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How To Hook An Agent
Jill Corcoran of the Herman Agency
Sat., Jan. 19
11:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Cost: $200 (Includes one-on-one consultation, lunch, snacks, and tea)
Location: Writing Pad East, 10445 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood
Limited to 12-15 people
presented by Marilyn Friedman
Writing Pad
gourmet writing classes at sweet low prices
323-333-2954
HOW TO HOOK AN AGENT
You have a brilliant new YA or middle grade novel or picture book that you want to put out there (or an idea for one), but you're not sure how to land an agent and get it published. Have no fear, Jill Corcoran, literary agent extraordinaire is here! Through an informative craft talk and fun in-class exercises, she'll give you the inside scoop on how to present your work in the best possible light and how to craft a book that will sell. She will teach you what you need to know so you don’t make the rookie mistakes and show you how to make your work stand out. You’ll even get a one-on-one consultation with Jill and get feedback on an advance submission of your work in the afternoon! By the end of this class, you'll walk away with a plan that's certain to get your foot in the door.
 | | Children's Book and YA Section Instructor: Jill Corcoran Saturday, January 19, 2013 11:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Cost: $200 (Includes one-on-one consultation, snacks, gourmet lunch, and tea) Location: Writing Pad West |
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About Jill Corcoran:
Jill Corcoran is an Agent with the Herman Agency primarily representing children's books. She joined the agency 3 years ago and has sold over 60 books plus recently signed her first movie deal. Her clients include Robin Mellom, Janet Gurtler, Martha Brockenbrough, Kelly Milner Halls, Ralph Fletcher, & Jen Arena. With an English degree from Stanford University and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Chicago, Jill has marketed everything from sneakers to cereal at Leo Burnett Advertising, LA Gear, Mattel, and at her own consulting company, LAUNCH! New Product Marketing. Her current interests include: high concept Young Adult and Middle Grade Thrillers, Mystery, Romance, Romantic Comedies, and Adventure manuscripts. Jill is also the editor of “Dare To Dream…Change The World” (Kane Miller, 2012), a poetry anthology which includes Ellen Hopkins, Jane Yolen, J. Patrick Lewis, & Lee Bennett Hopkins.
The new year is here and I think we in the publishing biz are in for a lot more changes. Wish I had a magic ball to know what they all will be but I know consolidation and innovation are definitely in the near future.
Here are a few predictions that are not earth-shattering but I think are worth mentioning:
Prediction number one is that readers will continue to want good books. Be it traditionally pubbed or self-pubbed, crap just ain't gonna cut it.
Now you say, of course, that is is so obvious. But is it? If Jersey Shore and The Housewives of X are loved by people that we all know and respect, who is to say books can't go this route? We have already seen a bit of this in books. The mega-hit 50 Shades was a fun read but the actual writing was hanging on the crapola edge. Not terrible but oh it could have been so much better. Imagine the benefit to society, I know this sounds ridiculous but really, imagine if the 40 million plus people who read it could have been immersed in great writing. I know there have been lists of books that are really well written erotic and that some people feel deserved to be as well read as 50 Shades, but that is the point, it is 50 Shades that got 40 million plus people to part with their money and read that book. So gosh I hope I am not wrong on my prediction and maybe crap will cut it. I guess time will tell.
OK, so prediction number 2 is that more publishers and writers will figure out how to systematically (not just one-offs) sell their books to readers for a reasonable amount of money. Publishing is a business and no one is going to stay in business giving away their product unless it is a loss leader (Kindle for Amazon, for example). Yes, for Amazon it makes sense to bring consumers in with low-priced e-book hardware and books so that you will also buy a television or toys from their site. That is their business model, it is not the business model for publishers or writers. Our job is to write, edit and sell books. To do that we need to innovate how we let readers know our books exist. I can't wait to see how publishers and writers and illustrators will do this in 2013.
Prediction number 3, I'll be saying the same things in 2014.
I want to leave you with a fantastic article by the wonderful Jane Friedman. There is one question that many of us ask ourselves,
How Long Should You Keep Trying to Get Published?
Click on the link to her article above for some heart-to-heart advice.
What are your predictions for what will happen in our biz in 2013?
