How can literary agents help self-published authors?


GoodbooksToday.com Authors Corner

Every writer wants to be the next Stephen King or JK Rowling or El James. But, the truth is, most books don’t make it onto the bookstore shelf. Self-publishing has increased the number of books available, but not all self-published books sell well. In the traditional book world, publishing companies talk to literary agents about authors–publishing is a collaborative effort. With self-publishing, anyone can write a book, and the success is largely up to the author.

How can literary agents help self-published authors?

Here is a list of tasks associated with a literary agent:

• Review all contracts and modify them when possible.

• Handle the administrative work involved in self-publishing.

• Employ the best third-party professionals for cover art, copyediting, proofreading, etc.

• Help the author make connections; the agent’s relationship with the marketing departments at major book retailers can help his/her clients’ books get the spotlight.

• Help the author transition from self-published to traditionally published.

Two literary agents, Lisa Hagen (Lisa Hagan Literary) and Jessica Faust (BookEnds), recently talked about their experiences with self-publishing authors and helping them transition into the print world.

GoodbooksToday.com: What criteria would a self-published book have to meet for you to consider pitching it to traditional publishers?

Lisa Hagan: Well-written and engaging material, or if it is an idea or concept that I really like but needs tweaking for me to take it on, willingness to make changes. The author would need to be building her brand and marketing platform. She doesn’t have to come to me with 10,000 Facebook followers, but she needs to have started making a name for herself. Social media is a good start.

Jessica Faust: Sales. I suspect this answer will hold true if you talk to any publisher or agent. What we need first and foremost is an impressive sales history. As you know, e-books are growing, and fewer and fewer people are buying paper. For publishers, this means that there is a greater risk when taking on a title or author that’s been previously published. Has the author already tapped out his/her market? I’d like to see the author that wants to team up with the agent, and maybe seek a print or hybrid career with something new.

GoodbooksToday.com: When should a self-published author consider contacting an agent?

Lisa Hagan: You only need an agent if you want to go the traditional publishing route–to get more exposure and to create more sales. By having an agent, you get a team of experts assisting you throughout the publishing process.

Jessica Faust: When the author seeks a hybrid career and looks to approach New York publishers about a new or current project. Or, as stated earlier, if sales are so impressive on a self-published work that it’s possible that a New York publisher might be interested. Keep in mind that impressive sales mean tens of thousands of copies at a standard price point (not free).

GoodbooksToday.com: How do you tell a good agent from a bad one?

Lisa Hagan: Never pay an agent fee. It is always best to find an agent that has success in selling the genre in which you are writing. Look at her track record. I recommend reading about the agents and the editors in the acknowledgements section of the books that are comparable to the one you are writing.

Jessica Faust: Research. There are a ton of great places where one can research agents. There are organizations like RWA, MWA, SFWA, SCBWI and others. Try AAR and their website, and, of course, there are a number of great blogs and online writer resources like querytracker.com.

The first thing you want to look for when judging an agent is whether or not the agent is ethical and follows typical agent guidelines. This should be pretty easy to do, simply by talking to other writers. The AAR has a list of questions and guidelines on its website. From there, it’s really about gut. When you talk to the agent or agents you’re considering, does what they say resonate with you? Do her thoughts on your book make sense to you? Does her submission plan sound exciting, and are you comfortable talking to each other? Do you feel like this is someone with whom you could easily discuss your concerns?

GoodbooksToday.com: What are some common mistake authors make when querying agents?

Jessica Faust: While queries have gone up dramatically with the increase in computer ownership, I think the quality of queries has also gone up as people learn to do research and write good queries. I think some of the most common mistakes are querying agents that don’t represent the genre you’re writing and failing to clearly sell your book in just a few short paragraphs. Querying is no different from selling your book in a bookstore; you need to give your reader just a couple of lines that will entice her to want to read more.

GoodbooksToday.com: What advice do you have for writers who want to transition from self-published to traditionally published?

Lisa Hagan: Do your research on agents. There are a multitude of lists on the Internet– who represents which genre and what her requirements are. We receive many queries daily, and we make decisions rather quickly, often from the first few lines of query. Make a good impression.

Jessica Faust: Have a sense of what your career goals are. If you want to transition from one to the other–Why? What makes you now want to go the route of traditional publishing? I think there are pros and cons to either path, and in both you can achieve marvelous success. The route you take is not guaranteed or necessarily easy.

Recommended Author Resources: Find a Literary Agent (Visit GBT Literary Agents Directory)

Follow Lisa Hagan (@LisaHagan123)

Follow Jessica Faust (@BookEndsJessica)

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