I have finished two books of what will be a trilogy and am wondering about the logistics of querying a trilogy. I recognize the first book needs to stand alone, and I plan on mentioning it is the first in a trilogy (that will at that point be all written), but should the query hook and synopsis be just for the one book, or should I give the summary of the three?
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I think it is worth repeating. If you are writing a series, trilogy, or any other form of linked books, my recommendation is not to write all three books or to continue the series until you’ve sold the first one. Unless you strongly believe that each of these books could stand alone in the event one of the others doesn’t sell, you could be writing three books that will never sell simply because the first one didn’t.
In other words, if you sell the first book you can always go back (as you will hopefully do contractually) and write the next two books. In the meantime, work on something fresh while you query the first book. That way if the series doesn’t sell you’re only stuck with one book under the bed, not three.
That being said, how do you query a trilogy? You query a book, not the trilogy. Agents are only interested in one thing at a time, and that’s the book you have written. To be honest, readers are only interested in the same thing. So mention it’s a trilogy, but query the book. Focus your hook and synopsis on the book.
Jessica
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tough Economic Times
In this current economic climate, with publishing cut-backs (less money per contract, fewer contracts offered, many mid-list authors being dropped, etc), how are agents weathering the situation? Agents make money when they sell their authors, which would mean you have less monies coming in to pay YOUR bills. How are agents dealing with this? I haven’t seen any evidence on the numerous agent blogs I read that agents are struggling, or wanting more clients, in fact, many agents are closed to unsolicited queries. So are you pushing your current clients to write beyond their current genres or go bigger within their genre?
I really liked this question (these questions) because there’s no doubt it’s a subject that’s been on people's minds a great deal. In truth, not all agents are weathering the situation well. I suspect that if things continue as they have been we’ll see agency closings and/or more agents leaving the business. You’re right, agents are paid on commission, and for those agents who have yet to build a solid list of authors who are earning good royalties, things are looking bleak.
Let me take a step back and explain an agent’s financial situation a bit. The very best way for an agent to make money is not necessarily by selling a lot of books. Sure, advances are great, but as any published author will tell you, the real money is in royalties and subsidiary rights sales. The authors an agent really wants on her list are those who have written books that continue to sell and sell and sell and that earn royalties year after year, those authors who are almost guaranteed sales on future books and continue to make money on past books. An advance comes once, real success is when royalties come for years. The agents who, in this economy, are struggling the most are those who have relied primarily on advances to pay the bills and who don’t have many authors who are making royalty money. That means that to pay the bills they continually need to sell new authors and new books, and as we know, that’s not easy these days.
I know that in the past year I’ve made a slight shift in the books I’ve sold. That doesn’t mean it’s a permanent shift, but in times of trouble I’ve personally found nonfiction a little easier to sell. While I haven’t done a direct comparison, I would suspect that if you looked at my list you would see that I sold more nonfiction in 2009 than I did in 2008. Nonfiction tends to be less subjective and a little less of a risk for publishers since they can clearly compare it to other successful books. That doesn’t mean I’m not selling fiction, because in fact the proven authors on my list are continuing to sell and sell well, but it means that in looking at new clients I tend to look at nonfiction more carefully because it’s what I’ve had the most recent success with.
The one thing I need to address here is the feeling that if agents are struggling, shouldn’t they be open to queries and/or taking on new clients? Not necessarily. In fact, to some extent, it’s better to focus on the clients you do have and help them find a direction that will sell than to take on new people with no track record. What I’m suggesting my clients do is stay the course. That means keep writing great books and write what they love. There is no genre right now that’s a guaranteed sale, so if a client is ready for that next step I’m encouraging her to go there, but I’m also cautioning that she continue with what she’s having success with if that’s possible.
All that being said, I’m going into 2010 with great optimism. I’m feeling really good about the clients BookEnds has and the success we’ve had and are continuing to have. And as for what authors should do in a climate like this? Write the best dang book you can write. My advice doesn’t change in good or bad “weather.”
Jessica
I really liked this question (these questions) because there’s no doubt it’s a subject that’s been on people's minds a great deal. In truth, not all agents are weathering the situation well. I suspect that if things continue as they have been we’ll see agency closings and/or more agents leaving the business. You’re right, agents are paid on commission, and for those agents who have yet to build a solid list of authors who are earning good royalties, things are looking bleak.
