To Agent, or Not to Agent. That Is the Question
By Densie Webb | June 13, 2023 |
Most aspiring authors and even those among us who have been there, done that, are desirous of the literary Golden Ticket—an agent, preferably a dream agent who ticks off all the things on your ultimate literary wish list. Like Charlie of Chocolate Factory fame when he opened a candy bar to find that shiny gold ticket, countless writers are waiting, wishing, hoping, and crossing fingers and toes to open the email that will allow entry into that exclusive club—the upper echelon of the literary world with an agent by their side to usher them in.
I’m just not one of them.
First a bit of backstory. I’ve had agents, plural. I had one for a few years doing little calorie-counting books with one of the Big 5. But I love telling the story of my second agent just to gauge other writers’ reactions. It was about 16 years ago. My background is in health and nutrition and my day job has been writing about those topics for pretty much my whole career. Another writer in the same field and I got together and wrote a book about nutrition. She had a certain amount of name recognition and we easily got a well-known and respected New York agent, had several in-person meetings with acquisition editors at major publishing houses, there was an auction that ended with a 6-figure advance from one of the Big 5, which even after the agent’s fee and splitting it 50/50 with my co-author, was still 6 figures.
Yeah, I know, right?
My, how times have changed. That would never happen today, of course. Especially with a fiction manuscript from an unknown author. But my point is that I have “been there, done that,” so I know what agent success looks and feels like.
Yes, I’ve queried my fiction. I had my eye on a few agents, who I was certain that if they would take me on, it would spell success. Not the financial windfall of my nonfiction book, but some modicum of success. It was not fun. Any writer who has ever queried knows the obsessive nature of scouring over QueryTracker, keeping Excel sheets of potential agents, checking emails just one more time in case the email arrived in the 5 minutes since you last checked, and the heartbreak of getting form letters churned out to let you know that they “just didn’t connect with the story the way I would have hoped.”
I had no takers, so I queried small publishers.
Jump to present day. My novel, “When Robins Appear,” was published with Red Adept Publishing in 2020 and with more than 1,600 ratings on Amazon, I’m happy as a “pig in mud,” as my southern mother used to say. That’s not to boast, or compare myself to authors getting far fewer or far more, but to show that attracting readers is possible even with a small publisher. Red Adept has accepted a second manuscript for publication, a new book which will be released this coming August. I’m working on novel #3, which I plan to submit to them as well. I have zero desire to subject myself to the slings and arrows of the querying process again. Of course, every writer’s goals, as well as every small publisher’s approach will vary, and I haven’t even touched on self-publishing or hybrid publishing—I don’t have experience with either, so I can’t speak to those options. I’ve thought a lot about why getting an agent isn’t for me and why it might not be for you, and I’ve come up with a few ideas.
- Rejection is too hard. Not that small publishers don’t reject manuscripts, they do of course, but the acceptance rate is higher than the winning-the-lottery level of getting agented and then hoping against hope that your agent will successfully submit to one of the Big 5 publishers. Sometimes your agent will be submitting to the same small publishers that you could have submitted yourself. Most small publishers don’t pay advances, but your agent will still get 15% of your royalties.
- The royalty rate is often much higher with a small publisher than with one of the Big 5, and while you will, of course, have to share your sales with the publisher, there is no additional split with an agent. More for you. A win-win.
- Because you’re submitting directly to the publisher, thereby skipping the agent portion of the process, the time frame from submission to publication is typically much shorter than with one of the major publishers. I’m a “woman of a certain age” and time’s a-wastin.”
- When a small publisher accepts your manuscript, you’re in. There’s no wondering if your agent is actually enthusiastic enough about your manuscript to keep pitching it to publishers. Or if he or she will be successful. We’ve all heard tales of writers getting agented and when nothing happens after a year or two, deciding to leave said agent, only to start the tortuous querying process all over again.
