Ask Daphne!: January 2008 Archives

Jez asks:

I'm a young aspiring writer & I'm also working through college. My intent is to be a YA writer & I've almost finished my first novel now. I love writing, but I know that it's a hard thing to survive on until you make it big, and a lot of authors never make it that far. Which is why I'm going to college, of course. Lately I've started to think about maybe becoming an editor of some sort, even if I'm really low on the publishing food chain. I think I'd be good at it & enjoy it because one of my favorite parts of writing--strangely enough--is editing, which most writers detest. I love being able to go through and reword sentences and check for grammar and punctuation; I'm weird like that. But my only problem with pursuing this is that I do want to become a writer & I was wondering if you thought this would get in the way of that? Would it take too much time away from my writing to allow me to get anywhere?

First of all, Jez, way to go in planning an alternative career! You're absolutely right that most writers can't survive on just their writing, and having a backup plan will not only help put food on your table and shoes on your feet, but I'm sure it'll make your parents happy as well!

And if you love the nitty-gritty aspects of editing, it sounds like you've figured out a fantastic career path. But once you get into the editorial side of publishing, are you stuck there?

Oh, heck no! Just take a look at the careers of YA writers Aimee Friedman, Claudia Gabel, and David Levithan, just to name a few of the editor/writers out there. There's tons more, but I was recently at a reading by Aimee, Claudia, and David, so they spring to mind first! These three, and many other editors, burn the candle at both ends -- writings their own novels while editing others. Something for their own publishing house, sometimes for other houses. And there's lots more writers who've working in publishing in the past - even our own Maureen Johnson put in her time as an editor. While being inside the publishing world will give you a nice insight into the process, you should still bear in mind that working in that world isn't a guarantee that you'll get published yourself. You still need to write a great book, and get it into the hand of the right editor, so good luck with that!

I've been trying to come up with witty names for the people who write in with questions, but sometimes it's harder than others. In those cases, starting now, I shall refer to the inquirer as "George." If you'd like to avoid being a George in the future, feel free to give yourself your own nickname.

So, George asks:

I have two books that my wife wrote before she passed away. She wanted me to get these published so I'm going to give it a shot. Should I have the manuscripts copyrighted before I send them to publishers?

I've heard this question before from writers, and the answer is no. There's no need. Most publishers and/or agents that you'd send your material to are already overwhelmed with manuscripts -- they're not going to reach into the slush pile to pull out an unknown's manuscript in order to steal it. If you're not convinced and want to protect yourself, put a copy of the manuscript in an envelope, seal it, mail it to yourself, and don't open it. This is called a "Poor Man's Copyright." Registering for a full copyright protection is a waste of your time and, to be honest, your money. If the work is good and strong and catches the right editor's eye at the right time, and they want to publish it, they'll file for copyright in your name as part of the publication process.

And remember, as Justine Larbalestier recently blogged, you can't copyright a story idea.

It's an exciting day around Unfeasible Enterprises, as boxes are piled around us and we wait for the movers to arrive. While we wait, let's tackle some of your questions, shall we? Time for a SPEED ROUND!

For my romance writing, I know all about Romance Writers of America and page counts and such, but what about for novels for teens and pre-teens? Any associations you would recommend? What are the targeted page/word counts for such books?

SCBWI, baby. It's THE organization for writers and illustrators of children's books. Their boards are a fantastic place to get info on word counts, among other things -- although I'd say 40- 50,000 words is a good estimate. Next!

Daphne, you mention in your bio that your interests include urban fantasy, yet on your submissions page that's not a genre you're looking to represent. Or am I reading your list wrong for "what we're looking for"?

Our submissions page lists age ranges and categories rather than genres. Within YA and middle grade fiction, for instance, I'm looking for romance, mystery, adventure, and fantasy of all kinds. Urban fantasy, or magical realism, is one of my favorite genres to read, even if I'm not currently representing much.

Next, Ursula Unreasonable asks:

Can you please explain (perhaps with one or two egs) what you mean by 'narrative non-fiction'?

Ursula, there may be a more specific definition I could look up online in two seconds, but basically I mean a true story, whether it's an adventure, like Into Thin Air, a romance, like Around the World in 80 Dates, or a travelogue, like McCarthy's Bar. It doesn't need to the author's own narrative, but it should read like a novel, even though it's fact. Susan Orlean (The Orchid Thief, among others)is another great author of narrative nonfiction. Do my readers have any other great suggestions of narrative nonfiction?

From the time you accept a client, how many drafts does a manuscript go through before it becomes an actual published book?

