Being in the Driver Seat: Getting An Agent (an interview in 14 questions, Part Two)

On Monday, Rena Traxel (an online crit partner of mine) and I shared Part One of our interview on my agent search process. 

 

Thank you for all of your messages of congrats and your questions, as well.  Please feel free to write any questions you have in the comments and I will make sure to answer.  And please know, everyone's journey is different. 

 

Today we bring you my journey, Part Two.

 

My awesome critique partner Marcie Colleen recently signed with her dream agent Susan Hawk from the Bent Agency. I was pretty impressed by her level of cool headedness. I also peppered her with questions throughout the whole process (pitch, considering multiple offers, contracts etc). We thought we would share those questions and answers here with you so that you too can find your dream agent.

 

Did you talk to any of Susan’s clients? Is this important?

I did.  Susan had offered to put me in touch with one of her picture book clients and I took her up on it.  It’s good to get other clients’ opinions on the agent and to know how their career has been going. 



The contract!

The questions I asked were:

1) Have you gone out on submission with her yet?  If not, why?

2)  How is she to edit with?  Do you feel she understands the genre of PB?

3)  How would you rate her communication?  How often are you in touch?

4)  What made you choose rep from Susan?  And how long has she been your agent?

5)  How would you describe your own stories?  (I consider myself quirky/funny)

The last question was important to me because Susan said that I was unlike the other picture book clients on his list and I wanted to make sure.

Did you talk to about your career and about marketing with Susan?

Yes, Susan has a marketing background and so she was very clear that she looks to represent a career, not a book.  And she also stated that she works with her clients for the life of the book, not just until publication date.

For our in-person meeting, Susan walked in and after a brief chat she said, “so, do you want to talk about your stories?” She pulled out my 4 manuscripts and proceeded to walk through each one, line by line, telling me what she loved about them, what might need to be revised, where she could see them fitting into the marketplace and how to be strategic in our subbing.  She was so excited and so knowledgeable.  It was amazing.

Is Susan a writer outside of being agent? Does it matter?

Honestly, I don’t know.  She could be writing the Great American Novel in her spare time, and I wouldn’t know.  Although most agents don’t have spare time, especially agents with small children at home.  What I do know is that Susan is an avid reader and book lover and she finds great enjoyment in her work as an agent.  That is all I need to know.

Does Susan go to book fairs in the US and in Bologna? Why is this important?

She does.  Lots of agenting is about building relationships.  So I think it’s important that agents are visible and out there and making connections with editors in the business.  And although there is always the phone or email, what a difference face to face contact can make.

How many years has she been in the business? Does it matter?

Susan has been in the publishing industry for 15 years, mainly in Children's Book Marketing.  She was the Marketing Director at Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, and previous to that as the Library Marketing Director at Penguin Young Readers Group. While at Penguin, she also worked for a time in Dutton Editorial, acquiring projects for that list.  She has also worked as a children's librarian and a bookseller.

To me, this does matter.  Not only does she have experience in editing, marketing and selling books…but I know she has lots of “friends” in the business, too.

When you signed with Susan what sort of details did you have to go over before signing?

At our in-person meeting (which ran almost 3 hours) Susan offered representation.  And although I wanted to dance and shout and accept right away, I didn’t.  Instead, we parted ways and I took a few days to wrap things up with some of the other agents I had been in conversation with.  Two days later, I phoned Susan and accepted.  Immediately she sent the contract. 

Now, one of the reasons why I even want an agent is because I don’t like reading legalese.  And yes, this contract, although short, had a lot of legalese in it.  So, I had my lawyer read through it.  We questioned some wording.  We asked questions regarding certain details.  Susan was very open to any questions and making changes. Bottom line, we needed to both agree on the contract. 

My advice is to not be shy when it comes any contract.  If something doesn’t make sense, ask.  If something doesn’t sit right with you, offer an alternative wording.  It’s better to be clear and on the same page right from the beginning than to deal with confusion or frustration later.

The best mailbox delivery ever!

Finally are there any red flags that a writer should look out for when considering an agent?

Hmmm…that’s a tough one.  I’m no expert.  But I would say, any time someone pressures or hurries you. Or if someone is not interested in getting to know you or doesn’t want to talk specifics with your stories.  Also, if someone raves about one book, but ignores the other work you have done or is quick to reject another piece without giving ideas on how to make it work.  These would be red flags for me. 

Otherwise, just be in the community.  People talk.  Ask questions about agents from others.  And if anything seems weird or suspect to you, trust your gut.  

Thanks Marcie for sharing your experience with us. Congrats on getting one step closer to living your author dream.

And thank YOU, Rena, for allowing me an easier way to share my story. 

