Writer Asks: How do I get an agent?

I would like to know how one goes about finding an agent to help them to publish a novel as my oldest daughter is currently working on a few novels.

(Please note I am not an agent. This advice comes from my observations while working with and talking to agents.)

Research

The first step is to develop an understanding of the publishing industry and the role agents play.  Learn what agents do and what they don’t do. Know what the standard business practices are and what the new trends are. You certainly don’t have to become an expert but you need to know enough to ask the right questions and make informed business decisions.

Prepare

Don’t start querying until you are ready. Though many agents will edit for clients, do not expect to get an offer of representation on your rough draft. Make sure your manuscript is complete and thoroughly edited. Get critique partners to review it for you or take it to a writer’s workshop. You only get one first impression so only submit your best work.

Query

Though you should query as many agents as you can, it is unwise to simply blanket the industry. Once again, research is key. Look up the agent’s current list and sales history to get a sense of the work they do. Then prepare your query. There is no perfect query letter but you can find plenty of templates online. The most effective ones I have seen include the word count, genre and/or intended audience, a synopsis, and a bio. Pay careful attention to the agent’s submission guidelines and follow them.

Repeat

This is a long process. Be patient. Be persistent. Keep writing.

Accept

Before accepting representation think carefully. Are you comfortable with the terms of the contract? Are you comfortable having a close business relationship with this person? If you are unsure about something, ask. Make sure you get the best agent for you.

Hope that helps!

Armchair BEA: Beyond the Blog

I’m not a writer in the strict sense. I’m a communicator; the written word just happens to be the way I choose to maximize my reach. I used to write for school publications, and in the future I may contribute an article to certain media outlets, but as a rule I only write for myself. I have so much to say and I don’t really want to spend time delivering someone else’s message.

So I have no intention to get “beyond the blog” so to speak. My blog is part of my brand; it helps me establish myself in the industry and stay relevant as a publishing professional. Hopefully this blog will become a resource for readers, writers, and other bookish people. 

What kind of info would you like to see an “industry insider” blog about? What else would you want to know about me? Let me know in the comments!

Armchair BEA: Networking—Leonicka does Festival of Trees

Bonus post! Networking is fun for me (under the right circumstances), so I’m happy to share another fabulous industry experience I had last month. Because she is an amazing human being, children’s literary agent Ali McDonald took me to the Forest of Reading Festival of Trees in May.

Oh. Em. Gee. Thousands of kids running around along the harbour screaming out of excitement for books. It was a beautiful sight. 

It was a little rainy in the morning so Ali and I had to huddle under umbrellas and awnings to stay dry as kids introduced the authors of their favorite books and explained why they wanted that book to win. I could always tell which book would win by how ear-splitting the cheers were. “Is that book good?” I asked the little girl behind me. “Yeah! You should read it. Even if you’re a grown up.” A glowing endorsement if I ever heard one. 

Between award presentations, Ali and I had lunch. Strengthening old relationships is as critical as forming new ones, y’all. I don’t even remember what we talked about but after several of these one-on-one chats, I totally feel comfortable asking her for professional advice. It’s great to have a mentor. It’s better to have several.  

Other highlights of the day included a lovely talk with Kari-Lynn Winters, a prolific children’s book author; a visit with Angela Wood, one of the founding members of Kids Can Press; and the best party ever at Groundwood Books.

Overall  it not only a fantastic day for making contacts but an eye-opening one in terms of my career path. I had always considered children’s publishing  a completely different realm that I could never understand. I was wrong. It is a different world but I could see myself thriving in it! I am now 100% sure that my career will include children’s books one way or another. Not bad for one day of networking, am I right?

Writer Asks: Should I submit the prologue?

If the submission guidelines ask for a query letter plus the first x pages should I submit the prologue or skip to the first chapter?

If your prologue is not compelling or relevant enough to be the first thing an agent reads, you need to re-evaluate having a prologue at all. Whereas an agent or editor may read a query, a pitch, and maybe a synopsis before they read your manuscript, a reader is likely to dive into your book after merely glancing at the cover copy. Is your prologue good enough to keep that reader’s attention? If not, it has no business being in the book. 

Prologues are a completely legitimate literary device and I would not dissuade anyone from using them. Just do it effectively.  An effective prologue should set the tone of the book. It should contribute to the world-building and/or the character development. It should be essential to the plot, perhaps in a subtle way that the readers and characters will find out about later. It should not be something you are willing to leave out.

Do you write prologues? Why or why not?

Making Time to Read

Ninety percent of my work involves reading and assessing manuscripts, making me the luckiest person in the world. But after about a month of wading through the slush pile, I noticed I was only reading for work. When I asked experienced agents about this they confirmed that they rarely had time to read for fun.  I could not let this happen, especially not while participating in the 50 book pledge. I quickly took steps to solve the problem.

I got an e-reader

Or rather my friend got me one and thereby gifted me four extra reading hours per day. I have a very long commute so being able to get the bulk of my work reading done while in transit gives me more freedom to read whatever I want at home.

I put “read” at the top of my to-do list

Those who know me know that my to-do list rules my life. And now reading is at the top every day. I can justify this because 1) I cannot be a good editor/agent if I don’t read good books and 2) leisure is an important part of staying healthy and happy. Reading is one of my favorite forms of self-care so why deny myself?

I talk about books all the time

Most of the people I talk to regularly are also passionate about reading and books. It would be really hard to keep up with their conversations if all I read were manuscripts. Having a community of friends here, on Twitter, and in real life to discuss my thoughts with encourages me to read more so I’ll have thoughts to share! 

What do you do to make time to read?