Good morning and welcome to a special edition of Anatomy of the Male Mind! We’re veering from man-speak to hear what author Karin Harlow (and her agent!) has to say about literary agents.
Read on for Harlow’s Guide to Literary Agents. 
All Agents Are Not Created Equal
Neither are all doctors, lawyers or Joe the Plummers. In every profession, there are the slugs, the duds, the hot shots and the go-to people. In every profession, there are lazies, liars, cheats and those who are just kind of dozing happily in the sunshine, not a care in the world. Then there are those who are honest, knowledgeable, hungry and Johnny-on-the-spot. Literary agents are no different.
Just because I love my agent, does not mean you will. And while the agent author relationship is one based on business and we must always remember that for the match to work, I believe there has to be simpatico.
I cannot urge you enough not to enter into a publishing contract without the expertise of an agent. Publishers will ask for everything, they are, after all, in business. There are so many clauses, and the language can be ambiguous to one who isn’t versed in legalese. Just because it’s written in a contract does not mean it cannot be negotiated down or out. And you have the right to negotiate. This is YOUR career. Do not give it away. And please, don’t ask your real estate agent or your friend who is an attorney to look over your contract and give their seal of approval. At the very least, if you cannot find an agent you’re comfortable with, please do yourself a huge favor and call literary agent and contract attorney Elaine English. For something like 300-400 bucks, she will review the contract and she will advise.
All agents are not created equal. Some will lay down and roll over, some will fight tooth an nail. Some will get you some things but not all things. Not that the best agent in the world can get you everything, there are deal breakers. Some agents are wimpy and will encourage their authors to speak on their own behalf to their editor about things not pertaining to the actual story. I have a problem with this. While I won’t tell you her exact verbiage, when I signed with my agent, she boiled it right down to, “You be the artist and worry about the book, let me be the beotch and I’ll deal with everything else.” And so it is.
There are small boutique agencies and there are the big high-profile agencies. There are the agencies that are just a one man or one woman show. There are pros and cons for each.
I personally like a big agency behind me. My agency has agents who a handle all sub rights. These include but are not limited to foreign, audio, Hollywood, etc. They have a legal department and a marketing department. The agent’s assistants are not agent wannabes, they are employed solely to assist the agents.
I think going with a junior agent at a prominent agency is not a bad thing. I think going with an established agent with a good track record who branches out on their own is a good thing. I think someone who has limited experience and decides to throw up a shingle is not a good thing. Buyer beware. Listen to your gut. It’s never wrong
Many agents bundle submit. This is where they package a bunch of work and send it off to an editor. And it usually sits. There are such things as agent slush piles. Frankly, I don’t care to be grouped with a bunch of other authors in a package and sit. I want my agent to have the clout to make a phone call that will be taken, chat me up, then follow up the conversation with the work for a quick read. But not all agencies are created equal. Not all agents have the ears of the editors.
This is why it is imperative to do your homework before you query. I had an author ask me the other day how I liked my agent because she had offered representation. Not the time to be asking questions. Ask your questions before you submit! Why blindly cast your net out there? What happens if you get an eel, are you going to take the eel up on their offer for representation because they offered? Or are you going to toss that sucker back into the water and keep fishing for what you came for?
There is one hard and fast rule that I should have mentioned first and foremost: Money flows from the publisher through the agent to the author (and, yes, split accounting is not uncommon, but some agents get offended if you ask for it. IMHO that’s their problem. The publisher would rather not, more bookkeeping for them, but they do it, providing it’s all set up at contract time. Not after.). Money does not flow from the author to the agent. Never pay your agent for editing, reading, book doctoring. If an agent refers you to the aforementioned (book doctor or pay to edit) hang up the phone, and get an unlisted number! With the exception of your agent’s industry standard of 15% domestic sales and 20% foreign, there should be no exchange of money from you to them. Some agencies charge authors for postage and misc office expenses. I have a problem with that too. To me that is their cost of doing business that should come out of the 15% you pay them, not your cost of business on top of their agency fee. However, many would beg to differ. If this is the case with an agent you have queried and done your homework on and whom you really want to represent you, fine, set an annual amount, in writing, which should not exceed a couple of hundred bucks, and have the agent reimburse you when she sells your ms. Many would beg to differ there as well. I’m just putting it out. For the record, most literary agents do not charge a dime for doing their job until there is a sale at which time they take the appropriate %.
