Modern Good Reads discussion

Danika wrote: "Hello Seth,
Thanks for joining us today. I wondered if you had any particular tips for preparing a manuscript before querying agents?
Cheers! Danika"

Good question Danika. Double Space, normal font, page numbers, and editing. Get it good, and don't trust boyfriends/girlfriends or parents because they are too nice, ha. Get someone who will be real and brutal on this... editing hurts.

Seth wrote: "Jason wrote: "Been reading this very informative Q&A. Just wanted to chime in and thank Mr. Fishman for his time."

Very kind of you, Jason!"

I echo Jason's commment. Thanks for the genuine responses you've supplied here. Very informative! Have a great day and best wishes w/ The Well's End.
Regards,
-Steve

Linda wrote: "Hi Seth: Thanks for your time answering our questions! As you said, self-publication is a viable option these days. But for now, I'm on the track of finding an agent and a traditional publisher. To..."

That is a big one. It's a shame when a book doesn't do well, but ultimately, a publisher's relationship with those outlets give you a nice leg up - or, at least, a good ground for a tag team. This also means you should not look down on amazing small presses like Tin House or Akashic!

Greetings Seth,

Thanks so much for taking part in this! I have two unrelated questions.

Do you look at New Adult as a valid category, or feel that it should be included in Adult? (I ask that because my novel Tearing the Shroud is set in college with a 21 year old main character.)

Also, I am collaborating on a book type that, literally, I've never seen before. The recent runaway seller, "Shut the F up and Go to Sleep" is similar, but not in content. It's a picture book, that looks like children's book, but is actually for adults and teens. How, or where would you suggest I query that?

Thanks!
J.M. Bray

I have been both subject to rejection and acceptance by a traditional- publishing house, and of course I was elated by the prospect of signing a contract and becoming a published author. However before I signed the dotted line, a clause in the contract caused me to decline the offer. My question to you is; How does an author know when to move forward, and with many small companies on the rise how do you decipher who is actually taking an interest in you and not out to sign you and take ownership of your book?

Ann wrote: "Hi Seth, I am thrilled to have an agent take time out of their day to answer our questions.
I have a MS that is done, as far as the story goes. I am 10 pages away from a 3rd revision. When do I st..."

Ann, hi. Honestly, you're the judge of that. I say you search when it's complete, when it's done. Everything will end up needing an edit, but you should send it out when you can pick it up, read a paragraph randomly, and go, 'huh, that's pretty darn good.'

thanks for the answer seth. actually they are all one series. they just fit into more than one genre.

Mike wrote: "Hi Seth, thanks for taking so many questions! I love the work you do with Kate Beaton so you are basically my dream agent. I'm a cartoonist and I recently submitted a work (Hug Me I'm a Sex Addict)..."

Mike, illustrated is hard. You SHOULD send via dropbox, but maybe a smaller sample in a cached page? I am very picky about my illustrators because that's so hard to make work, but I'm always looking. Did you send to info@? If so, we'll get to it soon!

Victoria wrote: "Hi, Seth - thanks so much for your time and insights. My question is perhaps a bit complicated. Agent/author relationships often extend beyond a working relationship. Our agents can become our fr..."

Oh that's a tough one. I have fired an agent of my own before, and that's really hard. It's like breaking up. I think one sign would be whether you WANT to call and connect to them. If not, that's a problem. Two, if you respect their judgment on your writing, and their advice. Three, if something's getting done. I mean, sometimes books don't tell, and you shouldn't leave an agent for that out of hand, because they could have done everything right. I am all for staying with agents, but finding the right one first, heh. Hope that's helpful at all. Remember, an agent works for YOU. If there's an issue, talk to them about it. It's like that relationship, you wouldn't get a divorce without first bringing up a problem, would you?

Mark wrote: "Hi Seth,

Books with paranormal elements are so popular in YA and SF/Fantasy, do you foresee this influencing mainstream fiction subject matter?"

Honestly Mark, I think they have for some time now. Check out Red Moon or The Passage...

OK everyone, I'm heading to lunch! Back in a bit.

Seth wrote: "Danika wrote: "Hello Seth,
Thanks for joining us today. I wondered if you had any particular tips for preparing a manuscript before querying agents?
Cheers! Danika"

Good question Danika. Double S..."