Artwork by my client Renee Treml from her book ONE VERY TIRED WOMBAT (Random House Australia 2012)
The adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) provides an unprecedented opportunity for authors and publishers —a chance to see more books in the hands of teachers and students. For the first time, all but four states have adopted the same set of Language Arts standards, which means thousands of teachers are going to be desperate for standards-based curriculum that aligns to the CCSS.
They’ll also be open to new literature. Authors and publishers who can provide curriculum guides that meet the new standards while tying in informational text, will become teachers' (and school districts') best friends.
Curriculum Guides need to go well beyond the usual one-to-two page list of suggested activities and questions that authors and publishers often provide for their books. Instead, they should be intimately tied to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), have engaging activities and handouts that teachers can use with little to no preparation, and be based on solid instructional practices.
Writers, I believe providing a free kick-ass #CCSS Curriculum Guide is an imperative part of your marketing plan. Teachers usually pay $ for these guides, and most often the free ones given away on publisher sites are not really what teachers need to teach a book to their class. Once teachers have a Curriculum Guide they really like they often go to their principal to ask for a class set or apply for a grant to do so.
Also, whenever I tweet about DARE TO DREAM...CHANGE THE WORLDS's free Curriculum Guide I see teachers and librarians re-tweeting it, pinning it, fbing it, etc. More free promotion, and more taste-makers learning about the book via this free guide.
A Curriculum Guides helps teachers, librarians, readers, and you. I see it as a win-win all around.
As an agent I am
reading that my days are numbered. That soon there will be so few places to submit books that my job will be obsolete.
Even worse, as a writer I am to fear that my books--heck, I am a
children's poetry anthologist--will never again be deemed to have an ROI that will attract these money-grubbing mega-corporations.
Sorry, I'm not buying this negative and destructive way of thinking!
I am no pollyanna. I have an MBA from the mecca of conservative finance...The University of Chicago....and I get that the free market determines what succeeds and what falls by our capitalistic wayside. But we are not talking commodities here...a comparatively homogeneous product that can typically be bought in bulk...we are talking unique creative thought rising from a heart, a soul, captured on paper or forever floating in an icloud to be shared with those readers who choose one unique book over another. Just as many prefer junk food over a fresh picked apple, exploitive reality shows and magnified stereotypical scripted television/feature films over March of the Penguins and Downton Abbey, there remains a rather sizable audience for quality.
We are the human race, not sheep flinging ourselves into the dumbed down abyss. Yes, there will be those who slip and slide, heck dive head first, down to the bottom. But that is not all and
those in the mud will not define us nor the next generation of readers, writers, learners and doers. The Publishing Merger Mania will result in less books being bought by traditional publishers, and in turn, more self-publishing. While these Mega-Publishers will hope to publish huge hits, they are still staffed by editors and art directors who love the written word, the stroke of a paintbrush. They are still run by many who care about what they publish while fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. Not all, of course not all. But we don't need all.
And as for self-published books, who says that quality will not shine there as well? Price does not determine quality in commodities nor in creative endeavors. Are all songs worth a buck on itunes? Are they all the same quality just because they are the same price. Of course not.
But, and this is a huge but, who will be able to afford to be a singer, a writer, an artist in this new world where music and books are selling for practically nothing? In a world where most writers not only write but must also be marketing whizzes and social media blabbermouths?
Here is my hope, that readers get tired of downloading free and $2.99 books that are such crap that they can't even read through to page ten. That they get tired of the clutter and look for books that fulfill their desire for story, and for white space. Books that fulfill the human body, mind and spirit like a fresh picked apple.
Opening Paragraph: "One Monday morning, a couple years before my cousin Mike shot me in the forehead with an arrow, my eighth-grade homeroom teacher brought two cartons of raw eggs to school.Second paragraph: "Who can tell me what these are?" Mrs. Domino said. She was wearing her second-hottest skirt, the one with the cherries on it. Score."Okay, folks. Right there, in four sentences, you've got VOICE, BELIEVABLE TEENSPEAK, and ME, SERIOUSLY HOOKED. I mean, this character is a guy who can tell a story. Arrows; eggs; a teacher's second hottest skirt--there is just no way you are not going to read on. And when you do, you will find that this character--Jerome Hancock--is the voice in Heidi Devine's head. And just why is he in her head? Because he's taking part in SRPNT (Soul Rehabilitation for Nefarious Teens, Deceased), which means he's got a soul in his care, and how well he tends that soul will determine his fate.
The above is from the fab blog Middle Grade Mafioso, and even though the book DEVINE INTERVENTION is not MG, today is the inaugural "A Day for YA" on MGM.
Read the full post HERE!
Happy Holidays, All!
If you are like me you are still working/writing as much as you can in the moments you can steal away from holiday fun, and holiday obligations.
My timeline for reading fulls is getting ridiculous, which is something I feel terrible about because I know how hard it is to wait for answers...we agents do it everyday, many times over for our clients' work and waiting=frustration=anger. NOT GOOD! So rather than being a take-way-too-long-to-get-back-to-you-jerk, as of today I am closing to queries EXCEPT if you were at a conference at which I spoke or through recommendations. Please have the person recommending you send me a quick email so I know the recommendation is legit.
Enjoy your holidays and check back for blog posts as I always have something to say:)
With the adoption and transition to the
common core standards, teachers across the country are going to be looking for new ways to cover these more detailed student learning objectives. This is an opportune time for authors to get their books in teachers' hands, which equates to greater sales, more opportunities for speaking engagements, and longevity. Having a curriculum guide that accompanies your book sweetens the deal for most teachers.
What is a curriculum guide? A solid curriculum guide includes all the necessary components for teaching a novel in an engaging way, while still reflecting the Common Core Standards. The most useful guides are those that are explicitly tied to the standards; pull out key, grade-appropriate vocabulary; offer a wide assortment of engaging activities for students to be involved in; contain thoughtful and spiraled discussion questions; and have at least one writing prompt. What's most helpful to a teacher--who is juggling so much already--is to give them handouts and activities they can plug directly into their curriculum.
Why is it important for an author? Teachers love teaching new novels, but any new work requires hours of preparation on the part of the teacher. A teacher has to divide up the reading of the chapters, create engaging chapter questions, uncover examples of various literary techniques, and develop at least one in depth, holistic assignment with a solid assessment. All of this work needs to reflect the standards (in most cases the Common Core Standards) and fit into a certain time period. Needless to say, teachers simply don't have the time to teach new novels too often.
How do I create one for my book? Starting in January 2013, the creators of my Curriculum Guide for
DARE TO DREAM...CHANGE THE WORLD, Nicole Boylan and Erin Fry, will be posting a blog series right here on my blog where they will talk about the importance of the CCSS, and the basics of curriculum guides. You can check out some of their samples and model your guide after theirs. Or you can contact them and let them help you out.
Nicole Boylan is a former teacher who came out of the classroom to pursue her passion for writing curriculum. Erin Fry has taught middle school for over a decade. She is currently both a teacher and a middle grade author (represented by Jill)--her debut novel,
LOSING IT, came out in September and a second novel is due in 2013. They've both created standards-based curriculum and assessments for many years, working for companies such as Teachers' Curriculum Institute and Aspire Schools.
The adoption of the Common Core State Standards by all but five states has further ignited their passion to create engaging and meaningful curriculum. They are intimately familiar with the CCSS and have begun working with authors who wish to have standards-based curriculum guides for teachers to use in conjunction with their books. If you are an author who might be interested in having curriculum or discussion questions created for your book, they'd love to talk with you. Currently, they can be reached at
[email protected].
Nicole and Erin are working on Curriculum Guides for many of the most important kidlit authors writing today.
For a free download of an example of one of their Curriculum Guides click HERE.
I'm teaching a class at LA's Writing Pad Nov 10th!
Hope to see some of you there.
HOW TO HOOK AN AGENTYou have a brilliant new novel, memoir, collection of short stories, or picture book that you want to put out there (or an idea for one), but you're not sure how to land an agent and get it published. Have no fear, Elise Capron and Jill Corcoran, literary agents extraordinaire, are here! Through an informative craft talk and fun in-class exercises, they'll give you the inside scoop on how to present your work in the best possible light and how to craft a book that will sell. They will teach you what you need to know so you don’t make the rookie mistakes and show you how to make your work stand out. You’ll even get a one-on-one consultation with one of the agents and get feedback on an advance submission of your work in the afternoon! By the end of this class, you'll walk away with a plan that's certain to get your foot in the door.
