I've been reading lots of anthologies of non-fiction essays, including Twentysomething Essays, Death by Pad Thai, and Expat. Some of the essays are by established writers and some are from unknowns, but they're all great to read. Do you think you need to be agented to find these kinds of opportunities? How do other writers do it? Do they have an unpublished essay lying around or do they get asked to write one specifically for the anthology?
Funny, I just bought The Bitch In the House, so your question was timely. That said, I don't have the slightest idea. So...I turned to my fabulous and wise agent, who had this to say.
"A lot of times, the 'editor' of the anthology will send out a mass email, asking authors, usually published as it helps the chances for the book to be sold, for a commitment, a paragraph idea for how they would spin the anthology’s topic, and a bio. So, it certainly helps to be published in that topic and to be enmeshed in that world of writers.
I often have editors come to me and ask me if I have any authors who might be right for a story on X…and then I forward it on…but it’s not something I commission. It’s little money but a great way to build your platform.
I guess if the author is unpublished, a way to throw her hat in the ring would be to contact the editor of a previous anthology, via a fan letter (for example, Sally Wofford Girand has now worked on two) and get her name on editor's radar."
Oh, my agent, she's so brilliant!
Anyone out there ever contributed to an anthology? If so, how did it happen?
Friday, February 23, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Cool News of the Week and Switching Out Agents
Big news!! Redbook, which has a circulation of nearly three million and up to about nine million eyeballs (meaning, that's how many people actually read the magazine each month), just selected The Department of Lost and Found as its May Book Club Pick of the Month!!!!!! I am beside myself with excitement. They'll print an excerpt of the book in the magazine and conduct a Q/A with me on their website. This is such a thrill and an honor, and my whole team at Harper is elated. So I had to share! Okay, down to business:
Question of the day: Allison, is it OK to look for an agent while you're already under contract? Or should you fire Agent A first, and then look for Agent B?
Ooh, juicy question. And, depending on whom you ask, one with more than one answer.
Most agents, including Miss Snark, will tell you that you're obligated to let Agent A know that you're movin' on before setting out on a hunt for Agent B. Fair play, and all of that. Not to mention that you do run into the problem that Agent B might know Agent A, and might know that you're repped by Agent A, in which case, you'll be looking for Agent C, D, or E.
That said, it's terrifying to leave a sure thing for an unknown, so I do think that a lot of repped writers very quietly begin their agent hunt before giving notice. Now. I'm not entirely sure how you word this in your query letter, and perhaps some wise readers can suggest how they would go about this. Or if you should go about this at all. In my case, Agent A and I mutually decided to part ways, so I never had an overlap. But if she had dragged out the situation much longer, it's entirely possible that I might have jumped on the agent go-around before being officially released.
The bottom line is that this is a really sticky situation. So readers...help out this person out. What would you do?
Question of the day: Allison, is it OK to look for an agent while you're already under contract? Or should you fire Agent A first, and then look for Agent B?
Ooh, juicy question. And, depending on whom you ask, one with more than one answer.
Most agents, including Miss Snark, will tell you that you're obligated to let Agent A know that you're movin' on before setting out on a hunt for Agent B. Fair play, and all of that. Not to mention that you do run into the problem that Agent B might know Agent A, and might know that you're repped by Agent A, in which case, you'll be looking for Agent C, D, or E.
That said, it's terrifying to leave a sure thing for an unknown, so I do think that a lot of repped writers very quietly begin their agent hunt before giving notice. Now. I'm not entirely sure how you word this in your query letter, and perhaps some wise readers can suggest how they would go about this. Or if you should go about this at all. In my case, Agent A and I mutually decided to part ways, so I never had an overlap. But if she had dragged out the situation much longer, it's entirely possible that I might have jumped on the agent go-around before being officially released.
The bottom line is that this is a really sticky situation. So readers...help out this person out. What would you do?
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
My Agent, The Marketer
Got this question in reference to my post yesterday...wanted to clarify: What do you mean by create a marketing campaign for it? Do you have to work with your agent to create a special campaign for the book when you go to a publisher?
No, you don't have to create a special campaign, but an agent's job extends beyond just calling up editors and saying, "Hey, I'm sending this manuscript over to you for review." Or I should say, a good agent's job.
Much like you craft and finesse the perfect pitch letter to land an agent, so too will an agent craft a letter/pitch about your book to send to editors. (Even if this is an email or something more casual.) The agent will look for a way to set your book apart from all of the riff-raff that the editor is also receiving - she'll hone the hook of the book, find good comparisons (for example, as mentioned last week, my agent pitched my book as a Good Grief meets The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters) and sell the book to the editor. Not literally, though she might well do that too, but more figuratively - she'll make your book sound so tempting that the editor would rather receive the manuscript than a dozen chocolate cupcakes.
I really think this is a critical difference between an adequate agent and a great one: the great ones know how to get editors salivating, and part of any good sell is the packaging and marketing. So, in essence, great agents are also stellar marketers. That's what I meant by that comment.
Make sense? Those of you who are agented, do you agree?
No, you don't have to create a special campaign, but an agent's job extends beyond just calling up editors and saying, "Hey, I'm sending this manuscript over to you for review." Or I should say, a good agent's job.
Much like you craft and finesse the perfect pitch letter to land an agent, so too will an agent craft a letter/pitch about your book to send to editors. (Even if this is an email or something more casual.) The agent will look for a way to set your book apart from all of the riff-raff that the editor is also receiving - she'll hone the hook of the book, find good comparisons (for example, as mentioned last week, my agent pitched my book as a Good Grief meets The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters) and sell the book to the editor. Not literally, though she might well do that too, but more figuratively - she'll make your book sound so tempting that the editor would rather receive the manuscript than a dozen chocolate cupcakes.
I really think this is a critical difference between an adequate agent and a great one: the great ones know how to get editors salivating, and part of any good sell is the packaging and marketing. So, in essence, great agents are also stellar marketers. That's what I meant by that comment.
Make sense? Those of you who are agented, do you agree?
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
From Agent To Sale?
I just got an agent for my novel. Hurrah! I wanted to see if you knew what my odds were of now making a sale to a publishing house. I searched online but couldn't find anything concrete.
First of all, congrats on landing an agent! Hurrah, indeed.
Second of all, you couldn't find any reliable stats because there aren't any. And even if there were, these stats would have no bearing on whether or not your book would sell. (Sorry!) There are two reasons that a book sells: if it's good or if it meets a particular house's need at the time (or some combination of the two). And if your book isn't one of the above, then it doesn't matter if 99% of all agented books sell, yours won't.
Ok, now. I didn't at ALL mean that yours isn't good! I was simply pointing out that statistics are entirely unhelpful when it comes to situations like this. If your book is kick-ass and timely, then it probably has a better than 50% chance of selling...this is just a safe stat that I'm pulling out of my head. Unfortunately, however, getting an agent isn't a slam-dunk on the way to a book deal. And how do I know? (Lest you think I'm just being overdramatic.) Because my first (agented) book DIDN'T SELL! Came veeeeeeeery close, but alas, nada.
