Changing agents by Terry Burns

It happens, nothing is forever.

Well, nothing but our relationship with Jesus, but that's another topic.

Most of my clients have been with me a long time, some almost from when I began being an agent. They aren't just clients, they are good friends. My client group interfaces with one another and with me to the point that they are like family.

So, what's the deal about changing agents? Sometimes I realize I have tried every place I have for a client without success and no longer have anything to offer them. I realize I need to release them so they can get with a different agent that has a different set of contacts. I never want to be holding a client back instead of helping them move forward. I don't have to take this step often but occassionally it happens. It is sad for all concerned when it does, but hopefully it works out to be what is best for the client.

Sometimes the shoe is on the other foot and a client decides they want another agent that can open doors for them that they feel I am not opening. Hopefully they are correct and find what they are looking for. Once again it is sad for all concerned but hopefully works out to be what is best for the client. This hasn't happened often either, but when it does . . . well, I don't want clients that are not happy being with me. I want what is best for the author.

I did a blog before about how getting with an agent is a lot like dating. There has to be a fit, a relationship. The author and agent have to be happy with each other and the relationship has to work. Changing agents then is like a couple breaking up with each other. If the relationship doesn't work, if the author is not being represented as well as they want or the agent wants, then things have to change. I get that.

I am blessed with the client group that I have. My clients are all required to be in an online group in order to give me the ability to pass information to them all at once. It also gives them the ability to communicatate with each other in a closed group not open to outsiders if they choose that side of it and most do choose to do that. Theve've gotten very close to one another, pray for each other and support each other. And I maintain close contact with them  via that group.

But sometimes it is time to move on. And as the old song says . . . "Breaking up is hard to do."

Is it permissible to contact more than one agent or editor at a time? Certainly . . . unless an agent/editor posts that he or she requires exclusive submissions. So read and follow each agent and editor’s submission guidelines.

To hear back from submissions can take anywhere from a few weeks to a year or more. The most common response time is around ninety days. I don’t follow up on any of my submissions until ninety days have passed.

If authors can submit to only one agent/editor at a time then have to wait a minimum of ninety days, it would take forever to find a place for our work. Editors and agents know that and understand simultaneous submissions are necessary. On those occasions when I am dealing with an exclusive read, I will wait a definite period of time, not to exceed six weeks.

We must observe some courtesy rules with simultaneous submissions. First, submissions should never be made to more than one person in the same agency or publishing house at a time. That can cause problems.

Submissions should be personally addressed, regardless of how many agents/editors we submit to. Many agents and editors believe that if the author does not pay them the courtesy of personally addressing the submission, they don’t owe the author the courtesy of a personal response.

“Dear Sir or Madame” letters are generally regarded by editors and agents the equivalent to “Dear Occupant.” What do you do with your occupant mail? We do too.

Submissions with dozens of email addresses showing in the TO box tend to be regarded as spam. Recipients will look at the list and likely think, “Well, somebody will answer them.” Yet nobody does. Dozens of rejections by omission occur just because the author was too lazy to individually address them.

Back to the submission guidelines: Linda Glaz and I did a survey of agents and editors a while back for an “editor and agent pet peeves” course that we offer at conferences. The number one pet peeve was not following the submission guidelines. A number of things in submissions can be a problem, but most of them can be avoided by looking up and following those guidelines when making a submission.

Can more than one agent or editor be contacted at a time? Absolutely, as long as we are smart and courteous. And in looking at those guidelines, please note that some agents/editors want to be informed if it is a simultaneous submission. Most of us just assume that it is.

Old Dogs and New Tricks by Terry Burns

Old dogs CAN learn new tricks . . . but they have to be easy tricks.

I got a proposal that was aimed at a market I wasn't familiar with, new adult fiction.

I try to keep up, but that was a new term for me. Apparently it is for 18-25 year old readers.

