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7 Publishing Virtues
So earlier here on the blog, we did the 7 deadly publishing sins. Only fair to flip it around to the virtues as well–because let’s face it: it’s more fun to talk about what you should do than what you shouldn’t.
CHASTITY
Ok, I’m reaching here, but let’s use the metaphysical rather than literal meaning. (Some things are better left un-blogged.) But purity–of focus, of intent–is a lifesaver in a business that can be exhilarating, frustrating, joyful, disheartening, inspiring and infuriating–and that’s just before 11am. But knowing that you have stayed faithful to your goals as a writer, to your brand, and to doing business in a way you’re proud of goes a long way toward peace of mind. And isn’t that all what we’re after? (Well, peace of mind, and a fat book deal.)
TEMPERANCE
Fear not, I won’t tell you to give up the hooch. I’m going meta again here: Moderating your responses will get you far. Think before hitting send on that angry email to your editor (better yet, send it to your agent to get a second opinion). Sleep on it before you make important choices. Don’t get swept away either in excitement or frustration. Be the cool head on your loop or critique group. Allow everyone (including, and perhaps most of all, yourself) a measure of grace.
CHARITY
Once you’ve broken through, find some way to pay it forward with other writers in whatever way feels right to you, whether that’s blurbing, offering a read to a newbie, doing a panel, giving a referral, or just being a source of encouragement. There is lots of success to go around, no need to pull the ladder up behind. And give others the benefit of their best self—don’t assume the worst or jump to the most horrifying conclusion.
DILIGENCE
Work hard. Do your mama proud. Meet your deadlines. Turn in your best work.
PATIENCE
Oh is any virtue so necessary in publishing? It frustrates everyone–literally everyone, even the people you perceive to be the cause of the delays–and yet it’s a truth. It’s a lot of hurry up and wait. Remember yours is not the only book anyone works on anywhere along the line, but of course it’s reasonable and smart to be firm and kind about getting your needs met in a reasonable amount of time.
KINDNESS
You really can’t ever go wrong with this one. Thank you’s and telling someone’s boss how great they are are will do wonders for you. And if you play well with others, they are that much more likely to go the extra mile for you when the unfortunate happens (as it is bound to) or when there are extra goodies to be passed about. There are many ways to do this that are thoroughly professional; find the one that feels right to you and excel at it.
HUMILITY
Even your favorite, most fierce bestselling author puts her fabulous shoes on one at a time. That uberagent? Has allergies. Your publisher? Soft spot for Pinkberry. We’re all just humans trying to do our best and get by. No matter how huge you get, or how huge you think someone else is, it’s never bad to remember that.
Filed under: Holly Root | 9 Comments
New submissions info now live!
We’ve updated our submissions guidelines in an effort to ensure we catch every last terrific project that comes our way. We appreciate the effort you all put into your submissions and want to handle them with the maximum respect and attention. With that in mind, we’ve revised our guidelines to make it much more straightforward to contact the agent you’re interested in. Check it out at our website.
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Tweet-Qs, Tricky Edition
For this edition, I’m tackling some toughies, along with some from the last round’s comments. Let’s get to it. Again, feel free to offer up your questions, too.
Q: I’m less than a month away from starting to pitch novel # 2 … which has good prospects, I think. Novel #1 was tantalizingly close. One agent basically said, “do this revision and I’ll have another look.” My (somewhat convoluted question): is it worth looking for an agent for # 2 with the thought that you want them not to run screaming when I bring up the subject of revising and trying to sell #1?
A: So long as there is no submission (to publishers) history with #1, there’s no reason an agent would see its existence as a negative. Doesn’t mean the agent will agree it’s sellable. I repeat: It doesn’t mean the agent will agree it’s sellable. Sometimes first books never go, and for a reason. But strictly logistically speaking (holy adverbs Batman), it’s not a dealbreaker. If it’s a dealbreaker for you (i.e. you only want an agent who is equally enthusiastic about Books 1 and 2), that will be a more complicated agent search. I would still advise you to query with your strongest work, and mention other projects when you talk with an agent who is already receptive to your work.
