All being well, I will offer them representation and hopefully they will accept. We always encourage prospective authors to talk to other agents too before they make a decision. In the absence of an agency meeting, we are a very small, very collaborative and supportive team, so we are constantly chatting to each other throughout the day anyway, either in person or on Slack, a messaging app.
We are greater than the sum of our parts and Slack functions as a sounding board where we can swap advice and ideas. I usually call these editors to discuss the author and their work before sending over the manuscript via email. We might also discuss books they have tried to buy but which they lost to another publisher, as well as what books they would kill to publish. We all work hard to maintain relationships across the industry.
Editors receive dozens of submissions from agents every day, so if they are expecting yours, they will hopefully prioritize it. If more than one publisher wants to acquire the book, the fairest way to decide is to hold an auction. We might go in to meet the editor and their team to talk through their ideas and vision for how they will publish the book. Auction or not, I will negotiate the best deal possible with the editor. And while our assistant is often the first person to read our submissions, we all look at the ones that are most promising so we can decide whether to offer representation, discuss what work we think might need to be done before we do or give the most constructive feedback we can.
This involves negotiating the best terms for our clients, answering any queries they might have on the contract and then getting them to sign on the dotted line! We keep an eye on the money to make sure our clients get paid as quickly as possible. The thing about agenting is that every day is different. But a lot of our job takes place outside office hours and might include the following on any given evening I work with a team of designers and editors making picture books for babies and readers between 2 and 6, both stories and illustrated non-fiction.
Key elements to think about are a clever or thought-provoking scenario, memorable characters and a structure that allows every page, and word, to count. I usually know quickly whether I like something, but ultimately it must have broad appeal beyond just me — and be right for the mix on our specific picture book list.
This involves discussions with many different areas of the business. As an adult looking for ideas that will entertain children I need to tap into the part of me that loved books, stories and ideas as a child.
Each editor has different tastes in genre, writing style and voice, but literary agents are great at knowing who the right person is for your manuscript. You can do this as easily as going to a bookshop or looking at the Amazon bestseller pages. Do you notice any similarities between what you want to write, the top-selling titles and the books that the shop is promoting the most?
Which titles would you place your story between on the shelf? It is also important to define why your book is similar to but different from market comparisons. Make your story stand out and fill a gap in the market. Think about what you represent as an author, and if there is anything about the way that you view the world and what you really want to say which you could utilise to make your manuscript unique.
The next step is to test your work on real-life children! Think about whether each child picking it up would feel represented in your story. Make sure that if you want your book to be funny the humour is actually laugh-out-loud hilarious for kids. Publishers want kids to love our books, for reading to be fun, and for all children to be able to see themselves in the books we publish. What I look for in a young adult book can vary quite a lot depending on what stories are resonating with the current young-adult audience.
Most importantly though, I look for strong immersive writing — voice-led stories with distinctive characters that you feel invested in from the very first page. I also feel strongly that every child or young adult should be able to see themselves in a book, so I am particularly keen to publish diverse stories that reflect the world we live in.
The question you then ask is how you would position the book in the market and whether it would be for a very broad audience or a more limited one because of the type of story that it is. More than anything, I want readers to enjoy the books we publish — whether a story is funny or sad, dark or uplifting, I want them to feel that they were able to really engage with the story and characters and that the experience encourages them to keep reading.
This meeting involves people from a variety of departments who all give their input as to whether a book should be acquired, or bought for publication. Here, the team from our publishing house Cornerstone explain some of the factors which affect their decision making.
Much of what I am looking for crosses over with other attendees at the meeting: is there a market for the book, how big is it, do we have a clear view of how we might target the audience, should we be trying to acquire world rights in it, what format ought it to be, what price could it take and when might we publish?
I will also be thinking about workloads: have we enough room to take the book on or does it need to be published at a point when sales, marketing and publicity already have their hands full?
Is the editor being realistic about the work they will need to do with the author and have they the space to take it on among their other projects? Before the book is acquired I will also appraise the project financially together with our Head of Commercial Affairs, determining whether it meets our financial criteria and what level we might set the advance at. For editors, the acquisitions meeting is a chance to present the new titles we would like to publish to our colleagues.
