Want an auto-rejection?

Something that surprises me is when, on receiving news that I have passed on a query, some writers immediately, by return of email, query me with opening chapters from another manuscript of theirs.

Why is this the wrong thimg to do?

Well, firstly I expect you to send me your best (and most likely your most recent) work in the first place. And secondly, if I liked your original submission and wanted to find out what else you had written, I would ask. So when I receive a second submission immediately I am already primed to reject it. Of course, I will look at it, just in case, but I don’t believe I’ve ever requested further material from a situation like this.

So what if you do want to send me something else?

Leave it six months or more, by which time I am highly likely to have forgotten your previous submission and will be looking at your work with fresh eyes.

Submissions update

Because of holidays and recent conferences, I’m running very behind in considering submissions. Please be aware that you may not have a response to your submission until mid to late August. Normal service should resume in September.

It’s Friday

Having completed the judging for the SWWJ, I was able to get back to The Pile of full manuscripts this week but I am still behind! I will catch up soon but once one becomes an agent and has clients to look after, reading material for clients becomes a priority above reading submissions. As I only have one pair of eyes I’m looking for a reader or two (email with CV and rates if interested please).

Last week I made it to the RNA Summer Party in London where the Joan Hessayson New Writers prize was awarded to Allie Spencer. Watching the line up of debut authors waiting to hear the results announced reminded me when I was in that line-up back in 2005, and also how successful some of my fellow nominees have become with their literary careers since then.

Back in the office, Lelsey Cookman’s Murder in Bloom was published on 18th May and I’ve been watching it doing well on amazon. I was asked to do some one-to-one appointments at the RNA Annual Conference in July, so sent off my bio etc for the programme. Feedback from publishers has started to come through from my early post-Book Fair submissions, some of which is encouraging, and a large print sale of my own latest short novel to Linford Romance/Ulverscroft.

I’m looking forward to spending a couple of days away from it all over the bank holiday weekend. The weather forecast is looking good.

Reading day

I have been having a reading day today in an attempt to catch up. This involves, you guessed it, reading material all day, and especially requested fulls from The Pile and also from existing clients. Today I’ve finished two scripts and am half way through another which I hope to finish tonight although I admit I am going a little pie eyed so need a break.

I already read almost every evening, on train journeys once or twice a week, and then also during the day when I get the time but stuff has been piling up at a faster rate than I can read it. How many novel length manuscripts do you think I’ll read in a year?

It has gone a bit mad

I have had 8 queries so far this week. Many, I think, are a result of being on the front page of this month’s Writers News.

If you’ve queried me in the last couple of weeks, it is going to take a little longer than I would like for me to get back to you. I’m now actively working with four authors whom I’ve taken on as clients, plus I have full manuscripts that I have asked to look at to read (3 on The Pile at the moment). This leaves less time available to look at queries, but I do want to consider every submission carefully so I hope you will bear with me. Thanks for your patience.

One month in…

As we draw towards the end of January, it seems like a good time to look back and review where I’m up to in getting the agency up and running.

I have three clients and have had the chance to meet up with them and discuss and agree immediate and longer term plans. (I’m waiting until my client list numbers five or six before making an announcement to the trade about whom I am representing.) I’ve started to work with two writers on revisions that I think will get their scripts to the stage that they are ready to be sent out. I also got back to two other writers whom I have not offered representation to with revision suggestions. I’d be delighted to have the chance to consider again their revised or new work.

I have started to meet and introduce myself to several editors at different publishers and have started to find out what they are currently looking to buy. I have negotiated a new contract for one of my clients. I have prepared outlines and approaches to several publishers with two scripts I have that are ready to market.

I have spent a lot of time considering submissions. I have considered about thirty queries, of which I have requested to see eight full scripts. Five fulls I have made decisions on, and there are three still sitting on The Pile.

I have started to work with a couple of readers, although I have also read all the submissions myself.

I’ve given an interview to a writing magazine and have been invited to give two talks to writers later in the year.

I have also been sorting out initial plans for the London Book Fair in April. This is the major UK publishing trade fair and the best opportunity to meet with international publishers face to face.

“In the office”

Today I was “in the office” all day, as if that promised a relatively relaxed day of catching up on emails, paperwork and reading. In fact I seem to have spent most of the day on the telephone, speaking with publishers, authors and a new writer I’m hoping to take on as a client. Thus I’ve managed only a few emails, no paperwork and certainly no reading.

“The pile”, as I refer to the pile of full manuscripts that I’ve requested to read in full, has reduced but expanded with two new additions this week, so I’m still at three. I also have five or six outstanding queries, and I really hope to have time tomorrow to give these attention before the week finishes. I think this is inevitably going to be a bottleneck: I only have one pair of eyes. Literary agencies often use readers and this is something I’m looking into but at the moment I guess I’m trying to build my list quickly and I know I trust my own judgment.