When To Re-Write for an Agent - And When Not

An agent likes your 3 chapters and synopsis and asks to see more. Heart pounding, you send the whole thing out. They love it! Cue champagne...until they ask for some re-writes.

It's YOUR book.

Firstly, you need to judge the scale of what they want changing. Is it small stuff? Or big changes? Will it impinge on the theme or tone of the book? Do you understand the reasoning behind the change?

It's YOUR book.

I made major plot changes to one of my books to make a US sale. I'm not sure that it's better - the change makes the tone different - but I understood why they wanted it changed, and it didn't impinge on the important stuff of theme and meaning. I was happy-ish to make the changes (and very happy to cash the cheques).

It's YOUR book.

But what if you're not yet at that stage, and it's an agent who is wanting changes. I think it still applies: you have to understand what they see as the problem that needs to be solved. If you don't understand what that is, you won't be able to re-write convincingly. You also have to believe and agree that the 'problem' needs solving. If you don't, you won't be able to re-write with any conviction. Re-writing without conviction leads to unsatisfactory writing, and disillusionment and demoralisation.

It's YOUR book.

Re-writing just to please someone else is doomed to failure. In my opinion, if you don't understand why they want changes or you don't agree with their reasons, then you have to question whether they are a good match for you. You have to write from the heart, or it's no good. Your agent really has to believe in you, or they won't be able to convey that to someone else.

It's YOUR book.

However, if you do understand their reasons for wanting changes and think they're good, then go ahead and re-write. In my experience, re-writing when the author understands the perceived problems means a stronger more confident second draft.

It's YOUR book.

The main thing is that if you don't understand, or don't like the direction you're being steered to, then don't re-write. You're not a puppet performing for others, and you don't have to be represented by anyone. Nowadays, you don't need an agent or a publisher to see your work made available around the world. And above all, never forget that it's not their book and you ultimately call the shots because - and don't you forget it -

It's YOUR book.

Why You Need Credits

How would you feel if you were innocently walking down the street minding your own business when a complete stranger bounded up to you like an overgrown puppy, licked your face and panted: I'm wonderful! I'm fab, me! And then beamed expectantly, waiting for you to say...well, which do you think would be more likely?

a) I love you and must represent you immediately or

b) Get away from me you mad person or I'll call the police.

Now imagine you're an agent receiving the equivalent in covering letter form. Straight to the top of the Must Be Read pile? Or the Immediate Rejection pile?

So how do you say I'm wonderful without saying it? The simple answer is you get someone or something else to say it BUT it's got to be the right someone or something. So your Mum is not the right someone and nor are your children nor is anyone who has any personal connection with you, because of course they think you're wonderful, but their opinion doesn't mean anything in this particular context.

I'm not convinced an author or a creative writing tutor is much good either: 'Joe Bloggs suggested I write to you' doesn't mean much when it comes down to it. If Joe Bloggs really rated your work, they'd snatch it out of your hot sticky little mitts and personally hand it over to their agent/editor.

The person you want to endorsement from doesn't know you. They only know your writing and, ideally, paid you money for it. For example:

They gave you a prize in a short story competition.

They published your article.

They broadcast your short story.

They published your non-fiction book.

They bought 1000s of copies of your self published book.

The more credits you can build up, the more endorsements you're getting. When I was at this stage I deliberately entered every short story competition I could find to build up some endorsements. When I wrote my covering letter I was able to say I'd won or been short listed for seventeen short story competitions. (Which, thinking about it, also shows persistence and a degree of obsession that is very useful for a writer.)

I'm not saying that you HAVE to have credits, but credits mean someone else picked your writing out of a crowd. It will give an agent confidence in you and your writing.

How To Find An Agent

(and the answer isn't under a stone...)

The initial moves which see an author being signed up by an agent are usually - though not always - made by the author, not the agent. For this reason you should first think about what sort of agent you want (see yesterday's post) and then do some research to find them.

I've heard of this research being portrayed as an onerous chore, but in my opinion it's just an extension of being part of the publishing world that you want to join. You're probably reading novels you'd like to have written and magazines about writing, going to writing classes and conferences any way, attending literary festivals and getting involved online anyway. It doesn't seem particularly onerous to keep your eyes peeled for an agent you'd like to be represented by while you're doing all those things.

