Ask the Agent: Andy Zack

False Enouragement?

Hi Andy,

I've received numerous rejections for my novel. Most were of the "not for us" variety. However, four said they "liked" the book but didn't "love" it. They said other complementary things about it but ultimately decided against representing it.

I have considered those encouraging under the assumption that busy agents don't have the time to give false compliments just to let me down easy. However, in another thread, Uncle Jim posted the following link: http://rejectioncollection.com/. There are many letters there that sound just like my "encouraging" ones.

So the question is, do agents give false encouragement just to let authors down easy, or should I still be encouraged by such letters?

Dear Mr. Zack,

thank you so much for the answer to my question, I really appreciated it!

YA versus adult contemporary fantasy

Hi, Andy:

An agent gave me terrific feedback on my contemporary fantasy, and I have taken her suggestions and submitted the revised MS to her, as she requested. One thing concerns me, though: she believes this is a YA fantasy, with crossover potential to the twentysomething market. I don't believe my work is YA, not by any stretch. Yes, the protagonists are college seniors, 21 - 22 years old. But if we look only at the age of the protagonists, then Robert Jordan's WHEEL OF TIME saga would be considered YA as well, and that assuredly is not. (Another agent hypothesized that I have non-YA characters in a YA plot, whatever the heck that's supposed to mean, and then suggested that I make the protagonists high school age. Ugh.)

So my question is, assuming that this agent offers me representation, do I push back on the YA issue? Or should I trust the agent to know the market far better than I, and go with her call?

A million thanks.

Best,
Jackie

Q. how many jobs have you had in your life and what were they?

In my life? In high school, I worked in telemarketing for a brief time, then at a lumber store (like Home Depot), then in a bookstore. In high school, I worked in a bookstore, the library, sold advertising for the yearbook, then became managing editor of the yearbook. I also sold advertising for the Associated Students of the University of Washington Coupon Notebook for a summer, and had an office clerkish job. Oh, and I worked for the Alumni Annual Giving Campaign, cold-calling alumni to ask for money. After college, I worked at Simon and Schuster in foreign rights, then went to Warner Books in editorial, then do Donald I. Fine to do both, then to Berkley Books as an Editor. Then I free-lanced before becoming an agent.

Q. how long have you been working in your present job?

Since September 1993.

Q. have any of the following factors affected your work life and how?
changing technology?

Sure. It makes everything faster and easier and thus makes the volume greater and greater! Work is like gas. It fills a volume no matter the size!

layoffs or cutbacks?

I lost a job to cutbacks and ended up free-lancing and then an agent, so I'd say it was because of cutbacks that I ended up an agent.

economic recession?

Pretty sure that's why there were cutbacks!

working from a home-based office?

Massive reduction in stress level, but also increase in isolation socially. Then again, I get to go to the gym or for a bike ride WHENEVER I WANT!

anything else?

Q. can you think of anyother ways the world of work has changed since you first started working?

I think everyone I know works harder and that things like Blackberries have made us all TOO reachable.

Q. have you ever had to relocate for work?Why?

I moved from the Boston area to NYC to find a job in publishing.

Q. When it comes to finding and keeping a job do you think education is important?

Absolutely, but I think where you got that education is often over-rated. I read once that most of the CEOs in NYC went to CCNY (City College). I have had great interns from Ivy League schools and lousy ones also. I've had two great interns in the fall, both of whom were from smaller city colleges. They had GREAT work ethics and determination to succeed. Whatever college you go to is probably fine. It's what you do while you're there that counts.

Q.What advice would you give to young people preparing to enter the workforce?

Develop a poker face. I tell most of my interns this. Learn to mask your reactions. Your boss does not need to know you hate what he or she just told you or that you think he or she is an idiot. The workplace is very much like high school. Popularity is important and having the right friends is going to make your life easier. Think of it like SURVIVOR. Make alliances, friends, etc., and try not to get tossed off the island.

Fishbowl:

I think that's very much a personal thing. It needs to be discussed with your agent.

