HOW TO SELECT A LITERARY AGENT THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU
by Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D.
Excerpt from the book, Sell Your Book, Script or Column: How to Write a Winning Query and Make a Winning Pitch

Gini Graham Scott's book Sell Your Book, Script or Column: How to Write a Winning Query and Make a Winning Pitch is available on the iTunes App Store for $5.99 under Arrow's Reference, Business & Education Collection. Type in keywords “Arrow Publications" or "Business & Education"

Last Issue: While having a good agent is often the best approach, consider whether your book is best suited for an agent. Often, you will do better in pitching certain types of books yourself. In general, agents are best for books which have the potential for large sales, whether commercial nonfiction or fiction, or for special markets that have a big sales potential (such as popular psychology, self-help, and business books). In such cases, where big sales are possible, agents are ideal if you can find a good one, because they mostly focus on working with the bigger publishers who handle such books.

Are you having trouble finding a good agent you like working with?

If so, join the club.  This is one of the most common complaints of writers, including long-time professional writers.  Even writers who have an agent may be looking for another one, or have different types of writing projects better handled by another agent.  This article will help you find and select an agent.

Some considerations to keep in mind when choosing the agent that’s best for you are:

Types of books handled.  Most agents handle multiple types of books, but some agents specialize.  It can be useful to choose an agent who handles several types of books if you have different types of writing projects.  Or you may prefer to divide up different types of books with different agents, if the agents agree.  In some cases, agents will handle other types of projects for clients, but only when they are representing the client for their primary area of emphasis.  (Most commonly this occurs when the agent represents you for nonfiction and additionally takes on fiction, children’s books, or scripts.) Check on what types of manuscripts the agent handles to decide what’s best for you.

Film and TV rights.  Most agents handle film and TV rights for projects they represent – generally through a rep in L.A. or elsewhere on the West Coast, though some handle the rights themselves.  If you want an agent who specializes in film and TV rights, look for one who is a member of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), since many producers, production companies, and studios will only deal with WGA agents.  You can find these agents listed on the WGA website, and the Hollywood Creative Directory at www.hcdonline.com also has a directory which comes out twice a year which features agents and managers. 

Foreign reps and rights.  Most agents handle foreign rights, generally through a subagent or group of subagents, although some handle these rights themselves. Should you want to know the foreign reps which different agents use, the listings for many agents are in the Literary Marketplace, which is available in a hard copy which comes out annually and online. 
 
Location.  Decide if you prefer an agent who is near you or who is near the publishers, if you live out of the major publishing centers. These are in New York City (especially for mainstream commercial books), Los Angeles (especially for film and TV projects), and the San Francisco Bay Area (especially for more targeted smaller audience and independent books).  Generally, it is best to get an agent in the major centers, especially in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. on the East Coast or in California on the West Coast.  Within these states, it is best to have an agent who is close to the major publishing centers. Still, many agents do extensive traveling and some have relocated from these centers, so they may still be well connected.  Then, too, if you like having face-to-face contact with your agent, you may prefer one in your area. 
 
Size of Agency.  While many agents are independent or work in small agencies, others are part of large agencies or affiliations of agents, such as William Morris, International Creative Management, and Writers House.  While a big name affiliation can help new agents gain clout, many independent agents or agents in smaller agencies have excellent reputations and have sold big books.  While you can initially query more than one agent in an agency, since not all agents will be interested in the same project, if more than one expresses interest, you have to decide which one to follow up with additional material. To explain why you contacted more than one agent in the same agency, you can say that you weren't sure who to contact.  This multiple contact approach works better when you are sending e-mails, since this is a more informal type of initial contact.  If you are sending a query by regular mail, it is better to pick one agent in an agency to query first.  Then, if you have no response from that agent in a couple of weeks, try a second agent at that agency. 

Affiliations and Listings.  An agent’s affiliations and listings in directories of agents can help you decide whom to contact, too.  The agents who are listed in Literary Marketplace and/or are members of the Association of Authors’ Representatives (AAR) generally have fairly solid credentials, although the AAR list provides little information other than whether an agent handles nonfiction, fiction, children’s books, or dramatic works. A number of popular directories include more detailed information on some of these agents.  But many of the bigger and more established agents aren’t listed in these directories or don’t provide much information, since they get most of their new clients by referrals or through industry sources, like panel discussions of agents for writers groups.  Still you can often break through to a big agent with a well-written query about a compelling project.  The PublishersAndAgents Agent Assessment and Location Service also provides some detailed information on agent affiliations. 