Because that's where you do your research. Agents speak at conferences and literary festivals. Their authors mention them in the acknowledgments. They are quoted in magazines. Writing class members will discuss agents they've approached and what the response was. Look at their websites for their biographies to get an idea of their background in writing or Google for any interviews they've given - a brief biog is usually included. Ask online groups. Follow agents and publishers on Twitter and Facebook, subscribe to news e-bulletins from The Bookseller and book2book, get out there!

I didn't have any contacts at all in publishing when I started but I still managed to meet lots of agents at various writing events such as literary festivals, conferences and writing association parties. And a couple of years ago I set myself a challenge to find the background of 15 randomly selected editors, just to see how easy it was. Within 3 hours of Googling, I'd got the details of all but 2.

It's not that difficult, you've just got to do it because you don't want to waste your time and energy asking for representation from someone you actually don't want to represent you.

What Sort Of Agent Do You Want?

You may feel the answer to 'What sort of agent do you want?' is 'Any agent who wants me!' but that's a given. You usually make the initial approach, so you need to think through some of the options.

First up, are you looking for a big agency or a small one?

The pros of a big agency are increased clout - very handy in these uncertain times - in-house specialist departments, usually handles big names and author's estates, so can take risks on some new comers. Cons are you'll be a little fish in a big, big pond and they may be relaxed about you making money as your income is less closely connected to their income overall.

Pros of a small agency are, you really matter to them so you're more likely to get personal attention, cons, they may not be able to carry you for any length of time if you hit a rocky patch, they may not have as much clout with publishers, they almost certainly won't have in-house specialisms - although they should have deals with specialist agents, so this won't matter too much.

Secondly, the experience and background of an agent. If they're new then they're likely to be hungry for success and work extra hard for you. On the other hand, they're unlikely to have the connections or clout of an established agent. If they're established, they'll have the connections and clout, but they're possibly less hungry and will have established clients to pay attention to first. The ideal is perhaps a new agent in an established firm.

Then there's the agent's own background. Usually they've come from either editorial or rights. Their approach will reflect this. My own agent has a background in rights and is a demon at selling them, but I think she'd be happy for me to say that she doesn't want to do much editorial work. That suits me, but it might not suit you.

Finally, there's personality. Do you like them? They're not going to be your best buddy-roo, but there should be mutual respect within a professional relationship.

Having decided what sort of agent you want, then how do you find them? And I'll do that tomorrow.

Agents and Statistics

At an agent talk before Christmas, the agent casually announced some statistics. He received 5,000 submissions a year. Of these 4,800 weren't what he wanted (he was actually more blunt than this). Of the remaining 200, he asked to see a full manuscript once a month. He took on half of these.

This could sound very depressing, and the person who actually attended the talk had thought they were damning statistics. However, I thought they were actually rather cheering because the implication is that he's very good at weeding out the manuscripts that he knows he's not interested in for whatever reason - subject matter, genre, writing style, author approach. For him to take on half - half! - means that he's good at spotting 'his' thing.

And that's what you want, an agent who thinks you're 'their' thing. You don't want to work with someone who doesn't believe in you. You don't want to work with someone who has to have their arm twisted in order for them to take you on. You want the agent who thinks your book is fab, the one who is bursting with enthusiasm to sell it, the one who utterly believes in your work.

And it's also encouraging for anyone who has received anything other than a standard rejection. Yes, you're one of the rejected, but the final 200 out of 4,800 doesn't sound so bad. You're in the top 2%! You've been picked out as worth of special merit, but this time - and with this agent - you're not moving on to the next level. However depressing, it's also a strong sign you're on the right lines.

Rejection is tough. Of course it is. But we all go through it. The writer who has never been rejected on the road to publication is a rare beast. I possess a letter from one agent who told me not to bother with writing as I was wasting my time. (I had a good publishing deal with a Big 6 publisher a few months later, so not entirely wasting my time...)

Take heart! Push on through the rejection, and try again. Try better.

7 Reasons Why You should Go For Multiple Submissions

Derek asked for my opinion on multiple submissions.  It's short:  YES!  Go for it!  And these are the reasons why:

1. Things get lost in the post, piled up in heaps, slip down the back of desks...You could be waiting indefinitely.  Ten years later and I'm still waiting to hear back from one agent.  (You're too late! Ha!)

