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      Category : Career

      • March 13, 2012

        More on how an author negotiates a book contract…

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        We're continuing our thoughts on what to have in mind when facing a book contract negotiation.

        4. Be Clear when Talking. One thing that will hurt you in a negotiation is to wander around your point. For example, if you know you don't want to grant dramatic rights to your novel, be clear about it. Problems often arise in a negotiation because of the things that aren't said — an author wants a certain advance but won't admit it, or the writer wants to retain foreign rights and doesn't say so clearly. If you know what you want, be ready to say so clearly in a polite, organized, and clear manner. This is why it's important for you to have a plan and write it down before you begin talking, so when faced with a question, you can refer to your notes and remind yourself of what is important.

        5. Learn to Listen. Kenneth Tynan once referred to the activities at the United Nations as "a dialogue for the deaf." One speaker gets up and harangues people with some information, then the next guy gets up, starts talking, and acts as though he heard nothing that was just said. You'll be amazed at how much better negotiations will go when you learn to be quiet and hear the other side occasionally. You'll discover you learn things about the publishing house when you listen. It will make you a better negotiator. And a bit of silence can help you focus in the midst of a discussion.

        6. You Have Options. Keep in mind that you don't have to agree to a bad deal. You always have options — even if the only option is to say no thanks, get up, and walk away (whether permanently or temporarily). This is a basic truth that people in negotiations sometimes forget. The fact is, you may not be able to come to an agreement,

        Continue Reading "More on how an author negotiates a book contract…"

      • March 13, 2012

        More on how an author negotiates a book contract…

        by

        We're continuing our thoughts on what to have in mind when facing a book contract negotiation.

        4. Be Clear when Talking. One thing that will hurt you in a negotiation is to wander around your point. For example, if you know you don't want to grant dramatic rights to your novel, be clear about it. Problems often arise in a negotiation because of the things that aren't said — an author wants a certain advance but won't admit it, or the writer wants to retain foreign rights and doesn't say so clearly. If you know what you want, be ready to say so clearly in a polite, organized, and clear manner. This is why it's important for you to have a plan and write it down before you begin talking, so when faced with a question, you can refer to your notes and remind yourself of what is important.

        5. Learn to Listen. Kenneth Tynan once referred to the activities at the United Nations as "a dialogue for the deaf." One speaker gets up and harangues people with some information, then the next guy gets up, starts talking, and acts as though he heard nothing that was just said. You'll be amazed at how much better negotiations will go when you learn to be quiet and hear the other side occasionally. You'll discover you learn things about the publishing house when you listen. It will make you a better negotiator. And a bit of silence can help you focus in the midst of a discussion.

        6. You Have Options. Keep in mind that you don't have to agree to a bad deal. You always have options — even if the only option is to say no thanks, get up, and walk away (whether permanently or temporarily). This is a basic truth that people in negotiations sometimes forget. The fact is, you may not be able to come to an agreement,

        Continue Reading "More on how an author negotiates a book contract…"

      • February 22, 2012

        "I'm trying to figure out how to work with an agent…"

        by

        Rita wrote to say, "I've been offered a contract on my novel. Since I don't have an agent, should I seek one at this point? And if the agent accepts, should he or she still receive 15% of the deal, even if they didn't market my book or secure the deal for me? Would it be better to have the agent simply review the contract for a fee?"

        There's quite a debate about this issue. I suppose many agents would say, "Sure — call me!" They'd be happy to get 15% for a deal they've done no work on. But my advice would be to think long term. Is there an agent you like and trust — someone you want to work with in the long term? If so, call him or her. Talk about the situation. They may be willing to take less in order to work with you. They may review the contract for a fee. If, for example, you've got a $10,000 advance coming, make sure it's worth the $1500 to have the agent assist with this contract. (It may be worth it — a complex situation, or a novel that is going to be made into a movie, or a potential bestseller probably call for a good agent to get involved). That said, it doesn't really seem fair to me to take the full comission for a book I didn't sell, though not everyone in the industry agrees with me. You can always talk with a contract-review specialist, who will review your contract for a flat fee (usually somewhere in the $300 range). You can also talk with an intellectual property rights attorney, but be careful — they're generally paid by the increment (anywhere from a six-minute to a 15-minute increment), and their goal is to keep the clock moving. The longer it takes them, the more they are paid. I know of at least one

        Continue Reading ""I'm trying to figure out how to work with an agent…""

      • February 21, 2012

        Does a beginning writer need an agent?

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        Amy wrote to ask, "In your opinion, does a beginning writer need an agent?"

