7 Pieces of Literary Agent Advice Every Writer Needs to Hear
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The publishing industry can feel opaque and mysterious, especially to new authors who are trying to break into it for the first time. But it shouldn't have to be this way. Often, there's a disconnect between an author's impression of how the publishing industry works and how it actually operates.
To combat this, here’s some of the best advice from literary agents, compiled from interviews I've conducted over the past year. The question that I asked all of these agents is, "What is one thing that you wish emerging authors knew about the publishing process or the traditional publishing industry?" If you want even more literary agent advice, the full interviews are all available in the Chapter Break newsletter archive.
1. Publishing Is Slower Than Ever
Ann Rose, a literary agent at the Tobias Literary Agency, had this to say:
"These past few years, our slow industry has slowed down even more. Things are slowing down at the acquisition stage, which means we as agents are forced to also slow down.”
So, if you're currently in the process of waiting to hear back on your queries, literary agents’ advice is to know that it isn't anything you've done wrong. It's just the current status of the industry. Similarly, if you are on submission with editors at publishing houses with your agent but you're not hearing back, know that this is just a new normal. Many editorial teams now have leaner staff, which means it takes them longer to get through submissions from agents. This can lead to a larger backlog that takes them longer to get through.
Know that agents are really bummed by the slow-moving industry as well. After all, they don't get paid until and unless they make you a book deal. So, you are not alone in your frustrations that the publishing industry is moving at a snail's pace.
2. Everyone’s Publishing Journey Is Different
Here's what Amy Bishop-Wycisk a literary agent at Trellis Literary Management, had this to say:
"It's very easy to look at everyone else around you getting the things that you want—an agent, a six-figure deal, an award, media hits—and only focus on that. Some people hit it big out of the gate, and that's terrific. Some people are on the slow and steady track, and their third or fourth or fifth book hits big. Be patient with yourself and with your own process.”
Online writing communities have a ton of benefits for emerging authors in that they can find community and support. But I think they can also lead to feelings of jealousy and envy because you may be seeing people announce their book launch or announce that they got an offer of representation, and you can get caught up in feeling behind because you haven't gotten there yet.
This piece of literary agent advice reminds us that not everybody is an overnight success, and someone else's success doesn't mean that you're not going to find your own in due time. Your journey is still valid even if it doesn't go exactly the way you wanted or expected it to.
3. Getting a Book Deal Is Very Competitive
Here's some insight from CeCe Lyra, a literary agent at PS Literary:
"Most people understand that breaking into other creative industries (for example, film or theater) is tough. But for some reason, quite a few people do not understand that publishing is one of those businesses. Writing a compelling book requires a lot of talent and strategic dedication.”
It takes much more than simply writing a book to get a book deal, especially from a Big Five publishing house. Getting a literary agent, which gives you access to these publishers, is very competitive. And then it is very competitive to get an offer from one of these publishing houses.
So, if this is ultimately a goal of yours, literary agents’ advice is to work hard on your craft and put in the time and dedication to becoming the strongest storyteller you can be. Getting a book deal with a major publishing house is not unlike training to become a professional basketball player or practicing music to get into an elite ensemble. It is very selective. That's not to discourage you at all, but you should be realistic with yourself.
4. Agent Rejections Don’t Mean Your Book Is Bad
Alexandra Levick, a senior literary agent at Writers House, had this to say:
"A pass on your query or a pass later on from an editor is not someone saying your work is bad. They are simply saying this is not for me right now. That may be because they have another similar project or it isn't right for their tastes or any other number of reasons. But it isn't automatically an assessment of how good your writing is.”
I know how discouraging and disheartening it can be to receive a “no” from a literary agent. It can make you wonder if you're good enough to be traditionally published. But the truth is that a “no” from an agent doesn't mean you're unpublishable or a bad writer or that your story sucks. It just means that you're not a right fit for that agent.
Agents are very, very selective in what clients and projects they take on, because they only have enough time and energy to put effort behind a select few projects to present to publishing houses. They have to spend a lot of time working on that book, and they have to feel very confident in its potential for success to pitch it passionately to publishers.
5. Don’t Worry About Writing to Trend
Here's some insight from Antoinëtte Van Sluytman, an associate literary agent at Irene Goodman:
"Because the market is constantly changing and redefining new trends, it's always better to write the story that you want and not what you think agents or publishers are looking for. As an agent, I can often tell when a book is written purely for the joy and love for the craft or genre, which I don't consider something that can be taught.”
The way I interpret this common piece of advice from literary agents is that trying to game the publishing industry by writing about whatever someone claims is trending in a given year is really not the best approach. The best stories are born out of a true passion and desire to tell that story. Also, chasing trends just isn't likely a way to build a sustainable career for yourself as an author. So instead, focus on writing what you personally feel compelled to write.
6. Focus on What You Can Control
Kiana Nguyen, an agent at Donald Maass Literary Agency, had this to say:
"This is a business that fundamentally runs on rejection — every book cannot be sold. With that in mind, you will be able to remove any personal or emotional expectations and better focus on the elements you can control: your craft and your work. Keep your eyes on what you can control, and you'll be more fulfilled and better able to handle the industry machine.”
The truth is that so much of publishing is out of your control. If you go the traditional route, you're not going to have total control over how much marketing or publicity budget your book receives. No matter how you publish, you're not going to be able to control how readers react to it. You're not going to be able to control if it makes bestseller status or not. So, it's best to keep your mind focused on what you can control, which is making this story the best it can possibly be.
7. Be Prepared to Wait
Here's some insight from Hannah VanVels Ausbury, a senior literary agent at Belcastro Literary Agency:
"The path to publication is filled with a lot of waiting. Many writers spend a long time querying and then a long time on submission and then a long time waiting for their book to come out. I've sold books that don't come out for another five years yet, and I think it can be challenging for many people to understand that the general slowness is part of the industry, not a reflection on the creator or the quality of their work.”
If you want to be traditionally published, you should be flexible on your timeline for publication. It's likely going to be at least a year from the time that you sign your book deal to seeing the book out on the shelf — sometimes longer, sometimes shorter, but typically longer. But remember, that doesn't mean at all that your agent and publisher aren't excited to get your book in reader hands. They wouldn't have signed you if they didn't want that! But publishers are very slow-moving, and they need to bake in enough time to turn your manuscript into a high-quality product.
I hope these insights today helped you better understand agents' perspectives on the industry and what you can expect going into the traditional publishing process. I know it can be hard to find ways to peek behind the curtain in publishing, so I hope this roundup of advice from literary agents did that.
As I mentioned earlier, if you'd like to read the full interviews and also if you'd like to automatically receive all my future interviews in your inbox, go ahead and subscribe to Chapter Break.
Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing!