Kimberley's client Kelli Stanley recently won the Macavity Award for her book CITY OF DRAGONS. Recently, I’ve had several prospective clients pitch me books that fall into categories I don’t represent. In response to my “I’m sorry but I don’t represent that genre,” I’m often faced with a look of disappointment or a counter-argument like, “But it’s really well-written!” or “But you said you like compelling characters and timely themes, and my book has both!” I thought it might be time to dissect the reasons why agents choose specific categories of books to represent and also why they tend to stick with them.
If you’ve read my bio on this website or at a conference I’ve attended, the categories I’ve chosen may seem random. What does a contemporary YA novel have to do with a nonfiction guide to food safety? How does a commercial thriller fit in with literary memoir? To some extent, I made these choices based on personal preference – they are the kinds of books that I am interested in reading, the kinds of books I was reading long before I became an agent. However, they are also based on business decisions.
As an advocate for my clients, I need to know the market that their books fit into and the editors who are publishing books within that market (just like agents, editors have particular categories that they publish). If I’m going to sell a historical novel, I need to (1) cultivate relationships with the editors who publish historical fiction and (2) know the historical fiction market – what’s out there and what’s coming out in the near future. Knowing the editors helps me decide who to pitch the novel to, and knowing the market helps me convince editors that the book has something new to offer to historical fiction readers.
Once a book comes out, knowing the communities that support certain categories of writing helps all of us (client, editor, and agent) find ways to promote the book most effectively. For example, mystery readers might attend a mystery conference to meet their favorite authors or follow mystery review blogs; whereas, literary fiction readers tend to give weight to reviews by prestigious publications or consider awards that the book has won. There’s a great deal of variety in the way that different kinds of books find their audiences, so agents need to know as much as possible about each category they work within to advise their client on how to reach their audience. And that’s also why – once we know an area of the market – we tend to stay there.
The good news is, if a writer hears “I’m sorry but I don’t represent that genre,” there’s no reason to take it personally. It’s better to find an agent who works on the right category than to convince one who doesn’t. Ultimately, an agent who’s tuned into the right area of the market will be able to do much more for your book!
I just attended my final pitch event of the year, and between conferences and one-day local events, I’ve met hundreds of writers (and heard hundreds of pitches) in 2010. From this side of the desk, I can tell you that it’s a harrowing experience to sort out the pitches I heard and the flood of requested submissions that fills my inbox in the days and weeks following a conference. (And if you’re still waiting to hear from me, rest assured that you will. I’m bailing my way out!)
Sometimes, that submission that I was anxiously awaiting turns out to be exactly what the writer pitched and exactly what I’m looking for. Most often, what I receive is quite different from what I was expecting, and this can be a disappointment or a pleasant surprise.
If there’s one thing that I could share – which I’ve repeated to the numerous writers I’ve met this year – it’s that pitching your book and writing your book are two very different skills. Some writers embrace this and approach the pitch with energy and optimism. Others feel that it’s a form of torture, which we sadistic publishing industry folk enjoy putting them through. Whether you view it as fun or evil, you should think of it as necessary.
While I would never sign a client on a pitch alone, being able to pitch your work is vital for several reasons. For one, it shows that you can sell your book – to agents, to publishers, and most importantly, to readers. In the current publishing climate, where much of the publicity and promotion falls to the writer, it’s important to know that a client can promote their own book, whether it’s in front of a crowd at a book signing, in an informal chat with friends, or in a tweet to your followers. For another, being able to talk about your work successfully shows that you know your book. You’ve finished the manuscript or proposal, and you’ve done your research on the market to find out where and how it fits into the big picture.
Regardless of whether you plan to attend a conference or pitch event, you should still learn to talk about your writing. What I recommend: Start by writing a one-page synopsis (F) or overview for a proposal (NF); then write a query letter; then a paragraph; then a three- or four-sentence blurb. You should have multiple versions of the pitch for your book because you never know when you might have a ten-minute face-to-face meeting or a 30-second opportunity at the lunch buffet. If you’re prepared, you’ll be able to take advantage of those magic words: “So, tell me about your book…”
