agent - Laurie Ann Thompson

Interview with Michael Bourret, agent

Laurie Thompson — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 03:50:05 +0000

Michael Bourret is an agent with Dystel and Goderich, and recently opened their brand-new West Coast office. I’ve heard Michael speak at a few of the national SCBWI conferences, and it’s always a pleasure. Don’t miss him at the SCBWI Western Washington conference this weekend!

L: Welcome, Michael! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer some questions for me! Your various bios and market listings say you accept all kinds of nonfiction, and I know you represent adult nonfiction, but I don’t see any nonfiction for kids among your titles. Why is that? Please give us some insight on the juvenile nonfiction market from an agent’s perspective.
M: Thanks for having me, Laurie! And I’m excited that you’re asking about juvenile nonfiction, and I’ll be really honest: I don’t know much about it. It isn’t a category that I’ve pursued, aside from the amazing picture books of Anne Rockwell’s. I think that juvenile nonfiction has mostly been left to the academic publishers, in part because it isn’t as glamorous as novels. But that may well be changing, as is the very definition of category. I’m seeing a lot more innovation and a new approach, including more memoir and other narrative nonfiction.
L: Several children’s nonfiction titles received quite a lot of attention this year, especially Phillip Hoose’s CLAUDETTE COLVIN and Deborah Heiligman’s CHARLES AND EMMA. Do you think this will have any effect on the market?
M: Any commercial success will have an effect on the market, and the critical and commercial response to both of these books certainly got my attention. I’m not sure we’ll see a flood of nonfiction, but I do think we’ll see some smart books coming from major publishers better known for their fiction.
L: You don’t represent picture books, either—is that a personal preference, a matter of industry knowledge and expertise, or a purely financial decision (or one of the other reasons fellow agent Michael Stearns blogged about here)?
M: I do represent some picture books, actually, but it’s not an area in which I’m looking to grown. The market is difficult, especially for writers, and since they’re the ones I represent, it just doesn’t make sense for me to continue looking for new clients.
L: Is there anything you wish would show up your query pile that just hasn’t been there (be careful what you wish for!)?
M: As I said in another interview recently, with how many queries I get, it’s hard to say that there’s anything I haven’t seen! I’d rather not see books that chase trends, but that said, I love to see how people can approach well-worn ideas in a new way. I recently signed up a novel based on a Poe story that I’m very excited about, and I’d love to see more dark, psychological thrillers. Something that makes my skin crawl would be great!
L: Tell us about your agenting style: Are you very editorial? Phone or email? Hands-on throughout the whole process or mitts off until the final product?
M: All agents have to be editorial, but I’m not someone who’s going to line edit a manuscript. It’s just not where my skills lie. I do love to develop ideas with authors—helping them to turn a vague notion into something that supports a book-length narrative. I’m more of a phone than email person, but I spend much more time on email! I wish people utilized the phone more; a conversation has a certain give-and-take that can help get to the point more quickly. I’m pretty hands on, and as I say to new clients, I like to know everything. That way I can anticipate and preempt issues they may not even see arising.
L: What aspects do you like most about being an agent? Least? Pet peeves (please don’t say blog interviews, please don’t say blog interviews…)?
M: I like that every day is different. I like pitching to editors, I like discussing ideas with clients, I love finding new voices. I love building relationships and matching authors and editors. I like discussing big-picture ideas with my colleagues, both in-house at DGLM and with the publishing world at large on Twitter and through our blog. It’s hard to say that I don’t like a part of my job, but I don’t like how long things take. I’m really impatient. I don’t have any major publishing pet peeves, but I do wish we could all be more kind and respectful. It’s a challenging business, and emotions run high, but we need to remember that we’re all in it together.
L: Besides the manuscript itself, what other factors do you consider when deciding whether or not to offer representation (platform, online presence, productivity, specialization, recommendations, affiliations, etc.)?
M: The manuscript is what matters. If that doesn’t knock my socks off, nothing else matters. In a query, however, mentioning a large platform, and award win, or even membership in reputable organizations like SCBWI will make me pay more attention. But then it comes back to the manuscript again. It’s got to be great.
L: Besides carefully reading market guides, surfing the web and sending targeted queries, what can we authors do to ensure a good fit, both when submitting and when considering an offer of representation?
M: If you’re doing your homework and research in advance, the only other thing you need to do is interview the agent. It’s important for both writer and agent to chat and make sure that they get along and can have a conversation. If you’re afraid of your agent, the relationship isn’t going to work. If you don’t feel like your agent is enthusiastic about your submission, the relationship won’t work. I tell people all the time that they should wait for a good match and not just take the first offer. It’s hard to do, I know, but I think the advice is sound.
L: I think authors put so much time and effort into finding an agent, that then interviewing an interested agent feels a bit intimidating. What kinds of questions do you think authors should ask to determine if an agent will be a good match?
M: Authors should ask agents about the editorial vision for the book, how they work day-to-day and how the submission will work, how often they can expect to be in touch, and then they should discuss the future—what do both the author and agent see for the author’s career down the line? It’s important that you’re on the same page as your agent about these things.
L: Do you have any upcoming client titles you’d like to highlight for us?

