Why Can't I Sell My Book Or Get Agent Representation?
This is a question that comes up a lot in the Whale Rock community.
I know many talented writers who take workshops, participate in one-on-one opportunities, and work intently with their writing groups.
And yet, no bites on their projects.
It’s frustrating, and it’s hard, and I know that sometimes it just makes you want to throw in the towel and give up.
Publishing is a long haul. It's years of rejections and non-responses until you find that one person who sees the potential in one of your projects. I've written four novels and sold one. I've written about 15 picture books and sold four. Many of my stories will never see the light of day.
Some of my stories were just poorly timed: a classic fairytale when fractured or modernized fairytales were all the rage. Some of my books were too quiet or not commercial enough. And if I’m being honest, some just weren’t good enough to sell.
How do you know when your project is ready and good enough to pitch?
Well, there’s no way of knowing for sure, but my approach: I never send anything out unless I've had two trusted, experienced reader friends give me the thumbs up AND at least one of my mentors tells me the manuscript is ready.
I never know when my story is good enough to go out because by the time I think it's done I've read it too many times to be truly objective. I have to rely on others for honest feedback.
What if you don’t have a trusted mentor?
1) Get in front of an agent or editor at a conference.
For example, you can sign up for PYI at Canscaip or an SCBWI one-on-one event and pay for one or two editor / agent meetings. Listen to their feedback. (If they tell you the book isn't there yet, don't race home and make quick edits and then send it out right away. You will still need feedback on those revisions.)
2) Take a craft class with a truly exceptional instructor multiple times.
Work with one or two teachers who really get to know you and your project. Some of the most talented writers I know return year after to work with Patricia Lee Gauch and Gary Schmidt for our Master Skills class. Published books are coming out of that class! If the timing and pricing doesn’t work for you, that’s okay, find another teacher whom you love and work with them again and again. This repeated access offers you concrete progress on your project. Taking one project to multiple conferences and classes will result in confusing, often conflicting feedback. There are many ways to make a project work. Choose one path and stick with it.
3) Find a critique group with experienced authors or exceptional readers.
Even better, find a group of writers who work with the same mentors or teachers as you! That way you will all have a shared sensibility and approach. Writing groups are tricky. Well-meaning peers too often offer well-meaning advice that can derail your project. A group of only unpublished, beginning authors will very likely know if a manuscript isn't working, but they may not have the experience needed to help you take that project to the next level. Even published critique partners often lead others astray. Never assume advice on how to fix your manuscript is correct.
Another big mistake I see is submitting projects to the wrong people.
A wise writer friend once told me that most writers make the big mistake of assuming the market they are selling to is readers. In fact, as a writer, your market is agents and editors. You sell your product to agents and editors who then sell that product to readers.
If you don’t know your market, you can’t sell properly.
Before you submit to an agent or an editor make sure that agent/editor is a good fit for your project and your work in general. The best editor on the planet is a bad fit for your picture book about the lifecycle of a mouse if that editor only publishes commercial character-driven stories.
To get a sense for what kinds of stories an editor or house publishes, look at their acquisitions. Publishers Marketplace is a great resource. Follow presses on Instagram and social media. Take books out of the library from different publishers and study the differences. Editors will only acquire a book that fulfills their branding guidelines.
If you’re looking at agents, do the same kind of research. Read the agents’ wishlists, look at their personal websites, and look at what they sold in Publishers Marketplace. Don’t submit your romantic young adult fantasy to an agent who only represents middle grade authors.
I wish I could tell you there's a secret sauce, but we are all submitting, pitching and hoping.
There are no guarantees in this super fickle industry, but getting your story as close to ready with a trusted mentor or teacher and subbing to the right people will get you a whole lot closer.