Someone wrote to ask, “Should an author who writes historical fiction stick only to fiction? Since so much historical research has to be conducted, how do you feel about authors using their novel research to also pen nonfiction?”

I think it depends on the author’s preference, or maybe their gifting. I don’t have any problem representing authors who write both fiction and nonfiction. However, it’s really tough for a writer to succeed at both. In my view, a novel requires a different set of writing skills than a nonfiction book — novelists require the ability to show, not tell, while nonfiction is all about telling. There are very few examples of writers who have excelled at both. (Yes, there are some, but not many.) And readers simply don’t cross over – most tend to be either fiction readers or nonfiction readers. And historical fiction readers aren’t generally that interested in reading a nonfiction book from a favorite writer, so even a bestselling novelist will find her nonfiction book to be a hard sell in the marketplace. For those very practical reasons, most historical fiction writers tend to stay with the fiction genre. 

Another writer wants to know, “What particular skills do you look for in a writer of historical fiction?”

A strong voice, first of all. The one thing that makes a novel unique is not so much the setting or the characters so much as the voice of the writer. Too many historical novels feel the same — the setting has changed, but the book could have been written by anyone. So what really sets it apart, and the first thing I look for, is a strong author voice. That being said, a strong sense of history and adequate research so that the story feels genuine are essential, of course. I want a story that’s unique and interesting, so it’s best if the writer has a passion for that particular period or the events surrounding the novel. I suppose I also prefer an author with a good vocabulary, particularly appropriate to the setting and time. I like to see a clear sense of mood. Good rhythm to their words. Clear pacing. Great characters in interesting situations. Strong dialogue. Vibrant scenes. Action or events that move me from one page to the next. And, if it’s to have a longlasting quality to it, themes that are greater than boy-meets-girl (which works fine in a historical romance, but we like to see more in a true historical saga). 

And I had one writer get in touch and ask me this: “Should novelists try to keep up on publishing trends? I recently heard a bestselling novelist say she never pays attention to the market – that if she tried to write what is currently selling, chances are the trend will have changed by the time she finished the manuscript. What so you think?”

I generally agree. As an author, if you try to chase the market, you have a tendency to always be BEHIND the trend, so your work is never really fresh. But sometimes a novelist has to pay attention – if nobody is publishing westerns, it helps to have your agent say, “Don’t do a western; we can’t sell it.” Or sometimes a publisher will say, “Do you have ANYONE who can do an Amish romance? We need an Amish book.” That’s when it pays off to watch trends. Of course, a bestselling writer doesn’t need to pay attention to trends – publishers are going to stand in line to work with her, and offer her a great deal of money no matter what she writes.

The fact is, I have to pay attention to trends as an agent. And if I’m representing you, it’s nice to know that you, as a writer, are basically aware of what’s happening in the market. Still, what I care about MOST is that you write a great book – trends or not. I do think some authors worry more about the latest trend than they do about the craft. That’s something I see evidenced at writer conferences, and I’ll admit that it bugs me. A good trend won’t help you sell your story so much as writing a great book.

And a personal aside: Bestselling writer, collaborator, and writing mentor to many, Cecil Murphey, lost his wife after she suffered a stroke over the weekend. Cec is a great guy, and man who has been a friend to me, to this blog, and to many writers who frequent this blog. Our prayers are with Cec and his family today. Hang in there, my friend.  

Someone wrote to ask, “Must a novel always be 100% finished before an agent will want to take a look at it? Or if you spotted great voice in an unfinished work, would you take a look and offer encouragement?”

If I absolutely love the voice, I might sign an author based on the quality of the writing. That happens on occasion. More often, I will look at a project and offer encouragement to the writer if I like his or her writing voice and think it has potential, but still think it needs to be completed. Right now the market is more or less demanding a novel be completed if a publisher is going to take a risk on a new or newer author. So yes, an agent might very well say he likes your work, but put off a decision to sign you until you complete your novel.

Another asked, “How much of a difference does it make to an agent to hear I’ve been referred by one of their current clients? And how does that compare to a face-to-face with an agent at a conference?”