2.  Assuming your ms has reached the agent, you could be at the bottom of a very big pile of unsolicited submissions.  The agent has to prioritise their existing clients so it's understandable that at times the slush pile is left to mature quietly on its own.  It can take months for an agent to read your ms, only to immediately discard it.

3. Have you ended up with your first boyfriend/girlfriend? Yes, some of us get lucky and never look beyond that first snog at the school disco, but for most it takes time to find our match. Similarly you want the agent who not just likes your novel but completely falls in love with it. The chances of finding The One on the first submission are as likely as on the first date.

4.  Most agents don't send back messages such as 'This novel is an abomination' if they don't like it, but there are a few who don't believe in holding back their opinion.  I have been at the receiving end of a letter from an agent that confidently stated 'You are wasting your time.'  Luckily I'd already had 2 positive responses from other agents so it didn't matter too much, but I think if that was my only reply I might have given up there and then.

5.  Do the maths.  If you send out to one agent at a time and each takes 6-8 weeks to reply, it's going to take 1-2 years before you've had a chance to send out to 10 agents.  If you're sending out to 6 each time, then you'll have clocked up 40-50 in a year.  (Gosh, that sounds depressing but...)

6.  Novels are of the moment.  You've written it, re-written it, edited it now.  If it does the rounds for several years it will be slightly out of date, perhaps a bit tarnished round the edges.  Better to get it out there as quickly as possible and see how it fares in the marketplace.

7.  A positive response is to be cherished, even when it's a no.  You examine the comments the agent has made, wondering if you should apply their suggestions and start a re-write.  This can drive you potty.  Multiple submissions should give you several responses to consider.  If all of them are telling you the characters are weak, then you can be pretty certain that you need to look at them again.  If one says it's too long, but another says it's too short, you can make your own decision.  It's all opinion, but the wisdom of crowds means more opinions are likely to give the right answer than a single opinion on its own.

**** Please note, I'm talking about the initial submission ie 3 chapters, covering letter, synopsis.  It doesn't take much time for an agent to look at them and make a decision if they'd like to see more or not.  However, reading a whole novel with a view to representation is a completely different thing.  If an agent asks for the whole book you shouldn't send it out to anyone else for several weeks, and then give the first agent notice that that's what you intend to do.  

6 Choices To Make Before Choosing an Agent

'Huh, I should be so lucky as to choose an agent,' you're probably thinking. But you DO choose them - you choose who you're going to send your package out to.

1. Do they publish my sort of book?

It may sound obvious but all agents report being sent work in genres they don't represent. Check them out first - look in a directory such as The Writer's Handbook, check out their website or research their clients.

2. Do I want editing?

Most agents will have worked at publishing companies before going over to the dark side. They will have either worked in editorial or rights, sales, marketing. A former editor may be unable to resist the urge to edit your work which, depending on your point of view, may be a good thing. On the other hand, you might prefer the sort of agent who settles down happily with a stack of miniscule-print contracts and enjoys quibbling over percentage points, in which case a background in rights would be good.

3. Big or small?

Do you want to be a big fish in a little pond? In which case you want a small agency. Your agent's income will be directly linked to yours, so they've got extra reason to sell your books (and generally be nice to you!). A big agency may make you feel they're too busy dealing with their star authors to have time for you. The number of authors each agent represents is also relevant - see also 6.

But a small agency may not have as much clout as a large agency, and are more likely to specialise. They won't have separate departments dealing with children's writing, television/film, journalism, non-fiction and so on. Neither will they have offices around the world. This doesn't have to be a deal breaker because smaller agencies usually have agreements with to bring in the expertise when needed, but if you know you want to write, for example, both adult and children's fiction, you need an agent who either does both, or is with an agency where there are separate departments - or is relaxed with you having multiple agents.

4. Could I have a business relationship with this person?

Call me pathetic but I was terrified of my acting agent, and top of my wish list when I started approaching agents was not to be frightened by my agent. Some literary agents I have met are scary... On the other hand, some relish the formidable qualities of their agent - my friend Jane Wenham Jones calls her agent The Fearsome One. I've met her, and she is, but Jane is made of sterner stuff than me.

