Need an Author’s Checklist?

As a certified creativity coach, I work a lot with authors and writers, many of whom are looking to publish their work with a traditional publisher. A question that comes up often is, “Do I need an agent?”

I invited my colleague Elizabeth Kracht, author of the book, The Author’s Checklist: An Agent’s Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript to join me for a dialogue on my blog today about her role as a literary agent and what advice she has for aspiring authors. 

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What do you like most about being a literary agent?

I like helping people to realize their dreams. I like to promote artists. I like having a pulse on what’s happening with humanity, in this country, with individuals, and hearing about projects that clearly foretell the future. I also like how all of the people I’ve worked with over the course of my career have enriched my life in one way or another, whether through the subject matter of their work or just them people, professionals or friends. I’ve learned about wildlife lockers, firefighting, planets, counterintelligence, jade, plant medicine, Judaism, sex, prison administration, and so much more. The topics are endless. And I like the legacy of my agency and boss and how upon arrival I found a connection to my father in the agency. Finally, my job in publishing has afforded some interesting life stories, like getting pulled into a murder trial. Though the workload is endlessly daunting, the life of a literary agent is never boring. 

What is your advice for pitching an agent at a conference? 

Making a personal connection with an agent or editor at a conference is a plus. It’s so much more difficult for an agent to pass on a project when they’ve met an author in person. It’s a good idea to research the agent or editor you plan to pitch; only pitch agents and editors who represent your genre. Writers should first distill their stories down to five or six sentences on paper. Lead the pitch with your title, genre, word count, and comparable titles. Then write a four or five sentence distillation of your story: Reeling from a divorce and microdosing plant medicine, Angelina stumbles across the dead body of the shaman leading her trek in Peru… Who is your main character and where are they in their life at that moment? What is the source of conflict? What is at stake for the main character? Last, to end the pitch, write a couple of lines about yourself. Have you been published before? Have you won any awards? Do you have a website or podcast? Why are you the best person to tell this story? Finally, set about memorizing the pitch and practicing with a friend or family member before the conference. 

What do you think is the most effective method for a writer to get noticed?

There are many ways for writers to get noticed. If a manuscript is truly publication ready, a writer can get noticed by simply submitting to an agent who represents their genre through an agency website or by meeting an agent at a conference. The larger conferences in the country usually bring in a number of agents. One conference I regularly attend has as many as twenty agents in attendance to hear pitches. Some conferences allow authors to sign up for consultations as well. An author can also get noticed through social media or platform building work, such as articles published in magazines or literary journals, articles that go viral, through a TEDx talk, or even through Twitter pitch wars. Some authors volunteer at conferences where they make personal connections with agents and others sometimes intern for an agency. Having a strong direct or formal approach to the industry is imperative, but also remember you never really know how or when it’s going to happen. Publishing is an industry of relationships; tend your relationships carefully, because they may serve you later. 

Why don’t agents give feedback on submissions?

Agents are both gamblers and salespeople. Most of us don’t get paid unless we sell a book. And publishing is one of those industries where your time doesn’t always equal money. We read at night and on weekends. Though there are many of us who participate in conferences, consult with writers, and give feedback, when it comes to cold submissions, the sheer volume makes feedback impossible if you have any business sense. This is the reason for my writing The Author’s Checklist. There is a gap between what a writer feels is publication ready and what an agent or editor does. Most cold submission manuscripts are at least four drafts away from being ready for publication Writers need feedback but they can rarely get it unless they pay a professional with experience in the publishing industry to edit their manuscript. Almost every general developmental note I’ve ever given to an author is within the pages of The Author’s Checklist.

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