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Dealing with Literary Agencies |
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Query Letters and Book Proposals |
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Q.
What is our
commission structure?
A. If our Literary Agency decides to accept an author as a
client to represent, our fees are between 20%
and 25% of the profits on all literary works published
and sold, this includes television or film rights
and/or foreign rights sold.
Publishing costs vary depending on the size and
type of book to be published. If we have accepted an author as a client, we work with the
author to get the literary works to printable
format, then our publishing company goes to work.
They provide the author with publishing choices to
approve before publication, along with suggestions
to have a successful publication.
While publication is
in process, our literary agency works with the
author on promotion of the publication to media,
and/or other venues available to the agent/publisher
that may include promotion to movie and/or
television studios. After publisher releases the
publication, the publisher then works with the
author in the distribution and sales of the
publication through venues available to the
agent/publisher, both online as well as to
bookstores.
Authors receive some
of the books published to
use for promotion, and/or personal use, and the
balance published are stored in the publisher
warehouse for ease in distribution.
As literary agent, we
have a vested interest that an authors literary
work will be a success. Since our expenses outweigh our
profits until we have sold several thousand books,
or landed a good contract with a studio, we require our
authors to also have a vested interest in the success and
be fully committed and willing to share in all
endeavors the agent arranges for the book to
succeed. Our main objective is to far surpass the
breakeven
point, where we all have the potential for
great profits, better than what would be achieved through
a traditional author royalty payments plan.
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Q.
Do I need an agent?
A.
We think the answer to that question is, "it depends." A lot of houses won’t look at unsolicited or unagented manuscripts so then the answer would be yes, you do. However, the editors of some genres (such as romance, SF&F) will look at all submissions so then the answer is no, you don’t.
But here’s our question to readers. Have you ever seen a publishing contract? Would you even know how to navigate it? Do you understand what the grant of rights clause is asking? Do you know how to limit an option clause? Do you understand the real meaning behind the language in a standard publishing out-of-print clause?
Chances are good that you said NO to all of the above. Then you need an agent.
A good agent doesn’t just sell your book; a good agent guides your whole career. That’s worth
well more than a 20% commission.
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Q.
How do I get an agent?
A.
Here’s the dirty little secret about publishing. It’s just like any other career—network, network, network. The days of the isolated writer hammering out great works of art and being discovered are over. In fact, those days never really existed.
For fiction: If you have no previous publications, be sure to write a really good query letter and then follow it up with submitted sample pages that will knock the socks off of an agent. Lots of new clients are plucked from the slush pile. If you write genre fiction, be sure to join the appropriate organizations such as Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America to name a few. Network with other writers at conferences. Recommendations by previously published authors carry weight. Join a writers’ group. If writing literary fiction, get noticed by submitting your writing to literary magazines and contests. Build up those credentials. Also, graduates of prestigious MFA programs are pursued by agents because that literary fiction can be sold to editors.
For nonfiction: Credentials are everything—especially for business or self-help books. It is very difficult to sell a nonfiction proposal to a major house unless you have an established platform consisting of the following:
- Published articles in your field
- Media contacts in TV and radio
- A syndicated column
- At least 30-50 scheduled lecture dates a year
- An affiliation with a known and respected university
More Tips on Getting an Agent:
- Do your background research! We are open to folks contacting us by query via email because we enjoy new writers; however, it’s frustrating when we are sent material that doesn't fit what we represent.
- The best way to get an agent is to be referred to him or her by a client, industry person, or a friend. Finagle an introduction! We are always gracious when meeting writers. If an agent is not, then you would not want that person to represent you anyway!
- The next best way is to meet an agent at a writers’ conference or a publishing-related event.
- The last way to get an agent is to research the various resources regarding the topic and then submit a query. Be sure to check out an agent’s website, if there is one, for the most up-to-date information regarding a submission.
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Q.
Should an agent live in New York?
A.
Our publishing company address is in
New York City, so yes, to a degree it is beneficial
to have a New York location, but we are primarily located in
California and have found that we can accomplish the
same goals in California as we can in New York.
There are many terrific agents in New York, and there are many terrific agents who don’t live there.
Location makes less of a difference in the age of FedEx, email, fax, and excellent phone service.
If we feel a project is hot, we
can travel to NYC simply to pitch it over a nice lunch with the editors being targeted.
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Q.
What should I expect from an agent?
A.
Consideration, respect, and good customer service regarding communication.
Good agents:
- return calls or emails promptly.
- treat clients as the reason why they exist in the first place.
- keep clients informed of the status of submissions.
- remit payments to clients quickly.
- keep client money in a non-interest bearing account.
- don’t charge reading fees or participate in other money-making avenues such as charging for “consultations.”
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Q.
What pitfalls should be avoided when contacting
agents?
A.
Try following these guidelines:
- Agents are people too! Please be courteous and respectful, and we will do the same in return.
- Not all agents think alike. If someone is disrespectful to you, take that as a sign that his/her agency is not for you.
- When contacting any agent, always be extremely professional. This means using professional writing approaches for all communications—either by snail mail or email.
- Please do not call. It’s impossible for any agent to ascertain your writing ability by talking to you on the phone. It is also very annoying and won’t win you points with an agent you are trying to woo.
