Fewer words does not mean quicker to write

An Amazon review of one of my ebooks some time ago - it was either Write a Great Synopsis or Dear Agent, I don't remember - says something along the lines of "probably written in a weekend." It goes on to praise the book and I seem to remember it had four stars. Which is good.

But that remark reveals a common misconception about the skill of writing. It does not necessarily take longer to write more words. A first draft, for example, is almost always longer than the final version because time spent chopping is almost always time spent improving.

For your interest, that's one of the things that highlights the skill of the children's writer: the ability to express a complicated concept in a few words, and often restricted ones.

Several well known writers are credited with apologising for writing such a long letter on the grounds of not having time to write a shorter one. It's an important point, whoever said it.

Anyone can write lots of words. A skilled writer says exactly what he or she wants to say in a few, because each one has been well-chosen.

As it happens, both Write a Great Synopsis and Dear Agent took months to research, write and edit. And that's why the books have clearly helped so many people

(I'm away at the moment so may not be able to reply to comments. Don't let that stop you, though!)

What you need to know about agents - Part 2

This follows on from my advice in my last post, about what agents can do for us. Again, adapted from an extract of Write to be Published. And there's more detailed advice about how to approach agents in my ebook, Dear Agent, available on my online shop or in the usual places.

BEWARE CRAPPY AGENTS 

I know that if Godzilla, egged on by a Dalek, lumbered into your garden and offered to be your agent, get you published and make you a millionaire, you’d agree. You’d even ignore the millionaire bit. You’d certainly ignore the mad look in his eyes and the fact that he’s never sold a book in his life. You'd just be thrilled that you'd been offered a deal and you'd now be dreaming of your lunch party at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons.

Thing is, anyone can be an agent. There’s no exam. And I have heard terrible stories: Godzilla is cuddly by comparison. Since a great deal of awfulness could happen if you get this wrong, I need you to know how to choose a proper agent. A bad agent is much worse than no agent, destroying your career before it has started and leaving you more stressed than you can imagine an unpublished writer could be. As if being unpublished weren’t stressful enough.

(Let me point out that agents who have a list of published clients with reputable publishing companies are not where you will find crappy agents. If they have published clients with reputable publishing companies they are not, by definition, crappy. However, they may still not be right for you.)

Let's first look at how to avoid genuinely crappy ones, people who really don't know what they are doing. 

Once an agent has expressed a desire to represent you, before you get into bed with him – I am not being literal – you need to exercise due diligence. Here are some questions to separate the rancid cream from the yogurt; some you must ask directly, while others you may find out through asking around:

• What other authors does the agent represent? (Check that these authors are properly published and have some success.) 
• What previous experience of publishing led to his becoming an agent? (If there is no previous proper experience, run.) 
• Is this the agent’s only job? (If not, how serious is he and how much time and energy will the agent have for you?) 
• How does the agent sell foreign rights? For example, he might use sub-agents or scouts, but there should be some clear answer to the question. (Similar question for TV/ film rights, and merchandising rights if you write for young children. But avoid sounding as though you think your book merits TV/film/merchandising opportunities.) 
• Is the agent a member of the Association of Authors’ Agents? (NOTE: It’s NOT essential to be a member, and smaller independent agents often aren’t, but you should ask if the agent at least adheres to its code of practice, a code which you can read on the AAA website.) In Scotland there’s also the Association of Scottish Literary Agents.  
• Can you see the contract that you would sign? Get it checked by someone who understands: perhaps another agented author, or the Society of Authors if you are a member. 
• Is the agent asking for money up front? If so, run a mile. An agent should not charge a reading fee, though they are quite entitled to charge for things like photo-copying. Such extras should be specified in the contract. 
• Is this agent offering to represent only one book or your future ones, too? I've occasionally heard, particularly recently, of agents offering to represent just one book. This seems odd, to be honest, and I'd wonder why the agent doesn't have faith in your future writing career.

Being an agent is not a job for amateurs. Obviously, every agent must start somewhere and acquire a first client – but this can only work if that agent already has substantial experience of dealing with publishing rights in another professional capacity. For example, many agents were publishers for years before they became agents and that is a good way into the business.

In short, be astute and cautious. Think Godzilla.