Thank you! DS

Hello Seth,

I'm a new author who self-published The Deadly Mark about 10 months ago. I first contacted a Harper Collins agent who requested a query letter, a synopsis, and the first 30 pages of the manuscript.

In the query letter I compared my novel to 3 other books, explained the story in 2 sentences, and the only experience I had put down at the time was my university degree in English and professional writing. My question is when does an agent make a decision about the story? when reading the query letter? synopsis? or first paragraph of the story?

the agent took 4 months toto reply stating that she had quit her job due to problems with the company's author royalties. I feel like maybe I should become a literary agent too in order to understand the inner workings of publishing. What qualifications would I need to become an agent like you?

Thanks so much!
Katherine.

Hi Seth,

I have self-published one book, and found indie publishers for four others, including my latest YA sci-fi thriller, GOD PARTICLE, but still don't have an agent. Do you think an agent could boost my career at this point? Good luck with your latest book, and thanks!

Toby Tate

Hi Seth - Great to read all these questions and your helpful comments. I have a quick question for you. My first novel, Duende, was published a year and a half ago by a very small independent publisher. In other words, I'm left to do all the marketing and promo work myself. I'd love to find an agent but am not sure if anyone would be interested in picking up a work that's already published - what do you think? The copyright's mine so that's not an issue but I'd value your opinion.
Duende's a piece of literary/historical fiction so again, this might limit my choices in terms of trying to find an agent.
Any advice or help you can give would be fantastic.
Lizzie

Hi Seth, thanks so much for answering all our questions and giving so generously of your time. My question is - I have one published novel under my belt. It's a YA paranormal, called Invisible, published by Solstice Publishing. I've also signed a movie option agreement for my novel but I do not have an agent. I'm nearing completion of my next novel, Incarnate, a paranormal romance, do you think my accomplishments with Invisible will be a big help in my efforts to land an agent this time around with Incarnate? Or will it not matter one way or another to an agent? In other words, will these accomplishments help to grab an agent's attention?

Thanks so much. I look forward to your reply.
Jeanne

Seth, is there a number of total sales at which agents begin to take serious notice of a self-published author? I know there are lots of variables, but generally and roughly speaking?

Thx...

Jerry

Seth wrote: "Linda wrote: "Hi Seth: Thanks for your time answering our questions! As you said, self-publication is a viable option these days. But for now, I'm on the track of finding an agent and a traditional..."

Thanks for your answer, Seth. Yes, I definitely check out the small presses. It's surprising to me that in this economy there are so many small presses popping up. Ok, I appreciate your time!!

J.M. wrote: "Greetings Seth,

Thanks so much for taking part in this! I have two unrelated questions.

Do you look at New Adult as a valid category, or feel that it should be included in Adult? (I ask that bec..."

New Adult is a thing, maybe, but it's actually an indication of a problem in the industry. There are adult editors and YA editors, and rarely the twain shall meet. Rick Yancey's 5th Wave was purposefully aimed at both ages, but the issue is that the houses don't work together. Until there are editors who actively work in both worlds, New Adult is just a nickname.

Seth wrote: "goodluck!"

Thank you Seth for your time and those great answers. :-) I've entered the contest. Who knows, I might win a reading by a certain agent. :-) But I will be writing that query letter just in case I need it.

Michele wrote: "I have been both subject to rejection and acceptance by a traditional- publishing house, and of course I was elated by the prospect of signing a contract and becoming a published author. However be..."

Michele, truth is, you need an expert for that. An agent. This might sound self-serving but for all reading, look at Michele's question and see how she didn't make a deal because of a contract issue. An agent will be able to tell you yes or no. An agent will have pre-negotiated boilerplates that are good. I've had writers come to me with offers in hand and a crappy contract, not signed yet, and just by connecting with me we got a better boilerplate, THEN we negotiated for more. You are not the expert, and it's impossible for you to be. Get an agent (not a lawyer, they often don't know what to ask for, only what not to have in contracts). We are worth our 15% even if we don't sell the book.

Jaye wrote: "Seth, thank you for taking time to join us on Modern Good Reads. I was in the middle of researching and querying agents when The Tiger's Wife came out and was pleased to read of your success with t..."

Interesting question. I think it might change, but probably the slowest. If I send out a scifi novel, there are 6-8 publishers I'm trying. If I send out a literary novel, there are 10-25. HUGE difference, huge focus. Until that changes...

L.M. wrote: "Hello Seth and thank you for taking the time from work to answer these questions.

