Sometimes authors send me an email asking, “Are you looking at new submissions?” or “Are you accepting new clients?”
I appreciate these authors’ desire not to waste my time or theirs, but I’ll say it here: I’m always open to submissions and new clients. Now, does this mean I’m open to reading entire unpublished books on every and any topic? Or that I hope to sign five new clients every week? No. I still need the submissions to be marketable to the publishers I work with, and for you to want to work with me.
Moratoriums
I’ve seen some industry professionals and publishers put a temporary moratorium on when they’ll review submissions.
Believe me, I get it. Sometimes busy professionals really and truly need to clear their IN boxes and one help is to stop incoming submissions. Or the reasons for a moratorium may be more complex. For example, the editor may be switching careers, or a publisher’s desire and ability to publish a certain line may be in question.
On the flip side, I’ve witnessed confusion concerning moratoriums. It seems as though half of all authors don’t find out about a moratorium until about three months after it’s in effect. Then, when you feel comfortable taking submissions again, the other half don’t seem to get this news.
I view setting a moratorium as a possible loss. If I tell you not to send your submission when the time is right for you, I miss the chance to review it. For this reason, I have never put a moratorium on submissions.
Personal Contact
Another way to stem the tide is to put conditions on submissions such as, “Submit only if I have met you in person,” and/or “Only if you come highly recommended.” In other words, no cold call submissions. Of course, this is a great way to assure you receive submissions from authors already known to you. You’ve made a connection, and this is an awesome way to start a business partnership. I have met many wonderful authors at conferences and have been pleased to receive strong recommendations from current clients.
But this means that an author who can’t afford to go to a conference, or who has too many family obligations to travel, has limited potential to be seen. As for getting a client to recommend you to a publisher or agent? Establishing that type of relationship takes time. Even then, it may not happen because most authors don’t want to abuse the privilege of recommending their friends to agents and publishers.
I don’t mind hearing from authors I don’t know. Perhaps I’m sympathetic because I broke in to the industry as a writer who had never been to a conference. As for travel, when my girls were younger, our Christian school didn’t have bus service, so I drove to and from school twice a day – one year, three times a day – thanks to half-day kindergarten. If I did travel, my husband had to cover me by taking off from his job. So my own possibilities would have been restricted if I had been required to go to a conference to be published.
Though I’m past these intense obligations now, I remember what it was like. I want to give authors in similar circumstances a hearing.
Seasonal
I’ve seen some guidelines that say, “We consider submissions only during the month of January,” and the like.
When I was still writing books and articles for publication, this type of guideline was a pinnacle of frustration for me. Invariably, I’d finished my work on February 2.
A second pinnacle of frustration happened when I did wait to submit to a magazine only to be told before the season even opened that they were already full.
After that, seasonal guidelines always drove me to find other publishers.
No End in Sight
Does being open to submissions all the time mean extra work? Absolutely.
Does it mean wasting some time? Probably.
But as a literary agent who plans to participate in the industry for the foreseeable future, I don’t mind doing some extra work when it means I can connect with authors who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to communicate with me. So if you think we may be a good professional match, feel free to press SEND.
Your Turn:
What is the most frustrating aspect of submitting your work to agents, editors, and publishers?
What limitations on submissions have you seen? Were you able to submit, and were you successful?
Keys for Effective Social Media Use
I’m yet to arrive at the submission hurdle for a full manuscript… Early last month though, I entered for a writing workshop that requested submitting a sample of our work… I think they would have preferred something ‘literary’ but since there was no benefit of specification, I just chipped in a short story…
No response till now (and the workshop is long over)…
The only issue I think exists is exactness in guidelines, and the few agent (and publisher) blogs sampled are very precise…
I hope it wouldn’t be an arduous journey when I finally start…
Thank you very much, Tamela. BTW, moratorium is my new word for today…
Michael, you might want to seek out workshops that are a better fit for what you are writing. Can you learn from a “literary” writing workshop? Yes. But taking workshops geared to your type of writing would be preferable, if possible. I suggest going online and taking a look at the many workshops offered at different conferences and see what might work for you. Some conferences offer downloads of workshops you can buy, so that might also be an option.
You are a gem. I’m thankful for your earlier experiences that allowed you to empathize with authors unable to attend conferences, and for giving them a forum for their work.
Querying is a grueling process, and definitely one of those things my mama might say “builds character.”
After putting out numerous queries, I finally met my agent (Jim Hart) at a conference earlier this year.