Areas of Specialization.  Besides the broad areas of specialization – Nonfiction (N), Fiction (F), Scripts/Screenplays (S), and Children’s Books (which range from juveniles to young adults) (C) – many agents and agencies describe their interests in various sources.  Where these descriptions are available, you can find agents or agencies with particular interests (i.e. “business” if you have a business book; “self-help” or “relationships” if you have a personal improvement book).  However, don’t overlook the agents who don’t provide such information, since many agents who haven’t listed the particular subject area of your book or haven’t listed any specialties may still be interested, especially if your book is a general trade or commercial nonfiction or fiction book. 

Reputation.   A big concern of writers is whether an agent is truly reputable.  Generally, you can trust agents you learn about through a personal referral, an appearance on industry panels, or a referral by other writers who have been published or are members of professional writers’ organizations.  Another good source for reputable agents is Publishers Marketplace, which lists the agents involved in making deals each week (in fact, PublishersAndAgents has been tracking these agents for over two years and has a record of the number and size of deals made by these agents).  A good way to eliminate agents who might be a problem is to not contact agents who charge reading fees or promote editing services (unless they do this on a limited basis for new, unpublished writers, and also represent established writers at no charge).   However, many agents do charge fees for copying manuscripts, foreign calls, messengers, and postage, and some ask for an advance retainer of about $50-200 to cover such costs, so this isn’t necessarily a warning sign.  This request for fees is most common for agents on the West Coast and outside of the main publishing centers, because they have higher postage and phone expenses.

Next Issue: How to Write a Good Query to Get an Agent for your book.

Arrow's Top 10 Apps for June 2010

1. The Sensual Zodiac (Dating & Relationship Collection)
2. Romancing Your Moon Signs (Dating & Relationship Collection)
3. The Reluctant Handyman (Love & Romance Collection)
4. Discover Your Romance Signs (Dating & Relationship Collection)
5. Poems from the Heart by Thompson Lennox (Poetry Collection)
6. Collision Course (Love & Romance Collection)
7. Male Virgin (Love & Romance Collection)
8. Master of Fusion (Love & Romance Collection)
9. Romance Story G005: Nightmare in the Park
10. Disaster Relief (Love & Romance Collection)

NEXT ISSUE OF STRAIGHT FROM ARROW

June 30, 2010

APP OF THE WEEK

Rae Winters: Lady Leo Writer

Arrow Talks to Romance Writer Rae Winters

Rae Winters’ eBook Unfinished Business is available on the iTunes App Store for $2.99 under Arrow's Love and Romance Collection. Type in keyword “Arrow Publications”.

Arrow: So, tell us about yourself – the fans are listening.
RW: I’ve been writing since 2003. My love for romance books started when I was 10 years old. Many days, I was locked up in the bathroom reading a book, instead of doing my chores. I am a Gemini—the twin sign, and on any given day, I’ve been known to have two personalities. D. F. Mitchell is the serious, inspirational side of me, while Rae Winters is racy and adventurous.  
  
Arrow: Wow Rae! Skipping your chores to read, a famous writer in the making. How do you begin to create your stories and characters?
RW: I start out with my characters, chose a setting, and then I plot out my story through an outline, scene-by-scene. With a completed outline in hand, I start writing and often my characters have led me in a different direction from my plotted outline.  

Arrow: Are any of stories or characters based on real life?
RW: I sometime weave a real-life situation into my books; and at other times, I’ll let my imagination lead me.

Arrow: And what do you consider a captivating erotic story?
RW: A captivating erotic story for me is one that balances romance, sex, and an interesting storyline. It pulls me into the characters’ lives, and I can’t put the book down until I’ve read the last page.

Arrow: This is great. So what motivated you to start writing in the erotica genre?
RW: I started by writing sensual poems, then confession stories, and went on to write three erotica novellas. My books are not hardcore erotica, but mostly sensual with romance being the key element.

Arrow: Yes, I see that you eased your way into sensual and erotic writing. Tell us, what's your writing background?
RW: I have published book reviews, sensual poems, and confession stories for five national women’s confession/romance magazine. I’ve studied the craft of writing at the Frederick Douglas Creative Arts Center. I also studied Fiction and Mystery writing through an online distance-learning program.  