Please note that the question was not Do we get on? Your agent may well become a friend but fundamentally it's about business.

5. How old are they?

Not an ageist question really. Young agents are enthusiastic and keen to make their mark, but they may not have either the contacts in publishing or the experience. On the other hand, they may be actively looking for clients. Older agents have shedloads of experience and contacts - and existing clients who need looking after so they're not actively looking for new clients. I've heard it said that you should look for a younger agent so your careers can develop alongside each other.

6. What about the money?

No reputable agent should ask you for money up front. Full stop. No choice to make here - if any agent suggests payment for reading fees or some such, run a mile.

But you may be bothered about commission. Don't be. The difference is likely to be small in reality. I'd prefer they took 15% or even 20% and got me a great deal rather than faff around with saving 5% and going with the agent who only wanted 10%. My agent told me she represented fewer clients, so she could give them more individual attention which was why she charged 15%.

Think about these areas before you start sending out or you'll end up like an author I know who had an offer from an agent, and then got cold feet about them. Don't waste your time or theirs and do your research right at the beginning of the process.

NEW!!! I've finally got round to organising some course dates....

How to WRITE a Novel: London 3rd May/Birmingham 7th May/

Oxford 8th May/Exeter 21st May/Bath 12th June

How to SELL a Novel: London 24th May/Exeter 4th June/

Bath 3rd July Details are on my website

Take Six Agents

When I'd nearly finished re-writing my manuscript I sent out the usual package - first three chapters, synopsis and covering letter - to six agents one Monday afternoon. I had a connection with all of them: three I had met at a Romantic Novelists Association party the previous week (which is why I sent out before having fully completed the ms), one had been there but I hadn't met them, the other two I knew were attending the Winchester Writers Conference. This is what happened...

Agent No 1 rang me on Wednesday morning and asked to see the rest. Yippee!

Agent No 2 sent a letter on Thursday saying the novel wasn't for her, but added that she thought someone would take it on.

Agent No 3 sent a letter on Friday asking to see the rest.

Agent No 4 also sent a letter on Friday saying no one would want to read such depressing material, I was wasting my time and I'd just wasted hers. Yes, really.

Agent No 5 sent a letter on Monday saying she'd got two clients who were writing similar work to mine and she was having difficulty placing them, so she couldn't take me on.

Agent No 6 - well, I'm still waiting to hear from Agent No 6, but it's too late as I went with the fabulous Agent No 1.

It's one person's opinion after all, but if I'd only had Agent No 4's letter I might never have sent out again. It was bad enough reading it after I'd had a phone call from an agent saying they wanted to read the rest, I dread to think how I would have felt if it had been the only response. So, that's why I believe in multiple submissions.

PS I have since met Agent No 4 at a party. I didn't spit in her drink, kick her shins or say 'Yah boo sucks! That book you said was a waste of time sold to ten countries, you know nothing.' I just smiled sweetly and moved on. Which shows I'm either a nice person full of forgiveness or a coward.

3 Ways to Find an Agent who is Actively Looking for New Clients

There is a certain attrition rate among an agent's authors. Some die or give up writing, others get dropped by their publishers, some take themselves off to other agents. I think it would be fair to say that all agents take on new clients, but usually only one or two a year. They're usually supplied with enough potential clients not to have to actively hunt them out, but for some that's not the case.

However, a new agent will need to build up their own client list. They may be new because they've set up their own business having worked for another agency, or new because they've changed direction from being an editor or rights manager to agenting. They may have been working as an assistant at a big agency, and have been promoted so they have their own list.

1. Read The Bookseller. You can subscribe to an email news digest, or read it at your local library. It reports new appointments and moves to new agencies.

2. Look at writing conference programmes. You may not be able to make it to the conference itself but any agent who is there is likely to be actively looking for clients. The same may also be true of literary festivals, although it is equally likely that the agent is speaking at the festival as a favour to a friend or family member.

3. Get a short story published in an anthology, and make sure it's widely advertised/sent out to agencies. Agents looking for new clients know that short story anthologies are showcases for unpublished writers, especially if the anthology is published by a known source such as a MA Creative Writing course or a short story competition.

What If the Agent says No Unsolicited Material?

