What Do They Want?

[Elektra]

Thanks to the wonderful folks over at SYW, I'm finally getting requests for more material; but the responses are confusing me. A no is a no is a no, but it leads to questions about the submission progress. On 4/5 of the rejections, the agent has said something along the lines of "I like the writing, but I unfortunately have another client with a similar style" or "Good, but I already have a client working on a Greek myth right now." In both cases, the agent seemed to think--or came right out and said--that it would be a conflict of interest for them to represent two such similar authors.

But aren't we supposed to submit to agents who rep work similar to ours? Wouldn't it be a waste of time to submit to an agent who prefers a different style? I'm so confused!

[gvm]

I must confess this has puzzled me also. I queried an agent specifically because she repped an author with similar style/theme, but her rejection letter said that was the very reason she was rejecting me!

Or is this yet another variation on the dreaded form letter?

[IThinkICan29]

This is NOT very encouraging. It goes against everything I've been told about sending out queries to agents. I'm really glad you posted this. I can't wait to read the responses to this thread.

[PeeDee]

I think this is a particularly interesting question. I'll be interested to see what others have to say about it. I'm in the process of looking for an agent myself and the first agents which I look at are the ones who are representing authors who have influenced me, or who I am a fan of. I'd like to find out about this before I send a query out to these agents.

[willietheshakes]

Hazarding a guess -- an agent has to present her clients in a singular way to editors and publishers (as something special AND unique, PeeDee), and as the best at what they are doing. If they have two authors tilling the same ground, it's disingenuous to attempt to laud both of them, and does each writer a disservice (ie, she can't represent them in her fullest capacity).

IE, she can't go to an editor and say, "I've got this writer retelling Greek myths -- it's a unique approach, it's not like anything else you've ever seen, you're gonna love it. Oh, you didn't love it? Well, let me tell you about this other writer I've got..."

Maybe.

[Mr. Funktastic]

To terrify us writers.

Really.

Okay, not really.

[JeanneTGC]

To terrify us writers.

Really.

Okay, not really.

It's working.

LOL. But really.

Okay, maybe not terrifying. Just confusing beyong belief-ing. How about that?

Maybe December is "Confuse the Submitters" month for the Agents Club?

I have no idea, I just hope someone with experience here DOES come on and enlighten, because my mind LOVES to extrapolate on things like this.

[blacbird]

Other. They want other. They can't really define what other is, but they want it, and expect with confidence that they'll recognize it when they see it. It helps if Stephen King or Orson Scott Card or James North Patterson has written the other.

caw

[UrsusMinor]

Some agents seem to try and organize a sort of a sampler of writers, sort of like they are coins or postage stamps.

I have a friend who was offered representation for his mystery novel by an agent who said something to the effect of "I dont have a good noir writer in my stable yet."

My friend was not too keen on being part of a 'stable,' so he took another offer instead.

I'm not sure how common this is. Certainly some agents rep several similar mystery, romance, or SF writers at the same time.

But others seem to be trying to fill out some template.

Writers! Buy 'em! Sell 'em! Trade 'em with friends! Get the whole set (as well as thin slabs of cheap, dusty bubble gum)!

[Jamesaritchie]

In publishing, what do they want is expressed by the words "Something just like everything else, ONLY DIFFERENT."

It's the "only different" part that kills most submissions. Similar is good. Just like much of what you find on teh bestseller list is good. But unless you have the "only different," and unless you can show the agent you have the "only different," convincing either an agent or editor to take something on is very difficult.

[Jamesaritchie]

Some agents seem to try and organize a sort of a sampler of writers, sort of like they are coins or postage stamps.

I have a friend who was offered representation for his mystery novel by an agent who said something to the effect of "I dont have a good noir writer in my stable yet."

My friend was not too keen on being part of a 'stable,' so he took another offer instead.

I'm not sure how common this is. Certainly some agents rep several similar mystery, romance, or SF writers at the same time.

But others seem to be trying to fill out some template.

Writers! Buy 'em! Sell 'em! Trade 'em with friends! Get the whole set (as well as thin slabs of cheap, dusty bubble gum)!


Hmmm, every agent in every genre I know calls the writers they represent their "stable." There's nothing wrong with the term. It's just trade jargon.

From my experience, most agents represent good writer in any genre they know well enough to sell. It depends on what the agent enjoys reading, and on how many editors/publishers they have experience with.

I greatly prefer an agent who handles several genres. It certainly makes it much easier to write in several genres, while still having good representation.

[priceless1]

she repped an author with similar style/theme, but her rejection letter said that was the very reason she was rejecting me!
I'm not an agent, but I do deal with a lot of submissions. Like an agent, we have very specific guidelines of the types of stories we're looking for. If a writer submits a manuscripts that's too similar to something we already have in our lineup, I reject them - even if I really like the story. The reason for this is that I already have a writer with that distinct writing style and a particular plot/theme. I don't need another one. It dilutes my sales teams' ability to sell the one I have.

The long and short of it is that you don't have any way of knowing whether the agent has something reminiscent to your story until you get a rejection letter. It's not worth worrying about. It happens. Simply move on and hopefully find an agent who is looking for your type of story. Good luck!

