Thursday's Tip...by Chip MacGregor

Talking with Agents


Today's question...

Martha wrote to say, "I have heard the best way to connect with agents (and sometimes publishers) is to attend writer conferences. I had also heard you can make an appointment to have an agent or editor look at your material. If so, how does an author find when and where conferences are held, and how does one go about making those appointments?"

It's true. In fact, one of the BEST ways to connect with agents these days is at a writing conference. In a few weeks, I'm going to be at the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference in Dallas, Texas. There will be several hundred writers attending, so it's a great time to connect with other people who write fiction. There will be a dozen or so editors representing the publishing houses who compete in the Christian fiction market. And there are close to a dozen agents who will be in attendance. All of them make themselves available for a limited number of 15-minute appointments with authors. That allows an author to come into a room, sit across from me, and pitch his or her book idea. We may talk about the author's experience, or I may evaluate the author's proposal, or we may talk about the overall salability of the author's idea. In some cases, I'll read the first couple of pages of the author's opening chapter and offer my initial impressions. While there isn't time for this to be a full-blown evaluation of an author's work, it at least gives you some sense of how an agent will respond to your idea.

Many conferences also offer in-depth analysis of your proposal, done by a working professional in the field. This is usually an extra charge -- but to pay $30 and have a full-time freelance editor or writer examine your work is, frankly, a steal.
To check out writers' conferences, just google "writer conference" or "Christian writers' conference." Some of the biggest and best are the ACFW conference, Mount Hermon (California), Glorietta (New Mexico), Ridgecrest (North Carolina), and Write to Publish (Chicago). There are good Christian conferences in Florida, Colorado, Oregon, and Philadelphia every year, and there are good secular conferences all across the country. In addition, Jerry Jenkins' Christian Writers Guild puts on some very good conferences, as does Reg Forder's organization, though neither of these have literary agents attending. There are also many local conferences, as well as dozens of good writing conferences offered through colleges and local writer organizations.

Every conference will list the agents and editors who plan to attend, and will offer free sign-ups to conferees. Be aware that you have to go into a 15-minute meeting with realistic expectations. "I'd like to make a good first impression" or "I'd like to get an agent's opinion on my writing" are realistic. "I expect to convince a person I've never met before to take me on as a client in a fifteen-minute interview" is probably not realistic. But I encourage you to attend. It's one of the few places an author will find where he or she can not only meet agents, but hang out with them at meals and in hallways.

On a similar note, Dayle wrote and said, "An editor requested I send him my manuscript at a conference. They later sent me an evaluation memo with a few editorial notes, with a request that I rewrite it and send it back. Is this worth mentioning in an agent query?"

Absolutely, Dayle. The fact is, many editors get fatigued saying "no" at writers' conferences, so after a while they find themselves telling authors, "Go ahead and send that to me," thinking that it'll be easier to reject via an email after the conference than to sit face-to-face and tell the author, in essence, "I don't think this idea is any good." I understand that -- I've been fatigued at conferences in the past, and occasionally asked somebody to send me an idea that wasn't particularly stellar. But I've stopped doing that, since it just creates more work for me later, when the hard copy of the bad idea comes into my office and demands a response. It would have been easier just to say "no thanks" in the first place. So an author who tells me "the editors at a recent conference all liked it" doesn't gain much prestige in my mind.

However, an editor who asks for your proposal, then takes the time to review it, make notes, and send you a request for a revised version is showing serious interest in your work. THAT means a lot to me as an agent. So yes -- make sure that information gets conveyed to your prospective agent.

Hope this is helpful. If you're going to be at the ACFW conference in Dallas, make sure to say hello.

-Chip
MacGregor Literary
Books That Make A Difference
http://macgregorliterary.com/index.php

Thursday Tip...Find a Mentor!

Well, yes a physical mentor...a blog and newsletter can only do so much. Ha, Ha!

I've been blessed to have many people who God has dropped into my life during the writing process. I first became interested in novel writing by a friend and wanna-be novelist, Cindy Martinusen. Cindy is now an author of five novels, but back in 1992, she introduced me to the writing world.

