Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office
Wikipedia gives the following definition of a workaround: “A workaround is a bypass of a recognized problem in a system. A workaround is typically a temporary fix that implies that a genuine solution to the problem is needed. Frequently workarounds are as creative as true solutions, involving outside the box thinking in their creation.”
When encountering computer problems, I avoid workarounds. I say, work through the problem to keep everything humming. But how many times have we acknowledged that the system for finding your agent is seriously flawed? As our wiki-definition says it is a “recognized problem in system.”
Could it call for a workaround?
This week I’m going to offer four different workarounds to recognized problems. Four ways to get around the faceless, flawed agent query system. The system would work fine if there were ample slots for every good writer but there are not. It’s more like succeeding in Hollywood–a combination of who you know, the level of your talent, the current opportunities, the climate for your type of talent and just plain being in the right place at the right time.
Let me break those down a little further:
Who You Know. We hate to consider this–it feels so unfair–but the best way to get your foot in the door is with an introduction. We’ll talk about this tomorrow, including the dos and don’ts of referrals.
The Level of Your Talent. This goes without saying. I’ll present some creative workarounds for you but don’t use them yet if you aren’t ready. It does no good to catch the attention of an agent if you can’t knock those agent socks off with a fabulous book.
The Current Opportunities. This is one of the major sticking points. You are trying to find an agent in a contracting market. Most agents have a full client list. They still don’t want to miss out on something spectacular so they keep taking queries and meeting authors, but you have to convince that agent to squeeze you in.
The Climate for Your Style. If you are writing prescriptive how-tos right now you are up against the entire internet. That’s some competition. If you’ve written a sassy chick lit novel, your boat has sailed without you. You have no way of knowing what your target agent just heard over the last week from editors–she may be looking for the exact thing you are writing or, she may have been hearing about a softness in that genre.
The Right Place at the Right Time. This used to be called dumb, luck but since we believe in divine intervention rather than luck, this is a point of hope. If your query/proposal/book lands on the desk at a perfect moment–perhaps when your target agent just got back from a Starbucks run and is ready to settle in and enjoy searching for that next bestseller–you are gold. But your query could land on the desk in the midst of a protracted kerfuffle and be pushed aside. As it joins the pile, it is more likely to be dealt with in a mad dash to get through the pile. The truth is, all of that is out of your hands. That’s why we need to learn some workarounds.
Your turn. What would you like to change most about the system? Have any of you found a workaround that let you bypass this flawed system and find the perfect agent?
To meet others in the trade, there’s no better place than a writers’ conference. If you can’t get to one of the major national conferences, there are several regional options that, though smaller, may yield more face-to-face time. When I got serious about writing, going to a conference was the best investment I made!
I agree with Lynn about writers’ conferences. Where else would you get the opportunity to meet agents face-to-face, pitch your ideas to editors, and submit your work for critique, all while honing your skills in various workshops?
I think one of the most frustrating things about the system is the amount of time involved in waiting for responses to queries or submissions. At some point, the self-doubt kicks into overdrive. Did she hate it? Has she read it? Did she forget about me? Did it even arrive?? But the bottom line is that there is no short way to read, whether it be letters, partials, or full manuscripts. They simply must be read (or at least skimmed), and that takes time. So we wait patiently and hope our perfect agent will get to that ms sooner rather than later. 🙂
I wish I knew the answer to finding the perfect agent. I’m convinced he or she is out there somewhere. You’re probably right about “It’s who you know.” I’m sure that opens doors that are closed to others. But to those authors searching for representation, don’t give up. We need to help one another and cheer each other on. Good luck to everyone in their literary journey.
I think this system is a lot like other industries – networking and diligence will get you far. That is why, for most any trade (event planning, medical fields, teaching), there are professional organizations, conferences, industry blogs and other resources.
It’s our job to take those tools and make the most of our talents and our careers!
However, the publishing world truly is its own beast because it is a small world and so dependent on that stroke of divine intervention. I say, stick to your guns and hold onto your passion – it will carry you through! Pray, network and write!
So…. anyone mind if I get theological? Anyone? Okay…
Wendy,
Thank you for the reminder it isn’t about luck. Luck puts us at the mercy of impersonal forces (at best) or fickle deities (like Loki, the Norse god of mischief (at worst). Getting published is not about luck, even with the seemingly haphazard factors involved.
It’s about the sovereignty of God, the practical end of which theologians call Providence. I love this definition from Louis Berkhof: “Providence is the continued exercise of the divine energy whereby the Creator preserves all his creatures, is operative in all that comes to pass in the world, and directs all things to their appointed end.”
Providence preserves me from…
a) hopelessness, because I know that God is working his perfect plan, in both my acceptance emails and rejection emails (bwahhh); and,
b) passivity, because he is “operative in all that comes to pass” meaning that even as I work hard to write well, God is working too. Thru me. In me. In spite of me. He is operative… he “concurs” with what I’m doing. If I tilt back my Lazyboy and wait for heaven to do my writing, I’ll be waiting a long long time. So I have to improve my craft and work hard, knowing that God works within me.
Sorry for preaching.
Bill
I can’t get past the word kerfuffel! I’m still laughing.
Many – actually most – published authors have persisted through YEARS of rejections. For me it was 5 years of rejections on my first novel, which eventually became an international bestseller. The book just wasn’t ready and God’s timing wasn’t right all those years. Now 6 books later, I’ve switched genres and am starting all over again. Rewrites, rejections. Ouch. God is stretching me! You know the old cliche. No pain no gain.
Great post, Wendy, and thanks for the encouragement, reminding us Who’s really in charge.
Bill, although four months later, your sermon resonates well with me. Thank you. It reminded me that my journey was charted by the Lord. I can easily get caught up in the reading and learning about the route to publishing and listen to the voices of doubt from the deceiver, but the Voice that matters is the Voice that called me to move forward.
Thank you for the perspective.