| You may well think that the choice of
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| | carry their downsides.
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| approaching an agent or publisher is
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| | Your editor may well have very definite
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| academic before you have even finished
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| | ideas of what he or she will or won't
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| your book but nothing is further from the
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| | accept from you as a book. If you want to
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| truth. This short article discusses the
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| | change tack in your writing, a
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| pros and cons of agents and publishers -
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| | publisher's editor is probably not
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| and which one you should go for.
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| | altogether the best person to explain
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| A decision that many writers put off for
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| | this to - the editor wants a certain type
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| as long as possible seems to be the one
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| | and style of work from you as this is
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| where they decide if they want to get an
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| | what they 'signed-up' to. Any deviation
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| agent or go directly to a publisher. One
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| | from this type may well result in, at the
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| school of thought says that having an
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| | least, a straining of the relationship
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| agent is definitely preferable, the other
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| | between you! Also, a publisher may want a
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| says - why pay an agent commission when
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| | far more restrictive contract with you
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| you can do it yourself. Let's look a bit
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| | than you would like - and you may well
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| closer at these two points of view -
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| | not be offered such options as foreign
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| Agents: The advantages to having an agent
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| | rights, large-print rights and that holy
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| are best described as ones that remove
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| | grail for all writers - film rights.
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| certain amounts of stress from the
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| | On balance, I would always advise new
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| writer, allowing him or her to get on
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| | writers to try their hardest to gain the
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| with what they do best - writing. A good
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| | services of a good agent. I know this is
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| agent will negotiate a better deal with a
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| | difficult and writers can often get into
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| publisher than you probably could, will
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| | the Catch-22 situation of being unable to
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| have their ear to the ground to know
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| | get a publisher interested without agent
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| what's hot and what's not - and hopefully
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| | representation, yet unable to get an
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| tell you where your book lies in that
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| | agent interested until they have some
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| regard.
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| | work in print.
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| A disadvantage to having an agent is,
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| | One way around this is to approach
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| simply, cost. An agent will either charge
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| | publishers directly - then when (and if)
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| fees or commission on sales, the rate
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| | you receive an offer of publication you
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| varying from agent to agent. This works
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| | can wave the letter under an agent's
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| well for you if you haven't made any big
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| | nose. The chances are much greater at
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| sales but can cost you a shedload of
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| | this point that any agent will be
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| money if you hit the big time. For
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| | interested, of course! You may well then
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| example, it's been reported that
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| | ask - 'Why bother with the agent when I
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| Little's, who handle the Harry Potter
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| | have the offer?'
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| books for Rowling, cream off millions per
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| | Several reasons. The first - and most
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| year in commissions. Mind you, I imagine
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| | important - is that I can predict that,
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| Rowling isn't too worried! This is of
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| | in 99% of cases the agent will secure a
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| course an extreme example but it is worth
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| | better deal for you than you could for
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| keeping in mind.
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| | yourself. Won't the publisher be upset?
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| Also, you may have to sign-up for a set
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| | Not usually - it's just business as usual
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| period with an agent, or guarantee them
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| | for them and this sort of thing happens
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| the sole agency rights to a certain
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| | all the time. A tip - if the publisher
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| number of books before they will agree to
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| | really does kick off in this situation be
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| represent you. This isn't greed, it's
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| | wary. It may well be that they were
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| just business - they will be investing
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| | trying to short-change you on the deal
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| time and effort in you and will require a
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| | and are now worried that an agent will
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| certain return from you in the form of
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| | spot this and take the business
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| this type of commitment. Again, it's
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| | elsewhere. Be warned!
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| something well worth keeping in mind.
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| | On balance, then - go down the agency
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| Publishers: The advantages of dealing
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| | route. Let them have the headaches about
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| directly with a publisher seem obvious:
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| | gaining a publisher for you, negotiating
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| fast track to the correct editor, no
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| | terms and all the other details that go
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| agents commissions to pay and less red
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| | with getting a book from acceptance to
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| tape all round. All these points are
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| | publication. And you? Just get on with
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| valid but, as is usual in life, they too
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| | your next book!
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