the craft. your agent is your ally

I’d written this topic down to explore but some discourse on Twitter made me realize it was the appropriate time to do so. Author of “The Secret Life of Church Ladies” Deesha Philyaw talked about how writers should definitely compare their experiences with agents in response to another tweet because well, you know how the app works. But I totally agree and want to talk a bit about the agent experience as a whole this week.

The honest truth is that when we don’t talk about things like agent experience, advances, publishing experience, that’s how we remain in the dark and have no idea how to advocate for ourselves. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t grow up with other people that published books and so embarking on this endeavor has been a lonely one. I could only rely on the things that I looked up online or read and the valued experience of those who had done it before.

This starts with being intentional about building your network. I know sometimes that feels like a dirty word, but you have got to do it. You have to find organic ways to connect with folks that have been there before. So, that may be engaging in conversations via something like Twitter online. Or in my own personal experience, I started by going to Eric Smith’s Publishing Brain Picks in Philly. I followed Eric for a while on social media and when he mentioned doing something in person, well, I was probably one of the first people to sign up. It gave me the opportunity to get facetime with Eric and to build on our online relationship.

Another area of intent for me was attending Tiffany D. Jackson’s book stop in Philly for “Let Me Hear a Rhyme.” I was already a fan after reading “Monday’s Not Coming.” And we did have a mutual connection before then. Tiffany worked with my husband on a TV show. And she also attended a writing workshop I hosted in New York. Those were points of connection, but we didn’t actually know each other yet. Re-establishing myself with her at her tour stop proved helpful in solidifying more of a relationship.

Now, this is a long-winded way of getting around to this. When I had a great agent call and had to decide if I should give another agent more time to read my full or go with the agent who was ready to sign on the dotted line. The first person I asked? Eric! Of course. I checked in with him as both an agent and an author to ask about the interested agent and the literary agency. Although he didn’t know my agent personally, he knew the agency and was able to give a thumbs up that it was a reputable place. And he gave me advice on signing with a new agent because that felt scary to me. But he essentially told me to go with the agent that was most excited about my book because that’s going to matter in the trenches. And that I could grow with my agent which can be powerful versus being at the bottom of the totem pole with a bigger name agent. Now, that advice won’t be the same for everyone, I wish you the top and most brilliant agent. But in my scenario, that's what I felt was best.

When I had a contract sitting in front of me from my publisher, I was able to ask Tiffany if she would talk to me about her experience. She is a freaking NYT Bestselling Author now! But she still took the time to have a conversation with me about her own experience and how to navigate the advance they were giving me. But it helped to have some form of comparison when this was the most money I’d made to write anything. But you can’t just be happy to be here. You have to know your value while also keeping in mind what’s realistic for a debut author that no one really knows. And don’t get me started on the fight as Black and POC authors to be paid their worth.

My point here is that you should definitely ASK! Compare! Of course, do so with people that you have built with. It is very weird to ask a stranger about their own experience. So don’t be a weirdo. Which is one of my life’s mottos. lol. But focus on connecting within your community so you have people to ask. And of course, I’m always here to share because that’s what I do. I like to create the things I hope to see, and networks where Black and POC writers can support one another is very high on that list for me. I want to see you succeed in all your writing endeavors.

It’s important to realize that your agent really is your ally. They are going to be in the trenches with you to get this book done. To sell the book to other people. To advocate on behalf of your book for other opportunities like audio, film rights, and other projects. That relationship is too important to jump into blindly.

There have been times in this process where I was confused about who to go to about questions I was having. My book went from hardcover to paperback. My galley date got pushed back. All these things can happen and what I realized is that my agent is my first line of defense. Our discussions are what matter. And as coveted as it is to find an agent, you can’t forget that they are working on your behalf, not the other way around. There is a delicate balance that you have to have in this publishing process. It’s knowing when to push and knowing when to accept that your team may have more knowledge than you in specific areas.

The paperback example is great. I was devastated. I felt like lesser books were given hard covers (that’s just my honest truth) and all I ever wanted was that damn jacket on my book since I dreamed about publishing as a little girl. So, if I wanted to fight for hardcover, my agent would have needed to be right there in step with me. BUT, after our conversation about it, I realized that my genre simply made more sense in trade paperbacks. Hell, I didn’t even know what that meant at first. But she helped me understand it wasn’t going to be some crappy paperback. It was still going to be a beautiful book that just made more sense in my genre and with booksellers. That was a decision that would put my book in the best position to win. There were a lot of other instances, but this is already a long post.

As Philyaw also mentioned in her tweets, it can be so hard as writers when we get that first taste of interest in our work. We spend so much time hearing no, the first yes can seem like a first breath after suffocating. But I just want to encourage you to still be thoughtful. To realize that if one agent liked it, another might as well. And to know that if you do sign with someone and you’re not getting what you need, that you always have the right to make another decision. It is not personal. But this is your career and you have to have a supportive and competent team around you to get the result you desire.

Writing/Job Opportunities

Tajja Insen is commissioning essays for Catapult. Read her pitch guide here: Tajja Insen Pitch Guide.

The Rumpus is open for essay submissions until Feb. 28th

Kimbilio for Black Fiction is accepting submissions for their summer retreat in New Mexico.

Jennifer Jackson of Donald Maass Literary Agency is open to queries to BIPOC writers only until March 15th. (Please read submission guidelines carefully. They vary with each agency and agent.)

Black Femme Collection is open to submissions until Feb. 13 for their Spring Issue. ($150-$300 rates)

FastCo Design is accepting freelance pitches on reported pieces on branding, product design, accessibility, and fashion/retail. $300 rate. Aimee Rawlins, arawlins@fastcompany.com.

The Lenfest Institute is hiring a Program Director, National Programs. (Salary $120-150K depending on experience.)

BenBella Books is hiring a Production Assistant. Entry Level. (Salary 40k)

The Upshot is hiring an Editor.

USA Today is hiring an Audience Editor.

The Washington Post is hiring an Amazon Reporter.