Let me take a step back and explain an agent’s financial situation a bit. The very best way for an agent to make money is not necessarily by selling a lot of books. Sure, advances are great, but as any published author will tell you, the real money is in royalties and subsidiary rights sales. The authors an agent really wants on her list are those who have written books that continue to sell and sell and sell and that earn royalties year after year, those authors who are almost guaranteed sales on future books and continue to make money on past books. An advance comes once, real success is when royalties come for years. The agents who, in this economy, are struggling the most are those who have relied primarily on advances to pay the bills and who don’t have many authors who are making royalty money. That means that to pay the bills they continually need to sell new authors and new books, and as we know, that’s not easy these days.
I know that in the past year I’ve made a slight shift in the books I’ve sold. That doesn’t mean it’s a permanent shift, but in times of trouble I’ve personally found nonfiction a little easier to sell. While I haven’t done a direct comparison, I would suspect that if you looked at my list you would see that I sold more nonfiction in 2009 than I did in 2008. Nonfiction tends to be less subjective and a little less of a risk for publishers since they can clearly compare it to other successful books. That doesn’t mean I’m not selling fiction, because in fact the proven authors on my list are continuing to sell and sell well, but it means that in looking at new clients I tend to look at nonfiction more carefully because it’s what I’ve had the most recent success with.
The one thing I need to address here is the feeling that if agents are struggling, shouldn’t they be open to queries and/or taking on new clients? Not necessarily. In fact, to some extent, it’s better to focus on the clients you do have and help them find a direction that will sell than to take on new people with no track record. What I’m suggesting my clients do is stay the course. That means keep writing great books and write what they love. There is no genre right now that’s a guaranteed sale, so if a client is ready for that next step I’m encouraging her to go there, but I’m also cautioning that she continue with what she’s having success with if that’s possible.
All that being said, I’m going into 2010 with great optimism. I’m feeling really good about the clients BookEnds has and the success we’ve had and are continuing to have. And as for what authors should do in a climate like this? Write the best dang book you can write. My advice doesn’t change in good or bad “weather.”
Jessica
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Becky Levine on Critique Groups
Becky LevineThe Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide
Publisher: Writer's Digest Books
Pub date: January 2010
Agent: Jessica Faust
(Click to Buy)
Author's Web site: http://beckylevine.com/
Not Just Any Critique Group—One That’s Right for You
When you decide you’re ready to join a critique group, you’ve taken your first step onto a wonderful path. You’ll be exchanging feedback with other writers, learning to strengthen your writing skills, and making huge progress with your current book.
If you find a group that’s the right fit for you.
There are lots of places to look for a group, both locally and online. If you are hoping for an in-person group, you can check in at a bookstore or library, or go to meetings of local writing clubs, or regional meetings of national clubs like SCBWI, MWA or SINC, and RWA. Most of these organizations have an online community, too, and if you’re looking for a group that isn’t genre based, you should definitely check out the websites for Writer’s Digest and Red Room.
Before you start hunting for a group, though, take a few minutes to look at yourself. Think seriously about who you are as a writer, as a critiquer, and as someone who is going to be receiving feedback about their work. How much writing have you done, how happy are you with the idea of being critiqued, and where are you on your path toward publication—if that’s your goal at all?
A mixed group can work very well. Writing experience is not necessarily a predictor of critiquing strengths, and the reverse is true as well. If members of a group are open to reading in each other’s genre, if “older’ members share tips about how to give more useful feedback, if people are patient and respectful and talk things out, a group can grow together in support and productivity. Still, you need to check in, honestly, with your comfort level. If two members of a group are published, and you’ve only been writing a year, are you going to feel awkward? If you’re working on revisions that have been requested by an agent or editor, will you get impatient at working with someone newer to the craft? And are you open to reading and critiquing lots of different types of writing, or are you really craving total immersion into what you’re writing—whether that’s romance, fantasy, or literary fiction?
