelmed.
On waiting to submit a proposal until my novel is done, it fall in the same category. Since I am unpublished, how would a publisher know I would ever finish the novel? If they didn’t have umpteen plus one options on what to publish, I suspect they would take a chance on an un-published novelist who hasn’t finished the book, but so long as manuscripts keep being completed as fast as bacteria in a Petri dish, what else is there to do?
Cheryl Malandrinos
I am excited about this week’s posts already. I actually don’t have any issue with how exclusive publishers are. I would rather they be selective about what they publish than be lax in offering contracts.
I also think it’s a prudent idea to wait until the novel is complete before submitting for a few reasons. Every time I write a story–outline or not–the charaters pull me along in a different direction. Though I might have a planned ending, what happens before I get there could change a great deal between the middle and end of a first draft, and then change again during the editing process.
You also don’t know what lemons life is going to hand you. My plan was to complete the first draft of my historical by January 1st. My workload unexpectedly increased, and I’m only about halfway done and it’s the end of May. I also was offered a ghostwriting contract, so now my writing time is dedicated to that, instead of my historical. Definitely not a lemon, but it required a change of plans.
My challenge with conferences–maybe you will be addressing this later in the week–is the cost and the locations. I live on the east coast, but many conferences I want to attend are in the midwest or farther away. That means airfare and hotel costs on top of conference fees. Luckily we have a local writers conference, which occasionally runs workshops in my genres. I can drive to it and the fee is affordable.
I look forward to more on this topic, Mary.
Sue Harrison
Thank you for this post, Mary. I look forward to reading more about what editor’s want. I have a couple of appointments with editors at an upcoming conference and don’t want to waste their time!
Amariah
I can’t say that I blame them for being so exclusive. I used to work for a jingle company back in the day and we would get demo tapes in eveyday. These demos would end up in a big box in the corner. We weren’t being rude or cruel, there just wasn’t enough time to go through all of them. When they did find new talent it was usually through someone they knew or saw in a show. NOT from the box.
I think I just had a “Aha” moment.
Would you say that conferences are pretty much the only way for aspiring authors to get in the door?
Morgan L. Busse
Not only does having a finished manuscript show the editor that you can finish a project and are passionate about it, it showed me as an author how much time and commitment it will take from me to do another book. My first book took years to write, mainly because I was learning the craft. The second book took me a year to write. That gave me a rough idea of how much time it roughly takes me to write, edit, and complete a manuscript while balancing job, family, church, etc…
Rick Barry
In reply to both questions, these are logical and reasonable business procedures. Even though I no longer edit (well, rarely) for others, I have seen ample evidence that the unpublishable manuscripts in the world far outweigh the publishable ones. There’s no reason for editors to invest valuable time and money poring over material they can most likely never print.
The bonus concerning the requirement that manuscripts be finished is that, by eliminating partial manuscripts from writers who simply can’t finish, agents and editors free up more time for considering completed manuscripts from the rest of us! *Wink*
Cynthia Ruchti
Writing is that strange marriage of art and business. Conferences are without question a significant expenditure of money. Some say, “It’s a lot of money if you aren’t published.” It’s also a lot of money if you ARE published and need to invest in marketing and publicity opportunities and keep convincing your family that writing books is a good idea. But as Mary said, it’s becoming increasingly more a key component in an aspiring author’s journey. So much happens in a conference setting to frame an author’s path, provide tools, create connections, inform and inspire. Editors and agents (would you agree, Mary?) are often heard saying that those who invest in writers’ conferences show yet another level of seriousness about their craft. What are the odds you’ll be discovered by a Hollywood producer if you don’t go to Hollywood and hang out where producers hang out? Writers’ conferences are where editors and agents hang out…I mean, conduct business. I’m blessed to belong to the Books & Such family because I saw the Books & Such team, their heart and ethic, their passion and professionalism at a conference, then another. And they, I’m told, saw mine. I met my editors at conferences, my critique partners, and made lifelong friends. It is never an easy money decision, but writers’ conferences provide vital connections for the serious writer.
Donna Perugini
I just attended the NorthWest Christian Writer’s Renewal Conference in WA this last weekend. My manuscript and (previously) pubbed first book were asked for by an agent. All 4 of my (previously pubbed) children’s story picture books were asked for by a Christian traditional pub house.
