FAQ

Here are the questions I get asked the most:

 

Q: How do you find clients?

A: All kinds of places. Anywhere, really. But I get a lot through referrals and a lot from cooking up my own ideas and then finding an author to write them.

Q: I sold 78 copies of my family recipes by self-publishing. Why would I need an agent?

A: You don’t.  You made the right move by publishing your own family recipes. No traditional publisher would want a book that sells 78 copies. They want to sell tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of books.

Q: Should I double space a synopsis?

A: Yes, people actually ask that a lot. The answer is YES. Double space everything except your query letter.

Q: How long should a query letter be?

A: Try to keep it to one page, single spaced.

Q: What is a typical advance?

A: There is no typical advance. Advances are based on many things–how your last book sold, how much they believe in it or expect it to sell, how effective your platform is and how much engagement you have, and how other similar books did. An assertive agent will set realistic expectations and then go for it.

Q: How can I get a lot of money up front?

A: By writing a book that’s worth a lot of money.

Q: How important is platform?

A: Very. A strong platform makes all the difference. Before they even start reading, a publisher is likely to look you up and see what they find.

Q: Does it help if I meet an agent or editor at a conference?

A: It doesn’t hurt, but the proof is in the reading.

Q: What is the most money you ever got for a book?

A: Not telling. Would you like me to be broadcasting your income?

Q: What qualifications do you have?

A: I have the passion and the drive. That’s what it really takes. I went to college. I read a lot. I love a negotiation. If you’re looking for some kind of license or certificate, those things don’t exist. Anyone can hang out a shingle and declare themselves a agent. So shop carefully.

The last one is not a question. It was a comment. An interviewer once said to me that she envied me because I get to read all the time. That was a woefully ignorant comment. Of course we read the work of our clients, and that is often a pleasure. We try to keep up with the market and read what’s out there, but that doesn’t mean we love everything we read. And if you’re talking about unsolicited queries, most of those are declined. That means reading a great deal of work we don’t love, can’t sell, and never asked for. It takes stamina, patience, and valuable time. Most reading gets done on nights and weekends. No one sits and reads in the office. There is too much else to do!