Your hands are sweating. You lie awake at night. You can’t stop thinking about your face-to-face critique with the publishing professional of your dreams. On the day of the conference, you manage to stumble to the registration desk, blurt out your name to the welcoming lady behind the table, and get your shiny folder which includes everything you need to know … including your critique assignment.

You open the folder. Lo and behold, your 30-minute appointment is with Agent Fabulous or Editor OMG! Or Author-Genius/Lucky-to-Have-Her-Even-Breathe-on-Me!

What now? How do you prepare? What are you going to do to fill up a whole 30 minutes?

Here are a few tips from someone who’s been-there-and-done-that!  This is your survival guide for … making the most out of your conference critique.

Critiquers are people, too. If you ever feel intimidated by your pending appointment with Agent-Holy-Cow, Author-Bestselling-for-56-weeks! and Editor-No-Freakin-Way, remember this: critiquers are people, too. They brush their teeth (hopefully), burp (hopefully not in public), and my favorite…. have less than perfect writing sometimes, too.

Read the bio. Think up possible conversation topics. Before your appointment, it never hurts to read the bio about the faculty member to whom you’ve been assigned. More than likely your critique will only take half the time to complete and you’ll be left with fifteen minutes to twiddle your thumbs. Thumb-twiddling is probably not what you want to be doing in front of Agent Fabulous and Editor OMG or even Author-Who?! So think about some possible topics of conversation related to the faculty member just in case you end up with a cricket-chirping-silent kinda moment.

Disappointed with your assignment? You had dreams of getting Agent Fabulous or Editor OMG, but you wound up with some author you’ve never heard of.  You didn’t even get (insert keynote speaker here), for goodness sakes!  If this happens to you, fear not!  Yes, the critique can be a great opportunity to meet a famous editor or agent, but having an author as a critiquer is a great opportunity to get feedback from someone who actually does the heavy lifting! Imagine that. Also, during thumb-twiddling time, you can ask all sorts of questions that you would never had had the guts to ask an editor or agent.

If you’re disappointed because your goal was to sell your a book at the conference through a critique, then you are totally entitled to feel disappointment.  Though keep in mind, the purpose of the critiques is to hone your craft, so you can sell a book without the need for a conference critique. Yeah?   Finally, making face-to-face connections with editors and agents is wonderful! But the large majority of books that are bought do not require a face-to-face interaction. It’s a myth that you have to *know* someone to sell a book in this business. So get that out of your head.  Like now. Books are bought and sold on the basis of your work – not how cute you are or how well you can carry on a conversation about weather. This brings me to my next point …

Remember why you’re there—you’re there to discuss and consider new ideas for your writing and your story. Not to land a contract or pitch yourself like you’re the World’s Best Made-for-TV-tomato-cucumber-all-in-one-cheese grater!  (In other words, try to avoid a cheesy sales pitch.)  If you’re sitting in front of an author, chances are a sale won’t happen for obvious reasons. (Though you should not forget that authors are connected, too.) If you’re in front of an editor or agent, you might be able to drum up some interest in your work. However, unless the editor or agent says, “You know, I thought your work was perfect. Let’s chat about our favorite reality TV shows,” you should probably focus your energy on LISTENING to what is being said to you about your work. Note: It doesn’t hurt to visualize though. Though rare, sometimes the beginnings of deals are made at these things (even with an author, yes), so keep visualizing!

Jot down questions. Spend a few moments thinking about what you would like to know about your own work. Make sure that by the critique’s end,  your questions are answered. Questions can range from how strong is my writing when compared to other works that you’ve seen? To …. Should the guy really be picking his nose in Chapter Two?

Take notes. This may seem obvious, but make sure you bring a working pen to your critique and some paper to jot your notes. At the very least, it gives you something productive to do while you think up the next thing to say. At best, you’ll have a record of what was said because you won’t remember a thing afterward!

Try to not do anything that might be viewed as crazy. You always hear stories about how someone cried profusely during a critique, threw up, or even threatened bodily harm to someone. Try to remember that the person giving the feedback may be as nervous as you are. Yes. REALLY! Who wants to think you might get thrown up on if you use the wrong words to say someone’s writing needs some work? So… if you find that your critiquer is hedging with their comments for fear of personal injury, feel free to assure the critiquer that you appreciate honest feedback and are open to suggestions. Say it with it a smile and MEAN IT. Do your best to remember that an opinion is just an opinion. It’s what you asked for by submitting a work for critique. If a person has some criticism for you (constructive or otherwise), the criticism is not a complete slander of your person, your children and your goldfish, too. A criticism is not a dashing of your hopes or dreams. It’s just a critique. An opinion. Keep the emotions under control and you should come out just fine. Maybe even a winner!

If you find yourself feeling defensive … STOP. DROP. ROLL. (Just kidding!) No, stop. Listen. LISTEN. If something doesn’t make sense to you, ask questions that will help you understand the reason behind the critiquer’s comment. Withhold from saying “I meant to do that.” “Oh, that part comes later… you just haven’t gotten to it yet.” That’s the fastest way to get a critiquer to think that you might not be someone who can handle some tough revision. Show them you’re big enough, strong enough, and gosh-darn good enough to handle feedback.

Just because so-and-so said it, doesn’t mean you have to do it. When considering revision suggestions, always figure out for yourself why you should make a certain change. You don’t have to tell the critiquer then and there that you’ll do something they suggest. You just need to say, “That’’s great food-for-thought!” The fastest way to lose yourself in the process of critique and revision is to follow orders like a good soldier. Follow orders, yes, to some extent. But use your brain while doing so. In writing, YOU are the author and ultimately you decide what is best for your story. Do let the critique sit with you a while before you make decisions. It’s amazing what a little space from the criticism can do for your writing and your ego.

Not all matches are made in heaven. It happens. Sometimes the critiquer may openly state (or not!) that the story wasn’t quite right for him. Even so, listen to the feedback. He or she could be suggesting that the idea could be strengthened to make it more appealing to more people. Or… she could just be the wrong match for the work. If the work at hand may seem like a lost cause for the critique, feel free to ask your critiquer about other ideas you have and what he thinks. Does this sound more appealing to them as a marketable work? Or that? Remember: we’re making the most out of the critique! (No one said it had to be about the same work.) NOTE: Do not ask the critiquer to review another work unless the critiquer invites you to send it to them. Even then, don’t expect a full critique.