Here's the thing though: there's really not a whole hell of a lot you can do right now about the situation. You wrote what you (and your agent) consider to be a great book. That's ALL you can do. Now, it's up to your agent to pinpoint the best editors and put together the best marketing campaign for it, and then, let that baby fly. Here's to hoping that an editor catches it!
Good luck!
First of all, congrats on landing an agent! Hurrah, indeed.
Second of all, you couldn't find any reliable stats because there aren't any. And even if there were, these stats would have no bearing on whether or not your book would sell. (Sorry!) There are two reasons that a book sells: if it's good or if it meets a particular house's need at the time (or some combination of the two). And if your book isn't one of the above, then it doesn't matter if 99% of all agented books sell, yours won't.
Ok, now. I didn't at ALL mean that yours isn't good! I was simply pointing out that statistics are entirely unhelpful when it comes to situations like this. If your book is kick-ass and timely, then it probably has a better than 50% chance of selling...this is just a safe stat that I'm pulling out of my head. Unfortunately, however, getting an agent isn't a slam-dunk on the way to a book deal. And how do I know? (Lest you think I'm just being overdramatic.) Because my first (agented) book DIDN'T SELL! Came veeeeeeeery close, but alas, nada.
Here's the thing though: there's really not a whole hell of a lot you can do right now about the situation. You wrote what you (and your agent) consider to be a great book. That's ALL you can do. Now, it's up to your agent to pinpoint the best editors and put together the best marketing campaign for it, and then, let that baby fly. Here's to hoping that an editor catches it!
Good luck!
Monday, February 19, 2007
By George, I Think I've Got It! (My Heroine, That Is)
Hey fellow bloggers -
If you're a regular blogger and reach the mommy-demo (Manic Mom, I'm talking to you!), check out my friend, Melanie Hauser's blog. She's doing a give-away to correspond with her newest book release, Super Mom Saves the World, and along with a free book, you'll get a free Swiffer! What's not to love?
Okay, so how did you guys do this week with your WIPs? Here's where I came out:
First of all, I am completely and totally overwhelmingly busy, so let me offer that caveat first. :) Promotional stuff for TDLF is taking up a lot more time than I imagined, which isn't a bad thing because, after all, it means that there IS promotional stuff happening, but it also eats into my writing time. Which is why, er, I suppose that I should have listened to the gajillions of people who told me to write my second book as soon as my first one sold...rather than waiting until three months before it's released. Oops.
BUT. Some very good things happened. This is what I'm currently doing: I have 40k words already written. But I've changed some fundamental parts of the plot and characteristics in my heroine, such that a decent part of these 40k words need to be overhauled. So right now, I'm making my way through these pages - I got up to page 30 this week, and my goal (remember I talked about how important it is to set concrete goals) is to have revised ALL 150 or so pages that I've written by the end of March, when I head to Mexico for vacation. (Yahoo!) I actually think I'll finish this MUCH earlier, but you never know, so this is a reasonable, attainable goal. (Which is another critical factor in finding success - setting realistic goal rather than "I'm going to lose 20 pounds in a month" goals.)
More important than the actual 30 pages of revisions is the fact that I finally started to get a real feel for my heroine - get inside of her head and fully understand what motivates her, why she is how she is, and how this will affect her trajectory for the rest of her journey in the book. How, you might ask, did I write 150 pages without fully getting her? Well, I sort of equate it to the difference between being a good actor - someone who can cry on cue but never quite convince the audience that she's actually mourning - and a great actor - someone who full inhabits the role to the point where you really believe that she's experiencing the life of the character she's playing (hello, Kate Winslet!). And this is what I was doing with my heroine: I was writing her in such a way that she was believable, but fully inhabitable. And that's because I didn't inhabit her myself. But now, we've clicked, and I'm thinking about her and her story and where it will go nearly all the time. It even woke me up last night, and that's saying a lot from a seriously sleep-deprived me.
Okay, so that's where I'm at. How about you? Did I make any sense? Can you tell when someone is smiling for the camera and smiling because she really believes the reasons behind her smile? (Figuratively speaking.)
If you're a regular blogger and reach the mommy-demo (Manic Mom, I'm talking to you!), check out my friend, Melanie Hauser's blog. She's doing a give-away to correspond with her newest book release, Super Mom Saves the World, and along with a free book, you'll get a free Swiffer! What's not to love?
Okay, so how did you guys do this week with your WIPs? Here's where I came out:
First of all, I am completely and totally overwhelmingly busy, so let me offer that caveat first. :) Promotional stuff for TDLF is taking up a lot more time than I imagined, which isn't a bad thing because, after all, it means that there IS promotional stuff happening, but it also eats into my writing time. Which is why, er, I suppose that I should have listened to the gajillions of people who told me to write my second book as soon as my first one sold...rather than waiting until three months before it's released. Oops.
BUT. Some very good things happened. This is what I'm currently doing: I have 40k words already written. But I've changed some fundamental parts of the plot and characteristics in my heroine, such that a decent part of these 40k words need to be overhauled. So right now, I'm making my way through these pages - I got up to page 30 this week, and my goal (remember I talked about how important it is to set concrete goals) is to have revised ALL 150 or so pages that I've written by the end of March, when I head to Mexico for vacation. (Yahoo!) I actually think I'll finish this MUCH earlier, but you never know, so this is a reasonable, attainable goal. (Which is another critical factor in finding success - setting realistic goal rather than "I'm going to lose 20 pounds in a month" goals.)
More important than the actual 30 pages of revisions is the fact that I finally started to get a real feel for my heroine - get inside of her head and fully understand what motivates her, why she is how she is, and how this will affect her trajectory for the rest of her journey in the book. How, you might ask, did I write 150 pages without fully getting her? Well, I sort of equate it to the difference between being a good actor - someone who can cry on cue but never quite convince the audience that she's actually mourning - and a great actor - someone who full inhabits the role to the point where you really believe that she's experiencing the life of the character she's playing (hello, Kate Winslet!). And this is what I was doing with my heroine: I was writing her in such a way that she was believable, but fully inhabitable. And that's because I didn't inhabit her myself. But now, we've clicked, and I'm thinking about her and her story and where it will go nearly all the time. It even woke me up last night, and that's saying a lot from a seriously sleep-deprived me.
Okay, so that's where I'm at. How about you? Did I make any sense? Can you tell when someone is smiling for the camera and smiling because she really believes the reasons behind her smile? (Figuratively speaking.)
Friday, February 16, 2007
Do You Want It Hard or Soft?
(That's what she said!)...Er, sorry, that's my homage to The Office. (Jim!!! Pam!!! What are you doing???!!?)
You mentioned in a previous post that getting a hardcover deal was important to you. What are the pros of this? Is hardcover better than trade paperback?