The most frustrating part of the entire query process for me was that I was expected to be a marketing savant with a masters in social networking! Marketing plans? Comparative analysis? It was all Greek to me! There’s a definite learning curve in the writing business, and hopefully I’m further along than I was even a few weeks ago.
Another challenge is the reply time and the lack of feedback. I realize that this is just inherent to the process. I’m wondering if this is even more of a challenge for you since you have less of a filter on submissions than others might.
Queries…sigh…the bane of my existence. But when I flex, you might be astounded by all the layers of lean, ropy character. ?
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!! I will happily work my behind off and do X, Y, and Z to market my book, but I have zero marketing knowledge, so how am I supposed to know what X, Y, and Z even are at the query stage?? I can google all day long, but I don’t know what I don’t know.
Carrie, the best thing you can do at this stage is simply tell agents where you are in social media. The agent can look at your proposal and decide whether to pursue. If the agent loves your idea, she may say, “Hey, build your platform and come back.” If so, you have an opening. In the meantime, Terry Whalin has excellent resources. You might want to check out some of his works.
Tamela,
Thank you for the mention. I have a number of resources like my Book Proposals That Sell. I also have a free ebook called Platform Building Ideas for Every Author
Terry
The Writing Life
Thanks for stopping by, Terry! I know my blog readers appreciate you for sharing.
Chaka, I’m so glad you’ve found an agent you’re happy with. Now he can advise you on those sections. Thanks for sharing!
I love your philosophy, Tamela, and your heart! Thanks for being so great.:)
Well, Angie, I just might print this out and paste it to my wall! Thank you! 😀
Tamela, you’ll need to print out two copies because I agree with Angie’s comment. 🙂
Blessings ~ Wendy
Thank you, Wendy! 🙂
I appreciate you remembering what it was like to have school age children and all the responsibilities that go with it! Conferences are expensive and while it’s best to meet someone face to face, I hope that skype will someday be a part of meeting your new agent or editor. Thank you for your willingness to take a chance on those of us who’re unknowns for the time being. Have a blessed day!
Laurie, thanks for stopping by with a great idea! Skype can definitely be a great tool to use as a happy medium!
You’re welcome, Tamela. It’s nice to see people’s face when you’re speaking to them. And I too am concerned about the need to have a “following” on social media, and a website, before one’s published. I’m going to try and set up one of the “free” sites but because I’m submitting both romantic suspense and historical romance I’m not sure what kind of “neutral” site would still be eye-catching enough. And it’s taken me a year to build up to 445 twitter followers.
Laurie, it doesn’t have to be as neutral as it is friendly. Just be yourself. I think I might blog about this at a later date, because it’s a great question!
For me, waiting time (as mentioned by others) is definitely the worst part of submitting any work for critique, evaluation, or general review. A month feels like an eternity, even when you know it’s hardly enough time for most casual readers to read an entire book, let alone an industry professional inundated with submissions just like yours. Still, it’s tough to cope with the long silence.
Brennan, some people throughout the industry use what I call the “passive no” because it’s so time-consuming even to send out form letters. But by the same token, it’s perfectly fine to nudge the agent for a response. If you still don’t hear back, focus on the other agents you’re targeting.
The hardest and most frustrating part of submitting to agents, editors, and publishers was the “cold” contact. The attempt to convince a stranger to take a look at your manuscript, knowing there are hundreds behind you desiring the same thing – representation and publication. Being a recovering introvert, I literally thanked the first agent I ever talked to for telling me NO. In his defense, I selected the wrong agent for my genre. Taking the advice of these professionals and apply it to your WIP will increase confidence and catch the eye of a professional. Thank you, Tamela, for taking me under your wing.
Loretta, I’m glad the other agent declined! 🙂
Tamela, I appreciate your heart of willingness to give new authors a chance. I find it frustrating to get rejected, but the most difficult thing is to wait. The Lord is teaching me about patience, who I always previously thought were people in need of medical attention.
Best,
Sheri
A doctor should never pray for patience, or the waiting room will be too full.
(You’ve given me my pun of the day for inducing rolling eyes, Sheri. Thanks!)
Sheri, this profession definitely teaches patience. Perhaps the only one that might top writing is teaching school. 🙂
I agree with everyone else – thank you. To find an agent who puts out there … “yep I take submissions” is a rare find.
Now our part would be to polish, be humble, accept the answer and keep writing… paraphrased from Dan and Tamela.
