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    MWA St. Mary’s County Chapter Meeting – Pitching, Querying, and Proposing – September 2015

    Every late September/early October I travel down to Historic St. Mary’s City with my husband to help populate the site’s Grand Militia Muster, a wonderful 17th century event that draws a nice crowd and usually some great weather. I look forward to the trip because of the beautiful setting and an opportunity to camp, but this year I was able to make an even longer weekend out of it and do one more fun thing than usual! While in southern Maryland, I presented at the Maryland Writer’s Association St. Mary’s County Chapter meeting September 28, 2015 at 7PM, at the Leonardtown Library. I gave my frequently requested talk, “Pitching, Querying, and Proposing: How Authors Go from Shy to Sold.”

    Though self-publishing is always an option, my talk focused on how writers generally approach the submission process. The participants found out who really decides what gets published, how to approach them without getting the proverbial door slammed in your face, and what these gatekeepers expect from you besides your very best work. They also got tips that made their pitches, queries, and proposals more effective for best results.

    When I approached Ally about speaking to the St. Mary’s County Chapter of the Maryland Writers’ Association, she responded promptly, positively, and enthusiastically. In addition, she kindly and willingly accommodated my request to change topics about a month prior to her scheduled talk. Her talk was informative and engaging. As secretary of our chapter, I would happily book her for another talk. —Wendy Kibler, Secretary, MWA St. Mary’s

    I want to thank Wendy Kibler for inviting me, and chapter President Linda Stewart and the rest of MWA St. Mary’s for having me.

    For more information on local chapters, meetings, and membership, please visit the Maryland Writer’s Association website at: http://marylandwriters.org/

    Pitching, Querying, and Proposing at MWA St. Mary’s County Chapter – September 2015

    As an active member of the Maryland Writer’s Association, I am thrilled to present at the St. Mary’s County Chapter meeting in September. On September 28th, 2015 at 7PM, please join us at the Leonardtown Library for my frequently requested talk, “Pitching, Querying, and Proposing: How Authors Go from Shy to Sold.”

    You’ve experienced the satisfaction of working hard to learn a craft and producing a quality piece of writing—but now what? If you ever want anyone to read your work outside of your immediate circle of family and friends, you’ll need to get published. Though self-publishing is always an option, this talk focuses on how writers generally approach the submission process. Find out who really decides what gets published, how to approach them without getting the proverbial door slammed in your face, and what these gatekeepers expect from you besides your very best work. You’ll also get tips that will make your pitches, queries, and proposals more effective for best results.

    During my presentation, you will gain:

    • insider knowledge of the publishing world
    • advice for writing your most effective proposal
    • skills that will help you navigate the many professional “gatekeepers” in traditional publishing

    I strongly encourage writers to join their local chapter of the MWA or other writer’s association. I want to thank Wendy Kibler and the St. Mary’s County Chapter of the MWA for inviting me to present, and I look forward to seeing you there. Chapter meetings are free for members and first-time visitors. Returning visitors will be asked to pay a $5 fee.

    For more information on local chapters, meetings, and membership, please visit the Maryland Writer’s Association website at: http://marylandwriters.org/

    How to Tell if an Agent is Good

    So you’ve done your research and made a list of agents to whom you plan to submit your query letter or book proposal. Unless an agent/agency has a very high-profile, chances are you may not have heard of the pros on your list. How can you know if a specific agent is any good?

    Do Your Homework…Again

    There are several reliable resources out there designed to help you vet that agent who just sent you a glowing letter of appreciation.

    I always say start with the Better Business Bureau. Few agencies are members, so you may not find much, but it’s free and will take you just a few minutes to search their database. Note: For an effective search, you’ll want to use the city and state or postal code of the business’ location, not your own.

    Next, check out Preditors and Editors’ list of Agents and Attorneys. This is not a comprehensive list, so don’t expect to find everyone here. However, if your prospective agent is listed, you can check P&E’s rating and find out if they are “Not Recommended,” usually a sign that something is amiss. P&E has a rating system (you can read more about how they determine ratings here) and they also collect complaints that may indicate a scam or an otherwise undesirable agency, so this is a good place to start checking up on any agency you are considering.

