Need an agent, or don't need one -- A Warner Books Author tells all ...

jeffrivera · Dec 15, 2006

Sometimes I feel it's really sad when I read writers so desperate to get an agent, they think that if they get an agent all their dreams will come true. Well, let me know tell you I've had a good share of agents (both good and bad agents) finding a good one is worth the wait.

BUT FIRST to attract a good agent WRITE A GREAT NOVEL. Spend more energy making it the best it can be, I know it sounds cliche but it's so true. And I found when I focused on that then getting an agent was the easy part.

And contrary to popular belief editors at major houses WILL read your manuscript without an agent (takes them a lot longer to read it without an agent than with an agent though. My editor had my book for months but one call from my agent and she read it over the weekend and had an offer for me in less than 7 days).

I once put together a query campaign for an author and received over 30 responses from editors at major houses and she didn't even have an agent. She received another 20-30 responses from agents wanting to read her manuscript. You just have to know what to say in the query that's all.

Focus on writing the best damn first 50 pages (especially that first page cause they'll give it like 2-3 pages and if it doesn't hook them they're on to the next manuscript).

Novelist in Paradise · Dec 16, 2006

jeffrivera said:
You just have to know what to say in the query that's all.

And to climb Mount Everest you just have to put one foot in front of the other. That's all.

Said with a bit tongue in cheek.

Congrats.

Click to expand...

johnzakour · Dec 16, 2006

Congrats on the novel but (I'm also saying this a bit tongue in cheek....) I am not sure you're exactly "telling all..."

I think most people here realize:

Agents aren't the end all to end all, but they do get you read faster. They also come in very handy when dealing with contracts.

Good query letters get you read.

Doesn't matter how good the query letter is if the first 50 pages aren't really great.

Now if you really want to "tell all" you need to explain:

What makes a good query letter and what makes a great 50 pages. (Which I believe has been discussed a lot on this board. Still it’s always great to have another opinion.)

allenparker · Dec 16, 2006

some extras

It is not just a good query, it is a great query that hooks the agent to read the book.

It's not just 50 good first pages. It's 50 great first pages that lead to fifty great pages that lead to 50 great pages that leads to the last 10 great pages that no one can put down.

It's not even 300 great pages. It's a story so compelling that the agent can't get the <insert your genre specific noun> humor out of her mind.

It's not even a compelling story that she can't forget. It's the perfect writing that compliments the story in such a way that the book flow directly from one scene to another, from one location to another, and from one PV to another seamlessly.

It's not even just all those things. It is everything there.

The heartache is that you could be the best of the lot and still not get a shot. Just because you are the best does not mean they will love it. It has tobe commercially viable.

BUT, a climb up Mt Everest begins with one step. AND, Mt Everest can be climbed.

aruna · Dec 16, 2006

Remember also that finding a publisher is not the only thing an agent does for you. There's a whole lot of things that come after that.

Jamesaritchie · Dec 16, 2006

jeffrivera said:
And contrary to popular belief editors at major houses WILL read your manuscript without an agent

Well, some will, and some won't. The problem is that even those who will read manuscripts that do not come through an agent almost never actually buy such novels. I know one major publisher that has always read novels from unagented writers, but they've bought exactly one in the last twenty-five years.

johnzakour · Dec 16, 2006

allenparker said:
The heartache is that you could be the best of the lot and still not get a shot. Just because you are the best does not mean they will love it. It has tobe commercially viable.

I truly believe that if the writing is the "best of the lot" then it will get a shot. Something that may not be commerical to one editor or agent may be quite commerical to another. Plus what's not commerical today may be tomorrow.

I think good writing will always sell.

aruna · Dec 16, 2006

johnzakour said:
I think good writing will always sell.

But when? I don't want to publish my next book at age 85. That's why I'm glad to have found an agent.

jeffrivera · Dec 16, 2006

Believe me having an great agent is awesome, but what I'm saying is to get publishers or editors to read a manuscript doesn't take them. Of course having one or a publishing attorney on your side when it's time for negotiations is very helpful.

I wouldn't say that writing a good query letter or getting an agent is as hard as Mt. Everest. I've never had a problem getting an agent, ever. Getting a GREAT agent, now that's a different story. Hahahaha

I highly recommend self-publishing as another route authors can do to get their foot in the door. I did it and I am so grateful I did because it worked.

jeffrivera · Dec 16, 2006

and yeah I'll definitely explain what makes a great query letter and what makes a great first 50 pages ... I guess I should create another forum for that right in a different catagory?

miles · Dec 16, 2006

I wouldn't say that writing a good query letter or getting an agent is as hard as Mt. Everest. I've never had a problem getting an agent, ever. Getting a GREAT agent, now that's a different story. Hahahaha

I highly recommend self-publishing as another route authors can do to get their foot in the door. I did it and I am so grateful I did because it worked.

So, what happened? You got an agent early off, then decided to self-publish? That doesn't make sense. I too got an agent fairly easily (one of the top) and agree that getting one is not too difficult with a great query and manuscript. But now that I have one, I certainly wouldn't self-publish.

Now that I know my writing is good enough attract professionals, if my book doesn't sell, I'll just keep improving, write better books, until one of them does. It's much easier to sell manuscripts as a successfully published writer (as long as the first couple do well), but often hard to break in with the first one. I know more than a couple authors whose first manuscripts didn't sell, even after getting an agent, but whose second and third did. Now their first is in print and doing well.

