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How does one
obtain an agent?
There are
a number of annual reference books that list the leading literary
agents, such as The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook The Writer's
Handbook and Guardian Media Guide. Many agencies now have
websites and the newsletter of Agent Research and Evaluation Inc
(334 East 30th St, New York, NY 10016) assesses the strengths and
weaknesses of agents on both sides of the Atlantic. There are
numerous writing magazines, such as Writers' Forum, with tips
not just on writing books but also placing material. The Society of
Authors produce a list of recommended agents. I encourage authors to
subscribe to the two publishing magazines. The Bookseller and
Publishing News. both of which profile agents and record their
deals.
How do agents
obtain authors?
Authors
come through the most circuitous routes and for the most
extraordinary reasons. One told me recently he had selected my
agency because it was conveniently near Victoria Station! Most
come on personal recommendation from a author, an editor or even
another agent (since we all have different specialities and some
agencies are more acquisitive than others). Authors may read
articles by agents, hear them speak to various organisations or, if
they have famous clients, may read about them in the papers.
Sometimes we approach public figures or someone we have read about
in the paper, who we think might have a good story, and offer
representation. Agents handling more academic writers may check
recent thesis' lists for potential subjects or writers. Many of my
authors come to me having seen an acknowledgement to me at the front
of what they feel is a comparable book to their own.
What are the
usual terms of an agency?
These may
vary but should be 10-15 per cent commission on sales in this
country, 10-20 per cent for film and television rights and sales
through sub-agents in America and the translation market. Remember
that the agent does not earn until you do and that it is in the
interests of the agency to ensure the best possible terms. Agents
may charge for photocopying but there should be no fees for reading
scripts or administrative expenses. Agents who are members of the
Association of Authors' Agents abide by a code of contact, have to
have been established several years and have to have a certain level
of turnover so it is usually better to approach them in the first
instance.
What can an agent
do for one?
As
publishing has become an increasingly complicated business and
editors more over-worked the role of agents has grown enormously
Authors may not know which particular publishing companies to
approach, nor which editors within those companies. An agent's job
is to know the market and to know which editor is looking for what
sort of book at any particular time It may be there is a shortfall
of fiction for the spring list, a publisher needs a major
non-fiction title for the Christmas market because of late delivery
on the scheduled title or simply that editor X loves travel books
and is therefore likely to be very sympathetic when presented one.
Every agent's
relationship with his or her author is different and depends on the
author's special needs. Agents often have publishing experience and
are prepared to put time into shaping a manuscript or a proposal
that has potential. An agent may have good media contacts and help
an author to find journalistic work in order to raise the author's
profile and perceived expertise on a subject or else simply to help
pay the bills. Publishers often approach agents when seeking a
writer for a particular subject.
Producing a
marketable script, placing it and negotiating a contract is only the
beginning of the agent's job. He or she will monitor the publishing
process to ensure the book is properly produced, sold and marketed
and will take on responsibility for nurturing the author's writing
career between books. An agent, though ultimately responsible to the
author, can also act as a buffer between the author and editor and
mediate in any dispute. Good editors like responsible agents because
they act as a filtering process and can take some of the pressure
off them.
Is an agent worth
the commission?
An agent
should be able to raise the advance by more than their commission.
They know the going rate for particular books and how to create a
bit of competition to push up the price. Editors will understandably
try and buy a book on the most advantageous terms and their
interests are not always those of the author. Agents can also deal
with the small print in a contract - the royalties, discounts,
subsidiary rights splits, termination clauses are as important as
the advance - and can chase and check royalty payments. Not least,
they take out the embarrassment of talking directly to an editor
about money leaving the relationship one solely about the book |
Do publishers
take books submitted by agents more seriously than direct
submissions?
The
simple answer is yes.
Publishers are inundated with unsolicited submissions and the fact
they refer to it as the 'slush pile' is indicative of their
attitude. Many now don't consider un-agented approaches, while few
of the others use experienced readers. Why have extra costs when
there is already a surfeit of good material on offer from agents? An
agency, on the other hand, takes special care in combing their
submissions because new authors are their lifeblood. This is
particularly true of smaller agents who are on straight commission
rather than a salary
What sort of books
do publishers and agents want?
Publishing is a business and therefore what is wanted is books that
will sell. The difference between the commercial writer and others
is the former writes for a readership and others often just for
themselves. A book has to be shaped to fit market needs and has to
be of interest to as many people as possible. It should have popular
and international appeal, have a potentially long shelf-life
(journalistic books are often out of date before they are even
published) and be of interest to film companies and, if non-fiction,
to newspapers for serial. Serial rights can sometimes be worth ten
times what the book rights are worth. Well-known people have an
advantage, because they can be more easily publicised, and agents
are always looking to tie a book into a television series.
It is difficult to
anticipate trends in publishing, not least because the book
commissioned today may not be delivered until next year and
published the year after. That said the boom in history and
especially narrative, military and social history, popular science
and literary fiction continues. Some 100,000 books ore published
each year so there is plenty of scope for variety It is always worth
studying book reviews, catalogues and the Bookseller's spring
and autumn supplements, which gives details of books to be published
in the following six months, to determine exactly what is being
published and by whom.
What sort of
books do publishers and agents not want?
Unless one
is a household name or has had a particularly exciting life or
miserable childhood, steer clear of autobiography Equally the fact
one has backtracked to India does not necessarily mean one can turn
one's experiences into the travel book we hove all been waiting for.
The market for poetry, political polemics, books on obscure hobbies
and novels set in the worlds of accountancy or journalism is
limited.
What should one
submit in the first instance to an agent?
Ideally
most agents like submissions by post, rather than e-mail, and they
should consist of a synopsis, sample chapter and curriculum vitae.
Additionally for non-fiction they may ask for a short note on the
competing or comparable literature, the sources and possible
marketing outlets. Proposals should be word-processed, double-spaced
on one side of the paper and unbound so they can be photocopied
easily.
What is a book worth?
A book is worth what a publisher will pay for it. They are more
likely to buy it and for good terms if it is represented by a good
agent.
Andrew Lownie has run his own literary agency since 1988, having
previously been a book-seller, publisher, journalist and Director of
the Curtis Brown Literary Agency. He has written several books, is
literary agent to PEN and founder of the Biographers' Club.
Useful Publications:
John Baker,
Literary Agents:
A Writer's Introduction, Macmillan, 1999
Carole Blake,
From Pitch to Publication,
Macmillan, 1999
Donya Dickerson (ed),
2001
Guide to Literary Agents,
Writer's Digest Books
Jeff Herman,
Insider's Guide to Book
Editors, Publishers and Literary Agents,
Prima Publishing
Michael Larsen,
Literary Agents,
John Wiley, 1996
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