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Being in the Driver Seat: Getting An Agent (an interview in 14 questions and 2 parts)

Well, I just returned from LA SCBWI and I had an amazing time!  I have to say, it was a huge confidence booster to attend a conference as an agented author.  It still seems so surreal.  However, around every corner it seemed that someone wanted to know how I got my agent.  And to be honest, I don't ever tire of telling the story.

The fabulous Rena Traxel

Rena Traxel is a member of the online critique group I belong to.  She is a very talented picture book writer in her own right and has started to navigate the world of querying.  I have no doubt Rena will be sharing her own agent story someday soon. 

In addition to her picture book writing, Rena's curiosity and inquring mind makes her a talented interviewer.  When I signed with Susan Hawk, Rena came up with some great questions about my process in landing an agent.  Immediately I thought it would be fun to invite Rena onto the blog to interview me.

Below is Part One.  Be sure to stop by Wednesday for Part Two.

Please give Rena a big Write Routine welcome!

 

Rena:  My awesome critique partner Marcie Colleen recently signed with her dream agent Susan Hawk from the Bent Agency. I was pretty impressed by her level of cool headedness. I also peppered her with questions throughout the whole process (pitch, considering multiple offers, contracts etc). We thought we would share those questions and answers here with you so that you too can find your dream agent.

What qualities were you looking for in an agent? Why?

I really love that we are starting with this question.  I think it is so very important that authors get really frank and decide what kind of agent they want upfront… even before querying a single agent.  Ideally an agent is going to be someone you work with for the entirety of your career, and therefore you want to make sure you find someone who is a good fit.  Therefore, do the research and ask yourself, “what do I want?”  Not all agents are equal.  They vary as much as we do as writers.  Be honest with yourself.  You are in the driver’s seat.

That being said, I created a short list of what I was looking for.

1)      An editing agent—someone who will help take my manuscripts to the next level.

2)      An agent who has worked in the industry…preferably as an editor or in marketing (as authors are expected to do a lot of their own marketing these days and it’s something I am not totally good at).

3)      An agent who has a varied list, with no one similar to me. 

4)      A fairly new agent with a small growing list.  I wasn’t looking for a rockstar agent.  I wanted my agent and I to become rockstars together.

5)      Someone in NYC, if possible…if only so I can occasionally say, “Sorry, I can’t make it.  I have lunch with my agent.”

6)      An agent who is as excited about my work as I am…maybe more.

7)      An agent I connect with as a person.

What did you do to prepare to pitch to agents?

Honestly, I worked on my craft more than I worked on my pitch.  I spent the better part of 2 years focusing on honing the craft of picture book writing, networking with other writers and people in the business, reading and writing blogs, attending conferences, participating in critique groups and roundtables, etc.  All of these experiences helped build my confidence as a writer so that I knew when the time came to start talking to agents I was ready.  I knew that I had every right to take some of their time and focus.  I belonged in the children’s book world.  That for me was more than half the battle.  I mean, sure I have my moments of bad self-esteem or self-doubt, however, arming myself with the knowledge and experience needed to make it in this business was invaluable to me.

How many stories did you submit? Do you think having multiple stories ready helped land your agent?

Susan Hawk, my lovely agent!

 

Upon first query in late February, I sent only one manuscript.  However, Susan contacted me in early April stating that she loved my manuscript and wanted to see more.  At that time I sent one more.  And then in June I sent 2 more and even pitched my newest idea to her over email.  I wanted to be sure she knew that I was not a one hit wonder and that I was still actively writing and creating story ideas.  And yes, I do think that agents want to see that you are building a career.

How long did it take to find the right agent? How did you know Susan was the right fit?

Up until this past January I decided to spend one of my time on craft and so I did not let myself start querying agents until 2013.  So I deemed 2013 The Year to Get My Work Out There (and land an agent)!

That being said, I knew Susan was “the one” right away and she was the first agent I queried.  However, it took a little longer than that to get her attention, so I did query other agents.  But Susan was the one who seemed to be everything I was looking for on my list of agent qualities and therefore my “dream agent”.

So, for timeline’s sake, I queried Susan on February 26^th and signed with her on June 14^th.

You received multiple offers how were you able to keep your cool?

Depending on who you are, you might not think I kept my cool.  I seem to remember some conversations with friends in which I was truly overwhelmed.  However, I had done my homework.  I put the time and effort into my craft.  I had been through countless rounds of revision and critique so I knew that what I wrote was something worthwhile.  I had an honest conversation with myself about what I wanted from an agent and where I wanted my career to go.  So, I totally felt like I was in the driver’s seat.  I knew that it was ultimately my decision.  I didn’t let anyone let me feel pressured.  It was all about me.  And if for some reason no one seemed to be a good fit, I knew that I would turn them all down and continue the search.  It was more important to me to find the right agent than just any agent.

