The 7 “Be”-Attitudes of Finding Your Agent & New Deal Announcements!

I’m so excited to announce two deals today, both for the wonderful Marcie Colleen, picture book writer extraordinaire. But not only that! I asked Marcie to write on the process of finding an agent for the blog, and she’s created a list of the key qualities that will carry you through your search—it’s as inspiring as it is useful. Be sure to scroll down for her smart advice, which follows these announcements.

Here’s our first deal, for THE ADVENTURE OF THE PENGUINAUT, the story of intrepid little Orville, a penguin who imagines visiting the moon. I love this story, especially for Orville’s dreamy determination:

Children's: Picture book

Marcie Colleen's debut THE ADVENTURE OF THE PENGUINAUT, about a penguin who lives at the zoo and dreams of building a spaceship to fly to the moon, to Emellia Zamani at Scholastic, by Susan Hawk at The Bent Agency (World).

And here’s our next deal for LOVE, TRIANGLE and a second unnamed book. The first time I met Marcie she told me she had this title, but wasn’t sure of the story yet. Watching it come together has been a total delight:

Children's: Picture book

Marcie Colleen's LOVE, TRIANGLE, about best friends Circle and Square, and the dynamic Triangle that comes between them, and to Alessandra Balzer at Balzer & Bray, in a very nice deal, at auction, in a two-book deal, by Susan Hawk at The Bent Agency (World).

Please join me in congratulating Marcie at www.thisismarciecolleen.com or on Twitter: @MarcieColleen1.

And now, here’s Marcie herself, with  

THE 7 "BE"-ATTITUDES OF FINDING YOUR AGENT

I am often told how lucky I am to have such an awesome agent. And yes, Susan Hawk is amazing. After all, we make quite a team and sold three books this year—two of which were sold in a five-house auction!

But am I really lucky?

Of course, I tried wishing on a star, writing to Santa Claus, and crossing my fingers that one day an agent would just randomly email me and ask to represent my work. But when it came down to it, those things did not get me Susan.

What did land me such a fabulous partner-in-crime was hard work. It was planning. It was researching.

It was attitude.

You see, the responsibility lies with the writer to do everything within their power to find an agent. So for those of you still looking, still hoping, and still wishing on a star, here are my 7 “Be”-Attitudes to help you along the journey:

1. Be“craft”y. First and foremost, focus on craft. If you want to be agented (and published), spend time making your writing the best that it can possibly be. Take classes, attend workshops, join critique groups, and read books. I feverishly worked on my craft for years before I felt ready to start the query process. And having worked on craft for so long, I was confident that what I was submitting was not half-baked, but something I could be proud of. It’s easy to be eager, but don’t rush this step.

2. Be social. I know social media can be a time suck. But if used well, it can be a writer’s lifeline. By seeking out communities of writers on Facebook and Twitter, I was able to learn more and more about the industry. I was able to keep current with new titles, be introduced to names of agents and editors, and ask burning questions—all without even getting out of my pajamas!

3. Be present. All right, so I eventually got out of my pajamas and ventured into the “real world.” I attended conferences, classes and workshops where I was able to get to know fellow writers, as well as editors and agents. I even had many face to face critique sessions with industry professionals, one of which actually introduced me to Jenny Bent and ultimately led to querying Susan. Sure, these kinds of events cost money—but it’s worth it. Consider it an investment in your dream.

4. Be Nancy Drew. Once you have a few names of agents that you want to query, don’t wait for Santa Claus to deliver them under your tree on Christmas morning. Instead, find them through Twitter, Google and Facebook. Read interviews they have given and blog posts they have written. Get to know what they are interested in and who they represent. Get to know their personality. Find out which conferences or industry events they will be speaking at. If possible, attend those same events. Are they participating in an online forum or a webinar? Again, participate if you can. Sure, this can be a lot of work. In fact, it might even seem like a second job. But isn’t your dream worth it?

5. Be mindful. Check in with yourself. What do YOU want in an agent? Make a list.  Do you want someone who represents a few different genres that you write? Do you want someone who has a background in editorial or is also a writer? How about someone who you can relate to personally? This list is perhaps the most important of all. I knew Susan was my dream agent because she met the criteria on my wish list. But that doesn’t mean she will be perfect for everyone. Don’t ignore your own wishes in your search.

6. Be patient. This all takes time. Lots and lots of time. I first queried Susan in the winter of 2013. We emailed back and forth a number of times going into the spring, eventually met, and she offered representation shortly after, in June. Agents are busy people. If you don’t hear right away, do not fret. Take a deep breath. Continue to work on your craft. Query someone else. Keep moving forward. And never, ever lose faith. Which brings me to the last “be”-attitude.

7. Be dreamy. Never lose sight of your dream. Your dream is what is going to keep you going through the silence and through the frustration. Remember, a rejection from an agent is not a rejection of you. It simply means that you haven’t found your Susan yet. And believe me, finding the one agent who is super giddy about your writing, believes in you more than you might believe in yourself, and wants to take you to the highest heights is well-worth the wait.

Many thanks Marcie, and good luck to everyone on their agent search!

