They say writers serve a 10 year apprenticeship to learn the craft. I know I’d written 10 books before I sold my first one. In Tansy’s interview she said the one thing she would tell herself if she could go back to her first book sale is – don’t sign anything until you have an agent.
(This post is a starting off point. You need to do your own research).
Maybe you’re lucky enough to get an offer after submitting to a competition or a manuscript development program. Should you approach an agent now? Well, yes, if you have a concrete offer from a publisher.
Editors like to ring up authors when they make the offer because they get a buzz when normally sane people start babbling and doing cartwheels. If an editor rings you with an offer of $X for your book/trilogy, you don’t need to agree to anything right away. In fact, you can say ‘That’s great. I’ll just call my agent.’
An agent will be happy to take you on, if you already have a concrete offer from a publisher. Once you have that offer you need to approach an agent, but which agent? Have you been doing your homework? Do you know the top agents for your genre in Australia? Would you prefer an agent based in the US or the UK? What are the pros and cons?
A good Australian agent will have intimate knowledge of the Australian publishing scene. They will have contacts in literary agencies in the US and the UK, who can try to on-sell your work over there. (Your Australian publisher will probably want limited world rights so that they have the option of on-selling for 12 months). Now it begins to get complicated and you see why it is worthwhile having an agent who knows their stuff.
If you do get an Australian agent who has contacts in agencies in the US and the UK and one of those over seas agents sells some of your work, they will take a percentage, then your Aussie agent will take a percentage and you will get what is left.
If you opt for a US or UK agent they will not have the same intimate knowledge of the Australian publishing scene, but they should have in-depth knowledge of the UK/US scene. There is lots of consider when ‘shopping’ for an agent.
Australian Literary Agents Association.
Association of Authors Representatives US.
Association of Authors and Agents UK.
Note – the money flows to the author. If an agent asks you for money to read your manuscript, or do photocopies (no one uses photocopies any more) or make international calls (what about email?), then they are feeding off aspiring writers. If an agent says your book is good but it needs work, and then recommends a manuscript appraiser, be very wary. The agent should take an agreed upon percentage of the advance that the publisher pays you, that is all.
Then there is the larger question of your writing career. So you’ve sold one book and maybe the publishers want a three book deal because they want to grow you as an author. So suddenly you have to produce two more books, while editing the first one and deliver them all to deadlines. Here is Zoe Archer’s post about what happened when her first book was accepted.
If you’re anything like me you have a backlog of books you’ve written, but they could be from different series and the publisher wants three books in series X. Maybe you are lucky and you’ve written three books in series X, but they’ll be at different levels of readiness because you’ve been growing as an author, while you’ve been working on them.
You need to work out how long it will take you to either tidy up the three books already written, or write two new books. Be realistic in your estimates. Publishers like you to deliver on time, but they do understand that life happens. If it looks like you are not going to meet your deadline, don’t panic and stew about it. Plan ahead, contact your agent to let them know and they will go to your publisher to negotiate a new deadline.
So, have you done your home work on agents? Do you have a career plan?
Rowena, this was like reading verse and chapter of what happened to me recently when I ended up with a book deal with Berkley.
I can’t agree strongly enough that it’s never too early to do your homework on your preferred agents, whichever market you’re aiming for, and have that list ready to target if you get a book deal.
Something I didn’t realise is that once a publishing company offers you a book deal you have about a week to accept the offer. So, if you haven’t already got an agent you’re going to need to arrange to find one fast and it’s likely to take you a few days to email them, receive a response as to whether they want to read your work or not, time for them to read your work, offer you representation, you to talk to them to decide whether you click and they’re right for you and then if you accept their offer for them to contact the publisher and begin negotiations! (and that’s the simplified version of what can happen)
If you’re lucky enough to get multiple offers of representation by agents then you need to times the interview/time to read factor by however many offer.
I write paranormal romance and just talking to other writers in this genre, deals tend to be 2 or 3 books in a series, not 2 or 3 different books. Yes, be prepared to write series.
A great post, Rowena, lots of good knowledge and advice shared. Thank you!
Kylie,
Mega congratulations on the Berkley deal. I remember going around for a month or two after my first trilogy sale in a state of bliss and terror.
And thanks for your input. Yes, there is the time lag to take into consideration, too.
Hi Rowena,
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Thanks very much for this post. Your information is very pertinent to me at the moment as I have a Kids Sci-Fi novel under consideration and I’m busy writing Book 2 of the series. You’ve given me many options to consider.
May I ask you about your first ten books? Did they eventually all get published? … Karen T.
Hi Karen,
Just found your comment in the files section waiting to be approved. Don’t know why I didn’t get an email about it.
No, I saved my first ten books for 30 years. Then threw 8 of them out about a month ago. The other two I’ve held onto. Couldn’t bear to part with them.
I have dozens of children’s books on my hard drive and I’ve lost track of the number of grown up books in various stages of completion.
It’s all part of learning the craft.
Hi Rowena
Heartily agree with getting an agent – there’s so many things that can cause angst here and having someone experienced and objective to help you deal with them is great. Means you can get on with the stuff that matters – writing books.
And the advice on thinking about deadlines is spot on. My advice is once you know you’re seriously chasing publication, set up as close to your perfect professional work routine as you can. The sooner you get yourself into a frame of mind of writing hard and fast and as often as possible, the easier the deadlines will be to deal with.
Nicole,
Setting up a professional writing routine sounds like heaven.
Agents are there to handle the nasty stuff so you can concentrate on writing!
Indeed. Get an agent folks! Get one!
From a writer who don’t have one
Hi Rowena,
Have I got it wrong, or is it part of the agent’s job to sell the book? It sounds like for a first effort, a writer needs to sell it him/herself.
A writer should be actively seeking to sell their work. Often you can’t get representation until you have sold and proven that you are a ‘saleable writer’.
I made my first trilogy sale myself. This second trilogy sale was made by my agent.
Thanks Rowena, for putting up this post about Agents.
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I had only one agent in mind for when I get a book contract. You’ve motivated me to do more research and have a List of Agents ready to go when I get that call. Thanks again
You’re welcome, Karen.
An agent is like a marriage, they have to have similar attitudes to you. (Waving lyrical here). My agent loves the spec fic genre, so I feel comfortable with him.
Lots of great advice here, Rowena. I have to say that my answer to the question in the title was: squeal loudly and drop the telephone. Next move: get an agent.
For me, because I’m not in any way, shape or form a businesswoman, this was a no-brainer. I’ve never regretted leaving the selling of manuscripts to my agent. She is a professional at her job and, as Rowena says above, does enjoy the genre as well.
If you get a chance to ask other authors about their agent, that’s a good way to get some information too.