So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What?

When I signed on the undotted line to become a client of WordServe Literary, dozens of people began asking me the very questions that were reverberating through my own mind, and contributing their commentary to my interior monologue. As it turned out, thinking through these questions and comments helped me understand some of what might—or might not—happen next.

“I really don’t know what it means to have an agent.” The friend who made this statement happened to be a real estate agent. She loved getting new listings, knowing that other agents would be showing the house at least as much as she would, possible making the sale for her and splitting the commission. I told her that unlike a real estate agent, a writer only has one literary agent working for her at a time. And it’s through the efforts of that agent that the book proposal is submitted to publishers, the bidding war for your book heats up (hey, a girl can dream!), the contract is negotiated, and the movie rights are sold (again with the dreams!).

“How did you find your agent?” In my experience, there are two great ways to find your agent, and the two are somewhat related. One is to attend local, regional, and national writers conferences. While there, you will have a chance to sign up for brief meetings with agents and editors to pitch your work. You’ll also get to meet these industry professionals at meals and during their teaching presentations. Often, after hearing about your project, agents will invite you to submit your proposal and some sample chapters. Do your best to follow through on those invitations! There are plenty of online references to coach you through the writing of a proposal. Get it in tip-top shape (ask a few writer buddies to look it over for you) and send it, with a reference to your previous meeting and the agent’s invitation. But even at large conferences, your opportunity to meet many agents all on your own isn’t too great. That’s where networking with scores of published authors comes in. Build relationships online and at conferences, and it might just happen that one day a favorite writer friend might introduce you to an agent, giving you the gift of a sought-after recommendation and earning you the agent’s attention. That is how I found my agent.

“Why would you want to pay an agent when you can just deal with the publishers yourself and keep the money?” While it’s not impossible, it is not easy to connect with an acquisitions editor at a publishing house and succeed in getting a contract without an agent. At the stage of contract negotiations, I personally would not want to be going it alone. If I did not have an agent and managed to sell my manuscript, I would definitely hire an intellectual property attorney to help me with the legal side of things. In my opinion, a good agent offers so much more than just contract negotiation. A great agent acts a trusted friend, career coach, and mentor. Some like to get involved in shaping your proposal and even some editing of your work, but I would not expect that level of involvement from my agent.

“Why wouldn’t you just self-publish and keep all the money?” More and more, of course, this is becoming a viable alternative to traditional publishing, and it’s an option that has made quite a number of authors wildly successful. I personally appreciate the commitment of resources (marketing, editing, cover design, sales, and production professionals) that traditional publishers bring to the table, as well as the value of an agent’s contribution. I do have a few book ideas that would probably be better self-pubbed than traditionally pubbed, for reasons relating to small niche markets and need to be frequently updated. But for most of my projects, I’d prefer to stick with traditional publishing.

“Was your book all the way finished before you got an agent?” My novel was completely written, along with a proposal, before my author friend volunteered to forward it to my agent. For a first-time novelist, this is generally required. With a non-fiction book, the agent typically wants to see a proposal and the first three chapters, along with an outline for the remainder of the book.

“Does your agent whip your book proposal into shape for you? How about your manuscript? Does the agent edit it before sending it to publishing companies?” Some agents come from a background as an editor and enjoy working with a rougher proposal and chapters. But most are pressed for time and trying to serve the needs of many clients. Even though they might love to help you craft your work to perfection, they simply can’t. They might, however, recommend that you seek the services of an outside freelance editor to give your work the boost it needs. If you are advised to seek an editor’s assistance, by all means, do so. Ask around among your writer friends for the names of editors they trust. Money spent to make your manuscript the best it can be while you’re learning how to work well with an editor is an investment that will return to you in book sales down the road.

“Now that you’ve got an agent, when is your book coming out?” Unfortunately, signing with an agent is no guarantee that your book will sell. But it does remarkably improve your chances. Agents study the markets for a living and know what the various publishers are looking for at any given time. My understanding is that agents sell approximately 50% of the books they attempt to place. For me, that math is fantastic, especially when I’ve read that the chances of an author selling a book to a traditional publisher without an agent are about 1%. So, when will my book come out? I have no idea, but I believe the chances it will be published at all are higher now than before I had an agent.

