Blogger: Rachel Zurakowski
Location: Books & Such Main Office, Santa Rosa, Calif.
My interest is piqued by certain types of writers, even before reading a writing sample. This interest is based on the author’s character traits. I would never acquire a client without first reviewing his or her writing, but I’m looking for a certain type of writer. Many other agents look for the same qualities.
The first trait I’d like to talk about is: A Teachable Spirit
Whether I meet an author at a writers’ conference or through a query letter, I have a pretty good idea if the author is willing to grow in his or her writing by the way the project is presented. If a writer is very aggressive in the way he or she approaches me (face-to-face or via email), it usually means that if I suggest changes for the project, the writer won’t listen. An author with a teachable spirit will approach writing with a degree of humility, understanding that he might not have complete understanding of the current publishing marketplace. An important part of an agent’s job is career guidance for our clients, and that requires trust between the two parties (author/agent) right from the beginning of the relationship.
If I don’t feel an author is willing to accept feedback during the initial presentation of the project, one question is usually enough to help me pinpoint if the writer has a teachable spirit: Has anybody read and critiqued the manuscript? If the response is no, that probably isn’t someone I want to work with.
Often before I sign a client, I need the promising writer to make a few changes on a proposal or manuscript before I feel it’s marketable. This is a good time for an author to show his or her teachable spirit. It’s also a great time to see if the author and agent see eye-to-eye on the direction of a project. An agent can sometimes be a bad fit for an author if the two don’t connect during this revision process.
The teachable spirit continues to be important as the author and agent move forward in their business relationship. The agents at Books & Such are hands-on in helping clients format projects, formulate ideas, etc. The degree of involvement varies from project to project, but if the client isn’t willing to grow as a writer, it’s going to be difficult for the agent to do her job.
Unrelated fun fact(?) I learned at a writers’ conference:
I hear that, if you blog about Chick-fil-A (a fast food restaurant), a company representative responds to your blog post. Who knows if this is true? I guess we’ll find out!
Great post. A teachable spirit helps us through life in general, but I don’t think there’s any place it’s so sorely needed as in writing. There’s something so personal about our writing.
I tell the students in my writing classes that there’s nothing written in stone except for the 10 commandments. Everything else is subject to editing.
I’ll be checking for a reply from Chick-fil-A!
As a pastor, one of the most valued traits I find in working with people, is a teachable listening spirit.
No matter how much wisdom, knowledge, & desire for their good I possess or God gives me, there is no ladder that will breach the defensive wall of a unteachable spirit.
Thank you for your insights and post.
Be Blessed
In Him,
Great post.
I agree, a teachable spirit is imperative. And not just for writing.
How can someone grow in their faith? Or in their day job (if they aren’t a full time writer) if they think they know it all.
God calls us to have a teachable spirit so we can grow closer to Him. I think it applies to everything, too.
I have always had the attitude that when you stop learning then you stop living. We should all go into relationships expecting to teach something and to learn something. I am a new writer and am more than happy to admit that I know absolutely nothing about the process which should make it easy for my potential agent.
P.S. I love Chick-Fil-A !!! A toasted chicken salad sandwich with some carrot and raisin salad sounds really good right now.
Ah, come on now! Don’t you know that unpublished writers know EVERYTHING there is to know about books and publishing? I mean, we practically wrote the book on how to write a book and get it published. It isn’t our fault that no editors or agents out there have any clue what a good story really is. Someday they will see that people really do want to read about opera-singing elves from the land of Frindolothon who come to steal the show at Broadway. It’s pure genius! Just like us!
It’s hard to have someone frown at your baby and tell you that she might look a little better if you removed that third ear sticking out of her forehead. You installed that third ear for crying out loud! You molded it, shaped it-and this is YOUR baby!
Seriously, when Rachel offered to be my agent, she suggested cutting two of my favorite chapters from my first novel. After shutting off my ego, I looked at the chapters and realized that she was right: they were slow, confusing, and totally unnecessary. The book is better without them.
To all of us overprotective parents: The third ear is bad. Listen to your doctor. Have it removed.
Amazing a teachable spirit. I was just having a discussion about what I look for in a new hire, the two qualities were a teachable spirit, and a humble spirit.
Thank you for sharing the attractiveness of a teachable spirit. This makes sense.
You are so right, Rachel. You are talking about readers here, but the funny thing is, it applies to all of us in publishing. When we take projects to editors, we also keep our ears tuned to what they are saying so that we can bring constructive feedback to clients. This whole process is so collaborative.
And the best thing? Wise revising and restructuring makes the end product so much stronger.
Looking forward to seeing what other attractive author qualities you identify.
One of the things I love most about teaching is the willingness of my students to learn. It is fascinating to watch the realization on their faces when they grasp a concept and it finally makes sense. The light of knowledge contains such brilliance!
I always tell my students–don’t just answer with a yes or no. You have to tell me tell me WHY your answer is yes or no!
Nika
Irene, I agree with you. A humble spirit goes along with a teachable spirit. As James pointed out he had to “shut off his ego” before he could take the criticism and move forward to make his project better. It is very hard for authors to do this because so much of the author goes into the book. It’s not much fun when someone looks at something that reflects you so personally and suggests you change it. But usually the change needs to be made and with a humble and teachable spirit, an author will be able to produce a great book.
Thanks so much for sharing with us!
If I learn nothing else in writing fiction but how to be humble, it will be worth it. In “Mere Christianity”, C.S. Lewis pried my eyes open to destructive pride and soon I could see it in my attitude about so many things in life. You can’t learn anything if you are too proud to accept the fact that you don’t know everything.
Sneaky, slippery pride rears its head with every comment written in red on my perfect composition. I can push pride down and learn, grow, or I can ignore the suggestion as errant and regress, shrink. Growing hurts sometimes.
Some crazy person recently likened unedited writing to wild, fluffy, out-of-control eyebrows: http://aratus.typepad.com/tma/2009/04/waxing-waning.html
Here’s to trimming that stuff down! And doing it happily … 🙂 Bring out the hot wax.
BJ
This is a great post. It gives insight and knowledge all writers need. Personally I believe a writer should beware of coming to a point where they feel they no longer can or need to grow as a writer. Being humble and a teachable spirit will always keep a writer in a place where they can enhance themselves and better their work and thats the place I definitely want to stay. Thank You.
Breaking into the Literary Market is hard work, but one of the editors was kind enough to teach me. When he sent the rejection email, I sensed to ask him what he needed changed in the fiction story. He was kind enough to give me a detailed reply and to suggest I read Hemmingway.
It was grueling to read Hemmingway, but I studied some of it and rewrote the story taking in his suggestions. I resent the story to him and he liked it! However, he wasn’t the fiction editor. His fiction editor couldn’t use it. The nice editor suggested to go to another magazine where he was published a few times.
In talking to the editor, I explained this other editor referred me to him. He had no trouble accepting the work and it was all thanks to an editor who was willing to teach me.
Nikki