Ooh, goooood question, and I definitely want other people to weigh in with their thoughts.
NO. Let me say first that there's no "better," or "worse." There's really only what's best for your particular book. And in my case, I felt, as did my agent, that hardcover was the right way to release TDLF. How did we reach that conclusion? Well, other books that it was being compared to, such as Good Grief and The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters, were released in hardcover...and did really well. So clearly, the demographic for my book can and will buy hardcover. Second, hardcover books tend (and I say tend because this is evolving) to get more reviews, and reviews sell books. Third, like it or not, hardcover books are often considered more "prestigious" by people in the industry (and I put that word in quotes because it's a terrible adjective to use, but I'm lacking a better one), and so they might get a bigger push by everyone from your in-house publicist to your sales team to a buyer at Barnes and Noble. (And btw, please know that I'm just passing along what I've heard. I certainly don't believe that my book is any more prestigious or important or whatever than a gazillion wonderful trade paperbacks that I've read.) There's also the fact that, I think, libraries are more likely to order hardcovers than paperback, and libraries can definitely make a dent in your sales. (Correct me if I'm wrong about this.)
NOW. There are also a lot of benefits to coming out in trade paperback. The most obvious is price point. A LOT of people don't want to shell out twenty bucks or more for a book for which there's no guarantee that they'll like. (Though interestingly enough, a book will last you a lot longer than a movie, and these days, tix to the movies for two people are about the same as a hardcover, at least in NYC. Let's not even factor in the price of the evening once you've added in a babysitter and dinner!) I think this is really true for the chick lit market or for first-time writers. You simply might not be able to get people to shell out for an unproven author or for a lighter story. Especially the younger demographic who doesn't have as much disposable income. I think, and this is just my guess, you're also more likely to get book clubs to select trade paperbacks than hardcovers, and book clubs can really bolster sales, especially through word of mouth.
There's also the added pressure of coming out in hardcover vs. trade. I think that the publishing house tends to have greater expectations with their hardcovers, and if you fall short - which you well might, given the price point - your next book deal might be a no-go.
Speaking of reviews (well, I speaking of them in the earlier paragraphs), time for a tiny brag...:)
Booklist just had this to say about TDLF:
"Scotch handles the topic of cancer with humor and hope, never dipping into the maudlin. The changes and realizations that the characters make are profound and moving. An impressive debut."
Anyway, I'd LOVE to hear what other people think about hardcover vs. trade paperback. Please weigh in!
You mentioned in a previous post that getting a hardcover deal was important to you. What are the pros of this? Is hardcover better than trade paperback?
Ooh, goooood question, and I definitely want other people to weigh in with their thoughts.
NO. Let me say first that there's no "better," or "worse." There's really only what's best for your particular book. And in my case, I felt, as did my agent, that hardcover was the right way to release TDLF. How did we reach that conclusion? Well, other books that it was being compared to, such as Good Grief and The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters, were released in hardcover...and did really well. So clearly, the demographic for my book can and will buy hardcover. Second, hardcover books tend (and I say tend because this is evolving) to get more reviews, and reviews sell books. Third, like it or not, hardcover books are often considered more "prestigious" by people in the industry (and I put that word in quotes because it's a terrible adjective to use, but I'm lacking a better one), and so they might get a bigger push by everyone from your in-house publicist to your sales team to a buyer at Barnes and Noble. (And btw, please know that I'm just passing along what I've heard. I certainly don't believe that my book is any more prestigious or important or whatever than a gazillion wonderful trade paperbacks that I've read.) There's also the fact that, I think, libraries are more likely to order hardcovers than paperback, and libraries can definitely make a dent in your sales. (Correct me if I'm wrong about this.)
NOW. There are also a lot of benefits to coming out in trade paperback. The most obvious is price point. A LOT of people don't want to shell out twenty bucks or more for a book for which there's no guarantee that they'll like. (Though interestingly enough, a book will last you a lot longer than a movie, and these days, tix to the movies for two people are about the same as a hardcover, at least in NYC. Let's not even factor in the price of the evening once you've added in a babysitter and dinner!) I think this is really true for the chick lit market or for first-time writers. You simply might not be able to get people to shell out for an unproven author or for a lighter story. Especially the younger demographic who doesn't have as much disposable income. I think, and this is just my guess, you're also more likely to get book clubs to select trade paperbacks than hardcovers, and book clubs can really bolster sales, especially through word of mouth.
There's also the added pressure of coming out in hardcover vs. trade. I think that the publishing house tends to have greater expectations with their hardcovers, and if you fall short - which you well might, given the price point - your next book deal might be a no-go.
Speaking of reviews (well, I speaking of them in the earlier paragraphs), time for a tiny brag...:)
Booklist just had this to say about TDLF:
"Scotch handles the topic of cancer with humor and hope, never dipping into the maudlin. The changes and realizations that the characters make are profound and moving. An impressive debut."
Anyway, I'd LOVE to hear what other people think about hardcover vs. trade paperback. Please weigh in!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Get Unboxed!
Hey guys,
I'm guest-blogging today at Writer Unboxed, a fabulous resource for all levels of writers. Actually, I'm not really guest-blogging, I'm now a semi-regular contributor, but you get the idea.
Check it out!
I'm guest-blogging today at Writer Unboxed, a fabulous resource for all levels of writers. Actually, I'm not really guest-blogging, I'm now a semi-regular contributor, but you get the idea.
Check it out!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Decisions, Decisions
I'm in the fortunate position of having two agent offers for my novel. I know that you were in a similar position, so how did you decide which one to choose? I have phone calls set up with them later this week, but I'm stressed out about the decision! I didn't think I'd ever find myself in this position, and I have no idea what to do.
First of all, congrats!! You're in a very enviable situation, and your book must be a winner. Whoohoo!
Okay, down to business. You've already taken the right steps - namely, but setting up conversations with both of the agents. If you live nearby, you might even suggest that you meet in person - over lunch or in their offices - to get an even better feel for them. When you're on the phone, don't be afraid to ask them questions that will help you make your decision. For example, one of the agents who offered to rep me felt very strongly that TDLF was a trade paperback book. While my current agent (and obviously the offer I accepted!) felt very strongly that it was a hardcover book. And clearly, she was the one I agreed with. Ask them how they plan to shop it around - spread it to a dozen agents or limit it to a few "perfect" matches to begin with; ask them where they see your book falling in the marketplace; ask them how they like to work with authors - filling you in on news when it happens or checking in with you often. Etc. There are numerous other questions that you can (and should) ask...and my guess is that the agents will have different answers and different approaches. The one that falls more in sync with your line of thinking should be the one you sign with, even if the other is a bigger name or someone who you "thought" you should go with. Per my post yesterday, there's no right agent for you until he or she goes to work for you, and you might find yourself surprised to lean one way when you anticipated leaning the other.