    Last but not least, peruse the membership database for the Association of Author’s Representatives. AAR is a professional organization with a published “canon” or code of ethics, so you can feel confident that any agent who is a member is at least not a scammer or unscrupulous. Their membership criteria helps make sure that any agents listed with them meet a baseline of professionalism and experience as well—for example, prospective members must demonstrate at least ten reportable sales over an eighteen month period.

    Look to the Past to Predict the Future

    But of course, ensuring that an agent doesn’t have an Internet history riddled with words like “scam artist” and “liar” only tells you the professional in question is probably ethical. Membership in organizations with standards like the AAR ensures that the agent has solid experience, but it doesn’t tell you if he or she will be good for you and your book, specifically.

    One of the best ways to get a bead on whether or not an agent has experience that will help him or her sell your book is to look at a list of books the agent/agency has sold. You’ll often see book covers or titles listed on an agent’s website: Do you see books coming out fairly regularly, and recently, or are there huge gaps between their published clients? For example, if your prospective agent hasn’t had anything published in a few years, it might be a sign that his network has gone stale, or that she’s losing her grasp of what’s popular.

    Similarly, look at the publishers represented among the books listed. If you’re targeting agents, you should already know where your book fits in the marketplace and have some idea which publishers are putting out books comparable to yours. You want to see that your prospective agent has sold books to those publishers. And unless you’re writing for a narrow niche, you also want to see a nice variety of publishers across the client list. This indicates a stronger network of editor relationships, which is key to any agent’s success.

    Since it can take a year or more for a book to make its way from acquisition to print, ask any agent who has offered to represent you a list of recent projects sold and to which publishers. I recommend that you ask how large the advances were, but be aware they may not give that info out and it’s not a red flag if they don’t. It just never hurts to ask!

    One of my favorite resources for “people in the know” is Publisher’s Marketplace. Their membership is only $25 per month and you can cancel at any time, so when you’re actively submitting your work this is a very worthwhile investment. Besides a great industry newsletter, the real gold here is their searchable database of over 75,000 book deals. Here you will find details on books that were sold, by which agents and to which publishers, and for how much. There’s a key they use, not numbers, so you won’t see the exact amount of the advance paid for any given book but you will still get a good idea. For example “a nice deal” equals an amount in a certain range, “a very nice deal” is a little higher, and so on. This is an excellent way to check on a specific agent’s recent track record and also to find agents who represent books like yours or who sell often to the publishers you’ve identified as good targets for your work.

    Don’t Forget Your Old Pal, Google

    Besides these trusted resources, don’t forget about your basic online search. First, type in the agent’s or agency’s name(s) and see what comes up. If there’s been a scandal, it’s sure to pop up. Then do a more specific Internet search for terms like “[Agency Name] AND book deal” “[Agency Name] AND bestseller” or “[Agency Name] AND [Comparable Author’s Name].” You may find news items about earlier book deals such as in interviews with clients of the agent discussing their book’s journey, interviews with the agent, even industry listings about sales.

    —-

    I know it’s very exciting to have someone, anyone, offer to represent your work, but the partnership between author and agent is a crucial piece of your writing career. The last thing you want is to be tied up in contract with someone who doesn’t actually know what they’re doing, or worse, to get bilked out of hundreds of dollars by a fraudulent company.

    Remember, a successful writer is an educated writer!

    Ally Machate Book EditorFounder of The Writer’s Ally, Ally E. Machate is a bestselling book collaborator, award-winning editor, and expert publishing consultant who loves using her insider knowledge and experience with the publishing industry to lead serious authors toward success. She and her team live to help make great books happen, whether that means showing a writer how to improve a manuscript, get an agent, or self-publish; or coaching an author on growing her platform to sell more books. Since 1999, she has supported hundreds of authors on their publishing journey and takes pride in serving as their books’ best ally.

    Why You May Not Want to Find an Agent Right Now

    I often speak at writers’ conferences where I listen to many would-be authors gripe about how much hard work it takes to find an agent to represent one’s book. I don’t know that I’d say it’s hard work to find an agent—after all, you’re not doing any heavy lifting or even breaking a sweat (though you might if you’re a particularly anxious mailbox stalker). It’s more like time-consuming and soul-crushing work!  Pursuing a publishing deal is not for the thin-skinned: Stories about big-name authors who submitted to as many as 100 agents before they find an agent and get a book deal abound. You’ve got to be in it for the long haul.

