Steps On the Road to
Book Publication
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
Here’s a question about the book publication process, and how finding a literary agent can be easier if a publisher has already expressed interest. One of our Good Story Learning members wants to know:
How should a writer proceed if they're rejected or ignored by agents they initially thought would be a good fit for their work, but then find that a publishing house is interested in their manuscript for book publication? Do they go back to the agents that rejected them, or look for new ones?
Book Publication In Reverse: From Offer to Agent
In order to help you navigate book publication, I generally suggest trying to obtain a literary agent before submitting your work to editors and publishers. (You can read more about whether you need a literary agent here.) Agents can help you refine your manuscript and access bigger houses than you would be able to on your own. Chances are, your manuscript is not as ready as you think it is, and an agent can advise you on how to make it better, especially if they’re an editorial agent.
That being said, not everyone takes the “agent first” route, and some writers actually end up with an offer of book publication from a publisher first. Is it, then, worth trying to get a literary agent to negotiate the book publication process and potential deal after the fact? This is a tricky question, but we can shed some light.
Using a Book Publication Offer For Leverage
If you’ve already received an offer of book publication for your work from a publishing house (a traditional house, rather than a self-publishing, vanity press, or hybrid publishing business), then you can use that offer to snag an agent, and an agent might be more open to hearing from you.
Simply send a query letter and mention in the first sentence and/or subject line (or both) that you have an offer from a publisher. This puts you way ahead of most people in the slush pile, because it is validation from a publishing gatekeeper, and a writing agent will love to see it. An agent might be attracted to this, and then they have to decide whether they want to step into an active negotiation. (VERY IMPORTANT: You should only try to get an agent on board if you have NOT YET accepted the publisher’s offer or signed a contract. If you have, there’s going to be nothing for the agent to do and they may not be able to be the “agent of record” on the project, so they might not get commission, and their interest will quickly wane, as selling a book is a commission-based sales job.)
Some writers use a book publication offer to try and requery agents who have previously rejected them. Some may be intrigued, but some will remain unmoved. It's worth trying again with those who have previously rejected you, and alerting them to your manuscript offer, even though there is no guarantee it will change their minds. But if the publisher is reputable and the offer is enticing, this could be an ideal chance to get noticed by dream agents and escape the slush pile.
Navigating Book Publication
If you decide to bring an agent into negotiations with your publisher to help you close the deal, then be aware that they’ll charge you a standard 15% commission on all monies and royalties received for doing so (and up to 25% for subrights, foreign rights, and other licensing opportunities). So that’s something to factor into your decision. They will also likely be able to improve your deal (either the advance or royalty structure or both), so the numbers could even out, after all.
You can also navigate the offer yourself and sign without an agent, but be aware that the publisher will be offering and negotiating in their own best interest and you will have little leverage. An agent can bring that clout, but they charge for it. You can absolutely publish without a representative, but think about hiring an IP lawyer to review your contract, at the very least. Then you can put this publishing credit in your cap, and maybe use your successful book publication resume to catch an agent with your next project.
Click here to purchase Successful Query Letters, my book on query letters, including over forty examples with comprehensive notes on each one. There’s a ton of submission advice, best practices, and insider information in these pages, and you’ll really enjoy seeing what other writers are doing in the slush.