Monday, May 31, 2010

No Room for Mediocrity

GalleyCat has an interesting post on literary agent Bridget Wagner, who has been a foreign rights agent at both The Sagalyn Agency and Random House India. She’s now head of her own agency called The Wagner Agency.

As to mediocrity, she says:
I only go after writing that really wows me, and that I know will wow publishers. I think there's far less room for mediocrity now, publishers can't afford to take a chance
We’ve been talking platforms lately. Here’s what she says on that:
As for authors, developing a platform and selling your own book is more important than ever. Take advantage of every contact and opportunity and encourage your publisher to try new things, like Google's TV commercial system, etc.
As to e-books, she says:
Readers want HC books, but they are also asking for paperback, audio and now e-book versions…. If we listen to the readers and tap this new technology, the marketplace could be more profitable and more exciting than ever.
So what does she think editors are looking for?
I think editors are looking for game changing books -- truly brilliant innovators that see the world (business, science, politics, history, etc) in a new way and who can tell stories in the process. And, they're looking for authors with built-in media connections.
Link over to GalleyCat to read the full article and hear everything agent Bridget Wagner has to say, as well as how to submit to her and what she’s looking for.
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24 comments:

  1. Sometimes it's a little scary to realize that a "good book" isn't good enough to be published anymore!

    On the upside, when I go to the bookstore, I'm usually expecting (and frequently get) something pretty extraordinary.

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  2. I'm glad they have such demanding aspirations. I don't see it in the bookstores as much as I would like. I see a lot of gluck - books that are the equivalent of entertainment today - celebrity bios, shock stories, and extremely light fiction. I know that the bookstores need to survive too but really!
    The one thing that encourages me muchly is that (in Canada anyway) there is a bedrock of wonderful books for children. If our children are encouraged to read good books - difficult books, books of social importance, classics and so on - then they will demand that as adults. If they are encouraged to read without discretion, books that are the equivalent of junk food then that is what they will want as adults. I think junk fiction and junk food are OK now and then but as a steady diet - a disaster.

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  3. Boy, I hope I have voice! This has been something I've worked on. I'm trying to be unique in mind body spirit. I want to market to a broader audience. Thanks, Helen, for all the great posts.

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  4. I totally agree about the celebrity books. If people would quit buying them, the publishers would quit putting them out there.

    And I agree about having good books instead of lightweight fluff for our teens. You are what you read.

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  5. Lots of food for thought. Thanks, Helen.

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  6. Editors and agents always say they want books that "wow" them... but it's never something they can explain!

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  7. I think there is a place for fiction--light or not and things that divert and entertain you. It's why I read. If I learn something in the process, that's also cool.

    A wise King once said 'there is nothing new under the sun'. That's also true in fiction but as writers we can approach it in a fresh way. We should strive for that *wow* factor.

    I agree with the idea of an author having their own built in platform. It may not pay off big time for your first book but I think by the time you hit book three you're really going to see the pay off.

    Thanks for the link, Helen.

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  8. So true, Sia. Your platform grows with you. Few people are best-sellers with their first book. If you can keep building your readership, though, you're more likely to have a long career.

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  9. "... publishers can't afford to take a chance."

    That's no good, is it? Progress in almost all parts of life and work comes from people who dare to take a step into the unknown >:)

    Cold As Heaven

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  10. I agree with Elizabeth - it is scary to realize that having a good book is not enough these days. Wish I had a magic wand so I could make sure I had plenty of built-in media connections!)

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  11. Elizabeth, you are so right in your comment about a good book not being good enough anymore, but I have been hearing htat for years. When I first started trying to sell a novel, I kept getting, "This is really good, unfortunately it is not great."

    I had an agent for a while who was shopping my next book and after a year she finally told me she didn't think she could sell it. Again, it was good, just not great. She told me then that publishers were looking for something that would make the best-seller list. That publishers were no longer looking to fill that mid-list, which is where all those good books used to go.

    That's when I turned to writing nonfiction to earn a living.

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  12. You and me, both, Jane!

    It feels like it's getting more difficult to be picked up by an agent or a big publisher. Is it the economic times? The push of eReaders? Or does it only feel like it's harder when in reality it's always been difficult?

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  13. At the recent conference I attended all the agents and editors said they aren't looking to fill the midlist. Now you not only need to break in but you need to break in at the top.
    I am glad to hear the publishers are all getting on the ebook wagon. I guess they figured they would be left behind if they didn't.

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  14. One problem is, if the midlist is going away, then how can there be a top list? Will it shrink down until the only books in print are the "big" names or celebrities?

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  15. Very good words to ponder, Helen. Thank you for sharing.

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  16. Great post with great info. Just wanted to let you know I'm over here following you from Yvonne's blog.

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  17. Hi sarahjayne! And hi to Yvonne, too! Thanks for commenting. We tend to get a discussion going in the comment section

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  18. Of course the work always has to shine, but it seems sometimes that editors are looking for qualities that take even more time away from the actual writing.

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  19. "... publishers can't afford to take a chance."

    I'm with "Cold" .. it is those who take chances and step outstide the normal box who reap the huge rewards of creating something new, something fresh and original.

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  20. Creating a platform is most definitely time consuming, which is why I coach writers to start developing one now, before they're published.

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  21. Oh my, both inspiring and disturbing--we writers have to be and do so much now.

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  22. Exciting and terrifying at the same time. The industry is most definitely changing.

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  23. Frankly, it makes me tired just reading about it, let alone doing it.

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  24. It is good to hear her say that editors are looking for game-changing or innovation in new writers--I think it challenges authors to be creative.

    I also agree with the built-in media connections as the social networking and related thing can show appeal.

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