Jackie:

You should certainly discuss what submission strategy the agent will take. Will she pitch it as YA or just as fantasy? Will she only go to YA editors or adult editors also? You need to be on the same page with your agent, or you have the wrong agent.

Roger:

I think a lot of agents and editors try to say something nice about everything, even when they are writing rejections. And there are certain phrases that we all seem to use. But no one has to take the time to write you a personal letter, so if they did and said something nice, I'd take it as sincere.

mark2one said:

Hi Andy,

Let’s imagine I have a manuscript that a few agents want to sell.

If agents A and B offer me representation, but I delay responding so I can hear from C and D (whom I sent the manuscript but haven’t heard from yet), is this a major faux pas? Or is it common that an author may allot a fixed response period regardless of how quickly some agents respond?

I know this is a wildly optimistic scenario, but I’m looking for fit. And I’m thinking the more agents I speak with, the more likely I’ll find it. At the same time, I don’t want to sacrifice a “pretty-good” fit in pursuit of the “great” one that never materializes.

How would you approach it as a writer? And, as an agent, is it common that an author with a good manuscript holds you at bay while interviewing other agents? If so, how long is fair?

Mark

Click to expand...

Mark:

Let's say that there are four women. I've asked all four if they'd like to go to the prom, and two have said yes and two haven't gotten back to me. Should I wait for those two, or go with the two who said yes? And should I expect the first two to wait around for the latter two to make a decision. Then, what do I do to whittle the list down to one? How long is it fair to wait for everyone to get back to me, and how long should the women wait for me to make a final decision?

If I offer an author representation, I pretty much expect them to take it. If they give me the runaround about waiting for another agent, I am immediately turned off. I might, if I think the project has real potential, play the game for a week or so, after which, I stop chasing. If the author comes back to me in the end and wants me to represent him or her, I'll probably do it because it's good business, or I might not, because now I'm worried this author likes to play games and I have no interest in authors who play games.

Tiaga said:

Hi Andy! Do agents ever look at posted work on sites like Publishers Marketplace to see an authors offering?

Click to expand...

I sure don't. I have 140+ sample chapters and something like 7 or 8 full mss here to read. I don't have to go searching through PM for stuff.

Andrew Zack said:

Jackie:

You should certainly discuss what submission strategy the agent will take. Will she pitch it as YA or just as fantasy? Will she only go to YA editors or adult editors also? You need to be on the same page with your agent, or you have the wrong agent.

Click to expand...

Thanks, Andy. You make it sound so simple. Oh, wait -- it is that simple.

She contacted me today to let me know I should receive her feedback on my revised MS -- which she's returning to me with post-it notes tagging specific pages -- next week. Assuming I like what she says, and, of course, that she makes an offer, then I will definitely be asking her about her submission strategy/marketing plan.

Thanks again!
Jackie

Dear Mr. Zack,

Thanks again for all the help here on this forum.

If I send a query to agent A at Big Literary Agency, and I'm turned down, is it acceptable to query agent B at the same agency (who also represents books of the same type), or did I receive a rejection from the entire agency?

I completed a book and the manuscript is currently in the hands of a professional editor. I am still seeking literary representation, however, I am simultaneously taking steps towards printing this book myself. I get the feeling, from reading agency websites, that self publishing could work against me. Is that the case? www.108days.com Thanks

108Days said:

I completed a book and the manuscript is currently in the hands of a professional editor. I am still seeking literary representation, however, I am simultaneously taking steps towards printing this book myself. I get the feeling, from reading agency websites, that self publishing could work against me. Is that the case? www.108days.com Thanks

Click to expand...

My manuscript is a work of fiction that closely parallels my true story. The main thrust of the story is where a teenage girl (Susan) gets pregnant, in 1968, and ultimately gives her baby up for adoption. Of course there's a whole lot more packed in there, a life of monumentous hurdles with Susan always climbing the mountain successfully, only to find an even larger mountain in front of her. Near the end, at the zenith of her successful career, Susan is in an accident and disabled. The bottom falls out in her world-- showing her the most happiness she has ever known! Susan finds her long lost daughter!
My problem is trying to place this novel with the correct house, or agent. I have received some really glowing feedback from agents and publishers, BUT they always say that they are not the right place. "Keep trying" they tell me, "Yours is a beautiful story and needs to be told." "Beautifully written." etc.
I've even tried houses where they have previously printed anthologies from birth mothers. But they're not into that now.........
I could sure use some suggestions as to how/where to try to place my manuscript.
Thanks a million for any help!
SueB

FICTION Outlines

Dear Mr. Zack:

Could you provide information to those who need it regarding FICTION Outlines? I have found that, some agents/editors request this in addition to synopsis and sample chapters after they have accepted the query.