My mother was keen that I was well brought up, and therefore the idea of sending out my work to someone who said No Unsolicited Material was completely unthinkable. I took it at face value. However, then I went to a talk given by an agent who worked for an agency that said they didn't look at unsolicited material. Someone in the audience stuck their hand up and asked about it.

'Oh, that,' the agent said blithely. 'We put that on to deter the no-hopers. We reckon anyone with the nerve to send out despite the notice is probably more determined than other writers, and we want to work with very determined writers.'

Now, personally I'd have thought it would mean that either people were determined or it was proof they didn't do their homework, but I'm not an agent. I've heard it since reiterated by other agents and editors. They may say they won't look at unsolicited material but they can't resist looking at it if it comes in - the biggest fear in publishing is that you'll be for ever remembered as the person who turned down the next JK Rowling/John Grisham/Stephen King...

So if you're certain that an agent is who you'd like to represent you, I'd disregard any comments in the Writers and Artists' Yearbook/The Writer's Handbook that they don't look at unsolicited material. Write to them, making it clear why you've chosen that particular agent. And if it gets returned by the next mail, obviously unlooked at? What have you lost apart from some postage?

Time to Re-Write?

Someone recently showed me a letter they'd received from an agent. They were pleased as punch because it offered feedback, and were about to embark on a massive re-write. But was a re-write the right thing to do?

The answer is always, it depends. First of all, try to guess how much time they have invested in the comments. It takes time to read material and give feedback, and time is in short supply at most agencies and publishing houses. I have seen an almost identical letter sent to two authors about two different books. Both authors had thought they were detailed, personal letters - I thought the first one I saw was personal too - but they weren't, so watch out. Can you pinpoint evidence that shows they have really read your novel through and are making specific comments regarding your work, or is it just some clever stock phrases and generalisations?

Secondly, if you decide that it is a genuine response, are they spotting problems, or suggesting solutions? Suggesting that Clarissa might have received a letter telling her that Jack is a double-crosser is a solution, but do you know what they think the problem is? If Clarissa believes Jack to be a traitor, that will colour her relationship with him and make it more conflicted. So, is the problem that her relationship with Jack is too easy and straightforward? If they're suggesting solutions, work out what you think the problem is first. And then decide if you agree with it.

I feel very strongly that it is the writer's job to find out their own solutions to the problem. Others can make suggestions, which might inspire you, but it's your writing. When I work with my editor she makes suggestions, but I'm always trying to pinpoint exactly what the problem is. Then I can solve it in my way.

But that's working with someone who has already paid for the book, and therefore has a stake in it, which brings me on to my third point. You don't have to do anything. Yes, you want to get an agent or be taken on by a publisher, but you don't have to jump through their hoops if you don't want to. And I would be very wary of leaping in and making changes on the basis of just one letter from someone who hasn't paid out any hard cash.

Talk is cheap. You could spend weeks re-writing your book for someone who still turns it down. You might then have to re-write it for someone else who sees different problems. I have seen students re-write several times and end up so thoroughly confused that they've ditched the novel. Hang on to your own sense of what you're writing and why you're writing it, and make sensible decisions about re-writes that work for you.

Fancy a holiday in France with me? I'm teaching a week long course on Writing Mainstream Fiction at a fab chateau in the South of France in September. More details? Contact Chateau Ventenac.

Agent Letters - The Five Paragraphs Expanded

A few people asked me to expand on my format for a covering letter to an agent, so here it is, all to be fitted on one page.

1. Why you're writing to them. You've heard them speak or read an article they've written. Maybe they represent an author who you admire and hope to emulate. It should be specific which shows that you've bothered to do some research which in turn shows a professional outlook.

2. Brief summary of your book. Length, genre etc. Then a few sentences about the theme of the book. This equates to the scriptwriter's elevator pitch, where you imagine you're in a lift with someone who could buy your script, but you've only got a minute to sell it to them. Be clear about what it is you're selling.

3. Market position of the book. Essentially, who's going to buy it. This could be phrased as 'It will appeal to readers of...' and then name a couple of authors, rather then a demographic. Depending on the book, you might want to combine paras 2 and 3.