First of all, even if the author's done a lot of work on the book before sending it out to agents, I often request a revision before I sign them on. After that, say we send it out to editors, someone loves it and buys it, then there's often another draft with the editor's big picture comments, followed by a line edit for more specifics, then a copy edit and careful read of proofs before you get a book. That's the pretty standard short form. Your experience may vary. Some authors, once they become giant bestsellers whose new books are trumpeted by sales and marketing departments as simply "the next Joe Bestseller!", basically turn in a draft and it's published. That's rare though. You're more likely to do more revisions than less.

Ok, we have time for one more!

I am wondering if you are accepting short story collections.

I have to say, without knowing anything more about the project, my gut reaction is no. Short story collections, even in adult publishing, are very difficult to place and promote. Even there, they're usually sold in connection with a novel. Except for anthologies which are often put together by publishers, who then reach out to several authors for contributions, short story collections for teens and younger readers are almost nonexistent. Sorry!

Thanks for tuning into the speed round, folks. Back to some more detailed question-answering soon.

An aspiring writer asks:

Everywhere I look I'm told to ask an agent plenty of questions before signing on. I get that, and I even know which questions to ask. What I'm wondering is, when in the process should those questions be asked? Waiting until the agent has read the full and offered representation seems awkward if it turns out not to be a good fit, because the agent has already gone to so much work and the author has already waited so long for the full to be read. However, asking earlier, such as before sending in a full, seems premature. So...when is the best time? Does this discussion usually take place when/if the agent calls the author, or later, such as by e-mail?

A.W.-

First of all, kudos on knowing which questions to ask, and knowing that you SHOULD ask questions at all, rather than just blearily signing on the dotted line without a single comment.

The timing's a little tricky, but I would say you want to wait at least until after the agent has read the full and expressed continued strong interest. For my part, this is about when I send the author an email and say I'd love to discuss the manuscript in more detail -- I never finish a manuscript and draft a retainer letter before first having a detailed conversation with the author.

Here's exactly when you should pull out your list of questions and fire away. The agent is clearly interested, or they wouldn't clear time for a phone conversation (up to this point, we've probably only communicated by email). And they WANT to represent you, or they'd have sent a rejection letter already.

But you should know that the questions don't only illuminate the agent's practices for the author -- the level of detail the author gets into is also a helpful barometer for the agent as to the type of possible client they're dealing with. Are the questions covering only the basics? Then your author's a probable publishing newbie, which may require more explanation of practices and policies. Are the questions getting into the nitty-gritty? Then you're dealing with someone who's either been around the block, or is at least informed enough to know the lay of the land, which may allow the agent to use some shorthand for explanations, and provide more detailed responses to the more complicated questions.

At this time, as an agent, I'm also going to ask some questions of the author. What else are you working on? What do you want to see happen with the book? Do you have any contacts/connections? How do you feel about revisions?

This is when you want to iron out any possible bumps in the agent/author relationship, before it gets finalized with paperwork.

So ask away!

Cheers,
Daphne

With a little help from a Free Monkey, insideadog Writer-in-Residence Maureen Johnson has revealed the face behind Daphne Unfeasible. But let's just ignore that, shall we? Let's get to the next question! Aspiring Children's Publishing Peon asks:

I'm a new reader of your blog, and I have to say, you give great advice! I have a question for you: I've been working for a small production vendor (of primarily textbooks) as an assistant editor for the past year, and I'm really hoping to move my career towards the young adult/children's lit industry. Do you have any advice for recent college grads wanting to break into the publishing industry?

Dear Aspiring Peon --

First of all, thanks! I try! And yes, I *do* have advice to share on this subject. Way back in the world before email and the internets (or so it seems), I returned from several months abroad in London with a commitment to get a job in publishing. Over the next few months, I polished my resume and sent it off to every entry level publishing position posted in the New York Times Classified. I didn't know WHAT I wanted to do in publishing, but I knew that was where I wanted to be. I interviewed for jobs as a publicity assistant, a marketing assistant, an editorial assistant, and many more, before finally landing what turned out to be an ideal position as a rights assistant.

Now, the world has changed, but there's still job listings out there. Check the Times, of course, but also scour MediaBistro and Publishers Marketplace, both of which routinely list job openings.

You're ahead of the game, really, with some editorial experience already, but you should also be willing to start at the very bottom of the totem pole. You may think your textbook experience might bump you up to Editorial Associate, but don't count on that. Your experience should put your resume on the top of a pile of other hopefuls, and then you still have to wow them in an interview.

And remember to be flexible. I had no idea what subsidiary rights were before I interviewed for a job in a rights department, but I found it to be a fantastic opportunity to work with every aspect of a publishing company. If you're willing, try branching out -- editorial assistant jobs are the most sought after, but if you have skills that can be brought to bear to work in sales, marketing, or production, go for it! At most big publishing houses, once you're in, you'll have access to interior job postings before they get listed externally, so you may have a better shot at that editorial assistant position that opens up a year after you've been there.