What happens after you sign with an agent? Plenty! Not the least of which is that you get asked a lot of questions and soon enough, you learn a few of the answers.

You may need to keep track of all those questions and correspond with your questioners. A randomly (after this post has been up for 2 days) chosen commenter will win a Mary Engelbreit journal and a set of Mary Engelbreit notecards. Good luck and Happy Answering!

Posted by Katy on 08/23/12 at 10:00 PM

Fallible Comments...

Great questions and answers, Katy!! Very informative! And fun to get to know you a little better too! : )
Posted by Cheryl Ricker on 08/23/12 at 11:32 PM
I'm just so thankful for my new agent, Barbara Scott. She prays for her clients. She's an amazing advocate and support. So encouraging.

Thanks for your post, Katy!
Posted by Cheryl Ricker on 08/24/12 at 12:08 AM
It really seems a complicated process this after writing part of the journey! Thanks so much for sharing all this great information. I hope you have a wonderful day :)
Posted by Kathryn on 08/24/12 at 07:33 AM
Nice points, Katy. I do highly recommend a good agent --- like Greg!Congrats and many blessings on your writing journey.
Posted by Julie Cantrell on 08/24/12 at 07:46 AM
Hi! Thanks for the information! I'm in the middle of writing my first draft of a historical fiction novel. I just had to connect since I noticed you were in KC as well. I've been enjoying my writing journey so much, and meeting new friends and authors online has been a huge part of it! Hoping to have that agent and my book on the shelf someday. . .Best wishes with yours!
Posted by Christina Lasswell on 08/24/12 at 08:09 AM
Cheryl, I'm enjoying getting to know you on this blog parade, too! Thanks for popping in here.....

Kathryn, I'm not published yet, and I know things get even more complicated after publishing. But I'm trying to take it one step at a time, and enjoying the process. Best to you!

Julie, I am SO pleased that Greg is my agent! And I would love to win a copy of your book, Into The Free. Absolutely loved it.....

Christina, Wow, you're in KC, too? Are you a member of any local writers groups? Hopefully we'll meet up soon. Best wishes with your writing and progress toward publishing!
Posted by Katy on 08/24/12 at 11:21 AM
Wonderful post! I love having all of the questions out in the open. Good job!
Posted by B.J. Taylor on 08/24/12 at 11:57 AM
Thanks so much for your helpful information. A lot of questions I've pondered and come to similar conclusions.

HM at HVC dot RR dot COM
Posted by Heather Marsten on 08/24/12 at 02:58 PM
I appreciated the information you gave the difference between self publishing and traditional publishing. Thank you!
Posted by Diane on 08/25/12 at 09:39 AM
I enjoyed reading your article on finding your agent. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by Sharon A. Lavy on 08/25/12 at 03:19 PM
Great idea for a post. Sometimes we just don't know the questions to ask in our writing lives. And you've addressed some great ones about getting an agent. I signed with Barbara Scott this year, and I'm blessed to part of the WordServe family, too. Blessings!
Posted by Karen Jordan on 08/25/12 at 07:47 PM
BJ--So fun to see you here!! Thanks for stopping by.

Heather--I love it that writers share so many things on the road to publication, and beyond, don't you?

Diane--So much has changed FAST on the publishing landscape, hasn't it? Always a lot to keep up with....

Sharon--It's a joy to see you here! Thank you.

Karen--What a lovely lady Barbara Scott is! Congrats on signing with her and joining WordServe!
Posted by Katy McKenna on 08/26/12 at 08:07 AM
And the randomly chosen winner of the journal and note cards is.....Diane! I will email you for shipping info, Diane. Congrats!
Posted by Katy McKenna on 08/26/12 at 08:13 AM
I've probably missed the giveaway but just want to let you know how much I enjoyed your detailed responses to these questions. Writing conference meetings and the recommendation of a peer seem to be top ways to find an agent, but that's not how it happened for me. I tend to go at things backwards for some reason, and landing an agent after being offered a book contract was the route I took.
Posted by Janalyn Voigt on 08/27/12 at 07:57 PM

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Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Greg Johnson at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Follow Katy on Facebook 123 Recent Posts Try Becoming Brenda Starr Off Beat Scattered That’s It So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What? The Spoon Sciatica Sweetheart A Woman’s Train of Thought Has No Caboose However much we own, we are all still living on borrowed time After all, when restaurants shrink portions, they don’t shrink prices. As with everything in life, balance is key. Slow down, you move too fast… Yeah, I know. I have issues. Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What? When I signed on the undotted line to become a client of WordServe Literary, dozens of people began asking me the very questions that were reverberating through my own mind, and contributing their commentary to my interior monologue. As it turned out, thinking through these questions and comments helped me understand some of what might—or might not—happen next. “I really don’t know what it means to have an agent.” The friend who made this statement happened to be a real estate agent. She loved getting new listings, knowing that other agents would be showing the house at least as much as she would, possible making the sale for her and splitting the commission. I told her that unlike a real estate agent, a writer only has one literary agent working for her at a time. And it’s through the efforts of that agent that the book proposal is submitted to publishers, the bidding war for your book heats up (hey, a girl can dream!), the contract is negotiated, and the movie rights are sold (again with the dreams!). “How did you find your agent?” In my experience, there are two great ways to find your agent, and the two are somewhat related. One is to attend local, regional, and national writers conferences. While there, you will have a chance to sign up for brief meetings with agents and editors to pitch your work. You’ll also get to meet these industry professionals at meals and during their teaching presentations. Often, after hearing about your project, agents will invite you to submit your proposal and some sample chapters. Do your best to follow through on those invitations! There are plenty of online references to coach you through the writing of a proposal. Get it in tip-top shape (ask a few writer buddies to look it over for you) and send it, with a reference to your previous meeting and the agent’s invitation. But even at large conferences, your opportunity to meet many agents all on your own isn’t too great. That’s where networking with scores of published authors comes in. Build relationships online and at conferences, and it might just happen that one day a favorite writer friend might introduce you to an agent, giving you the gift of a sought-after recommendation and earning you the agent’s attention. That is how I found my agent. “Why would you want to pay an agent when you can just deal with the publishers yourself and keep the money?” While it’s not impossible, it is not easy to connect with an acquisitions editor at a publishing house and succeed in getting a contract without an agent. At the stage of contract negotiations, I personally would not want to be going it alone. If I did not have an agent and managed to sell my manuscript, I would definitely hire an intellectual property attorney to help me with the legal side of things. In my opinion, a good agent offers so much more than just contract negotiation. A great agent acts a trusted friend, career coach, and mentor. Some like to get involved in shaping your proposal and even some editing of your work, but I would not expect that level of involvement from my agent. “Why wouldn’t you just self-publish and keep all the money?” More and more, of course, this is becoming a viable alternative to traditional publishing, and it’s an option that has made quite a number of authors wildly successful. I personally appreciate the commitment of resources (marketing, editing, cover design, sales, and production professionals) that traditional publishers bring to the table, as well as the value of an agent’s contribution. I do have a few book ideas that would probably be better self-pubbed than traditionally pubbed, for reasons relating to small niche markets and need to be frequently updated. But for most of my projects, I’d prefer to stick with traditional publishing. “Was your book all the way finished before you got an agent?” My novel was completely written, along with a proposal, before my author friend volunteered to forward it to my agent. For a first-time novelist, this is generally required. With a non-fiction book, the agent typically wants to see a proposal and the first three chapters, along with an outline for the remainder of the book. “Does your agent whip your book proposal into shape for you? How about your manuscript? Does the agent edit it before sending it to publishing companies?” Some agents come from a background as an editor and enjoy working with a rougher proposal and chapters. But most are pressed for time and trying to serve the needs of many clients. Even though they might love to help you craft your work to perfection, they simply can’t. They might, however, recommend that you seek the services of an outside freelance editor to give your work the boost it needs. If you are advised to seek an editor’s assistance, by all means, do so. Ask