It’s also important that you actually like the agent. A perfectly brilliant agent simply might not be right for you and it’s important to allow instinct to come into play. So, meet your agent if possible. At the very least, have some phone conversations and remain sober during them. Check that there's a chemistry, and ask about the things I mentioned in the previous post, to make sure know what this agent will do.

And then, if all seems good, sign up and crack open the fizz! On the other hand, remember that getting an agent is only the first step. Now the agent has to sell your book and that is by no means certain.

I recommend chocolate to keep you going.




If you have any questions, do comment below. I could answer them in my Dear Crabbit slot if they lead to a long answer.

What you need to know about agents - Part 1

This post (and Part 2, to be posted later this week, in which I talk about Godzilla) are adapted from parts of Write to be Published. And there's more detailed advice about how to approach agents in my ebook, Dear Agent, which is, happily, available silly-cheaply, on my online shop.

WHY HAVE AN AGENT?

Over the years of being published by different publishers in different genres, I have gleaned some knowledge about contracts and rights and how to fight for mine. Yet, if my agent decided to hang up her stilettos*, I’d throw myself at the feet of another. Why? Partly because I want to write, not fight for my rights. And because my agent, as all good agents will, does all the things listed below and does them so much better than I could. Since agents only earn a percentage of their clients’ incomes, they have a vested interest in maximizing that income. That seems to me not a bad thing.

(*Actually, she doesn't wear stilettos because they prevent her from chasing people.)

WHAT A GOOD AGENT DOES

• Gives honest, expert feedback on your work, and makes you improve it if necessary – lessening the chance of rejection and egg on your face. 
• Knows where to send your work – including individual editors and their preferences – and sends it for you, so you never have to worry about a submission again; discusses you with publishers who trust her judgment. 
• Negotiates the best deal, including every aspect of the contract, having a finger on the pulse of what other agents are negotiating, especially in the changing arena of digital rights etc. 
• Sells subsidiary rights – such as foreign, film and TV, and audio. 
• Understands royalty statements and queries them if necessary – royalty statements are a minefield for writers. I tend to come over all faint when I see them. 
• Has an eye for new opportunities – publishers, particularly in educational and children’s markets, will tell agents what they are looking for and your agent can pass this information to you.
• Manages your long-term career, guiding you in sensible directions. 
• Deals with problems, niggles and disasters. These things will happen. 
• Plays bad cop with your publisher, so that you can play the part of lovely, calm, reasonable author. 
• Increases your earnings – authors with agents earn more than those without. 
• Allows you to write.

My agent also visits all the main publishers several times a year, and then creates a document with all their wishes and plans, and sends it to all her clients. I don't know if this is standard, but it's an example of great practice.

Some agents do the following as well, but most don’t, so don't expect it:

• Create publicity for you – other than the obvious plugging of your name where possible.
• Organise your event programme. 
• Edit your work – all agents should suggest important alterations and point out things they notice, but detailed editing is not their normal job, unless they actually say it is. 

You will hear people say that agents are sharks and will drink your blood dry. As with all professions, the few bad ones drag down the reputations of the good. It's also true that some people who call themselves agents haven't a clue what they are doing - which is what I'm talking about in the next post. Find yourself a good one – following the advice in the next post, and by asking around amongst other authors – and you won’t regret it.

YOU DO NOT ACTUALLY NEED AN AGENT

Despite what I have just said, many writers manage well without an agent. If you don’t have an agent, either through choice or necessity, note the following:

• The Society of Authors provides very useful leaflets covering all aspects of contracts. You don't have to be a member to access most of the guides. The Writer’s Handbook and the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook also contain invaluable advice. 
• Also, once you are offered a publishing contract, join the Society of Authors because they provide a free contract vetting service and have legal experts to do it. 
• Consider joining other authors, through a writing group, to share knowledge and experiences. If you can’t find a group, set one up. But make sure you listen only to writers who actually know their stuff - so many published writers know surprisingly little about the contract side and about foreign rights etc.
• Get plugged in to such things as blogging and Twitter, because the more writers you know, the better armed you will be. 

WHO CAN’T HAVE AN AGENT?

If your future earnings are likely to be very small and you are not focused on a long-term career, you will be unlikely to find an agent.