Linda Glaz pointed me in the right direction to a couple of websites with more information. I do handle middle reader and young adult but this seems to be aimed at those who don't want to read young adult but more in tune with younger adult readers than the usual adult fare. The setting is likely to be a college campus or young people who haven't left their home town yet but who are stretching their wings. It seems to focus on young love but maybe in ways that I am not comfortable representing.

I do work in both the Christian market AND the mainstream market but I don't park my convictions at the door in order to reach to secular markets. Material I attach my name to doesn't have to contain Christian content but it has to at least be family friendly.

That begs the question, "Is there new adult fiction that meets that criteria?" And if there is, is there a market for it? A USA Today article quotes an author as saying "New Adult novels are appropriate for readers 17 and older because of the language, the mature themes, and there is more detail in the sex scenes." More detail? That means more graphic?

I've only gotten one submission that specifically defined itself as 'new adult fiction' but perhaps I have seen more that might have flown under that label. I haven't heard the editors that I'm working with asking for it, but maybe that is because I haven't asked them about it, or haven't tried them with a submission styled that way. Who knows?

In another post Kristin Hoffman says "New Adult fiction is, ‘…about transition. The transformation from child to adult doesn’t happen overnight—just ask anyone who is or has been (or is a parent to) a teenager. But the transition from teen to adult doesn’t happen overnight either. There’s a period of time where adulthood feels like a new pair of shoes. The expectations of independence and self-sufficiency are still new, still being broken in. New Adults are the people who have just begun to walk in those shoes; New Adult fiction is about their blisters and aches."

I didn't take the one I was presented with but I'm remaining open to it to see if this developing genre is for me. I do know old dog tricks for this dog don't include profanity or explicit sex scenes, but learning to walk in new shoes? I could get behind that.

Message from the moun tains by Terry Burns

Okay, there was a little more snow in this picture than there is this year but I'm writing from the Christian Writing Conference in Estes Park CO. It is just beautiful here.

I'm seeing a lot of 0ld friends, some clients, and some new writers bringing their projecgts to me holding them out with hope in their eyes, I hope that I am offering encouragement, maybe useful information that will make their baby stronger and more publishable and actually for a few will possibly be able to take them on and achieve publication.

I'm talking to conflicted writers who hear others talk about their "calling" and take pressure from them when I talk about the fact that not all writers have such a call and it is ok. We can write for the Lord as an offering too and if it is well done it is no less acceptable to him. It's just a different way of writing it.

I've talked to writers who are just starting and are deluged with information that they find more confusing than helpful. I've explained that little information in writing books is useful, little information from conferences is useful UNTIL YOU START TRYING TO WRITE. The best way to learn to write is to do it. Until the writer is trying they don't know the questions to ask or the information that they need.

In addition, a writing conference has all levels of writers in attendence, from beginners to well published writers and there is content here for all of them. A new writer has to learn to filter, to see how to discern when they are hearing something they need now and something they will not need for a while and when they do reach the point where they need it they will understand it.

All of this has already gone on and is going on and it is just a couple of hours into the first day. I taught an early bird class and have a couple of others to present, a panel to moderate, and my dance card on one-on-one appointments is nearly full.

It's going to b e a great conference.

I hate my job by Terry Burns

Actually that's not true, I just said that to get your attention.

But it's not entirely false either.

Most of the time I really like working as a literary agent and have helped a goodly number of authors in getting their writing careers off and running. But I often have to devote big blocks of time to working down the submissions in my inbox and that means turning a lot of people down. I hate that, and it kinda depresses me to have to do it.

Oh, I know in advance it has to be done, I get hundreds of them and I couldn't handle that many if I had a dozen people on staff helping me. Not to mention the fact that that's far too many to submit to publishers, they don't have the capacity to do that many books either. But knowing it has to be done and having to do it are two different things.

I am too aware that what I have to evaluate in a short period of time someone may have taken a year or longer to write. It's their baby, and no parent wants to see their baby get turned down. I'm one of the few agents that came from the writing side rather than the publishing side, I've had my babies turned down . . . turned down a lot actually. Maybe that makes me too sensitive to the feelings of the authors sending to me.

