Agent Woes and What To Do

Story One:

A writer pal is an established mystery writer. Established, award-winning mystery writer. Established, award-winning, and hard-working mystery writer. She recently finished a new mystery with a new character. She invested lots and lots of time writing this book, based on a highly original character (and job function). My friend is having a very hard time getting feedback from her agent. Slow. Slow to the point of non-existent. Arduous. Lethargic. Excruciating.

Story Two:

Another friend is an established writer. She’s dedicated and hard-working. She has two major books in print and when I say “major” I mean an everyday name in show business wants to make a movie out of one of her two books. Both books are extremely well reviewed. This third friend finished a new novel, sent it off to her agent, and is now approaching the third full month without hearing any feedback at all.

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I don’t know what it’s like to be an agent. I have a hunch, but I don’t really know.

What I do know, if you’re after a traditional publisher, is that it’s good to have one. In the vast majority of cases, it’s necessary.

And what I also know is that there are aspects of this business that are within your control. And aspects of this business that are outside of your control.

If you’re a writer with an agent who gives you feedback on your manuscripts in a week or less you are either Stephen King or you are very lucky. For most writers I know, it’s a slow part of the process.

Just when you think you’re done! and excited! and eager! to get the new novel out there!

What I know is you can study novel writing and all its elements—structure, pace, character development, dialogue, foreshadowing, tension, yadda yadda.

But there is no school for the art of working with an agent.

I also know that this part of the business can be at a teeth-gnashing level of frustration—and that’s even if you cut them agents lots of slack for the sheer volume of projects they are likely juggling on a daily basis and, especially over the last twelve months, dealing with all the pandemic-related woes that caused so much upheaval and uncertainty.

The waiting … and waiting … is agony.

But they are book people, right? That automatically means they are good people, right? In both cases above, the agents for those writers shepherded projects into print with top-drawer publishing houses. At one point in time, at least, they loved your words. Your stories. They made you money. So why the long wait now?

The question is whether or not to file for divorce. And how long to wait before doing so. For both writers in the stories above, however, it’s daunting to think about jumping back in the pool with all the other un-agented writers who are searching.

(There are, in fact, agents who are actively looking.)

But how will you be seen? As hard to work with? What makes you think the next agent will be any more responsive/timely in providing feedback? On the other, no agent is better than a bad agent, right?

This is your career. You have trusted it to another person and there’s a feeling of helplessness. A sense that you lack of control.

My suggestion is a straightforward email asking when you can expect to hear back. Non-threatening, straightforward. Professional. Better yet is to ask that question when you send it in, so your expectations are set. If the agreed-upon “four weeks” slips by (or whatever) then you have every right to press and ask why.

One short delay, sure. Two? Maybe. Three or four? No. It’s time to ask for a phone call to discuss what’s going on.

If you do jump back in the agent-search pool, keep your radar up! Do your research. Poke around on the list of the agent’s existing clients—look for recent sales (are there any?) and look to see if you see yourself on his or her team. Do you recognize the name of any writers on their bench? Is your prospective agent just starting out? Or is your prospective agent riding on past glories? Is your prospective agent a member of AAR?

And If you’re not familiar with the scams and reading-fee baloney out there, a simple Google search of these “must-to-avoid” types are readily available.

If you really want to be in the know, subscribe to Publisher’s Weekly. It’s not cheap, but go in with some writer pals and lower the cost, then share the account. Is the agent you’re after someone who is making deals on a regular basis?

In Story One and Story Two above, however, it’s about if (or when) to file for divorce or at least raise the subject.

And that isn’t easy.

There is one thing that is within your control, however, and that “thing” is the reason we’re all here.

You know exactly what I’m going to tell you to do—keep writing and keep getting better at it, too.

At the same time, the old waiting-on-the-agent game can’t go on forever. You have to stand up for yourself, your career, and your talents.

What’s the harm? We are the writers. Agents and publishers need us.

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(P.S. Thanks to Angie Hodapp at Nelson Literary Agency for consulting on this piece. Angie’s boss, Kristin Nelson has a recent column on her Pub Rants blog about types of agents out there: Three Agent Types to Avoid … and One You Won’t See Coming. Also check 5 Q’s Authors Should Ask but Should When An Agent Offers Rep. By the way, you gotta love Kristin’s goal of making sure the writers she represents are making a living from writing.)