 | | Adult Fiction and Memoir Section Instructor: Elise Capron Saturday, November 10, 2012 11:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Cost: $200 (Includes one-on-one consultation, snacks, snacks, and tea) Location: Writing Pad East | | |  |
 | | Children's Book and YA Section Instructor: Jill Corcoran Saturday, November 10, 2012 11:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Cost: $200 (Includes one-on-one consultation, snacks, gourmet lunch, and tea) Location: Writing Pad West | | | |
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About Elise Capron:
Elise Capron is an agent at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency--proclaimed by the LA Times and Newsweek as “the most powerful literary” agency in the West. They represent bestselling fiction and non-fiction authors, such as Amy Tan, Lisa See, and Maxine Hong Kingston, and many more. Some of Elise's recent and soon-to-be-published books include Tiphanie Yanique's “How to Escape from a Leper Colony” (Graywolf), “The Land of Love and Drowning” (Riverhead), Rikki Ducornet's “Netsuke”(Coffee House), Jonathan Keats' “Virtual Words” (Oxford) and “The Book Of The Unknown” (Random House), Jack Shuler's “Blood and Bone” (University of South Carolina), and “The Noose: A History” (Public Affairs). Elise is looking for unforgettable writing, a terrific narrative voice/tone, and memorable characters. She loves fiction with an unusual or eccentric edge. On the non-fiction front, Elise prefers fascinating true stories told in a compelling way. A graduate of Emerson College, Elise holds a BFA in Writing, Literature and Publishing, and served on the editorial staff of the Emerson Review. She joined the Dijkstra Agency in 2003.
About Jill Corcoran:
Jill Corcoran is an Agent with the Herman Agency primarily representing children's books. She joined the agency 3 years ago and has sold over 60 books plus recently signed her first movie deal. Her clients include Robin Mellom, Janet Gurtler, Martha Brockenbrough, Kelly Milner Halls, Ralph Fletcher, & Jen Arena. With an English degree from Stanford University and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Chicago, Jill has marketed everything from sneakers to cereal at Leo Burnett Advertising, LA Gear, Mattel, and at her own consulting company, LAUNCH! New Product Marketing. Her current interests include: high concept Young Adult and Middle Grade Thrillers, Mystery, Romance, Romantic Comedies, and Adventure manuscripts. Jill is also the editor of “Dare To Dream…Change The World” (Kane Miller, 2012), a poetry anthology which includes Ellen Hopkins, Jane Yolen, J. Patrick Lewis, & Lee Bennett Hopkins.
I have 3 teens who are always starving and want the food to actually taste good...geez:)
I'm creating a
collaborative Pinterest recipe board and and searching for yummy, healthy meals, snacks, side dishes, etc.
If YOU want to be a pinner, let me know!
http://pinterest.com/jillcorcoran/healthy-foods-for-uber-hungry-teens/
This is my client Angela Ackerman. I rep her fiction. Her wildly popular non-fiction started as a blog with Becca Puglisi, and is now a self-pubbed success story. Read all about it here...
The Bookshelf Muse: The Path To 10K In Sales: Strategy, Luck & Mistake...: I’ll admit my mind is blown knowing there are over 10, 000 Emotion Thesaurus books out there in the world. Becca and I are thrill...
What are you so obsessed with you tend to be blinded by it?
Is it beating your arch rival at school, sports, work?
Becoming valedictorian?
Losing weight?
Has your obsession ever made you lose or almost lose something important?
In Blind Spot, a debut YA thriller by Laura Ellen, 16-year-old Roz is obsessed with proving she is 'normal' despite her visual impairment. Her obsession, however, makes her lose sight of everything else, including clues to a classmate's death.
To promote the novel which releases October 23 from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Laura Ellen is asking teens, authors, and entertainment personalities "What's your blind spot?"
Write or video a short clip about your 'blind spot' and send it in. Five lucky entries will receive a signed hardcover copy of Blind Spot. Stories and contest winners will be posted October 26th during the Blind Spot blog tour.
Find entry details on Laura Ellen's website Contest begins October 2nd and ends at midnight EST October 16, 2012.