List your goals (yes, actually write them on a piece of paper!) and think about which are set in stone and which you can be flexible on. Use these goals as a litmus test as you try out a group (or two or three.) And, then, go with your gut. Knowing the basics about how you want to write and critique can make your quest more direct, can keep you out of groups that are clearly not for you. Finally, though, listen to your feelings. If you’re happy while you’re at a meeting, if you’re interested in the work the other writers are doing, if you’re finding yourself writing more often—odds are you’re in the right place. If you feel drained or depressed after a meeting, if you’ve got a tense stomach or a headache . . . guess what? That’s not a good sign.
Trust yourself. Figure out what you want for yourself. Think about it, recognize it, and then trust that you are worth the time and energy needed to find the group where you fit. Your writing will thank you.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Response Times
Last year, I subbed a YA paranormal to several agents who’ve yet to respond, as follows: 1 in March, 3 in May, 3 in August and 1 in September. That’s 8 outstanding agent subs. Here’s the rub: I hired a freelance editor and completely rewrote this book. The new version is out with 3 agents, all of whom requested it within the past month or so. In retrospect, I should have sent status queries, but at this late date, and with the book significantly changed, it feels weird to send an email – Hey, you’ve had this since last March – whatdya think? (There’s also the issue that I should definitely be more assertive.) My question is two-fold. If I receive an offer, do I contact those who’ve had it over six months, or assume they’re a no and move on? If I don’t receive an offer from anyone, I’d like to submit to other agents within a few of the agencies who’re hatching it, but can’t until I get a no. I’ve thought about writing to the very old subs and withdrawing, but half expect them to say, Who Are You? I know a lot of agents don’t reply to queries, but didn’t realize there are some who never respond to full manuscript submissions. Any advice?
I don’t know if this will help you any, but one of the things that first struck me with this question is the fact that agents deal with this situation too. It’s true. While typically agents get fairly good feedback from editors, there’s always the one or two who never seem to reply to submissions or only reply if you have an offer. So when do you just finally give up? How assertive do you need to be? How assertive is too assertive? While there are no universal answers to these questions, I can give you my advice on how I think you should handle the situation.
I would get in touch with the eight agents who have your book. I assume that when you say outstanding subs you mean partials or fulls. Definitely push them for answers. If all you’ve sent them is queries, consider it rejected and move on. Sure, some of it was a year ago, but it’s never too late to shame someone into an answer.
If you receive an offer and one of those eight agents is someone you’d really like to work with, I would definitely contact them. What I would do is get in touch, let them know you have an offer on the book they’ve had since March, mention that it has since been revised, and ask if they would like to see the revised version for consideration.
As for sending to other agents within the agency and pulling the submission, that’s sort of tricky. I think what I’d do is push for an answer. If you don’t get one after a couple of requests, I think you could send to another agent in the agency, but be honest. Let them know you previously sent it to such and such a year or more ago, but have not received an answer and have since thoroughly revised the book. That way you aren’t trying to be sneaky and the agent can make a decision based on how they operate in house.
Hope that helps and I hope I’m not one of those agents sitting on material. I just haven’t been able to catch up like I’d been hoping.
Best of luck.
Jessica
I don’t know if this will help you any, but one of the things that first struck me with this question is the fact that agents deal with this situation too. It’s true. While typically agents get fairly good feedback from editors, there’s always the one or two who never seem to reply to submissions or only reply if you have an offer. So when do you just finally give up? How assertive do you need to be? How assertive is too assertive? While there are no universal answers to these questions, I can give you my advice on how I think you should handle the situation.
I would get in touch with the eight agents who have your book. I assume that when you say outstanding subs you mean partials or fulls. Definitely push them for answers. If all you’ve sent them is queries, consider it rejected and move on. Sure, some of it was a year ago, but it’s never too late to shame someone into an answer.
If you receive an offer and one of those eight agents is someone you’d really like to work with, I would definitely contact them. What I would do is get in touch, let them know you have an offer on the book they’ve had since March, mention that it has since been revised, and ask if they would like to see the revised version for consideration.
As for sending to other agents within the agency and pulling the submission, that’s sort of tricky. I think what I’d do is push for an answer. If you don’t get one after a couple of requests, I think you could send to another agent in the agency, but be honest. Let them know you previously sent it to such and such a year or more ago, but have not received an answer and have since thoroughly revised the book. That way you aren’t trying to be sneaky and the agent can make a decision based on how they operate in house.