The other factor is something far less tangible, and that's one of chemistry. Most authors who have had to choose between two or more agents will tell you that there was just something intrinsic in the way that they clicked with the agent they chose. I know this was certainly true in my case. My agent and I were practically finishing each other's sentences by the end of our phone call...and I knew she was the right one for me.
Good luck whomever you choose!
So readers, ever had to choose between more than one agent? If so, how did you make your decision?
First of all, congrats!! You're in a very enviable situation, and your book must be a winner. Whoohoo!
Okay, down to business. You've already taken the right steps - namely, but setting up conversations with both of the agents. If you live nearby, you might even suggest that you meet in person - over lunch or in their offices - to get an even better feel for them. When you're on the phone, don't be afraid to ask them questions that will help you make your decision. For example, one of the agents who offered to rep me felt very strongly that TDLF was a trade paperback book. While my current agent (and obviously the offer I accepted!) felt very strongly that it was a hardcover book. And clearly, she was the one I agreed with. Ask them how they plan to shop it around - spread it to a dozen agents or limit it to a few "perfect" matches to begin with; ask them where they see your book falling in the marketplace; ask them how they like to work with authors - filling you in on news when it happens or checking in with you often. Etc. There are numerous other questions that you can (and should) ask...and my guess is that the agents will have different answers and different approaches. The one that falls more in sync with your line of thinking should be the one you sign with, even if the other is a bigger name or someone who you "thought" you should go with. Per my post yesterday, there's no right agent for you until he or she goes to work for you, and you might find yourself surprised to lean one way when you anticipated leaning the other.
The other factor is something far less tangible, and that's one of chemistry. Most authors who have had to choose between two or more agents will tell you that there was just something intrinsic in the way that they clicked with the agent they chose. I know this was certainly true in my case. My agent and I were practically finishing each other's sentences by the end of our phone call...and I knew she was the right one for me.
Good luck whomever you choose!
So readers, ever had to choose between more than one agent? If so, how did you make your decision?
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Any Seattle-ites Out There?
Hey guys,
If you're from Seattle and read this blog, would you be interested in a book signing/reading on either May 23rd or May 29th? We're trying to gauge interest and determine a head count before we book it. (No crowd = no signing.) :(
Feel free to email me and let me know, or you can post here.
Thanks!
If you're from Seattle and read this blog, would you be interested in a book signing/reading on either May 23rd or May 29th? We're trying to gauge interest and determine a head count before we book it. (No crowd = no signing.) :(
Feel free to email me and let me know, or you can post here.
Thanks!
How Long is Too Long?
(I'm so glad that so many of you guys want to tag along and post progress reports each Monday - see you then!)
Question of the day: I've been on the agent hunt for a few months, with a little success, but no agent as of yet. My dream agent requested a full about two and a half months ago, and I haven't heard anything back. Should I nudge her or should I just leave it alone?
Well, let me start by saying I think you need to remove "dream agent," from your vocabulary. There is no such thing as a dream agent with whom you aren't signed. Why? Because until an agent goes to work for you, you have no idea if, in fact, he or she really is a dream. I can't tell you how many stories I hear from fellow writers who signed with big names or people who were deemed "dreams," only to discover that these agents were closer to nightmares. Of course you can (and should) aspire to be signed by specific agents - I mean, how else would you conduct an efficient agent search? But so many writers sign with agents who ended up becoming dream agents, agents who respond quickly, agents who sell their work, agents who help them craft their future books, etc - and these agents might not have even been on these writers' top 10 lists. It's what an agent does for you that makes him or her a dream.
Anyhoo, is 2 1/2 months long enough? I dunno. Miss Snark says that it is not - that 90 days is standard in the industry - and that even then, she has loads of fulls that she hasn't read. If I were you (which I'm not), I'd probably check in with the agent, even if it's to get an ETA. I don't think you'll be considered a pest, and hey, if you are, after 2 1/2 months, you should consider whether or not this is a person with whom you'd want to work. Too many writers forget that they do have a tiny bit of power when it comes to finding an agent: namely, they can decide if they're willing to tolerate people who treat them like doormats (not that silence for 2 1/2 months means that he or she is treating you like a doormat, but finding you a pest might be), and if you're NOT willing to work with someone who deems you annoying after nearly three months, then you have your answer about whether he or she is your dream agent.
So...what say you? Would you check in or shut up and wait?
Question of the day: I've been on the agent hunt for a few months, with a little success, but no agent as of yet. My dream agent requested a full about two and a half months ago, and I haven't heard anything back. Should I nudge her or should I just leave it alone?
Well, let me start by saying I think you need to remove "dream agent," from your vocabulary. There is no such thing as a dream agent with whom you aren't signed. Why? Because until an agent goes to work for you, you have no idea if, in fact, he or she really is a dream. I can't tell you how many stories I hear from fellow writers who signed with big names or people who were deemed "dreams," only to discover that these agents were closer to nightmares. Of course you can (and should) aspire to be signed by specific agents - I mean, how else would you conduct an efficient agent search? But so many writers sign with agents who ended up becoming dream agents, agents who respond quickly, agents who sell their work, agents who help them craft their future books, etc - and these agents might not have even been on these writers' top 10 lists. It's what an agent does for you that makes him or her a dream.
Anyhoo, is 2 1/2 months long enough? I dunno. Miss Snark says that it is not - that 90 days is standard in the industry - and that even then, she has loads of fulls that she hasn't read. If I were you (which I'm not), I'd probably check in with the agent, even if it's to get an ETA. I don't think you'll be considered a pest, and hey, if you are, after 2 1/2 months, you should consider whether or not this is a person with whom you'd want to work. Too many writers forget that they do have a tiny bit of power when it comes to finding an agent: namely, they can decide if they're willing to tolerate people who treat them like doormats (not that silence for 2 1/2 months means that he or she is treating you like a doormat, but finding you a pest might be), and if you're NOT willing to work with someone who deems you annoying after nearly three months, then you have your answer about whether he or she is your dream agent.
So...what say you? Would you check in or shut up and wait?
Monday, February 12, 2007
I'm Back In the Saddle
Okay, after a fantastic conversation with my fantabulous agent, I'm diving back into book #2 today. I'm so excited to dig in. She and I brainstormed some new ideas and new directions for the WIP, and just getting a new perspective has really gotten my creative juices flowing.
So...I'll be posting my progress every Monday - letting you guys know how I'm doing and thus, holding myself accountable to really digging in and writing. Oh, and did I mention that my agent is hoping to see a draft in May? Yikes. But a deadline really gets my rear in gear, so this is a good thing.
If you're stymied, try bouncing some ideas off of an objective reader and setting deadlines for yourself. It might really help. And if you want to join me in posting your own writing progress every Monday, please do!
In other news, Publishers Weekly just called The Department of Lost and Found, "a bonbon of a book." (That's a good thing, right?) Yahoo!
So...I'll be posting my progress every Monday - letting you guys know how I'm doing and thus, holding myself accountable to really digging in and writing. Oh, and did I mention that my agent is hoping to see a draft in May? Yikes. But a deadline really gets my rear in gear, so this is a good thing.