--
Laura Ellen
BLIND SPOT (Harcourt Children's Books, October 2012)
Twitter: @lauraellenbooks
Ah, look what Google Alerts alerted me too:)
Liz Writes - Elizabeth Briggs: Three Months As An Intern:
I just passed the three month mark as an intern for agent Jill Corcoran of Herman Agency, and thought it might be a good time to do a post about my experiences. ..... (click
HERE to read the whole post).
And Liz,I am so lucky to have you as an intern. You above and beyond to help me in so many ways, and your taste is absolutely fantastic. I don't know how I ever did this job without you.
Thank you for your time, your thoughtfulness and your generosity.
Hugs,
jill
P. S. As I said, Liz is super generous...this is from the last paragraphs of this post so go to her Liz Writes blog and ask away...
Interning has also made me a better writer, because I read so many different queries and opening pages and have seen what works and what doesn't. I've also learned a ton about publishing from Jill, and she's always happy to answer my questions about the industry. I'm very lucky that I have two agents to learn from! And in return, I want to help other writers as much as possible.On that note, do you have any questions about agents, querying, publishing, etc? Would you like query or first page critiques posted on the blog? Posts about query trends or querying advice? Q&A sessions? Let me know what you'd like to see here!
Guest post by Janet Gurtler who has 3 published books and 3 more under contract from Sourcebooks Fire, all to be branded with same book cover look.
Let’s face it. Most of us do judge books by their cover. A great cover can do wonderful things to help a book reach intended readers. Or just as wonderful, help a book reach new or unintended readers.
When people see the covers for my books, I often get nice comments. (This is good because I’m fond of hearing nice things about my books;) ) I hear, “I love the way your books all have the same look and the circle title”.
I’d love to take credit for the covers (Ok. not really, designers deserve their praise) but I don’t have a huge role in the covers. Book cover designers work with the editing and marketing team to come up with a concept intended to reach target readers. The cover tells the reader a little bit about the book’s tone or even which genre it is. When you see the cover for WHO I KISSED, you know you’re not getting a dystopian novel or a paranormal time travel romp. I hope that readers are starting to know the “look’, the “Janet Gurtler style”. That’s the goal. That’s the term branding heard so often in the publishing world.
The covers for my books are designed to reach contemporary young adult readers. If you look at authors who write books similar to mine, Sarah Dessen, Sarah Ockler, Elizabeth Scott, you should get a similar sensation from their books. Feminine colors. Wistful images. I hope that the books evoke an emotional response and an expectation from readers that they will become integrated into a fast-paced story.
When I say my books, that’s really not accurate at this stage. By the time a book reaches bookshelves, it has many fingerprints on it. Agents, editors, copyeditors, marketing, publicity, sales people-- so many people behind the scenes help make a finished book what it is.
I feel incredibly fortunate to be publishing with Sourcebooks. They have truly gotten behind me as an author (and all their YA authors) and are using their marketing shrewdness to brand the books. Did I mention marketing? Did I mention BOOK TOUR??!! Yes, I am lucky enough to be going on a book tour for WHO I KISSED! Check out the dates and cities here.
And please come and see me if I’m on your turf!! Anyhow. Sorry. The incredible sound of the word ‘book tour’ distracted me. (Squee!)
Back to covers. The similar theme and feel of my covers aren’t a mistake. They’re designed to let readers know that these books are by the same author. They should let you know that when you pick up a Janet Gurtler book, you’re getting an emotional book that takes you inside the character’s heads and lets you think about life and choices (at least I hope that’s what you’re getting). The covers have gotten me onto tables at Barne’s and Nobles under headings “If You Like Sarah Dessen..try these”. It’s an incredible table to be on. Sourcebooks is doing a fabulous job.
Of course, book covers even when approved, go through tweaks before the final version. Look at this first shot at a cover for WHO I KISSED.
I have to admit, I really hated the boy in the cover. (no offense to his mother or him, it’s nothing personal) To me he looked kind of stalkerish and his jacket reminded me of an 80’s sports coat. My editor thought I was hilarious and off my rocker, but offered up a few more choices.
Of course, I picked number 3. Because he’s cute and has fluffy hair! And er, suited the character profile so much better than the other two. And then came a couple more tweaks. First we had this:
And finally the cover that’s on the books today:
Can you spot the differences from start to finish??
