What exactly is the job/purpose of an agent? It has been my understanding that they are there to sell the books, I didn't realize that they had more to do with it. Or do they?
Yes, I think you should have it done. What are you going to tell him or her when they ask for a full?
Would they have the patience to wait for you finish? I'm not sure, but I wouldn't hold my breath on it.
An agent can shop your MS to many editors at different publishers at the same time. Their interactions with the various editors, knowning what perhaps one is looking for, is just another way to elevate your effort to a higher position within the massive slush piles sitting around their offices.
Also too, they will help in ironing out any differences of opinions within that publishing contract when you get it.
You need to read some of the agents blogs on the web, as well as check out Preditors and Editors and Writer's Beware to learn what sort of scams are out there, and there are many!
Remember this, money flows to the author, not the other way around!
[This message has been edited by mommiller (edited March 07, 2007).]
[This message has been edited by mommiller (edited March 07, 2007).]
If you've progressed enough in your career to have a few sales under your belt, then maybe you can toss half a novel out for an agent to start handling.
But if you're just starting out, and you send a partial something off, to agents or publishers, if they ask to see more, you can mail it to them immediately rather than taking months to write it.
For non-fiction, you can send a proposal.
Fiction - your book must be completed before you query.
NonFiction - you generally have not started writing yet. It is normal to send the proposal before the book is written. Check your potential agent's submission guidelines.
I guess I should have explained my question a little better. I am writing a book that has already become a two-parter. I really want to see if it's publishable, because it's taken me so long to do the first one, and I want to know if it's even worth writing the second book.
The first has an ending, and is workable as a single book. The second is simply a continuation of the first with a slight shifting of the focus of the story, and a surprise ending.
[This message has been edited by MommaMuse (edited March 14, 2007).]
But regarding your actual question: it sounds like you do have a finished book. If you need to edit it, do that before sending to an agent (or anywhere else). But when you think it's all ready, then market it; don't wait to have the second book (or the entire series, if you plan more) finished first. You would probably want to mention, in fact, that you're working on a sequel (but also stress that the first book is a standalone).
Jacquelyn Mitchard had less than a hundred pages of her first novel written when Viking offered her a half-million dollars for it as part of a two book deal. She took it. She also accepted $3,000,000 for a movie to star Michelle Pfeiffer, and Peter Gruber had out bid Ron Howard in his option offer.
What was Mitchford before lightning struck? A freelance reporter who "wrote anything for anybody to pay the bills"
Your probably familier with her best seller, The Deep End of the Ocean.
Tracy
Tracy,
That success story is VERY encouraging! I just wish I had a little prior puslishing experience like she did! LOL
I'm getting really excited!!
Matt
As for the original question - if you are an unpublished, unknown author, how will they know you can complete a novel if you haven't done so? Seems logical to me that they'd want you to be shopping a finished work. That "success story" mentioned earlier was about someone who was an established writer, if not an established novelist, so I think agents would be more willing to believe she could finish a novel than someone without her credentials. (Nice story to dream about, though! Her own story might make a good movie! )
Lynda
The reason, or at least one of the reasons, for this is as follows:
For a "new" author seeking representation:
You need to sell the agent on the first book. When I ask why wouldn't you want to know that book 2 is in the can? Doesn't it show that book 1 wasn't a fluke? The response I get is just because you've written it doesn't mean its any good. When someone queries the entire series, the letter doesn't make it out of slush.
There's a website, I forget which now, that comparies query come ons to pick up lines. When you think of it that way, mentioning he other books is sort of like, "you should date me because I have a house, and two cool cars and this time share and my mom likes me."
An example/ exception/ war story: His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik. Novik was a new writer doing the query rounds. Her agent fell in love with the characters and thought the audience would too. Ms. Novik hadn't mentioned any other WIPs in the query. So, the agent asked Ms. Novik if she'd thought of writing another related one. Ms. Novik had a second book - Throne of Jade finished. The agent sold it as a three book deal. All three books came out within a year.
Lightening strikes but focus on the book you want to sell.
Also check Evil Editor's "Face Lifts" - evileditor.net - and see what he does when someone mentions multiple books in the series in a query.
For an established author:
One of the agents I talked to has a client who FINISHES the next book in her series ever three months. The problem with being so far ahead of the editor and publisher is that often edits/ changes in the book going to press require changes in the next several. It means she spends a lot of time rewriting the stories.
Focus on landing an agent for Book 1. If you get someone interested you can always mention Book 2 further along in the process.
quote:
I don't think it's a waste of time if I enjoy writing them.
Matt
[This message has been edited by Zero (edited March 22, 2007).]
