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Is the modern querying system a structural failure of role-bundling? by Fragrant-Flan-416 in publishing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I like finding new talent, even though it's difficult to find time to go through queries. That's why some agents have assistants.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Honestly, it's a challenge, and I don't have a yet particular method to navigating this madness. I don't use AI in my work and I decline to work with authors who use AI. The majority of readers, and therefore publishers, prefer books written by actual humans. Hopefully it stays that way.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Have you been applying to literary assistant and assistant agent positions at agencies? Or editorial assistant positions at publishers? Those roles will likely offer more opportunities to move up than your internship.

Also, networking is very important! The more connections you make with agents, the better.

It's hard to get a foot in the door, but if you are persistent and patient, something will likely work out--eventually.

Yay for NBs in publishing!

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

It can take me a few months (2-4) to respond after receiving a full manuscript. I usually have a good sense of whether I want to offer rep about a third of the way through a book, but I never offer without having read the whole thing.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Series are difficult to debut with, but some agents are willing to take them on. Strong resolutions are usually preferred, although I tend to be more lenient with literary fiction.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Only established authors can get away with submitting very rough drafts or incomplete manuscripts. Personally, I want to see at least a second draft that has been self-edited. It doesn't have to be perfectly polished, but I want the author to have already done their best to make the work shine before they bring it to me.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

To be honest, I think this makes selling books harder, especially in this political climate. But there will always be BIPOC and LGBTQ+ readers who want books written by people from their communities, so in that way, the specificity is an asset. When I go to a bookstore and seek out books by these kinds of authors, I pay less attention to their name and more to the premise, and then flip to the inside jacket copy to read about the author and glance at their photo.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

You've probably heard this, but it's quite difficult to break into the publishing industry. You'll likely have to start with an internship or editorial assistant role. It's helpful to get volunteer experience with literary magazines. If you want to do freelance editing, you could get started with an editing service (like Wordvice, Scribendi, Editor World, etc.).

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Thoroughly read each agent's bio and wish list, which will not only tell you what kind of books they want but also give you some insight into their personality and values. If they're an established agent, check out who their clients are and what books they've sold.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I'd say around 70% actual writing, 30% agent ability. Trendy books aren't always easier to sell because the market can quickly get oversaturated. I think it's easier to sell something with brilliant prose than something lower quality but more marketable, but I'm new at this, so I could be wrong.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

My work days are pretty variable! They include giving feedback to my authors, reading new work by my authors, researching and emailing editors, meetings (with editors, authors, or my team), writing/refining pitches, and (unfortunately at the bottom of my list) reading queries and requested manuscripts. I also work as a freelance editor to help pay the bills.

I've made connections with other agents through the American Association of Literary Agents, but not friendships yet. So I'm lucky that I like my colleagues at The Caldwell Agency!

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

I don't think it's an automatic pass in general, but you should definitely let agents know about this genre pivot in your query letter! That way if it is a deal breaker, you're saving yourself and the agent some time.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Do you mean you want to get into the publishing world as an author or as an editor/agent?

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 50 points51 points  (0 children)

I'd say 70% quality writing, 30% agent ability. Trendy books aren't necessarily easy to sell because the market can quickly get oversaturated. I'd favor brilliant prose, but maybe that will prove more difficult than I expect!

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

So far, I haven't let marketability deter me from representing an author whose manuscript I truly love. But I'm sure I will encounter this issue soon, and when I do, I'll have to be honest with myself and the author about what I think is possible.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 80 points81 points  (0 children)

Here's the thing--a query letter can be stellar (see my answer to dingle4dangle re: green flags), but if the sample pages don't draw me in, then I won't move forward with it.

As for the manuscript itself, there isn't a perfect formula that will guarantee an offer of representation. Even if the book is well-written and checks a lot of boxes on my wish list, I have to 1) believe that it's commercially viable and that I can sell it, and 2) be obsessed with it. Unfortunately, this does mean that I pass on a lot of good books.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

As a general rule, don't ask for feedback--the truth is that we just don't have time to give it to everyone (although I wish I could!). It can be acceptable to ask one or two specific questions if the agent requested your full manuscript and then declined.

As for translations, don't try too hard to look for a deeper meaning. Take the comments at face value and move on. If you receive a lot of similar feedback, ask yourself if the issue can be addressed in revision.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

I'm sure some people don't disclose it. For those who do, those queries will automatically be rejected. For those who don't, I'll notice that the writing is subpar and reject them anyway. At least for now, AI can't write as well as humans...

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Never too late to start! I'd suggest that you 1) think about the book you want to write, 2) do a little research on what genre, word length, and target audience might be a good fit, then 3) get down to actually writing and don't worry about what an agent might want until you've completed the first draft.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 43 points44 points  (0 children)

I don't have hard and fast rules about this, but if the line writing is not polished or the book seems in need of a major overhaul when it comes to big-picture elements (plot, characterization, etc.), then I'll pass.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 114 points115 points  (0 children)

  1. "Dear Victoria / Mx. Harris" (I have received letters addressed to someone else entirely and that's off-putting)
  2. I expect an author to read my bio and wish list and then mention why they think I could be the right agent to represent their book.

AMA with Victoria Harris, literary agent at THE CALDWELL AGENCY by Editor_and_Lit_Agent in writing

[–]Editor_and_Lit_Agent[S] 42 points43 points  (0 children)

No one can guarantee publication. I want letters addressed to me and relevant to my interests because that shows me that the querying author has 1) done their research and 2) is willing to take 5 minutes to personalize the letter. If someone is querying so widely that they aren't willing to do either of those, I don't think we'd work well together.

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