Love all of your essays! Question—do you recommend all querying authors who get an offer of rep get an attorney? And what kind of attorney is that/how do you find one?
I think it can't hurt to have an attorney look at any contract. Although, in all transparency, I did not when I signed my first contract. I did a TON of research on what was standard and what it all meant and felt like it was solid. My situation got a little confusing because of how the contract was terminated raising questions. I brought on an attorney at that point to consult with me to ensure that I was dotting my i's and crossing my t's IN WRITING in extricating myself from the previous contract. I felt her guidance was so valuable, I immediately hired her to review the new contract. She made some adjustments for me that protected me even more (not that what they offered was at all nefarious or out to get me) based on my hesitation from my previous experience.
As to where to find them -- you can join the Author's Guild (once you have an offer letter) and you can have their lawyers review your contract as part of your membership. You can also ask around to other writers to see if they recommend anyone they've worked with (I found mine through a referral). I've had the business contracts I've created reviewed by a contract lawyer friend who accepted a bottle of wine in exchange (I wanted someone specifically in the creative space for the agency one, however). So there are lots of ways you can find someone who fits your budget.
I'm so sorry that happened to you! Hope it works out with your new agent. Something similar happened to me last year when my agent left agenting. It seems to happen more than I had realised?
Oh, I’m so sorry that happened. I can’t imagine signing with an agent, at long last, only to have them decide to walk away from the business. How distressing that must have been. Thank you for sharing this.
This sounds like such a rollercoaster, and I'm rooting for you! But love your perspective on how, at the end of the day, we're all here to just tell stories, and that's what matters most ❤️
A little late to the party here, I don't read a lot of these posts but I'm glad I read this one. Thank you for posting it.
I signed with an agent from a very reputable and established agency for my first novel several years ago. Like most writers querying a debut novel I was over the moon. The agent asked for some revisions and I gladly complied, there weren't too many and in my opinion they all made the story better. Then I waited. Over the next month or so he forwarded several emails he received from editors praising my story and my writing but...passing on my novel. And then about halfway through the second month into the process I got a very short, very abrupt email from him. He said that he'd sent my manuscript to twenty-one publishers with no luck and he was "moving on", that he couldn't spend anymore time on my book...
I'd signed a one year contract with his agency which has long since expired and I have traded emails with him a few times since but he hasn't been interested in anything else I've written. It was devastating on several levels; like many inexperienced writers I believed that finding an agent to represent you was the biggest hurdle and if you could accomplish that you were almost home. As you've so aptly pointed out to another poster here, that's far from true. The other thing that still haunts me is that I truly believe in the story I'd written but I can't query it to other agents because it's damaged goods and I don't have a list of the publishers it's already been queried to. I've asked several people in the industry if it's still a viable property and received mixed responses. So it sits on my desktop...
This all occurred five or six years ago. Since then I've written another novel and a collection of short stories (I know, genre death!) but I decided to self-publish them because I'm extremely reluctant to re-enter the querying merry-go-round. Both have actually done fairly well considering they are self-published and both have received great feedback. It still nothing compared to what they may have done with a mainstream publisher.
I just retired from my day job after a long and successful career and don't need the financial support of writing but I've been doing it most of my life and am reluctant to let it go. But I am actually considering it, or just continuing to self-publish for my own satisfaction and leaving it at that. I apologize for such a long-winded post and some venting on my part, I guess my point is that querying and dealing with agents is not for the faint of heart and, as you so aptly put it, there are a lot of ups and downs along the way.
I'm so glad we're all sharing our various stories so emerging writers can see that there is no one clear path, that getting an agent isn't the end all be all, and that the true prize is writing the best stories we can write.
Glad you've found the path that is working for you and getting your stories out there! And congrats on retirement!!
Thank you for sharing so openly about your journey! When I signed with my first agent, I thought “This is it! I have arrived at authordom!” The reality had been very different. But we keep doing the work because it’s the only way through…
Thankyou for sharing this - although I'm in the UK, my journey has been similar, and has put me through a considerable amount of stress. I queried my first-time memoir of my life as a therapist to 101 literary agents... and managed to get an offer of representation from one.