How did you prepare for the call? What kind of questions did you ask? What kind of questions did Susan ask?

OK.  Here’s a good example how I felt like I was the one in control.  Susan and I did not have a phone call.  Because we are both in Brooklyn, NY I seriously pushed the in-person meeting right away.  Kinda bold, right?  But I am a “people person” and I knew that I wanted an agent who I could hang with and feel comfortable with.  So it was important to me to see if we had that chemistry.  Of course, not everyone has that luxury, but we only live a few miles from each other so we both decided it was a good idea.

How did you prepare for the in-person meeting? What kind of questions did you ask? What kind of questions did she ask?

Well, first off, there was the very girly scenario in my closet in which I tried on several outfits. But I don’t quite think that is what you are asking.

Seriously, though.  To prepare to meet in person I talked to some of my agented friends.  I asked them for advice in what to ask and look for.  I also used this post at Literary Rambles about what to ask during “The Call”. http://www.literaryrambles.com/2010/02/call-or-what-to-ask-literary-agent-when.htmlAlthough I did not ask all of these questions, it did help me get some thoughts together. 

But again, the most important thing to me was that we connected and that I felt that I could work with Susan.  I needed to like her.  So simply having coffee and chatting told me that.

 

End of Part One...stop by Wednesday for Part Two.

 

And please know that all comments are moderated by hand.  Your comment will not appear immediately below.  Sorry for the confusion.

Let's Talk About Quirk

It's the 4th Friday of the month and that means that my Blogettes guest post is up over at The Picture Book Academy!

Today we are discussing the word "quirky" and what makes a "quirky picture book". http://www.picturebookacademy.com/8/post/2013/07/quirky-with-marcie-colleen.html

Stop by and share your thoughts.  And while you are there, sign up to follow The Blogettes.  What a wonderful way to start the weekend.

Happy Writing!

What's in a Name?

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.”

                                                                             ~ William Shakespeare

As the world anxiously awaits to learn the name of Britain’s new heir to the throne, let’s talk about names. 

Like expecting parents, writers are constantly in search of names to call their characters.  Names that capture the given personality, time period and overall feel of a character.  It’s not an easy task.  For with every name comes weight, or certain expectations.

Naming a dog Scrappers would paint one picture, while naming him Daniel would offer another.  Scrappers gives the dog a more cartoon, dog-like personality.  While Daniel, infers that the dog might very well be similar to a normal child and act as a kid would in the given circumstances.

A classic name like Anne or Sophia can give a story a timeless quality, while naming the character Brooklyn or Lexi can give the story a modern, hip frame.

Bottom line, names are important and writers take them seriously.

I had been warned.  Writing teachers had often said that names are sometimes changed by editors.  Just like titles, don’t get attached to them.

But here I am.  Faced with changing the name of one of my main characters who I created back in January 2012.  For the past year and a half this character has become a part of me.  We have a relationship.  Can you imagine suddenly being told you have to change the name of your child or a pet after 1 ½ years of life?  Not easy to do.

When I first created this little penguin I assessed his personality (and that personality has only grown bigger and bigger over the years).  He’s a dreamer.  He’s a planner. He’s an outsider.  He’s smart.  He’s resourceful.  He’s a loveable nerd. 

I called him Lyle. 

Sure, some people had mentioned that Lyle, Lyle Crocodile already existed and therefore it would be a hard sell, but it wasn’t enough people that I was convinced.  So time went by.  Lyle stuck.  And I got attached.

Fast forward to the present. 

I now have a fabulous agent (Susan Hawk of The Bent Agency) and we are working on Lyle’s story to prepare it for submissions to publishing houses.  What an exciting time!  However, Susan did bring up the possible issue with the name.  And she’s right.  It would be awful if editors got hung up on the name and passed on it only for that reason.  Changing a name is simple, so why leave it to chance? 

But is changing a name easy?  He’s always been Lyle to me.  Any other name doesn’t quite seem to fit…and believe me, I have test driven quite a few. 

I reached out yesterday to Deborah Underwood (The Quiet Book, The Loud Book, The Christmas Quiet Book, Part-time Princess).  She had shared a story with me awhile back about a similar situation she went through with her book A Balloon for Isabel. 

“A BALLOON FOR ISABEL was initially A BALLOON FOR EMILY. After Greenwillow acquired the manuscript, I turned up a book called EMILY'S BALLOON (by Komako Sakai) during an internet search. I will admit that I was hesitant to bring this to my publisher's attention (although I'm glad I did--it would have been just too confusing to have such similarly-titled books out there). And after I did, they said I needed to change my title. Thus began weeks of brainstorming.