As mentioned, I’m a huge fan of the covers and a huge fan of Sourcebooks. They do a fabulous job branding and promoting their authors. It’s truly my pleasure to be published with them! What are some of your favorite YA covers? Why?
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Copyright © 2006 Jago. All rights reserved including the right of
reproduction in whole or in part in any form. |
I am putting together a series of Live Video Chats that will begin sometime later this fall. In these chats you will, in real time, be able to talk with the guest speakers. I am considering a number of topics but want to hear from YOU. What would you like to chat about? With who?
A. I am considering the following...1. Craft Chats...editors +/or art directors + authors/illustrators--plot, character, pacing, voice, etc
2. Publisher chats...editors + art directors + marketing/publicity + sales, etc.
3. Book to Film...editor + book agent + film agent + author
4. Foreign Rights chat...book agent + foreign rights agent+ editors from foreign publishers
5. Marketing, what can YOU do to increase the sell-through of your book...editors + marketers + publicity + puablishers' salespeople + authors/illustrators + booksellers + internet and multimedia savvy professionals
What else would you like to chat about? Please comment and let me know.
B. What is best day and time of day? At this point these will not be saved for later viewing. It is more like a live conference/workshop.
1. Midweek--9pm Eastern/6pm Pacific?
2. Weekend?
C. And finally, what is your interest level? There will be a nominal charge....not sure what that cost would be yet. The chats will be somewhere from 60-90 minutes.
Why is this not a free service to writers? I am a firm believer in paying people for their work, must be the agent in me:) So all speakers will be paid.
Looking forward to your thoughts!
The industry certainly has been changing, and I am noticing, so is my taste. So with that, I am putting out an updated list of what I am looking for!
1. All books must have excellent commercial plus literary writing. What I mean by this is an utter command of the language that is accessible to most readers--not just the brainy kids. The concept must be fresh, organic, break-through. Just another one is not going to cut it. Yes, lots of copycat books make the hit list, but I am an agent, a talent scout. I am not looking to sell copycats. I am looking to discover the next big thing.
2. I want complexity of character, multi-level plot and theme, believability even in the fantastic, and pacing that blinds me to time and space.
3. I am a fan of the underdog, but the underdog doesn't always need to be the nerd, the foster kid, the kid from the broken home. It is irritating when the popular kids are bad and the outcasts are heros. I think most kids are average. Some are more popular than others but being popular often takes a lot of work and that work spurs a host of insecurity. Many kids define popular in different ways. Some cherish their inner and outer geek. I want "normal" teens in extraordinary circumstances (I leave the definition of normal to you:) ).
4. Regarding romance, I want authentic vulnerability and innocence as well as hot, steamy yearning, and in some cases, more than yearning. I want to love your characters so I understand why your characters love each other. I want to be so enmeshed with your character that when his/her heart breaks, so does mine. When your characters are kissing, or doing more than kissing, I want to feel that pull in my body too.
For some specifics....
5. Young Adult
a) Romance that is sweet, culminating in the first kiss. The concept has to be high concept---has to have something that if you described it to me in one sentence I would be aching to read it.
b) Romance that is on the edge of adult...and will cross over to adult readers. This is upper YA--protagonists that are 17+ but not yet in college. College settings do not work in the YA market. That is the realm of adult.
c) Mystery-keep me guessing. I want pacing that does not let me put down the book until I know what happens. Throw in some romance or siblings or best friends or heck, a dog, so the stakes for your protagonist are higher.
d) Thrillers-keep me on the edge of my seat, flipping pages with my heart-pumping in fear for your characters. Throw in a freak'n hot romance. Toss with a zinging concept and multi-layered writing that makes me question, guess, read-on and on and on. That's what I'm talking about!
e)Epic Series or Trilogies--build me a big 'ol world that makes me want to live in it....I think I am over dystopia so not really looking for those worlds I would never want to live in. But in this paradise, hint at the hell. Then draw me in and make me roast along with your characters. Your setting is also a character here, your world building is essential. For me, this world should not be high fantasy as I am not a reader of high fantasy. This world could even be contemporary or urban fantasy. BUT, you are the world creator. Your vision of rural or city is what you make of it, not simply NYC or Podunck USA. You create the world that you need to give the reader the authenticity, the tension, the completeness of your story.