around among your writer friends for the names of editors they trust. Money spent to make your manuscript the best it can be while you’re learning how to work well with an editor is an investment that will return to you in book sales down the road. “Now that you’ve got an agent, when is your book coming out?” Unfortunately, signing with an agent is no guarantee that your book will sell. But it does remarkably improve your chances. Agents study the markets for a living and know what the various publishers are looking for at any given time. My understanding is that agents sell approximately 50% of the books they attempt to place. For me, that math is fantastic, especially when I’ve read that the chances of an author selling a book to a traditional publisher without an agent are about 1%. So, when will my book come out? I have no idea, but I believe the chances it will be published at all are higher now than before I had an agent. What happens after you sign with an agent? Plenty! Not the least of which is that you get asked a lot of questions and soon enough, you learn a few of the answers. You may need to keep track of all those questions and correspond with your questioners. A randomly (after this post has been up for 2 days) chosen commenter will win a Mary Engelbreit journal and a set of Mary Engelbreit notecards. Good luck and Happy Answering! Posted by Katy on 08/23/12 at 10:00 PM Fallible Comments... Great questions and answers, Katy!! Very informative! And fun to get to know you a little better too! : ) Posted by Cheryl Ricker on 08/23/12 at 11:32 PM I'm just so thankful for my new agent, Barbara Scott. She prays for her clients. She's an amazing advocate and support. So encouraging. Thanks for your post, Katy! Posted by Cheryl Ricker on 08/24/12 at 12:08 AM It really seems a complicated process this after writing part of the journey! Thanks so much for sharing all this great information. I hope you have a wonderful day :) Posted by Kathryn on 08/24/12 at 07:33 AM Nice points, Katy. I do highly recommend a good agent --- like Greg!Congrats and many blessings on your writing journey. Posted by Julie Cantrell on 08/24/12 at 07:46 AM Hi! Thanks for the information! I'm in the middle of writing my first draft of a historical fiction novel. I just had to connect since I noticed you were in KC as well. I've been enjoying my writing journey so much, and meeting new friends and authors online has been a huge part of it! Hoping to have that agent and my book on the shelf someday. . .Best wishes with yours! Posted by Christina Lasswell on 08/24/12 at 08:09 AM Cheryl, I'm enjoying getting to know you on this blog parade, too! Thanks for popping in here..... Kathryn, I'm not published yet, and I know things get even more complicated after publishing. But I'm trying to take it one step at a time, and enjoying the process. Best to you! Julie, I am SO pleased that Greg is my agent! And I would love to win a copy of your book, Into The Free. Absolutely loved it..... Christina, Wow, you're in KC, too? Are you a member of any local writers groups? Hopefully we'll meet up soon. Best wishes with your writing and progress toward publishing! Posted by Katy on 08/24/12 at 11:21 AM Wonderful post! I love having all of the questions out in the open. Good job! Posted by B.J. Taylor on 08/24/12 at 11:57 AM Thanks so much for your helpful information. A lot of questions I've pondered and come to similar conclusions. HM at HVC dot RR dot COM Posted by Heather Marsten on 08/24/12 at 02:58 PM I appreciated the information you gave the difference between self publishing and traditional publishing. Thank you! Posted by Diane on 08/25/12 at 09:39 AM I enjoyed reading your article on finding your agent. Thanks for sharing. Posted by Sharon A. Lavy on 08/25/12 at 03:19 PM Great idea for a post. Sometimes we just don't know the questions to ask in our writing lives. And you've addressed some great ones about getting an agent. I signed with Barbara Scott this year, and I'm blessed to part of the WordServe family, too. Blessings! Posted by Karen Jordan on 08/25/12 at 07:47 PM BJ--So fun to see you here!! Thanks for stopping by. Heather--I love it that writers share so many things on the road to publication, and beyond, don't you? Diane--So much has changed FAST on the publishing landscape, hasn't it? Always a lot to keep up with.... Sharon--It's a joy to see you here! Thank you. Karen--What a lovely lady Barbara Scott is! Congrats on signing with her and joining WordServe! Posted by Katy McKenna on 08/26/12 at 08:07 AM And the randomly chosen winner of the journal and note cards is.....Diane! I will email you for shipping info, Diane. Congrats! Posted by Katy McKenna on 08/26/12 at 08:13 AM I've probably missed the giveaway but just want to let you know how much I enjoyed your detailed responses to these questions. Writing conference meetings and the recommendation of a peer seem to be top ways to find an agent, but that's not how it happened for me. I tend to go at things backwards for some reason, and landing an agent after being offered a book contract was the route I took. Posted by Janalyn Voigt on 08/27/12 at 07:57 PM Page 1 of 1 pages Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. Next entry: That's It Previous entry: The Spoon << Back to main


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So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What?

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri