The HEA Cafe

Will you marry sell me?

One thing I didn’t realize after I signed with my agent was that I would be asked to try to sell on proposal.

Okay, I had heard over and over that the unpubbed would never sell on proposal and that they shouldn’t even try. But, I had heard that from other writers in the industry, not from my agent. This is why having an agent you trust is so important. My gut told me that she was leading me down the right path (for me), so I happily followed. Listen to your gut, it’s usually right.

It took three proposals and almost exactly one year from signing with Deidre before I sold. With each proposal I wrote, I became a stronger writer. But let me tell ya, it wasn’t easy at first because I’m a pantser at heart.

And, unfortunately for the pantser, you have to include a synopsis included with your proposal. I can honestly say this was the hardest part of the process for me. But I finally figured it out with the help of two fantastic CPs and my agent.

For me, a proposal is 50-60 pages of a manuscript, an 8-10 page synopsis (usually 10. I pretty much subscribe to the “1 page for every 10,000 word” theory of writing synopses) and blurbs for any connecting books.

Selling on proposal is a decision made by you and your agent. If you’re uncomfortable as an unpubbed author with trying, that’s okay. Just be sure to discuss this with your agent. Talk about the pros and cons and realize that once the proposal is sold, you have to finish the book(s) on deadline. That pressure might be too much for your first sale. I know many a writer who let the demands of their first deadline freak them out after they sold on proposal. You’ll always be safe if you discuss your concerns/fears with your agent.  This is your career and part of his/her job is to guide you into success.

If y’all decide that you should sell on a full manuscript first, realize that in the future, you will probably be asked to sell on proposal. This is a great way to keep the money coming in and to keep fresh projects going out. Just manage your time so that you don’t feel overwhelmed.

I’m still new at all this, so I’m fumbling my way through. Writing on my contracted work in the mornings, then working on my new ideas/proposals or revising in the afternoons, seems to work for me. Once you complete your proposal, send it and forget it. Get back to your contracted work and finish it so that when you sell your next work, you will be ahead of the game.

Peace y’all!
Melissa (Mel) Francis

Crap! I’m Published! Now What? installment 1

Wow. Exactly 9 months ago today, I got the call telling me that HarperCollins did indeed want to buy my book. (I’m sure they meant me. I didn’t believe it at first, but after having examined the contract approximately 4,000,000 times, I am now convinced they meant me.)  I got the call at 4 p.m. CST on a Friday, on a holiday weekend. I had given up. My editor had said an offer would be coming by Friday, but by my calculations, it was 5:00 in New York and I was gonna have to wait until Tuesday the next week. So I was cleaning off my desk when my cell phone rang.

I guess she showed me. (Not that I’m complaining.)

When the chapter pubs were signing up for blogging dates here at the cafe, I almost didn’t take a slot. I’m still new to this whole thing and it still feels very unreal. My first book won’t even hit the shelves until January 2009! Do you know how fraudulent I feel calling myself a published author when the only thing I have to prove that is a signed contract? (Again, no complaints. But really, I can’t carry around my contract just to make me feel legit. Can I?)

So I decided that my blog theme should be Crap! I’m Published! Now What? Because I’ll be honest, I’m learning as I go. Thank the writing gods I have a fantastic agent who is good at answering questions, doling out advice, and guiding me along the career path I had already started working toward.

Speaking of agent, I think that’s where I’ll start.

I got lucky when I signed with Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency because she is the kind of agent I needed. She is communicative and positive and when I need a nudge, she knows how to push without being obnoxious or offending. I need honesty and guidance and not to feel like my questions are an imposition. So, I got very lucky when I signed with Deidre because frankly, I didn’t know what kind of agent I needed until I had her.

Not everyone signs with their perfect agent on the first go around. And most unpublished authors don’t know what kind of agent would be right for them, so they sign with the first person who offers and then months (or minutes) later, they regret it.

Sit down and ask yourself some questions. How would you like to conduct business? Do you need a little hand holding at times or are you a hands off, only call me with an offer kinda gal? (or guy. Sorry, fellas.) Do you want to know exactly what the editor said, or do you just need an idea? (And trust me, there’s a difference here and you need to know if you can handle the exact wording of a rejection or if you just want to hear, “They passed. We’ll keep trying.”)

Do some research. Ask fellow writers what they know about certain agents you’re interested in. Ask them how their agent conducts business. (Not every writer will open up about this. Some get a little woo-woo weird about these kinds of questions and that’s okay. It takes all kinds. Respect their privacy and don’t take it personally.) Does the agent you’re interested in have a web presence? That’s a good way to find out how professional he/she really is. If they blog, become a regular reader. See how they react to certain questions. Are they impatient or just to the point? Do they have a tone that sends your warning flag a flyin’? Are they warm and friendly but never answer any questions?

Your gut is an amazing tool. Use it.

Make a top 5 list and search those agents out at conferences and just chat with them. Listen to them on panels and mark them off your list if something doesn’t feel right.  Chat with their clients. Don’t just query every agent out there. Be selective and be honest with yourself about the kind of agent you want.

The perfect agent for me may not be the perfect agent for you. That doesn’t mean they’re bad agents. (Well, some are, but hopefully you’ll have done your research and will be well informed.) Finding the right agent is as subjective as this business. I should’ve bought a lottery ticket the day I signed my agent, because it was my lucky day.  Don’t rely on luck and your horoscope to lead you to your future business partner.

Do your research. Ask questions. Read the blogs. Be selective and listen to your gut.  Oh and most of all, write a damn good book so you’ll have your choice.

Peace y’all,

-Mel
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