One last thing -- don't expect to be rich. MJ talks about eating cereal for dinner many nights, and that's the honest truth. But we're not in publishing for the money, right? We love books!

So be prepared to be frugal, then get out there and wow them. Good luck!

-Daphne

I have a finished paranormal romance and want to begin shopping it around. However, I'm frustrated with the "when is it cooked" syndrome. Meaning, when do I stop mucking around with the story? I've heard other authors say - when it's done. That's my problem. When is it done? Just as I think it is, I'll let it sit then go back and think I need to rework the whole beginning. Not that the other beginning was bad, but, hmm, by moving this scene, adding that paragraph and so on, I can make it better.

Aarrghh! When does it stop? So, my question, is as an agent, with your clients, how do you tell them their story is finished? Do you have to pull a manuscript from protesting hands? How do you advise your clients as to when a manuscript is "cooked?"

Dear Word Chef - It's never done, silly. Most authors could pick up one of their books on the 50th printing and STILL feel like tweaking it.

But that's not particularly helpful, is it? Let's concentrate on the import word in your question, then: "story." When is the STORY done? Now that's a different question than when is the manuscript ready to be sent.

Does your protagonist have a full story arc? Does he triumph against all odds and does his plot come to a conclusion? Is there trouble on her journey that she can overcome? Are your loose ends tied in neat little bows?

That's not tweaking, that's writing. If that's what you're still doing, then no, your manuscript's not done, and not ready to send out. But if you're futzing with word placement, with having a scene that moves the plot along happen at chapter 5 instead of chapter 6 - that's tweaking.

And you know who's super good at tweaking? Editors. Yup. They are STARS at it.

So polish your stories, and get your manuscript in shape for company, then send it out. It's like housecleaning, I suppose. (If I did that, and didn't just hope that dust would magically disappear.) If you're hosting a dinner party, you want to make sure your dining room and living room are fit for guests, that your powder room is spic and span, and that you have enough space in the kitchen to whip up a fantastic dinner. But you might let your bedroom be a little untidy, or the kids' playroom stay in a state of disarray. What I'm saying is make an effort, of course, but recognize that you're not going to refinish the dining room floor or repaint all the kitchen cabinets just because you're having people over for dinner. Do what you can with what you have.

Happy cooking!

Cheers,
Daphne

Or rather, spoke -- in a podcast interview with Maureen Johnson posted on her site some time ago. Some of the specific answers may have changed slightly since the exciting formation of kt literary, but the general stuff is all great background for those writers seeking an agent.

If you've got questions as yet unanswered, don't forget to mail 'em in! They may appear in a future "Ask Daphne" post -- or who knows? We might even do another podcast.

I'm a midlist author with 25 sales under my belt (all in the last four years). I've been pubbed and/or am currently contracted with four different major NY publishers and all sales are commercial fiction: single title paranormal romance & romantic suspense, chick lit, YA and middle grade books. My question is this: in 25 sales, my agent has never gotten even $1 more than the initial offer the publisher made, except for the one time that we had competing bids. Is this usual, or should I be concerned about her negotiating skills?

Dear Midlist -

First of all, congrats! 25 sales in the last four years alone is nothing to scoff at. I'm sure hordes of my readers are already jealous. But let's get to the meat of your question -- is your agent doing enough to drive your advances higher?

Bearing in mind that every negotiation is a little bit different, and there may be extenuating circumstances I'm not aware of, the first thing I wonder is if your advances themselves are going up. You say your agent hasn't gotten the publisher to raise their offer -- but is each individual offer getting bigger? With such a large number of books being bought and to be published in such a short time, your agent likely doesn't have the ammunition necessary to ask for more money -- that comes when you've proven yourself with increasing sales numbers, for instance. Of course we want each advance to get bigger as your career progresses, but bear in mind that career progression isn't just about quantity of books written, it's also about books being sold. You know, to readers.

There's also the fact that you're being published by four different houses, and I assume each house is aware of your other publishers. It's possible, therefore, that none of them feel the need to throw more serious weight at your books, because any work they do is as likely to help another publisher as themselves. If this is the case, your agent may not be able to get any more money out of them -- though it's always worth asking.

It's hard to walk away from any deal, but I would discuss talking with your agent in the future and thinking seriously about trying to consolidate your career at one house. Even if this means turning down money now, it may turn out to be more worthwhile in the future.

