I'm in a weird category where I have a great agent but not a book deal (which feels like 😫😫). This strange limbo state often isn't explored in discussions of the publication journey beyond "oh boy, yeah, that sucks!". But there are lots of difficult dilemmas in this stage too and I would love to read about this!
that was what I was just coming down here to say I wanted to read more about! when you have an agent but not a deal. The process of submission, how to read between the lines of editor feedback, what they are and aren't looking for, revise & resubmits. I'd also love to hear about how you communicate with your agent about new projects, what's helpful, since before you have an agent you just write the whole thing alone and then query. But once you have one, how much should you involve them in new ideas or things you're just starting? what's the agent/author relationship like between deals, or between submitting projects?
I would love to hear more about the agent/client relationship. I recently parted ways with my agent, and I'm curious what a normal communication between an agent and author looks like, and what expectations are realistic or unrealistic with regard to response times for emails/feedback.
I’d love for you to write more about after a writer has an agent, the relationship, and what happens after certain situations do or don’t happen, i.e., your book doesn’t sell, the relationship with an agent after a book sells, after the first contract terms, etc.
I would really like more conversation dealing with the space between getting an agent and getting a deal! Once the querying is done and you’re editing with an agent or on sub, just how to exist in this in between world without losing sanity haha
I am curious about the business models that are available today. For example: Don DeLillo wrote a book only every ~3 years for 30 years, but I did not have the impression he was paying the rent by writing stereo instructions on the side -- maybe he was? But it seemed like he had a non-starving career writing literary stuff. How's it work now for similar careers like... I dunno, Otessa Moshfegh? Like writers who will never hit Dean Koontz numbers but seem to have a real career. Or how's it work now if you're writing a genre series, like what is the model for people who publish a fantasy series, say, at a rate of one every 9-12 months (or what is the norm these days)? It seems there're some verrrrry different possible career paths available and I'm curious about the reality behind those!
May 10, 2023·edited May 10, 2023Liked by Kate McKean
I'd like to see more on the importance of building community around writing. After several years of failed attempts, I finally got a real life writing workshop together a month ago.
Everyone I talk to who is interested in writing, but doesn't do it, says that they need some sort of outside accountability.
Yes! This is challenging, especially because it seems important to form a group of writers who have somewhat matched goals, talents, career trajectories. How you find those people seems mysterious to me. I have scattered wonderful writer friends but no GROUP.
I had to make some big compromises. The real life workshop is mostly poets. I do have one fiction writing friend who came, so that's better than zero.
I would argue that anything helps, and different perspectives are good. The most important part is the social reward for producing work. But I totally understand needing to be around people who are taking this very seriously and trying to carve out a living from it. I think I'm the only person out of 2 online plus 2 real life workshops who is dead set on making a living from fiction writing alone in the not so distant future.
Writer groups don’t interest me but feedback does. It’s why I write on online platforms like Medium and Substack. You get feedback not only from other writers but more important, from readers. When I was writing non-fiction in the nineties I wrote and got paid for several books but got almost no feedback. There was no mechanism for readers to respond, ask questions, etc. Aside from royalty statements you have no idea how many readers you have, or what they think. Today I can actually see stats for read time, the amount of time people spend reading my stuff. That’s why in my newsletter I strongly encourage writers to use these platforms to get your work out there.
I sincerely appreciate all the information shared — the reason I probably wouldn’t buy a book form is 1) given the variety of topics covered it doesn’t seem reasonable enough of the specific interests I have could be featured; 2) the nature of publishing appears (to my uninitiated eyes) to be quite fluid, with changes occurring all the time, so the blog/newsletter format is a better match.
The book I’ve begun is narrative nonfiction re sociopolitical aspects of cultural heritage and tourism at archaeological and religious sites for an educated but general adult public, so it’s quite possible it’s too small a niche to be worth much space in a future Agents & Books book. I know my book will be weird, and my questions about publishing not perhaps general enough. I’ve enjoyed my subscription, though!
In the first poll, you might add On Submission to Editors. I figured Querying is for finding an agent. Granted that's a shorter window than the others.
I like detail, so I'd like more of the nitty gritty of what happens through the whole process, but especially the marketing/sales bit post publication and community building.
I know there's a typo up there and I'm not changing it lol.
I thought it was a decoy anyway.
That was fun!
