At one point at this Spring's 2011 Insider's Guide to How to Get Published I feared that a few writers might actually flay our lovely yearbook editor for not providing them with the definitive, catch-all answer to securing a book deal. In fairness to Jo, her talk was on How to Assemble a Book Proposal and not on The Definite Failsafe Guide to Avoiding Rejection.
I understand the vexation of course. why would anyone ask you to run a gauntlet after completing a marathon? and yet that's exactly what agents do demand. every single agency site now seems to offer up their own particular rules applying to how you should submit a query to them. why do agencies do it? to distinguish the professional from the riffraff? to test your mettle? or simply a personal preference of someone who, more than likely, is no longer even with the company?
let's look at it from the agent's point of view. they have thousands of submissions each year, and it seems reasonable to ask you - the individual - to take the time to demonstrate that you are serious and not a time waster. what they ignore, or simply don't care to entertain, is that you are repeating this exercise countless times. and now from your point of view. you are exactly that - one person. with commitments and responsibilities. why should you be faced with this extra administrative task that is time-consuming, frustrating and often disheartening?
is standardization across the board the answer? or personalization?
what would standardization mean? the negative impact of one size fits all? or a professional standard to which all agents could buy into? some common ground on which they could all unite. a template they could direct all writers too, found on the writers' & artists' website.
what might personalization entail? an agency may very well specify that they are interested in literary fiction but, as anyone in publishing knows, choices at the early stages are often subjective. I once worked with an agent who was specifically interested in international women's stories but had a real aversion to magic realism. she could have been sent a script by isabelle allende, and would have turned it down. what if agents and editors had personal profiles on the writers & artists site listing their preferences? i'm not talking crime fiction or science fiction here but more subtle preferences i.e, a love of urban literature or time slips or confessional narratives. now surely that would be a more effective and satisfying way of finding a match?
what would you rather? should Writers' & Artists' be launching a campaign on your behalves for Standardizatin or Personalization?
(Editorial Manager)
Hey all, I am right at the beginning of the process of moving from having written a book to getting it 'out there'. One thing I was wondering... (Possibly a stupid question but I figured there is no harm in asking)... What is meant by the term 'sample characters'?
Also, with regards to standardization vs. personalization... I guess it is similar to going for any other job, some people will ask you to meet a few selective demands and others will require something a little more in depth. I'm not sure if I would tend to favour either approach over the other but if you fit into the set standards for all then maybe it's worth the effort of getting it just right for the person or company you really want to work with. If you don't fit the standardized mould then it'll likely be your uniqueness that gets you noticed?
Amazing advices.
Hi Nicola,
The question you pose is an"either , or "question. Perhaps we could all use a standardized checklist that ensures objective criteria are met, whilst leaving the author and agent and/or publisher sufficient autonomie for the subjective appreciation or not of the work ?
Perhaps as part of the checklist, once the work has been rejected, this work could be submitted by the agent/publisher to his professional non-competing colleagues ? That way the work can do the rounds, having met objective qualitative and quantitative standards.
Less wastage, and perhaps more transparency, or am I a dreamer ?
Really like this site, and thoroughly enjoy the content.