It always makes a difference to me when one of the authors I already represents sends a talented writer my way. I figure the writers I represent are already my friends — we understand one another, so they’re probably going to send people my way who would likely be a fit. So consider that a good start. That said, it still usually takes a face-to-face for me to really get to know someone. A conference meeting is often too short (sometimes ten minutes), but it’s a start. In both cases, it will need to be followed up by great writing and a long talk or two, where we both get a feel for whether or not we’re a fit for one another.

One writer asked, “How are royalties paid? Why is it the contract says you get 10%, but the author never sees that much?”

The standard hardcover contract pays the author 10% of whatever a book sells for on the first 5000 copies, then it rises to 12.5% on the next 5000 copies, then 15% thereafter. (But I should note the standard CBA contract will pay the author somewhere in the 12-to-18% of net — that is, it pays not on the retail price of the book, but on the amount of money received by the publisher.) The publisher keeps tabs on how many copies are sold, and quarterly or semi-annually pays that amount to the author. For subsidiary projects (that is, the words sold in another format, such as an audio book or an e-book), there will be a separate royalty amount. Sometimes a large company (read: “Wal-Mart”) will purchase a big quantity of books, but to do so they’ll insist on a huge discount. In a case like that, the author will be paid a discounted royalty. That’s why it can be hard to track a book’s exact earnings. I recently had an author on the bestsellers list receive a very disappointing check — the bulk of the sales were done through big box stores like Sam’s Club and Costco, so while the number of books sold was high, the discounts made the royalties lower than expected. Does that adequately answer your question? I can say more about royalties and payouts if you have more questions.

Another writer sent me this: “I sent something out to an agent prematurely. The agent rejected my project, but was nice enough to make suggestions for improving it. Now that I’ve taken her advice to heart, would it be reasonable to re-send to her? How unusual is it for an agent to reconsider an author they’ve already rejected?”

While it’s fairly rare for an agent to want to see a project he or she has already rejected, the situation you’re describing is a type of exception you’ll occasionally find. I wouldn’t make a habit of re-sending rejected proposals, for fear of establishing a bad reputation with agents. But if an agent has offered helpful advice, and you’ve really taken those words and improved your work, it wouldn’t be considered impolite to at least go back and ask if that agent would like to see the better, polished version. But be careful… Make sure it’s REALLY better. Nobody is going to look at it a third time.

This came from an experienced magazine writer: “I’ve quered a few agents who said they liked my writing, but there was no market for memoirs. Is there no market for memoir? Should I try to pitch the book as something else?”

Well, if the agents you’re approaching are saying there’s no market for memoir, then, for them at least, there’s no market for memoir. So you either have to look for other agents (who perhaps have a different perspective), or alter your book. My guess is you’ve written something that YOU see as memoir, but agents see as just a personal story — something that doesn’t have the broad appeal it needs, but is simply a cool story about something that happened to you. That’s the sort of thing I see ALL THE TIME, and there’s no market for it. That type of story fits best as a magazine or e-zine piece. If you want to reshape it into another book, you may want to think about the lessons you’ve learned — how can you turn your story into a self-help book, where you focus on the principles for living more effectively, and use your personal story as backstory to buttress your points. That might hold more appeal. OR you could leave it alone and do it as a magazine article, which will garner you more readers anyway.

And this came from a newer writer: “I’m a finalist in a writing contest. I’m also talking with an agent. If I win and get published, would if be customary for my agent to take 15% of the book?”

I love a question that’s off the beaten path. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard this before, so let me try my hand at it… If you came to me, and already had a publishing deal in hand, I would probably not take 15% of the deal. Since I didn’t help you shape the piece, or help you improve it, or shop it to publishers, it wouldn’t feel right to me to do so. I would probably offer to negotiate the contract for you, and hope to improve it, and perhaps suggest taking half my usual commission. (And, if you think I’m simply posing, I invite you to talk with some of the publishers. I’ve done exactly this in the past, so this isn’t some sort of empty windmill-chasing.) That said, other agents may disagree with me entirely. A good agent is going to help you shape your career, not just land one book deal, so they may feel entirely comfortable participating fully in the deal via a 15% commission. Depends on the individual. Don’t let it be a surprise — ask this question up front, in a non-combative way. No sense letting this create a headache for you later.  

