By Andrew E. Kaufman, author of psychological thrillers
Opinions seem to vary, and of course, I’ve got one, too.
Before signing a publishing deal with Thomas & Mercer
and 47North, I didn’t have a literary agent. Not by choice—it was because
virtually nobody wanted me. I’d submitted and submitted, but the boomerang boilerplates kept flying back at me.
Then I sold a lot of books, and suddenly the agents were flying at me.
At that point, I questioned whether representation was
actually necessary. I mean, I was doing
pretty well going solo, so my prevailing thought was, “Why now? Why would I
give someone fifteen percent of my hard-earned money?”
I struggled long and hard over that before finally signing
with Scott Miller, Executive Vice President at Trident Media Group. The reason? There were several.
As an independent author, there would have been no purpose
in having an agent unless I was trying to handle foreign rights or other deals
(more on that later!). That said, I was looking for an opportunity to take my
career to the next level. At the time, I felt Amazon Publishing could help me
in that respect, and having an agent seemed like a step I could not afford to
skip, because I’d never been through any sort of “traditional” publishing
process, and I reasoned that it would be smart to protect myself.
Looking back now, I absolutely believe I made the right
decision, because Scott has been instrumental in assuring me a safe and
profitable journey.
Here’s how:
Here’s how:
Negotiating the deal
I’m not saying you can’t do this yourself, but a smart agent
is skilled in the art of negotiation, and they understand subtleties in
contract language that the average author just doesn’t. Besides having a good
grasp on a fair asking price for advances and royalties, the agent also knows
how to deal with publishers in getting what you deserve. Not having this sort
of experience, I felt confident (and relieved) allowing Scott to do this work
for me.
Advocating
His job was far from being over once I signed the deal—in
fact, it had only just begun. An agent
is your representative, your voice, but most important, your ally. It’s a
journey you take together. When there are bumps along the way, he steps in and
smoothes things over, making the ride a lot easier. Whenever I have a concern,
I immediately go to my agent. He gives advice, and because he’s represented so
many authors, that advice is based on solid experience. I listen to my trusted
agent before making decisions, and then it’s often his job to carry them out. In
other words, I get to sit back and relax. If I’ve got a concern about the way
things are going, he steps in and speaks to the people involved. In other
words, I let him do his job so that I can do mine. I am not alone in managing
what is now my business, and that’s immeasurably comforting.
Profit
An agent gets a percentage of everything you earn. Some may
see this as a downfall, but I see it as a win-win. Bottom line: the more money
I make, the more he does, so we both have the same interests. And I don’t mind
making him work for his money. I’m a slave driver. (Kidding! Kidding!)
Scams
Here’s a cautionary tale: While still an independent author,
I was offered a publishing deal for the German rights to one of my books, which
I hastily accepted. It’s been more than a year, and I still haven’t received a
penny. While I’ve attempted to contact this rat bastard thief on numerous occasions, he’s
refused to respond. In short, I got shafted by a man who continues to sell my work and make
a 100-percent profit at it. Even worse, I have no recourse, because even if I
wanted to sue him (which would give me delight beyond measure), I’d have to go
to Austria in order to do it. I didn’t know that, but he probably did. I’m sure
Austria is beautiful, but I’m not really
interested in taking a combination vacation/sue-the-jerk trip at the moment.
The lesson? If I’d had an agent at the time, this never
would have happened.
There is no rule that says you need to have representation.
If you plan to remain indie, if you’re a skilled negotiator who has extensive
experience working with publishers, and if you know a lot about foreign rights
deals, then by all means, go for it.
If not, consider otherwise. Fifteen percent isn’t a high
price to pay to have someone constantly watching your back.
Andrew E. Kaufman's new psychological thriller,
Darkness & Shadows, has been touted
by New York Times Bestselling author
Jessica Park as,"A story about damage
and survival, about the past and the
future, and about facing the truth.
behind the pain."
Jessica Park as,"A story about damage
and survival, about the past and the
future, and about facing the truth.
behind the pain."
I'm so sorry about the German publisher! He had a pretty slick offer, and I think lots of authors were caught up in it. I signed with a Turkish publisher who has never paid me. Strangely enough, one of my writer friends from Eugene was in Turkey last summer and saw my name on a book in an outdoor book fair! So I know they're selling it. I kind of wish you would go to Austria to sue him. :)
ReplyDeleteI've received emails from several other authors (and one translator) who told me they have yet to receive money owed. The translator, who lives in that part of the world, has told me she plans on filing a suit against him.
DeleteThanks for sharing. Another thing, I think, is that with so many indie authors saying, "Why do I need an agent?", agents are working harder to attract authors and keep them happy.
ReplyDeleteAnother side to this, Terry: I think a lot more indie authors are being offered publishing deals, and a good portion of those want representation--so I'm not sure whether agents are having to work as hard to attract clients.
DeleteYes, good of you to share your knowledge and experiences - and others can avoid some of your lessons learned the hard way! I also outlined some of the mistakes I've made along my self-publishing journey in my post here on Monday.
ReplyDeleteThat's a real drag about that publisher in Germany! I hope he gets what he deserves!
I'm pretty sure RED TIDE is selling next to L.J.'s book in Turkey.
ReplyDelete:(
DeleteNice post!
ReplyDeleteVery informative. My sympathy regarding the Turkish rip-off ('rat bastard thief' is righteously eloquent!).
Thank you for sharing.