- You’re more likely to retain audiobook and film rights (if you should be so lucky) with a small publisher. The Big 5 want all your rights. I once signed a contract with a major magazine that demanded “all rights in the universe.” Not sure what they foresaw happening in the publishing world, but they weren’t about to share anything, other than my flat fee, with me, the writer.
- With a lot, if not most, small publishers all of your rights revert back to you after maybe 5-7 years, so you can self-publish or, if you’re not happy with the publisher, you can find another one that accepts previously published books. My co-author and I tried a few years ago to get our rights back. The answer was a big, fat “no.” Big publishers want it all, forever and a day.
For some writers, skipping the agent route and going with a small publisher feels less than—accepting defeat and settling for a lower spot in the publishing food chain. I understand. I just don’t feel that way. But that’s for every writer to decide for themselves.
HOWEVER, in the interest of full disclosure, I should say that I will, out of necessity, be submitting to agents for foreign rights. The foreign rights for my book belong to me, but querying foreign publishers is not something I’m familiar with or feel comfortable taking on.
How about you? Are you seeking an agent? Why, or why not? Have you considered the other options? Let’s discuss it in the comments.
Densie Webb has spent a long career as a freelance nonfiction writer and editor, specializing in health and nutrition and has published several books and tons of articles on the topic over the years. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and Red Adept Publishing released her debut women’s fiction novel titled, “When Robins Appear” in 2020. It is available in ebook, audiobook, and paperback formats. Her second novel, best categorized as romantic/domestic suspense, “Breathing in Reverse” was published in 2023, also with Red Adept Publishing. She is currently working (but not fast enough) on novel #3. She grew up in Louisiana, spent 13 years in New York, and settled in Austin, TX, where it’s summer nine months of the year. She’s an avid walker (not of the dead variety, though she loves anything to do with zombies, vampires, or post-apocalyptic worlds), drinks way too much coffee, and has a small “devil dog” that keep her on her toes. And she is thrilled to be a part of the Writer Unboxed family!
A very thought-provoking article. My fabulous agent retired and after taking a stab a being an agent (what a lot of time it takes) I submitted to a small publisher and my latest book was accepted.
Congratulations! I wish you great exposure and wonderful sales!
Hello Densie, and congrats on publishing your first novel. Like you, I’ve had agents, and my first novel was sold by one. Not because my thriller was a work of genius, but because the agent was high profile–he sold The Dating Service in a week. But later came other agents, and the story darkens.
Perhaps the explanation for what’s missing in your post is your successful career as a non-fiction writer, plus the early agented success you enjoyed with your co-author. What’s missing here is any mention of self-publishing.
Today, writers operate in an atmosphere dominated by marketing. That’s what you and others are doing here at Writer Unboxed: marketing yourselves and your new books by providing useful information.
This fact is true for everyone, but in exaggerated terms for fiction writers. Putative experts urge writers to establish a platform and following before a book is published. This being the case, if the novelist masters her craft, as well as the techniques of social media, and teaches herself, or teams up with someone who specializes in book advertising, there’s no need to share royalties with a gatekeeper agent, or with a publisher. You become your own agent and publisher.
No one questions the cache associated with agents and commercial publishers. It’s still very real. But for those who learn how the book biz works today, a viable alternative now exists.
You’re absolutely right. I did confess in the post that I know next to nothing about self-publishing. That’s why I didn’t even dip my toes in that pond in the post. But, yes, I know several authors who have had great success with self-publishing. Right now, I’m happy where I am. But never say never!
I stopped submitting to agents over a decade ago. Much of the pain you described is why the self publishing business has exploded for writers. I once had an agent send a form rejection letter TWO years after sending in my query. Many of the rejection letters I received from literary agents were full of grammatical error and typos, which told me they want perfection, but don’t expect it from them.