Matt
However, it also valid to say you shouldn't avoid trying to sell it. If you're going to publish, though, you've got to get used to deadlines. I don't necessarily agree that you have to have a seller's mentality, just a Writer's.
I'd never advise anyone to be a sellout. Stand by your principles--give 'em hell--but do it for the right reasons. Just make sure that you aren't holding back for fear of rejection.
[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited March 22, 2007).]
OSC has stated publicly, several times, don’t do this for the money, it’s not worth it. Obviously, Card is what we would call a successful writer. But the writers who become incredibly wealthy, usually do so quite by accident and Rowling would be the first to admit it. There are a couple of writers who are brilliant at reading the market and come out with best seller after best seller which sell in very significant numbers, but only a couple. Essentially, it’s pretty difficult to make a living as a writer. The actual number of people who live just on writing in this country is depressingly low. Especially when compared to the much, much larger number being published. If an author makes $50,000 - $100,000 off a novel over a couple of years, he did pretty well in today’s market and those sort of numbers are quite common if you get your 15 minutes on the shelf.
I am beginning to suspect that if you want to become "wealthy" writing, you just have to write for the mass market. Pick a mass-market genre. Make your MC simple and easy to relate to like Harry Potter. Not meaningfully conflicted and dark like Le Guin’s, Sparrowhawk. Throw in some simple humor, use simple and easy to follow writing, a real easy page turner. Not intellectual sci-fi like Enders Game. 99.9% of the world’s readers would put Cards breakthrough book right back down again and be instantly attracted to a pretty spiderman cover across the aisle. Even something so completely brilliant and as visually compelling as Firefly/Serenity, series/movie meets with such disappointing returns it has to be cancelled and abandoned. Just wasn’t mass market enough.
I don’t know! If I did would I be wasting time writing this post. I see a lot of dreamers here. I’ve known a lot of dreamers over the years. I’ve seen many impressive artists who just can't get a break. Whether it’s musical or painting or writing… We all want to be successful but reality’s a bleeeeep.
Here’s to hoping you’re all smarter than Joss Whedon.
Tracy
PS. did that sound cynical?
OSC talks about this in his SciFi book and in one of his Writing Lessons posts. He basically says "making it" as a writer depends on your definition. If I, say, have a wife who is willing to work while I write, then yes, I can stay at home and be a writer. If I have a large enough inheritance, yes, I can stay at home and be a writer.
For me, if I can make, on average, enough to live in a decent house and drive a decent car, then I have made it. And I think I have enough ideas and dedication to make it. Too many will get frustrated, or will sit on their one idea forever, and never get published. It's a shame, but all the better for me. So, if you ever want to be a professional, published writer, you have to get your work out there. Even if it gets rejected.
Matt
quote:
I hate to sound like a prick. I don't mean to burst your bubble either. I was just talking on a larger scale here; I think that, for me personally, I can choose between a writer who writes for enjoyment, or a writer who is seriously depressed when he is not a phenomenal success and can't even sell a damned book. cheerio.
I'm not quite sure what you meant by that.
Matt
The reason I'm doing this to begin with is because it's fun. No matter what happens, I will probably keep dabbling in it.
But aside from becoming stunningly wealthy, my hope is really just to get a modest second career going so that I might be able to get out of the 9-5 ratrace a few years early. Even that is probably an extraordinary reach for me, but what the heck. If I don't succeed, at least spending the majority of my free time indoors in front of a computer will lessen the likelihood I get skin cancer.
quote:
Translation: "I didn't mean to criticize your motivations or what drives you to write. Only to comment on myself."
Matt
quote:
The reason I'm doing this to begin with is because it's fun. No matter what happens, I will probably keep dabbling in it.But aside from becoming stunningly wealthy, my hope is really just to get a modest second career going so that I might be able to get out of the 9-5 ratrace a few years early. Even that is probably an extraordinary reach for me, but what the heck. If I don't succeed, at least spending the majority of my free time indoors in front of a computer will lessen the likelihood I get skin cancer.
Ditto. You've got to do this because it's fun. First and foremost. I just hope people don't not (I know, terrible double-negative) submit their work or shop their stories because they fear rejection.
By the way, if you do fear rejection, you can always have someone else open your mail. That's one of the benefits of having an agent (if you can get one), they can hold back really negative rejections if you so choose. Or they can give it to you straight.
Personally, I just don't want to spend my whole life on one thing, like JRR Tolkien did. Most if not all of his writing centered on Middle-Earth. I would want to do more. I like the way OSC works. Sure, he's got a lot of Ender stuff, but he has also written other series and other stand-alone novels. I want to write a lot of different stuff.
Matt