Hope that helps and I hope I’m not one of those agents sitting on material. I just haven’t been able to catch up like I’d been hoping.
Best of luck.
Jessica
Monday, January 25, 2010
Back It Up
If you haven’t yet finalized your New Year’s resolutions, I have one for you. Back up your computer data! Certainly we all know to do this, but the question is how many of us really do it regularly? Recently a friend went into a panic because her computer crashed and she nearly lost everything—everything she’d ever written, everything she was writing, all of her photos, music, and personal financial information. These days backing up a computer is more than just putting a few files on a disk, it’s keeping our lives on track and in order.
So if you aren’t regularly backing up your computer, your entire computer, I would suggest that in this new decade you make it mandatory. You can buy and use an external hard drive or register at an online storage service. Whatever you do, make sure you do it today.
Jessica
So if you aren’t regularly backing up your computer, your entire computer, I would suggest that in this new decade you make it mandatory. You can buy and use an external hard drive or register at an online storage service. Whatever you do, make sure you do it today.
Jessica
Friday, January 22, 2010
Ten Words to Stop Misspelling
I have always been honest with you about my limitations as a writer. Quite frankly, I have some serious handicaps when it comes to grammar and punctuation issues. That’s one of the many reasons I was an acquisitions editor and not a copyeditor. While I can gladly tell a writer why the story isn’t working overall or give suggestions on how to strengthen a book, there’s no way I’d ever trust myself to give specific guidance on punctuation and grammar.
This is why I was thrilled when a friend shared this poster by The Oatmeal. I don’t make all of these mistakes, thank goodness, but there are definitely a few that are sticking points for me, which is why I’m ordering a copy of the poster for my office.
Jessica
This is why I was thrilled when a friend shared this poster by The Oatmeal. I don’t make all of these mistakes, thank goodness, but there are definitely a few that are sticking points for me, which is why I’m ordering a copy of the poster for my office.
Jessica
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Poetry and Music in Books
I have a question for the blog. How do agents, editors, publishers, etc. feel about poetry and songs in the body of the manuscript? We're all literary types, we're bound to write songs and poems, maybe even our characters are poets and singers, too. Bilbo Baggins is walking along, having a lovely adventure in prose when he suddenly stops for a few pages to sing a song about his adventures or recite a poem from memory. Is this a strict no-no, is there a way of handling it delicately, or does it simply depend on the circumstances?
When I started reading your question my first thought was no, absolutely not. Copyright issues for music is so tricky that I usually advise authors to avoid using music or lyrics as much as possible.
And then I understood that you would be writing the poetry and/or song lyrics and they would be original, and I thought, okay, that works, go ahead and do it.
And then I read your example, and while I know it was rough, I cringed. You’re writing a book, not a musical, and I just don’t know if breaking the action by adding a musical scene would really work for readers.
But then in the end I came to the same answer I so often give to writers. You have to do what works for you. There are no cut-and-dried rules in this business and the best books are so often those that surprise us by breaking the so-called rules. So, it would really depend on the circumstances.
Jessica
When I started reading your question my first thought was no, absolutely not. Copyright issues for music is so tricky that I usually advise authors to avoid using music or lyrics as much as possible.
And then I understood that you would be writing the poetry and/or song lyrics and they would be original, and I thought, okay, that works, go ahead and do it.
And then I read your example, and while I know it was rough, I cringed. You’re writing a book, not a musical, and I just don’t know if breaking the action by adding a musical scene would really work for readers.
But then in the end I came to the same answer I so often give to writers. You have to do what works for you. There are no cut-and-dried rules in this business and the best books are so often those that surprise us by breaking the so-called rules. So, it would really depend on the circumstances.
Jessica
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
A Time to Rewrite
I wrote a manuscript and I think it's done. I've gotten some interest, and also some rejections. One agent who read the partial said she couldn't get interested in my story. Another said she found it boring.
That said, nothing is perfect, and everything will need revision. I will keep trying. (Of course, I love my story, but then what else is new? **grins**)
But, if I get a few more negative comments, should I revise my manuscript before I send out the next batch of queries?