I applaud your success. It’s far and above the success of other struggling fiction writers who don’t live near New York. There are thousands of hopeful writers who have spent hard-earned money, traveling all over the country to conferences, classes, and book fairs to not only study their craft, but to rub shoulders with literary agents. I wore out two cars doing that. No more. I travel a much different path these days. I like to encourage writers to do it on their own. It’s a steep learning curve, but it can be done.
I’ve heard so many writers claim they don’t care about the money. But don’t fool yourself. As much as you have to write because it’s the “air you breathe” most writers want to get paid for their hard work. Splitting royalties with publishers, literary agents, and others might leave you with earnings of about a buck a book. Is that what you’re worth?
Frankly, my belief is that the industry needs an overhaul. Fancy, schmancy literary agents will one day be a thing of the past. I believe that’s a good idea.
I hear ya! It does feel like an overhaul in the publishing industry is long overdue, but I guess for right now we have to work with what is available and what we, as individual writers, feel like we can take on. Also, “a buck a book” might actually be good, after paying Amazon, literary agents, publishing, and marketing!
I think an overhaul is long overdue. I would hate to tally the amount of money I’ve spent on trying to find an agent only to get the form rejection “This doesn’t resonate with me as I thought it would.”I think a writer needs the hide of a rhino to be able to withstand the constant rejections.
I don’t see a change in the writer/agent/publisher dynamic coming anytime soon. But you never know! I’ve often said writers need to have the skill of an armadillo to curl up in a ball when things get bad. That’s coming from someone who lives in Austin…
My PhD in English brother, author of two published nonfiction books…always told me not to bother with NY agents. I didn’t listen. I tried. I had four big ones all at once interested…then, I lost all of them. I guess to my credit, I have not given up. With my rewrite completed, will I query agents again? Yes. I have two picked out, one in Chicago and one in California. But after reading Densie’s novel, communicating with her, I am leaning toward Red Adept. Will they take me on? I believe in my work…always have. But it is up to me to get my book out there. Thanks, Densie.
Elizabeth, any way you look at it, it’s hard. But good luck with submitting to Red Adept!!
Hi, Densie. This post is so helpful. I’ve had no luck with agents I’ve queried–not even an acknowledgment email. I’ve been a writer and editor for 40 years and I teach journalism at a local college, so it’s not that I’m some novice writer. I will keep trying, but it’s nice to know more about other viable paths to publication. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
I’m so glad you found it helpful. All I can do is share my experiences. It won’t reflect everyone’s, but I truly feel like we’re all in this together, and I love hearing other writers’ experiences!
Thanks for this post. A good reminder that small publisters/presses are a viable option and that people (like you!) are happy with the result.
Yes, I highly recommend giving it a shot. But there are so many. It’s important to fully vet a small publisher and/or get recommendations from current and past authors!
Densie, I have watched your path since we met in 2014 and was (and continue to be) delighted with your results. (Success is a loaded and relative term that I let authors choose when to use for themselves.)
All told over the years, I have spent many months engaged in the of work querying. I was “lucky” to find an agent for my first book in 2010 (through an editor–see below) and to her credit, she got it read in 3 of the Big Five. Some close calls with acceptance but none was a solid yes. She decided if there were not big bucks in the book, she didn’t want to approach a smaller publisher, of which many are still quite decent and strong. So I was back on my own.
One other route you didn’t touch on is the six-degrees-of-separation approach, meaning we all know people who know people and in six leaps can cover/reach the whole world. This, too, is a steep climb, yet the doors open as easily this way. Through my not being shy with contacts, that first novel ended up on the desk of the head of Macmillan. And he even read the rewrite two years later.
So if my writing and or story had been crafted for or set for mainstream, I could have come in through the front office rather than through an agent. I had a similar tour through Henry Holt’s principal editor two years ago, again close but no cigar.
As you may know I have instead taken the time to learn self-publishing and just released my third novel last month. NOT how I wanted to spend my time, but to reach readers we have to be willing to use the roads and paths that present themselves.
Good luck on your August release.