Hit it off! Sometimes, you can hit it off, and the next thing you know, you are talking about your six-month-old Labradoodle and the best kind of Spanx to buy. There’s no harm in having a good conversation. Enjoy it, but be sure to keep things professional. Don’t probe the critiquer for personal information you normally wouldn’t get during a business meeting. (This IS a business meeting.) And make sure you don’t get so carried away, you can’t remember what the critique was all about. Get your money’s worth and get the advice you need. Take down those notes!

Wrap it up. You’ve survived the critique. You didn’t insult the critiquer. You actually may have managed a smile throughout. It’s time to wrap it up. If the editor or agent is interested in seeing more work from you, she’ll let you know explicitly. Sometimes he or she might give you a business card. Sometimes, he might actually say, “send more of your work to me.” And sometimes, she might say, “it was a pleasure meeting you. Let’s stay in touch.” If the critiquer says none of this, do not think that means “no more from you” either. You should always approach editors, agents, and authors in the same manner. Professionally. A “not right for me” at the critique doesn’t always mean “other-works-are-not-right-for-me.” You can always send in future submissions according to published guidelines.

Make good on promises. If you receive an explicit revision request or request for more work and say you’ll do it, make good on those promises. For revision requests, make sure that the agent or editor gets a short exclusive. Be upfront if the work in question has already been submitted to other houses or agents and you can’t give the editor or agent an exclusive on a revision.

Thank the critiquer. Hopefully, your critique went well (i.e. you did nothing crazy and you felt like you got something out of it). You naturally feel inspired to thank the person right then and there. It’s also a great idea to follow up a critique with a thank-you note mailed to the critiquer’s office. Even if you have less than a fabulous experience, still thank the critiquer for her time and opinion. If you do one thing at all, you show someone else that you ARE big enough, strong enough, and gosh-darn-good-enough to take some criticism (good or bad). Even better? You might just walk away with a few great ideas to improve your work!

Cynthea Liu is author of PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE (Putnam) and THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA, A S.A.S.S Novel (Speak), and her forthcoming novel WHAT I DIDN’T TELL YOU (Putnam). She’ll also be sitting behind the other side of the table at this year’s SCBWI Annual Conference in Los Angeles, hoping she doesn’t get beaten, cried on, or thrown-up on. She is also founder of AuthorsNow.com and is managed by her rabbit Snoop – the bunny behind the website http://www.WritingForChildrenandTeens.com.

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Wanna learn more about my agent Jennifer Rofe from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency? Check out our interview at kidlitcentralnews.com. See the woman herself, sans shoes, and learn about her interesting penny-collecting habit, among other things.

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Q: How do I know if a literary agent is great?

A: Great is a subjective word, but if you do your research by going to the places I suggest in my course, you’ll start to narrow down who might be great for your work and who might not. For example, I believe GREAT agents are ones who are

1) LEGIT, meaning not scam artists – go to the resources I point out in my agent articles to double-check that they appear to be who they say they are and don’t charge fees, etc.,

2) Represent the kind of work you write (e.g., Picture books, or nonfiction, or novels, or all of the above)

3) Meet the criteria you have for an agent (again the see the articles for a list of criteria)

4) AND one who you seem to get along with. This last one is going to be your biggest indicator as to the word GREAT. You can do a lot to narrow down an agent that might be a good fit, but it’s not until you are offered representation, that you will have a real opportunity to interview them and figure out if you are a match. See my article on interviewing an agent.

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Are you gearing up for a conference and find yourself wondering what to wear, what to bring, and how NOT to make a fool of yourself in front of editors and agents? Then this is the article for you.

Practical Do’s and Don’ts for Attending a Children’s Writer and Illustrator Conference

1. Do NOT harass editors and agents to see your work. It’s perfectly okay to talk with them should the opportunity arise, but shoving your manuscript in their faces is NOT the way to make a good impression, nor is asking them if they will look at your work later. The only time you should ask an editor or agent specific questions about your work is if you’ve paid for a private one-on-one critique and you are in a session with the editor or agent specifically for the purpose of talking about your critique.
2. Do dress appropriately. I can’t stress this enough. You have to remember that most of these editors and agents live in New York. They are usually pretty decently dressed people. You should try not to look like you just threw on the first mumu you could reach when you rolled out of bed this morning. Leave the ties and business suits at home. But do dress business casual. Even Casual Friday for the office environment is acceptable (so neat denim can work if you still look put together.) If you’re a lady, dressing with the rule of three in mind will help you weather any conference. Three? What do you mean? 1) Wear a top. 2) Wear a bottom. 3) Bring something to wear over your top in case the room is cold. This might mean a coordinating jacket, cardigan or sweater. Men? You’ll be safe with a collared shirt, button-down, or sweater with khakis or neat trousers.
3. Do NOT forget your business cards. I manage to do this at least once a year and feel like a complete idiot when I find myself scribbling my info on the back of a napkin. These conferences are a great way to network with writers and other industry professionals who are in a position to help you or vice versa. Make it easier to network by having a “professional-looking” business card to give to them. If you don’t know what “professional” looks like, ask buddies you trust to help you pick out your design. Haven’t published anything yet? It doesn’t matter. You’ll want your name, your email address, physical address, phone number and your title “WRITER” or “ILLUSTRATOR” on there. If you don’t want to share that much info, at the very least, put your name, email address, and title on your card. The best place to get FREE professional-quality business cards on the Internet quickly is, by far, Vistaprint.com. I use them myself and am extremely pleased with their product. (The matte finish also looks and feels great. No need to upgrade to the glossy or the 100-lb paper unless you really, really want to.)

If you’re an illustrator, making up a postcard displaying samples of your work in full-color is also a REALLY, REALLY GOOD IDEA. You can also do this at Vistaprint.com. So get those ready and printed in time for your conference.