4. About yourself. Include anything that endorses you as a writer, such as articles published or short story competitions won. Also include any personal information that is directly relevant to the book, such as the book is about shenanigans in a school, and you're a teacher. Don't include anything else such as your friends think it's a wonderful book, or how very difficult it was to write.

5. Thank you for your time etc. I call this the 'I am not a loony' paragraph, so no demands that they get back to you within 48 hours, or copyright threats. Instead, pitch yourself as the ideal author, hardworking, full of ideas and enthusiasm, but also very open to feedback and direction. And don't forget the SAE.

The whole should be written in simple, straightforward language - you are after all hoping to have a long term business relationship with this person. Ask some friends to read it because, in your anxiety to get it right, it's very easy to come across negatively, and while they're reading get them to check the spelling and the grammar. And by the time you've done all that, you're probably feeling like giving up on the whole business and taking up watercolours instead. But persevere. Get it right just once, and you'll never have to go through this again.

My next event will be speaking at Corsham Library, Wiltshire with fellow New Romantics Lucy Diamond and Veronica Henry 3rd June at 7.30pm. Come and join us!

Should I Re-write for an Agent?

There seem to be two kinds of agent: those who like editing (and were probably editors in their previous jobs) and those who don't. Those who don't are much easier to send out to - they make a decision based on what they see in front of them, yes or no, and that's it. Those who like editing make suggestions...The worst are those who make lots of helpful suggestions because while a rejection is miserable, suggesting re-writes leads to a quandary: should I or shouldn't I?

I've seen people re-write extensively and still be turned down. Then they send out the revised ms, and get more suggestions that lead back to the first version. That gets turned down too. The author is left confused, demoralised and derailed. Now they have three versions, and they have no idea which is best. Or even which is closest to their original vision.

Some changes are more intrusive than others. Plot changes are often quite easy to accommodate - I've done this several times for foreign editions of my books. I've also made character changes. But this was for someone who'd bought the novel. Would I for someone who hadn't paid up front? I'm not sure.

A former student has an agent (but not yet a publisher) and is constantly re-writing stuff for this agent, sending out her new novel 5 pages at a time for comments. This seems unhealthy to me. I asked my editor what she thought about their arrangement and she said she'd be very wary of taking on someone who a) needed so much editorial support b) hadn't got confidence in their own writing and c) might have lost their own authorial voice in the re-writes.

I have to say that my former student is thrilled with the situation and I hope it works out for her, but it's not one I'd be happy with. Unless all the feedback you're getting points in the same direction I think you have to have courage of your own conviction. It is YOUR novel after all.

10 Facts about Agents

Fact 1: You don't need an agent to approach a publisher, and you don't need an agent to be published. However, most publishers won't look at unsolicited manuscripts. If they do, be prepared for a long, long wait. Or for your manuscript to be looked at by someone on work experience.

Fact 2: It is NOT an agent's job to carefully read every unsolicited manuscript that comes in through the door.

Fact 3: An agent's job is to look after existing clients and their work. That's why authors like having agents; they don't want to have to read the small print, or negotiate, or invoice or do any of the hundreds of things agents do for clients.

Fact 4: Every agent wants to discover a brilliant new talent, but just because you've written 100,000 words it doesn't automatically follow that they're brilliant.

Fact 5: Every agent gets fed up with badly written, rude, demanding, illiterate letters

Fact 6: Every agent sees far too many of the above

Fact 7: Every agent receives hundreds of manuscripts to look at a year - for some it may be thousands - and can rarely take on more than a couple of new clients in each year

Fact 8: The maths of Fact 7 means your work may be above average, it may even be rather good, but only exceptional work will get taken on.

Fact 9: It is your job to make your work exceptional, not the agents.

Fact 10: New writers are taken on by agents every year.

I'll write about how to make your work exceptional tomorrow.

Backing Into the Limelight

How would you feel if you were innocently walking down the street minding your own business when a complete stranger bounded up to you like an overgrown puppy, licked your face and panted: I'm wonderful! I'm fab, me! And then beamed expectantly, waiting for you to say...well, which do you think would be more likely?

a) I love you and must represent you immediately or

b) Get away from me you mad person or I'll call the police.

Now imagine you're an agent receiving the equivalent in covering letter form. Straight to the top of the Must Be Read pile? Or the Immediate Rejection pile?