Wow, has it really been that many years? I did briefly (begin to) think about self-publishing, but it was a hill too steep for me to climb. More power to you for making it happen! And, you’re right. Close calls are the worst! I’d rather have a simple “no.”
Densie, it’s so great to hear of your experiences. Thank you. Congratulations on the second book with Red Adept!!! I’ve always worked with publishers directly so when I was approached by a new agent many years ago, I didn’t feel ready to make such a big commitment (it felt like marriage with books as the children, lol). Fast-forward a decade–I felt ready after finishing my first novel. But it was a frustrating process, and the ones that hurt the most were the “good” rejections. Years were going by and I already started late in life with everything (marriage, kids, writing) so I decided to publish the novel myself and as happy as that Southern “pig in mud” (love that expression) that readers have connected with my story. It is quite daunting, however, to wear all the hats, but I really did love all the aspects of bookmaking, so still not sure I want an agent, but I do like working with a team of professionals–whether small or large house, but it would also be very nice to have an advocate, to complement my strengths in other areas. I do enjoy having different options for publishing and will remain a hybrid author. I think children’s literature is a bit different than adult because there are many houses that don’t require an agent.
I’ve wondered myself if an agent reached out to me, if I’d even want to go that route. Maybe if a six-figure advance was guaranteed! :-) That’s wonderful that you made the self-publishing happen and are pleased with the results!
I always think it’s a worthwhile exercise to tell an audience of other writers about your path to publishing, because it’s not usually linear and it’s certainly not a bed of roses along the way. Even those with wildly successful first novels can find themselves dumped if the second doesn’t perform as expected. With my nonfiction books, I had the opposite experience, a publisher who enthusiastically took me on for the first book and two subsequent ones, without an agent. Not to revisit the pain of that association, but with my rights back I’m happily self-published now. It was a steep-ish learning curve to navigate KDP, book formatting, etc., but I’m extremely satisfied with the professional results of my trade paperback. Maybe I don’t have quite the distribution reach I had before with traditional publishing, but the sales that are ticking along every week. The “marketing” I do is my own consulting and teaching, and I accept invitations to speak at conferences when asked. It generates sales while I’m doing something I love. I’m sure I could do more, but I’m working on other books and ready to get them out too.
And thank you for sharing your experience! I think we all have something to learn from each and every one of our unique experiences in the writing and publishing path
Hi Denise, Thanks for this. I don’t have an agent either, and I’m not looking for one. I’m happy with the independent publisher that published my second novel for all the reasons you mentioned above, and because I had a lot of creative input about the cover design. They also made me a ton of marketing materials, which most of the authors I know who have published with large houses didn’t get. This is not even to mention that most of the writers I know who have agents are generally unhappy with them. I would be interested to hear more about your experience with foreign rights agents, though. I’ve been having an issue where a story collection I wrote has been pirated and is being sold as an e-book in India to the tune of more than a hundred copies a month, from what I can tell. I have no idea what to do about it, or if there is anything that can be done.
Sounds awesome! (The publisher part, not the pirating part.) Wishing you continued success! I’ve had no luck with foreign rights agents. The responses have been either they aren’t taking new clients or they only work with authors who have repped the author for their US contract.
Love this and all the shared stories in the comments! What an amazing journey you’ve had in the writing world.
Hello, Denise. Thanks for the article. If I can add to it, especially for those fiction writers who are new to the “game”, I think everyone should view agents in general with a grain of salt. In addition to checking them on Query Tracker, as you had, I suggest you subscribe to Publishers Marketplace for a month or two. There, you’ll see where the rubber meets the road for a prospective agent. Far too often, you’ll see the prospective agent you’re interested in, has sold perhaps one or two books (usually in another genre than yours) over a period of years. And even at that, they often only sell to smaller publishers who will not do much more marketing work for you than you can do for yourself as a self publisher. Best wishes to you and all of our fiction writers tribe.