My questions are:

1). Should the outline be written in present-tense even though (as in my case) the manuscript is composed in third person voice. In other words, the same writing style as the synopsis?

2). One chapter detailed per page--even if only a small paragraph succintly describes the action? This is what I've discovered in my research, but it seems like such a waste from paper to shipping and the receiver's desk space.

3). This sounds more like a chapter by chapter breakdown. Is it the same thing?

4). Should we use dialogue?

I have done my best to research this on my own, but have no definitive answers to these 3 questions.

I'm sure your kind advice would be appreciated by many.
DJLedford

Mr.Zack:

My local writer's organization is holding a "Meet The Agent" session (one-on-one speed dating with a variety of literary agents). The cost of going to the conference is expensive (a few hundred dollars). I was excited to go until I heard that agents never find potential clients at these conferences. Is that true?

May I quote your answer in a book I am writing on the business? (If you would prefer not to be quoted that's fine, as the question really is mostly for my benefit...I'm trying to weigh spending $300 on a conference or $300 on sending more queries/manuscripts out!)

Thanks,
Eussie

azbikergirl said:

Dear Mr. Zack,

Thanks again for all the help here on this forum.

If I send a query to agent A at Big Literary Agency, and I'm turned down, is it acceptable to query agent B at the same agency (who also represents books of the same type), or did I receive a rejection from the entire agency?

Click to expand...

This is probably somewhat agency specific, but in general, I don't see why not. Certainly when I worked at a larger firm we never compared notes on who were seeing projects from and/or rejecting.

108Days said:

I completed a book and the manuscript is currently in the hands of a professional editor. I am still seeking literary representation, however, I am simultaneously taking steps towards printing this book myself. I get the feeling, from reading agency websites, that self publishing could work against me. Is that the case? www.108days.com Thanks

Click to expand...

In general, publishers prefer that a book has never before been published. If you self-publish and do amazingly well with the book, then a larger publisher may become interested. But if you get in B&N or Amazon (which you can pretty easily do these days) and sell 300 books, that is definitely a mark against you. It will make it harder for a larger publisher to sell you into the chains if there's some kind of poor track record already.

subTropica said:

Hi Andy,

I have a question. Would agents/publishers shy away from a potentially controversial book of fiction--ie: one which might offend a certain religious mentality, or would they go with it, knowing that controversy often helps to sell media, even if it's in a kind of "guerilla marketing" type of way?

(As in The DaVinci Code, whose sales probably go up exponentially every time another religious figure condemns it!)

Thanks in advance,
Diann

Click to expand...

I'm not sure anyone saw the potential offense in THE DAVINCI CODE. I mean, did anyone protest RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK? THE OMEN? Then again, I personally would recommend avoiding anything that might be received the way THE SATANIC VERSES was.

I'd say, unless the subject matter is sure to get them sued, most publishers won't be too worried. But this is a very subjective business. I'd probably shy away from something I personally found offensive, so you might be playing Russian Roulette when it comes to agents or editors.

the debster said:

Dear Mr. Zack:

Could you provide information to those who need it regarding FICTION Outlines? I have found that, some agents/editors request this in addition to synopsis and sample chapters after they have accepted the query.

My questions are:

1). Should the outline be written in present-tense even though (as in my case) the manuscript is composed in third person voice. In other words, the same writing style as the synopsis?

2). One chapter detailed per page--even if only a small paragraph succintly describes the action? This is what I've discovered in my research, but it seems like such a waste from paper to shipping and the receiver's desk space.

3). This sounds more like a chapter by chapter breakdown. Is it the same thing?