Sometimes it gives me the blues.

The best cure for the blues is getting somebody a contract or seeing a clients' new book come out. Or maybe in a situation where I got to help Carrie Stuart Parks hold her baby out to publishers and saw six of them show immediate interest resulting in an auction situation where she got a nice three book deal. That can cure a lot of the blues.

But today I'm working submission, stepping on dreams, and not feeling good about it. I'm sifting through the pile looking at a lot of good books but looking for that jewel that rises above all the other good books. The one I just HAVE to try and help get to market. I have the blues.

If you are one of the wonderful editors that I get to work with to help get these jewels to market, and you just happen to be reading this, today would be a really good day to let me know you want to make an offer to one of my clients . . . how about it?

Working the room like a county politician by Terry Burns

I just did a one hour workshop for the ACFW Richmond Chapter and a full day workshop for the Round Rock (Austin) ACFW Chapter. The one in Richmond we did via Skype, which was a first for me. It worked pretty well although the video was a little one sided. I could see them but they never did get the video of me.

The one in Round Rock was a whole lot of one presenter, but they were very interactive with a lot of good questions and input and the time went by very quickly. I did a segment on "how to develop a writer's personna" that was just the thing for a few of them. And of course, one on "Surviving your way to publication"

Then I went with "Editor and Agent pet peeves" that went over well. Those who attend conferences see programs on preparing a proposal and on doing the things they need to do to interest a editor or agent, but seldom do you see one on things to avoid. We had fun with that one.

Both groups really got into the Q and A session, particularly after I said "If you don't Q, I won't A." I even used some of the Richmond Questions at the Round Rock workshop to help prime the pump. Interesting that the number one pet peeve and the first question by both groups ended up being the same thing. The question was "what is the most common mistake you see in proposals?" The number one pet peeve answered it as most editors and agents listed that as "not looking up submission guidelines before submitting in order to send what the editor wants to see the way they want to see it."

Both groups were interested in how you get the right agent and not just anyone. Snagging an agent at all can be a challenge, but I told them it was a lot like dating. I suggested they talk to existing clients, to ask questions and to look to see what they are selling. But above all it is a personality matchup. Different gents have different strengths and an agent that is perfect for someone may not be right for someone else. And it can have a lot to do with finding one that loves your work and feels strongly about getting it into print.

I was asked which was more fulfilling, writing or helping other writers become published? Actually I don't get to write much anymore and I often miss it, but when I started doing this I made the decision that I would have greater impact getting a substantial number of books out for a number of writers than I could have getting a couple out in a year myself.

I was asked, "you have a good reputation for getting first time authors published, what's your secret?" There's no secret, I have a heart for new authors and work with a lot of them. I don't take projects unless I can see in advance that there is a clear path for it. Not that I ever guarantee I can sell a project but I know some editors that I can take it to up front or I don't tie it up. Also I'm willing to take projects wherever they need to go to get the writer started. Not every writer is ready for a major publisher although that would be the writer's preference . . . and mine as well.

"What's your most frequent reason for turning down a prospective client?" It isn't a fit for the markets that I'm working in or it is just not a caliber that it is ready to submit. The writing is the most important part, but often the proposal or even the cover letter tells us that fit is not there even before we get down to the writing. Mostly it has to be a project that really hits a chord with me.

Like I say, good groups and good questions.

Open to New Clients - by Terry Burns

Am I open to new clients?

I get that a lot.

I get an email asking that question and they most of the time they could just skip to the next step, go to our submission guidelines at www.hartlineliterary.com and just send me a proposal because that's what I'm going to tell them.Oh, occasionally they say something in the note that causes me to know that there is no point in sending it, but a quick check of the submission guidelines can tell people what those situations are as well.