The speakers were mentioning having a self-pubbed book or previously pubbed book were better than a manuscript (or have in addition to a manuscript) to hand an editor or agent. Picture books were also considered ‘low man on the totem pole’ due to cost invested in the 4 color printing.
My takeaway…You must go to conferences, get your pitch ready, bring a completed manuscript and if you have them…any self-pubbed books or previously pubbed books. Bring a One Sheet about you and your manuscript, always have your business card with your social networking icons on it, and talk about your blog.
Cindy Martinusen Coloma
I think it’s understandable from the editors’ perspective to have these “exclusive” and “full-manuscript” policies. It’s just harder on the aspiring writer. My first book contract was offered off of a proposal and first 3 chapters, but that was in the late 90s. However, I was fearful that the finished manuscript wouldn’t be acceptable after I turned it in – it was, but I endured a lot of writer’s angst before the word came out. So it’s actually good for the writer to know his or her book is finished if a contract is offered. Writers conferences are also the best place for aspiring writers to go (I attribute my publishing career to Mt. Hermon and Janet Grant!) – so it’s all good for the writer as well.
Mary, a question for you – what ABA conferences do you recommend that gives opportunities like Mt. Hermon? Years ago, I attend the Maui Retreat, but I think it’s closed down now.
Sarah Thomas
WHile it makes it tougher for those who struggle to attend conferences due to finances or difficulty traveling, I’d much rather submit to someone I’ve met. I feel like I can give a better picture of my book and how successful I’d be promoting it in person than I can on paper. As for finishing the manuscript, shoot, as a first time author, you should probably have two finished! I hear the first one is just practice ; )
Sarah Forgrave
As difficult as it makes it for writers, I completely understand the publishers’ dilemma. There simply isn’t enough time in one day (or one year) to read the amount of work they receive. I recently read that one agent received 10,000 query letters last year alone. 10,000! And those are just one-page letters, not 300-page manuscripts. 🙂
As far as submitting a complete novel, I also understand and agree with this concept. It seems like everybody and their Uncle Harry wants to write a book today. But the dedicated ones will complete them and polish them until they’re publishable.
Great post, Mary! I look forward to reading more of your takeaways this week.
Salena Stormo
I can definitely see the advantage to having a completed manuscript before submission. My problem is not knowing when to stop editing. I read through ACFW that a lot of people have this same problem. At what point do you say ok… this is it? That would be my only problem…what if I submitted and then found something I wanted to tweak? I guess that is the nature of the beast, ha!
Mary Keeley
Great responses shared by all! I was admittedly a little surprised by how adamant editors were about receiving complete fiction manuscripts with their proposals. They were equally clear that, unless you have an agent, they won’t look at a proposal sent from someone they haven’t met at a conference. Like you said, Cynthia, going to conferences communicates to editors that you are invested in your writing and the business of publishing. Not to mention all you can learn about the craft at conferences.
It is worth putting some money away in a separate account on a regular basis until you have enough to go to at a writers conference. Start out by aiming for one conference per year.
Mary Keeley
Donna, good example of the benefits authors can reap by going to conferences. And great suggestions on what to bring with you.
Cindy, two ABA conferences I’m aware of are The Writers Digest conference in January in New York City and the San Diego State University conference, also in January (1/27-29/2012). I have never been to either of them.
Caroline
I’m looking forward to the posts this week! It’ll be even more great information for the conference I’m attending this summer.
Sure, I can understand the selective nature of publishers. While it makes it that much harder for an unpublished like me to get in, I’d much prefer the hard work and expertise from an editor (and agent) to boost the quality of my book. Plus, I have to remember that editors are people. People with limited time and big responsibilities.
Thanks for the great start for the week with this post!
Doreen Pendgracs
Very timely post as I am leaving tomorrow to attend a writer’s conference.I’ve attended many writer’s conferences before, but this one is specifically for book authors, so a little different territory for me. Hope I make the right connections!
Susan
These posts are so helpful, as I prepare to attend my first conference. I’ll have the opportunity to meet with two faculty members, which include several editors and agents. If you were an aspiring author (book author – I’ve already had articles and devotions published), would you use those two slots to meet with editors or with agents – or maybe one of each? Decision, decisions!