I’m trying to catch up on the hundreds of questions people have sent in. Someone wrote to say this: “The popularity in genres seems to go in cycles, with perhaps the exception of romance, which always seems to sell well. Where in this cycle do you see the historical fiction genre right now? In the near future?”

Fiction goes through a cycle with publishers: produce some, watch it grow, produce more, produce too much, cut back, start selling again, produce some, watch it grow, etc. Right now one could argue that there are more historicals being sold than there used to be, but I agree with you — that’s simply a cycle. People love reading about other eras, so while we may be trending down a bit right now in some genres, it will trend back up. That’s how fiction works. In a lousy economy, people want a book that’s an escape to a simpler time, so historicals were doing well. Now that the economy is brighter, we’re seeing a swing back to more contemporaries. Suspense, which also had an explosion with the growth of e-books, seems to have been waning a bit, but since it’s cyclical, they will come back. 

Another reader sent me this: “Is there a certain sub-genre of historical fiction (fantasy, romance, thriller, mystery) that you think is selling best now? And is historical fiction fading out?”

A sub-genre that seems to be trending up is the romance novel with a strong suspense line. Another has been the romance with fantastic or supernatural elements. Some historical periods continue to sell, so there is renewed interest in the Edwardian and Victorian periods (thanks to Downton Abbey, an entire period of time that’s been overlooked is once again popular). And despite slowing, plenty of readers are still in love with the Amish and all things simple. Romance novels set in Texas seem to outsell other settings (no idea why — I find the state flat and hot and not terribly interesting… but I only say that to bug the people from Texas). But historical romances are definitely still a category that sell. Don’t give up on it. 

One reader asked, “Since trends do seem to come and go, would you advise a writer of historical fiction to write in other genres as well?”

I don’t think that’s the right question to be asking. A better question would be, “What’s the right place for me to write?” If you have a particular voice for romance, you should be writing romance. If your voice is literary, you should be writing literary. Frankly, it’s tough to create any sort of brand for yourself if you’re all over the map. (And now the caveat… that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes you have to write cross-genres to make a living. Such is the life of the artist.) 

I’ve had a number of people write to me in response to my recent post about 2013 publishing predictions, asking how I felt the role of literary agents is changing. It used to be that an agent basically offered four benefits: (1) an editing/sounding board for writing and ideas; (2) access to publishers; (3) contract and statement assistance; and (4) some type of career advice. There are a bunch of other ideas people bring up (such as “maximize the advance!” and “be the tough guy when things get ugly!”), and no doubt several other iterations of the ideas above, but I think those are the four big content areas in which agents have generally served.

But now we’re in a new era. The way books are produced, marketed, delivered, and sold to readers has changed considerably over the past few years. The sales channels are completely altered. Publishers have overhauled their staffing and methods. New jobs exist that didn’t used to exist, and old ones have faded out of existence. The advent of digital publishing has not just created this new product called “e-books,” but have helped reshape the entire industry. So it only makes sense that a literary agent shouldn’t be doing his or her job the same way it was being done ten years ago. To that end, I thought I’d try to offer thoughts on how I see an agent’s role in contemporary publishing.

First, a good agent is still doing editing, but perhaps even more book and project concepting. Idea development and packaging are an essential part of the role now. Your agent needs to be talking with you not just about “how to do an ebook,” but how various projects and packages fit into your overall business plan.

Second, I think the notion of an agent giving an author access to publishers has evolved into an agent as interactor — networking with various publishing types, as well as connecting with marketing and publicity people, serving as your advocate, and being a well-informed source to keep you abreast of what’s happening in the industry and how you ought to be participating in it. So while the agent undoubtedly is an author’s biggest cheerleader, more importantly he or she helps with “relationship management” for all those parties associated with your books.

