A few years back, my colleague Jane Rosenman and I both taught a course at the 92nd St. Y called, “You’ve Finished Your Novel—Now What?”
Now what, indeed? In late May 2021, Jane and I reprised our former course material for the first session of the new 5E offering, Office Hours, where a rotating set of 5E editors will offer free insights into issues not only on how to proceed once you have finished your work, but also topics like narrative cohesion and character development. Both the craft of writing and the business of publishing are on the agenda.
For our 5/21/21 take on what to do when you have completed your manuscript, Jane and I began with the question: Is your work really in top form? Has it been critiqued by fellow members of a writing group, or a teacher or indie editor or coach? Enthusiasm from family members or significant others is not usually the best guide, since they are presumably disposed to support you and are not reading with an eye towards the marketplace.
When you are confident your material is honed and ready, it’s time to search for an agent. In the years since we offered our course, a great deal has changed in the publishing industry; yet the basic fact that none of the major houses officially accept un-agented material remains intact—pretty much. If a writer seeks a publisher from one of the Big Five – soon to be Four, perhaps—he or she needs representation from a literary agent who provides both contractual support and editorial advice (many agents used to be editors).
But there are cracks in the foundation, seemingly instigated by an industry-wide effort to open access to writers in communities with few ties to the so-called “cultural gatekeepers” or affiliated events: literary conferences, MFA programs, prestigious residencies, internships at literary journals or publishing houses.
For example, writer and critic Roxanne Gay’s new imprint at Grove Press is taking unsolicited submissions, as is Yahdon Israel, a Senior Editor at Simon and Schuster who encouraged writers of color in particular to try him directly, in a disarming Instagram post. And in a recent Discuss Q and A forum on Publisher’s Marketplace, Flatiron Editor in Chief Megan Lynch offered that her house is reconsidering its stance, encouraged by young staffers. Staffing issues are key: how many new sets of eyes does a publisher need to handle such submissions? Will these attempts to be more accessible run into practical roadblocks? It will be interesting to watch it play out.
Whether you are approaching an editor or an agent, ask yourself: How will your material stand out? Who is your potential reader? Are your queries and opening pages noteworthy and truly engrossing?
Most writers still want, and need, an agent. Doing your research is key; you need a representative who “gets” your work. There’s the old shoe leather method, perusing the acknowledgements section of published books to see which agent is given props; but an even better option might be the search engine on Publisher’s Marketplace (www.publishersmarketplace.com) that gives you access to recent deals in the genre you’re working in. The site offers many levels of engagement, including a one-time fee of $10. A monthlong subscription might be more practical.
Once you have identified agents who might be on your literary wavelength, go onto the agency website to take a close look at submission requirements. In a large agency, each individual agent may have slightly different preferences. Nothing shows a lack of preparation more than say, sending a query about a sci fi novel to an agent who has no interest in the genre. In your initial query, you may also want to link your material to that of the agent’s other clients if there is a legitimate overlap in subject matter or approach.
Because agents spend so much time negotiating contracts, pitching new projects to editors, and advising current clients, reading time is often relegated to nights and weekends. Response times can be frustratingly long. Most professionals do not read beyond the first fifty pages of a novel, for example, to see if it is worth their time and effort to read on. Patience and persistence are your watchwords.
Even with the best preparation, you may encounter roadblocks. The Catch-22 is that you need an agent well-known enough to have clout when repping your project, but not one who is so busy that he or she doesn’t need, or want, new clients. This is why writers’ conferences can be valuable: agents speaking there are presumably seeking new voices.
Veteran agents Gail Hochman and Vicky Bijur recently answered all manner of questions about their profession on two Publisher’s Marketplace Discuss forums. They are well worth a look, as is the magazine Poets and Writers, which often features informative interviews with agents and editors. Addressing each agent with specific references to their agency and client list shows that you have done your homework and are serious about your search. You are, in a word, committed.
It helps to show other evidence of that commitment: Have you published pieces or stories in well-regarded online or physical literary magazines? Are you willing to draw on professional contacts? To solicit endorsements from specialists in your field, if relevant? To attend Zoom forums and book club discussions in order to drum up interest in your project? What it all adds up to is an acknowledgment that you know this is a business, and that you are willing to partner with the agent and then the publisher to help develop a readership.
In looking into which presses do indeed take unsolicited material, I saw entries like this one on the website for Graywolf, one of the Minnesota-based nonprofits, along with Milkweed and Coffee House, that have been so successful recently: “Our editors are looking for high quality literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that combine a distinct voice with a distinct vision. Our editors seek out and solicit promising work from authors that they encounter in the pages of magazines, at writing conferences, and in other venues.” Graywolf also has a nonfiction prize that helped jumpstart the careers of a writer like Leslie Jamison (The Empathy Exams).
Coffee House takes un-agented work, too, but only at designated reading periods. It’s a good idea to follow all of these publishers, as well as online publications such as The Millions, The Rumpus, Catapult, and others who post on Twitter and Instagram when they are seeking new submissions. Stay informed about developments in the world of books.
Though small presses offer only modest advances, they have clout with key reviewers and booksellers. And with their smaller lists, they can support their projects in a way big publishers may not, given the larger publishers’ need to answer to corporate owners. That said, they are also very selective in what they take on, given the limited size of their lists.
None of this is easy: It’s about getting out there and working up the nerve to share your vision with a wider reading public. Book festivals and fairs are also great places to look around and see which publishers might be a good match. Quality presses like Verso, Melville House, and Soft Skull Press have a particular viewpoint and ideology that may line up with yours—or not. Befriend the staff at your local indie bookstore, so that by the time your book comes out, you are “one of the family,” ready for your launch party or signing session.
For our Office Hours session, Jane and I did not have time to address self-publishing or the rise of “hybrid” operations that require author expenditures upfront but are selective, such as She Writes Press. For a more detailed look at these, we recommend the website of Jane Friedman, a well-informed industry observer: www.janefriedman.com.
And keep an eye on our Facebook page and other posts on the 5E site, where we try and address the many questions that arise as we work with our clients. We'll be back with Office Hours in September. Look for an announcement on our Facebook page and elsewhere.