I was overjoyed. Like you, we spent a month fine-tuning my book; she loved it, though thought it a little on the long side. We cut a bit, but both agreed we couldn't tell what else to lose. I assumed a publishing editor would decide on the cuts.
I think she submitted to around 50 publishers in total. TWO were interested, and each made me wait around 6 weeks before coming back with a reluctant 'no'. I think those waits made me ill. I'd wake up feeling anxious and depressed. I lost my spark. The closeness to a 'yes' but ultimately a 'no' was unbearable.
I decided to work with an editorial consultant to take on board all the feedback I'd received, and cut my book. I now know it's sooo much better than it was. BUT i've blown my chances with some of the most suitable publishers. It's heart-breaking. We've found 20 more to submit/resubmit to. Then.... self-publish? I can barely face the idea of learning about that whole process...
Meanwhile, I've started writing a second book. Against my better nature. But I do enjoy it! I don't know if it will be any good but I keep striving. One small step forwards at a time....
I know to even get this far is an achievement. But it's a horrible game where you need to win the prize. Getting your book published is, after all, what we are hoping for! Good luck ✨👍🏻
You're doing great! And you aren't alone. So many books die on submission, unfortunately. It has helped me to have writing friends go through similar to share our experiences -- one of whom had two books go out on sub and never sell and each time she simply buckled down, learned more, improved her craft and now the book that sold and came out this summer was definitely the book she was meant to write. As long as we're learning with each attempt -- which it sounds like you are -- we just have to keep doing what we love and deciding when it's time to try something new.
Good luck to you, too! Staying in the game is the real achievement!
When you get a book deal let me know and I’ll have you on my podcast, The Long Road to Publishing!
Love all of your essays! Question—do you recommend all querying authors who get an offer of rep get an attorney? And what kind of attorney is that/how do you find one?
I think it can't hurt to have an attorney look at any contract. Although, in all transparency, I did not when I signed my first contract. I did a TON of research on what was standard and what it all meant and felt like it was solid. My situation got a little confusing because of how the contract was terminated raising questions. I brought on an attorney at that point to consult with me to ensure that I was dotting my i's and crossing my t's IN WRITING in extricating myself from the previous contract. I felt her guidance was so valuable, I immediately hired her to review the new contract. She made some adjustments for me that protected me even more (not that what they offered was at all nefarious or out to get me) based on my hesitation from my previous experience.
As to where to find them -- you can join the Author's Guild (once you have an offer letter) and you can have their lawyers review your contract as part of your membership. You can also ask around to other writers to see if they recommend anyone they've worked with (I found mine through a referral). I've had the business contracts I've created reviewed by a contract lawyer friend who accepted a bottle of wine in exchange (I wanted someone specifically in the creative space for the agency one, however). So there are lots of ways you can find someone who fits your budget.
Thank you for sharing your story about this—it’s really helpful to see.
I think the more transparency around this process, the better for everyone.
I'm so sorry that happened to you! Hope it works out with your new agent. Something similar happened to me last year when my agent left agenting. It seems to happen more than I had realised?
Best of luck!
Same to you!
What a wild journey! Sorry it has been so stressful, but I'm so impressed with your perseverance despite the setbacks.
I feel you! Securing representation was such a high but it’s an ongoing journey!
Oh, I’m so sorry that happened. I can’t imagine signing with an agent, at long last, only to have them decide to walk away from the business. How distressing that must have been. Thank you for sharing this.
Great post - thanks for sharing
This sounds like such a rollercoaster, and I'm rooting for you! But love your perspective on how, at the end of the day, we're all here to just tell stories, and that's what matters most ❤️
Thank you. This is a message we all need to hear from time to time!
A little late to the party here, I don't read a lot of these posts but I'm glad I read this one. Thank you for posting it.
I signed with an agent from a very reputable and established agency for my first novel several years ago. Like most writers querying a debut novel I was over the moon. The agent asked for some revisions and I gladly complied, there weren't too many and in my opinion they all made the story better. Then I waited. Over the next month or so he forwarded several emails he received from editors praising my story and my writing but...passing on my novel. And then about halfway through the second month into the process I got a very short, very abrupt email from him. He said that he'd sent my manuscript to twenty-one publishers with no luck and he was "moving on", that he couldn't spend anymore time on my book...
