|
AuthorMBA Q&A with agent Rachel Vater
© 2007 AuthorMBA -
All rights reserved.
originally posted
4/20/07
This week, the AuthorMBA blog is delighted to welcome agent Rachel Vater
from Lowenstein-Yost for our exclusive AuthorMBA Q&A. Rachel's popular blog,
Lit Agent X, gives
writers an inside look at the life of a busy agent. With her business
savvy and willingness to help writers on their road to success, we knew
she'd be a great fit for the AuthorMBA Q&A.
Welcome, Rachel!
**
Editor's note: As of mid 2007, Rachel has moved to
Folio
Lit.
AuthorMBA Q&A
1. How do you approach career planning with your clients?
Agenting is not just about getting one book published, it’s about
managing a long-term career, which can encompass more than one genre and
format. I’m involved with that every step of the way. This means in
practical terms, I discuss market trends with my clients and how this
will affect their upcoming projects, what areas they might be suited
for, and keep my eyes and ears open for cross promotional opportunities,
like short stories, articles or graphic novel opportunities. I also work
with film co-agents and we have a foreign rights director who works to
sell sub-rights overseas.
Sometimes career planning means fighting for a better book cover;
advising on publicity opportunities like author websites, conferences
and conventions; or working with the author to reshape a project that
isn’t working or to take it a level higher. There’s a lot of
brainstorming involved.
I’m always pleased when a client comes to me with an idea and enthusiasm
to explore a new opportunity. I’m especially pleased when a writer will
take ideas from me and work quickly and enthusiastically on revisions I
suggest or a proposal I ask for.
2. How does a writer’s brand affect your business dealings?
Well, I’ll be building that brand with them, so I’ll have a hand in
helping them shape it and advising what will improve it and what could
potentially harm it. If I feel an author can achieve that level of brand
recognition, of course I’m more likely to quickly sign up a writer like
that. Those who already have a brand, I’m happy to continue to help them
build it. The more visible and famous the author, the more opportunities
I can help them explore as they continue to build it. It’s much easier
to license subrights for a bestselling client than it is for a
relatively unknown writer.
3. How important do you think it is for writers to focus on PR
and marketing?
If it’s nonfiction, it’s crucial. The writer needs to already have a
platform in place and have plans to continue to build it and reach
potential readers. For fiction, it’s less of an issue for a writer to
have a marketing plan—the publisher will help them with that or else
once the book is sold, the writer can begin to market their work and
I’ll advise them on that.
It helps if the author is willing to do book signings and tour, but I
and the publisher will expect that. If there’s a reason why an author
cannot tour, I expect to know this as well so it can be worked around.
(A great novel can still sell even if the writer is deceased. I’ve seen
it happen.)
4. What role do you play on the distribution and sales side of
your clients’ careers?
I pay attention to how many of my clients’ books are selling—because you
can bet the publisher is watching the numbers closely too. The best
thing an agent can do for a project is to sell it well to a publisher in
the first place—if a publisher values it highly and makes a high offer,
they will put a great deal of effort into making back the advance
they’ve paid as well as make a profit on such a book. A publisher that
highly values a book is going to be a publisher that sends the author on
a tour to meet with librarians and booksellers and picks up the tab for
that. This isn’t something an agent can pay for, and it’s not something
I strongly encourage an author to pay for out of pocket either. If a
publisher highly values an author, they will be more willing to set up
book signings and pay for additional placement, publicity, and
advertising.
How do you make sure a publisher pays attention to your clients’ books?
By being selective and signing up clients who are very talented writers
and then giving as much editing attention to that book as it needs prior
to submission. Then submitting it to editors who are not only the most
likely to love it, but have the power to make a strong, competitive
offer for it.
Even if the author doesn’t get a high advance from a US publisher for
their first novel, if subrights sell well—film rights get buzz, German
co-agent ends up having an auction for it, and several other countries
start buying it—the US publisher starts taking notice of all the
excitement and will give the book more attention than they would have if
the rights languished until after they published it. So it’s crucial for
an agent to actively market all the rights to a project, not just the
most obvious—North American or world English rights—and to do so
immediately rather than after the book is already on the shelves.
5. In what ways do you think a web site can enhance a writer’s
career?
I encourage writers to have a website and blog. I do look at writers’
blogs and websites to get a sense of their personality and visibility
before signing them up. If they don’t have one, I encourage them to get
one, swap links with other writers they admire, and change and update
content frequently.
On the other side, if a writer is saying inappropriate things on their
blog, I’m less inclined to sign them up. A professional website can make
a writer more visible and accessible to readers, create awareness of
their work, and give readers a sense of the person behind the book. If a
reader likes the book and likes the personality behind it, they’re more
likely to become a repeat reader and a fan.
A group of my fantasy writing clients got together to create a blog
community called Fangs, Fur and Fey. They’re holding a contest and I was
happy to announce it on my own blog to increase traffic to their site.
They all have individual blogs, but they’re now cross promoting each
other and have had a lot of other published fantasy authors join it.
Again, it’s a smart cross-promotional tool.
All writers should be very careful what they say on a blog though. I
caution clients not to say too much that’s personal to protect their own
privacy and to keep a professional tone. For writers looking for an
agent, it definitely makes me think twice if a writer has had an
agent-bashing rant on their blog or announces they’ve already had their
manuscript rejected 20 times. I would remind writers that anyone can
look up their blog / website and they should assume an agent will read
it and keep their content appropriate for that situation.
 About Rachel
Vater
Rachel Vater represents writers of commercial and literary fiction.
She is open to first-time authors and is especially looking for
beautifully written fiction with an original concept and unique voice.
She is looking for young adult fiction dealing with contemporary teen
issues and also young adult fantasy. She handles genre fiction, but does
not handle horror, westerns, poetry, screenplays, stage plays or
category romance.
For nonfiction, she is currently looking for well-credentialed authors
who have a strong platform and are writing in the areas of business,
personal finance, career books, women’s issues, social issues,
spirituality, psychology, health, pop culture and narrative nonfiction.
Of special interest are books that delve behind the scenes, reveal a
forgotten piece of history or expose a new side of something most people
don’t know about.
** Please support AuthorMBA by checking out
our exclusive training guides.
Read more
insider interviews
 |