Reasons include:

• You are a poet. It is nigh-on impossible to earn a living as a poet, except through performance, in which the agent is unlikely to share. 
• You have a one-off book and no intention of writing more in the same genre. The agent is very unlikely to earn enough from one book to make it worth taking you on - it's much more work at first than later.
• You are an academic non-fiction writer. Many non-fiction writers do have agents but, again, you’d need to look as though this was going to be a career for you, and academic writing rarely pays well enough. 
• You are...brace yourself...too old. Yes, I am sorry about this, but it’s the long-term career problem. However, there is no hard and fast rule about what is “too old” and it does, as ever, depend on the book. If your book is wonderful and looks as though it could sell in big numbers, you can still attract an agent. Also, the age at which it becomes harder to start a writing career is greater than for other careers. After all, if you are sixty and you’re good enough, you’ve still got enough years ahead of you to make a pretty good career. 
• NB: there's still no reason why you wouldn't get a publisher, though. It's just that an agent may be more reluctant. And it's by no means certain, so if you have a great book, great style (writing style, I mean!) and a good chance of commercial success, go for it.

Here endeth the first part of my agenty advice. Brace yourselves for Part 2: Beware Crappy Agents.

Dear Agent: Extract 5 - What not to say

As well as containing step-by-step advice about how to write every part of the letter that you hope will catch you an agent and/or publisher, Dear Agent highlights many of the things not to do, the often-invisible pitfalls that so many writers fall into.

To coincide with the workshop I'm giving about pitching, today at Edbookfest, here are some of them, in the fifth of my free extracts from the book (before proof-reading):

DEAR AGENT: send Crabbit champagne

Happy Publication Day to my ebook, Dear Agent!

To celebrate, a bit of fun - well, I can but dream:

Dear Agent,
I know my book is the most important thing. So I have made it all sparkly and wonderful. But now I have to write you a letter which will make you see how sparkly and wonderful it is, so that you will be desperate to read it. I would have done something really cute and original, such as sending you some toffees or filling the envelope with confetti or turning up on your doorstep on a Saturday evening to hand deliver it while singing “Oh, what a wonderful day!” and dressed as Gollum. But then I read Dear Agent, the frabjous new ebook by Nicola Morgan, and she showed me that while my book must be sparkly and wonderful, the letter only needs to be sensible and clear and get right to the core of my book. 

Frankly, dear agent, I think you owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Nicola Morgan because if I hadn’t read her book I’d have made at least a dozen eye-bleeding errors and you and all your agent friends would be (rightly) laughing at my silliness. She really is a complete marvel and I feel it's only right that you should send her a case of champagne and some chocolates from Coco of Bruntsfield. Or, if you can't manage the champagne, Sainsbury's do a lovely pink Cava which I happen to know she's partial to. Very partial. In fact, tbh, we're talking flagons here.

Or, if you can't even manage that, dear lovely agent, just tell everyone to buy her sodding books. All of them. But especially this one. Because it will save you from a complete dollop of eel vomit stickying up your letter-box or email inbox. 

And now, back to writing that letter to show you how sparkly and wonderful my book is. I'm going to do it now. Really. And I promise not to send it while drunk. 

Deepest respect,

A Spiring Author

PUBLISHED TODAY! PARTY TONIGHT ON TWITTER FROM 6.30pm! COME! BUY! 75p* FOR THIS WEEKEND ONLY! NOW MAY I PLEASE DISENGAGE CAPS LOCK AND STOP SHOUTING AND USING EXCLAMATION MARKS? thank you

(* Actually, presumably because of exchange rate fluctuations, 77p is currently the cheapest I can make it.)

Readers, I need you. I really do. Pleeease help me shoot it up the charts with a resounding thwack. Amazon UK / Amazon.com / Lulu later. Please consider buying it and if you like it, please consider giving it an Amazon review. I will be more grateful than you can know. American readers, too - this book and Write a Great Synopsis are for you, as well!

[Edited to add: doing phenomenally well - No1 in both its categories and before I'd started talking about it today it had already easily outsold Tweet Right for the whole month. Thank you, readers and writers!]

At the party, we will be playing #DearAgentFail, in which you will be able to suggest all the things NOT to do or say in your submission. More details nearer the time. 

