Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Once in a while we will lose a client due to false promises or false praise offered by another agent or industry professional. It’s easy to fall for these and other false promises:
- You shouldn’t be wasting your time writing books for a small publisher.
I can take you to the bestseller lists. - No one should put up with an agent who doesn’t sell foreign rights. They are leaving money on the table.
- Forget a publishing “home.” This is a business. I will take you to multiple houses and get big money for you.
- You are too good to be hidden away in the CBA. I will take you to the ABA.
- If your agent is not regularly getting film options for your books, you have the wrong agent.
The list goes on and on.
When we agents lose someone to false promises, we can’t help but follow their career. ( I know, it’s like a train wreck you can’t stop watching.) Over the years this has been instructive. The clients we built slowly and carefully are among some of the steadiest earners and solid sellers at their respective houses. Some are regular bestsellers. The clients who left us for promises of quick success and a wider reach are still struggling. One client left to write for ABA because he was told he was wasted on CBA, even though he walked away from a contract on the table. Guess what? He hasn’t been able to land a contract since he moved despite all the promises.
How about foreign rights? This is another empty promise in the CBA market. Our CBA publishers have more of a world view than ABA publishers and they generally do a superb job of presenting books and selling foreign rights. The publishers they work with, however, are usually small and often ministries so the money is equally small. Yes, there may be money left on the table but it is pennies, not dollars and your agent is not going to be able to get those extra pennies for you unless they are actively selling rights at BEA and Frankfort– places where your publisher is already at work.
What about writing for multiple houses? This is a complicated subject that could fill a number of posts but generally writers who jump from house to house always seeking the better deal miss out on the slow and steady rise that happens when a house gets behind an author. It’s true we often have to move an author for a number of reasons but it is not just “about business.” This is a very personal industry where loyalty is rewarded. sometimes, in wanting to make more income, a writer may decide to write for more than one house– perhaps different genres for each house. This is often a terrible mistake causing the brand to be weakened and interfering with building a steady career trajectory.
What about going to ABA instead of the smaller Christian market? Sounds good but consider why nearly every big ABA publisher worked so hard to acquire Christian imprints. Christians read books. Voraciously. The ABA is not more vigorous than the CBA– apples to oranges. There are mega authors in ABA, yes, but trying to break into ABA is even harder than CBA. And making it to the top? One in a million. It’s no panacea.
Okay, but what about film options? That is nothing more than a “have some candy” and “pet the puppy” tactic. The film industry is very complicated and built on more hot air than the balloon business. We all sell options– which just means an exclusive interest in a property while the producer tries to put together some money and talent to make a film. Unless you have a blockbuster book or are a NY Times bestselling author it rarely means much in the way of money. Serious producers want to know what kind of book sales you have just like publishers do.
Anyway, it is instructive to compare the careers of those writers who have built thoughtfully and carefully against those who drank the Kool Aid of false promises. It’s just another pitfall you need to avoid.
Your turn. Want to discuss any of these further? Bet you didn’t know we take it hard when we lose an author to false promises. Building a career sounds so much more tedious than being an overnight success, doesn’t it?
TWEETABLES:
Don’t be wooed by false publishing promises. Click to Tweet
It’s easy to second guess your writing career path but is the grass really greener over there? Click to Tweet
The tortoise and the hare all over again–there are few shortcuts.
My goal isn’t to be rich and famous; I want to draw people into intimacy with God (I enjoy “Castle” but don’t want to be him). That doesn’t mean that the enemy won’t whisper false promises to lure me to a long detour described as a shortcut. Thanks for the heads up, Wendy.
The funny thing? Some people are called to be “Castle.” But it will happen without engineering and a good agent will recognize it and strategize for the ascent.
I pray to be agent worthy one day. I’m going to enjoy reading others’ comments and learning today.
Rather than “agent worthy” (which you are and so much more) you just need to be publication ready. We are always impressed with our blog community because of the deep commitment all have made to learn about this complicated industry.
I feel the same as Shelli. I’d love to have an agent one day. Until then I’ll continue to study the craft of writing and continue writing.
Great post.
You are laying a strong foundation for a career, Jackie. It will reap dividends.
In reading this, I was reminded of the story of Jim Bede and the BD-5. Bede was a very talented airplane designer, and the BD-5 was his attempt to make it big in the nascent “kit airplane” business in the late 60s.