If you're stymied, try bouncing some ideas off of an objective reader and setting deadlines for yourself. It might really help. And if you want to join me in posting your own writing progress every Monday, please do!
In other news, Publishers Weekly just called The Department of Lost and Found, "a bonbon of a book." (That's a good thing, right?) Yahoo!
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Learning to Let Go
Super practical advice sought: I am curious how you stay organized as a freelancer. My problem right now is I have a ton of ideas and often find myself overwhelmed as to how to prioritize researching, reporting, finding a market and pitching... I have notebooks and a word documents - I've tried spreadsheets and sticky notes... and I want to pursue more stories than I really have time to do well (I'm not a full-time freelancer yet).
Organizational systems are very personal but I am curious what method works for you - not just how you stay on top of deadlines, follow ups, clippings/research, etc. but also how you "triage" - determine which ideas to nurture and which to shelve for the time being.
As you noted, organizational systems are very personal - what works for one gal won't fly for another - but, as I've said here in the past, the only thing that keeps me organized is heavy-duty list-making. I write down every last thing, from errands to phone calls to story deadlines, and cross them off as I go. There's little more fulfilling than slashing through a to-do, and I seriously get a rush from it. In fact, I've been really delinquent this week with my list-making - I'm moving into a new office and literally just haven't taken out my pad of paper - and I feel really scattered as a result. And really unproductive.
As far as story triage, this is something that I really had to learn on the job. Sort of like a med student who gets better with practice. When I started out, I can't even tell you how many story ideas I probably beat to death - researching endlessly, pitching endlessly, convinced that they'd make a fab feature in BIG NAME magazine. As the years went on, I simply got a better sense of what editors were looking for, and I'm really not sure that you can figure this out via anything other than experience.
I guess one key is to go beyond the obvious. Editors have seen EVERY idea under the sun. They really don't want another "10 great ways to lose weight" idea. Yes, the want to publish an article on losing weight, but they want to hear about surprising angles and tips. And if you send them the same-old, same-old, you'll be wasting both your time and hers.
Another key is to poke around and see how much research there is to back up your idea, and how many tangents you can tie into it. What I mean by this is that often times, writers might envision their story idea as a feature but there just isn't enough interesting info or anything new to say on the subject. So if you're going to push for a big story, make sure that it is, indeed, a big story.
Of course, if there's a subject that really is near and dear to your heart, then keep at it. I've heard of writers landing stories or essays after 100 pitches. Would I pitch something 100 times? Probably not. I'd probably hit all of the magazines for which I think the story is a good idea, and if none of them bite, I'd put it on the backburner until a new market pops up or the timing is better for the story. (For example, if I'm pitching a breast cancer story, I might revisit it to hit magazine's breast cancer month issues.) This brings up my final point: make sure that you're pitching the right outlets! You'd be amazed at how many writers pitch beauty stories to a magazine that really doesn't cover beauty or a story on STDs to a magazine aimed at married moms. (Not to say that married moms aren't interested in STDs, but the editors aren't likely to bite because it's not just a subject that is universally interesting to their audience.)
So...how do you deal with story triage? When do you move on from an idea?
Organizational systems are very personal but I am curious what method works for you - not just how you stay on top of deadlines, follow ups, clippings/research, etc. but also how you "triage" - determine which ideas to nurture and which to shelve for the time being.
As you noted, organizational systems are very personal - what works for one gal won't fly for another - but, as I've said here in the past, the only thing that keeps me organized is heavy-duty list-making. I write down every last thing, from errands to phone calls to story deadlines, and cross them off as I go. There's little more fulfilling than slashing through a to-do, and I seriously get a rush from it. In fact, I've been really delinquent this week with my list-making - I'm moving into a new office and literally just haven't taken out my pad of paper - and I feel really scattered as a result. And really unproductive.
As far as story triage, this is something that I really had to learn on the job. Sort of like a med student who gets better with practice. When I started out, I can't even tell you how many story ideas I probably beat to death - researching endlessly, pitching endlessly, convinced that they'd make a fab feature in BIG NAME magazine. As the years went on, I simply got a better sense of what editors were looking for, and I'm really not sure that you can figure this out via anything other than experience.
I guess one key is to go beyond the obvious. Editors have seen EVERY idea under the sun. They really don't want another "10 great ways to lose weight" idea. Yes, the want to publish an article on losing weight, but they want to hear about surprising angles and tips. And if you send them the same-old, same-old, you'll be wasting both your time and hers.
Another key is to poke around and see how much research there is to back up your idea, and how many tangents you can tie into it. What I mean by this is that often times, writers might envision their story idea as a feature but there just isn't enough interesting info or anything new to say on the subject. So if you're going to push for a big story, make sure that it is, indeed, a big story.
Of course, if there's a subject that really is near and dear to your heart, then keep at it. I've heard of writers landing stories or essays after 100 pitches. Would I pitch something 100 times? Probably not. I'd probably hit all of the magazines for which I think the story is a good idea, and if none of them bite, I'd put it on the backburner until a new market pops up or the timing is better for the story. (For example, if I'm pitching a breast cancer story, I might revisit it to hit magazine's breast cancer month issues.) This brings up my final point: make sure that you're pitching the right outlets! You'd be amazed at how many writers pitch beauty stories to a magazine that really doesn't cover beauty or a story on STDs to a magazine aimed at married moms. (Not to say that married moms aren't interested in STDs, but the editors aren't likely to bite because it's not just a subject that is universally interesting to their audience.)
So...how do you deal with story triage? When do you move on from an idea?
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Can This Damn Thing Earn Me Some Dough?
I'm curious if you make any income from your blog? If so, can you tell me a little bit about how that all works? Seems like a "hot topic" in the freelance writing world these days.
Er, no. I don't make diddly from this monstrosity. If only. :)
I don't think that blogs have become a hot topic because of the possibility of income. Rather, they're all the rage because they allow writers a bit of self-expression without any editorial constraints, and they're also an excellent promotional and marketing tool.
That said, I do think that HUGE blogs, like PerezHilton.com (um, not that I read it, like, four times a day), generate income from ad sales. But unless you're bringing in hundreds of thousands of hits, I'd say this is unlikely.
But then again, I'm not sure. Anyone else out there have any other thoughts?
Er, no. I don't make diddly from this monstrosity. If only. :)
I don't think that blogs have become a hot topic because of the possibility of income. Rather, they're all the rage because they allow writers a bit of self-expression without any editorial constraints, and they're also an excellent promotional and marketing tool.
That said, I do think that HUGE blogs, like PerezHilton.com (um, not that I read it, like, four times a day), generate income from ad sales. But unless you're bringing in hundreds of thousands of hits, I'd say this is unlikely.
But then again, I'm not sure. Anyone else out there have any other thoughts?
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Breaking into Mags - A New Question
How do you begin writing for magazines? Do they ask you, or do you submit material? Do you need to be an expert at a particular topic? How does that work?