6. Middle Grade--either able to win awards or a high-concept commercial seller. I really don't have specifics for MG right now since it is more of an 'I know it when I read it' feel for me. Not helpful but after you finish revising ask yourself....is this book strong enough to win an award? And/or does it have the concept, the plotting, the characters to keep young readers up at night past their bedtimes?
7. Picture Books--so selective right now. I probably have all I need but heck, I say that and I signed a new pb writer yesterday so again....writing, concept, authenticity, characters. Humor is always a plus.
Thanks for reading and looking forward to reading YOUR work!
For further reading, please see my post
WHAT MAKES A BOOK SELL?
Sometimes I step back and think about the ROI (Return on Investment) of how I spend my time: Family, Agenting, Writing, Housework and Me Time. Any increase in one category diminishes time spent on the other four categories. Simple Concept/Difficult Decisions.
Since this blog is mostly about Agenting, I'll focus on that. What is the ROI of Agenting and how can I most increase that return? Am I better off spending less time agenting and more time writing?---monetary question here as I love both. Am I better off spending less time agenting and more time with my family? If I tip the scale too much towards my family will I lose momentum in my career? Become too enmeshed in my teens lives to the point that I am a helicopter parent? Cherish every moment with my children as they are soon leaving the coop or, as can also be the case, resent that decision and actually become a worse parent and wife?
I think the way to think about this is to consider how do I best use my Agenting hours to be both financially and emotionally fulfilled? I have been at this for 3 years now---three years in which the pub biz has been in a constant state of change and I too must change to keep up.
It is time to agent smarter. To be more focused on books that have the potential for breaking out as a result of their concept, their writing, and/or the project's 'legs' both in the classroom and in the trade BEYOND the bookstore. I love, love, love bookstores but heck, most near me have closed down and the ones that are within driving distance don't carry many of the books I want to read. I love finding books in clothing stores, gifts shops, grocery stores, etc., but those outlets have a very limited assortment of books. Same goes for Target, Walmart, Costco--just ask
Joan Rivers:)
The key word for the future of book selling is DISCOVERABILITY. Really, always has been
but the way we discover books has changed. How will the quiet, midlist, not-tied-to-curriculum kids book be found, bought and read? How will YOUR BOOK be found, bought and read?
I have said this time and again, it is not just the sale to the publisher (or these days for some writers, the uploading of the book to the Internet) that counts....a career is based on SELL-THROUGH. On your book selling through to readers who PAY for your book. Who choose to take the money they could have spent on lunch or a new tee-shirt or a movie or a new phone case or so many other things...NOT JUST ANOTHER BOOK....and part with that money to BUY YOUR BOOK!
(See my post, WHAT MAKES A BOOK SELL?)To this end, I am going to be rethinking my WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR post soon, narrowing in on what kidlit I think will sell through to readers, teachers, librarians, & parents.
BTW, I rep 1 non-fiction adult author, Martha Alderson AKA The Plot Whisperer. Why did I take on this one author? Because I absolutely knew that her book would sell through to readers.
(Post on that here.) Her
The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories is flying off the shelves, as is her
The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master. Plus, I will be announcing a third book in the series very soon. That is 3 books in less than a year! This is what I mean by agenting smarter.
I use The Plot Whisperer above to most easily show what a book with 'legs' means. It is harder to nail that in fiction, but it is being done all the time....and that is what I am looking for--either a book with legs or a writer with the ability to create a long-term career.
I have a number of clients who came to me with strong careers and for whom I keep selling lots of books...Ralph Fletcher, Kelly Milner Halls, Sherry Shahan, Anastasia Suen, Denise Patrick Lewis, Kenn Nesbitt, Jen Arena, Suzanne Gervay, and more but I also want to mention that Robin Mellom and Janet Gurtler came to me as debut authors....each now have 6 book deals. THAT, my readers, is LEGS!
Books to get you ready to head back to school“The Classroom (The Epic Documentary of a Not-Yet-Epic Kid)” By Robin Mellom. Age 10+There’s so much to love about this laugh-out-loud-funny story of what happens to Trevor Jones, who is just starting the seventh grade at Westside Middle School. All in one day, Trevor starts school, loses his best friend and has to deal with a film crew documenting the life of a “typical middle school student.” The story is told a bit in the style of a movie; the chapters are short, and there are cute drawings and doodles on the pages. Total fun for the end of the summer and the start of school.By — Tracy Grant, Tuesday, August 21, 3:04 PM
Click on classroom title at beginning of post to read the full article!