Now, if it had been previously represented and sent to 25 houses, that’d be a very different story. I have taken on and sold books with a prior submission history. But I had to love them a LOT, and also feel confident, after seeing the submission list, that I could blaze new ground there. If I see the sub list, and it’s virtually identical to what I would’ve done, or has really hit every viable house for a book, then I’m probably not going to have a different enough take to make a difference.
Q: Partial & full requests, rejections w/ positive comments, 2 yrs, still no agent. When does tenacity become foolishness? And seriously, your honest, gut answer. Not the “keep querying” and “write something new”. Been doing that. But so frustrated.
A: Oh, I hear you. First and foremost–I hear you. This is a tough and subjective industry, and it can seem like you’re just beating down the same (locked) door. There are a couple possibilities that come to mind here:
- it’s execution; your concept and pitch hook readers, but the pacing/characters/storytelling are letting them go–check for fizzle (where your opening is incredible but the rest is less polished);
- it’s concept; your writing is good, and from the pitch it seems like there could be something there, but you haven’t hit on the Big Breakout Concept that feels like magic and will nab an agent/editor;
- it’s timing: ahead, behind, whatever, you’ve just not hit the right intersection of Your Idea and What People Are Buying. This one really stinks, because you can’t control it. But that’s the unfortunate thing about this industry (and for that matter–life): you sometimes have the illusion of control, but there are so many moving parts that try as you might, you never really do.
Q: Going back the YA saturation–are you seeing anything in particular that there aren’t enough of? I’m sure that everyone is on the sparkly vampire bandwagon now–but what young readers are getting missed by the YA wave? Serious and dramatic? Contemporary? Fantasy? (please don’t say more Gossip Girls)
A: Fear not, the answer is not “more gossip girls.” It’s tough to say, though–I think everyone is looking for something slightly different. Editor A will tell you middle grade is underpublished; Editor B is looking for dark & scary; Editor C says urban fantasy is still strong while Editor D is totally over it. Same applies to agents; what we want to add to our lists changes depending on what our current clients have cooked up, our moods, and what we’re hearing, so I’m reluctant to issue an edict that any one thing is It.
Q: When an agent says they didn’t connect with the manuscript enough to offer representation what does that mean? I’ve had three agents pass on my full manuscript. They all said that the writing was strong but they didn’t connect with the manuscript enough to offer representation. Two asked to see future work. I sent my second novel to one of those agents, again he complimented my writing but said he didn’t connect enough with it to offer representation. I sent 30 pages of my second novel to the other agent who requested future work and he said I was a talented writer and was sure I’d find a home for my work but that this story was right for him. Should I keep sending queries out for my two novels or should I pull back and revise? I’m still getting a steady stream of requests but I don’t want to burn bridges with writing that isn’t ready.
A: Well, first off, if only three people have passed on your book and you’re still getting requests, it’s way too early for despair. Honestly, “just didn’t connect” means a trillion different things, almost all of which have to do with me, not you. If I thought your story was slow, or your characters unlikeable, I would say so. But think about your own reading. You don’t love every book you read, and that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the book. So if there’s something I think needs fixing, I say it. But personal taste is a huge part of this job and so there really is no code or secret here–”I just didn’t connect” means exactly that. Keep querying. But it’s a decent bet that if someone has seen and not loved two of your books, they may not be your ideal reader, unless they’ve specifically asked to keep seeing your work. Expand your search, and focus on querying your strongest book (Others’ mileage may vary, but I have a really tough time with it when I have a novel, and an author tells me they’ve been offered representation–on another novel. What am I doing with the other one then if that’s the one you want sold? Plus, now if I want to be in the game, I have to read an additional full manuscript–oh, and under a time crunch. Nine times out of ten, I will step aside instead. Frustrating and avoidable. Focus, focus).
Q: What about YA geared at boys? Is there a market for it?
A: Yes. Everyone wants the next King Dork or Percy Jackson. And there’s a perception that a boy main character will be read by girls, but not vice versa. (Make of that what you will.) Honestly I think the problem is twofold: 1, a lot of people have no idea how to write a teen boy that feels sharp and realistic, and 2, there isn’t as much out there, so teen guys tend to have migrated to other sections of the bookstore, as opposed to teen girls, who have plenty to keep them coming to the YA shelves.
Q: How many clients do you take on a year?