Beverly, thank you — and when you’re writing while waiting, time passes quickly!
Tamela, I haven’t been actively submitting queries (I’ve only submitted a proposal once to an agent and twice to publishers who asked for manuscripts at a conference), but I know what would disturb me most: the endless silence instead of a simple email saying an agency is not interested.
The claim that it would take too much time to do that…I don’t buy it. Not from a Christian organization. Not when the employees know each submission is an offering of a work of art that is almost like a child to the author. To type in an address and hit send on a boilerplate email takes what…30 to 60 seconds max? With 260 work days, even if an agency received 5000 submissions a year, that’s fewer than 20 a day and less 20 minutes to work through a stack of rejects. Who doesn’t have four spare 5-minute intervals in a workday?
That one agent was Steve Laube, and he promised a response within a certain time in the proposal guidelines. He promised, and he delivered. Even an impersonal “no” (which is what the manuscript deserved at that time) was an affirmation of me as a professional and a person.
I’ve received a rejection from one of the publishers, but the editor told me why she decided not to acquire my submission and actually sent me her marked up copy of my manuscript so I can improve it. What a treasure!
I’ve heard it said the opposite of love isn’t hate. It’s indifference. One of the reasons I love coming to your agency blog is I know I’ll never find indifference here.
Carol, believe me, I sympathize. When I first started writing I waited for the mail to arrive once a day with news. And back then, even despite enclosing the required self-addressed stamp envelope, some publishers stayed mute.
Your math does make sense but even this logic won’t change the minds of those who have simply decided not to answer queries unless it’s a yes.
For my part, my office really does try to respond to emails, but sometimes they go awry despite our best intentions. That’s where the nudging from you comes in.
All that to say, even a lack of response tells you that agent or publishing isn’t a good fit for you. I do realize how frustrating that is, and I’m sorry.
Publishing “house” rather than publishing.
The most frustrating part is having the requirement that I need to have 10,000 Twitter followers or more or my manuscript will not be considered. I understand this is great for social media and marketing, but how does one acquire so many followers without the team effort of a traditional publishing firm? Many vanity publishers offer to market your book for a price, and even then your social media followers are not guaranteed. They may create accounts, but they don’t actually “market” with brick and mortar and online sales. This is just what I have observed in the recent book trends. Lysa Terkheurst and Jefferson Bethke do a great job with their websites and it seems they have a lot of help from someone to maintain them. I have a LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook account. All of them are growing, but it takes time to grow organically when you don’t have any capital to invest in marketing.
Alex, thanks for recommending authors who are doing a good job.
But nothing about social media is organic. I currently have over 34,000 Twitter followers and that’s small compared to the numbers of many others. There was nothing organic about building this following. It took time. Just keep building your platform with one or two apps you really enjoy, and it won’t feel like such a chore.
Thank you Tamela. It does take time. I also started a podcast to complement my other social media sites.
Yes Rebekah, I’m with you. This summer in fact I’ve hardly gotten a thing done because of bike rides to the river and play dates at the park, but that’s okay. Those aren’t things I’m willing to miss. Neither of us will ever regret the time spent with our kids instead of at a conference.
Exactly, Katie!
Tamela, thanks for sharing your own experiences here. It’s neat to see that you speak from a place of understanding and a desire to find good stories.
I’m often deterred by agents saying they are closed to submissions and to check back often for when they open again. I wonder if there is some way that interested parties could be notified by email that an agent has opened to submissions or queries again. Granted, they’ll probably deal with more of an onslaught with that announcement.
I also agree with Carol above that communication, even a simple no, is better than never hearing back ever again. I’d even be okay with an intern or assistant replying! I think it’s understood that everyone is busy, and time is important.
Barbara, I don’t know how an automatic email notifying of returning to opening for submissions could be generated. I’m sure there’s an IT person who can tell us! That’s a good idea, though.
Hopefully the agents who use submissions windows to stem the tide will keep the notices current through their blogs.
Tamela,
Once again, changing genres to be able to submit manuscripts to you becomes very tempting. Thank you for your heart!
I have only submitted to one publication with limited submission dates. I was able to comply, and was published in it twice.
Waiting for a response–ANY response–that never comes is tops on my frustration list. When I did a multiple submission based on conference invitations, one high- profile agent used words like “love” and “extraordinary” and cited specifics she liked about the character development she wouldn’t have known had she not actually read it. But she requires an established and large platform before she will represent, and my platform is new and growing slowly. Another agent never responded in any way, even after the follow-up that was suggested on this site, so I still don’t know if she ever even saw it. I agree with Carol!