The BD-5 was a small and very sleek single-seat airplane, intended to be powered by a simple and cheap snowmobile engine. It was touted as safe, easy to build, and easy to fly. When the ads went out (along with uncritical magazine writeups), it tapped a wellspring of desire that resulted in something like 4000 deposits being placed on the as-yet unavailable kit. Many of the buyers – maybe most – were non-pilots whose dreams of flight it fueled.
Here’s a link to some pictures and background – http://www.starksravings.com/bd_5/bd_5_program.htm
Trouble was, the BD-5, though a reasonable design, required a proficient and careful pilot, and was definitely not easy to build (no airplane is, but the -5 was a dense and sophisticated design).
The fatal blow was the absence of a reliable “cheap snowmobile engine”. It didn’t exist at the time, and doesn’t exist now.
The BD-5 was built on smoke and mirrors, myth, hope, and the gut feeling that somewhere, somehow, there has GOT to be an easy path to what we want.
The tragedy is that Bede’s previous design, the BD-4 (not very flashy with names!) looked like a Cessna drawn by a singularly unimaginative child, and had a “wow” factor slightly below a Rambler sedan. But the BD-4 was relatively easy to build, and it could outpace said Cessna by 60 mph, carrying four people and their luggage. It had tremendous development potential – but Bede abandoned it for the dream of the high air that the BD-5 represented.
Jim Bede wasn’t a huckster. His business practices were deceptive, but he passionately believed in his dream, and he did lose his shirt and reputation when the BD-5 project folded. And he grieved when pilots were killed in an airplane of his design.
The moral of this story is that we share a common dream, that of a golden key to a hidden door, and we face the greatest danger when we encounter someone who promises to give us that key…someone believes in the key as well.
What a powerful cautionary tale, Andrew.
Wise words, Andrew.
There are puppies to be petted?!? I knew this was the right path for me.
*twirls mustache and opens the car door wider*
Seriously–having a relationship with an agent who not only cares about my writing career, but who also prays for my family and gets to know ME is worth more than petting any number of puppies. Thanks for being that kind of agent, Wendy.
My clients are the perk of this job.
I do have a question about Christian publishing houses. My middle-grade novel is written by a Christian(me, of course)and is clean and (I think) uplifting. It is not, however, written for only a Christian audience. Therefore, I don’t know if a Christian publisher would be interested. What is your take?
Plus, it is speculative fiction, which I am guessing some stay away from (but, hey, Adventures in Odyssey is time-travel).
You’ve raised the question that has been discussed for a very long time. Does a book have to have overt Christian reference or merely aChristian world view. It varies from publisher to publisher but for the Christian market the biggest consumer of middle grade is the homeschool child.
For the Christian market a book needs to have a faith arc as well as a charter arc and a plot arc. We want to see our character end in a different place faith-wise as well as character-wise.
Just remember a book should be written for a specific audience. If it is neither aimed toward ABA (too tame) or CBA (missing a faith arc) it will not appeal to either.
What a great reminder that an agent-author relationship needs to be built on trust. When there’s trust there, an author can rely on his/her agent to guide them on the best paths.
Building a career, or aspiring to anything big requires lots of hard work, and yes some of it will be tedious. Most things worth having take time and a ton of effort. And a healthy dose of reality.
But, of course, that’s not to say that an author may need to move on for very valid reasons– aside from false promises.
Very true, Wendy. Point taken. 🙂
What is this reality of which you speak, Jeanne?
🙂
Yes. Trust. And a few Margaritas along the way.
Which I hope to be sharing with my agent in CO on Friday night if this dumb storm gets out of the way!!
Wendy, this is a ‘the grass is always greener’ tale, right? Unfortunately, what most people don’t realize is that while the grass looks greener, most often it’s a thinly carpeted disguise sitting over quicksand.
Hi Cathy,
I’ve recently discovered the Books & Such blog and appreciate all the posts. Reading your comment brought to mind that great book “The Grass Is Always Greener over the Septic Tank” (Erma Bombeck)!
Made me smile just thinking about it…
Kathy
To me, the author-agent relationship is ideally a journey, one that lasts a career’s length.
It is only through time and familiarity that the true strengths each partner brings to the partnership can be fully developed and utilized to the benefit of the Almighty, on whose mighty altar these creative works must ultimately be placed.
Author and agent must therefore be committed to the mission, for it is only the voyage that is guaranteed – not the arrival.
Good words, Surpreet.
