Self-publishing success stories aside, there are still plenty of writers with their sights set on the Big Six and scoring a traditional deal with a major publishing house. And you know the drill: If a traditionally published book is what you want, then a literary agent is what you need.
Assuming you’ve done your homework and already learned the components of a book proposal and how to write an effective query, we’ve decided to drill a little deeper to discover other, lesser-known factors that agents consider before signing an author. And as a bonus, we’ve eliminated all speculation and hearsay and talked directly to agents about what works and what doesn’t.
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So if you’ve decided to eschew eBooks and print-on-demand and are holding out for a contract from HarperCollins or Simon & Schuster, this one’s for you. Don’t bury your sales hook
You may write as a means to communicate your innermost feelings or to fulfill your life’s one true purpose, but when you sign with an agent and (hopefully) a publisher, selling books is the name of the game. And for Rachelle Gardner, an agent with Books & Such Literary Agency, a book’s sales potential must be critically examined before she agrees to sign an author.
“As I’m reading [a submission], I’m paying attention to my gut response: Are readers going to enjoy this and want to keep turning the page?” says Gardner. “Then the other side of it is, regardless of my gut response, can I sell this? And could a publisher sell this to readers? And if so, how?”
Gardner recommends writers clearly communicate the sales hook in their initial submission. As in, don’t expect the agent to automatically assume that your cozy mystery featuring a stay-at-home mom turned amateur sleuth will be targeted to unfulfilled women in middle America. The agent may make that connection on her own, but you’re better off displaying your knowledge of the market and the fact that your book actually has an audience (read: buyers).
Do prepare a verbal pitch
As a writer, hiding behind a keyboard comes naturally, and the Delete key is often the most powerful (and often used) tool in a fully loaded arsenal. Even still, there are times when the opportunity to wow a potential agent may come via a face-to-face, on-the-fly meeting as opposed to an emailed query. If you’re frequenting writing conferences and other industry networking events (and you should be!), honing your verbal pitch is a must.
| “If you’re frequenting writing conferences and other industry networking events (and you should be!), honing your verbal pitch is a must.” |
“The main points with a verbal pitch are to remember that you’re talking to a person, so you’re not sounding like a robot who’s rattling off a written pitch,” says Gardner. “And remember that the purpose of a pitch is to get someone to want to hear more. It is not to tell your whole story.”
Gardner suggests developing a 30- to 60-second, elevator-style pitch as well as one that takes as long as a few minutes. For more tips on how to sell your story verbally, visit Gardner’s personal blog.
Don’t write too niche
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter franchise spawned a slew of sword-and-sorcery fantasies, and Stephanie Meyer inspired scores of other writers to brush up on vampire etiquette following the uber-success of her Twilight series. Certainly, there is an advantage to monitoring industry trends and positioning yourself to best capitalize on the market, but most agents want to work with authors who aren’t bound by sub-genre.
“What I like to see is that [writers] have the ability to be nimble and change,” says Paige Wheeler, a founding partner of Folio Literary Management. “So, perhaps what are the traits within that vampire novel that can be turned into something else? Is this something that could be turned into a YA or a romantic suspense? How do they want to turn what they love into something that may be more commercially viable as tastes change in publishing?”
Do have a long-term vision
Many aspiring authors have visions of retreating to country cottages in the summer or beachside bungalows in the winter to churn out regular tomes that net a full-time salary year-round. And while there are plenty of naysayers to shoot down your career novelist dreams with pragmatic talk about “real jobs” and 401(k)s, the good news is that agents actually prefer a writer with long-term career plans. Agents are just as invested in developing an author’s career as the author herself, so one-and-done writers don’t rank high on client wish lists.
“You have to plan not just on getting you first or second book published, but your fifth or seventh,” says Wheeler. “When I meet with people one on one in conferences, I often say, ‘What else are you working on? What’s project number two? What’s project number three?’ And if they have no idea, that could be a problem.”
So how can you show that you’re an idea machine without coming off like a scatter-brained creative? Wheeler says the best time to share future plans is after the initial query stage, once she asks for additional materials. It also helps to show some cohesion in terms of genre or subject matter; bouncing from business book to YA novel to political thriller is not advised.
| “Having your hairstylist’s best friend’s neighbor call her daughter at the big-time New York literary agency may not be possible, but establishing a connection with an agent is.” |
Do establish a personal connection
Wouldn’t landing an agent be so much easier if you knew one personally, or had a friend of a friend who could put in a good word? Having your hairstylist’s best friend’s neighbor call her daughter at the big-time New York literary agency may not be possible, but establishing a connection with an agent is — even with one you’ve never met.
“I kind of like it when people say, ‘I finished your client Rory Friedman’s book, and I haven’t slept for two days,'” says Laura Dail of Laura Dail Literary Agency. “So the connection can be through clients or authors that you both like.”
And if mentioning another client’s book scores points with agents, actually getting a referral from that client will definitely move your query to the top of the slush pile. But before you name drop, adds Dail, ask your fellow writer to reach out to the agent first. “Sometimes — and I always say this to my clients — if you haven’t called me or emailed me and told me to keep an eye out for this person, then I don’t give it much weight.”
Don’t get discouraged
As if moving from blank page to completed manuscript weren’t difficult enough, wading through the uncertain waters of landing an agent and securing a publishing deal may seem more daunting than embarking on a Thanksgiving Day juice fast. But if getting published the traditional way is still your ultimate goal, take heart: The industry needs you.
“I actually do think it’s an incredible time right now,” says Dail. “You can still do a traditional deal. Publishers are still paying advances. They still want amazing talent, [and] they’re dying for something fresh and wonderful.”
The fact that publishers and literary agencies wouldn’t exist without authors and their works is a simple, unalienable truth that is often forgotten. Yes, there’s competition, and, yes, the changes in publishing have made it more difficult for a first-time author to break in. But it’s not impossible. And if you follow these tips — along with the wealth of other resources on our site — your odds of landing an agent and a book deal are bound to increase.
Andrea Williams is a freelance writer based in Nashville. Follow her at
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