        It depends on the writer. There are some authors who are well connected in the industry, don't mind dealing with contracts and negotiations, understand career direction, and can survive without an agent. But in my view, it's rare to do those things well while maintaining a writing career. I used to tell people that I'm not an evangelist for agents, and over the past 15 years or so I've tried to maintain a balance — I haven't always believed that every writer needs an agent in order to succeed.  But I'm now changing my tune. Most publishers require you to have an agent or they won't look at your material. Things have changed significantly in the past few years,  so that publishers are  moving toward relying on agents to be the first line, reviewing proposals and weeding out the chaff. Working with an agent professionalizes the relationship — an agent is not as emotionally tied to a work as an author, so he or she can be more dispassionate about discussing a project, and the agent is going to be more familiar with the business of contracts, so ostensibly things will move along better for both sides. I recognize that some have said the future is in self-publishing, so that means authors won't need agents. I think that's completely wrong-headed. If you're going to be responsible for your book, you should think about working with someone who knows what they're doing and can help you. Think of the way realtors have changed the home buying market: You can still sell your home by owner, but it's gotten considerably more complex to do so. You've got to know the market, understand how to show your home, know how to get the word out, feel comfortable negotiating a price, and perhaps most importantly, understand how to fill out the

        Continue Reading "Does a beginning writer need an agent?"

      • February 15, 2012

        How do I get an agent?

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        Elizabeth wrote to ask, "Can you tell me the basics of how to get an agent, when to get an agent, and how the agent relationship works?"

        I have responded to this basic question in the past, so let me repeat some of my old ideas…

        First, remember I’m a literary agent, so I'm either "experienced" or "biased," depending on your position. I’ve been in the publishing business for more than 20 years, full time as an agent for the last 14 or so. I made my living as an author and, later, as an editor before I fell away from the Lord and became an agent. I was with one of the top literary agencies in the business for many years, and now I’m out on my own – so I admittedly have my own perspective. Second, I’m pretty successful at what I do, in a business where some people call themselves “agents” but don’t seem to know what they’re doing (and, consequently, don’t last very long), I’m fairly well known in the industry and, by and large, have developed a pretty good reputation (more evidence for the existence of God). Feel free to ask around and see what others say. Third, most people who know me will tell you that I’m not an agent evangelist. I happen to know there are some very good things a literary agent can do for you (no matter what Jon Konrath says), but I’ll be the first one to tell you that not everybody needs an agent. And I’m fairly safe in talking about this because I’ve been saying the same stuff for years.  So I’m going to give you my opinion…

        When NOT to get an agent:

        -When you're not a proven writer. Generally, publishers are looking for great ideas, expressed through great writing, and offered by a person with a great platform. Sometimes they get all three, usually they settle

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      • February 1, 2012

        Ghostwriting: Not as Spooky as it Seems (A Guest Blog)

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             There’s no middle ground. If you are a person’s ghostwriter, that person will either hate you or love you. It’s all about ego.

             If the person whose name is going to appear on the cover actually wants people to think that he or she wrote the book, that person will want you to write a brilliant manuscript and then drop off the face of the earth so that he or she can go on radio and TV talk shows and take kudos for writing such a brilliant artistic masterpiece. (I actually had a client break into tears recalling how “emotionally gut-wrenching it was to write chapter nine.”  Oh…pul-leeese!)

             So, let’s put our cards on the table. Most ghostwriters, including me, do this for the money. Thus, rule one is to charge plenty.  I mean it.

             Let’s get the negatives out of the way. First, ghosting causes a split personality: the publisher is expecting the ghost to deliver one kind of book, but very often the client wants a totally different kind of book. (When it doubt, favor the one paying you.) Second, ghosting is hard work, but usually you get no credit for your labors. (One woman, whose entire book was written by me, thanked me on the acknowledgements page for “proofreading assistance and help with typing.”) Third, no matter how the book fares, you, the ghost, will come off the loser. If the book hits #1 and sells five million copies, you won’t get a dime more than the work-made-for-hire flat rate you were originally paid. If the book tanks, everyone will blame you, personally, for producing an inferior manuscript.

        WHERE’S THE UPSIDE?

             By now you may be wondering why a guy like me, who has written 34 books under his own name, would also have ghostwritten 18 books for other people. One reason is because writing is what I do, and

        Continue Reading "Ghostwriting: Not as Spooky as it Seems (A Guest Blog)"

      • February 1, 2012

        Ghostwriting: Not as Spooky as it Seems (A Guest Blog)

        by

             There’s no middle ground. If you are a person’s ghostwriter, that person will either hate you or love you. It’s all about ego.

             If the person whose name is going to appear on the cover actually wants people to think that he or she wrote the book, that person will want you to write a brilliant manuscript and then drop off the face of the earth so that he or she can go on radio and TV talk shows and take kudos for writing such a brilliant artistic masterpiece. (I actually had a client break into tears recalling how “emotionally gut-wrenching it was to write chapter nine.”  Oh…pul-leeese!)

             So, let’s put our cards on the table. Most ghostwriters, including me, do this for the money. Thus, rule one is to charge plenty.  I mean it.