A Peek at the Hybrid Author: Choosing to Self-Publish

I’m giving the floor to my fab-tastic client, Donna Hosie, whose YA novel is forthcoming from Holiday House. But she is also a seasoned indie writer! Donna knew that traditional publishing wasn’t the only way to go, and that self-publishing didn’t necessarily have to be a Plan B. Far from setting a singular goal of signing her books over to a publishing house, she saw an opportunity to take control of her own destiny – or, you know, her distribution. Here's how she sees it:

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Traditional or indie publishing? It’s a question more and more writers are asking themselves. It’s never been easier to go down the indie route, and with fewer imprints, it’s never been harder to chase the traditional dream.

But is it a question that writers should be asking themselves at all?

Enter stage left: the hybrid author. A hybrid author is someone who wants the cake and eats it too! A hybrid author will have an agent and hopefully a book deal (or ten!), but will still project-manage their own career by independently publishing other work.

Take me, for example. I signed with Beth Phelan a year and a half ago to represent my novel titled THE DEVIL’S INTERN. Because Beth is AgentAwesomesauce™, she successfully negotiated me a book deal with Holiday House in New York, one of the most respected publishers for children and young adults in the industry. THE DEVIL’S series is a run of four novels and we are very optimistic for its future. For my part, I trust Beth implicitly to handle that side of my traditionally published career.

But when I signed with Beth, I was also independently releasing a trilogy called THE RETURN TO CAMELOT. It was very important that this wasn’t a problem, and when Beth and I started corresponding after her offer of representation, the first question I asked was whether this was going to be an issue.

Not only was it not an issue, but Beth was happy about it.

Because here’s the big secret, and the reason why writers shouldn’t ask themselves whether to choose the traditional or indie route: progressive literary agents, (like Beth at The Bent Agency), know that being a hybrid author is good for them, good for the author, and good for the reader. 

I have spent the last two years steadily building up my author name/brand and my readership. When THE DEVIL’S INTERN is released in the Fall, there will be readers waiting to read it. I understand the publishing world because I’m at the heart of it already. I understand the process because I manage my own.  I’ve put down good foundations for a successful traditional career. It really can be a win all round.

There are differences, of course. With traditional publishing I acquiesce a lot more control, and indie publishing takes more (wo)man hours! Both routes require a huge amount of dedication and hard work, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I learn so much from having Beth in my corner, and hopefully she learns from me.

So don’t ask yourself “traditional or indie publishing?” Have your cake, eat it, and take those sprinkles on top as well!

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Donna is enjoying the best of both worlds. Obviously, this isn’t for everyone and it takes a certain kind of moxie to be a hybrid author [I think Donna actually subsists on a diet of wine and chocolate so she might just be a completely different breed [of awesome)]. But you don’t have to choose between one and the other. And you don’t have to look at self-publishing as a last resort or an Island of Misfit Toys Books. Self-publishing isn’t the end, and most of the time, its sales won’t turn agents’/editors’ heads either. If you're self-publishing because you're hoping for big numbers that will catch our attention, you're going at it all wrong. It could totally happen, but I think your main focus should be on making your indie book a success for YOU; take it seriously and be your own publisher. We should be setting a new standard, celebrating our achievements -- big and small -- and exploring the indie route in a more dedicated way to find our audience.

As long as you’re committed, you can have both.

You can follow Donna’s journey on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and on her blog. Look for THE DEVIL’S INTERN (Holiday House) in Fall 2014 and her indie THE RING OF MORGANA coming this May!

Congratulations to Felicia Chernesky on the publication of PICK A CIRCLE, GATHER SQUARES!

Today I want to share news about my client Felicia Chernesky’s first book: Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvest of Shapes.  It was published in September and I’m so proud of this book and its author, Felicia!

Pick a Circle, Gather Squares is a concept picture book about shapes.  The action takes place on a brisk fall day, with a family on its annual trip to the pumpkin patch.  As they tour the farm, they find shapes everywhere – squares and circles of course, but diamonds and even hearts are featured.  Perhaps my favorite feature of this book is that it uses simple, straightforward language to highlight the shapes, and conveys such a warm feeling – a celebration of family trips and rituals is folded into this book, and it’s a pleasure to read.

 Here's a spread to enjoy:

It’s gotten great reviews too:

“Chicken wire hexagons, a triangular slice of apple pie, and scarecrows dressed in polka dots and plaid add to the homey, down-on-the-farm mood, and Chernesky’s bubbly rhymes keep the story moving swiftly.” – Publishers Weekly

“Felicia Sanzari Chernesky’s rhyming text and Susan Swan’s harvest-hued collages depict a delightful excursion as the youngsters point out circles, square-shaped bales of hay, ovals, hexagons, and more. Filled with splashes of bright color and appealing textures, the artwork depicts lively action, engaging details, and additional shapes to find.”  -- School Library Journal

Felicia has been a whirlwind of activity this fall, making appearances at farm stands, schools and bookstores, and there’s plenty planned for November!  To see where Felicia will be next, check out her site, FeliciaChernesky.com or follow her on twitter at @FChernesky.

Stay tuned for more from Felicia.  The follow up to Pick a Circle is Cheers for a Dozen Ears: A Summer Crop of Counting, which comes out Spring 2014.  And Albert Whitman just bought her third concept book, Sap, Tap, Maple Syrup: Collecting Winter Colors, scheduled for Fall 2014!

You can buy a copy of Pick a Circle online at your local independent bookstore, or Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.  

Enjoy!

Pick a Circle, Gather Squares 

by Felicia Chernesky

illustrated by Susan Swan

Albert Whitman & Company

ISBN 0807565385