I personally would not agree to more than a 30-day termination with my agent. Anything longer is preventing you from hooking up with the agent you are replacing the old one with. And be professional. Send a registered letter at the very least. Don’t be surprised if your soon-to-be-ex agent blows up on you. They are human after all, and I have seen some so-called professionals act very unprofessional. That said, if there is trouble brewing, or concerns looming, and if there is a fixable issue with your agent, communicate your concerns, give him or her the chance to explain/defend and make better. Don’t be rash. But, sometimes, just like in life, relationships can and do run their course and its time to move on. Be professional. Always.
So, I asked my agent the other day about two houses that I had heard were not accepting paranormal submissions. Her response paraphrased: “I haven’t heard that House A and B aren’t looking for paranormal, but I haven’t gone out with a new paranormal in a while. I know several agents who have recently sold para’s and I know House A bid on a few of them.” We both agreed that we thought perhaps people were being told this when the house/s aren’t interested in an actual project. My agent followed up with: “If they read a para and it blew their socks off, they are going to buy it or try and buy it, believe me…” I believe her. She went on to say, “Overall, I think publishers are being uber-selective about anything they buy in any genre…I think houses are open to buy anything, any genre as long as it stands out as fabulous.
“Publishers are looking for contemporary stories with romantic themes but also family themes –like a series where each book takes place in a particular community or town or something.” But my agent has good luck selling all genres lately. She has done contemporary deals, historical deals, romantic suspense deals, paranormal deals, erotic deals and women’s fiction deals in the past six months. My agent is happy.
What has she had difficulty selling? “’chick-lit-y’ books” – even if she loves them, she feels like she has trouble selling them.
I asked her what her biggest pet peeve was: (lol and this is a conversation we have had many many Many times!) “My biggest agent pet peeve is that authors choose to believe as fact, things they hear from other authors or from blogs, etc…and often walking away thinking they are somehow getting screwed because they aren’t getting ‘x, y or z’ which they heard someone else is getting… You can’t know someone’s situation unless you are actually in it. There are two sides to every story. Take everything you hear on blogs, etc with a grain of salt. Writers also need to remember this business is not personal, it’s business. It’s about numbers. One author isn’t going to get more than another author just because the publisher or editor ‘likes’ them more than another author.”
What should an author expect from her agent? “Authors need to find an agent they trust and work together with them to grow/build their careers. Just because an author has past experience in business (not in publishing) does not make them an expert in business. Agents are a great resource if they are good, authors need to use that… that doesn’t mean an agent is always right, but working together as members of the same team is going to work a whole lot better than alienating people…. And even if an author is upset, it’s nice to try and still treat people with respect… it’s really upsetting to work really hard on an author’s behalf and get treated without the most basic forms of common courtesy… THAT’S BAD BUSINESS believe me!”
And so there you have it! Or most of it anyway. There is a lot I didn’t include today for the sake of not boring you all to tears, but feel free to ask me questions, and if I can’t answer, I’ll ask my trusty agent!
Harlow
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Thanks, Harlow!!
RU Readers, here’s your chance to ask questions about agents from a lady who will give it to you straight. What do you find the most daunting about the agent hunt?
Join CJ Lyons on Friday where she’ll discuss the elements of an effective pitch during our Pitch-O-Rama! CJ will help commenters refine their pitches just in time for Nationals.
Harlow’s Bio:
A full time writer, Karin spins dark tales of suspense, love and things that go bump in the night. Drawing from her life as a cop’s wife, her stories resonate with authority and reality. When Karin isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling the California coast line with her husband and one or more of her four children or getting together in far off places with her writing buddies.
You can find Karin at www.KarinHarlow.com, www.facebook.com/KarinHarlow, www.Twitter.com/KarinHarlow, or contact her her http://karinharlow.com/contact_karin.php .
Kelsey's serving up bite-sized morsels for your noggin on her new 
Harlow,
Thanks for the great post! You know I love your no-nonsense approach.
