Lots of Questions

Some Answers

Hi friends,

I’m opening up this Thursday Q&A for all subscribers because we need more information in the world, even if it’s just about this tiny corner of it. Here we go:

L asks: One question I'd love to see answered in a future newsletter is what editors are buying NOW (and how this compares to panics of the past, say the 2008 financial crisis). Are publishers thinking "people will want escape reading in 12 months..." or are they thinking "people are going to want to read books from doctors about why people don't heed social distancing calls..." I have no idea! Are we going to see a resurgence of Great Depression stories?

Good question! But I don’t have any idea either! Someone (not me) could go through the deals section of Publisher’s Marketplace and see what sold a few months after the 2008 financial crisis or 9/11 and extrapolate a few things. But it’s not a very good data set to work from. Things aren’t posted exactly after they are sold and things that are sold now were written 1, 2, 5 years ago. Non-fiction is a little more nimble. You can theoretically put together a book proposal in a few days, have your agent read it in a few days, and send it out a few days later, but you already have to be the expert that can talk about The Thing That’s Happening, and have an agent that can move fast, and know the reserach, and be able to write quickly, and and and. If you’re that person, you already know and are probably already working on that. Fiction, though—I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: don’t write for “the market.” If you’re looking at today’s market and trying to meet it, you’re already several years behind. It’s a losing proposition.

I know editors, on twitter at least, are all like we’re reading! we’re buying! agents, send us books! And that’s great! I love it. There are some editors, possibly those without kids at home, who may have more time to read. I love that, too! But while they might be enthusiastic and excited to read, they don’t have room on their lists to buy 10 more books than usual. Each imprint’s list is not going to expand. It might not necessarily contract, but it’s not like an editor is going to be able to buy 6 more books a year just because we don’t have to ride the subway to work right now. And while editors might be thinkging hmmmmm, how about something more fun and light? right now, I doubt anyone’s editorial board meetings are trying to predict people’s moods 12-24 months from now. That’s when books we buy today will come out.

What you can do right now is write the thing you want to write. I would not write a pandemic or contagion type story right now. You might get some traction on a Great Depression story, but I hope that’s not going to be timely in the coming months. And also, that would require a lot of research, so that puts you further behind the eight ball if you’re just starting out. Write what YOU want to write. Don’t try to catch a wave that’s already passed everyone by.

J asks: With everything under the sun cancelled and shut down right now, is this a good or horrible time to be querying agents? I imagine there will be a lot more people reading and writing over the next number of months, but am unsure about protocol in regards to your industry.

And D asks: I have a picture book text I’m really happy with and I’ve been preparing to query agents. The world is cray. Everyone is in survival mode. My instinct says it’s not a good time to send a project off to people who have never heard of me. The colour of panic might rub off on my gorgeous, goofy story. Is it naive and inappropriate to try and engage w agents right now?

Publishing is not shut down or canceled. We are working as much as we can. Query when you are ready. There’s no specific protocol to follow here. There is no good or bad time to query. I wouldn’t expect a fast answer right now, regardless of how much time agents may or may not have to read queries, but get in the queue. Most agents read queries in the order they are recieved, so if you wait there will just be other people ahead of you.

And while, as I mention above, some agents won’t want to read a 500,000 word SF novel about a civilization destroying disease, just becuase people might be more worried now doesn’t mean they won’t be in the mood to read something light and funny, or even dark and serious. You cannot account for every agent’s mental state when they read queries, and it will OF COURSE vary from agent to agent, day to day. Don’t be a mind reader (those of us in therapy might recognize that one!). Just do your homework and send out the best version of your thing you can.

N asks: I am writing a nonfiction book and recently started querying agents; I sent it initially to about 10 agents. I wasn't respecting responses any time soon, as I know agents need time to read it and could take several weeks to get back to me, so I put it out of my mind—but then one of my top choice agents responded within two days and said that she couldn't take this proposal on as-is, but she offered some feedback on my thesis and structure and said that if I made the changes, she'd be more open to considering my book. 

But it hasn't even been a week since I sent out queries and none of the other agents have replied yet (understandably), so I'm wondering if I should change my proposal to resubmit it to this agent, or is it better to wait and see what other agents say first and maybe some of them like it better as it is right now? 

The question you don’t address here is whether you agree with the Top Choice’s suggestions. If you think they are good and work for your book and get at the heart of what you are tyring to do, then by all means make those changes and resubmit to Top Choice. Top Choice gave you free editorial advice and if you’re both on the same page, this sounds like a win/win scenario! Congrats!

If you do not like those changes and think they do not speak to the heart of what you want to accomplish with this book, do not make those changes and wait to see what other agents say. Tell Top Choice: “Thanks for sharing all this with me. I’m going to think about and I’ll get back to you.” That’s it. If any other agent says something like this (should you be so lucky to get that kind of feedback again) or if everyone else passes, on this round and/or future rounds, then you might need to think more about your book/that feedback. Be sure you’re not avoiding the feedback/changes just because it’s work or it might be hard. There is going to be much harder editing down the line if your book gets picked up.

If you make the changes Top Choice suggests DO NOT SEND THE REVISED PROPOSAL TO OTHER AGENTS AT THIS TIME. Treat Top Choice’s editorial feedback as a favor they are doing you (because it is, but one that could benefit you both) and if you revise and Top Choice still declines, you can THEN send the revised porposal to anyone NEW. But please don’t write the other agents at any time before they’ve responded and be like Oh wait, read this one. I revised it and it’s better now. It’s so frustrating to get emails like that, ESPECIALLY if that agent has already read your first draft. It might feel like you’re missing out on other possible representation because your proposal is now new and improved, but that’s just the way the cookie crumbles. You’ve got Top Choice’s attention, and that’s worth a lot.

Stay safe and sane, friends. STAY HOME.

OXOXO,

Kate