A: It’s different every year. The plan for 2009 is approximately as many as I: 1) absolutely must represent or I will never be able to walk into a Borders without feeling abject regret and 2) can represent well while still maintaining a high level of service to both existing and new clients. #1 is of course your goal and #2 is impossible to know from the outside, so you should always at least give me a try with that query (big smile). In practice this means that if three current clients have YAs, or historical romances, or personal finance books in the works, it’s going to take more to get me to add a new one. I never want to cannibalize and you shouldn’t want me to either, as it wouldn’t be best for your work. This necessarily means I will pass on solid, salable projects, especially for fiction. But I also tend to think that these kinds of things intersect where & how they do for a reason, at the risk of sounding too woo-woo.
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Some Tweet-Qs, part 1
I put out a call for any questions from writers via Twitter and got some terrific ones with great applications for a wide variety of readers. If you’ve got one (of the general variety, I can’t help as much with very specific questions unique to your book), feel free to leave it in the comments–or Tweet it my way!
So: here we go with the first round!
Q: An agent recently told me that YA is reaching saturation point. Do you agree?
A: I definitely see where this agent was coming from. I still see room for growth there, but that’s also a reflection of my tastes and list. I think awareness of it as a viable writing option is growing/has grown by leaps and bounds, so there are more people lining up to take a crack at it–which means a project I, or another agent, could’ve felt very confident about placing two years ago may not feel as fresh or unique now–because we’ve read a lot in that time, and a lot has been published in that time.
Q: In this tough climate – are you finding it harder to sell debuts? Are houses more reluctant to take chances on an unproven author?
A: The opposite in fact. For novelists, it’s easier for me to sell a debut than it is to reup an author two or three books in with a rough sales track. A debut is a blank slate, all expectations and optimism; bad sell-through numbers are tougher to overcome (an agent who really believes in your work can help you do so), but the honest truth is that everyone’s still looking for that great debut.
That said, if you are writing nonfiction,this is not quite the same situation. We say it all the time but platform, platform, platform; “unproven” for nonfiction is not a synonym for a lack of platform.
Q: What is the #1 thing you look for when previewing a MS or query?
A: Me personally–voice. I’ll go along for any story if I like the teller. And in virtually every case, if you go back and look at my clients’ original emails to me–whether they were cold queries or following up on a referral–the voice is there, 100%.
Thanks to my Twitter-teers; more soon!
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At conferences and editor lunches, the question I’m getting most is “how is the economic climate changing how you do business.”
The short answer is that it’s not a matter of changing, it’s about refining. And for me, that refining is mostly taking the form of, more than ever, looking for the Big Book–fiction or nonfiction–and what makes a Big Book almost always comes back to high concept.
Ok great, you say. What is high concept and how do I get one?
Well, the classic agent cop-out is “I know it when I see it,” but quite honestly–that’s what high concept is. It’s an idea that is immediately accessible & appealing to a large group of people, that taps into the hive-mind if you will, but with the added spark of feeling new (even if it’s as old as the hills).
Twilight has that feel. Sophie Kinsella owns high-concept. So did Michael Crichton. And it’s not just for fiction–Malcolm Gladwell and Mary Roach are terrific examples of high-concept (and bestselling) nonfiction.
How do you know if you’ve tapped into that? Honestly, I think it’s often intrinsic. I know that’s not what you want to hear, and you can teach yourself to work & think this way, but some writers are naturally drawn to the Big Commercial Plot, while others are just not.
And I see a lot of writers who refuse to accept that what they are naturally drawn to isn’t high concept. This might be you if you have ever tried to make an existing manuscript high concept. Often people do this by patching in something they heard was “high concept”, and then they wonder why it’s not selling/getting requests. It’s not about taking your quiet family saga and sticking a vampire into that. You can’t make an apple into an orange by spray painting it. Often, making the leap to high concept is a matter of redirecting your passions and strengths into an area with more commercial appeal. For instance: turning the Salem story inside out and giving it a totally new spin is high concept; a novel set in the heretofore underreported witch trials of Borneo is not. For writers who are drawn to the obscure and the un-covered, who think “but no one has ever written about this! why write about things people already know?” I hear you–this feels remarkably like commercial pandering. But I would encourage you to think about three things: 1. it is all in the execution but no one will ever see your execution if your premise doesn’t catch their attention; 2. it’s hard to be attentive to things we don’t recognize on at least some level; and 3. who do you write for? If it’s for readers, think about it not as selling out, but about seducing people into your world, giving them a point of entry that lets them feel comfortable. High concept is all about the touch of recognition that makes readers ready to go along on your ride.