Arrow: With so many distractions, do you get the opportunity to write every day?
RW: I was a caregiver for the past two years to my terminally ill father, who passed away last year. Now that I will be joining the work force again, my writing will be scheduled according to my work hours. However, in the past, I wrote every day sometimes for as many as six hours, or until I was famished.

Arrow: So sorry to hear about your father. Our condolences. Writing until your starving, now that’s dedication. Is there a particular writer who influenced or mentored you?
RW: Nathasha Brooks-Harris, a writer also, has always been in my corner cheering me on. She pushes me to do my research, plot out my story and to incorporate the five senses into the plot so that a reader can visualize everything they’re reading.   

Arrow: Precisely! One of the essential parts of writing is guiding the reader to see, feel and hear what’s in the writer’s mind. Are there any genres or subgenres you haven't tried that you'd like to?
RW: I’m putting the finishing touches to my first women’s fiction novella, I’ll Be There. I’m also working on my first paranormal novella, Time and Again. Both stories are setup to be series so I’m praying my readers will like them.

Arrow: With electronic publishing at the forefront of the industry, what made you decide to publish in this popular format?
RW: A good friend of mine knew the stress I was under taking care of my dad and suggested I pickup the pen again. Writing can be therapeutic and so I lost myself in it. I submitted my first Cub Bite Confession manuscript to Lady Leo Publishing Company in June 2008. Unfinished Business, the first book in my Girlfriends Series, was released two months later. The book is in the chick-lit genre and it’s about three girlfriends: Sydney Harris (Unfinished Business,) Lisa Roberts (Against My Will) and Doreen Hamilton (Finding Love Again). All three of them met at Columbia University and five years later their bond is stronger than ever.

Arrow: Have you sought an agent or do you represent yourself? Any advice for new writers looking to get published?
RW: I haven’t sought out an agent. But my first manuscript submitted to Lady Leo Publisher Company was accepted for publication. So, I would advise aspiring authors who are looking to get published to read the publisher’s submission guidelines and to follow them before submitting your work. Don’t allow a publisher’s rejection stop you from realizing your dream.

Also, it’s important to study the craft—enroll in writing workshops and online classes to help you polish your skills. Another way is to form a critique group to review your work. It may be painful at times, but it’s good to get other people’s opinion of your work. With this in mind, I say, keep submitting!!!

Arrow: Tell us about your latest releases. Do you have a favorite?
RW: My favorite and latest release, Obsession, is from the Romance Series. Unlike the Girlfriends Series, the books from the Romance Series are highly sensual and a little racy.

Arrow: A little racy you say. What can your readers expect from you in 2010?
RW: My third book, A Taste of Passion (Romance Series), will be released in June by Lady Leo. It’s an interracial romance and ladies night out story. The characters from Undeniable and Obsession will make a cameo, updating the fans of this series on their lives. Salsa Heat will also be released in the coming months by Red Rose Publishing. 

Caribbean Heat, the first book from my Seduction Series, and another novella, Tangled Sheets, are being edited for submission. Both of these erotica novellas are my raciest titles so far.

Arrow: Do you implement any special marketing techniques to promote your books, your brand and yourself?
RW: Well, through my website, I’ve included a blurb and excerpt of all of my books. When I’m working on a new project, I try to post a chapter of my work, along with a photo of my characters to draw the readers into the book. I’m working on creating a book video trailer for all of my books. I also use blogging and newsletters as another means to market my work. And I’m on the Authors Den, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Coffee Time Romance and several other networking sites.

Arrow: This is certainly a lot of work. Before we hop off, fans really want to know a little about you. Tell us about Rae.
RW: I’m a native New Yorker and I love the hustle and bustle of the big city! I really love to travel and this will be a central theme in some of my upcoming books. I have traveled to Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands. My favorite places are Barbados and the Hawaiian islands.        

Arrow: Traveling the world is great! Rae, it’s been a real pleasure. Thank you for taking a few moments to speak with Arrow about your writing career. Lets chat again soon.
RW: Thank you for interviewing me. The pleasure has really been all mine!

Read the full interview with Rae Winters on MyRomanceStory's Blog.

Search keywords “Arrow Publications” or “MyRomanceStory” to find Obsession and Unfinished Business and other offerings by Rae Winters in Arrow’s Love & Romance Collection in the iTunes App store. Titles start at only $2.99.

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