4. Do bring a notebook and a writing instrument. You’ll be taking lots of notes and you’ll want a working pen to do it with. Using one notebook reserved strictly for conferences might also help you stay organized if you plan on going to more than one in your lifetime.
5. Do NOT make Q&A sessions all about you. Often, you will have an opportunity to ask questions of editors and agents at the end of a session. If you want to know something, don’t make the question all about you. There is nothing more aggravating to your audience or speaker than having to answer a question about the marketability of your picture book about frogs and funerals for the 8-12 year-old audience in front of two hundred people. Make your questions open-ended and general so that everyone may benefit from the answer.
6. DO remember to smile. Every year I see it. People who attend conferences with a permanent scowl on their faces as if they were forced to attend. It’s easy to get nervous and worry about whether or not you are making all the right moves, but in that process, don’t forget to change the expression on your face. Sometimes something as simple as a “pleasant” countenance is all you need to to start up a conversation.
7. Do NOT forget to bring breath mints or gum. Speaking of your mouth, there is nothing worse than having stale breath from keeping your trap shut for hours on end. Or maybe you had a sandwich with onions on it for lunch. So don’t forget to bring the Altoids with you. Not only will your breath thank you, but it’s a great way to make nice with the neighbor sitting next to you who just might have forgotten to bring their own arsenal of fresh-breath products.
8. DO leave room in your baggage for freebies. If you’re going to a large conference, like the annual national SCBWI conferences, do leave room in your luggage for all the freebies you will bring home. Mostly this will consist of publisher catalogs. I personally prefer to stuff all these publications into the “expandable” part of my carry-on and then ship the whole puppy back on the plane. Going to the conference, however, I make sure I have my luggage with me at all times. Nothing worse than having your luggage lost when you’re on a trip.
9. DO NOT get drunk. Okay, this goes without saying. But little do you know how much partying there can be if alcohol is present! You’ll want to remember who you are and what you did the night before when you wake up for the second day of the conference.
10. DO put yourself out there. If you make one promise to yourself, it should be this: MEET PEOPLE while you are at the conference. How rare it is to be among others who love children’s writing as much as you do! And guess what? You might find your new, beloved critique partner at one of these conferences. That’s how I met both of mine. Are you shy? Me, too. I just try to remember most people hate small talk as much as I do. You already have something in common with everyone around you–so break the ice! Put yourself out there and be amazed by how others respond.

Good luck at your next conference! Now excuse me while I get ready for mine!

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I have run into countless writers who have spent hundreds of dollars on literary agents, vanity publishers, and book doctors, in the hopes of making it big in children’s publishing. It really breaks my heart to hear this because the truth is, there are people out there feasting on hopeful newbie writers, turning a very legitimate business into something reeked with fraudulence. THIS ANGERS ME. AND SNOOP! In fact, it’s upset me enough that I’ve decided I’d shell out some of my own money to help combat the scams that are out there. You might have even gotten to this page by clicking on my sponsored ad. (If you did, pat yourself on the back. You’re a very smart cookie).

Here’s the deal. If you do a Google search, a lot of the links go to vanity publishers or predatory “agents” who will try to convince you that if you PAY them, they’ll make you successful nearly instantly. BUT LISTEN TO THIS: DO NOT PAY ANYONE A DIME TO REPRESENT OR PUBLISH YOUR BOOK (unless you really want to self-publish. If this is the case, [read post, should I self-publish my children's book?->should I self-publish my childrens book]).

If you’re hoping to make it big with a reputable publishing house, standard industry practices is Agents and Pubishers pay you, not the other way around. This means, if an agent decides to rep you, he won’t charge you a DIME until he’s sold your book to a publisher. If you want to know how REAL literary agents operate, read AAR’s Canon of Ethics. AAR is an organization that has established ethical standards for literary agents. Many good agents are members, but it’s not a requirement. If you find an agent who’s breaking many AAR rules (like charging reading fees to consider your manuscript, demanding payment up front, etc., promising some analysis to be read in 24 hours, selling critiquing services along with representation), you don’t want to sign up with them. You’ll want to report them to Preditors and Editors. This is a great place to see if a name you’ve found has already been listed as “not recommended.”

The same goes for “publishing on demand” (or POD) publishers, self-publishers, and vanity presses (all the same thing essentially, though they will claim they are not). If any of them say they will make you big on Amazon or in bookstores, RUN THE OTHER WAY. The truth is, if you go this route, only you can make your book big by doing some serious hard-selling. [read post, should I self-publish my children's book?->should I self-publish my childrens book] to find out why.

When it come to book doctors or people selling critique services, you’ll certainly find you don’t always get what you pay for. THIS KILLS ME because I often offer free critiques (what I call free-tiques), and then I hear these stories about how someone paid $400 for total drivel. Often book doctors are so out of touch with the children’s writing industry that you have to ask yourself why you should seek advice from someone who is probably less informed than you are. So be sure that you’ve exhausted all your other resources (seeking out free advice from other writers, critique partners, and even this website!). And if you do go with a paid critique service, get recommendations from people you trust before you shell out a ton of money. Also know this: critique services won’t ensure your book’s success. Only you can do that by writing a good story that publishers actually want to buy.

Finally, not everyone who shows up on the Internet is a scam. There are a few guys out there who are operating legitimate businesses helping children’s writers. To find out the real deal on organizations you’re unsure of, ask the children’s writer community by visiting The Blue Board. A simple search on there should get your answer. Or just ask me.

Thank you!

Cynthea (and Snoop!)

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I’ve been asked this question quite a bit since I wrote my series of articles on read post, how to find an a great agent for your children’s book. It occurred to me that I never provided detailed information on how to execute the agent interview. But before I get into that, here are the conditions under which you will need to interview an agent.

• An agent has contacted you and she’s offered to represent your work
• An agent has let you know they would like to speak with you further about your work. You talk to them, answer his questions, and he offers representation

These are cases for an interview.

General tips before we get down to the nitty-gritty

• Be polite
• Be confident that you have the right to ask these questions (because guess what?! YOU DO!!!)
• Try not to sound scripted. In other words, don’t read this line for line or you’re going to sound like a robot. Let the conversation flow naturally IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Feel free to digress, (feel free to show your sense of humor as well, if you have one) so you two can get to know each other a little better. But do stay on task.
• Listen to the answers. Rephrase them back to the agent if it helps you process the conversation.
• And most of all, Have a paper and a working pen ready!

