September 18, 2007

Writing Agents?
by Kelly McGee

Publishing companies are beginning to require that pieces and authors be represented by agents

Becoming a published author may seem like a daunting task at this stage in your professional career.  As a student, the dreams of one day seeing your own words in print, bound together with a hard cover, and sitting on a bookshelf in stores across America may seem more like a fantasy than reality.  To add to this confusion, publishing companies across the nation are now requiring and/or expecting an author to have reputable representation of an agent when submitting a manuscrpt.

What is a writing agent, you ask? 
A writing agent is similar to what an actor might hire to help him find parts, handle contracts, and negotiate compensation. Both agents are concerned with the business transactions that surround the individual’s talent.  In a writer’s situation, an agent would be involved with marketing your book, negotiation with the publisher, monitoring sales and the rights to the book, and holding down the business side of the transaction so the writer can focus all his attention on his book. 

When is a good time to approach a writing agent?
Agents, in general, are contacted after a book length manuscript has already been written.  Especially for a first time writer, simply having ideas and ambition will not lock in an opportunity for an agent.  At this stage, it is essential to not only have the ideas but to have proof of talent.  Once this manuscript is written, an agent can help direct you to publishers that are looking for your genre or type of writing.  Due to their connections and networking abilities, the speed at which a publisher adopts your manuscript can be greatly quickened.  Also, many publishers these days are not accepting unsolicited submissions (that is, a manuscript without representation by an agent). 

What role do publishers play? 
The ultimate goal of writing a manuscript is to get the book published.  In order to do so, a publisher must agree to contract your work and publish your work.  How you go about getting your ideas from the brainstorming stage to a manuscript and then on to publication can vary.  You may choose to market your book yourself.  However, without experience, it is hard to negotiate terms and conditions without a practiced agent.   (This may not be true with shorter pieces such as: poems and magazine articles.)  Instead of searching out new talent, publishers often rely on the expertise of agents that they are familiar with and will more likely than not consider pieces from reputable agents, as opposed to an unsolicited piece of work, which can only represent itself. 

What about the Benjamin’s?
Don’t worry about paying your publisher.  Any sound agent will wait until the book has been published to collect any sort of monetary compensation.  In addition, you should never be the one writing the check to your agent.  The publishing company who published your work pays an agent.  Once the book has sold, the agent will collect the earning and then take from 10-20% of the revenues depending on the stipulations specified in the contract.  Other smaller charges may be factored in including mailing and postage expenses.  However, be careful to look for any “Reading Fees”, “Agent Fees”, etc.  These are almost always scams and quick ways for some random con artist to make money off of your hard work.  Always wait for a publisher to pay your agent.

So, where do I find an agent?
There is no one hot spot to find an agent.  This can be the tricky part, but one of the most important steps in the process.  In order to find a good agent, some work will be involved. Similar to other decision-making processes, word of mouth can lend you a hand here.  Do you know someone that has been published?  Consider asking him whether he used an agent, and if so, who?  If the author had a pleasurable experience with his agent, consider contacting them.  Without this connection, though, one may find it daunting to find an agent.  However, because more and more publishing companies are requiring agents, the demand and sheer number of writing agents has increased along with the resources available to help you find one in particular.  Consider reading through the Writer’s Market, Literary Market Place, or Writer’s Digest for listings of agent entries, names of their clients, and recent sales.  This may help give you direction in your search. 

But, which one do I choose? 
This is a difficult decision, and unfortunately, only you can make it.  However, the first step is always to eliminate scams.  Many people are just out to make a quick buck.  As stated before, you can quickly discard an agent who lists an upfront fee.  This person is probably just trying to earn a quick buck.  Read through the listings and consider looking at the works an agent has represented/published in the past.  If his/her genre seems to line up with your ideas and aspirations, you may wan to send out a letter of interest.  Make sure that your pitch his irresistible.  This is your chance to prove that your book idea stands out from the rest.  In this first letter, a simple plot summary will do- but make it a good one.  Below your signature consider having a reply box in which the publisher can select “Yes, No, or Please send a full manuscript”.  From this point on, you will have to continue to: Pitch the idea to agents, Be patient, Be considerate, and never stop marketing the piece yourself.