It seems that nearly everything in life is personal to some extent. I grieve for you all at Books & Such because I’ve read here, many times over, how your relationships with your clients are often more than just business like Sarah testifies to above. It’s one of the many reasons I’m here. Building a career does sound tedious, but that’s how you create a firm foundation. Thanks for your wisdom, Wendy, and I also look forward to the discussion today.
Building a career may have elements of tedium, but look at it this way – when you know every painful step you’ve climbed you’ll be that much better prepared to reach a hand down the slope and help someone else.
If life’s not about offering a hand to those who need it, then I have no idea why we’re here.
I love your attitude, Andrew. Reaching back and bringing others up. How you must make Jesus smile.
Beautiful, Andrew.
I’m guessing it’s much the same in your pre-child profession, Meghan. Getting clients, growing your billable hours, winning cases or solving issues. You build carefully and strategically, right?
Maybe it’s only in Hollywood and publishing that people seek that meteoric success. No. I guess it’s wider than that.
Loyalty is important in every relationship. As a matter of fact, it is vital for every good relationship.
I often consider how Jesus must feel when someone falls away from the faith, because the “world” pretends to offer them something better. The ultimate false promise.
It gives my life a greater perspective.
and-
perspective(1) requires
knowledge+wisdom+understanding(3)
-sidney
Nice Trinity callback!
I did have to think about it for a few minutes before the penny dropped; the hamster had to get up to speed.
When someone falls away from the faith, why, Jesus pursues him or her. The Shepherd following the lost one, through whatever dangers may ensue.
And who knows what pain Christ may feel, working mightily to full the lost, and, yes, stupid sheep back into the fold?
For me, here lies the the key to faith…that we have an obligation to the Lord, we have something for which we’re uniquely responsible.
Because we can hurt Him.
amen
Well said, Andrew.
I’m always amazed at this, Andrew. That the creator of the universe– from the unfathomed expanse to the intricate minutiae– loves me enough that I can hurt Him.
You are right, Jim. How often we are tempted by sparkly things.
false promise. –
Einstein believed that all things were relative but he went to his grave not able to prove to himself and in his calculations whether the universe was indeed open or closed. Now why was this, since his formula [E=MC2] is essentially the math of our Creator our Lord/God that says [1=3]. Wherein we see, the one that equals the three calls back to the one.
Big ‘ol hint, Mr. Einstein; God and Scripture tell the story(the truth) that the universe is closed.
I don’t have to decide. It has been decided for me. All I need is faith in the dimension I have been directed into.
When good folks one day decide to put faith in a creator whom has their best in mind, good things happen and they become closed for the good.
All the ready, their determination is made simple to them.
Truth doesn’t waste. Like time it waits, but it never wastes. -sidney
Interesting, Sidney. I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about open or closed universe and false promises.
And a North Carolina/SouthCarolina “howdy there” Ms. Lawton,
Interesting indeed. The question of open or closed and the false promise premise, one in the same in a parallel universe. And God bless us of his promise! Were it false(his promise) we would everyone; be it spoken aloud or unsaid in each our head absolutely be thinking about it in a quiver. Just as Einstein worried the scientific.
As well, it is of blessing for all to remember some great quotes of the times in these subject. One being,
“the religion that fears science(knowle) insults God and commits suicide.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Another being,
“science(knowle) without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”
-Albert Einstein
Good words– thank you for the gift of them today.
touche
No one’s mentioned this…the really ugly side of jumping ship to go with another agent. So I guess I will.
The writer-agent partnership is one that brings benefits to both sides, and that includes money.
If a writer takes his career elsewhere for any reason other that incompetence, neglect, or unethical practice…he’s taking away money that the agent has earned through the dry months or years of hopeful proposals and cold rejection.
It may be the author who writes that first book that opens the door to representation, but it’s the agent that makes it marketable through repeated revisions (before an editor ever sees it), who develops the best pitch possible for publishers, and who guides the fledgling author through the contractual opportunities and pitfalls.
It’s the agent who does this on faith, hope, and a personal belief in the individual she’s representing, that the trust is well-placed, that the writer will do the job that he or she must do to make it all worthwhile.
It takes a stunning amount of self-centeredness to turn one’s back on that.
Don’t know how it allows that individual to look in a mirror again without puking.
I know this by analogy, because when I left a university that had groomed and supported me, to go after a flashier job elsewhere…hey, my career, right?
I was that man.
We agonize over that at times, Andrew. Not just from the agent/ client issue you raised but when we need to move a client to a bigger house in order to grow his or her career. It’s never easy.
