What I Learned About Agents from Chairing a Conference

I chaired a mystery conference, Murder in the Grove, in Boise, Idaho for two and a half years. As part of my responsibilities I worked directly with the agents who provided manuscript critiques for aspiring writers during agent appointments at the conference. I learned a lot from coordinating the agents' efforts.

Scheduling an agent for a conference requires delicate timing to receive a commitment. Agents are very busy but many also don't like "to tempt fate" as one agent put it when asked if he'd commit to a conference almost two years away. Most have a set number of conferences they attend, and plan those anywhere from six to eighteen months in advance.

Many agents enjoy taking pitch appointments at conferences. Others don't. Some feel the pitch tells them a lot about the writer. Others feel like pitch appointments waste their time. These agents typically don't attend conferences, so if you meet an agent at a conference feel confident he or she is interested in what you have to say.

Agents who attend conferences generally want their appointments scheduled tight, so they can meet with as many writers as possible. We've even had agents who opted to skip their break in order to spend more time with writers during appointments.

Agents vary as much as any other group of professionals. It is highly important to learn what you can about any agent you want to pitch at a conference or send a submission. Agents' interests vary greatly. Know what types of books an agent handles. Agents almost never take a book in a genre or subject matter they don't handle. Don't waste the agent's time or yours by submitting material outside their scope. Do your research.

Two good places to start your agent research are The Association of Authors' Representatives (aar-online.org) and agentquery.com. The Association of Authors' Representatives requires agents adhere to a specific Canon of Ethics adding a layer of security for the author against unethical agents. The Canon of Ethics as well as a list of agent members' contact information is listed on the website. Agent Query allows you search by genre to get a list of agents aiding you in creating a list of agents who represent the type of work you write. Another great resource on pitching to agents is Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent's Eye by Katharine Sands. Making the Perfect Pitch is filled with interviews with and essays by some top agents to help you perfect your pitch.

Agents who attend conferences are interested in more than pitches. If you sit next to an agent at lunch, run into one at the hotel bar, or end up eating breakfast with one, talk about things besides your book. Remember they don't necessarily want to hear your life story or shares theirs with you, but they want to know the person behind the work. Often even if you don't have a pitch appointment with an agent, this casual conversation may lead to an invitation to discuss your work and/or to submit it. Don't force the conversation.

Confidence is key in all communications. Don't panic if you're not perfect. Agents are human, too, and know you may be nervous. The drive to be perfect may come across as stiff, formal, and unyielding. Be yourself. You will either find common ground with the agent or you won't. It's not a statement on you nor is it necessarily a statement on your work. It is more likely an issue of compatibility.

Agents are like any other people you will meet. There will be some you like. Others you don't. You may like an agent but instinctively know you could never work with him or her. You have to be prepared that agents may feel the same way about you. Still others may wish to work with you but feel they're not the best representative for the type of writing in which you specialize. While a writer never wants to appear difficult, you can and should decline representation if you feel an agent who offers representation isn't a person with whom you can create a productive working relationship. An author and an agent needn't be best friends to work together but should be able to work together for each other's best interests.

Agents don't make or break careers. They work with what the writer provides them - hopefully well written, entertaining manuscripts. An agent is an aid in a writer's career. First the writer must have a body of work the agent can stake his or her reputation on. Agents must turn out high quality work, so they expect high quality work from writers. In the end, only a writer can write the work he or she wishes to present to the public. An agent is an ally to introduce a writer to the right editor for the work.

Lastly, there seems to be a misconception that agents don't work for their money. After all, writers write the books. Not agents. Still, agents provide feedback to writers, make the necessary introductions, research the industry, and stand behind the work someone else has written with gusto.

Still, an agent isn't right for everyone. Some people have found success without an agent. I don't recommend it for most people because the industry as a whole tends to prefer the writer-agent-publisher triad. There are doors that will never be opened to writers without an agent.

It's an individual decision one must make. I tried a do-it-myself model for publishing for my first book and continue to search for a publisher for my short story and poetry collections, but I'd prefer to have an agent for my next novel.