In your opinion, what are the best resources writers can use to research agents. Did you find authors were reticent to talk about their agents to strangers? I always felt as though I was intruding in on a private matter. Plus I never knew if I was getting the “real” story if I didn’t have a strong relationship with the author.
Thanks!
Tracey
Posted by TraceyDevlyn | June 2, 2010, 5:21 amGood morning, Tracey! Feels good to be back here at RU! In answer to your first question, I think the best resource is word of mouth. Right along side that is go to your favorite author sites and see who reps them. Email an author and ask questions. I’d say go to conferences and meet agents but, well…some of those agents I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole. To start the process there’s a site queryyagent.org or .com that gives you a beginning place. See who is repping what you write, go to the agency site and take a look.
Check Predictor and editors. Check Publishers Marketplace and see who’s making regular deals. Make sure the agent you are interested in has actually made a deal! Another good resource is ask an uninvolved editor (as in your project) who is good out there. You’d be surprised how candid they can be.
Many authors are reticent about discussing their agent. Some because they feel possessive, and are selfish, some because they aren’t happy and don’t want to knock their agent, and admit they are with an agent they aren’t happy with, and yet there are others who will happily chirp away. An author can tell you her relationship with her agent is great and it be true but five other people will tell you the opposite.
Clear as mud, yes?
Posted by Harlow | June 2, 2010, 10:54 amTerrific post! A lot of information. You and your agent sound like you’re a great match.
Posted by Edie | June 2, 2010, 8:41 amThanks, Edie!
Posted by Harlow | June 2, 2010, 10:56 amMorning Harlow!
Great to have you back!
How did you find your agent? And how to you know if an agent bundle submits? Can you just ask them?
Thanks for the great post, tons of info in there!
carrie
Posted by Carrie Spencer | June 2, 2010, 8:43 amCarrie it’s nice to be back! I found my agent after I had a sale in hand. (and while that certainly got her attention she was very clear with me before she read the material that she would only take me on if she loved my work. She wasn’t the type to take an author on for just a sale.) It didn’t hurt that she repped a friend of mine who sent a little ambassador of good will ahead of my email.
You can ask an agent anything! If you do flat out ask them if they bundle submit and they hesitate then explain why they do, then you have a choice to make.
Posted by Harlow | June 2, 2010, 11:01 amHi, Harlow -
Welcome back to RU! I’m just reading between the lines, but it sounds like you might have had a less than stellar author/agent relationship in the past.
I think many unpubbed writers really don’t know what they want in an agent, because they don’t know what to expect once they hit that level in their careers. Can you offer any questions that writers should ask themselves that might help them pinpoint the type of agent they want to work with?
I have a list of “A” and “B” agents, and I’m wondering what your opinion is on that concept. If someone is already on my “B” list, does it make good business sense to query him/her?
Many thanks!
Kelsey
Posted by KelseyBrowning | June 2, 2010, 8:46 amIt’s good to be back, Kelsey.
You are a very observant lady! I personally have not had a less than a stellar agent relationship, my agent is my one and only, but, I have seen agents on opposite sides of the spectrum behave very badly. Crigeworthy badly. It angers me. A lot.
I think it’ imperative that unpubbed writers join originations like RWA, and attend local chapter meetings. They are a huge resource, and it is there that you can, as Hilary Sares used to say ‘rub whiskers’. People are much more candid in person then in emails. Local chapters bring in agents to draw members out of their caves. You can tell a lot about an agent in how they answer questions and behave around writers. Some are as exciting as a paper bag, so *not* dynamic, do you think they are going to suddenly morph into super agent when they have an editor on the line? Or is the agent who is precise, and experienced and who does not hesitate to answer any question and whose answers make sense, the gunslinger you want?
Finding a good agent is hard work!
In answer to your A and B list, I have a question for you: why would you settle for a B?
I can answer this on behalf of writers I know who have done this: One they can’t land their dream agent so they settle, and consider the B agent a ‘starter’ agent. Two: it gets them in the door. The B agent is a B agent for a reason. Here’s another thing you want to steer clear of, agents who rep a bunch of the same genre authors as you. I know of one agent who reps almost exclusively one sub genre. Why compete with her other authors?