Here goes…

It’s nice to lead in with some small talk (not how’s your cat? kind of talk but simple niceties before you get down to business).

The Starter (AGAIN, PUT THIS IN YOUR OWN WORDS)

• Hi, So and So, I’m so glad to talk to you! I am very excited by your offer (or I am very excited to have a chance to speak with you at last!) (Agent feels flattered, says something nice back). Then you say, so I just wanted to ask you some questions so I can make an informed decision. Shall we begin? (Agent says, Shoot!)
• First I’d like to start off with questions I had about the manuscript….

And you go from there. The main point of the starter is to…

1. Acknowledge the agent and her genius for finding you
2. Establish you are a polite person.
3. Establish you are also a smart person.

All of these things will help open the agent up to talking more freely with you.

The Interview (be sure you jot down the answers because you might not remember what was said after you ask a bunch of questions. Feel free to tailor this list of questions as you see fit. And if you don’t understand why you should ask the question, let me know and I’ll explain.)

Your manuscript and what the agent is looking for

• What are the manuscripts strength and weaknesses? How ready is it? (how much revision will it take to get it ready?)
• What makes my manuscript unique in the marketplace?
• Which houses do you think this manuscript would be a good fit for?
• How do you decide which works you want to represent?

Your potiential working relationship

• When you receive a manuscript from a client, how long does it typically take for you to respond to the client?
• When you submit a manuscript to an editor? What is your expected turnaround time for the editor to respond? If a manuscript languishes, do you nudge and when?
• How do you prefer to send out a manuscript? Exclusively or Simultaneously? And why?
• What is your willingness to represent other kinds of work from the same client (for example, will you represent a picture book manuscript from a novelist? Or a chapter book? Easy Readers? Etc.,?) How would it be handled if you don’t represent children’s works you feel are outside of your scope? (Ask this question if you plan to write other kinds of works besides the kind your agent wants to represent).
• How are clients notified of responses from editors? And how timely is the notification (i.e., rejections, etc.,)?
• What do you expect from your clients? Name your top three expectations. Or tell me what you think makes a good relationship with a client?
• How do you expect or a hope a client will communicate with you?
• How are fees and charges for submission charged to a client? What kinds of charges should a client expect to pay? And how is it accounted for? (withdrawal from royalties?)
• What is the process for terminating a relationship? How long is the expected commitment? What might make you want to terminate a relationship with a client?

Your potential agent’s work experience

• Can you tell me a little bit about your current client list? How many clients do you personally handle? How many do you wish to have on your list?
• In what ways can one of your clients get better terms from a publisher than he would have without your representation?
• In what ways do you distinguish yourself from other agents?
• Can you tell me about your recent sales? (if you can’t find this information on your own, like through Publishers Marketplace).
• Would it be possible to speak to any one of your clients? (agent may be hesitant to provide the information for fear of bothering the client, so don’t be upset if they don’t offer this info to you)
• How long have you been with your agency? Or how long have you been agenting? What do you love about the job? What do you dislike about it?
• How involved does your boss or your coworkers (if agent is new or belongs to a larger network of agents) get with your own transactions? How do they help you?

Closing the Interview (You’ve finished the interview and now you invite the agent to ask questions.)

• Well, I think that about wraps up my questions. Is there anything you’d like to say that we haven’t covered?
• Do you have any questions for me?

Give the agent an opportunity to learn more about you or have his complete say (it’s only the polite thing to do). Some agents will want to know more about you so be prepared for a little pay-back!

Questions an agent might ask (now it’s your turn to sell yourself to the agent)

• So what other things do you have in the works? (Be prepared to answer this question with confidence. Never put down your own work by saying things like…oh it’s this sad little thing I can’t seem to figure out. Talk about it as positively as you can, without going overboard. Like, I have a couple of YAs in the works. And another completed manuscript I am really excited about.
• How often do you write? Are you a full-time writer? (Be honest about this, but make sure you sound like you’re in it for the long-haul)
• So what do you think after you’ve heard everything about me? (Be careful not to insult the agent if there is something you really don’t like about them. But be honest. Always start off with all positives. Do express any “small concerns” you have (the agent will try to allay that concern for you). IF this is your first interview and you have no idea how you feel since you don’t have a full-perspective yet, feel free to say that and be sure to compliment the agent on all the positives again. Who doesn’t love flattery?
• So when will you get back to me? Even if the agent doesn’t ask this question, make sure you let them know this so he or she can expectations are set accordingly. Don’t be rude and leave the agent hanging. This is an important part of showing you are polite.
• So are you ready to sign up or what? (Some agents will be aggressive. And even if this is your last interview and you know he or she is the one, don’t be tempted to jump and down and say yes. Take a day or two to confirm your decision and get back to the agent. He or she will feel better knowing you were just as thoughtful about the relationship as they were. Of course if you can’t resist and do sign on right away, be sure to let them know exactly why and what about them you valued over the others in competition. Again, who doesn’t love flattery and useful feedback? If you don’t know if you’re ready, say something like….I haven’t had the chance to interview everyone yet. I want to make an informed decision and will get back to you as soon I know. A week or two at the latest. (This, btw, will only make the agent want you more.)
• Who else are you considering? I’d refrain from answering this question because it can only hurt you. If the agent has some idea of who he thinks is better or worse than himself (and you never know how this opinion is rendered), don’t answer it. Instead say something like… I’m sorry, I would like to keep that confidential. The agents I am looking at were all recommended to me by writer friends or background research I’ve done. You wouldn’t be on the list if I didn’t think you could be a great match. And I know you don’t rep just anyone. I take your offer very seriously. I hope you understand. (Say what you can to flatter that agent and let them know you do realize how awesome they are.)
• I’d like you to grant me an exclusive. This is where you politely say no with words like, I’d love to grant you an exclusive but I’m afraid I can’t at this stage of my search (if it’s already out to other agents, let them know that). If it’s not, you can also add something like, it’s a bit too soon until I can narrow my list down some more. Give them your expected turnaround time. A good agent will give you as much time as you need. But don’t string them out for more than a couple of weeks.
• Will you revise the work for me? If the agent wants to offer representation based on a revision of the manuscript, and you are willing to revise, but you still want to know what other agents you’ve queried will do, say something like this, I’m very open to revisions, but I’d hold off on giving those to me until I’ve finished my interviews. That should take about a week or two. (or however long it’ll take, which is usually a week or two to hear back from the others.)
• The agent may have no questions at all. Don’t take this as an insult. They’ve already made up their mind about you and they LOVE YOUR WORK. So breathe a sigh of relief and move on to the closing.