[Meerkat]

It may be a little white lie...if both works were truly similar, would they want the competition from another house?

[MHanlon]

It may be a little white lie...if both works were truly similar, would they want the competition from another house?

I think it becomes a case of whoever gets published first, wins.

[clara bow]

About eight months ago, I queried an agent based on a similarity between one of her client's books and the 'script I was pitching. I was very clear about why I was querying her. I figured, she either wants more of the same, or she doesn't. She requested the full along with a few revisions, and I guess is still considering it. I pitched it as having series potential.

Over the summer, I read in the comments section of one of her client's blog that the client is considering writing a series of paranormal romances whose protagonist will have the *same exact profession* as my own heroine. She even used the *same word* (it's a distinct one, so I'm not going to write it here out of paranoia). This profession/idea hasn't been exhausted yet in the PR area, that I can see. At any rate, the similarity is way too close for comfort. I think it's just one of those coincidences of creativity, though. And to find out about it in her comments section, of all places.

I read yesterday that the client is going to start writing it in January/Feb 2007.

Of course, I have no way of knowing if the client has pitched the idea to the agent or not, or is doing it on spec first. Needless to say, this is driving me insane because the response to my story was awesome. I may run this situation by Her Snarkiness in January. I'm not going to nudge the agent yet (especially since another has recently requested the full), but I'm dying to get some answers.

[triceretops]

It might be that Greek mythology is a catagory, or an uncommonly narrow corridor to write in, in the first place. IF she/he has a writer who specializes in this area, and has some credentials/degree to aid the platform, perhaps this is the reason why another sample is being rejected. In other words, I might be rejected on my Dinosaurian fiction because the agent has a similar book, and in fact, this did happen to me.

But I might squeeze by with something in a more popular vein like a vampire/ghost/detective paranormal type story.

It's a good question, and raises some hackles. Could it be that agents sign a certain voice/style, a certain category, a certain genre from each and every author as though they're assembling a puzzle, until they have all the neccessary ingredients to flesh out their stable?

Tri

[Jamesaritchie]

It's a good question, and raises some hackles. Could it be that agents sign a certain voice/style, a certain category, a certain genre from each and every author as though they're assembling a puzzle, until they have all the neccessary ingredients to flesh out their stable?

Tri

I don't think it's this as much as it's simply the fact thjat no one,a gents, editors, or readers, want copycat novels, even if the copycatting is unintentional.

A mystery agent may handle many, many mystery writers. but there's only one Lawrence Block, only one Robert B. Parker, etc. One is enough. You have to bring something new to the table. Otherwise, it's like a pitch-in supper where everyone brings a bowl of green beans. They may all be good green beans, but one or two bowls would have been plenty.

All the writers and agent takes on have far more things in common than not, but while a second bowl of Lawrence Block or Robert B. Parker might well sell, a thrid, fourth, or fifth bowl probably won't.

Agents look for writers who can tell a good story, fill it with good characters who all speak good dialogue. But if it's the same story, the same charactersm the same dialogue, and the same style, why would an agent want to represent it? You have to add that something different, or your manuscript is just one more bowl of green beans.

[Jamesaritchie]

It's a good question, and raises some hackles. Could it be that agents sign a certain voice/style, a certain category, a certain genre from each and every author as though they're assembling a puzzle, until they have all the neccessary ingredients to flesh out their stable?

Tri

I don't think it's this as much as it's simply the fact thjat no one,a gents, editors, or readers, want copycat novels, even if the copycatting is unintentional.

A mystery agent may handle many, many mystery writers. but there's only one Lawrence Block, only one Robert B. Parker, etc. One is enough. You have to bring something new to the table. Otherwise, it's like a pitch-in supper where everyone brings a bowl of green beans. They may all be good green beans, but one or two bowls would have been plenty.

All the writers and agent takes on have far more things in common than not, but while a second bowl of Lawrence Block or Robert B. Parker might well sell, a thrid, fourth, or fifth bowl probably won't.

Agents look for writers who can tell a good story, fill it with good characters who all speak good dialogue. But if it's the same story, the same charactersm the same dialogue, and the same style, why would an agent want to represent it? You have to add that something different, or your manuscript is just one more bowl of green beans. If you can't bring a bowl of corn, and can't come close to bringing a standing rib roast, you at least have to add ham to your green beans.

Can you tell I'm hungry?

[tjwriter]

Otherwise, it's like a pitch-in supper where everyone brings a bowl of green beans. They may all be good green beans, but one or two bowls would have been plenty.

I think this gets it right here.

[blacbird]

My friend was not too keen on being part of a 'stable,' so he took another offer instead.



"Stable" doesn't seem all that bad. It beats "coop" or "sty".

caw

[blacbird]

Otherwise, it's like a pitch-in supper where everyone brings a bowl of green beans. They may all be good green beans, but one or two bowls would have been plenty.

Obviously you've never been to a good Midwest Lutheran potluck supper.

caw

[Jamesaritchie]

Obviously you've never been to a good Midwest Lutheran potluck supper.

caw

Nope, I always go to Baptist pitch-ins. For some reason, no one ever brings green beans, but there's always a whole table covered with dessert.