Posted by Harlow | June 2, 2010, 11:16 amHarlow -
Somehow, I knew you were going to ask me that
. One of my goals during 2010 is to carefully go back through both lists and make a shorter list. I’m with Adrienne – that doesn’t mean I won’t still add/delete, but I’m going to have a much more refined list when I query again.
You do bring up a good point, though. Should a writer query an agent who already reps someone in your sub-genre? I don’t see how you could avoid that totally. But I see it two ways–perhaps the agent who already reps someone may LOVE that sub-genre and wants more authors. Then if you query someone without your sub-genre thinking you could fill the “hole” in the agent’s client list, s/hemay not rep that sub-genre because s/he may hate it. Don’t know if this makes complete sense, but I’ve queried both ways–”I see you rep others like me” and “I see you don’t rep anyone like me.”
Thanks, Harlow!
K-
Posted by KelseyBrowning | June 2, 2010, 4:47 pmWelcome back, Harlow! I loved this post. It’s going right into the agent info file.
Like Kelsey, I have an “A” and “B” list. The entire list is about 15-20 agents. It took me a lot of time to research those agents so I tend to only query them, which yes, does limit me to just those agents, but I’m comfortable with the quality of work those agents provide their clients. That’s not to say I don’t add to the list, but when I do, I do it after careful research.
I’m curious if you had a “process” you used in finding your agent.
Thanks!
Posted by Adrienne Giordano | June 2, 2010, 9:23 amThanks, Adrienne!
Way back in the olden times when I began querying agents, I queried every agent listed on the RWA site. Even the not so good ones were smart enough to know that my work was not even close to going out. Despite that, I had several requests for partials and even fulls off those partials, which when I look back should have been a huge red flag because the writing was deplorable. Suffice it to say, I didn’t do my homework then. At all. I lived and learned, honed my craft started actually attending local RWA meetings, went to local conferences and ‘rubbed whiskers’ I listened and I observed. My huge list boiled down to just a few agents I wanted to work with, my agent I have now was at the top of that list.
When I went out with my query to my top three and only three agents, explaining that I had a sale in hand but was looking for long term representation, they all responded immediately. Here’s the kicker. One of those ‘dream’ agents I have since learned is extremely unprofessional. So glad I did not go with her. But, she has long standing clients who love her, so go figure.
Posted by Harlow | June 2, 2010, 11:38 amWow! This is a really informative post – thank you H! What do you do if you can’t get one of the agents you’d really like to represent you – or maybe I should say, how hard is it to get a good agent if you’re an unpublished author?
Posted by Bonnie H | June 2, 2010, 10:37 amHi, Bonnie!
What if you can’t land your dream agent? There’s a reason, could be several. If it’s because the work isn’t up to her standards (which is usually the case if she reps what you write), write harder and smarter. If it’s because your work is primo but just not her cuppa, cut bait and swim to friendlier waters.
In today’s rough waters it’s really hard to get an agent, but no harder than before if you have a fresh well written story. in that case, as before, they will fight over you!
Posted by Harlow | June 2, 2010, 11:42 amWhat a great post – and such an inside glimpse into your strong relationship with your agent, which I love. Especially since we share the same agent.
Kim became my agent about a month ago and I’m so excited. All of your advice is spot on. It’s tough – and so easy to get caught up in the feeling of “I’ll take an agent, any agent! Just offer!”. I felt that way more than once during my agent quest.
It’s important to find one who is the right fit and a believer in your work and your career. Don’t settle! Go with your gut – if it’s screaming in protest or urging you to go for it, there’s definitely a reason.
Posted by Karen Erickson | June 2, 2010, 12:29 pmKaren you have great taste in agents! And the gut/instinct we women possess is there for a reason. We need to listen to it
Posted by Harlow | June 2, 2010, 1:31 pmInteresting post!
I will add that the legal field is as specialized as anything else, and even though attorneys (I used to be one) understand contract law, the terms in a publishing contract are very speciaized, and specific to that industry.
So an attorney that took a semester of contracts in law school probably isn’t going to understand the significance of some of these industry-specific issues.
Posted by Donna Cummings | June 2, 2010, 12:37 pmDonna, I agree 100%, hence my recommendation of Elaine English who is a contract attorney as well as a literary agent. If you do not have an agent, it will be the best few hundred bucks an author will ever spend.