The End (Now each of you has had your chance to get to know each other. It’s time to do a little housekeeping and end the conversation.)

• Offer thanks and appreciation
• Inform the agent when you expect to get back to them, at the latest (if you haven’t already)
• Ask them if you can email any additional questions if they come up
• Thank them again, hang up, and give yourself a big pat on the back.

And that’s how to interview an agent in a nutshell. Feel free to practice with someone else if you’re very phone-shy. It will help a lot! And remember you’re doing this for your own good. Not because you have to. So really think about why you want to ask these questions and how the answers will distinguish one agent from another. This is not just a formality one has to do when finding an agent. The information you gain will also set the right expectations for your future relationship. That alone can do a lot for your sanity when you start working together. Plus, a good agent will feel great knowing that after all this interviewing, when she is selected, she kicked some major tail to win you over. She’ll dance around after waiting SOOO LONG to hear back from you. (which is funny to me, since we potential clients usually have to wait much longer than a week or two to hear crap! but anyway, there it is.)

If you’re taking my [crash course->crash course], then [go to step ten->step ten - get a response].

WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE is now available in paperback!

Happy agent-interviewing,

Cynthea

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Do you know the difference between a status query and a status update? It goes something like this:

• status query: you are asking about the status of your manuscript. You hope information will come back.
• status update: you are notifying someone about the status of your manuscript. You do not require information to come back.

If you want to learn more about status queries and how I feel about them,  read post, status queries: when and how to do it.

So you want to do a status update? Let’s make sure any one of these situations apply.

• You failed to set an expiration date on your exclusive to a publisher or agent. Too much time has passed and you want to remove the exclusive, or at the very least, get them going.
• Your manuscript is being considered by an agent and you’ve gotten word another agent is seriously interested or offering representation
• Your manuscript is under consideration by an agent and you’ve received word an editor wants to a) see the whole book based on a decent sized-sample she’s already read b) take it to acquisitions, or c) buy it.
• Your manuscript is being considered by an editor and you’ve gotten word another editor wants to a) take it to acquisitions. Or b) buy it.
• Your manuscript is with an editor who wants to a) take it acquisitions or b) buy it. You’ve just acquired an agent or want to acquire one.
• You wish to withdraw a manuscript from consideration.

Alright. So you’re in one of these situations. We can do a status update.

Remove exclusive/or extend exclusive

• If you’ve had email contact with the agent or editor before, you may send this update via this channel unless the recipient told you never to email them again. In general, they’ll want to know this information in a timely manner so they don’t let the manuscript sit there forever thinking it’s protected when it’s not anymore. If you’ve never emailed them before, then do it by letter. Read post, anatomy of a cover letter if you’ve forgotten what a business letter looks like. In the body of your cover letter or email, you’ll want to be BRIEF AND POLITE. I’ll say it again. BRIEF AND POLITE.

• • • Likely outcome: The agent or editor will zip you an email (if you include this on your cover letter) and ask you for more time. Or the agent will put you up faster on her reading list since the manuscript is no longer exclusive. Either way, you win. BUT DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, do a status update like this if you haven’t let a reasonable chunk of time elapse. For agents, this is usually one to two months, UNLESS you already know they will take longer. (If the recipient asks for something like three months–after you’ve sent off your work–at that point, you can let them know you can’t grant the exclusive for that long and he’ll probably still try to read your manuscript in less time. Use your judgment though. If this is the number one agent on your list, you might allow them more time. But no matter what, don’t be a pushover and give them something like six months or a year to look at your work, okay? Demand some respect. And if the agent can’t respect your time as much as you do his, maybe he’s not the agent for you. As for editors, you should give them more leeway before you remove an exclusive, I’d say two months minimum before you remove an exclusive (unless you already know it takes them longer to review exclusives).
    • Your other option: give the agent or editor another couple of weeks and let them know the exclusivity ends then. Like so…
    • When I say interest, I do not mean another agent requested your manuscript off a query letter. You don’t want to ping agents every time your ms is requested. Why? Chances are if one agent requested it, so did many more. Agents already know that.
    • When I say interest, I mean an agent is seriously thinking about representing you. The agent might have emailed you asking for a phone meeting. Or she might have said, “OH, I like this – let me share it with my boss for an approval.” Or she might have said, “I want to rep you.”
    • This is when you let the other agents know an agent is seriously interested. WHAT? you say. You mean I don’t accept the offer on the spot? Yes, that’s what I mean. Read post, how to submit your work to editors or agents for the reason why. Now…you want to make an informed business decision. So you give yourself the right to choose your agent. You status update the others. Try not to send the update by mail. This stuff is time-sensitive! If you can’t find the agent’s email address, resort to the letter and get it out quickly. But in almost all cases, you should be able to get an email address for an agent. I don’t know a children’s agent who is that firmly ensconced in the dark ages.
    • This also assumes the agents you are contacting have already received your query at the least. It’s too late now to bring new agents into the picture. If you find yourself wanting to do that, you didn’t do your agent search in the right order, now did you? Cynthea will not advise you to start cold calling or randomly emailing your number one agent because you thought you’d query your least favorite agent first. [Read post, how to submit your work to agents->how to submit your work to editors or agents] on the importance of prioritizing your agent list.
    • Your email will need to be extremely polite and again BRIEF. You’re interrupting his or her work day, remember?
    • Likely outcome: The agent will respond very quickly and let you know they’ve bumped you up on the reading list. Or the agent will ask for your work ASAP (if they don’t already have it). Or the agent doesn’t respond. (This didn’t happen to me, but I’m sure if the agent was in Tahiti those weeks, it could). No matter what, you win all around by speeding up the entire process and getting answers quickly. The agents win too because you’ve helped them point out there could be a salable work in that giant slush pile of theirs. Great agents will recognize this benefit instantly and won’t fault you for the nudge. And if they do, their bad. Not yours.
    • Warning: If you choose to follow this advice, you must be prepared to handle all the possible consequences and what-ifs. What if your #3 agent wants to rep you and you never hear from agent #1 after the nudge? OR what if the agents you nudged decide it’s too late for them and forget all about you? Can you live with that? The C LIU take? Don’t sweat it. This is all part of the process. It’s not your fault an agent dropped the ball on you. Decided they didn’t want to get back to you. Or failed to see how brilliant your work was. Sign with the agent who’s enthusiastic about your work, has the track record and the experience in your genre. Don’t worry about trying to get as many offers as you can. That is not the object of the game. The object is to find the best agent for your work.
    • So you might ask: How on earth does this happen? Wouldn’t the agent know of an editor’s interest? Let me explain. Remember how long it takes for editors to get to that slush pile? Sometimes, you might decide you’re ready for an agent when you’ve already got your manuscript out there.
    • Say you query a few agents. All of them are sitting on your manuscript right now (or at different stages of the query process). Then you get an email from an editor asking for a small revision request before they take it to acquisitions. Maybe the editor says, I want to buy it. Do you notify the agents this happened?
    • Cynthea says, yes. Why? Help the agent out by letting them know your work is drawing significant interest. If your story is their cup of tea, they’ll move you up in the reading pile. Most agents like information that lets them know they might have a hot one on their hands. They’ll dig up the query letter they haven’t read yet or take a peek at your mansucript (if they have it) to see if they agree.

