This panel addressed many of the aspects of Trade Publishing.
Panelist: Liz L. Gorinsky (editor), Dorothy Hearst (Current novelist and former editor), Sharyn November (editor), Eddie Schneider (agent), Carolyn Stevermer (author and editorial assistant)
The watch word among all of these publishing professionals is professionalism. Authors need to treat submissions of any sort as a business venture. Do your research. Make sure the agent and editors you approach represent or publish the kind of book you have. Make sure that you are finished with your book. Make sure that it is the best it can be.
While some editors and publishers continue to take direct submissions, in today’s market, an agent is the more preferred method for reaching a publisher. Doors are open there that are not open when you are soliciting for yourself.
Make sure that you follow the guidelines for formatting. Get Word, even for Mac. Use the software everyone uses.
Don’t give people a reason to reject you. Don’t be gimicky. You don’t want to seem crazy.
Don’t forget that money flows toward the author. You can hire editors, but that’s not usual for trade publishing. However, it’s best to have someone else looking at your work. Writing groups were recommended. If you can’t find a local group, feel free to find an online group.
A couple of book recs: Scott Meredith’s Writing to Sell, and Brown’s Self-Editing for Fiction Writers
Often authors feel like supplicants. Don’t do that. Feel like a peer. Both you and the writing professional are people.
Sometimes editors and agents burn out. Remember to do the research to give your book a better chance. The internet is a great place to know what editors and agents are looking for.
Once you get an agent, it’s a professional relationship.
Politeness goes a long way in the industry. Always be polite. Be polite to assistants.
Why an agent? If you are pursuing trade publishing, the agent can help writers deal with the business stuff, which many of them dislike. Also, agents can help you with contracts, foreign rights, and tv and film writes. Subsidiary rights can get the selling of your book “almost up to a living wage.”
Don’t quit your day job. No, really.
Agents can be career managers as well. The writer may have a laundry list of ideas of what to right. The agent has his or her eye on the market and can help the writer realize which is the right idea for this time, or what the strongest idea on the list might be. Agents stay on top of tour schedules, and can connect with marketing and publicity. They can book speaking gigs, events and conventions.
Make sure you know what you need from an agent. The wrong agent is worse than no agent. You can get references for agents from Writer Beware!, Preditors and Editors, and the Absolute Write forums.
Depending on the agency, some agents keep the books they negotiate even if the writer moves on. Other agencies have negotiations in the process. Some even have “pre-nup” agreements with the author.
What are some questions to ask a prospective agent or editor?
1. What’s the agent’s editorial vision?
2. Try hard to listen to agents’ responses to your questions.
3. If someone is just giving you good feedback, okay.
4. But if you are getting enthusiasm with no substance, think about it.
An agent is long term.
An editor is one book.
Editors mentioned that while they do not have favorite agents, an agent has got to do something for the writer. If a writer has an agent who is too busy and intimidates them, this agent is not a good fit for the writer.
Other questions. What will you be working on in the future? Can one agent handle it all, or will you need an agent for two different genres or age groups?
Ask the agent what is your vision for selling this book? Can I call some of your authors?
If the agent sees the book in a different place than you do, he/she might not be a good fit.
Does your agent have time to work with you?
Don’t discount the beginning agent. Beginners are enthusiastic.
The author-editor relationship is about art.
The author-agent relationship is about business.
Editors mention that the author and agent can play good cop, bad cop with editors.
There are agents who micromanage, or take a parental role. It’s really up to the author what they want.
Networking at conferences? Sure. The more you’re out there, the more people you can talk to. BE NICE TO EVERYONE!
Social media can help, but it can not sub in for work. If you’re going to do it, do only the social media you like. Don’t be solely self-promoting. Be a real person. Update often. Social media is a persona.
Talent is not the only consideration. There are plenty of amazing, but crazy writers that we don’t necessarily want to work with.
Again, you are running a small business. BE PROFESSIONAL!
When you describe a story, use spoilers. It’s okay. Editors want to no the whole picture. There is a time frame for responses. In general, no response is six months is a no.
Agents work with you on a revision. Then the agent pitches. Then the editor sends a revision letter. Then onto publisher (a bit of a simplification.)
When an agent pitches: starts with major publishers and large independents. Like your submission, the pitch can take weeks, months, years!
More rejection. But if one person gets it, you’re on your way. Sometimes more than one person gets it, and there’s an auction.
Take to the editor. Don’t be scared of the editor.
Agents can negotiate for best seller bonuses, extra advances against royalties, more subsidiary rights. Also tries to reduce multiple payments.
Relax. This seems like a lot. But editors and agents know the dance. Trust them.
The odds of publishing are stacked against you. But if you’ve got to do it, gain as many allies as possible.
