Rewrites

RoccoMom · Nov 29, 2007

Is it a common practice for an agent to request a rewrite?

Calla Lily · Nov 29, 2007

I don't know how common it is, but I sent my agent the first chapter, she asked if I'd rewrite. Is the Pope Catholic? Of course I did, and then applied her suggestions to the rest of the book. A week later, she asked for the full, I sent it, and she made me an offer.

Irysangel · Nov 29, 2007

I don't know if it's common, but it's not that *un*common.

I had an agent at a huge agency request rewrites (not once but twice) on a manuscript without offering me representation. I had two sets of people coaching me on both sides - one group saying NO DO NOT REWRITE WITHOUT REPRESENTATION (because they felt I was wasting my time) and another group that thought it was a good idea, because it meant the agent was interested in my work.

Ultimately I went with the rewrites, since I thought they were very good rewrites. The agent did not offer me representation, but I still thought it was a great learning experience.

ORION · Nov 29, 2007

You can call it rewrites, you can call it editing, you can call it what ever you want but I know very few first novels that go straight from the agent to submission. (now be warned there are now going to be a trillion posters who will say it happened to them LOL)
Anyway my agent and I worked on my novel "tweaking" (another word for editing/revision/rewriting) for four months. Others have done more and less. I didn't actually sign the WMA contract until three months later...
If an agent is interested enough in your novel to ask you to jump -- you yell...
"HOW HIGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH?"

Calla Lily · Nov 29, 2007

ORION said:
If an agent is interested enough in your novel to ask you to jump -- you yell...
"HOW HIGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH?"

LOL! You know it!

And you know what's even better? My full is at a large pub. They asked for an alternate opening (for various reasons). My agent said it was a good idea, and I agreed. Then she said that if they'd've asked me to change the ending, she would've advised me to refuse, because she says the ending makes the book. We even agree on what's flexible and what shouldn't be. I love this woman.

Redhedd · Nov 29, 2007

Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Name of the Wind, says that he worked on rewrites for several YEARS with his agent, Matt Bialer, before it was submitted to editors.

ORION · Nov 29, 2007

I'm not surprised. One of the reasons is that working with an editor is a huge job and the agent has to know how fast and how competently an author writes and does revisions. That's why I cringe when a writer talks about using a book doctor - it's so pointless as the editor and agent want to know that you as an author can do those changes yourself. You want to show your willingness to accept title changes, cover art, character enhancement or changes. I have learned so much and it's already making my second book better mechanically...

Maprilynne · Nov 29, 2007

"If an agent is interested enough in your novel to ask you to jump -- you yell...
"HOW HIGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH?""

Aaaaaaammmmmeeeeeennnnnn!

I did two re-writes for my agent before she signed me. Lots of other stuff happened and then, well, you can see the ending in my signature.

Trust me, it's worth it!!

Toothpaste · Nov 29, 2007

I had to cut 10 000 words before my agent would sign me. It isn't a guarentee that they will sign you, but chances are they know what they are talking about so it will probably make your book better even if they pass (not always, I mean, you still have to decide if you agree with the suggestions of course).

Will Lavender · Nov 29, 2007

Redhedd said:
Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Name of the Wind, says that he worked on rewrites for several YEARS with his agent, Matt Bialer, before it was submitted to editors.

Wow. That's amazing, especially considering how many solid reviews Rothfuss has gotten for that book. (Maybe that was due to the rewriting...?)

My agent and I did a lot of stuff before the book ever got to my editor. It helps that my agent is a former novelist herself. All of it was done after representation, but I definitely would have rewritten even before a contract was signed. I'm always amazed somebody is interested in something I've written, so I'm ever eager to take suggestions and implement them.

Oh, and if anybody has a suggestion for my new WIP, let me know. :flag:

RoccoMom · Nov 30, 2007

so I'm assuming from most of these posts that doing changes without "Official" representation isn't uncommon?

Marian Perera · Nov 30, 2007

Toni1953 said:
so I'm assuming from most of these posts that doing changes without "Official" representation isn't uncommon?