    Example (if email, title it something like…Status update for YA MS TITLE)

    Dear Ms. Agent:

    I wanted to let you know an editor from [insert house] has expressed interest in buying my novel MS TITLE. At your request, I have already sent the manucript to you in August and would love to secure representation. If you need more information, please let me know.

    Thank you for your time and consideration.

    Sincerely,

    YOU

    • Paste in a copy of your query letter below this so the agent can refresh her memory on what your story is about. Don’t make her search if she doesn’t have to.
    • Please don’t take this to imply I want you to run an auction on your own. But it could make sense for you to let an editor know (who already has your book) that another editor wants to a) take your book to acquisitions. Or b) buy it. NOTE: If you have an agent, the agent will do this for you.
    • If you don’t have an agent already, a situation like this might also be a great time to step up your search for an agent. [Read post, how to find a great agent->how to find a great agent]. If you go this route, you’ll want the acquiring editor to know you plan on securing one if things are a go. Read the next section for an example of this type of notification.
    • Say you don’t want an agent. You are capable of representing yourself. Then you need to put on your agent hat and act like one. If you get serious interest for a manuscript, you have to decide if you should let other contending editors know what is going on or not. Sometimes letting other editors know of another editor’s interest can backfire. Some editors don’t want to compete or know they can’t compete so they give up. Others will fight to the finish for your work (depending on how good it is). You have to be your own strategist. I can’t tell you what your strategy should be. (I have my own agent and let her decide that for me.) You have to figure that out for yourself. And what you tell those editors is completely up to you. My gut impression is, if you decide to notify other editors, you should be pretty sure a deal is going to happen AND you should be polite, professional, unassuming, truthful, and brief.
    • If you find yourself scrambling for an agent because an editor wants to extend an offer on your book, you’ll want to let the editor know this is your plan. Please don’t communicate this in a snotty way as if the deal has already been inked. Communicate this professionally and politely.
    • This information is relevant to the acquiring editor. And it’s also your right to have an agent or literary attorney present to represent you if you’re not comfortable with legal talk and money talk should things go that way. IDEALLY THOUGH, you get an agent first and you never end up in this situation where your dropping bombs on people last minute.
      
    • Did you hear me? If you want an agent, YOU GET AN AGENT FIRST BEFORE YOU SUB YOUR WORK TO EDITORS. No one likes surprises or dealing with sometimes sticky situations.
    • Some people may forget about this one after a contract has been signed. They’re too busy partying it up to remember their manners. BUT PLEASE, do this. You don’t want an editor all gung-ho about your work only to discover it sold two months ago. The same is true for agents. Use email if you already have an email relationship. A letter if you don’t.
    • NOTE: Do not withdraw manuscripts before you have a signed contract. You never know if a deal will fall through last minute. Also, there are some other situations which might require a manuscript withdrawal. Say, if your book has rotted with the publisher for over eight months, and now the manuscript is twenty-thousand words longer and features a bunny as an MC versus a car. Let your own judgment be your guide on when to withdraw. You don’t want to ping people like crazy because you repeatedly send out your manuscripts before they’re really done. Not good.

  If email, give it a fairly useful title like Status update for MS TITLE

  Dear Ms. Editor:

  I want to thank you for considering my middle grade novel INSERT TITLE which I sent in August. However, now that a month has passed (or X months), I am afraid I must remove the exclusive soon. It will expire on X date (allow a couple of days for mail time and add two weeks). You are welcome to keep the manuscript under consideration as long as you wish. I will update you should another editor express serious interest in the work.

  All best,

  You

  Inform an agent of another agent’s interest

  Example

  Title the email with something useful. Like…Status update for ms TITLE

  Dear Ms. Agent:

  I wanted to let you know another agent has expressed serious interest in my book INSERT TITLE. (Details like “She wants to schedule a call for tomorrow” will help support your claim. DO NOT LIE THOUGH. If the agent has already offered representation, then say “another agent has offered representation.”) However, I would still like you to consider my work. (read between the lines: I want to give you a fair shake at winning my business.) I have let the agent know I am taking a couple of weeks to make my decision.

  Sincerely,

  YOU

  Inform an agent of an editor’s interest

  Inform an editor of another editor’s interest

  Inform an editor you have (or will have) an agent

  Example:

  Dear Mr. Editor:

  I am so pleased you will be taking the manuscript to acquisitions. If you will be able to extend an offer, I want to let you know I intend to secure an agent. I didn’t want you to be surprised with this information later.