There are some good posts in the archives of the blog on smart strategies for getting started, but generally, unless you're an established book author or something similar, you're going to have to submit. And by submit, I mean you're going to have to come up with some unique ideas - editors are always looking for "fresh" angles on the same-old, same-old subjects - and email them to the correct editor. You'll probably have to do this at least several dozen times before you crack anything. Sorry! That's just the truth. How do you craft an idea? Again, there's more detail in the archives, but basically, think of something that would make an interesting story, then come up with an angle that hasn't been covered to death, then toss in some interesting research. Or maybe go at it the reverse way: find a cool new study, then fashion a pitch around it.
You don't have to be an expert in the field, but it's certainly easier if you have some level of familiarity with your subject. For example, of late, I've been doing A TON of parenting stories. Why? I have two kids. But I didn't start writing for parenting magazines until I got pregnant because I simply had no knowledge about what would or wouldn't be interesting to editors/readers, and furthermore, I had no knowledge about any of those potentially interesting subjects. In other words, even if I knew that a story on vaccinations might be interesting, I didn't know anything about the vaccinations themselves, so the learning curve and level of research required would have been huge and too time-consuming to be worth my while. To that end, I do a lot of health and fitness writing because, well, I'm a pretty fit and health-focused gal, so it doesn't take a lot for me to develop story ideas OR to research said articles. Make sense? It's not that I have to have a Ph.D or M.D to write these stories, but I should have a good working base of knowledge. Besides, I'll interview those Ph.Ds and M.D.s for my story.
Does that help? What about you guys? How "expert" are you when it comes to the stories you write?
Monday, February 05, 2007
The Magic Ticket
In your opinion, what's the key to getting an agent and then a book deal?
Okay, not to sound like Miss Snark here because as we know, I don't always agree with her, but honestly, there's no special key, secret handshake or magic ticket. The key is to write a good book. Period.
Actually, I'll amend that. There are SO many agents out there, I'd say that the key to getting an agent is to write a pretty good book. These days, some agents are willing to take on diamonds in the rough and work with writers until the ms is ready to send out. But there's just no way that you're going to get a book deal if you write a crap book. Too many people have to approve the purchase of said book (see a previous blog entry on how difficult it is for a book to get bought - usually upwards of 5-7 people have to agree on the purchase) for it to be drivel.
Now. All of that said, an enormous amount of shitty books are published, and honestly, I have no idea how or why. But I'm guessing it's because these books appeal to a market and the publisher knows that even if the novel isn't going to win any awards, people are going to read it because, let's be honest here, book preferences are totally subjective and while I'm not likely to buy, for example, a romance novel, hundreds of thousands of others are. So what I might consider crap, others - and this includes agents and editors - might consider good writing. Or at least marketable writing.
So...how do so many bad books get published anyway? And how do they find agents and editors?
Okay, not to sound like Miss Snark here because as we know, I don't always agree with her, but honestly, there's no special key, secret handshake or magic ticket. The key is to write a good book. Period.
Actually, I'll amend that. There are SO many agents out there, I'd say that the key to getting an agent is to write a pretty good book. These days, some agents are willing to take on diamonds in the rough and work with writers until the ms is ready to send out. But there's just no way that you're going to get a book deal if you write a crap book. Too many people have to approve the purchase of said book (see a previous blog entry on how difficult it is for a book to get bought - usually upwards of 5-7 people have to agree on the purchase) for it to be drivel.
Now. All of that said, an enormous amount of shitty books are published, and honestly, I have no idea how or why. But I'm guessing it's because these books appeal to a market and the publisher knows that even if the novel isn't going to win any awards, people are going to read it because, let's be honest here, book preferences are totally subjective and while I'm not likely to buy, for example, a romance novel, hundreds of thousands of others are. So what I might consider crap, others - and this includes agents and editors - might consider good writing. Or at least marketable writing.
So...how do so many bad books get published anyway? And how do they find agents and editors?
Friday, February 02, 2007
Hi, I'm Allison, and I'm a Writer
I'm curious how you deal with people who don't consider what you do to be a real "job." I'm so tired of the little ribbing comments by friends and even a few family members who think that "writer" is the same thing as "unemployed."
Ah yes, the old dinner party conversation of, "oh, you're a writer? What sort of things do you do?" Cue: smug glances to the rest of the party, suspecting that the answer will be penning love letters in my Strawberry Shortcake journal or such.
I have to say, after years of answering such idiotic questions, I still get immense satisfaction out of saying, "Well, I have a novel coming out this year, and I write for X, Y, and Z magazines." I dunno, call me immature, call me competitive, call me someone who likes to one-up people who try to one-up me...whatever. I still enjoy it. If only because they're so intent on assuming that what I do is nothing more than a hobby. Yes, in fact, I remember one friend of my in-laws asking me just that: how my writing hobby was coming along and then stating how nice it was that I had something to fill my time. As if she were referring to gardening or something. Snort.
Anyhoo, I deal with folks who make these snide insinuations by a) letting them know that I'm a professional, as indicated by my comments above. As soon as you firmly let them know that you're not a hack, their smugness usually turns to tail-between-the-legs admiration pretty quickly, and there's little I enjoy more than watching these asshats try to dig themselves out of these holes. I also b) shrug off the fact that people judge what I do for a living. (Yes, I really do shrug it off, despite the enormous satisfaction I derive from proving them wrong.) I mean, what am I going to do - go around changing the minds of people who assume that "freelance writer" is synonymous with "freeloader?" Indeed, I'm not. If people want to think that I waste my days away watching Days of Our Lives and Oprah, well, what can I do about it? They don't see the checks coming in or the phone ringing or my Outlook inbox filling up. I think changing their impressions of you only matters when they're interfering with your writing time: the neighbor who assumes you don't have anything to do all day so keeps stopping by; your child's friend's mom who keeps trying to set up playdates during office hours. To these folks, I just say, "you know, even though I work from home, I treat it like any other office job, so I really can't be available during this time. I'm sorry." Period.
How do you guys handle folks who assume you're nothing but a loafer?
Ah yes, the old dinner party conversation of, "oh, you're a writer? What sort of things do you do?" Cue: smug glances to the rest of the party, suspecting that the answer will be penning love letters in my Strawberry Shortcake journal or such.
I have to say, after years of answering such idiotic questions, I still get immense satisfaction out of saying, "Well, I have a novel coming out this year, and I write for X, Y, and Z magazines." I dunno, call me immature, call me competitive, call me someone who likes to one-up people who try to one-up me...whatever. I still enjoy it. If only because they're so intent on assuming that what I do is nothing more than a hobby. Yes, in fact, I remember one friend of my in-laws asking me just that: how my writing hobby was coming along and then stating how nice it was that I had something to fill my time. As if she were referring to gardening or something. Snort.