So how do you say I'm wonderful without saying it? The simple answer is you get someone or something else to say it BUT it's got to be the right someone or something. So your Mum is not the right someone and nor are your children nor is anyone who has any personal connection with you, because of course they think you're wonderful, but their opinion doesn't mean anything in this particular context.

I'm not convinced an author or a creative writing tutor is much good either: 'Joe Bloggs suggested I write to you' doesn't mean much when it comes down to it. If Joe Bloggs really rated your work, they'd snatch it out of your hot sticky little mitts and personally hand it over to their agent/editor, and because writers are usually worried about their own precarious position they tend not to want to annoy their agents/editors with handing over extra work. Especially when that person is potentially a rival author.

The person you want to endorse you doesn't know you. They only know your writing and, ideally, paid you money for it. They gave you a prize in a short story competition. They published your article. They broadcast your short story. They published your non-fiction book. The more credits you can build up, the more endorsements you're getting. When I was at this stage I deliberately entered every short story competition I could find to build up some endorsements. When I wrote my covering letter I was able to say I'd won or been short listed for seventeen short story competitions. (Which, thinking about it, also shows persistence and a degree of obsession that is very useful for a writer.)

Credits mean someone else picked your writing out of a crowd. It will give an agent confidence that yes, you - and your writing - are wonderful.

It's Sarah - with an H

A man had long-term close friend called Ginny who was a literary agent, so when a friend - I'll call him Mike - said he was looking for an agent for his novel, naturally he suggested Ginny would be someone to call. Mike rang Ginny up.

'Hi, Ginny,' he started. 'I'm a friend of -'

'My name is Virginia,' she cut in, and put the phone down.

This story was told to me by an unpublished writer who was tut-tutting at the rudeness of the agent. And I did a bit of tut-tutting too, at the arrogance of Mike.

1. I would hesitate to call anyone I didn't know well in the middle of the working day. It's just arrogant to assume that people will be happy to stop working to chat to little old you.

2. Cold calling is always irritating to the recipient - just think how you feel when you get interrupted by someone trying to sell you double glazing.

3. Equally irritating is when people get your name wrong. Irrational maybe, but also irritating.

4. Mike didn't bother to do any research to discover Ginny's professional name.

5. He also hadn't done any research in the best way to approach agents - always by post in the first instance. What would have been wrong with...

Dear Virginia Smith,

Our mutual friend, Joe Bloggs, suggested I contact you....

Get real. Agents are deluged with manuscripts and callers wanting to be published, even the ones who say they're not accepting new clients. They are not lolling over their desks, making miniature Eiffel Towers out of the paperclips, waiting for a prospective client to give them a call. Give them the same respect you'd give any other busy person. Give them the respect you'd like yourself. And it's Sarah, with an H.

Take Six Agents

When I'd nearly finished re-writing my manuscript I sent out the usual package - first three chapters, synopsis and covering letter - to six agents one Monday afternoon. I had a connection with all of them: three I had met at a Romantic Novelists Association party the previous week (which is why I sent out before having fully completed the ms), one had been there but I hadn't met them, the other two I knew were attending the Winchester Writers Conference. This is what happened...

Agent No 1 rang me on Wednesday morning and asked to see the rest. Yippee!

Agent No 2 sent a letter on Thursday saying the novel wasn't for her, but added that she thought someone would take it on.

Agent No 3 sent a letter on Friday asking to see the rest.

Agent No 4 also sent a letter on Friday saying no one would want to read such depressing material, I was wasting my time and I'd just wasted hers. Yes, really.

Agent No 5 sent a letter on Monday saying she'd got two clients who were writing similar work to mine and she was having difficulty placing them, so she couldn't take me on.

Agent No 6 - well, I'm still waiting to hear from Agent No 6, but it's too late as I went with the fabulous Agent No 1.

It's one person's opinion after all, but if I'd only had Agent No 4's letter I might never have sent out again. It was bad enough reading it after I'd had a phone call from an agent saying they wanted to read the rest, I dread to think how I would have felt if it had been the only response. So, that's why I believe in multiple submissions.

PS I have since met Agent No 4 at a party. I didn't spit in her drink, kick her shins or say 'Yah boo sucks! That book you said was a waste of time sold to ten countries, you know nothing.' I just smiled sweetly and moved on. Which shows I'm either a nice person full of forgiveness or a coward.

