The "logic" of obtaining an agent is sometimes flawed...

Hi folks,

I recently got an email from a writer friend of mine who’s been struggling to get one of his novels repped and published. It occurred to me when I was answering him that this might perhaps be instructive to other writers who find themselves in similar straits so I thought I’d share my comments and see what you folks thought.

First, here’s what my buddy said:

Hey Les,

Hope this finds you well.

Christmas is just around the corner, I'm taking vacation, and plan to be inebriated for as long as my wife will allow.

It dawned on me the other day that I finished the first draft of the manuscript I sent you a year ago this month.

It’s been rejected so many times I'm about to blow my head off - not a good thing to do at Christmas time.
Gets blood all over the decorations.
 
This last rejection comes from John Gilstrap's agent.
I write the same kind of stuff he does, so I am without a clue.
 
I've decided to take a different path regarding the novel.
 
I want you to know I appreciate that you thought to show the manuscript to your agent, but I think that will just produce the same result. What's Einstein's definition of insanity?  
 
So please don’t spend your time chasing that down.
No need to do that now.
 
I am going to publish it through Amazon and see what happens.
Sure can't do any worse than I am at present.
 
Thanks again for your support and your offer, Les.
Can't wait to meet you in the flesh.

Me thinks there are many beers waiting for us in N. Carolina.
 
Have a great Christmas, and congrats again on the Keynote gig.
 
Best Regards,
______
 

PS. Know a good editor?

Matt Hilton who writes a kick-ass ex-military character and doesn't share Lee Child's agent...

Here’s what I told him:

Hi ___________,

Some thoughts on your notes...

One, look at the position of Gilstrap's agent... if your work is similar, that really puts him in a bind with editors, no? I mean, he's got to look and figure out which author he wants to send the editor he sells John to and who he sends you to. It can't be both of you and I imagine his loyalty will be with the guy who's been paying his bills to date. It seems logical on the surface to have the same agent as a writer who you're similar to, but actually, I don’t think that's a good thing. Make sense? It's like Lee Child's agent taking on Matt Hilton who has a somewhat similar series character--who is he going to be pushing with Random House? See how I think you've been shooting yourself in the foot perhaps? I'd look for the agent who DOESN’T rep someone like Gilstrap or yourself. Then, YOU become THE GUY he takes to editors. No agent with a brain is going to try to corner the market on all the ex-military superhero characters--that would simply be counterproductive.

What does perhaps make better sense is for the agent to go to the editor or house that publishes work like both of yours. Makes better sense I think than trying to get the agent who reps two similar writers and then try to decide who he’s going to promote to that publisher.

Instead of pubbing it yourself, I think I'd look for an agent who doesn't represent a writer too much like yourself. If you look at the lists of successful agents, often you’ll find a fairly large disparity between the kinds of writers they represent. They’ve got their guy who writes thrillers, their guy who writes cozies, their gal who writes romances, their guy who writes westerns… and so on. There’s no  or little competition within the agency for which author the agent is going to be championing for a particular genre of novel. And, that just makes sense to me. Sometimes, I think a writer who is with an agent who has several like writers doesn't realize he may be getting shortchanged when it comes time for his agent to approach publishing houses... might the agent perhaps be pushing someone else within the agency at the expense of himself? Interesting question...

If it helps, I've made exactly the same mistake in my own past. For instance, years ago, I queried David Sedaris' agent for my Kidnapping novel--thinking Sedaris is a funny guy and my novel is funny, so... twisted logic as it turns out! He doesn't want another Sedaris--he's already got the master! What in the world would he do with me? It was a real eye-opener.

Blue skies,

Les

Sometimes, what seems “logical” is anything but. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think a writer should seek out the agent who reps the writer most like himself? Or, is this kind of thinking flawed? I’d really be curious as to what agents think about this!

Merry Christmas!

Les

P.S. Just made another "best of" list for THE BITCH! 

http://thegamblersnovel.com/2014/12/15/my-top-ten-reads-of-2014/

 

MATT HILTON - GENIUS AT VILLAINS

Hi folks,

Still working on a post about my adventures in Texas, but in the meantime, I want to shout the praises of the most recent Matt Hilton thriller I just finished. I've read everything Matt has out and just want him to write faster--I'm jonsing for another one!

I was fortunate enough to meet Matt at the Bouchercon in Cleveland--at least I think it was in Cleveland, although with my memory, it could have been in Albany. We kept trying to get together to drown some suds, but alas, never were able to. Next time...

Here's the blurb I recently gave him for NO GOING BACK...

Blurb for NO GOING BACK

I had to read the ending of Matt Hilton’s latest thriller, NO GOING BACK, more than once. Why? To avoid nightmares, that’s why. To become as reasonably sure as I could be that Hilton’s latest villain, Samuel Logan, has been incapacitated. I think he is, but one can never be sure with a Hilton bad guy. The best-named bad guy in literary history—and yes, I’m aware of a guy named Hannibal Lector—is, hands-down, Tubal Cain. That sucker just kept coming back and coming back… Logan is a worthy heir. For one thing, you can shoot him a bunch of times and the guy doesn’t even feel it. Just keeps on coming after you. How are you going to go to sleep knowing he’s out there somewhere? I’ll tell you what—I love reading Lee Childs’ thrillers, but for the life of me I have a hard time remembering who Jack Reacher went up against. With Joe Hunter, I know all of ‘em, up close and personal to where I can describe their breath. Hot and nasty, just like they all are.. Dantalion, Luke Rickard and Tubal Cain—just aren’t folks you forget when you put the book down. Samuel Logan extends Hilton’s legacy once again. This is just a superb thriller It's the poster child for thrillers. I lost a lot of sleep as I couldn’t lay my head down until I finished it. Wondering if Samuel Logan is perhaps still out there will most likely cost me some more uneasy nights.

That's it, but...

I cannot recommend this book enough! Get it and you'll thank me. Then, if you haven't already, pick up his other Joe Hunter books. Check out the villains--they're brilliant.

Blue skies,
Les