Read on Twitter
There are several publishers who are currently open to unagented submissions right now. Here’s the thing — even if you get a publishing contract without an agent, you can (and absolutely should, imo) use that to leverage GETTING an agent. A longish thread on why and how!
One big reason why: some publishers have VERY different contracts for unagented writers. Even when publishers have standardized advance/royalty deals, the rights that they ask for might be VERY different, and that matters. https://twitter.com/sethasfishman/status/1272663113385426944?s=20
You can and should try to maintain rights to media/audio/etc adaptations, as well as foreign language and translation rights. Why? Because you can sell those for more money. More money as a writer is a good thing. (Tho some folks will try to tell you otherwise 
)
)
Can you negotiate those rights without an agent? You can try! And some publishers won’t fight you on it, because they’re chill. Others will fight you, and the only leverage you have is being willing to walk away. This is not a powerful bargaining position as an individual.
Agents, along with an understanding of contract language and publishing standards, bring the weight of their whole client base to the negotiations, maybe the weight of their whole agency. It benefits both agent and publisher to have a good relationship and NOT screw each other.
There is a ton of stuff in publishing contracts — an agent can explain the legalese and break down what it will practically mean, and can advise you on your next moves. They also have a vested interest in selling secondary rights and getting you more money.
I can’t speak to other agents, but the ones I know are also good at providing writers with community. Mine has also helped me with figuring out what kind of writing career I want, AND helped navigate myriad book/publishing-related dramas and weirdness.
Also: you might not need an agent for this book, but you might want one down the road. If you have a publishing offer in hand, it might spare you the pain and grind of querying in a year or few months.
This is what happened to me, for the record — I submitted a manuscript to @dzancbooks’ story collection contest, which came with a publishing deal and prize. After flipping the hell out, I decided to try and see if I could get an agent to negotiate the contract.
I didn’t have another manuscript at that point. I was in the process of writing a novel, but it was VERY early days, and I don’t think I’d drafted more than a couple chapters. I hadn’t planned on querying until I had a finished draft.
Pausing because I need breakfast, but also just to caveat that this whole thread is based on personal experience, but the rest in particular is very subjective!
OKAY BREAKFASTED. so! You sent in a manuscript and, what the actual hell, a publisher has offered you a book deal. WHAT DO???
First, ask for some time to find an agent to represent you. If they balk, that’s a red flag. If they aggressively balk, that’s a HUGE red flag.
First, ask for some time to find an agent to represent you. If they balk, that’s a red flag. If they aggressively balk, that’s a HUGE red flag.
Figuring out who you might want as an agent: I had a short list of people that I knew because they represented writers whose work I loved and I thought was vaguely aligned to mine, and who I knew of thru Twitter and cons.
There are probably a ton of articles about making shortlists of agents while querying. Make friends with writers and ask their advice.
Once I had a shortlist, I researched the hell out of the agents on it.
Once I had a shortlist, I researched the hell out of the agents on it.
I made sure they were open to submissions, that they represented the genres I wanted to write in, that they worked for a reputable agency, that they weren’t on Writers Beware or any lists of known scammers, and that they had other clients who were queer, trans, and/or nb.
The last one was super important to me, because I had no interest in having to explain or defend that part of myself or my writing. Thankfully, there are now multiple agents that fulfill those requirements.
I also borrowed a friend’s login to look the agents up in Publisher’s Marketplace to see what kind of deals they were making. I don’t think all agents use this, or use it equally, but it can give you SOME data.
By the way, I did this all while still losing my shit, about two weeks from Thanksgiving Break in my final year of my MFA, while simultaneously teaching and working on my thesis. It was a very weird couple of weeks. I’m not sure I really slept.
My first shortlist was 5 agents who I respected, were seeking clients, represented books in the same genres I wrote, and... represented friends of mine. Like, people I could casually DM and be like “please tell me about your agent, this just happened and I’m dying.”
COMMUNITY IS SO IMPORTANTIt is also not a thing that everyone is privileged to have, but I’m telling you, finding friends and community as a writer is like, the #1 most important thing you can do for your career (and your life! just in general!)
An agent is primarily a business partner, and I wanted to know how that person conducted business. I asked about communication styles, editorial style, advising, and how their agents handled disagreements or conflict. Then, depending on all that, I asked for an introduction.
I FELT WEIRD ABOUT IT, NGL. I hate asking for favors, and I worried it was somehow unfair to the legions of writers who were querying. But I was on a deadline and having stress nightmares, so I asked for one, so long as both friend and agent were ok with it.
(If you don’t have a friend to introduce you, I think the standard thing is to mention OFFER IN HAND in big-assed letters in the subject line of your query email. Hopefully that will get you noticed quickly!)
Of that original shortlist of 5 agents, I got introduced to 3. One agent declined (but gave me some advice through my friend — extremely kind of her). I decided to wait on another because you can usually only query one agent at a single agency at a time.
My query contained:
-a short bio heavy on my achievements (awards, shortlists, workshops attended) and describing my work
-the offer I’d received, and a copy of the manuscript
-a pitch for my next project and ten sample pgs
-a mention of why I wanted work with them
-thank you
-a short bio heavy on my achievements (awards, shortlists, workshops attended) and describing my work
-the offer I’d received, and a copy of the manuscript
-a pitch for my next project and ten sample pgs
-a mention of why I wanted work with them
-thank you
Two of those agents invited me to talk further — I feel like there are probably plenty of articles about how to navigate those conversations and the kinds of questions to ask. Also this thread is now EXTREMELY LONG and I have to get back to writing.
Hopefully this answered the why and how question of leveraging a book offer to get an agent. I’ll probably add onto the thread with QTs answering any questions I know, so feel free to ask!
The one I know right now is @TorNightfire. But others, especially small imprints and non-big 5 presses have periodic open submission periods.
I always learned about open subs periods on Twitter, Facebook groups, and Duotrope. https://twitter.com/SoupAlphabet1/status/1272912670048399362?s=20
I always learned about open subs periods on Twitter, Facebook groups, and Duotrope. https://twitter.com/SoupAlphabet1/status/1272912670048399362?s=20
Tbh, I don’t know! If there are any agents or editors on this thread, feel free to weigh in. My guess would be that unless an editor is actively trying to acquire it, it won’t be an issue to withdraw it — your agent will probs help you revise it anyway. https://twitter.com/GentleBronto/status/1272934982579900418?s=20
On the other hand, a good agent might be able to get your manuscript into the hands of bigger publishers with deeper pockets, better marketing, or get multiple publishers bidding on you. So it can probably be a trade off?
Also this is a GREAT thread about how to build and find a writing community. https://twitter.com/SarahPinsker/status/1272929068720238592?s=20
Another excellent point. You do not have to choose the first agent to make an offer. Bad, unscrupulous agents definitely exist, and can damage your career. Do not let an agent push you into signing with them if you’re unsure. https://twitter.com/JaineFenn/status/1272977262472843266?s=20
It is always reasonable to ask for as much time as you need.
In my case, I think I asked for a few days at first to think about it/find an agent, then a few more to finalize our agreement. It was a little urgent in my case, so stuff moved quickly. https://twitter.com/Becca_Dupuis/status/1273086190699393025?s=20
In my case, I think I asked for a few days at first to think about it/find an agent, then a few more to finalize our agreement. It was a little urgent in my case, so stuff moved quickly. https://twitter.com/Becca_Dupuis/status/1273086190699393025?s=20