As to clients, we try to hold those relationships with an open hand. But you are right, it’s never “just about business.” We’ve found the same dynamic with editors who’ve nurtured writers. It is always tough.
All that being said, does any party ever really know what is inside another head? Isn’t that why it’s call the gray area? Character is for the most part recognized of the other in and by both parties. Both are capable of the breach. Both are quite capable of deception. The onus is on both parties to be disciplined in there actions. Which is the buyer, the agent or the writer? Isn’t it both? Buyer beware.
It seems to me that loyalty and teamwork are things that have a very high value in our faith, and that our decisions, both personal and business, are duty- and honor-bound to take that into account.
Christ said that He is where two or more are gathered in His Name…He sent His apostles out in pairs…and He spoke of the ultimate team spirit when He said that a man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.
It’s not laying down life for a cause or a creed or a spouse or one’s kids, or even for Him…it’s emphasized, “friends”.
We ignore that at our own peril. Perhaps we are still saved, perhaps we are considered “good” Christians, but if we place our interests and careers at the head of the line with scant regard to those on whose shoulders we stand, we cripple our souls.
Greeting from a cabin on a hill…
The long term client/agency relationship is one of the main reasons I wanted Books and Such behind my career.
The thing is, if I separated what I learned about the industry on my own, from what I learned here? We’d be talking a 90-10 ratio. Umm, 90 being knowledge I gleaned here at the Monday to Friday ‘The Books and Such School of Higher Learning’.
Or 95-5…99-1?
Anyway…I knew if I ever became a Bookie, I’d be in the best hands possible, because I knew next to squat about what I was doing. And if anyone read my early work, they’d be all “yeah…no kidding.”
I KNOW God brought me here, and that He chose Mary Keeley specifically to be my agent. Her patience and wisdom, and business savvy, continually bless me. I am a woman of deep faith, and I know like I’m in the best hands possible.
I am astounded daily that I am here, and beyond grateful.
If I was at a conference and someone came up to me and said “Hey, listen, baby, I can take you places.”
I’d laugh in their face. And then Scarlett O’Hara smack them upside the head.
“Y’all are dumber than a bucket a’ nails.”
Because, frankly my dear, I don’t want to go anywhere, unless Mary Keeley is at the helm.
Oh, and let’s not forget the loyalty factor. If an agent builds a writer’s career, then the writer takes a leap after mere promises of bigger and better? That is just nasty.
Glitzy promises are just that.
I know Mary agrees, Jennifer.
Thank you very much, Wendy.
And, umm, that ‘like’ in the sentence “and I know like I’m in the best hands possible”?
I seriously did not intend for that to be there. I am not a Valley Girl. Okay, like, not all the time. Especially when sincerity is involved!
l
And like, who is Mary Keeler?
‘Ya know, I’m just ‘a play’n
with you guys and gals.
Yes she does, Wendy.
Insert crying jag now…
One slight pardon, a bookie is called a bookie(bookmaker) because he has already been determined to be and is for the most part recognized in his profession.
Now of the gambler, it is he/she that may or may not be considered along the unknowing of “next to squat”.
yeah yeah i know you’re talk ‘n Books N Such bookish slang for partnership w/BNS pursuits, i get it. just say’n.
So that’s why she was called Scarlett…for the red handprints she left across the faces or people who irritated her.
Why do you think people (DARE to) call me Red?
Kidding!!!
ouch
that’s what they said!
“I knew if I ever became a Bookie, I’d be in the best hands possible.”
Could not agree more, Jennifer. I’m thankful to learn and grow in this community.
Amen!!
And we are blessed by those who hang with us.
Wendy, each time one of you posts I learn something new and gain insights. I’ve read both here and elsewhere that an author must seek out an agent with a longterm vision. With that in mind, I can see how painful it would be to lose a client.
I get the impression there’s a strong comradery between the agents at Books and Such too.
(Loved the interchange between you and Sarah.)
Blessings ~ Wendy Mac ❀
Thanks, Wendy Mac.
You are right, there is a strong friendship between agents at Books & Such. We know there is great strength in collaboration. We help each other sort out thorny issues and there’s no one better when it comes time to celebrate triumphs.
One of the best things about our agency– agents and clients– is that we support and pray for each other. Today one client had a tough surgery that happened several time zones away. She had fellow writers praying for her whether it was 1AM or 9AM where they are. (Pray for her as you read this, won’t you?)
I’d be honored to pray–consider it done. ❀
Prayers up.