Many wish to check me out with my clients before they send and I encourage them to do so. I don't post the email addresses of clients but if the person knows one or more of them I believe they are all happy to tell about their experiences. If the person doesn't know one of them I still don't give out the addresses but if they will ask me I will ask my client group if 2-3 of them would like to initiate the contact from our end. Usually they are happy to.

I am getting quite picky, however, so be sure you send your best. I get a lot of really good things sent to me and I can just take a few. It can be a great project and I just don't connect with it, or maybe I don't see the market for it or feel I have the right contacts to get it to market. And I have a great group of people in my client group, people that connect closely with one another and support and pray for one another. I look for people that I can see fitting in with those terrific folks.

We do think career over here and try to help our authors grow. Over 80% of my clients have published since they signed with me no matter what we have had to do to make that happen. I'd like for that to be 100% but I know that will probably never happen. Doesn't mean I'm not shooting for it. It also has a lot to do with the goals and aspirations of the individual author and whether those goals are realistic for that individual work. And it has to do with the fact that I don't just sign projects then try to sell them, I see if I have a clear path for the project or I don't put it under contract.

That doesn't mean I guarantee to sell anything. But it means I do see solid potential or I don't take it. Am I open to new clients? Yes indeed . . . if it's the right project.

Five-Star Reviews! By Linda S. Glaz

Here you go; something we all want. Five-star reviews for our books. But what do readers think when they see all fives on a review? Or a review that is amazing and awesome, but so vague, one has to wonder whether or not the reviewer actually read the title.

Readers will probably think Mom and sis did a lot of reviews.

And we want more than that, right? We don’t ask for someone’s opinion so that they can tell us what we want to hear.

I’ve noticed in the inspirational community, we truly encourage each other. A multi-pubbed author might offer to read a work and help a newbie on their way. I have to think that makes our community a very special one. No, I don’t to think it; I know it. I see the acts of kindness every day in many ways. Client A who has been waiting ten years to get a contract will help Client B, who just signed with me, and gets offered a two-book deal at a much-coveted house, to get his or her edits ready in time. Client B might then go on to help Client A clean up her proposal, her last chapters, whatever it takes to get her novel ready.

However, and this is an issue that stands out to me as a negative within the community, when asked for a review, too many of us, and most of us have done it, will give a review that should probably be a 4-star review, five stars. Why? There’s no one answer, but my gut tells me that it’s because we are an encouraging bunch. We don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

It’s not hurting feelings, it’s being honest. The author learns from constructive criticism, or should. We all should. Just having smoke blown up our tights doesn’t help us to grow as writers. Crit partners start us out, and reviewing readers keep us going.

I did have to laugh over the review of one book I read. The reviewer praised the author up and down, and then gave her a three. Really? How did that happen? The reviewer complained that there was a “religious” thread in the book. IT WAS LOVE INSPIRED! Really, what did she expect? But the fact was, she tried to let her true feelings be known, silly as that comment was. The truth is what teaches us, nurtures us, guides us.

What type of reviews do you do? Have you seen? Have you endured???

How do I become an agent? By Terry Burns

I've had people ask me about becoming an agent, and it's true that anybody can hang out a shingle and say they are an agent. There are no licensing requirements, courses one has t take or tests to pass, which is why people have to be leery of unknown agents. But acquisitions people know this and a submission from an agent they don't know can receive even less attention than a slush-pile submission from an unknown author. Personally I would have never jumped off myself without being associated with a known agency like Hartline.

So, how do people start new agencies successfully? Most come out of publishing where they established their name in the industry with a known publisher. I'm one of few that came out of the writing side. The key is having contacts, having people in the industry who know who you are. Either that or they get accepted to intern at a big established agency. Most agencies have such interns patiently working their way up the ladder. Most have college degrees.