Those responses contrast strongly with a publisher rep who read the proposal and sample chapters for the same book, then let me know she also “loved” it, but didn’t publish controversial topics, and invited me to submit another manuscript for consideration. I think she has your heart!
It appears to me that the decision to always respond or not respond at all just reflects agents’ and publishers’ differing personalities, values, and priorities, and isn’t a business or ethical failure. I try hard to hang onto that. 🙂
Linda, that’s a great insight! And you are always free to change genres…. 😉
I agree it’s frustrating having specific deadlines for submissions, but I don’t submit only once a year. I submit year round. I keep tabs of who looks at submissions and their time frames and plan for the next year. Maybe if I only had a single manuscript it would frustrate me.
What does frustrate me is the silence as others have said. So for the agents or publishers who still do require hard copies, I include a self addressed, stamped postcard. It shows the source the story was sent to and 3 different boxes to check, which basically say interested, not interested or maybe. That way I know they have received the manuscript and have given it at least a cursory review.
By the way, what is your time frame to respond to a manuscript? I know previous posts noted you don’t critique but do respond one way or another.
Christine, I try to respond within a couple of months. I know that sounds horrible! 🙁
Thank you, Rebekah! I know the Lord will open doors at just the right time!
Mine has been there a bit longer, but then I sent in a revision with an additional chapter at the end. My beta readers didn’t like how quickly I wrapped up the story.
I’ll let my assistant know.
Thank you for your kindness and follow-up.
Your post was great encouragement to me. I’ve attended a few writing conferences and talked to a variety of editors and agents. One agent was so rude, I almost cried, another one wouldn’t look at my material because I didn’t have any speaking engagements. The experience was very discouraging. However, I haven’t given up on getting published and I was delighted to know your open to new clients. I’ve been following the agency blog for about a year and was considering submitting my novel as soon as it’s done, and your post convinced me I should. Thank you again for the post, it gave me the answer I needed.
To God be the glory, Judy.
Thank you! I’ve found the biggest challenge with submissions is that each agent/publisher can have completely different guidelines for queries and/or proposals. So it’s not like we can write one proposal and send it out, we spend hours and hours for each one to suit each place we send it. That can be a bit daunting. Especially trying to keep track of what things to add and take out for which submissions! =)
Laura, I don’t pretend to speak for other agents, but I look at it this way: if a great writer submits a proposal that misses “Market Comps” and the like, I can always ask the writer to fill me in. I won’t decline an author’s work based on a proposal not being “just right” in every way. I recommend putting together the best and most detailed proposal you can. Interested agents should be able to ask for more information, and the agent you sign with can help you polish the proposal to perfection. I hope this advice has helped you know that it shouldn’t be crucial to create a new document for each agent.
This is encouraging, Tamela. I look at the flat spot on my head where it met the wall more times than I can count, and your words have lightened my burdened and lessened the funny looking helo-pad on my forehead . . .
Cindy
Thank you, Tamela, for being so empathetic to the lives of writers and realizing that many, if not most, writers can’t jump through all the hoops that other writing agents or editors require. While I don’t have children, I have a chronic illness that makes it difficult for me to Keep up with all that is required of writers nowadays.
I have a question. Do you require us to have a large platform, say x number of Twitter followers, etc. As of now I am not on Twitter. I find just keeping up with Facebook and my daily emails, plus finding energy [energy is more of a problem for me than time] to write. I have heard that if one is planning to submit to Harlequin they are not so concerned about one having a platform. Is this true?
Thank you for your post. Blessings.
PS, We met at Write Canada this year and I was in a workshop you taught. It was a great workshop. I learned a lot.
Diana, I enjoyed meeting you, too! Because Harlequin markets differently from some other publishers, a few of the proposal elements can be a little lighter than what a trade book publisher needs to know. As for social media, if you are being very alert and up to date on your Facebook account and can build connections that way, that’s fine. I’d rather see an author making meaningful connections one one platform than finding semi-abandoned accounts in six places. Another thing to consider is a blog. Then you can just write it once a week, so I don’t think it’s as intense as keeping up with Twitter.
Just wanted to say thanks again for your willingness to take on new authors and submissions, Tamela. It really is rare, as is the understanding of reality that this post has shown you have! The fact that you’re so good at what you do AND follow up just makes it even better. Thanks 🙂
I’m later getting on here today, but still wanted to say THANK YOU, TAMELA for this encouraging (and informative) post.