The past couple of months have seen the exciting releases of Eleventh Grade Burns by Heather Brewer and Gone by Lisa McMann, the release of which got both series onto the New York Times list. The coming months will see the release of Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony and Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai, two debuts that I’m really proud of. In addition, the fantastic Suzanne Selfors’s fifth book Smells Like Dog is also out shortly, along with Dale Basye’s third book in the twisted “Heck” series, Blimpo. And that’s just through May!

L: Is there anything else you wished that I had asked, but didn’t? Feel free to write your own question here. =)
M: This has been a terrific and thorough interview. I’ve got nothing to add, but thanks so much for thinking of me!
L: Thank YOU, Michael! I really appreciate the time and thought you put into this, and we’re looking forward to hearing more at the conference this weekend.

Interview with Sara Crowe, agent

Laurie Thompson — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:19:04 +0000

Sara is an agent with Harvey Klinger, Inc. in New York City. I was lucky enough to be able to hang out with Sara last January prior to the 11th Annual SCBWI International Winter Conference. Yes, she is every bit as cute and friendly as she appears in the photo below, so if you’re going to attend our conference this April, be sure to tell her hello!

L: Welcome, Sara! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer some questions for me! Let’s jump right in at the top of my list… with a rather tricky one. Your various bios and listings say you accept nonfiction, but I don’t see any nonfiction for kids among your titles. Am I missing it? If not, what do you suppose are the reasons? Do you just not get many nonfiction submissions, are they harder to sell, is it just harder to find one that grabs you personally, or some combination of those? Give us some insight on the juvenile nonfiction market from an agent’s perspective.
S: Hi Laurie! Thanks for having me! What my website says about what I represent is this: I am an agent with Harvey Klinger, Inc., a full service boutique literary agency in New York where I represent both adult and children’s titles. On the adult side, I represent commercial and literary fiction and a range of nonfiction. On the children’s side, my list includes YA and middle grade fiction, as well as picture books.
S: So, I am upfront about my lack of nonfiction on the children’s side. However, I am very open to queries for children’s nonfiction, and do hope to find more. Many of my favorite books as a child were nonfiction, and it is something I remain interested in reading. My client Erin Vincent’s debut YA, GRIEF GIRL (Delacorte, 2007) is a memoir, and I would love to see more YA memoir. I am also working on two nonfiction projects at the moment—one picture book and one biography for children.
S: I do represent a lot more fiction, though, so when it comes down to it, I am not as familiar with the juvenile nonfiction market, and the chances are slimmer that I will be the right fit for a nonfiction book. If it does grab me personally, and if I can come up with a great list of editors to send it to and am 100% sure there is a market for it, I will take it on!

L: Okay, that was sort of a doozy—thanks for playing along and giving such a candid answer! Unfortunately, this one is probably even worse. I see you’re not taking picture book submissions at this time, which seems to be a trend among agents. Can you tell us why? What do you think about the current state of the picture-book industry? What can picture-book authors do to help them break in?
S: I probably should take that off my site and the agency’s site. I get many picture book queries, whatever it says online, and they did not seem to slow at all when I posted that notice. (Incidentally, it says everywhere online that I do not like to receive snail mail queries, but those keep coming too, and I respond to them!)
S: I sold a debut picture book recently, by Matthea Harvey, to Schwartz & Wade, and one of my current picture books, on submission now, is nonfiction. I just took on a picture book from a query that really grabbed me. So like with nonfiction, I will take on the right picture book project for me—but I will take on much fewer picture books than novels, and so it’s less likely I will be the right fit.