Third, a good agent continues to deal with contracts and royalty statements, of course — something that’s become necessary in an industry that seems to have been taken over by attorneys. But more than that, agents today are essentially serving as business managers for the authors they serve — exploring ideas, looking for opportunities, keeping abreast of sales data, suggesting changes, and taking care of those things that allow the author to focus on writing. Making sense of sales data and (For all the yammering about agents that went on with some popular bloggers in recent years, it’s humorous to note that all those writers who found success immediately went out and landed an agent, in order to have someone knowledgable assist with this area.)

Fourth, most successful literary agents are still offering career advice, but are also heavily involved with platform creation, marketing plans, public relations, and readership growth. Part of the agent’s job these days is to make sure the author remains relevant in the market, which means the agent needs to remain on top of trends much more than we used to. This is perhaps the biggest area of change for agents — and the one that separates the agent who simply wants to “do the deal and disappear.”

Fifth, and one of the ways the job has evolved recently, is that agents are now actively pursuing not just subrights (foreign editions, translations, dramatic rights, derivatives, etc), but serving as a sort of clearinghouse for author opportunities. So, for example, offering advice marketing copy, or discussing how an author website reflects the overall brand, or connecting with the technical specialists who can help for a specific problem, are all elements of the job that I didn’t used to do, but that I regularly find myself doing now.

I’ve been told more than once that the role of the literary agent is fading away — but I’ve also been told that publishers were going away, the printed book was dead, and in an age of an omnipresent web we would no longer need sales people. All of those things were untrue. The industry has changed, and the role of the literary agent continues to change with it.

While on an agent’s panel at ACFW in September, I sat next to Lee Hough, one of the smartest and hardest working agents in the business. While we all fielded the typical questions we get as panelists, someone asked a question about the current state of affairs in publishing, and how agents are faring.

I’ve had people sending me dozens of questions recently, so I thought I’d try to catch up by changing things a bit and offering several short questions and answers. So the next few days of the blog will sort of head in a new direction…

Someone wrote and noted, “I have a busy life, and I seem to spend much of it in front of my computer. How can I keep up with the industry? What do you fell is worth sacrificing my writing time to follow?”

My choices may be different from your own, of course, but I subscribe to Publisher’s Weekly (the bible of our industry), and I get Publishers’ Lunch and PW Daily on my screen every day. They offer a summary of news, with links I can go to when I want to find details. (For example, today the Authors Guild asked the government to look into the proposed Penguin/Random House merger, since it turns out there just MAY be a bit of market-cornering going on.) These keep me in touch with the industry. There are a number of blogs I like, but I’ll admit that I tend to look at the blogs of the authors I represent, and I can’t quite keep up with all the good blogs that have been created. Novel Rocket is good because it keeps you on top of a lot of titles. I still read GalleyCat. Most of the publishers have their own company blogs. I like Mike Hyatt’s excellent blog, Salon.com, bookbusinessmag.com, Digital Book World, and I belong to a couple discussion groups to talk about the business and marketing side of publishing. I’ll invite readers to suggest other good industry blogs in the “comments” section…

I frequently get proposals telling me about someone’s cool personal story. Right now, I’m looking at a New York cop who busted several organized crime figures, a guy who spent his life in the bush, the child of an on-the-road professional musician, a former Islamic soldier who came to see the world differently, and a very talented poet and songwriter who survived breast cancer. These are all fairly interesting stories, and I doubt very much I’ll take any of them on. Why? Because there’s very little market for personal story books. 

Here’s what I consider to be a hard truth: You may have led a fascinating life, seen incredible things, and even had miracles happen to you. But in today’s market, there’s not a ton of interest in publishing this information in book form. And while you may not like that truth, the fact is, it’s where we are in today’s publishing economy. No matter how successful these books used to be, or how interesting your story is to you, publishers just aren’t selling enough copies of personal story books to make it worthwhile anymore. 