If you are a terrific writer with solid credentials, finding an agent will be straight-forward and fairly easy.
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Q.
How do I write an attention-getting query letter?
A.
Good query letters are one page or two pages tops. You should be able to summarize your novel or nonfiction project in a one pitch sentence or in one short paragraph—like a summary on the back cover of a book.
If YOU can’t write this, then we won’t be able to either, so it won’t sell.
Query letter breakdown by paragraph:
- Introduction: explain why you are contacting our agency. Were you referred? Why are we the agency for this project?
- Manuscript pitch: what is your novel or nonfiction proposal?
- Credentials: for fiction, what is your writing background, stories sold, programs attended, mentors, awards, etc. For nonfiction, Why are you the person to write this book? What are your credentials?
- Conclusion: Thank the agent for taking the time to read your materials, etc.
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Q.
I sent an email query to
your agency but have not received a response, or I
sent a requested partial and have not received a
response. Why?
A.
For email queries, if you have not received a
response after three (3) weeks, then something might
have gone wrong in the cyber world. Is your email
account still active? Are emails to you being
spam-filtered? Our reply to you might have bounced
or been deleted. We send our response electronically
so check your spam folder.
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Q.
What are some email query DOs and DON'Ts?
A.
DOs:
- Do email queries and save on stamp costs.
- Do be professional and brief in your query.
- Do highlight your relevant background or publishing credentials.
- Do take the time to hone and then highlight your one or two sentence pitch or hook.
- Do take only one paragraph to summarize the rest of your work-following the grab-your-attention style found on the back cover of books.
- Do thank the agent for reviewing your query.
DON'Ts:
- Don't address your letter "To Whom it May Concern."
- Don't use an unusually small font.
- Don't immediately send another email query if an agent has just rejected your first.
- Don't use cutesy fonts or backgrounds.
- Don't query more than one work at a time.
- Don't forget to include the title of your work in the query.
- Don't be unclear as to whether your project is fiction or nonfiction.
- Don't CC a bunch of other agents on your email query. Send the email to one agent at a time.
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Q.
How do I write a good book proposal?
A.
Good book proposals are not lengthy. After all, editors (and agents!) are always short on time.
Excluding the outline and the sample chapter, try to limit the actual proposal to 12 pages. Include the following sections:
- Introduction
- Overview
- The Market
- Competition
- Publicity and Promotion
- About the Author
If you are unsure of how to write a good book proposal, then be proactive and learn what you need to know. Here is a
good resource to help:
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DOUBLE-R BOOKS
A Division of
Rodrigue & Sons
Company
244 Fifth Avenue, Suite #1457
New York, New York 10001
Mailing Address:
Rodrigue & Sons
Company
116 East College Avenue, Suite #170
Lompoc, California 93436
PLEASE NOTE:
Our New York Office
maintains a strict "no uninvited submissions" policy. Please DO NOT submit query letters, proposals, and/or manuscripts by snail mail to the Publisher at our New York address,
all uninvited query letters, proposals,
and/or manuscripts received are unopened and systematically
discarded without response.
If you would like to
submit a query to our California Office, we accept unsolicited proposals queries in the form of a query letter sent
via the email link below, explaining the purpose of the work and any
writing qualifications of the author. If we are interested, our
agent will ask for a copy of the prologue and at least the first chapter
of the work.
For detailed information, as well as
info on how to formulate a good query letter,
please refer to this FAQ page.
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email
 Query |
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HIDDEN MICKEY
"Sometimes Dead Men DO Tell Tales!" An Action-Adventure-Mystery
Fiction Novel about Walt Disney and Disneyland. This
is an adult-level age appropriate book for 10 and up, where
readers will discover Disney Fact blended with the Authors Imaginations in this 482-page
Novel. If you liked the Dan Brown DaVinci Code, and the movie
National Treasure, you will absolutely love HIDDEN MICKEY! Two best friends were
in Disneyland running a spirited scavenger hunt road rally through the Disney
Park. During their quest they stumble on a long-lost diary Walt Disney left
behind. It hints of hidden treasure that leads them on a wild cross-country
search filled with discoveries about the famous man, his life, and about
themselves.
READ MORE...
HIDDEN MICKEY 2
"It All Started..." Another Action-Adventure-Mystery
Fiction Novel about Walt Disney and Disneyland. Adult-level age appropriate book for 10 and up, where
readers will discover Disney Fact blended with the Authors Imaginations in this 458 page
Novel. This novel takes you through hidden parts of Disneyland and exotic locations in Walt Disney’s history after Lance Brentwood finds himself at the narrow end of a .44 Magnum. At the death of the mysterious Blond-Haired Man, Lance is given one cryptic clue – and finds his entire destiny lies in its decipher.
Lance and the mysterious man’s beautiful daughter Kimberly team up to unravel this final clue to ultimately discover the secret that helped Disney build the greatest entertainment company in the world.
One formidable, desperate adversary will stop at nothing to gain this secret. The only thing in his way is a growing attachment between Lance and Kimberly.
Who will win the battle for Walt’s legacy – the one man determined to preserve it or the other man determined to destroy it? READ MORE...
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