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HOW TO SIGN WITH A
LITERARY AGENT
©2006 by Suzanne Falter-Barns
If you're interested in publishing a book and
gaining a market presence and income from it, you'll need a
literary agent. They are the grease that keeps the oft-rusty
wheels of publishing moving. Every day, they eat lunch or
talk to editors and acquisition people in publishing houses
all over the world, all the while pitching them on the new
hot 'properties', as your manuscript will be called.
Generally speaking, you need an agent (though there are
literary lawyers and others out there who would disagree
with me.) I've had four agents, some fine, one useless, and
one downright criminal (though eminently likeable.)
Here are some tips I can pass along that will help your
search for this important part of your team.
* Make sure you're selling something marketable. It could be
you're the only person out there who wants to read about
your Aunt Tillie's days as a pickle packer. Before you
approach an agent, find out what problem your book solves
and who it will appeal to. Research similar titles on
Amazon.com and look for gaps in the marketplace. Go to
bookstores and see what's hot (and what's not.) What's not
is on the remainder shelf; what's hot is placed up front and
center, with massive piles of the book in sight. Give an
agent a good reason UP FRONT to get excited (before they
even read your mss)
Click Here to Start.
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Thomass
Jaymess's
General Info |
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This Is Me
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1581 Friends
Member since 8/5/2005 |
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Gender |
Male |
Age |
45 |
Location |
St.Thomas, ON, Canada |
Interests |
I am: a Profesional Artist (oil painting, complete detail pencil drawings, colored pencil drawings, logos, 2D& 3D art works, philospher, etc. etc. etc., etc.) poet/writer, creative designer, Visionary, Peace activist; |
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Company |
Masters Pebble |
URL |
View Masters Pebble's web site |
Industry |
I use my talents to promote peace and awarness. I also trade ideas for money. Check Out My Poem Site: http://www.PoetryPoem.com/celtic7 THE SECRET Unveiled: http://thesecretpays.com?233 Own A Piece of An Internet Company FREE for LIFE: http://www |
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* Make sure your book idea or manuscript
is in top shape. There is no substitute for excellence.
It helps! You've got to have an awesome concept, and an
even better title.
* Make your book proposal as professional possible.
(Book proposals are only for non-fiction books, those
other than novels.) You'll want to include a lot more
than just what the book's about. You'll need to include
any market research you've done on who'd buy the book,
ideas for unusual places the books could be sold, or
ways to tie it in with 'special sales' (that's pub-speak
for big wholesale orders) to certain industries, or
connections with your workshops, speaking gigs, web
site, etc. You'll also want to include an impressive
bio, merchandising ideas, a sketch of the competitive
marketplace and publicity ideas. (If this sounds
daunting, worry not. See my blurb at the bottom.)
* Establish your credibility. If you're writing fiction,
let them know you've either had unique life experiences
that will make your book especially interesting to the
media. (If you're writing about your white water rafting
exploits, did you have a great experience related to
this you could spin on air?) If you're writing
non-fiction, are you a PhD or do you have a masters, or
lots of great professional experience? It's tougher to
sell a great book written by someone who's got no
credentials in the field to back them up, but it can be
done.
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* Hook up with a star. Can you get a celebrity
endorsement, or a testimonial or foreword from a highly
placed industry star? This will help an agent feel they can
sell your work.
* Find the niche no one has explored. They're out there,
even in your chosen field. This is especially true for
non-fiction, though niches apply to both genres. The best
niche comes from your own passions and interests. What's
really “You”?
* Do not send your manuscript! Send a one page letter
describing your project and why you are the person to write
it, plus your proposal (non-fiction only) or a few sample
chapters of your manuscript (fiction.) Offer to send the
rest right away if they are interested. Make sure everything
is spell-checked, double spaced, with correct margins, etc.
* Hand-pick the agents you submit to. DO NOT SEND MASS
MAILINGS TO AGENTS. It won't work, and is a waste of time
and mo.ney. Instead, research who to approach and pick the
5, 10, 20 or so who actually sell your type of work. Agents
stick to niches themselves, and one way to find that niche
is in various resource guides like Writer's Market, the LMP
(Literary Market Place . in all big libraries), or the
Writer's Digest 2002 Guide to Literary Agents. (I have
several other techniques I share in my Self Help Author's
Crash Course, which is on sale at the moment. See below.)
* Make your letter great. Your pitch will be placed in a
pile with the other cold submissions that arrived that day
(maybe 25-50) and an assistant will thumb through them,
spending about 10 seconds on each one. This means if you
have a personal contact, you mention it in the first
sentence. Trim your description of your book into a meaty,
mouth-watering paragraph. Add a bit on why you are the
person to write it. And BE SURE to let them know you hand
picked them, out of all the agents out there, because of the
great work they've done for authors X, Y and Z. In fact, you
predict they will have similar success with your property,
as they did with Book X they just sold to Q Publisher, etc.
In other words, make it personal, a little witty, and smart.
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* Don't use old contact info and call to see that the
agent you're contacting is still at the address you have
before you send anything
* Don't ever pay an agent to evaluate your book. This is not
how standard agents work, and is illegal.
* Give the agent one month to evaluate your work. Then
follow up by p.hone or email. Many will tell you how they
like to be contacted in guides such as The Writer's Market
and those listed above. Continue to follow up, until such
actions are ridiculous. You'll probably get some kind of
response, especially if you're letter is great.
* Follow up and ask for referrals. If you're lucky, you'll
get the intended agent on the phone. They may seem
interested, but just won't commit. (A standard line is "I'm
not taking on any new clients right now.") So ask if they
know any agents they might recommend, or someone who is
expanding their operation. Then send a thank you note if
their info has been helpful. Agenting is a small world, and
many people stay in it for life. They'll remember when you
reappear at their door years later. And this time it may
open.
* Be persistent. You may have to go through several lists of
hand-picked agents, before you get the bite you need.
* Work your personal connections. Be exhaustive, thinking of
anyone you know who might connect you with other agents, or
even authors. Most authors will want to see the project
you're pitching, and may not feel comfortable sharing their
contact with you, but many may.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
For information on how to create your own
publisher-ready book proposal that agents will sit up and pay attention
to, drop by Suzanne's site, http://www.getknownnow and get her fr.ee
listing of 25 Top Self Help Literary Agents. |
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