  Thanks again for championing my work. I look forward to hearing from you.

  Sincerely,

  YOU

  Withdraw the manuscript from consideration

  If email…title it something like: Withdrawing mg novel TITLE from consideration

  Dear Ms. Agent (or editor):

  Thank you for considering my novel X TITLE which I sent to you in September. I am writing to let you know I have secured representation for my work (or the book has been sold).

  Sincerely,

  YOU

Example:

Dear Mr. Agent (or Editor):


I want to thank you for considering my middle grade novel INSERT TITLE which I sent in August. However, now that a month has passed (or X months), I am afraid I must remove the exclusive. You are welcome to keep the manuscript under consideration and I will update you should another agent (or editor) express serious interest in the work.

All best,

You

Order WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE

• Happy “status updating,”

  Cynthea

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So things haven’t gone as you’d hoped. Your manuscript went off months ago, and your phone didn’t ring off the hook with five editors or agents vying for your awesome book.
You find yourself wondering – what are they doing with my manuscript?

Did it get lost in the mail?
Did my dog Rufus eat my rejection letter?
Did I even include my manuscript in the submission?!
Status queries is a touchy subject where people will have different opinions. Especially about:

1. When to query for status
2. How to query for status

I’ll give you my take on status queries.
I don’t status query.* (See below for one exception.)

Q: Gasp! Why?
A: I view status queries as a waste of time for both you and the editor or agent. You can also be an annoyance if:

1. You’ve status-queried too soon from the editor’s or agent’s point of view.
2. You’ve somehow given the editor or agent the impression that you can’t trust her to get to it when she gets to it.

You will never be able to control how an editor or agent will interpret your status query. While it is doubtful that editor or agent will reject your submission simply because you queried for status, it’s not exactly a positive interaction to have with him or her. At best, it is a neutral or a negative one. But more importantly, this is about you and your anxiety over something that is beyond your control.
Trust the system.

Q: But how do you get your questions about the status of your manuscript answered?
A: I make logical assumptions.

1. If my book had sold or if the agent had wanted to rep me, he would find a way to reach me via email or phone. (The magazine market is a bit different though. I’m only going to speak to the fiction book market). Therefore, if the person had responded by mail, and I didn’t get it somehow, it was probably a rejection one way or another.
2. If I never hear from them, no biggie. There are plenty of agents or editors in the sea. And there is nothing that precludes me from sending a different book to them – into the black hole – if I so wish. Getting no response has only happened to me once. I learned from Blue Board that other people never heard from this editor either.
3. This brings me to a relevant point: there is a trend with many publishing houses and literary agencies where editors and agents will not respond unless they are interested.
4. Finally, there’s one more conclusion I can draw. The editor or agent hasn’t gotten to it yet. Bingo!

Please note: If you simply must, must, must have closure, do what you need to do. Sometimes things do get lost in the shuffle, but always make sure you check the publisher’s guidelines and wait beyond the expected response time before querying.

* There is one case when I do a status query:
The editor or agent has specified that she would like me to do so if a certain amount of time has passed (not too common). She wants me to nudge. I will perform the status query as the editor or agent requests, either by phone (yes, they sometimes ask for a call), by email, or by letter.

Q: But what if my manuscript is on an exclusive and they’ve had it forever?
A: Perhaps you haven’t read this post, Exclusive Submission or Simultaneous Submission?. If you had, you would have known to set an expiration date on your exclusive. This date either matches what the submission guidelines were for the recipient. Or it was a date established by you if there were no guidelines and you had to grant an exclusive because of certain circumstances.
Setting an expiration date eliminates the need to let the editor know that the exclusive no longer applies. There is also no need to nudge or status query.
If you did give an exclusive and you’d like to set an expiration date with the editor or agent, then you need to give the person a status update. Read my related post, Status Updates: When and How to Do It. This article covers the cases in which you should contact the editor or agent post-submission.

Return to step nine – wait if you are taking the crash course.

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Say you’ve just realized you made a bunch of typos in your manuscript or you forgot to enclose an SASE AFTER you sent the whole thing off. Should you try to contact the editor or agent and correct your mistake? Um….no.

Why? Mistakes will happen no matter how hard you try to make it perfect. RESIST THE URGE TO MAKE IT RIGHT. Trying to apologize will only point out your error and demonstrate to the editor/agent how neurotic you are. So if you mess up, don’t say anything by clogging the recipient’s mailbox/inbox with more messages from you. Instead, hope he doesn’t notice or care. Or maybe….he’ll even understand you’re only human. Oooohhhh!

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No one can read more into words than a writer. It makes sense. Why? We write. We play with context and permutations of words every day. So it’s perfectly logical we’ll analyze any letter from an agent or editor better than a forensic analyst working for the FBI.

Like so…

Did the editor sign her name by hand? (She loves me!) Did she include my name in the header? (She knows me so well!) Oh look! She used the word “enjoyed”!!! (SHE REALLY DOES LOVES ME and she probably wears a 6 1/2 shoe and weighs 115 pounds.) OMG!!!!!!!

While most of this analysis is fairly useless, it’s what we writers do over and over again. So without further ado, I present to you “The C LIU Rejection Ladder”. This is how I define rejection.

PLEASE NOTE: Examples of real-life rejections are provided in the paperback version of the course.

