Writers' Kit FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Getting an agent/ publisher Q How do I find an agent? A Agents are specialists in the area of publishing, as accountants are in finance. While they are not quite St Peter at the gate of the book world – your only route to a deal – a number of the larger publishers no longer accept unsolicited submissions from unrepresented authors. As a general rule, if you want to be published in the mainstream you must find an agent. • Begin with the listings in the 2005 editions of The Writers’ And Artists’ Yearbook (A&C Black) or The Writer’s Handbook (Macmillan). Alternatively, read the ‘Acknowledgments’ page at the front of a book that resembles your own, where authors often thank their agents, or call the publicity department of the publisher for a contact. • Shortlist agents whose interests match your work. Consider also the size of the company – ‘big’ ones may have a hefty reputation, but as a new author you’ll be at the bottom of their pile. You may be better off approaching a new or a junior agent, who has fewer clients. • Visit agents’ websites to see their track record and check credentials. If taken on, you usually shouldn’t have to pay for editorial advice. Don’t use a submission as a way of getting feedback: only send finished work that you are happy with. • Find out whether the agent is taking on new clients, and find out exactly who to send your work to. Send a cover letter, synopsis and three sample chapters (see below, on how to approach an agent). If they like what they see, they’ll ask for the full manuscript. • You may have to try at least 10 agents before you find one prepared to represent you. But don’t necessarily opt for the first one that shows enthusiasm: this is the start of a long-term relationship. Q How should I approach an agent? A If you are submitting a substantial manuscript (novel, play script, poetry collection), an informative and compelling cover letter plus synopsis can ensure your work will get a proper reading. Include a one-page CV, and always enclose a SAE for return of the manuscript. It’s usual to send around three chapters, or 10,000 words. • The motto is, keep it brief, but pack a lot in. The cover letter should not exceed a page; three at the most for the synopsis. Be as simple and direct as possible, and avoid abstractions. • The cover letter should be professional, informative and intriguing, State clearly and pithily what your book is about (100 words). Provide details of title, genre and the tone of the writing – but avoid cheesy blurb. Explain what the book’s intended audience is, and how it will appeal to the reader. • Go on to describe yourself and your writing experience briefly, explaining why you are uniquely qualified to write a particular book. Only include things of interest – you don’t want to sound like yet another arts graduate. Provide professional credentials (journalism, creative writing courses) and publishing record. End by stating why you have chosen this agent (you’ll need to find out about them and who they represent). • The synopsis should clearly and simply outline the plot and narrative direction of the novel, to accompany the three chapters you’ve sent. The shorter the better; 2,000 words upper limit. • Don’t say your book is humourous or moving. Don’t try to be funny. Don’t say, ‘This is my third novel: the other two weren’t published’. And don’t mention rights – these are for discussion after your work has been accepted. Q How do I get my poetry published A Poets looking to get published usually approach publishers direct. Agents very rarely take on poets because there isn’t enough money in poetry to make it worth their while. And no poet lives on poetry alone – it’s simply not a profitable enterprise. • Before seeking publication, be certain that you are ready. Don’t just take the word of family and friends; go to a group and attend workshops to get critical appraisal. Find a platform to read work, so you can hear your poems and get direct feedback from an audience. • Get known. Submit to magazines and enter reputable poetry competitions, building up a publication record to show prospective publishers. Ideally, aim for publications where your work will be read widely. It is vital to research the magazines to which you wish to submit. Buy a few issues to get a feel for what sort of work they publish – it’s pointless sending nature haiku to a magazine specialising in contemporary urban verse. Profiles and content of magazines may be viewed at www.poetrymagazines.org.uk • After you have had a number of poems accepted in magazines, send a selection of work to poetry publishers, following the guidelines for approaching an agent. There are only a handful of larger imprints in the UK – Bloodaxe, Carcanet, Arc, Anvil, Enitharmon and Seren among the independents, while Picador, Faber, Cape, Chatto and Penguin publish poetry in the mainstream. When starting out, there are a variety of smaller presses that publish pamphlets or small collections; the Poetry Book Society makes a selection of imprints on its website. When choosing one, do your research. What is their reputation? How visible are the books they publish? Whoever you are aiming at, always read what they publish and get to know what the editor likes. Q How do I go about getting work broadcast? A When starting out, your priority is to tune in, to hear how other writers exploit the possibilities of the medium. • Become aware of transmission slots – each has its own style and length and it’s pointless sending work blind. The Friday Play on Radio 4, for instance, broadcasts original new writing, some from new writers. The Afternoon Reading, weekdays, broadcasts short stories with an emphasis on narrative. BBC Writers’ Room, www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom, was set up to encourage new talent, and this is a good place to start finding out about broadcast possibilities, as well as how best to present and submit work. • In the first instance, new scripts are assessed by readers. Shortlisted ones are then offered to radio producers (from BBC Radio Drama departments, or independent production companies). If a producer likes the script s/he will develop it into a proposal, which is then pitched to the Commissioning Editor. If you’ve got this far (but not before), it might be prudent to find yourself an agent. • As with publishing, it’s hard for unknown writers to break through. Your first objective is to get noticed. For this reason, the first three pages of the script you are sending must grab the attention of the script reader and force them to read on. Draft plays benefit from being workshopped, i.e. read aloud and discussed. Or record it and listen for yourself, a red pen to hand. • Get to know different producers’ work. When you hear the kind of play you’d like to write, check the Radio Times for the producer’s name. Short-circuit the submission process by getting their room number and tracking them down (phone your regional office, see Writers’ Room website). Further FAQs: > Submissions & competitions > Writing groups and teaching > Setting up in business Nuts & Bolts: > What's it all about? > Words, words, words
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