Think of an agent’s office as a library full of coverless books which the agent has to go through day in, day out, week after week. Which one will they pick out to read? Not the grubby, hand-written one that’s for sure. What about the ms with each chapter individually stapled? Or the neatly presented ms with the professional looking cover letter? Hang on, there's another beautifully presented ms and another... in fact there are quite a few very nice looking ms, which one should the agent pick out?
How would you determined if the coverless, unknown, writer is any good?
Say the agent chooses your ms, remember yours is probably the twentieth vampire/chicklit/historical she has read that morning – and it’s only 9.30 a.m!
She starts to read this unknown author with the coverless book. The cover letter is professional, the synopsis has potential. She begins to read the first chapter. Her phone rings. She answers, and becomes engrossed with the telephone conversation. Phone call ends, and she hangs up. Will she remember your excellent first line? Has it stayed in her head?
If not, she'll reach for the next ms with a sigh, read the usual blah, blah cover letter and the synopsis, she’s thinking, oh, another vampire/chicklit/historical, yawns and calls for a coffee with extra caffeine.
Unfortunately, there are more unmemorable ms laying on the slush pile than memorable ones. And regardless of the excellence of your book it’s labelled as thus already I'm afraid.
The agent doesn't want to take you on. She can't be arsed. You have to make her want to be arsed.
Why should she take on you as a writer? What's so special about you? Make her excited.
Your ms needs to be more than just good an beautifully presented.
Your ms needs to be more than just good an beautifully presented.
Keep all this in mind before sending out proposals.
So true Louise. Write a great book and agents will beat a path to your door.
ReplyDeleteThose pesky agents! What can you do? Keep working on those opening paragraphs I suppose and hope they'll catch someone's attention.
ReplyDeleteLoving the colours of your blog, by the way - very summery x
Agents... can't live with 'em, can't really do without 'em.
ReplyDeleteYeah, (re my colourful blog) I thought it needed an overhaul of colour!
Great post!! I give agents a lot of credit. I can only imagine the junk that they get. I read a bunch of agent blogs and it's amazing how many writers don't even follow their guidelines...so they have that to deal with in addition to a never ending pile.
ReplyDeleteI went to a writers conference in March and there were agents there. I had my pitch appointment with the agent of my choice...so I never once stalked her at any of the conference functions. But I watched and observed the others who did and the pure rudeness astounded me.
Hi Stephanie, it's crazy isn't it? Some people really believe an agent is there just to find them a publisher regardless of the crap they've written.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, but depressing.
ReplyDelete