DEAR AGENT - Extract 4

Here is your 4th free extract from Dear Agent, to be published on August 10th. By the way, any agent or any commissioning editor in a trade publishing house can ask for a free copy.

Also, you're all invited to the launch party on Twitter on Friday evening! Yes, one of those Crabbit party event thangs where you either need to kick your shoes off and join in, or batten down the hatches and steer well clear. But I have a game for you so please come... More details here on Friday morning - PUBLICATION DAY!

DEAR AGENT - Extract 3

The third free extract from Dear Agent - to be published on Amazon on August 10th - cheaper-than-chips for the first weekend only. (NB I have been saying it will be 50p but I just discovered that's actually not possible: Amazon doesn't allow me to make it less than 75p, so 75p it will be. Sorry. *cross face*)

Here's yer extract. It's pre-proof-reading, btw.

A few less reassuring but equally important points
Although the agent wants your work to be wonderful, she does not expect it to be. That’s because most submissions are awful. Yours won’t be awful, because you’re going to listen to what I tell you.

DEAR AGENT - Extract 2

The second free extract from Dear Agent, to whet your appetite for publication on August 10th. But first, a wonderful piece of feedback from a very important personage who has consistently supported my advice for writers. He's Merric Davidson, former high-powered and highly respected agent and now publisher and editor of The New Writer Magazine. He said:

Worth reading for the author’s “Twenty Tips To Get You Started” alone – but that’s just for starters. These nuggets should be plastered to the wall in front of everyone who’s reached the “lets try it out on an agent” stage. But don’t stop there, for if you do you will miss the wisdom of one who knows.

This is a tightly written, easy to follow, essential volume which cuts through all the nonsense and mystique about what you should/should not do when approaching agencies. In fact, this book explains that, hey, agents are really just people, not godheads!


And always remember Morgan’s Hierarchy of Obedience which "puts the agent at least a three-inch heel above you, until you’ve got a six-book deal, at which point you get to wield the heels." So true.

Merric Davidson, Publisher, The New Writer magazine

I know, you've never heard of Morgan's Hierarchy, have you? Well, read the extract that follows:

DEAR AGENT - Extract 1

I'm delighted to announce the 10-day countdown to publication of Dear Agent - Write the Letter That Sells Your Book! Dear Agent is my nifty, comprehensive ebook about that tricksy thing: the letter pitching your book and yourself to agent or publisher. Dear Agent will make a matching pair with Write a Great Synopsis - An Expert Guide, and once you've read them both, there will be no excuse for anything less than a splendiferous, stressfree, stylish submission.

Dear Agent will be published on August 10th and will be stupid cheap for that weekend only, so don't delay. I've had terrific feedback already. *dances*

Leading up to that, and up until August 17th, I'm giving you free extracts on this blog, and offering lots of giveaways here, on my Facebook page and on Twitter up till August 10th. Keep your eyes open! In fact, if you read to the end of this post, there's a PICK ME opportunity - two chances (and three more on my FB page) of winning a free copy of Dear Agent. Hurry, before I change my mind.

NB The extracts are all taken before final proof-reading.

DEAR CRABBIT: how to use my 15 minutes with an agent

Here's a lovely positive question for Dear Crabbit!

Dear Crabbit

I am lucky enough to have bagged a 15-minute session with a literary agent at next month's Edinburgh Book Festival. My question for Dear Crabbit is: how could an aspiring author make best use of this time?

I understand that supplicants will be able to submit work to the agent in advance. I have a WIP but the first chapter won't come right, so there is no point in giving it to him or her. Would another chapter be acceptable? Or should I get advice on my synopsis and cover letter, which haven't been written yet? I also have questions about the subject of my WIP - it has been covered a few times already by high-profile authors and I'm worried it might have gone out of fashion. Would it be better to ask about that?

Any advice would be most gratefully received. Once again, many thanks for the advice which is so generously given on your blog.

Firstly, all credit to you for thinking so carefully about how best to use this opportunity.