How to choose an agent

How to choose an agent is the sort of statement that would have had me rolling my eyes in disgust before I acquired one because there's definitely a point when a would be writer feels that ANY agent will do. But any agent won't do, it's got to be the right one for you. Some things to think about...

1 Do you want an agent who does a lot of editing on your work before sending it out to publishers? Most agents will have worked at publishing companies before going over to the dark side. A former editor may be unable to resist the urge to edit your work which, depending on your point of view, may be a good thing. On the other hand, you might prefer the sort of agent who settles down happily with a stack of miniscule-print contracts and enjoys quibbling over percentage points, in which case a background in rights would be good.

2 Do you want to be a big fish in a little pond? In which case you want a small agency. Your agent's income will be directly linked to yours, so they've got extra reason to sell your books (and generally be nice to you!). A big agency may make you feel they're too busy dealing with their star authors to have time for you. The number of authors each agent represents is also relevant - see also 6.

3 But a small agency may not have as much clout as a large agency, nor are they likely to have the same range of experience ie they tend to specialise in one kind of writing. A larger agency however will have specialist departments in children's writing, television/film etc and may have offices around the world. (Smaller agencies will have agreements with other agencies to bring in the expertise when needed, so this shouldn't be a dealbreaker.)

4 Personality. Top of my wish list was the desire not to be frightened by my agent and some literary agents I have met are terrifying. But I'm easily scared. Some writer friends relish the formidable qualities of their agent. Others couldn't care less so long as the agent does their job.

5 Age. Young agents are enthusiastic and keen to make their mark, but they may not have either the contacts in publishing or the experience. On the other hand, they may be actively looking for clients. Older agents have shedloads of experience and contacts - and existing clients.

6 Money. No reputable agent should ask you for money up front. Full stop. As to the percentage, I'd prefer they took 15% and represented fewer authors. But you might be happier with 10%.

Think about what's going to suit you. Go to talks at literary festivals and conferences, ask other writers, join writing societies and groups and generally get out there and do some research before drawing up your 'hit list'. Only an idiot would go to all the expense and effort of getting a positive response from an agent and then go all wobbly at the thought of being represented by them. Don't be that idiot.

Torture for Writers Part I

If the covering letter seems hellish, it's nothing compared to the particular torture that is the synopsis. I have heard agents say brightly, 'Oh, I never read them, it might spoil the story.' To which one can only answer 'Why ask for them then?' before running them through with an unsharpened toasting fork. Because ask for them they do. So, as a writer desperately seeking representation, you will have to resign yourself to condensing all those months and years of hard work into a page or two of pithy prose.

First things first. Remove the toasting fork with a twist, then shove it straight back in, because there's no consensus among agents as to exactly what they want from a synopsis. One page or two, or ten? Single or double spaced? To include character breakdowns (to possibly accompany your own) or not? Look up the details for each agent you're sending sample chapters to check if they have any particular demands. If nothing stated, shorter is better than longer. One side of A4 is usually enough, maximum two pages, spaced as you wish but in a clear font such as Times New Roman in 12pt. Whatever length and spacing you go for, fill each page - the ones I've seen that go over to two sides, but only by one paragraph look as if you either ran out of steam or lost confidence in your writing.

Stick to the main characters - having workshopped lots of synopses I know that people get confused if there are many more than four names, I'd say a maximum of six before most readers lose the plot (literally). If pushed, use generic names for minor characters - waitress, chauffeur, teacher, children. Try a few telling character details: a leather arm chair of a man, a cool blonde with an eye to the main chance, rock n roll anarchist.

Pin point the genre. If in doubt, where will it be shelved in Waterstones? If still not sure or going for 'fiction', then who do you write like? Then go and look where they're shelved in Waterstones. That's your genre. One thing I can guarantee is that you haven't come up with a whole new genre. Crossover is a cop out. Now think about the theme - coming of age, redemption, the worm turns. Write a sentence on the theme. Now the plot - bored housewife takes series of lovers to escape humdrum life in provincial France. You might need a couple of sentences for this.

Tired? And we're still on the opening paragraph. We'll look at the rest tomorrow.