High concept is about making it easier for people to pick up what you’re putting down, which benefits you at every stage of the publishing game. Everyone is busy. I’m busy. Editors are busy. Booksellers and publicists–I don’t actually think they ever stop moving. And readers, who are inundated with noise and ads and coop, are busy and overwhelmed. To get and stay published, you have to make all those people stop for 300 pages worth of time. Yes, they will be seduced by your glowing prose. But aren’t the odds of that a whole lot better if that glowing prose comes with a premise that makes them go “Ooh?”
For instance, my author Libby Sternberg is an incredibly smart, gorgeous writer. Her work is nuanced and sharp. But the film rights to one of her manuscripts were optioned before a publishing deal was even in place, and a lot of that had to do with the fact that her book, FIRE ME, has a crystal-clear high concept: when her boss announces the company must lay off a staffer, a young woman spends a day at the office trying to convince him that she should be fired. Of course there is a lot more to the book. There always is. But you can see Amy Adams darting around creating workplace shenanigans already, can’t you?
If the idea you’re kicking around is really high concept, it should feel natural to come up with a one or two sentence affair that conveys the general premise of the work. It won’t capture every detail of course, but that’s ok. The essence of “oh neat” should be coming through. This blurb is what should headline your query. If yours is really good, I’ll probably bogart it when I pitch the book to editors. For instance, debut YA author Rachel Hawkins had a line in her original query: “where the traumas of mortal high school are nothing compared to the goings on at “Freak High,” which made it all the way through to my pitch letter and the Publisher’s Marketplace announcement of her sale. So you can see that one strong concept line can really have some serious legs.
Of course, there are plenty of ways for this to go terribly, terribly awry. I just caught the trailer for a certain upcoming movie, which just cuts to the chase and lays its high concept on out there, saying, “It’s Sweet Home Alabama meets Legally Blonde.” And while I have no doubt that killed in the pitch meeting, the trailer still leaves me feeling meh–because it feels contrived, like it was cooked up in a focus group. Which is why I do caution people about the “x meets y” formula. While it is helpful, and I use it in my pitches all the time, there can be a sort of cart-leading-horse feel to a project that’s created this way. Sometimes I can feel that an author sat down and said “I’ll show you, publishing. Today I shall write a book that is Back to the Future meets Joe Versus the Volcano.” And other times authors go way too far with the comps in an attempt to capture every aspect of their books: “Schindler’s List meets Joe Versus the Volcano,” for instance, which just leaves me very confused.
And as we all know now, that reaction is the opposite of high concept.
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New Year, New You?
It’s easy to get cynical about that phrase, particularly in this industry, where it can feel like Just Another Bookselling Peg. But every now and then, a book comes along that makes you forget that you’re supposed to be all unreachably blase, a book that makes you believe in our ability to change ourselves for the better. That’s the kind of book I’ve just got to work on.
I’m extremely proud to be associated with The Power of Less by Leo Babauta (of the great blog Zen Habits). Leo’s a terrific author and a very generous guy–check out his site for some great exclusive interviews, his top-notch advice on boosting your blogging power, and the Power of Less New Year’s Challenge.
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Sky: Unfallen
Let’s face it: there’s been pretty much no good news of late if you’re a dedicated reader of Publisher’s Marketplace, Galleycat, et al. And if you’re sitting and reading the latest tasty holiday blend of news–acquiring, hiring, and raises all frozen for various companies–and dire retail predictions, you’re probably a bit freaked out.
I can’t really help you on the “dire retail predictions” front (except to say buy books, which others have done with great gusto), but I can tell you that while there is lots of unhappy headline news, here at Waxman HQ there are spots of light too. So yes–it is deeply, deeply un-fun to get yet another phone call about yet another talented, smart editor who’s been let go. But when the next call’s an offer for that debut writer I’ve been nurturing, or news that a pet project is getting terrific placement in stores, those calls make the gloom seem a little less heavy.
