Blogger: Rachelle Gardner
Dear Rachelle: I am about to search for an agent. My first book is a memoir, and an agent said he would like to see it. My second book is a novel. Do I select an agent based on my memoir or my novel? Is it acceptable to shop the two books to different agents? Thanks.
If you write in multiple genres, you’re writing to multiple audiences; in your case, you’re trying to reach memoir readers and fiction readers. There’s probably some overlap, but from a marketing approach, they’re diverse. Rather than building and growing your audience with each book, you’re starting from square one and trying to attract a whole new audience with each book. All the work you do to build the audience for the first book only serves that book; then with the next book you start all over. From a publishing standpoint in terms of investment and return, it complicates things.
In addition, most writers simply do not have the time in their lives to do enough marketing and social networking in one genre, let alone more than one. It’s lovely to have interest and talent in many kinds of writing; and most writers are this way. However, being able to sell in many genres is challenging. On the plus side, if you’re going to write in two genres, memoir and fiction go well together.
These two projects need to stand on their own, and you should focus on one at a time, choosing your best and most marketable project first. Using whichever one that is, try to get an agent, then you can mention to that agent that you have this other project in your back pocket. They will have their own opinion about it. Most likely, they’ll want to help you strategize your writing career properly so that you have the best chance for success.
A good agent will be aware of potential landmines for you— not wanting you to get into a situation where you’re running yourself ragged trying to keep up with the demands of writing and marketing books for two publishers and serve two audiences.
I don’t recommend trying to get two agents simultaneously. When you’re discussing representation with an agent, you can talk to them about the situation and get their opinion.
Are you writing in more than one genre? How have you handled this?
Interesting post, Rachelle…and I do have work that I think is ‘worthy’ in three genres.
* One is a historical/Civil War speculative (a what if? story), and it’s pretty straightforward. Needs to be re-written to get rid of the faux-Civil-War language, though. I was stupid to try to set period with it; there are better ways. But it fits in well enough, and once ready – f I am alive – will be queried.
* Another is self-help, and since I lack the letters behind my name, those are going nowhere. I like them, and may eventually SP them, but won’t waste an agent’s time. (They’re on preserving a Christian marriage in a hostile society, and on making THIS one’s winning season.)
* That leaves three additional novels (soon to be four) that are too ‘inclusively spiritual’ for CBA, too Christian for ABA. I recognize the value of other religious traditions in them, and have added elements (like interaction with ghosts) that would turn a CBA’ editor’s language blue, but the worldview’s Christian, which would make a typically PC ABA editor wasntto swallow hemlock. Or feed it to me.
* All that said (and off my chest!) my strategy is to concentrate on getting the Civil War story done and queried. If it does well…and follow-on CivWar novels do well…I’ll see if name recognition might make the others more appealing. But actively query two genres at once? Uh, no.
* Unless, of course, like so many of my Grand Mistakes, it seems like a good idea at the time.
Andrew, I may be lost in left field, but do you really need those letters behind your name? Doesn’t “self-help” imply suggestions for better living from your personal experience and not medical advice?
Lara, I was told by an industry professional that without counseling qualifications (or a large following as a pop-pysch guru) I’d be wasting my time trying to pitch these…that “Who are YOU to write this?” would sink a proposal at once.
* That said, I would love to hear that what I was told was wrong. I do believe in the books.
* And meanwhile, since I can’t go back to school for a counseling degree, I have grown a beard, am wearing white robes and a turban, and am sitting in the lotus position, surrounded by clouds of sandalwood incense and listening to Ravi Shankar. I like sandalwood and sitar music; maybe this guru gig won’t be so bad.
I’m with Lara here. I think you could make a pitch based on real-world experience (hostile circumstances is one of your specialties). You bring a unique perspective on perseverance.
Yes, I’m writing in more than one genre: Bible-era fiction; contemporary fiction, including sports, travel, and workplace humor; short stories, on teenage grief, and CIA agents; historical/political non-fiction; professional essays; literary research; poetry and poetry critique; and Bible studies.
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I suffer from a previously never-before-diagnosed illness that I call Genre Focus Disorder. This results in a shotgun approach to writing, scattering efforts of writing and marketing. It does not seem to be self-curing, and appears (at least in my case) to be getting worse, which will lead ultimately to fatality of the writing career. I haven’t found a cure, nor have I even found a therapist who knows how to deal with it, nor even a support group. Maybe I need to develop and write a 12-step program. Oh, wait….
David, a shotgun approach to writing perfectly describes what happened to my last computer.
Andrew you are too funny. Now I have an image of you dressed in that robe and turban holding a shotgun!?
That’s funny, David. I’m sure you’re not the only one with that malady.
Why am I now getting your posts two at a time? I just got this one along with the next in the same e-mail message on Thursday, Sept 1st at about 10:30 A.M.
Jan, for what it’s worth, I have a schedule of when the Books and Such posts usually go live. All times are Pacific, for your convenience. I hope it may help you.
– Monday with Janet – 6.30 pm on Sunday
– Tuesday with Wendy – between midnight and 12.30 am Tuesday
– Wednesday with Rachelle – Usually around 9pm Tuesday, but sometimes not until ‘zero dark thirty’ or even up to 6am Wednesday.
– Thursday with Mary – between midnight and 1am Thursday
– Friday with Rachel – usually between 6 and 7 am Friday
Thanks, Andrew. Now I know why you’re usually one of the first to comment.
Glad to help, Jan. This and Five Minute Friday are the only real communities I have, and I depend on this interaction to keep my mind clear and focused.
* My speech is halting, and in conversation I often use incongruent words, but none of that is apparent in this place. Here, I can feel human again.
Silly Andrew. Of course you’re human. And God is using your writing here even if not (yet) in other places.