Am I an Agent?
Am I an agent?Sometimes I’m asked that. Or someone wants me to act as one. The short answer is no. There are a number of big differences between how an agent works and what I offer. On the other hand, I do provide some unique services designed to help you get an agent. Or get by without one.
An agent works on speculation and normally receives 15% of all royalties and advances the client earns through a book sale in the U.S. Before being paid though, the agent must do a great deal of work to sell the manuscript, whose acceptance is never guaranteed. It can take a long time and a lot of effort.
Payment, if it does come, can take a number of years between when a book contract is offered, negotiations are complete, and the contract is signed. The agent also must negotiate the contract and obtain the best possible deal for the client. This can be a long and detailed process (although not necessarily). My negotiations for a recent client stretched over nearly four months with numerous phone conversations with the publisher lasting many hours.
Sometimes a publisher will want to work with a client's manuscript before offering a contract. One client received great interest in his manuscript by a publisher who then worked with him for over a year before finally considering the work ready for publication and offering a contract. This can be a great blessing because you receive the benefit of the publisher's personal attention and expertise and may end up with a stronger contract. This client actually ended up with a larger advance as a result. For an agent though, it can be a long road to travel before receiving his or her percentage of the advance. Plus, with many publishers giving more modest advances these days, that amount may not be very large. Payment of the agent's 15% of royalties may take a few years after that—if the book has some success. Again—no guarantee! You can see an agent's life isn't necessarily easy or glamorous!
Finally, one of the most important features an agent should have is a strong network of personal contacts with key people in the publishing industry. I don’t lunch with New York editors, but I do have some contacts. Although they’re growing in number, they aren’t enough to promote myself as an agent. It simply wouldn’t be fair.
A liaison, not an agent
So if I’m not an agent, what am I?
I can’t guarantee the sale of your material (no one can, for that matter). But I do act as a liaison between writers, agents, and publishers, providing services for every step of the way. These include initially brainstorming your literary creation with you, editorial consultation, interviewing, developmental writing and editing, in-depth manuscript evaluation, ghostwriting, all levels of editing, rewriting assistance, and final polishing. I have over 30 years of experience with a wide variety of areas such as journalism, academia, law, and business, and over 20 years of experience with Bible teaching and Christian apologetics. I work a lot with both fiction and nonfiction, but I don't accept material that promotes or exalts the New Age/occult, immorality, or pornography.
I can help you understand the market (especially the Christian market), prepare your manuscript for it, research appropriate agents and publishers, create a cutting edge query letter and proposal package, and assist in the pre- and post-contract stages with agents and publishers. I can also walk you through the self-publishing process. I’m not an attorney, but I’ve had ten years of experience in the legal field, ranging from legal secretary to paralegal and notary public. I've edited a number of large publications, including that of a major Christian ministry, a university alumni publication, and a regional newspaper.
My recent book proposals have acquired:
(1) immediate interest by a major New York publisher followed by a contract and a potential series;
(2) a strong interest by a major publisher in the Christian market and signing with an agent; and
(3) five major publishers in the Christian market vying for a series, leading to a three-book contract.
(4) In addition, an acquisitions editor at a major publishing house in the Christian market decided to use one of my proposals as the gold standard for their fiction authors.
For more details about how I can help you, visit my Web site at http://www.logosword.com/.
Blessings,
Linda
P.S. As a member of the national Editorial Freelance Association, I adhere to the organization's Code of Fair Practice. You might like to look at it. It’s at http://www.the-efa.org/CodeTOC.html.
posted by Linda Nathan @ 4:36 PM
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