I sent a manuscript to the Ethan Ellenberg agency in 2003, and one of the agents rejected it with some very useful comments and feedback. I edited the mansucript with those changes in mind and asked if he would be interested in reading it again, and he was. It still turned out to be a "no" in the end, but the manuscript is better as a result.

lkp · Nov 30, 2007

If I were an agent, and I thought a ms. needed some editing, I'd definitely ask for a rewrite before I signed a new client. It is a great way for an agent to see whether he/she can work with an author, whether their visions of the book mesh. And the same thing goes for the author. My agent asked for one rewrite before she offered representation and for two little rewrites after she signed me. It was what she said about the first rewrite that made me know I wanted to work with her.

If an agent is asking to see a second version of your novel, they have invested a huge amount of time in you with no financial reward and are planning to invest more. It's not a guarantee of anything, but it is a great sign of serious interest.

Carrie R. · Nov 30, 2007

I've seen agents request rewrites before signing the writer on as a client and agents ask for revisions after signing a client. I don't think it's *as* common before you become a client because the agent has to be really into the book to want to put the work into it. They're taking a risk that their work won't pan out. If an agent is asking for a rewrite prior to representation, it's a good sign that agent is very interested. But if you don't agree with the rewrites and your vision of the book is different, then it's up to you to decide whether to do them or not.

I think its fairly common for an agent to ask for revisions from a client before sending the book off to an editor -- they want to give the book the best possible chance of succeeding. The level of editing may differ, though.

RoccoMom · Nov 30, 2007

thanks for all your input!

popmuze · Nov 30, 2007

I think an agent asking for specific rewrites is probably the highest level of response aside from offering a contract. These days I think agents do more editing than editors; editors are too busy with the politics of publishing.

Irysangel · Nov 30, 2007

Just to make it clear, though - a request for edits doesn't mean that it's 'unofficial' representation.

Basically the agent is telling you that it's a pretty good idea, but they can't sell it like it is. And if you fix it this way, maybe he/she can, but they'd have to see it again.

I did the requested edits (in my case) twice and the agent loved my first 50 pages. But then she read the rest and said the manuscript was nothing like what she wanted, and at that point she declined representation. She hadn't even read past the first 3 chapters I originally sent her when requesting her edits.

So keep that in mind.

Provrb1810meggy · Nov 30, 2007

One agent asked that I rewrite my book for a MG audience, and I jumped at the opportunity! It's not like it would hurt. I always had the YA version anyway.

My YA version ended up getting me an agent who had some editorial work for me to do, but that work was done after she was already representing me.

gypsum · Nov 30, 2007

This is really interesting. I had my top choice agent tell me she didn't think she could sell my non-fiction book as is, but that if I did it another way (which she outlined pretty clearly), she thought it might work. I wasn't sure how serious she was about me, but it seemed really encouraging that she would take the time to give so much feedback.

I'm waiting for a certain number of rejections from other agents and then I will switch course and take her advice, then re-submit.

badducky · Nov 30, 2007

Rothfuss, Reddhead, and I all have the same agent, if I remember correctly.

I'm re-writing for Matt Bialer right now, and I have found the process useful so far. We'll see what product results.

One of the things I was looking for in an agent was someone who could help me be more of a genius than I already am.

Because I am not a genius. I just keep revising until all the stupid is gone. Having someone looking over my shoulder to help me find the stupid before the rest of your guys get your eyes on it (including you editors) is a very good thing, indeed.

Rewrites are your friend. Agent revision notes are your friend.

Calla Lily · Dec 1, 2007

badducky said:
I just keep revising until all the stupid is gone. Having someone looking over my shoulder to help me find the stupid before the rest of your guys get your eyes on it (including you editors) is a very good thing, indeed.

Rewrites are your friend. Agent revision notes are your friend.

Best thing I've read all week.

KTC · Dec 1, 2007

I will let you know.

(sigh)

astonwest · Dec 1, 2007

badducky said:
I just keep revising until all the stupid is gone.

I think I'm going to have to borrow that line in the future...

Provrb1810meggy · Dec 1, 2007

I definitely agree that agent revision notes are a good thing. I like that my agent knows how to be editorial and had suggestions on how to make my ms. stronger.

RoccoMom · Dec 3, 2007

Provrb1810meggy said:
I definitely agree that agent revision notes are a good thing.

Definitely agree with that.

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