• Form rejection – (the lowest rung on the rejection ladder, next to NO rejection at all which means the editor or agent doesn’t even respond). Usually a xeroxed form. Or a tiny scrap of paper.
• Form rejection PLUS – with nice wording, but the words could apply to anyone and/or the editor signs it. Maybe you’ve heard the same letter was sent to your writer friend. Your MS TITLE and your name could be on this rejection. BUT NOTE: THIS IS STILL A FORM REJECTION, according to C LIU standards. *Some editors will say a signature means something, though.
• Personal rejection – the rejection is personalized with SPECIFIC reference to the CONTENT of your story. There is also a clear indication that the manuscript is not right for them and they state why (that’s the rejection part). This could be something as simple as a note handwritten on the form. Or sentences typed into the letter that showed the editor was paying attention. If you can’t tell if your rejection is a personal or a form, assume it’s a form. You’ll know when you get a personal. Or ask a buddy skilled in the art of rejection analysis to help you figure it out.
• Personal rejection PLUS – includes an explicit invite to send more work or open-ended suggestions to change the work. The editor or agent also might wish you best of luck no matter what you decide to do. If you choose to take the suggestions, you’ll want to do the right thing and give that editor or agent a first-look at the changes. [Read post, exclusive submissions or simultaneous submissions->exclusive submission or simultaneous submission].
• Revision request – a letter that says “can you change this or that? I’d like to take a look at it again. Share with other editors/agents/take it to acquisitions.” It’s more of a commitment from the editor or agent. For editors, do not miscontrue this as “I’m so close!”. For some houses it may not be that close at all (depending on the bureaucracy at the publishers). For agents, do not miscontrue this as “I’m so close!” For some agents, you may go through several rounds of revision and still not please them. C LIU views revision requests as a great way to improve your manuscript. It is neither a rejection nor an acceptance. You’ll want to give that editor or agent an exclusive though if you do decide to take the suggestions. [Read post, exclusive submissions or simultaneous submissions->exclusive submission or simultaneous submission].

How much should I read into each of my rejections?

• Unless your rejection is a long-detailed letter describing all the ways you can improve your manuscript, the editor or agent probably wrote your rejection in less than a minute (maybe less than ten seconds!). So should you spend one hour rereading every word? Probably not.

If you’re getting “formed” like crazy…

• However, if you’re getting a lot of forms (form or form-plus)- say, 6 or more for the same work, then you might want to stop sending that puppy out and take stock. Is it too soon to jump to the submissions process? Perhaps you need to [read post, get a second opinion->get a second opinion - critique partners, book doctors, editors, and more]. Or [take a crash course->take a crash course] to see if you’re targeting the wrong people. Most of the slush pile is comprised of writers who were overly exuberant about their work, spammed the world, and had no idea if the book was any good or not. You don’t want to be that person. Do your research first before sending out your work. Submitting prematurely can lead to wasted time and expense for both you and the recipient. But more importantly, all those forms can break your heart.
• Why can’t I just believe I haven’t connected with anyone yet? You can do that if you want, but this is C LIU’s opinion, remember? My belief is if your writing is decent and your story ideas aren’t totally out there, there’s a great chance you’ll get personals. Personals are your indication that you’re doing something right. A long string of forms (IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE YOUR RESEARCH) probably means you need to stop the violence, versus blindly send out your work to more people. Do more research, get more opinions, improve your writing. If you’ve done all that and you still think your work is marketable, then keep looking for that match.

If you’re getting “personaled” to death…

• This is how C LIU deals with that. I revise my manuscript if someone has made a suggestion that speaks to me–suggestions I believe will make my manuscript better. I try to keep an open mind. I let the ideas simmer a bit before I decide whether or not the suggestion will work for my manuscript. (My first reaction though is to BALK. Then dye my hair a new color before I get to work.) If I’m lucky, several editors will give me personals for the same work. I can look at the comments as a group and go from there.
• The main idea is not to be pig-headed about suggestions. Or feel personally offended when your work comes under scrutiny. Of course, you can’t help but feel wrecked when that personal comes in. (Hopes dashed and all.) So be sad, mad, and all that. But know you will come back to look at it more objectively. When the rejection demons are gone, you will respect and appreciate the editor/agent for trying to encourage you. He or she is telling you your writing shows promise…There’s a story in your work worth writing about.
• And remember: a personal is just one opinion. It is not the end-all, be-all judgment of your book. If you don’t agree with the suggestion after consideration, then move on. Think about sending that editor/agent something else though when some time has passed.

If you’re getting invites to send more work with those personals, but no deal on the work you’ve been sending out…

• Switch widgets – What’s a widget? Anything you put out there to sell. While I sometimes refer to my own work as babies (when I’m feeling very good about them), I will often call them widgets in my head. I credit editor Wesley Adams of FSG for being very frank about what this business is. IT’S A BUSINESS. This is how important it is to be writing a lot. Chances are you are not the miracle writer who will land a giant book deal on the first manuscript. From an economic POV, you as a writer are producing a product you hope will sell. If that widget has no buyers, you present a new one and hope that takes. You keep pumping the widgets out until you land that buyer. (In essence, writers are entreprenuers who don’t give up.)
• When you land your first book contract, then you can pull out the old widgets that never would have sold as the first book and try to sell them again. (hahaha). It worked for Jerry Spinelli. You don’t have to give up on your old stuff if you don’t want to. But it’s wise to keep the widgets coming…That’s the C LIU word on that.

If you think you’re getting close, but you’re not sure…

• If you’ve done the research, you’ve gotten raves from your educated critique group, several cheers from editors and so on, THEN you’re looking for that connection. You’re always keeping an eye out for ways to improve the ms, too, but keep sending that widget out. It is not uncommon for writers to hit up twenty editors (OR MORE!) before the book finds its home. The hunt could take a while. But don’t forget what I just said, write other stuff, too. Not only will you be productive, but you’ll also have something else to think about while you wait for your match!

ABOVE ALL ELSE

• You are a writer with your own writer-compass. Each of you will have your own path to success. One editor’s or agent’s opinion, is just an opinion. That includes your critique partners viewpoints as well. But it is my hope, you will keep an open mind. And when you don’t know what you should be doing, trust yourself to know that answer.
• Finally, climbing up the rejection ladder is not just about selling your work. Your goal should be to write the best work you can, then hope it sells. Not the other way around. I’ve seen and heard it happen – getting pulled in all different directions because of other peoples’ suggestions. Don’t lose your writing-compass because you want to make that sale. It could end up hurting your book and hinder your progress.
• So enjoy your rejections – rip them up, hold them dear to your heart, use them for wallpaper. OR if you’d like, you may send them to Snoop. He will eat them upon request.

If you’re taking the crash course, [go to step ten->step ten - get a response].

Order WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE

Happy writing,

Cynthea

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