Actually if you walk away from this blog with one piece of advice, it's this: Talk to your agent. Don't get me wrong, I love the questions! Keep them coming! But don't let anonymous advice on the internet substitute for a real conversation with your representative. If you have concerns about her negotiating skills, ask her to walk you through the latest negotiation. Find out what happened, and maybe you'll see where her hands were tied, or where she did push for more for you, even if it wasn't a bigger advance.

Cheers,
Daphne Unfeasible

A querier asks:

In your submission statement, you mention being interested in 'witty' women's fiction. Am I correct in assuming you are looking strictly for what was once considered 'chic lit', now revamped into 'upscale commercial fiction' - or are you open to other forms of women's fiction that may occasionally contain a 'witty' moment or character?

To be brutally honest, I see no problem in the term "chic lit," or "chick lit," or whatever else they choose to call it. Young women's fiction, if you will. Pink covers, pictures of shoes, female protagonists having existential crises over glasses of chardonnay. But some have decided that description is deader than last season's flats, so we come up with synonyms. "Witty women's fiction" is one. "Upscale commercial fiction" works just as well.

In general, I like my fiction smart and funny. It doesn't need to fall strictly in the confines of what some would term chick lit -- one of the best novels I read last year was Lisa Lutz's The Spellman Files, and that fits no one's idea of chick lit. It's less about sticking my interests in a single category than being interested in original stories with intriguing characters, for a relatively young, commercial audience.

If that's you, super!

Cheers,
Daphne Unfeasible

My very first official question. Keep them coming! Paralysis by Analysis asks:

As a wannabe writer, I live in interesting times. Not only have writer's resources on agents moved beyond the Absolute Write discussion board, but now there are detailed free resource sites like QueryTracker.net where wannabe authors can exchange detailed information about agents, including average response times, whether or not the Agent tends to personalize rejections, and their propensity to ask for partials.
There's one particular (coveted) agent who just hung out her shingle.
I can run a detailed report on Coveted Agent based on data submitted from many other wannabes and see she has requested a lot of partials (as one would expect from an agent building her catalog.)
I can ALSO see that she's never asked for a partial for any query where the ms length is longer than 80,000 words.
This sets the stage for one of the following possibilities:
1. It's an incredible coincidence that Coveted Agent has never asked any QueryTracker authors for a partial on a MS over 80K.
2. Her slush pile is screened by an assistant who has been instructed not to bother with any submissions longer than 80K.
3. Agent has no interest in manuscripts longer than 80K.
A quick perusal of Coveted Agent's Web site doesn't mention ms length in the submission guidelines.
So my question is this: Am I a dufus to read something into this newfound plethora of agent statistics? Or is the handwriting on the wall?

Dear Paralysis by Analysis -

The web is a great and wonderful thing, isn't it? So much seemingly helpful information out there, just ready to be to read and analyzed!

Except... how can you be sure that what you're reading is a full and complete report? Has every author who's ever submitted to Coveted Agent dashed off their book's stats to the sites you mention?

At best, you're attempting to draw conclusions based on incomplete data.

If Coveted Agent's swank new website, on which she or he no doubt labored long and hard, makes no mention of manuscript length cut-offs, then I think you should assume that it is, in fact, a strange coincidence that said agent never requested partials on any manuscript over your arbitrary cut-off length of 80,000 words.

Good luck!

Signed,
Daphne Unfeasible

Some time ago, this question popped up on the SCBWI boards:

Other than good writing, what do you think it takes to have a successful career as a children's book author?

Ok, fine. I pushed for a list of questions you might want to ask an agent, and this was one of them. I still think it's a great question, and I'm pulling it out as my first official "Ask Daphne!" post.

Some might say that good writing is all it takes to have a successful career as an author. I'd say good writing can take you very far as a writer, certainly, but to be an author -- to get invited to conferences, have your name bandied about the internet by fans, become a brand-- it helps to be a fantastic self-promoter. Sure, you may sign a big, fabulous deal with Giant Publishing Company, Inc., and they may throw loads of money at you for publicity, but much more likely, you're going to have to be the one pounding the virtual pavement, updating your blog, making sure that people come to you for new and exciting information. Seth Godin, marketing guru, recently put out a free ebook I recommend called "Money For Nothing" in which he outlines the three things your blog or website should be to direct traffic to your site: Unique, Useful, and Updated. Those are three words we kept in mind in designing ktliterary.com, certainly, and they should go for your author blog, too.

Looks, books take a long time to write and publish. Between pub dates, what are your readers going to do? Well, they might read other books (and we hope they read LOTS of books), but we hope they're also going to look for more information about their favorite authors. So let them find something! Keep it unique, useful, and updated, and you're well on your way to a successful career as a children's book author.

It also helps to have a day job.