Anyhoo, I deal with folks who make these snide insinuations by a) letting them know that I'm a professional, as indicated by my comments above. As soon as you firmly let them know that you're not a hack, their smugness usually turns to tail-between-the-legs admiration pretty quickly, and there's little I enjoy more than watching these asshats try to dig themselves out of these holes. I also b) shrug off the fact that people judge what I do for a living. (Yes, I really do shrug it off, despite the enormous satisfaction I derive from proving them wrong.) I mean, what am I going to do - go around changing the minds of people who assume that "freelance writer" is synonymous with "freeloader?" Indeed, I'm not. If people want to think that I waste my days away watching Days of Our Lives and Oprah, well, what can I do about it? They don't see the checks coming in or the phone ringing or my Outlook inbox filling up. I think changing their impressions of you only matters when they're interfering with your writing time: the neighbor who assumes you don't have anything to do all day so keeps stopping by; your child's friend's mom who keeps trying to set up playdates during office hours. To these folks, I just say, "you know, even though I work from home, I treat it like any other office job, so I really can't be available during this time. I'm sorry." Period.
How do you guys handle folks who assume you're nothing but a loafer?
Thursday, February 01, 2007
The Persistence Payoff!
Taking a break from the Q/As today to bring you a real life example of how tenacity in this business can really pay off. Some of you might peruse the hilarious musings of Manic Mom over on her blog, and after a looooong agent search, she landed an agent! Whoohoo! Send her good vibes because her ms is out on submission now. Here, her story...
How many agents did you query before you found one?
I queried approximately 152 agents.
Did you ever feel like giving up?
I did feel like giving up plenty of times, but someone from a writer's loop I belong to wrote that it takes Talent, Persistence and Timing in this biz. I pasted this little note on my computer desk that says TPT--Talent, Persistence, Timing and I look at it every day. Also, underneath it, I found a quote I wrote down too: "A published author is an amateur who doesn't quit." I had said to myself, "I'll quit at 100 agents" but then that came and went and I didn't want to give up.
How did you sustain the belief in both yourself and your work? How many drafts of your ms did you go through? Did certain agents give you feedback and if so, did you listen to it and incorporate it into your drafts?
Sustaining the belief: I think because I received great feedback from the very first query I sent out, and kept getting the queries that made suggestions, and that kept me going. In terms of how many drafts, I would say about three or four times I made major revisions, and most of these revisions were inspired by agents who didn't take me on but offered great advice, which was invaluable to me (is invaluable the correct word? LOL). So, yes, the feedback I got from other agents I totally took to heart. One suggested it be cut by 100 pages. I did that. She was absolutely right. Others said there needed to be more conflict. I amped up the conflict. Many said they weren't too compassionate toward my main character, or she wasn't believable--some of that type of stuff I just let ride, because just like how one person loves war movies, another one may hate war movies, so I knew that some things couldn't be changed to make everybody happy.
How did you know that this agent was the one?
I knew this agent was right for me because she called me! LOL... seriously though, she has a great background and comes from a well-known agency, she has sold six-figure non-fiction deals, but she is just now getting heavy into selling fiction, so it might have been a risk, but no matter who a writer goes with for an agent, there's always some risk involved...
And in terms of the wanting to give up... when I told my mom I got an agent, she said, "I thought you were going to quit searching after 100 queries." Then I said to her, "And if I had quit, mom, I wouldn't have an agent now!"
How many agents did you query before you found one?
I queried approximately 152 agents.
Did you ever feel like giving up?
I did feel like giving up plenty of times, but someone from a writer's loop I belong to wrote that it takes Talent, Persistence and Timing in this biz. I pasted this little note on my computer desk that says TPT--Talent, Persistence, Timing and I look at it every day. Also, underneath it, I found a quote I wrote down too: "A published author is an amateur who doesn't quit." I had said to myself, "I'll quit at 100 agents" but then that came and went and I didn't want to give up.
How did you sustain the belief in both yourself and your work? How many drafts of your ms did you go through? Did certain agents give you feedback and if so, did you listen to it and incorporate it into your drafts?
Sustaining the belief: I think because I received great feedback from the very first query I sent out, and kept getting the queries that made suggestions, and that kept me going. In terms of how many drafts, I would say about three or four times I made major revisions, and most of these revisions were inspired by agents who didn't take me on but offered great advice, which was invaluable to me (is invaluable the correct word? LOL). So, yes, the feedback I got from other agents I totally took to heart. One suggested it be cut by 100 pages. I did that. She was absolutely right. Others said there needed to be more conflict. I amped up the conflict. Many said they weren't too compassionate toward my main character, or she wasn't believable--some of that type of stuff I just let ride, because just like how one person loves war movies, another one may hate war movies, so I knew that some things couldn't be changed to make everybody happy.
How did you know that this agent was the one?
I knew this agent was right for me because she called me! LOL... seriously though, she has a great background and comes from a well-known agency, she has sold six-figure non-fiction deals, but she is just now getting heavy into selling fiction, so it might have been a risk, but no matter who a writer goes with for an agent, there's always some risk involved...
And in terms of the wanting to give up... when I told my mom I got an agent, she said, "I thought you were going to quit searching after 100 queries." Then I said to her, "And if I had quit, mom, I wouldn't have an agent now!"
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Foreign Rights Dinero
I was just wondering, since your publisher sold your book rights in Spanish, do you see any money from that deal? Or does it all go to HarperCollins?
Good question, and for it, there's a quick and easy answer (which I already emailed back to you). But I'm posting it publicly anyway because I think it's important that people know what to expect when they get their contracts, AND that they read said contracts.
The answer is that yes, I see do see money from the deal - generally, the author sees 50-80% of the money from the sale. The even better news is that the money that Harper keeps works toward fulfilling my advance. I also get royalties for every book sold. Foreign rights royalties usually fall somewhere around 10%, give or take a few points.
See? Quick and easy, as promised.
Good question, and for it, there's a quick and easy answer (which I already emailed back to you). But I'm posting it publicly anyway because I think it's important that people know what to expect when they get their contracts, AND that they read said contracts.
The answer is that yes, I see do see money from the deal - generally, the author sees 50-80% of the money from the sale. The even better news is that the money that Harper keeps works toward fulfilling my advance. I also get royalties for every book sold. Foreign rights royalties usually fall somewhere around 10%, give or take a few points.
See? Quick and easy, as promised.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Co-authoring Complications
A few months, I was approached by a scientist who wanted to explore the possibility of my working on a book with him. We made no commitments to each other, other than to discuss his general idea and to toss around some title ideas. When we parted, he was still deciding if he wanted to work with me, or even do the book at all. Coincidentally, during this time, he met with a former employer of mine who now runs a foundation whose work is related to his field. He had a long conversation with her about ways they might collaborate to help their ideas reach a broader popular audience. He mentioned to her that he was "thinking" of writing a book with me.