Starting last year, I self-published my first book in a SciFi-Horror novella series I began. I will have the last ..."

Linda, hi. Congrats on your books! First of all, to all reading, you can query me anyway at [email protected] However, the 'prize' here is for me to DEFINITELY read it (not my capable asst) and to give a response.

For your book, Linda, going out with book 1 is fine. In fact, preferred. An agent will want to read on, but we read book 1 of series all the time. And sell them all the time.

Hi Seth

Do you ever donate copies of your books to disabled veterans?
With my small pension i am unable to purchase books and going to library is difficult.

Katherine wrote: "Hello Seth,

I'm a new author who self-published The Deadly Mark about 10 months ago. I first contacted a Harper Collins agent who requested a query letter, a synopsis, and the first 30 pages of th..."

Katherine, hi. Thanks for the question. First of all, and this is to help educate and explain the oddity of the scenario, HarperCollins is a publisher. They aren't an agency, so something weird was up with that person. The way it works is you send a book to an agent, we edit, get it into shape, and then pitch it to editors are various publishing houses who buy the book and then usher it through the publication. If you knew some or all of that, apologies, I just thought it was worth clarifying for everyone.

I admit, us agents need NO qualifications. But I'll say I was an assistant for 5 years before I became an agent. It's not easy, though the rewards can be great. Remember, you make your salary on a percentage of your clients' paycheck, and in this day and age, that isn't always huge. So you need to be careful and good and picky and successful. Which isn't easy, you know? Also, getting into the world is very tough, because most agencies are in NYC and pay poorly for assistants at first. BUT, if you get ONE client, one huge client, financially you're set. And if you get tons of amazing clients, who cares how much you make? It's the best job in the world!

L.M. wrote: "Hi Seth,

Second and last time I'll post a question. (I hope this hasn't been asked already.) I am what I would call a mixed genre writer. For all writers out there who fall into this category, wha..."

Well, YA isn't a genre, just an age break down. Everything else you listed falls into YA too, if it has the YA protagonist. Otherwise, those things all complement each other, so you're fine. Don't get tricky with it all, just get the reader to the pages to decide for themselves.

Toby wrote: "Hi Seth,

I have self-published one book, and found indie publishers for four others, including my latest YA sci-fi thriller, GOD PARTICLE, but still don't have an agent. Do you think an agent coul..."

God Particle, good title. Yes, an agent totally can. They can sell foreign rights, film rights, get you better deals, get you placed in online review sites or print. We do lots!

Robert wrote: "Hi Seth

Do you ever donate copies of your books to disabled veterans?
With my small pension i am unable to purchase books and going to library is difficult."

Robert, I'm sorry to hear that. Are there programs for this type of thing?

L.M. wrote: "Seth wrote: "L.M. wrote: "Hello Seth and thank you for taking the time from work to answer these questions.

Starting last year, I self-published my first book in a SciFi-Horror novella series I be..."

aww, thanks!

Jerry wrote: "Seth, is there a number of total sales at which agents begin to take serious notice of a self-published author? I know there are lots of variables, but generally and roughly speaking?

Thx...

Jerry"

Well, if you query an agent, we don't care how many sales. If you're talking about an agent going AFTER a self-published author because of sales, then at least 10k...

Seth wrote: "Toby wrote: "Hi Seth,

I have self-published one book, and found indie publishers for four others, including my latest YA sci-fi thriller, GOD PARTICLE, but still don't have an agent. Do you think ..."

Awesome - thanks Seth!

Seth wrote: "Robert wrote: "Hi Seth

Do you ever donate copies of your books to disabled veterans?
With my small pension i am unable to purchase books and going to library is difficult."

Robert, I'm sorry to h..."

No sorry there isn't. There has been a lot of authors that is generous enough to send me signed copies.

Seth wrote: "I think a big issue at the moment, though, is that self-published authors aren't LOOKING for agents. They aren't looking for the correct fit."

First of all Seth, thanks so much for coming to the Modern Good Reads group and sharing your expertise in the field. It's a great opportunity and one I appreciate!

I was intrigued by something you said (quoted above) because I think there's a bit of a back story as to why self-published authors aren't looking for an agent. In my own case, when I finished my first manuscript and went online looking for an agent that best fit my genre (YA dystopian), I discovered that most agents were: 1. Not taking new clients; 2. You had to get through their assistants first; 3. Did not accept new authors unless they were referred by exising clients; 4. They were only receiving ms with a "commercial bent".