One of the goals I have for 2010 is to encourage all writers, published and unpublished, to trust their guts. Yes, I would think that if you’re continually getting the same or similar feedback from agents then it’s definitely time to rewrite. That being said, all agents are different and all feedback is subjective. I would only recommend authors rewrite if they feel that the feedback they are getting hits the mark. In other words, if everyone says your book is boring, but you don’t think it’s boring, you will not be able to rewrite the book and make it work. Quite frankly, you don’t know how if you don’t see it.
My advice, keep submitting/querying and continue working on your next book. If, somewhere down the line, you suddenly have a lightbulb moment and know how to fix your book, go ahead and do it.
Jessica
That said, nothing is perfect, and everything will need revision. I will keep trying. (Of course, I love my story, but then what else is new? **grins**)
But, if I get a few more negative comments, should I revise my manuscript before I send out the next batch of queries?
One of the goals I have for 2010 is to encourage all writers, published and unpublished, to trust their guts. Yes, I would think that if you’re continually getting the same or similar feedback from agents then it’s definitely time to rewrite. That being said, all agents are different and all feedback is subjective. I would only recommend authors rewrite if they feel that the feedback they are getting hits the mark. In other words, if everyone says your book is boring, but you don’t think it’s boring, you will not be able to rewrite the book and make it work. Quite frankly, you don’t know how if you don’t see it.
My advice, keep submitting/querying and continue working on your next book. If, somewhere down the line, you suddenly have a lightbulb moment and know how to fix your book, go ahead and do it.
Jessica
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
LOL
Oh those things that makes us laugh, and luckily there are many. . . .
Like the persistent querier who wisely changed email addresses and created aliases, but labeled the query “Query47,” and that was at last count.
The query that suggested I “Kindly refrain from Self-delusion on Your part about arrogance on My Part & We’ll get along Just Famously.”
(This one really more of a sad sigh than an lol): The author who admitted she’s not very far into the story, so is “not able to give you a correct summary of the book, but I will do my best.”
The query that was really not a query at all, but a warning that the author would keep sending queries every few months and use alternate email addresses if the one currently being used was blocked.
Jessica
Like the persistent querier who wisely changed email addresses and created aliases, but labeled the query “Query47,” and that was at last count.
The query that suggested I “Kindly refrain from Self-delusion on Your part about arrogance on My Part & We’ll get along Just Famously.”
(This one really more of a sad sigh than an lol): The author who admitted she’s not very far into the story, so is “not able to give you a correct summary of the book, but I will do my best.”
The query that was really not a query at all, but a warning that the author would keep sending queries every few months and use alternate email addresses if the one currently being used was blocked.
Jessica
Monday, January 18, 2010
Random Questions
Sometimes Random Questions are my favorite posts. Quick and easy. Here’s another batch of questions that I think are important for readers to see, but not long enough to warrant a full blog post.
I have written a novel, but feel the best comparisons are narrative nonfiction. Is using narrative nonfiction to compare with a novel acceptable in a pitch, or is this a bad idea?
I think it’s fine. Comparing your book to another often means that you feel the same audience might be interested in your book.
I am working on a nonfiction humor book and when I looked around the web a few years ago I noticed everyone wanted a book proposal. Now that I renewed my interest in my book idea I noticed most agents are asking for queries. I thought queries were for fiction and proposals for nonfiction. Is it standard that agents are only accepting queries for nonfiction? Should I write a proposal and have it ready in case I get a response on my query?
Sadly there are no easy outs in publishing, for fiction or nonfiction. Queries are standard for any submission you want to make to an agent. It’s a way for us to evaluate if the book is even right for us before you send material. Should you have the proposal done? Yes, before you even think of the query. If you get a request, the proposal should be ready to send that night.
If your book is a memoir (creative nonfiction or narrative nonfiction), written in the style of a novel, do you submit a fiction proposal or a nonfiction proposal package?
Is it just me or does it feel like I answer this question monthly. Just an fyi, the answer is on the FAQ of our web site. But to answer again, narrative nonfiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, whatever it is you want to call the book should be submitted as if it were a fiction proposal.
I am completely baffled on the correct system to employ to estimate word count on a completed manuscript.
