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 Nicola,
I think standardization. In my opinion it would be much more easier if there was one set rule. EG: A cover letter, Synopsis, Three sample chapters. after all, every writer will be working on all of these regardless.
I have just completed my first novel for children, and find it really frustrating to look on all of the different agents' websites to find out exactly what it is they want.
But then on te other hand, i do understand it from their point of view, with the amount of submissions they get every year.
its a toughy!!! But for me personally, id choose Standardization!!!
Twitter (MichelleGale25)