Bookish Q’s: The Literary World
What is my agenting philosophy?
Honesty, open communication, and fun are all essential. I believe in building meaningful relationships with those I represent, because their creative journeys are as much personal as they are professional. Every step matters. I do my utmost to support their career and empower them creatively.
What is my approach to agenting?
I am an editorial agent, and work with each client depending upon their project’s needs. We work on a project until each of us is 100% certain it is where it needs to be, and then I build a list of editors to approach, carefully curated to the project. Throughout this process, my clients and I meet regularly to ensure we are both on the same page and, once again, 100% happy with where we’re at. When we’re ready, we submit.
How long does it take to hear back from editors?
This varies depending upon the project. When entering the world of traditional publishing, it is useful to remember that it can and does take months (sometimes shorter, sometimes longer!) for editors to read your work. It is not an agent’s job to poke an editor incessantly until they read a project, though a nudge is OK now and then.
One of the most important lessons from this industry is that it is a relationship-based one. This is not to say that “it’s who you know”, but rather, that respectful communication based upon individual relationships still goes a long way. This is especially true because we work with stories, which are works of art subject to many differing opinions.
What does it mean to have a literary agent?
Having a literary agent does not guarantee that your work will be published. Who you (should) have is someone who believes in you and your work completely, and who will do everything reasonable to give it a fighting chance. Your agent is your partner, and you work with each other to see a project to success. Your jurisdiction is always your art—editorial agents have a significant impact on the quality of a project, but ultimately, your voice, and the integrity of your work, should never be compromised.
Why is it so hard to get a literary agent?
As a writer, I have received hundreds of rejections—a few personalized, many more form. As an agent, I have also rejected hundreds of authors, many of whom were great storytellers, but whose work was not editorially ready for an agent, or did not pull me enough, for any number of reasons. A rejection is NOT a sign you should stop writing. It simply means that we are not a fit for each other at the time of querying or submission.
If it is your dream to be an author, then keep the faith in your work and in yourself. Keep working, keep studying your craft, and keep enjoying what you do. Remember that if it was easy, everyone would do it. Even if we are not a fit for each other, I believe in ambitious artists and disciplined dreamers, and, as I mention in most rejection letters, I truly hope you find the right representative for you and your work!
One last note… Remember to celebrate your creativity. You are an artist, and that is a beautiful thing—one that will always be essential to what it means to be human. In this, as in most things, the journey matters more than the destination.
Please note I will be closed to queries for the foreseeable future to give those I represent my full attention. Thank you for considering me for your project.