             Let’s get the negatives out of the way. First, ghosting causes a split personality: the publisher is expecting the ghost to deliver one kind of book, but very often the client wants a totally different kind of book. (When it doubt, favor the one paying you.) Second, ghosting is hard work, but usually you get no credit for your labors. (One woman, whose entire book was written by me, thanked me on the acknowledgements page for “proofreading assistance and help with typing.”) Third, no matter how the book fares, you, the ghost, will come off the loser. If the book hits #1 and sells five million copies, you won’t get a dime more than the work-made-for-hire flat rate you were originally paid. If the book tanks, everyone will blame you, personally, for producing an inferior manuscript.

        WHERE’S THE UPSIDE?

             By now you may be wondering why a guy like me, who has written 34 books under his own name, would also have ghostwritten 18 books for other people. One reason is because writing is what I do, and

        Continue Reading "Ghostwriting: Not as Spooky as it Seems (A Guest Blog)"

      • January 31, 2012

        Questions to ask an Agent

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        Bobbi wrote to say, "You've mentioned several times that an author should ask a prospective agent some questions in order to get to know him (or her). I'm going to a conference in a couple months — what sort of questions should I ask?"

        I've talked about his question a couple of times, Bobbi. Here are some thoughts to get you started…

        -How long have you been doing this?

        -How many contracts have you negotiated for authors?

        -Who do you represent?

        -What publishing houses have you worked with in the past year?

        -Which editorial personnel have you done deals with?

        -How many deals have you done in the past year? 

        -What sort of authors and projects do you represent?

        -What do you like to read? (Ask for titles!)

        -Can you give me a book title you sold that you loved?

        -Can you give me a book idea you sold that you loved?

        -Do you offer editorial input to authors? 

        -How often will we be in touch? 

        -What would you say are your best skills?

        -What's unique about your agency?

        -What percentage do you earn on a book deal?

        -Are there any hidden fees or charges? Any up-front costs?

        -Do you charge back all your expenses?

        -How do you handle legal or accounting issues?

        -In what ways do you get involved in marketing?

        -Have you ever worked in publishing or done any editing or writing?

        -How do you approach career planning?

        -Do you work by yourself?

        -Are you full time?

        -Are you a member of AAR?

        -How long have you been in business? 

        -How many people work at your agency?

        -How many books do you sell in a year?

        -Will you be handling my work, or will someone else? 

        -What are your expectations of me as a client?

        That will get you started. Again, I think an author needs to consider what he or she needs from an agent before interviewing

        Continue Reading "Questions to ask an Agent"

      • January 26, 2012

        A Writer's Budget

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        A couple of people read my Monday blog and asked me, "What does a writing budget look like?"

        Here's the basic idea…

        1. The author sets a financial goal for the year. It's got to be something that is livable (if the writer is attempting to make this a full-time job) and reachable (so there's no setting a goal of "a bazillion dollars"). Let's say, for someone just moving into full-time writing, the goal is $24,000 per year. Skinny, but a real wage for most writers. So figure out how much you need to earn in a year from your writing.

        2. I encourage an author to break that annual figure into monthly chunks — so in our example, the author's goal is $2000 per month.

        3. The next step is to add up what the author expects to earn on the writing they are doing. How much in contracts does she already have? What other writing does she know she'll be doing and getting paid for? That will help her figure out how much money is coming in, and how much she needs to add. Let's say an author has a royalty check coming in May, expects to have completion money on a book contract in July, and is expecting to sell a project in October. All you have to do is to figure out the amounts and write them onto your writing calendar. Nothing will give an author more clarity than hard numbers written down on a calendar — it's a way of saying, "I'm making this…so now I need to work to make that."

        4. The obvious thing to do next is to match up dates and amounts. If you know you're going to be working on a book in March/April/May, you can write down how much you're making on that project. By looking at your calendar, you'll see where the holes are that need

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      • January 23, 2012

        Creating a Career Plan for Writers

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        I have a background in organizational development — that is, the study of how an organization grows and changes over time. In my job as a literary agent, I've found it's proven helpful when talking to writers about their careers. You see, my contention is that some agents pay lip service to "helping authors with career planning," but many don't really have a method for doing that. (Actually, from the look of it, some don't even know what it means. I think "career planning" to some agents is defined as "having a book contract.") During my doctoral program at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!), I served as a Graduate Teaching Fellow in the Career Planning and Placement Office. The focus was on helping people graduating in the arts figure out how to create a career plan, and that experience allowed me the opportunity to apply the principles of organizational theory to the real-world setting of those trying to make a living with words. So here are a few things I like to consider when talking with a writer…

        First, I want to get to know the author. Who is he (or she)? What's the platform he brings to the process? Does she speak? If so, where, how often, to whom, to how many, and on what topics? Does he have experience with other media? What kind? What's her message? What books has she done in the past? What other writing is the author doing that could boost the platform?

        Second, I want to find out about the author's past – the significant events and accomplishments. I also like to make sure I'm clear on things like strengths, gifts, burdens… all of that helps give me context when discussing career paths.

        Third, we have to talk about perspective – what is important to the author? How does he define success? What does she need to change? What do they want to

        Continue Reading "Creating a Career Plan for Writers"