That's a lot of hoops to jump through just to find an agent to represent you and doesn't even guarantee a publishing contract. As for "commercial bent", I had to look that one up and discovered that if I wasn't writing about vampires, they didn't want to look at my ms. The main reason I wrote a YA was because I am tired of my daughter reading about vampires, werewolves, angels, etc. I want her to read about a less than perfect heroine who actually grows in the story. Learns from her mistakes. Can recognize an abusive boy, even if he's physically perfect in every way. Hence, I self-published.

I doubt I'm alone in feeling this way and I would bet that a lot of authors went the self-publishing route for the same reasons. It's difficult to find an agent to fit with when so many have such a narrow scope and are so obviously already inundated with manuscripts. It's discouraging. For any author who does want to go the traditional route, how do you suggest they work within this model? How can they find the perfect agent for them when so many aren't accepting new clients?

Hi Seth -

Are Vampires too hard of a sell right now? And will an agent turn me down because of it? I ask because that's what I write and with the book in the final editing phase I hope to sell it in 2014.

Hi, Seth, I just wanted to say howdy from Odessa, Tx. I have entered the agent reading giveaway, but even if I don't win, I hope to query you later (if/when my other ms comes back from the agent who last requested it). Until then, thanks for doing this Q&A. And congrats on the new book!

S.M. wrote: "Seth wrote: "I think a big issue at the moment, though, is that self-published authors aren't LOOKING for agents. They aren't looking for the correct fit."

First of all Seth, thanks so much for c..."

Hi S.M. (What's your real name?). Well, this is a tough one for me to read because I think I disagree with lots said about agents. Let's go through and break it down.
1) Pretty much every agent is taking on new clients. There are times we are too busy at a moment to look through unsolicited submissions, but we aren't going to pass on something amazing. That said, 'I'm not taking on new clients' is a common form rejection, you it is something people see a lot of.
2) My assistant is awesome, and I trust him to give me good material. That said, part of what I've been saying, and the secret to getting an agent, is to get to the TOP of the pile. That means doing your research and writing a good letter and connecting to the agent. That might be a hoop, sure, but good agents can make your career and are worth having. Anyone can self-publish, but the successful ones are the ones who work really really hard and are savvy. If you are willing to put that effort into self-publishing, no reason not to do the same to finding an agent, who basically multiplies your powers.
3) Any agent who does that is silly. Really - that's just not smart business and I literally don't know one agent who has that as a policy.
4) If the agent says they are only looking for commercial bent, then that's the wrong agent for you. I know of agents who ONLY do intense literary fiction that sell barely any copies. There are SO many agents, it just takes a bit of looking to find the one that actually fits your needs.

Your writing fits the world of YA now, the backlash of fantasy and zombies, and there are dozens of eager agents looking for that type of stuff. Also, don't be afraid to try young agents at good agencies - they are eager, have time to spare, and have the support of their colleagues for any questions.

I've mentioned a few times how best to find an agent, so take a glance before - I'll do an update of that at the end of the AAA. Goodluck - I really think someone told you bad info on agents and that things are way promising for what you're working on.

Jennifer wrote: "Hi Seth -

Are Vampires too hard of a sell right now? And will an agent turn me down because of it? I ask because that's what I write and with the book in the final editing phase I hope to sell i..."

They certainly have been done before, but that won't stop a good, new version of them from happening. I, personally, am tired of Zombies, but am still into vampires. Yes, they are harder to sell right now, and yes it's something you should keep an eye on when you start a project, but ultimately, if it's good enough, it will make the cut. Goodluck!

Ann wrote: "Hi, Seth, I just wanted to say howdy from Odessa, Tx. I have entered the agent reading giveaway, but even if I don't win, I hope to query you later (if/when my other ms comes back from the agent w..."

Huzzah Odessa! Except we were such mortal enemies in football. Still, happy to hear from a fellow West-Texaner. And goodluck!

This has been a most interesting and helpful event. The questions and answers have cleared up some issues for me. I do have one other question, Seth. Do agents ever take on a book or series that has come out in hardback and is now available for paperback and foreign sales? I have been on both sides of the publishing fence and see benefits of both traditional and self-pubbing. I especially like the fact that all the production work is done by the publisher of my hardbacks.

Seth wrote: "I really think someone told you bad info on agents and that things are way promising for what you're working on."