This time of year’s always a little funny in the industry, with holiday cheer pressed up against end-of-year cold hard numbers. And we’re not denying the realities that the economic situation is challenging. Hey, our office party’s theme is “Let’s party like it’s 1929.” But books are getting acquired, and we’re lining up the strongest projects possible, and looking ahead to 2009 with (tempered, realistic) hope.
Filed under: Holly Root | 12 Comments
These seven no-nos will put your career on ice faster than you can say “remainder.”
LUST
For someone else’s career. This one will mostly hurt you, although it’s also a gateway to the other publishing sins. If you have an author that you Googlestalk like s/he’s your high school exboyfriend, or you read the deal listings at Publisher’s Marketplace like they’re Playboy, quit it! No two careers are exactly alike, and obsessing over someone else’s is unproductive. Learn from others’ successes but remember your career is the only one you can do a thing about.
GLUTTONY
You’re a glutton for punishment if you ever for a minute forget that publishing is a business. It’s a business where people hang out and are friendly, yes, but bottom line does rule the day somewhere on that ladder. Everyone’s trying to make money. Don’t take things personally and remember no one’s goal is to hurt your feelings. Have a thick skin, and move on–don’t wallow in disappointments or setbacks, just keep writing.
GREED
Don’t quit your day job until you absolutely must, or think that you’ll really have “made it” when you do. Working a day job doesn’t make you any less a writer (particularly if your day job informs your writing–then it’s a huge asset!). It makes you a smart, responsible member of society who cares about paying little things like the mortgage.
SLOTH
Don’t sit back and expect your publisher to do everything for you. Know where your efforts are most effective and get cracking. Say you’ve got a historical novel set in the Civil War. Your publisher will focus on the primary market: promoting the book as a historical novel in the channels with the largest reach. But you can–and should–be active and involved and reaching out to smaller Civil War special interest groups, special interest and regional publications, etc. Your publisher is the chainsaw; you’re the scalpel.
WRATH
Do not yell at anyone’s assistant. It won’t accomplish anything, it’s probably not the assistant’s fault, and it won’t really make you feel better. And listen to those around you. If your agent, editor, publicist, all agree that the card you’re looking at is in fact a spade, quit calling it a heart. Don’t waste what could be productive energy on negativity and tilting at windmills.
ENVY
You’re guilty of this if you find yourself daydreaming that if only you had a different agent/publisher/deal all your problems would be fixed. There is no magic bullet. There are times when change is good but if you only look at externals before thinking about yourself, you’re in the danger zone.
PRIDE
This one should go without saying. No matter how successful you get, you’re never too huge to show a little basic kindness, especially those who got you where you are. Don’t be a diva. Help other writers where you can (be it blurbing, joining a critique group, offering a referral, or just being gracious in your interactions). Those who violate this risk having the kind of reputation that leads to people eagerly awaiting the day your sell-through tanks so they can justify dropping you. Don’t be That Guy.
Filed under: Holly Root | 19 Comments
I’m thrilled to share this great review from Publisher’s Weekly for Misa Ramirez’s debut mystery, Living the Vida Lola, coming in January from St. Martin’s Minotaur:
Ramirez’s muy caliente debut introduces Dolores “Lola” Falcón Cruz, a Sacramento, Calif., PI whose kung fu moves are only part of her chica charm. A missing persons case—the disappearance of 42-year-old Emily Diggs, who left her six-year-old son, Sean, stranded at school—turns into a murder investigation after a boater finds Emily’s body near Riverbank Marina. Lola’s old high school crush, Jack Callaghan, now a Sacramento Bee reporter, provides some unexpected help. Emily had approached Jack about her 18-year-old son Garrett’s recent death—from what Emily believed was a “heart infection” due to a faulty tattoo. Lola’s determined to uncover the facts and catch the killer, even if it means, gulp, getting a girly belly-button piercing. Ramirez keeps the action tight, the plot smart and humor light in this spicy blend of crime solving and romance. Lola’s latina perspective adds extra sizzle. (Jan.)
It’s a great Agent Moment when you get to see others falling for characters the way you did, which is why I can’t wait for January, when even more readers will meet the whole Cruz family. You can arrange to do just that here, here, here and/or here.
Filed under: Holly Root | 3 Comments