I mention this because I’ve been seeing more and more personal story proposals cross my desk. (In hard economic times, MORE people create proposals, apparently thinking they’re going to cash in and make some easy money. Ha!) But right now network television is filled with reality shows — and these are basically personal stories. There are 20 million blogs — many of them people sharing their stories. In fact, the web is filled with people who want to tell the world about their stories. So there are cool personal stories everywhere, and they’re free. And that’s taken away the incentive people have to purchase a personal story book, unless there is a great sense of celebrity or media associated with the book. I represented Lisa Beamer’s post-9/11 memoir, LET’S ROLL, a few years ago, then did Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis’ UP, UP AND AWAY, a couple years ago sold THROUGH THE STORM authored by Britney Spears’ mom, Lynne, and last year hit the New York Times list with Mike Hingson’s THUNDER DOG. All of those books did well, but a couple had major celebrities tied to them, and the other two were about one of the biggest media stories in our nation’s history. Would anyone have published Lisa’s account of her life with Todd if he hadn’t been killed while heroically trying to take back a plane from Islamic terrorists? No, they wouldn’t. Would a publisher be willing to listen to a Louisiana mom talk about the lessons she’s learned if her eldest child hadn’t become one of the world’s biggest music stars? No way. 

You see, in our contemporary culture, there are a million great stories. It’s rare for one of them to stand out enough that it needs a book to share that story with the world. It’s why I’ve rejected at least a dozen books from finalists on various reality TV shows (Biggest Loser, Survivor, America’s Next Top Model, etc). In the market’s view, someone who has come close on one of those shows has HAD their fifteen minutes of fame. A book isn’t going to put any extra time on that clock. If you have a great story, you may want to share it in other venues (such as the internet) in order to get your message out. 

Speakers seem to have the hardest time hearing this lesson — “But I’ve got a GREAT story! People who hear me speak at a conference all rave about me. Their lives change. They’re never the same. They wet their pants in excitement!” Uh-huh. I think that’s great. But unless you’re going to be there, to tell your story to potential readers and hand-sell each copy, that doesn’t do the publisher much good. And that’s why even busy speakers these days are finding it tough to get a deal on their personal story book. (And that’s why I routinely encourage busy speakers to consider self-publishing. An audience in a room CAN be persuaded to buy a book… and the speaker will make more on those self-pubbed copies than if he or she were getting a royalty anyway.) 

Instead, if you’ve got this cool story that needs to be told, consider turning it inside out. In other words, don’t focus on your personal story – focus on the principles for living that come out of your story. Don’t just use the book to tell what happened – use the book to share the principles for living you’ve learned, and use your story to illustrate those principles. You see, people still want to live effectively. They want to learn how to lose weight, or make money, or be successful, or find peace with God. But they don’t want to buy your book and just hear about your life. That said, they’re still willing to buy a book that offers a big promise, that answers their questions, that solves the big problems of life. So if you feel you’ve got some sort of dynamite story, don’t focus on re-telling everyone what happened in your life. Instead, focus on the lessons learned, write about them, and use some of your story as examples in your text. A much more effective method these days — and, if you have a platform, far more likely to help you land a publishing deal. 

And one more word… What’s clear recently is that the internet is killing nonfiction book sales. People have discovered they can find those same answers on the web for free, so nonfiction sales are in often struggling right now. Publishers, authors, and agents are trying to stay ahead of that curve by figuring out what nonfiction books readers ARE willing to buy… but the prospects in nonfiction self-help are sketchy. People still want answers to the evergreen questions (how can I be healthy? how can I make money money? how can I be at peace? how can I know God? how can I ever be as cool as Chip if I’m not Scottish?), but we’re not sure they’re going to continue buying those answers in book form if they can get something just as good for free. There are still some cool stories that get told (we’re working with Kylie Bisutti to share her story of moving from being a top Victoria’s Secret model to talking with women about modesty and body image), but without celebrity or significant media attention, it’s an uphill climb. 

So before you decide to pen that cool personal story about how you kicked drugs, lost weight, found your muse, made a fortune, and learned to glow in the dark, be aware that there may not be anyone interested in reading it in a book. 

Last week I mentioned Athena Dean, who founded WinePress Publishing. She got in touch with me to tell me what she’s doing these days, and I thought you’d find it interesting. So today’s guest blog comes from Athena, who has helped coach authors through the daunting task of book production, publicity, advertising, and promotions as they try to find success with their self-published books…