The next key is building those contacts. The first few years I worked doing writing conferences at the rate of a couple a month, building my name and building exposure. I was looking to acquire some good clients, but maybe even more importantly I was firming up those contacts with editors. Not a lot of money made during this formative period. Being a little off the beaten path I had the choice of apologizing for living in the Texas Panhandle or coming right at it. I'm not big on apologizing, so I wear the big hat and boots and a flowing mustache and hope it causes people to remember me. I've cut back and this year only doing a dozen conferences and if the economy keeps going the way it is going may cut back a bit more.

At Hartline Joyce was my agent, and still is, but she gave me my start and mentored me. I'm very grateful to her and loyal to her as well. In return I have mentored some people myself. I had a young lady come up to me at a conference and convince me that I needed an assistant and that she would work for free to get the experience. This is known as a remote internship. I helped her get the experience she needed to go on and found her own Indy press. 

Since then there have been others willing to work to get the experience they need and to start forming contacts. One has gone on to become a Hartline agent alongside me, two others have become editors at small presses and one founded her own PR company. I have a couple of others working in that capacity with me now and they put in quite a bit of work as I let them try more and more of the process to learn what is going on.  I worked with a client to form his own literary agency and another client to found another Indy press. Those who have moved on from it did 2-3 years with me until they had enough of a grasp of what was required for me to be able to write them a letter of recommendation to someone.

So what am I saying it takes to become an agent? It takes learning the business somehow, from someone. It requires gaining visibility and contacts either by getting with an established organization or building credibility ourselves. It takes learning about contracts and negotiation and getting comfortable doing both. It takes learning how things work in the industry and how to keep up with the people changes as well as the publishing changes.  It takes some business savvy and sales ability. In short, it takes a whale of a lot more than someone just announcing that suddenly they are an agent.

To Self Publish or Not to Self Publish, That is the question - by Terry Burns

“Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune . . .”

“Ah, enough of that. I’ve been following discussions on self-publishing across author groups and online forums. It is a hot topic.

“My opinion on it hasn’t changed. I have no problem with self-publishing if the decision to do it is made in the right way. I do believe it is a bad idea for an author to go into it simply as a knee-jerk reaction to rejected submissions from traditional presses.

“Those negative responses may well mean that the book is not ready to publish and the last thing we need is more books thrown out there without the quality that we would like to see in the marketplace. The decision to self-publish should not be an emotional decision but rather a business decision based on solid facts.

“Authors need to consider what they are giving up by self-publishing and what they gain by doing so. They need to know what skills they need to self-publish and what they have to do to be successful. They may realize it is to their benefit to stay the course, get the help they need, and keep working until they can hook up with a publisher. Possibly they should lower their sights a little to go with a small house or indy publisher.

“The first question an author needs to ask, whether he or she goes for traditional or self-publishing: Is my book really ready to be out there? Sometimes we don’t want to hear the answer we need to hear.

“But let’s assume the answer is yes. It's a good book, well written and well edited, but it just isn’t finding a publisher. That makes it a candidate for self-publishing, but is it a good idea? More information is needed to make that decision.

“Just throwing the book up on Amazon, sitting back, and reaping the proceeds seldom happens. The author needs to do more work, like giving it a good cover. Covers play a major role in buying decisions, so a cheap or an unattractive cover can kill the chances of a book being successful. Then the author must market the book and do successful promotion. And don’t forget about the necessary distribution channels for getting the book into bookstores.

“Authors can be successful self-publishers, some even earn far more than had they gone with a major publisher. But for every one that succeeds, hundreds of others end up selling only a few books to friends and relatives. It isn’t the quality of the book that determines which side of the fence the project comes down on. A wonderful book with a poor cover and weak marketing, promotion, and distribution simply is not going to garner sales.

“So the question is not “Do I want to self-publish?” Rather, it is “What is involved in my acting as my own publisher, and do I have the right skills, or can I acquire the skills that I need to be successful?”

Oh, yes, and Happy St Patrick's Day day from an Irishman whose grandmother's name was Lizzie O'Green (they dropped the O on the boat on the way over from Ireland.)