Posted by Harlow | June 2, 2010, 1:40 pmHey Harlow! Thanks for the great post…it’s so great when published authors offer their suggestions, thoughts and experiences! I don’t have any questions to add – I did, at one point, but then Carrie and Kelsey asked them! – so this is just a quick ‘thank you’ post to ya.
Posted by Kristina Knight | June 2, 2010, 12:37 pmHey, Kristi! You’re welcome! I’m always happy to help out!
Posted by Harlow | June 2, 2010, 1:45 pmHralow, my love…..
Do you EVER, under ANY circumstances, recommend self-publishing? I don’t mean to just put bad writing out there (because I’ve seen ENOUGH bad writing and I simply do NOT need my retinas scarred further) – Im referring to a good story that’s well written, simply not something that fits the mold of what’s likely to ‘sell’ in the current market. A story an author (or would-be author) just plain wants to share. I know it’s strictly business for agents and publishers, but is there a place, anywhere, for that labor of love that might not be a money maker, but that might really deserve to be in print? Yeah, you know who I am. Go ahead, hit me with your best shot. I can take it.
Posted by Jody | June 2, 2010, 2:09 pmOh Geez, and pardon my stupid typo right in the first word!!!!!
Posted by Jody | June 2, 2010, 2:09 pmHey, Jodi! I think self-publishing most definitely has its place. Especially in today’s digital world. I have a good friend right now who is going through the process and she’s very excited. People self-pub for a lot of different reasons, and if one of them is to make money, you just need to understand there is a tremendous amount of promotion that goes into selling even one copy. Especially if you are debuting this way. It’s good to have a platform and a readership (i.e. free reads on your site) to get the ball rolling.
Posted by Harlow | June 3, 2010, 12:49 amI am aware of the Herculean task of self-promotion – it cannot be stressed enough that the promotion can be a full-time job on its own! Just following your ‘blog tour’ is evidence of the kind of work that any author or artist has to put in, whether they are represented by an agent or are wearing all the hats themselves. A ‘free read’ area (I have a humorous blog right now that serves that purpose) is a great suggestion. I have had an online store (for my artwork) for several years and promotion is an ongoing task to keep the sales rolling in. As for self-publishing; Making money would be a nice side effect, but at this point I wouldn’t mind breaking even. Thanks for your continued good advice.
Posted by Jody | June 3, 2010, 1:00 amHey Karin, thanks for telling it like it is, as always! And thanks for being my own ambassador of good will not so very long ago! I think something really important to keep in mind is that an agent who is great for YOU may not be the greatest agent for someone else, or be the right agent for the entirety of your career. Now, I hope to stay with our agent forever, because I’ve had nothing but a positive relationship from the get go, but I have friends who have fired agents who are considered the very best in the business because it was no longer a good fit and they weren’t getting the kind of support they needed.
Posted by Jami Alden | June 2, 2010, 3:33 pmHey, Jami!!! Thank you for popping in! You are 100% correct. A great agent for me and you may not be for someone else. I remember seeing a little plaque on a wall at a hair salon that said: I’m a beautician not a magician.
I think sometimes authors expect agents to pull rabbits out of their hats. Before anyone signs with an agent there should be the “So, what’s your job and what’s mine?” convo and go from there.
I have a good friend right now going through a very tumultuous time with her fourth agent. A very good agent. But my friend knows that she wants and will not settle for less.
Posted by Harlow | June 3, 2010, 12:57 amThis is very sound advice, and it sounds like you have a wonderful agent.
I think sometimes writers are so eager to find an agent, thinking of it too simply as “the next step” and nothing more, that they jump at the first person who shows any interest. I understand how it could be tempting to do so, but it can hurt a writers career. Better to wait until you find the agent that’s right for you.
Posted by Becca | June 2, 2010, 3:41 pmBecca, you are 100% correct too! There was a time I would have done the same thing. So glad I didn’t. One thing I have learned to be in this crazy business is patient. That isn’t saying I like it. It’s hard, but timing is everything. And the gut thing. Can’t say enough about listening to your gut.
Posted by Harlow | June 3, 2010, 12:59 am