I like the name Isabel very much, but it took me a looooong time to adjust. The manuscript was one that I'd worked on and off for years, so at that point it was like asking a parent to change her four-year-old's name. I'm happy to say that I finally do think of my porcupine as Isabel, but I'm hoping to use the name Emily in another book someday.”

Thanks for sharing, Deborah!

As part of your research, keep up with names that are currently being used.  And definitely stay away from characters who have become larger than life already.  Names like Elmo, Dora, Arthur, Wilbur, Ernie and Clifford already have a huge presence in the life of a child.  And I know that when a child says, “I want a _____ lunchbox,” I don’t want there to a doubt of who that child is talking about.

Funny story, Curious George underwent several name changes.  When he was first created by Margret and H.A. Rey, they were living in France and his name was Fifi.  Sounds odd now, right?  But I am sure it was hard for them to make the change.  Fifi didn’t translate well to American readers, so George was chosen. Yet, in England, publishers felt it was insulting to King George to have a monkey with the same name.  So within that country, readers knew George as Zozo.

As writers we want to give our books and our characters the best possible chance out in the world.  Sometimes that means bowing to word count trends and cutting those lyrical phrases and poetry that do not move the story forward.  Sometimes it means eliminating entire subplots or supporting characters. (In fact, Lyle’s story had a giant banana fight in the ape house which had to be cut and a quirky sidekick named Theo who I painfully “let go” about a year ago.)  And although I have settled on a new name, it wasn’t easy.  But my goal is to be published and I need to make certain changes at times to help that dream become a reality.  As a fellow dreamer, I know Lyle understands.

What about you?  How do you choose your characters’ names?  Have you ever been advised to change a name?  Share your story in the comments below.

We have a WINNER!

Thank you all who entered Marcie's MONSTORE Photo Contest.  And thank you for your patience as we decided a winner. 

It wasn't easy, as you were all very creative and fun! 


Well...we have made a decision!

SUSAN HALKO!!!!

Susan said, "If I could buy any monster from @taralazar's Monstore, I'd buy this guy & name him Seymour after his talent ... because he would help me "see more" when I want to read at night. "

Clever name, Susan.  And congrats!  Tara will be emailing  you soon with details on your MONSTORE prize package, including a PB Manuscript Critique.

If you haven't purchased a copy of THE MONSTORE...shame on you!  That's your homework.  :)

Alright, that's it for now. 

Happy Writing!

ONE WEEK LEFT to enter the MONSTORE Photo Contest

What are you waiting for?  There is ONE WEEK LEFT!  Forwhat, you ask?  To enter the best MONSTORE contest ever!  Read the rules below...

MARCIE'S MONSTORE PHOTO CONTEST

1. Be a Follower of this blog.
2. Buy a copy of THE MONSTORE. (Order it from places that already have it: IndieBound, Amazon, BN.com)
3. Read the book. (Seriously. Its good. You will thank me.)
4. Review the illustrations and pick a monster that you would buy from The Monstore.
5. Name that monster and decide what it's unique monsterly talent is (what your monster does!)
6. Take a picture of yourself pointing to your monster in the book.
7. Post your picture on your own social media and tell us about your Monstore purchased monster.
8. Also, email the picture to marciecolleen@gmail.com

One lucky winner will receive ONE PICTURE BOOK MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUE from the fantabulous Tara Lazar! (plus, a signed bookplate and gummi worms!)

You have until 5pm EST Friday, July 5th! So get buying, reading and snapping.

A Big Step Closer to "the Box"

When I started on this crazy journey I had often found myself daydreaming of "the Box".  You know.  The box  that the mailman delivers to your doorstep that includes copies of my first published book.  Yeah.  That box.

Of course, there have been obstacles along the way, one of which being that I only have a mailslot at my Brooklyn apartment, so delivering "the Box" will prove difficult for the mailman...unless I write really teeny-tiny books.

But in all seriousness, I am getting closer to "the Box".

My dream is becoming more of a reality.

I am proud to announce that I have an agent.  That's right.  Santa might not have delivered, but my hardwork, dedication and general talent (don't worry, my head won't get big now) DID DELIVER!

I have signed with Susan Hawk of The Bent Agency.

Needless to say, I am thrilled!

Of course, I now realize that with great power comes great responsibility...or something like that.  (thanks, Stan Lee)

No longer is my writing something I just do with my laptop, alone in my apartment or at a local coffeehouse.  Nope.  As a writer friend of mine said, "it is now an occupation."

Wow!  I have an occupation.  I am a writer. 

And therefore, I have work to do. 

In fact, I need to get to some revisions right now.

But I promise you, faithful readers, to share my story of "how I got my agent" next week. 

Til then, Happy Writing!  Oh, with a little happy dancing to boot!