I understand self-publishing if one is unsuccessful in finding a good agent and really wants their work in print. But "never having a problem" getting an agent, and then choosing to self publish? What kind of agents are we talking about that you never had a problem getting? Barbara Bauer?

Manderley · Dec 16, 2006

jeffrivera said:
and yeah I'll definitely explain what makes a great query letter and what makes a great first 50 pages ... I guess I should create another forum for that right in a different catagory?

Don't forget to familiarize yourself with this site first either. I might not have many posts to my name, but I have lurked around here long enough to know that you don't quite get the audience here.

victoriastrauss · Dec 16, 2006

jeffrivera said:
And contrary to popular belief editors at major houses WILL read your manuscript without an agent (takes them a lot longer to read it without an agent than with an agent though. My editor had my book for months but one call from my agent and she read it over the weekend and had an offer for me in less than 7 days).

Congragulations on your success, Jeff. But you're refuting your own point here. Yes, the editor agreed to read your ms. while you were unagented, but it took a call from an agent to actually get her to do so.

I'm not saying that imprints of big publishing houses never buy unagented novels--sometimes they do. But as James Ritchie pointed out, this is rare, and the vast majority of novels--including those by first-time writers--sell via agents. An agented manuscript--sometimes even when the agent is unknown to the publisher--will nearly always be given priority over an unagented one. Even if you get an editor to agree to read your unagented ms., there will probably be an agented author ahead of you.

- Victoria

aadams73 · Dec 16, 2006

jeffrivera said:
and yeah I'll definitely explain what makes a great query letter and what makes a great first 50 pages ... I guess I should create another forum for that right in a different catagory?

Hang around, get to know the crowd. Please don't assume that we are all unpublished or that you're the only one who knows who everything works.

Having said that, I'd like to hear what you have to say. Just don't forget your crowd knows quite a lot already(and a great many have knowledge that exceeds your own.)

victoriastrauss · Dec 16, 2006

jeffrivera said:
and yeah I'll definitely explain what makes a great query letter and what makes a great first 50 pages ... I guess I should create another forum for that right in a different catagory?

Jeff, do have a look around the forums here first. There are already many threads that address query letters and writing samples--perhaps you could contribute to those rather than starting new ones.

- Victoria

Bufty · Dec 16, 2006

Welcome, Jeff. Congratulations on your publication. Glad you know everything about everything, and it's kind of you to share it with us poor folks.

I am an extremely courteous person, I think, but do read between the lines, old chap.

Doug Johnson · Dec 16, 2006

How to market your book on the internet

http://www.spacejock.com.au/MarketingYourBookOnline.html

"Forget about pushing your book and your blog, please, and just join in."

Sassenach · Dec 16, 2006

Oh, was there a post attached to the giant promo?

Jeff, you might want to correct this typo on the front page of your site:

To get a sneak peak click here

CrankItTo11 · Dec 16, 2006

Congrats on your forthcoming novel. I know you likely have absolutely no control over your cover, but... am I the only one freaked out by the seemingly distorted lower lip? I'm probably just looking at it funny - or maybe it didn't translate well as a jpg.

Best wishes to you. I hope you stick around the boards.

PeeDee · Dec 16, 2006

I don't think that I'd be quite so ready to suggest self-publishing to young authors who want a foot in the door with big publishing. Saying that you have put your novel out on the internet is not going to do much. Not unless you rack up some good sales figures to back you up, which is rare.

Anyway, why tell all, Jeff? I'm happy for your success, but really, wouldn't it be more enjoyable just to hang out and enjoy being with authors, some happily published and some not? I realize that you're being helpful, but I saw the "tells all" bit and found myself hoping there'd be a steamy sex scene or something when I opened the thread.

Elektra · Dec 16, 2006

jeffrivera said:
And contrary to popular belief editors at major houses WILL read your manuscript without an agent

It's not "popular belief"--it's a fact stated right on most major publishers' websites.

UrsusMinor · Dec 16, 2006

Elektra said:
It's not "popular belief"--it's a fact stated right on most major publishers' websites.

Actually, what most publishers say is something to the effect that they do not accept unrequested manuscipts. But if you manage to get an editor interested (a well-targeted query might do this), then they request your manuscript--and it's no longer unrequested, right?

A few do in fact state that they don't accept unagented (as opposed to unrequested) manuscripts. But at a conference I met an editor from a house that had such a statement up on their website, and, despite that statement she asked to see my (then unagented) manuscript. Editors have a lot of latitude.

So, what Jeff is saying here isn't untrue. But I am in agreement that getting into an editor's to-read pile unagented tends to leave you at low priority.

In addition, in the endless in-fighting and committee meetings that occur in most big houses as a book moves through the approval chain, the question of which agent represents your book will be raised as a point of credibility.

James D. Macdonald · Dec 16, 2006

It's comparatively easy to sell a first novel. It's easier still to sell a second novel.

What's hard is selling a third novel.

UrsusMinor · Dec 16, 2006

James D. Macdonald said:
It's comparatively easy to sell a first novel. It's easier still to sell a second novel.

What's hard is selling a third novel.

Speaking as someone who just sold his first novel (I'm avoiding making final editing changes by messing around here on AW), I don't think I've ever heard such a Good News/Bad News bulletin.

Does it get easier again after #3?

Julie Worth · Dec 16, 2006

James D. Macdonald said:
What's hard is selling a third novel.

I figure this is because the first book you sell is your third or fourth, while the next one is the second or third (revamped to satisfy a two book deal). But the second published book isn't as good, of course, so sales drop off. And already you're on a death spiral.

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