Thank so much for your thoughtful response, Seth. The points I made about agents is information I took directly from their websites. For the record, I've only ever done one query. Honestly, I was just so discouraged; I really didn't find many agents with a warm and welcoming website. So far, self-publishing has been rewarding and has helped me gain confidence as a writer; although I do understand what you mean about finding an agent who knows the industry and can help me find a greater audience.

Cheers - Susan

Hi Seth, thanks for making yourself available for questions. I have an easy one regarding the contest. I have 2 novels traditionally published with a small press that does not handle YA manuscripts. May I enter the contest with a partial manuscript (3/4 finished - YA paranormal romance), or would you prefer only completed manuscripts?

Maryann wrote: "This has been a most interesting and helpful event. The questions and answers have cleared up some issues for me. I do have one other question, Seth. Do agents ever take on a book or series that ha..."

Maryann, good question. They do, but they usually take on with the understanding that they are working on the NEW material. The older, published material they will safekeep and work on for you, but it's the new material they have to love and move forward with.

Kathryn wrote: "Hi Seth, thanks for making yourself available for questions. I have an easy one regarding the contest. I have 2 novels traditionally published with a small press that does not handle YA manuscrip..."

Kathryn, why don't you enter the contest, and if you win, hold of sending my way until done. Then I'll give it a good read. Deal?

Hi Seth, looks like my question was missed. I think I posted it right before your lunch time. Bad timing on my part. Anyway, I've cut and pasted my question below.
Would love to hear what you have to say. Thanks, again :)

Hi Seth, thanks so much for answering all our questions and giving so generously of your time. My question is - I have one published novel under my belt. It's a YA paranormal, called Invisible, published by Solstice Publishing. I've also signed a movie option agreement for my novel but I do not have an agent. I'm nearing completion of my next novel, Incarnate, a paranormal romance, do you think my accomplishments with Invisible will be a big help in my efforts to land an agent this time around with Incarnate? Or will it not matter one way or another to an agent? In other words, will these accomplishments help to grab an agent's attention?

Thanks so much. I look forward to your reply.
Jeanne

That is a great deal! I will definitely enter, thanks Seth for all your time and the wonderful opportunity.

Jeanne wrote: "Hi Seth, looks like my question was missed. I think I posted it right before your lunch time. Bad timing on my part. Anyway, I've cut and pasted my question below.
Would love to hear what you have ..."

I think they will, Jeanne (sorry for missing before). You should find out how many copies were sold, and be specific on who optioned, but yes, that will perk some eyes. Congrats!

Seth wrote: "Victoria wrote: "Hi, Seth - thanks so much for your time and insights. My question is perhaps a bit complicated. Agent/author relationships often extend beyond a working relationship. Our agents ..."

Thank you. Great advice - well said. And feels intuitively right. :)

Hi Seth - thank you so much for giving up your time to come and talk to us.

You touched on part of my question early on but I wanted to take it a step further.

You say that self-published authors generally want to be traditionally published, and that is certainly the case with me. When I self-published, it wasn't because I couldn't get a trade publisher, but because I simply didn't have the time to send it out to agents and publishers. I also thought I might have more success with an agent or publisher if I could come to them at a later stage with a book that had solid reviews and/or sales and show that the book had potential.

So my question to you is this: Do agents prefer to receive unknown books that have never been published, or do you like having some of the guess work taken out with a book that has already proven itself and just needs the validation of a traditional publisher? Just wanting to know if I am on the right path, or would be better off sending an unpublished manuscript off to agents.

Seth wrote: "Maryann wrote: "This has been a most interesting and helpful event. The questions and answers have cleared up some issues for me. I do have one other question, Seth. Do agents ever take on a book o..."

Thanks for you response, Seth. With the exception of a stand-alone mystery I wrote between book two and book three of the series, this is an ongoing project with a new book in the works.

Riley wrote: "Hi Seth - thank you so much for giving up your time to come and talk to us.

You touched on part of my question early on but I wanted to take it a step further.

You say that self-published autho..."

Thanks for that - it's a pretty complicated question. There's a lot of traction a publisher can give for a very undiscovered debut. But a self-published author can still be called a debut, can still get lots of press, be a big deal. I'd say that if you come to the table with lots of reviews and lots of sales, that's good. If you come with no reviews, few sales, but a good book, that's fine! I think it all comes back to a good book.