It is the biggest step in what can be a long process, starting with speaking to an agent or writer or receiving a submission, and ending hopefully with the acquisition of the project. In between there are many stages, from imprint editorial meetings to extensive research, to conversations with colleagues across the company.
The acquisitions meeting is the key moment when we decide, collectively, if we are going to pursue a project. My job at the acquisitions meeting is to communicate three connected things to my colleagues. Firstly, my passion. There is no better feeling than reading a submission and falling in love with it, and knowing how you will be able to publish it successfully. I try to spend a bit of time in each presentation describing and explaining not only why I care so much about the project, but why I think everyone will.
Lastly, I have to clearly set out my vision for how we would publish the project, including publication date, format size and shape , price, and, more broadly, how we would get it into the hands of as many people as possible.
In the acquisition meeting, my role is to identify the sales potential of a proposal. This involves identifying what retailers I think the book will sell through, across all formats, and to what level. Initially, I decide this through analysing the current market and trends, and where I see the proposal sitting within this.
The acquisitions meeting is, then, a great forum to discuss the editorial, publicity and marketing vision for the proposal, which further helps us determine the overall sales potential. We discuss what publication date, format and RRP recommended retail price we think will give the book the best chance of getting into the hands of as many people as possible. Type keyword s to search. Scott Olson Getty Images. Find the right agent for you "As a publisher, you rely so much on agents to know your taste and your company.
Sculpt a brilliant synopsis "The better the synopsis, the better your chances of getting published. The illustrator and editor would like to keep working with me. I was just going to send out copies to several different publishers to see what would happen. Is this too naive of me? Would appreciate any feedback. Most of the time, children's books publishers prefer to deal with literary agents. You could query an agent with your new book ideas and see if there's any interest. The fact that you've written and self-published a book already won't hurt your chances!
If you're a self-published author looking to sell hardcover copies of your book on Amazon, check out our guide to hardcover printing with Kindle Direct Publishing. Find the book printing service that best suits your needs with Reedsy's guide to offset, volume, and on demand printing.
So how is Kindle Vella different? If you're an eco-conscious author looking to publish responsibly, we've got you covered with our guide to sustainable book publishing. Do you want to work with a traditional publisher? Then you'll likely need a literary agent. Learn how to get a literary agent in five simple steps! Two types of editors, both alike in dignity.
Find out the differences between a copy editor and a proofreader. Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book. Posted on Apr 13, Takes one minute! Start quiz. Give your book the help it deserves The best editors are on Reedsy. Find out here! Takes one minute. Do you need an agent to get published in ? Comments are currently closed.
Continue reading Recommended posts from the Reedsy Blog. Join a community of over 1 million authors Reedsy is more than just a blog. Typically, writers who get frustrated by the endless process of submission and rejection often look to self-publishing for satisfaction. Self-publishing requires significant and persistent effort into marketing and promotion, not to mention an entrepreneurial mindset.
Finally, most self-published authors find that selling their book is just as hard—if not harder than—finding a publisher or agent. That said, independent authors are fiercely passionate about their work and their process, and some are much happier and satisfied going it alone.
But those who succeed and profit often devote years of their life, if not their entire lives, to marketing and promoting their work. So, you can self-publish, but it all depends on your goals and what will satisfy you. In brief, no, you are not ruining your chances. Read more about this issue here. Your education and insight into the industry will advance exponentially. You will meet agents and editors, and start to see them as real people. If you have an appointment or consultation with a publishing professional, it will shorten your path to publication.
You can get the reasons, immediately, that an agent or editor may not be responding favorably to your work. Many writers are familiar with the reasons to attend conferences, but not all understand how to get more out of them. Here are 3 ways you can get the most out of your experience.
Here is my comprehensive guide to writing conferences. Should you hire a freelance editor to help improve your manuscript before submitting? Also consider: What is your motivation for trying to get published? A little self-reflection might be in order before you chase after an agent or publisher. Mostly what this game boils down to is patience. Jane Friedman JaneFriedman has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media strategy for authors and publishers.
She is the publisher of The Hot Sheet , the essential newsletter on the publishing industry for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in Find out more. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
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