Might our Father mend the broken body, open the closed spirit and bring peace to the worried among us, amen.
Praying now!
I just heard from her husband, who said the surgery went well. They’re now waiting for further lab results. They so appreciate your prayers.
Thanks for the update, Mary – prayers now for a smooth recovery, and for good lab work.
I should have pointed this out faster…but I didn’t know how to say it.
I still don’t know how to say it.
You’ve also prayed for non-clients. Namely, me.
The prayers and words of support I’ve received on this forum, from the agents, clients, and other writers who come to this community have meant more than you can possibly imagine.
The last year has been viciously hard, and there have been days on which I didn’t see a way ahead, but a kind thought – or an e-card – would arrive with a whisper of “hold on”.
It’s a grace I had no right to expect, and one for which I will be forever grateful.
Books and Such is a class act.
Andrew, you are still prayed for often by our team. You exemplify courage to all who know you. You wear tough circumstances with such grace. . .
Just saying.
Took me a few tries to read that all the way through, Wendy.
Computer screen’s all blurry, for some reason. Darn laptops.
Such grace. Thank you so much.
Wendy, I’ve been at a Mount Hermon dining table with Janet and Wendy numerous times. Watching them interact with each other, and engage the people at the table is a sight to behold. I wonder if they have hand motion code signs. Much more sophisticated than the thumbs up or down of FB, I imagine. 🙂
Jenni, I’m not surprised to hear that. There’s a warmth here at Books & Such that keeps drawing me back. I guess you could call it the glow of Sonlight. ❀
Not so much hand signals as eyebrow twitches.
I’m at the beginning of my search for an agent, but I’d be skeptical of anyone who promised me the stars without a lot of hard work and perseverance. I’m sure my potential agent and I will have the same goal in mind–to sell the best book possible to as many people as possible.
You’re in a pretty fine place right here as far as I can tell, Elaine. Good luck to ‘ya going forward. Cheers.
Especially with new clients, it’s hard to make promises. We can only get the work out there, wait to hear back and adjust if necessary.
is it just me, or did anyone else have Shera Khan’s “Come to me” from The Jungle Book in their heads upon seeing that finger enticing the viewer?
Better than a snake wound around a tree, right?
My philosophy is that if anything sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I want substance over empty words every day. Thanks for being a voice of reason in the chaos of publishing.
There’s only two places you get something for nothing.
One is in orbital mechanics – adding velocity by doing a rocket burn at the point of lowest approach to a planet (or moon) provides a slingshot effect that’s out of proportion to the energy expended.
It’s not really ‘something for nothing’, though, as there is an energy transfer which actually slows the planet in its orbit. Not by much, but then, it’s a BIG mass. The energy books do get balanced.
The other? Salvation.
We deserved the Cross. Jesus took our place. He got the scourging and the nails and the thorns.
We got eternal life, for the ‘nothing’ of saying Thanks, and meaning it.
And what an offer that is.
That’s such a nice way of putting it, Cheryl. You must be a writer.
When I signed with Mary Keeley, I was making a promise and a commitment (and I know she was too). We’re partners, and I respect her opinions and wisdom more than she’ll ever know. I had another agent, from a different agency, offer representation while I was waiting to hear back from Mary–and I told the other agent no. I didn’t know if Mary would offer representation at the time, but I knew who I wanted representing me in the publishing world. I knew that if Mary represented me, not only would I have a stellar agent, but I’d also have someone who believed in me and would walk beside me step-by-step. Thank you for sharing this post today, Wendy. It reminds us about the commitment we make to our agents and publishing houses. It also reminds us to be patient for the long haul. 🙂
It’s especially nice hearing that testimony, Gabrielle, knowing you just signed your first contract. Or was it first two contracts?
Woohoo, Gabrielle! 🙂
Like Gabrielle mentioned in her comment, I knew who I wanted representing me in the publishing world. So when the offer came earlier this year, I had a hard time not cartwheeling across the room.
Glad to begin this journey with you, Wendy. I admire your compassion, and the ways you rely on the One who adores you.
Thank you, Wendy. But I love when writers try new things. I get bored when a writer writes the same thing over, and over again. For me a lot of stories are recycled. That’s why if one series is very similar to another series by the same writer, I won’t be looking for another series to read.
While a lot of readers look for the same kind of chocolate, I look for variety. That’s why I love more stand alone novels or series that’s nothing like has been written before.
So much to learn! Thanks for continuing to teach me, Wendy!