A month or two passed, during which I contacted him about the book, to see if he had come to any decisions. He didn't respond to my e-mail. Then a few days ago, I received a call from my former employer. She spoke glowingly of her conversation with the scientist, then asked if I
would be interested in developing a series of interviews or white papers for her foundation on him and other scientists working in the same field.
I followed up with the scientist to let him know about the foundation's offer, and that I was considering it. I told him it did not preclude my working with him on the book if at some point he decided to do so. He was incensed, and indicated he felt the foundation had stolen his idea. He didn't accuse me of impropriety, but the suggestion was there. I can't see that any proprietary idea has been stolen; the articles the foundation requests are quite different in nature from the book idea and would likely be complementary, if anything.
But now what? I am clearly obligated to keep the scientist's creative ideas confidential, and of course I will do so. But am I obligated to turn down the foundation's offer of work (which is
likely to be better-paying and more of a sure thing than the book)? Is it possible to rectify my relationship with the scientist, or is that bridge forever burned?
So...let me make sure I have this all straight: a scientist contacts you about potentially co-authoring a book. At the same time, he contacts your old boss at a foundation about ways that they can mutually help and promote each other. Your old boss asks you to write about said scientist and his specialty in order to do just that. And when you call him to find out if he's interested, he implies that you've acted unethically?? Oh, and he doesn't return your emails in the lag time?
To be honest, I'm not sure why you'd WANT to work with this guy on a book. I can't speak to the series of papers for the foundation because, well, I guess if the money is good and ultimately, you're working for your boss, not the scientist, then it might be a bearable situation. But one thing I CAN speak to is co-authoring situations, and this one has red flags waving from left, right and center fields.
I can't tell you how many co-authoring situations I've heard of (and in one instance been involved with) in which the writer is basically abused - taken advantage of because she's the lowly "writer," while the expert is the revered "source," (usually revered only by said source, I should note). Yet, funnily (don't know if that's a real word, but work with me here) enough, the writer is the one who is usually doing all the work. Go figure. Most times in situations like these, the expert views himself as a goldmine, a virtual godsend, and someone for whose book the world salivates. And I'm sorry, I can tolerate a TON of BS from editors, co-authors, etc, but this scientist strikes me as a major pain in the ass already. And you haven't even started writing! What happens when you guys have a disagreement over something small in the book or you start contract negotiations and you want a higher percentage of royalties?
I guess what I'm saying is that I can't see what you've done wrong. A) not only did you not sign a confidentiality agreement with this guy, but B) he approached the foundation looking for more publicity. So I really don't even understand why he blew a gasket. And if something like this will set him off, I'd be very wary of collaborating with him in the future. I suspect you'd always feel like you were walking on eggshells...a horrible feeling when you're supposed to be in an equal partnership with your co-author. I think that writers too often take work with the hopes that it might help their career or even just to have work period, but they don't give a lot of thought as to how it will affect their sanity and self-esteem. The bottom line, at least for me, is that entangling yourself in demoralizing and stressful situations simply isn't worth it...nearly every writer who does this has come to regret it. I'm sorry that you've found yourself in this position - truly - but I'd ask yourself how a long-term relationship with this guy would realistically play out, and if you sense that it might be difficult, I'd count your blessings that you figured this out before proceeding with him, and not give it a second thought.
I know others out there have co-authored books. What say you? Should she move forward with this project?
A month or two passed, during which I contacted him about the book, to see if he had come to any decisions. He didn't respond to my e-mail. Then a few days ago, I received a call from my former employer. She spoke glowingly of her conversation with the scientist, then asked if I
would be interested in developing a series of interviews or white papers for her foundation on him and other scientists working in the same field.
I followed up with the scientist to let him know about the foundation's offer, and that I was considering it. I told him it did not preclude my working with him on the book if at some point he decided to do so. He was incensed, and indicated he felt the foundation had stolen his idea. He didn't accuse me of impropriety, but the suggestion was there. I can't see that any proprietary idea has been stolen; the articles the foundation requests are quite different in nature from the book idea and would likely be complementary, if anything.
But now what? I am clearly obligated to keep the scientist's creative ideas confidential, and of course I will do so. But am I obligated to turn down the foundation's offer of work (which is
likely to be better-paying and more of a sure thing than the book)? Is it possible to rectify my relationship with the scientist, or is that bridge forever burned?
So...let me make sure I have this all straight: a scientist contacts you about potentially co-authoring a book. At the same time, he contacts your old boss at a foundation about ways that they can mutually help and promote each other. Your old boss asks you to write about said scientist and his specialty in order to do just that. And when you call him to find out if he's interested, he implies that you've acted unethically?? Oh, and he doesn't return your emails in the lag time?
To be honest, I'm not sure why you'd WANT to work with this guy on a book. I can't speak to the series of papers for the foundation because, well, I guess if the money is good and ultimately, you're working for your boss, not the scientist, then it might be a bearable situation. But one thing I CAN speak to is co-authoring situations, and this one has red flags waving from left, right and center fields.
I can't tell you how many co-authoring situations I've heard of (and in one instance been involved with) in which the writer is basically abused - taken advantage of because she's the lowly "writer," while the expert is the revered "source," (usually revered only by said source, I should note). Yet, funnily (don't know if that's a real word, but work with me here) enough, the writer is the one who is usually doing all the work. Go figure. Most times in situations like these, the expert views himself as a goldmine, a virtual godsend, and someone for whose book the world salivates. And I'm sorry, I can tolerate a TON of BS from editors, co-authors, etc, but this scientist strikes me as a major pain in the ass already. And you haven't even started writing! What happens when you guys have a disagreement over something small in the book or you start contract negotiations and you want a higher percentage of royalties?
I guess what I'm saying is that I can't see what you've done wrong. A) not only did you not sign a confidentiality agreement with this guy, but B) he approached the foundation looking for more publicity. So I really don't even understand why he blew a gasket. And if something like this will set him off, I'd be very wary of collaborating with him in the future. I suspect you'd always feel like you were walking on eggshells...a horrible feeling when you're supposed to be in an equal partnership with your co-author. I think that writers too often take work with the hopes that it might help their career or even just to have work period, but they don't give a lot of thought as to how it will affect their sanity and self-esteem. The bottom line, at least for me, is that entangling yourself in demoralizing and stressful situations simply isn't worth it...nearly every writer who does this has come to regret it. I'm sorry that you've found yourself in this position - truly - but I'd ask yourself how a long-term relationship with this guy would realistically play out, and if you sense that it might be difficult, I'd count your blessings that you figured this out before proceeding with him, and not give it a second thought.
I know others out there have co-authored books. What say you? Should she move forward with this project?
Friday, January 26, 2007
More Cool News of the Week
Just found out that HarperCollins sold the Spanish rights to my book! Whoohoo! So if you're in Spain and dying to get your hands on the book (erm, in which case, you're probably fluent in spanish and not reading this blog), it will be yours!
Happy weekend all! I'm off to take the little gal for her 7-week check-up!
Happy weekend all! I'm off to take the little gal for her 7-week check-up!
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