I think this question is probably one of the most frequently asked questions I receive. Let’s do it this way. Just follow your word processing program’s word count. If you think that makes the count too high or too low, then count roughly 250 words per page. Honestly, when we get the manuscript we can tell whether it’s too long or too short just from holding the pages. Word count isn’t an exact science, especially since it’s about how the words translate to the published book. It’s rough. Just do what you’re comfortable with; as long as you're reasonably within a range, you should be fine.
Would there be any benefit to starting a blog and posting short stories on a regular basis to try and generate a "reader base,” or am I better served to spend that time working on another book and querying agents?
I’m not convinced that blogs are necessarily the best way to build a writing career. I know they are suggested and I do think that getting out and participating in a blog, on occasion, once you’re published, can help with publicity. That being said, I think it’s rare that the unpublished author gets picked up for a book deal because of a blog. If you really want to write short stories and publish them on a blog, go ahead. Otherwise, work to get your shorts published in literary magazines and spend your time on your next book. If a novel is what you want to write then you should be writing novels.
I have a quick question after reading your post on word count. I am not sure my manuscript is long enough. Several people at Absolute Write told me 56K is fine for my YA urban fantasy. I thought I should ask an agent whose advice I can count on. Do you think that is too short?
I think that you’re a little short, probably not dangerously short though. The problem is that you’re writing YA Urban Fantasy, which tends to be a tad longer. If it’s easy for you to bring it up closer to 70k words, I would try to do that. If it’s a stretch then you should be okay submitting as is.
Jessica
I have written a novel, but feel the best comparisons are narrative nonfiction. Is using narrative nonfiction to compare with a novel acceptable in a pitch, or is this a bad idea?
I think it’s fine. Comparing your book to another often means that you feel the same audience might be interested in your book.
I am working on a nonfiction humor book and when I looked around the web a few years ago I noticed everyone wanted a book proposal. Now that I renewed my interest in my book idea I noticed most agents are asking for queries. I thought queries were for fiction and proposals for nonfiction. Is it standard that agents are only accepting queries for nonfiction? Should I write a proposal and have it ready in case I get a response on my query?
Sadly there are no easy outs in publishing, for fiction or nonfiction. Queries are standard for any submission you want to make to an agent. It’s a way for us to evaluate if the book is even right for us before you send material. Should you have the proposal done? Yes, before you even think of the query. If you get a request, the proposal should be ready to send that night.
If your book is a memoir (creative nonfiction or narrative nonfiction), written in the style of a novel, do you submit a fiction proposal or a nonfiction proposal package?
Is it just me or does it feel like I answer this question monthly. Just an fyi, the answer is on the FAQ of our web site. But to answer again, narrative nonfiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, whatever it is you want to call the book should be submitted as if it were a fiction proposal.
I am completely baffled on the correct system to employ to estimate word count on a completed manuscript.
I think this question is probably one of the most frequently asked questions I receive. Let’s do it this way. Just follow your word processing program’s word count. If you think that makes the count too high or too low, then count roughly 250 words per page. Honestly, when we get the manuscript we can tell whether it’s too long or too short just from holding the pages. Word count isn’t an exact science, especially since it’s about how the words translate to the published book. It’s rough. Just do what you’re comfortable with; as long as you're reasonably within a range, you should be fine.
Would there be any benefit to starting a blog and posting short stories on a regular basis to try and generate a "reader base,” or am I better served to spend that time working on another book and querying agents?
I’m not convinced that blogs are necessarily the best way to build a writing career. I know they are suggested and I do think that getting out and participating in a blog, on occasion, once you’re published, can help with publicity. That being said, I think it’s rare that the unpublished author gets picked up for a book deal because of a blog. If you really want to write short stories and publish them on a blog, go ahead. Otherwise, work to get your shorts published in literary magazines and spend your time on your next book. If a novel is what you want to write then you should be writing novels.
I have a quick question after reading your post on word count. I am not sure my manuscript is long enough. Several people at Absolute Write told me 56K is fine for my YA urban fantasy. I thought I should ask an agent whose advice I can count on. Do you think that is too short?
I think that you’re a little short, probably not dangerously short though. The problem is that you’re writing YA Urban Fantasy, which tends to be a tad longer. If it’s easy for you to bring it up closer to 70k words, I would try to do that. If it’s a stretch then you should be okay submitting as is.
Jessica
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