THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion
Authors and Their Books
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Wow, an agent!
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Not to mention that most of the good agents are so busy they turn away those who ask. They don't go prospecting when so many are knocking on the door.
A friend who self-pubbed her first two books, which I thought were some of the best I've read, felt the lure of going traditional. She was picked up by a small press who have made her life a living hell for the past several weeks.They did come up with a great cover, but basically told her to rewrite the book to make it more marketable and to do it on deadline.
Wow! I had no idea. I signed on with Tate Publishing. So far I am extremely happy with Tate. Yes, I have to adhere to their guidelines but they know the genre and what sells. They have done the editing and art work but they gave me options. I have a publicist and I pretty much line up what and where I want to go but he does the advertising for the book signings/festivals and gives lots of advice. Guess I will not consider an agent unless I become someone like J.K. Rowling - hah!
Nancy, that's what happened when I was signed to FinePrint lit. Random Children's division wanted me to change the story to appeal to girls more.
It sounds like you are confusing an agent with an editor. An editor is the one who passes judgement on behalf of their house; an agent is someone who represents you and looks out for your best interests because their interests are the same as yours in exchange for 10% (15% for overseas sales) of your gross. For that 10% they will rep you to many editors, then if they sell your book they will handle all the accounting then send you a check, minus their percentage. Take the offer that thousands of indie writers would kill for.
This may come as a shock to you but agents do not always look out for your best interests. They look out for their best interests and their best interests are usually not the same as yours. The relationships they have with editors are, unless you're s huge star making mega bucks for them, far more important than the relationship they have with you. Neil Ostroff was spot on. He isn't the only one who has been told by an editor that the book is great but the marketing department doesn't know how to sell it etc.J.M. Garlock
www.actionmysteries.com
I believe you. Another little dynamic that gives authors fits & often places them in impossible situations is when the marketing gurus concoct a plan that is diametrically opposed to the way you see your book. Even taking into account that their perspective is often entirely different than yours if for no other reason than they have no emotional attachment to the book authors often find themselves in Hobson-like conflict with their editors who are lower in the pecking order than the marketing department. Enter the hapless agent who now must act as peacemaker & if they're forced to make a choice between their loyalty to the writer & the editor guess who gets the chop.J.M. Garlock
www.actionmysteries.com
Then by all means, tell the agent to buzz off. I'm sure Mr. Garlock is giving you sterling advice.
I am having a tough time trying to decide what to do about this sudden interest in me so I’ve listed the pros and cons of having an agent at this point in the game.
First the pros: It will open me up to a higher level of the industry; also, I may get a large advance (though advances are rapidly disappearing), I can tell all my friends I have a big-time agent… that’s about it. I’m sure there’s more, but that’s the gist if I don’t have to worry about contracts, clauses, and timeframes.
Now the cons of having an agent: I can’t write whatever I want and must adhere to what someone else will think will sell, I can only put out a book a year even if I write more, I have to wait a minimum of two years for a book to go through the publishing process before it even gets on a shelf, (if bookstores still even exist at that point), my royalties will be less than half what I make now, I have to wait for committees and meetings and budget proposals before I even know if my book will be published, it will only be published if the house thinks it will make them money— I’ve had enough!
Although it is as alluring to sign with an agent as it is to eat the forbidden apple, I must confess I think I’m done with the corporate BS for good. When I was signed with FinePrint Lit and then Signature Lit., my agent and I came close to signing a deal so many times my heart just couldn’t take it anymore.
The last straws for me were when one of my middle grade sci-fi novels was rejected, not because the editor didn’t think it was good (he said it was great) but because their marketing department said it wouldn’t appeal to girls age 9-12. Another editor (the VP of Random House Children’s Division) requested and read one of my other YA fantasy books in one night. He got back to my agent the next day praising the book, but said he had no idea how he would get it passed the dozens of hurdles needed to publish when the story was so non-mainstream. He rejected it.
Sitting here, thinking back to those heartbreaking days and thinking about the joy I feel every time I see another one of my books sell on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or through Smashwords, I just can’t justify signing away my artistic freedom just to boost my ego. I think I’ll stay indie, thank you.
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com