    True, the Big Five publishing houses generally won’t review unagented submissions and many mid-size publishers won’t either, so if your dream is to become a mega-bestselling author, one day you will likely need an agent. But there are a lot of viable alternatives that don’t require an agent at all. You could start that way or stay that way.

    You Have Alternatives

    It’s becoming increasingly common for authors to pursue alternate routes to publishing books in the face of extremely long response times and extraordinarily bad odds. More first-time authors are self-publishing to distinguish themselves and make some cash; agents and editors are more proactive than ever in seeking out successful indie authors who’ve built strong platforms.

    Additionally, printing and marketing technologies such as POD and social media have resulted in a wonderful explosion of micro-publishers and small publishers devoted to discovering new talent. These generally don’t offer large advances if at all and instead rely on profit-sharing models, but one of many upsides is that you don’t need an agent to submit your work (so at least that tiny advance is all yours!).

    You Don’t Have to Choose

    The thing is, you don’t have to choose one or the other. While you’re spending years trying to find an agent, why let your manuscript grow mold in a desk drawer? If it’s print-ready (and I would hope that it is if you’re seeking an agent), maybe you’d like to self-publish it and start building an audience so that, when an agent does finally show interest, you have more ammo with which to persuade her to sign you up (and likewise to get that publishing deal).

    At the very least, start working on your next book while you shop or market your first. Or get that first book out there so you can prove yourself while you query agents for your second book.

    Find an Agent, Or You Could…

    • While the largest publishers struggle, the indie scene is thriving, perhaps for the first time since media conglomerates started consolidating the entire industry some decades ago. Independent publishers often have the experience and at least a modest budget to help launch a career or nurture a small but loyal following. Major successes could lead to a bigger house picking up your unused rights (for example, if you’re published in hardcover, another company might negotiate with your current publisher for paperback rights) or to a bigger deal on your next book. Remember, you don’t need an agent to submit to most small publishers.
    • Certain genres such as almost anything in the YA or paranormal romance categories are hot now, so if your book fits, why not capitalize on the trend and see if you can make a little moolah by self-publishing? If you do well, it can only help you get an agent for this and future books. You may even decide you prefer being independent.
    • Even if you get an agent, there’s no guarantee she’ll be able to sell your book to a publisher. Experiment in the interim by self-publishing an ebook, which can be done with little or no cost, and play with pricing, marketing techniques, even different cover approaches to see what gives you the best ROI. If the reader feedback is negative, you’ll get a much-needed reality check before wasting more time seeking an agent when it would be better spent revising, taking writing workshops, or meeting with a critique group.
    • Every agent wants an author with a great manuscript and a well-developed platform. Use your first book or other works such as short stories and blog posts with a great website, email capture system, and marketing plan to start building a mailing list and readership. Seek out reading opportunities. Attend conferences and make friends with published writers who are willing to endorse your work. Whether you get your agent and then get a deal or ultimately self-publish, you will need a strong platform to sell books, so your time is never wasted on these efforts.

    It’s Your Own Damn Fault

    If you’re just sitting on your thumbs waiting to hear back from agents, you’re wasting a lot of time that could be very productive for you and your writing career. No amount of griping is going to make agents miraculously read and respond more quickly, or allow them to psychically browse their gigantic submission piles so they will recognize your talent instantly. And if you are hearing back from agents in a timely manner but no one is biting, it’s probably time to get really honest with yourself: Is your query letter strong enough? Is your book marketable? Are your sample pages engaging and effective? Sometimes it takes a long time to get a “yes” because you simply aren’t ready for one.

    Bottom line: If your career languishes while you send out queries and wait for responses, you’ve no one to blame but yourself. Use that time productively by following the suggestions in this post, or investigate other options. Post a comment here describing what you’re doing to help further your writing goals while you wait to hear back from agents. Inquiring minds want to know 🙂

    Ally Machate Book EditorFounder of The Writer’s Ally, Ally E. Machate is a bestselling book collaborator, award-winning editor, and expert publishing consultant who loves using her insider knowledge and experience with the publishing industry to lead serious authors toward success. She and her team live to help make great books happen, whether that means showing a writer how to improve a manuscript, get an agent, or self-publish; or coaching an author on growing her platform to sell more books. Since 1999, she has supported hundreds of authors on their publishing journey and takes pride in serving as their books’ best ally.

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