Send me an email today through Aug 28th and this is what you will auto-receive:
I will be on staycation until August 29th (the day kids go back to a full day of school) and will be answering email less frequently than usual.
Enjoy these final days of summer,
JillYup, for me a staycation means still working, just trying to slow down the pace. Wish i could completely disconnect but with deals pending, in negotiations, etc., that is not easily done.
I must admit, it is hard to balance career ambitions and trying to be the best mom and wife I can be. I am sure most of you feel this way too. With every sale, I want to commit myself more to agenting. But then I look at my kids growing up so quickly, towering over me and facing important life decisions as well as everyday triumphs and frustrations and I am snapped back into reality--kids come first, husbands come first, people come first.
And with that, I am here.....but not here. Working....but not working. Parenting. Puppy playing. Kitty corralling. Guinea pit snuggling. Living.
Enjoy the end of summer!
From Ronnie:
UPDATE: "NO manuscripts without art. I need completed books and prefer out-of-print titles."
"Looking for either out of print picture books and brand new picture books. Send me a low res PDF of the work so I can decide if this is right for me. Be sure that if you are not the author and artist, that the other party holds the rights to the work as well as you. If I am interested in your work(s), I will need 300 dpi PSD files of the art without type, a Word Doc. of the text with page indications that match the actual book, and either a copy of the book or a low res PDF of the book. This would be a non-exclusive agreement, meaning that you can still publish your book in any form you desire elsewhere. I am working with a company that is supplying the picture books to a TV company world-wide. More details after I review your work and see if they suit my needs. Please submit the pdf files to: [email protected].
Thanks--Ronnie Ann Herman of HERMAN AGENCY"
Looking forward to seeing many of you Thur-Mon at the
SCBWI Summer Conference.
I have one workshop, one agent's panel, two intensives, one
book signing for DARE TO DREAM...CHANGE THE WORLD plus critiques so I hope to speak to a lot of you while we are there.
Friday, August 3, 11:45am - 12:45pm
Workshop: Choosing Clients, Agenting Their Work and the Evolving Market
Sunday, August 5, 8:30am - 9:30am
Agent's Panel Keynote: Realizing Your Creative Dreams: What the Publishing World Can Offer You
Sunday August 5, 5:15pm - 7pm
book signing for DARE TO DREAM...CHANGE THE WORLDMonday, August 6, 9am-12:15 am
Morning Intensive with 8 Agents.
Monday, August 6, 2pm - 5:15pm
Afternoon Intensive: How to Write a Query Letter
PRE-LA SCBWI 2012 INTERVIEW Team Blogger Lee Wind asked my by best advice for authors going into manuscript critiques. Here is the link:
http://tinyurl.com/7b3l7bs
Ronnie Ann Herman of the HERMAN AGENCY is looking for a bright, eager to learn intern who is very adapt with a Mac and knows Photoshop and Adobe Acrobat very well. They must also have a strong interest in picture books. Ronnie needs someone to help her gather and prepare files for picture books that will be sent to a company who will turn them into videos.
You do not need to live in New York. We can work together virtually.
Please do not respond if you are not extremely proficient on a Mac and with Photoshop and Adobe Acrobat.
Please contact Ronnie at RonnieHerman (at) gmail (dot) com
Ronnie started Herman Agency in 1999 and represents many of the leading illustrators and author/illustrators in today's children's book market. As a former Art Director at Random House and Art Director, Associate Publisher and V.P. at Penguin Books' Grosset & Dunlap, Ronnie art directed thousands of children's books during her more than 20 years in publishing. Ronnie is also the author of 12 children’s books with over 1.5 million books sold plus one of her books has been on the NY Times best-seller list.
www.HermanAgencyInc.com
Janet Gurtler- YA Addict: Whirlwind ALA: So back from my whirlwind trip to ALA in Anaheim. Flew out on Friday morning and got home Saturday night. I am exhausted. But luckily it's ...
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Well. I'd say your predictions are right on. Happy and Creative 2013
Jane Friedman always has excellent advice. Thank you for sharing her post.