I'm in a weird category where I have a great agent but not a book deal (which feels like 😫😫). This strange limbo state often isn't explored in discussions of the publication journey beyond "oh boy, yeah, that sucks!". But there are lots of difficult dilemmas in this stage too and I would love to read about this!
that was what I was just coming down here to say I wanted to read more about! when you have an agent but not a deal. The process of submission, how to read between the lines of editor feedback, what they are and aren't looking for, revise & resubmits. I'd also love to hear about how you communicate with your agent about new projects, what's helpful, since before you have an agent you just write the whole thing alone and then query. But once you have one, how much should you involve them in new ideas or things you're just starting? what's the agent/author relationship like between deals, or between submitting projects?
Yes! All this!
I was in that stage for 7 years! I looked everywhere for posts about this. It's such a confusing place to be.
Oh wow... for me it's been just over a year. I'm glad you eventually got out!!
I would love to hear more about the agent/client relationship. I recently parted ways with my agent, and I'm curious what a normal communication between an agent and author looks like, and what expectations are realistic or unrealistic with regard to response times for emails/feedback.
I’d love for you to write more about after a writer has an agent, the relationship, and what happens after certain situations do or don’t happen, i.e., your book doesn’t sell, the relationship with an agent after a book sells, after the first contract terms, etc.
I would really like more conversation dealing with the space between getting an agent and getting a deal! Once the querying is done and you’re editing with an agent or on sub, just how to exist in this in between world without losing sanity haha
I'm always interested to hear how the industry is changing. What's new? How are editors thinking differently about buying books?
I am curious about the business models that are available today. For example: Don DeLillo wrote a book only every ~3 years for 30 years, but I did not have the impression he was paying the rent by writing stereo instructions on the side -- maybe he was? But it seemed like he had a non-starving career writing literary stuff. How's it work now for similar careers like... I dunno, Otessa Moshfegh? Like writers who will never hit Dean Koontz numbers but seem to have a real career. Or how's it work now if you're writing a genre series, like what is the model for people who publish a fantasy series, say, at a rate of one every 9-12 months (or what is the norm these days)? It seems there're some verrrrry different possible career paths available and I'm curious about the reality behind those!
I'd like to see more on the importance of building community around writing. After several years of failed attempts, I finally got a real life writing workshop together a month ago.
Everyone I talk to who is interested in writing, but doesn't do it, says that they need some sort of outside accountability.
In addition, it's free amateur therapy.
Yes! This is challenging, especially because it seems important to form a group of writers who have somewhat matched goals, talents, career trajectories. How you find those people seems mysterious to me. I have scattered wonderful writer friends but no GROUP.
I had to make some big compromises. The real life workshop is mostly poets. I do have one fiction writing friend who came, so that's better than zero.
I would argue that anything helps, and different perspectives are good. The most important part is the social reward for producing work. But I totally understand needing to be around people who are taking this very seriously and trying to carve out a living from it. I think I'm the only person out of 2 online plus 2 real life workshops who is dead set on making a living from fiction writing alone in the not so distant future.
Writer groups don’t interest me but feedback does. It’s why I write on online platforms like Medium and Substack. You get feedback not only from other writers but more important, from readers. When I was writing non-fiction in the nineties I wrote and got paid for several books but got almost no feedback. There was no mechanism for readers to respond, ask questions, etc. Aside from royalty statements you have no idea how many readers you have, or what they think. Today I can actually see stats for read time, the amount of time people spend reading my stuff. That’s why in my newsletter I strongly encourage writers to use these platforms to get your work out there.
With substack, anyone who is persistent enough can reach an audience and get a return on their writing.
one option missing in Q1 is "have an agent, not yet on submission" :)
For "What do you want to read more about in Agents & Books." I would have put "All of the Above."
Me too!
I sincerely appreciate all the information shared — the reason I probably wouldn’t buy a book form is 1) given the variety of topics covered it doesn’t seem reasonable enough of the specific interests I have could be featured; 2) the nature of publishing appears (to my uninitiated eyes) to be quite fluid, with changes occurring all the time, so the blog/newsletter format is a better match.
The book I’ve begun is narrative nonfiction re sociopolitical aspects of cultural heritage and tourism at archaeological and religious sites for an educated but general adult public, so it’s quite possible it’s too small a niche to be worth much space in a future Agents & Books book. I know my book will be weird, and my questions about publishing not perhaps general enough. I’ve enjoyed my subscription, though!
PLEASE WRITE A BOOK
In the first poll, you might add On Submission to Editors. I figured Querying is for finding an agent. Granted that's a shorter window than the others.
I appreciate your typos - you are human and we can use a lot more of that in every part of our lives.
Fun poll, but oooooh, a new book to read! Looks fabulous. Ordered.
I like detail, so I'd like more of the nitty gritty of what happens through the whole process, but especially the marketing/sales bit post publication and community building.