And may I just add that I cannot wait to see you at ACFW next month! 🙂
Tamela,
Your post was SO encouraging!! Thank you!
It’s difficult as a “newbie” to find agents willing to take a risk with an unknown. I appreciate your understanding and willingness to not routinely just shut the door.
Thanks again!!
Hannah, Patti Jo, and Kathryn, thank you all so much! You have brightened my day!
Great post, thank you- For me, I’ve found the multiple agencies/PH requirements daunting. A query, cover letter, blurb, logline, tagline, proposal short/long, synopsis short/long … whew! After months I have one of each to send out, but the truth- the synopsis was the worst. Summing up in one page or three pages in the present tense with the voice of the novel… reminds me of The Princess Bride. You know, the scene where Indio Montoya sums up for the man in black the situation at the castle.
The second of course is waiting. Six months is an eternity. Four months is a bit of a wait. Two months is a blink of an eye.
Last, rejections. The rejection letters aren’t horrific, and most will give a letter of encouragement/strategic information, short enough to scribble, long enough to take the novel back to the blackboard.
With editors not related to a PH or agency: have found various suggestions. Editors are trickier (I mean as in working with) because sometimes their grammar is worse than mine, their fees are astronomical in some cases, and some will say ‘I’m only pointing this out once.’ For those of us starving artists, paying for an editor is out of the question. Add in costs for interviews, conferences, and literary guilds that ‘charge,’ and the newbie has to have an English major with an in–so it seems.
However daunting that may be, I haven’t quit– so the blessing and ‘magic’ of writing, the belief that God will use my words (and my laptop) for His glory someday, persists!
(OH! Just to clarify … I don’t mean ‘God told me to write this …’ )
Great post. I agree with the other comments. Your post is a great encouragement. Thank You.
I am looking forward to sending materials requested! Still slogging through the synopsis, but should be done soon.
It really is great encouragement. Lots of helpful resources on this website. Best website ever.
Cindy, that’s great to hear!
Sometimes it’s even true that someone else had the same idea at the same time I had, as it might be because the same person suggested it in more than one place, and that person wrote something better than I did. (E.g. when I wrote about the edge of a storm that passed through my neighborhood, and someone else wrote about having been within sight of the funnel cloud, and took pictures.) Some writers seem to think this can’t happen, but it can. Even so, if they say they’re going to pay for what I write, I want clients to pay for it.
I recall when ‘Ghost’ and ‘Always’ eek came out, I loved both movies but as you can see Ghost was a blockbuster while Always with Richard Dryfuss was not, tho it was a great movie. Similar ideas. The ghost who helps his loved one. Within a year of each other. I think if Always came out a few years later, it would’ve done well rather than earlier (because who can’t remember the Swayze?).
Oh, my goodness! I think I love you! This brought tears to my eyes! Thank you for who you are!!!
Shaneeka, you just made my Friday!
Hey Tamela!
Thanks for the article. It is very insightful and inspiring. I have not submitted a proposal to an agent, editor, or publisher for two reasons. First, I was intimidated by the required proposal. Second, I did not have the platform I thought they desired from new or unknown authors. I have several friends with platforms that could endorse me, but I was not sure if that was enough.
Now I have the confidence to submit my proposal after attending a writer’s conference and reading your article. The conference provided the guidance I needed to complete a proposal. The conference presenter recommended you as an agent. This article boosted my confidence to complete my proposal and submit it to you.
I have seen two limitations on manuscript submissions. The first limit regarded the genre. I write Christian Living/Discipleship, Bible Studies, Practical Theology books. Some publishers wanted Academic books and others preferred Christian fiction. The editors not open to receiving unsolicited manuscripts was the second limitation. This limitation was the first reason I begin searching for an agent.
So I was not able to submit my work for personal and publisher reasons. However, I hope to submit a proposal soon!
Thanks Tamela for being willing and available to help the unknown author. Blessings!!
Dear Tamela,
I am 73 year’s old. I’ve never submitted or published a thing, even though I have been writing both fictional and non-fiction stories and poetry for many. Years. I’ve been content to just share with friends and family.
You and Steve have inspired me to write and publish. My church is also encouraging.
I’ve written 3 Christmas stories: Silent Christmas, But. Mommy, Where Is Jesus? And a true story called: Paper doll Christmas.
I hope we can find grounds enough to know each other and work together.
Thank you and bless you, Torie.
Thank you