L: Okay, you made that one seem easy, so this one should be a piece of cake… Tell us about your agenting style: Are you very editorial? Phone or email? Hands-on throughout the whole process or mitts off until the final product? It’s clear your clients LOVE you, so whatever it is, it’s working!
S: Thank you! I am an editorial agent and do think I am very hands-on. I edit everything I take on before it goes out to editors. If I see any sweeping changes that I think need to be made before submission, I talk to the writer about that when we discuss representation. And the editing does not stop with the first sale. I continue to edit my authors’ books, and to discuss their new book ideas with them. I usually read major revisions before we send to the editor, and I read and discuss synopses and partials, or sometimes just ideas, about what the author should do next. I am always on email, but sometimes a phone call is the best thing for the situation, and I am always happy to be on the phone.

L: What aspects do you like most about being an agent? Least? Pet peeves?
S: I truly feel lucky everyday to have a job that is never boring, always challenging, and that involves reading books that I love and talking them up to anyone who will listen. I love finding a new client, a new book to be excited about. Calling an author, especially a debut author, to tell them their book will be published never gets old. I love all of my agent roles: editing, matchmaking, making deals, negotiating contracts. Its the kind of job that doesn’t end at the end of a day or week, though, and agents are always working, even when they are trying to read for pleasure. It is a job without boundaries. That applies to everyone in publishing, I think, writers, too. I wish there were time to read when I am actually at work! Really, I just need there to be more time in a day.

L: Oh, I think we all could use some of that! Besides the manuscript itself, what other factors do you consider when deciding whether or not to offer representation (platform, online presence, productivity, specialization, recommendations, affiliations, etc.)?
S: Unless it is adult nonfiction, where platform truly matters, I am only looking at the book first—and if I love it and feel confident I can sell it, I am not concerned about a platform or an online presence. I think for the most part, those things can wait until after the sale of the book to the publisher. Once we have sold it, I do think all authors should get online. Of course a blurb or recommendation from a well known author is appealing, as it might make the book easier to sell, but its not necessary.

L: Besides carefully reading market guides, surfing the web and sending targeted queries, what can we authors do to ensure a good fit, both when submitting and when considering an offer of representation?
S: I think that what you want to find is an agent who is passionate about your book and your writing, who has knowledge of the marketplace, experience with your type of book and whose list is a place you think you belong and where you want to be. You can find much of this out with research, talking with his or her other clients, and by asking the right questions when you speak to the agent on the phone. As for queries, make them count! Spend the most time on your book description as its the most important thing. And do not make it all about the query—make sure the manuscript is in great shape before you start querying.

L: Do you have any clients or titles you’d like to highlight for us?
S: Two children’s books out in March: a middle grade and a YA. IT’S RAINING CUPCAKES (Aladdin), Lisa Schroeder’s middle grade debut, is about Isabel, who dreams of seeing the world but she’s never left Oregon. When her best friend, Sophie, tells her of a baking contest whose winners travel to New York City, she eagerly enters despite concerns about her mother, who is opening a cupcake bakery. And SAVING MADDIE by Varian Johnson, just out with Delacorte, about Josh, a preacher’s son, whose best childhood friend, Maddie has come back home a new person—gorgeous and troubled and without her faith. Can you save someone who doesn’t want to be saved? And more importantly, how do you save someone without losing yourself?

S: In April, I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER by Dan Wells is out with Tor Books. It is about a boy who is concerned he might be a serial killer, and so makes rules for himself to avoid becoming one — but then a real one comes into town and starts killing people, and he has to break some of his rules to find the killer. Its a definite crossover title–a horror novel with a lovable teen protagonist and a great YA voice, though will be published here as an adult book. Its already out in Germany where its a bestseller, and is also out in the UK– where it was published as YA. Kirkus just gave it a starred review and wrote: “(An) unabashedly gory gem.… Buy multiples where it won’t be banned.”

S: Finally, Holly Nicole Hoxter’s YA debut, THE SNOWBALL EFFECT will be out from Harper in April! It’s about Lainey Pike, who is trying to make peace with her dead mother (not easy), take care of her five-year old brother who is now an orphan, and to learn to love with her estranged older sister who is now back in her life as her guardian until she turns 18.

L: Is there anything else you wished that I had asked, but didn’t?
S: I have too much reading to do to come up with another question—but I loved answering all of yours. Thanks so much, Laurie! I am really looking forward to the conference!
L: Thank YOU, Sara, for being so open, honest, and approachable! I’m looking forward to seeing you again in April and showing you around our neck of the woods.