I think there are two things you should try to cover in this time, and mostly the first one:

1. The idea and pitch for your book. You are worried that the subject-matter has been "covered" and may be out of fashion. Now, first I'd say that your task (not just for this session but when it comes to pitching properly) is going to be to show that your book takes a new slant. It doesn't matter if the topic has been covered - most have! - you have to have a new slant on it or characters that shine through so strongly that it doesn't matter that the plot is not new. So, first be sure in your own mind that you have a new slant and then write a paragraph-pitch for the book. This is what you can discuss with the agent.

This will be perhaps the most important part of the session. She can highlight possible disadvantages of your story, things that raise flags in her mind. She can advise you what to be careful of and how to proceed.

I think your best strategy here is to write a paragraph-pitch in advance and bring it with you or send it as part of the sample. This is what would sell a book's idea to an agent and is a crucially important part of the process of attracting one. See my blog posts about pitches.

You mentioned the possibility of discussing the synopsis - to be honest, this is pretty much the same as what I've just said. Discussing how the story proceeds and what elements are important is a good use of this time.

2. Your writing. You want to know which bit of writing you should send in advance, as the first chapter "won't come right". Well, if you were at the stage of actually pitching the book, that would matter - a lot! - but you're not. So, whether you show her the first chapter or another one depends on why it is not right.


If it's just that the wrong things happen in it, this doesn't matter at this stage because you're not actually pitching the book, just getting advice. The agent won't mind if the wrong things are in it or it starts in the wrong place - especially if you explain. If it's that you haven't found the voice, that's more critical, though I suspect it's not that because you say a later chapter might be better. 


So, you could send her the first chapter. Tell her that it's not "right" yet - and tell her briefly why - but explain that you just want her to see the voice and judge whether your writing is appropriate for the genre (or something suitable to your concerns).

Or, if you don't want to do that, send another chapter but explain that your book is very much in progress and your first chapter isn't "ready". Explain that you're sending it so that she can see the voice and the "type" of writing you use.

In summary
I think you should focus on the pitch and a mini-synopsis/extended paragraph. Not the covering letter - that's looking too far ahead. Besides, Dear Agent will tell you how to do that!

If the agent feels that the idea and pitch are a no-go area, this is when you need to find out, and she might well have advice on how to keep your book fresh and up-to-date. 

And do tell her that you follow my blog etc! I probably know the agent - do tell me (privately, if you wish) who it is. 

Your best chance of creating a good impression is to sound realistic and hard-working, tapped into all the good advice out there, determined to work hard to achieve your goals, and with an open mind and heart about the whole thing.

Finally, breathe deeply, smile, don't speak too fast. Write down your questions in advance and prioritise them so that if you're running out of time you can omit the least important.

Enjoy! And wave at me if you see me!

Dear Agent - FREE copies for you!

I'm delighted to reveal the cover of Dear Agent. *dances*


I hope you like it. Publication date is Aug 10th. And the only industry expert to have read it already has given ACE feedback - part of which you'll see if you squint at the cover.

Dear Agent is going to be the partner in crime to Write a Great Synopsis, and between them I hope they'll cover everything you need to submit a novel to an agent or publisher. Dear Agent also focuses heavily on how to pitch your book in a paragraph, so will be very useful for self-publishers trying to write the blurb for their books.

GIVEAWAYS GALORE!
To celebrate, today I am offering two blog readers a free copy in advance of publication! (More chances later, here, on Twitter, and FB.) All you have to do is leave a "pick me!" style comment below and I will pick two names after the deadline of midday on Monday 16th.
And there are THREE MORE chances on my Facebook Author page right now - try for both! That's five free copies today, and more to follow later.

Winners will receive their copy (it's an ebook - and you do NOT need an ebook reader to read it) at the end of July, all being well.

Obviously, I'm hoping that some people will like it and say so on Amazon or Twitter or a blog - or ANYWHERE! Pretty please with sparkly bells on. I'm not very good at asking for Amazon reviews, but they are all I have in my quest to make this work. If I can get it to shoot up the rankings at the beginning, it really helps.


I will be blogging some free extracts and offering other giveaways here, on Facebook and on Twitter up until the day before publication. And when it's published it will be STUPID cheap for one weekend only so keep your eyes open! The best place to keep on top of any news will from now on be my Facebook Author Page. Please wave at me there.

Please, if you value the advice here on this blog and in the books, do shout about it in the right places. I will love you forever.