I'd signed a one year contract with his agency which has long since expired and I have traded emails with him a few times since but he hasn't been interested in anything else I've written. It was devastating on several levels; like many inexperienced writers I believed that finding an agent to represent you was the biggest hurdle and if you could accomplish that you were almost home. As you've so aptly pointed out to another poster here, that's far from true. The other thing that still haunts me is that I truly believe in the story I'd written but I can't query it to other agents because it's damaged goods and I don't have a list of the publishers it's already been queried to. I've asked several people in the industry if it's still a viable property and received mixed responses. So it sits on my desktop...
This all occurred five or six years ago. Since then I've written another novel and a collection of short stories (I know, genre death!) but I decided to self-publish them because I'm extremely reluctant to re-enter the querying merry-go-round. Both have actually done fairly well considering they are self-published and both have received great feedback. It still nothing compared to what they may have done with a mainstream publisher.
I just retired from my day job after a long and successful career and don't need the financial support of writing but I've been doing it most of my life and am reluctant to let it go. But I am actually considering it, or just continuing to self-publish for my own satisfaction and leaving it at that. I apologize for such a long-winded post and some venting on my part, I guess my point is that querying and dealing with agents is not for the faint of heart and, as you so aptly put it, there are a lot of ups and downs along the way.
I'm so glad we're all sharing our various stories so emerging writers can see that there is no one clear path, that getting an agent isn't the end all be all, and that the true prize is writing the best stories we can write.
Glad you've found the path that is working for you and getting your stories out there! And congrats on retirement!!
Thank you for sharing so openly about your journey! When I signed with my first agent, I thought “This is it! I have arrived at authordom!” The reality had been very different. But we keep doing the work because it’s the only way through…
The road to publication is most certainly the professional iteration of "Going on a Bear Hunt" -- can't go around it, gotta go through it!
Thankyou for sharing this - although I'm in the UK, my journey has been similar, and has put me through a considerable amount of stress. I queried my first-time memoir of my life as a therapist to 101 literary agents... and managed to get an offer of representation from one.
I was overjoyed. Like you, we spent a month fine-tuning my book; she loved it, though thought it a little on the long side. We cut a bit, but both agreed we couldn't tell what else to lose. I assumed a publishing editor would decide on the cuts.
I think she submitted to around 50 publishers in total. TWO were interested, and each made me wait around 6 weeks before coming back with a reluctant 'no'. I think those waits made me ill. I'd wake up feeling anxious and depressed. I lost my spark. The closeness to a 'yes' but ultimately a 'no' was unbearable.
I decided to work with an editorial consultant to take on board all the feedback I'd received, and cut my book. I now know it's sooo much better than it was. BUT i've blown my chances with some of the most suitable publishers. It's heart-breaking. We've found 20 more to submit/resubmit to. Then.... self-publish? I can barely face the idea of learning about that whole process...
Meanwhile, I've started writing a second book. Against my better nature. But I do enjoy it! I don't know if it will be any good but I keep striving. One small step forwards at a time....
I know to even get this far is an achievement. But it's a horrible game where you need to win the prize. Getting your book published is, after all, what we are hoping for! Good luck ✨👍🏻
You're doing great! And you aren't alone. So many books die on submission, unfortunately. It has helped me to have writing friends go through similar to share our experiences -- one of whom had two books go out on sub and never sell and each time she simply buckled down, learned more, improved her craft and now the book that sold and came out this summer was definitely the book she was meant to write. As long as we're learning with each attempt -- which it sounds like you are -- we just have to keep doing what we love and deciding when it's time to try something new.
Good luck to you, too! Staying in the game is the real achievement!
Thanks. Yes, sharing with others who have similar tales does ease the load. My agent once sold a book after 2 years….
What a great post, Monica! Thanks for baring your soul to share. What a crazy journey we're on.
Right? I sometimes wonder about our sanity for picking this crazy calling, but I still wouldn't give it up.