4). Should we use dialogue?

I have done my best to research this on my own, but have no definitive answers to these 3 questions.

I'm sure your kind advice would be appreciated by many.
DJLedford

Click to expand...

Hmm. I can't speak for everyone, but it does sound like a chapter-by-chapter breakdown to me. And I don't see a need for wasting paper. Personally, I prefer a synopsis, but one of my clients does these awesome outlines—chapter-by-chapter and with little sample scenes and dialogue throughout—that I think are just great. They really let you get the sense of the story, but in far fewer pages.

Eussie said:

Mr.Zack:

My local writer's organization is holding a "Meet The Agent" session (one-on-one speed dating with a variety of literary agents). The cost of going to the conference is expensive (a few hundred dollars). I was excited to go until I heard that agents never find potential clients at these conferences. Is that true?

May I quote your answer in a book I am writing on the business? (If you would prefer not to be quoted that's fine, as the question really is mostly for my benefit...I'm trying to weigh spending $300 on a conference or $300 on sending more queries/manuscripts out!)

Thanks,
Eussie

Click to expand...

I think that writers' conferences are certainly worthwhile and I recommend that writers attend some over the course of their careers. Maybe one or two a year, if the budget allows. At the minimum, you might meet some new friends. At the maximum, you might get a fresh perspective on the business or your own writing. And if you are a working writer, they are a tax write-off (well, ask your accountant before you do that, but I think they are).

That said, I am truly not a fan of the so-called "one-on-ones," where agents meet with authors for 5-15 minutes and the author tries to pitch the agent. Most agents I know dread them and have a tendency to request that the author send them an outline and three chapters, just to avoid having to say "no" to someone's face. In fact, my firm desire not to have anything I don't want on my desk, and subsequent willingness to say "sorry, not for me" during one-on-ones at conferences has, I know, been the subject of some grumbling and annoyance at those I've attended. But I have no desire to waste authors' time or money. I try to be polite and decisive and that's it.

Another reason I'm not a fan is that authors tend to get incredibly nervous before these meetings. The "speed-dating" metaphor is great. Some authors act as though their very future depends on this meeting going well. And, not surprisingly, they often fall apart in their pitch. And, if I'm clearly not interested, well they feel rejected. Remember, it's not personal!

I'm much more a fan of mixers/cocktail hours or even just places where people can casually sit and chat, eat a cookie or drink a cup of coffee. Conversations happen. People are relaxed. They talk about their book and I may request it or recommend they query someone I know. In the end, it's a far more relaxed and enjoyable interaction.

I will say this, though, if you are going to go to a one-on-one, bring a written synopsis, but also have a great verbal pitch. Boil it down to a couple of sentences, and then be ready to expand on it. I often tell authors, "Pretend you went to a movie last night and that you want to tell me about the movie. Now tell me about your book." Or I say, "You saw the THE FIRM, right? Bright, young lawyer from modest roots thinks he's found his dream job at a firm, then realizes he's working for the mob. Now he's on the run from the mob, trying to save his own life, as well as the lives of those he loves. Now, tell me about your book the way I just told you about THE FIRM." This seems to help authors focus.

As for publishing it, I think I'd like to know more about the book in which it would be published.

Thanks

Folks, I'm sorry I haven't been logging on here as often, but I used to get an email anytime someone posted to the topic, rather than a specific thread. Now I don't seem to get those, so unless I remember to log on, I don't see the new mail. If anyone knows now to get the system to let me know when someone posts to the topic, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

Mr. Zack:

Thank you for your reply. It cemented the notion (for me, anyways) that the one-on-one meets aren't worth it. Regarding quoting you: The book I'm working on is a non-fiction book on "The Statistics of Getting Published" (I'm a mathematics grad student so I couldn't resist a twist on the usual fare of "How To Get Your Book Published"), and as soon as I have a working chapter or two I'll send you some more info. Of course, the success of this book may depend on my own first novel getting published (of the type not handled by your agency so this isn't a pitch, lol) or I may have to change the working title to "Statistics Tells Me I Will Get Published Someday".

Cheers,
Eussie