Agent Search 102
                                    by Robin Searle

When you begin your agent search, you'll find that most of the time the response is
pretty straightforward...that's right, welcome to rejection.  Unfortunately, rejections
are a huge part of the writing business and learning to deal with them and move past
them will be vital if you want to succeed.  Most of the time rejections will be
something along the lines of "Dear Author:  Unfortunately we've decided your
manuscript doesn't fit our acquisition needs at this time."  

Keep in mind that writing is subjective.  What one person loves, another may hate.  
You have to believe--and then keep believing--in your work.  When a rejection
comes, send out another query as soon as possible and don't forget to keep working
on your next project.

What happens when you get that long-awaited request by an agent to read your
manuscript?  First of all, don't quit querying!  A request, even for the entire
manuscript, is no guarantee the agent will offer representation.  Many times agents
will request a partial, even if you've already sent them several pages as part of your
query.  After reading the partial, they may then request a read of your full
manuscript.  

Tough questions can arise when an agent asks for an exclusive.  Jenna Petersen, a
published author with Avon and creator of a site dedicated to writers, The Passionate
Pen (www.passionatepen.com), believes exclusives limit authors due to the time it
often takes agents and editors to read the work.  Petersen teaches a course titled The
Great Agent Search, and she strongly suggests putting a time limit of no more than a
couple of weeks on the agent for any exclusive you decide to grant.  "Also, if you
already have the book out elsewhere," Petersen said, "I would probably call or e-mail
and just say that the book is already out so you can't offer them an exclusive, but
would still like to send the manuscript.  More often than not, the answer will be yes."

Another sticky situation can arise when an agent requests revisions with no firm offer
of representation.  What should you do?  According to Petersen, "It depends on the
writer, the agent, and the revisions."  She suggests setting up a phone call to discuss
the potential revisions and then determine how you feel about both the changes and
the agent.  If you feel the revisions will make your book stronger and possibly land
you representation, it may well be worth pursuing.  Keep in mind, that even if you
complete the revisions, the agent is committing only to reconsidering your work so
it's important to continue the query process while you're working on revisions.

At last!  You get a call or e-mail from an agent offering to represent your work.  
"Before you sign, ask questions," said Petersen.  For local mystery author Barb
Nickless, important topics included fees and percentages, how the agency was run,
and most importantly whether the agent shared Nickless's vision for her career.  "I
wanted to know that she was passionate about my work," Nickless said.  Additional
questions she asked were what the agent saw as target markets for her book, how
the agent would position her book, and how communication would be handled.  For
a more comprehensive list of questions, see Petersen's article on her Passionate Pen
website titled Agent Q & A.

Once you've gotten your essential questions answered, the ball is in your court.  Do
you have to accept the offer right then and there?  No.  You can thank the agent and
let them know you'd like to think about the offer.  This is completely acceptable and
won't jeopardize your chances with the agent.  Once you've decided to sign with an
agent and have a contract in hand, Nickless emphasizes it's considered professional
courtesy to notify all other agents currently considering your work.  "Don't let
someone spend time on something that is no longer available."

After signing that coveted contract, the journey has only begun.  According to
Petersen, communication, trust, and respect are key aspects to making the
relationship work.  Your agent should keep you informed of where she's submitting
your work and the status.  In return, you should consistently be professional...meet
deadlines, be willing to listen to editorial input, and trust that your agent is going to
advocate your work in the best way possible.  In an ideal situation you'll find, as
Nickless did, that your agent loves your writing and is one of your greatest
cheerleaders.  In a business filled with rejections, a supporter and ally is exactly what
every writer needs.

This article appeared in the July/August 2007 issue of Pikes Peak Writer
Newsmagazine in Colorado Springs.