During my first Mt. Hermon Writers Conference I met Robin Jones Gunn. The next year I joined with Robin and a few other wonderful authors in a private email prayer group. We're still praying together fourteen years later! Robin has been an amazing mentor to me through encouragement, advice, and sometimes a kick in the pants. Her life is also an example to me. She writes and lives with grace and truth.

Another mentor is my agent Janet Grant. I was one of Janet's first clients, and she has been an amazing cheerleader, advisor, and a rock for me to turn to. Whenever I'm struggling, Janet gives me a call, "Let's look at what's happening this way ..." and she can open my eyes to seeing with new perspective.

Finally, I can list dozens others I've met: Steve Laube, Ethel Herr, Gayle Roper, Lisa Bergren, Joanna Weaver, Brandilyn Collins, Robin Lee Hatcher, Anne de Graaf, Marlo Schalesky … and others, who God has connected me with at just the right time to speak wisdom and truth into my life.

Yes, it DOES take a community to raise a writer.

Ha, ha, ha...

Substitute damn every time you're inclined to write very; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.

~~Mark Twain, author and humorist (1835-1910)

Thursday Tip...Your Writing Portfolio

Today's tip is from Mary Ann Diorio.

Artists compile portfolios to display their work when presenting it to an editor. Writers can do the same thing.

What Is a Writing Portfolio?

Most simply put, a writing portfolio is a vehicle for presenting or displaying one's written work. For the professional writer, a portfolio is a marketing tool for presenting writing samples, commonly called clips, to editors or employers.

A portfolio can be as simple as a notebook or a loose-leaf binder with clear plastic page covers for inserting clips. If you prefer something fancier, you can purchase a small, standard artist’s portfolio at a stationery or art supply store.

Whatever you use to display your clips, make sure that it looks professional. The reason for this is that you will be showing your portfolio to editors at writers’ conferences or, perhaps, at their offices. You may also be showing your portfolio to a prospective employer. In either case, you don’t want to carry a shoebox full of unorganized clips. An organized portfolio will say a good deal about you as a writer. Remember: you have only one chance to make a good first impression.

It is important to keep your portfolio up to date. One way to do so is to clip your article, story, or poem as soon as it is published and place it directly into your portfolio. Be sure to write the name of the magazine and the date of publication at the top of the clip. If possible, insert the clip in a plastic page protector. This will prevent the dog-earing and soiling that often result from frequent turning of pages. Using a plastic page protector will also mark you as a professional who respects his work.

For your best articles, I suggest lamination. Because paper, especially newsprint, tends to yellow and tear over the years, laminating your best work can keep it presentable and readable indefinitely. Laminating also allows for frequent handling without damage to your clip. Laminated articles can be hole-punched for direct insertion in your portfolio or slipped into a page protector.

Why Keep a Writing Portfolio?

There are several reasons for having a writing portfolio. Here are some of the most common:

· A writing portfolio serves as a professional way of introducing yourself and your work to editors at writers' conferences. Having a portfolio makes it easier for editors to assess your writing ability. It also demonstrates that you take your writing seriously. Moreover, a portfolio of several clips shows an editor that you are a consistent, working writer.

· A writing portfolio can be presented during a job interview as a visual résumé of your writing skills. It can show your interviewer that you are an effective communicator, a skill that many employers consider a high priority.

· A writing portfolio can serve as a means of publicizing your writing. Writers' conferences often provide a space for displaying one's writing portfolio. Such a practice makes fellow conferees and participating editors aware of your work and may even result in an assignment.

· A writing portfolio provides a single location for the storage of your best clips. No longer will you frantically have to search through files or piles to fulfill an editor's request for a clip. You can simply retrieve one from your portfolio, photocopy it, and send it off. Also, you can carry your writing portfolio with you so that you will always be ready for those serendipitous opportunities that present themselves to those who are prepared.

· A writing portfolio provides a valuable archive that can be passed on to future generations. It can serve as a primary source record of an era and as a presentation of your worldview about that era. In this sense, a writing portfolio provides an original historical document that will influence generations beyond your own.


How to Format Your Writing Portfolio

The first page of your writing portfolio should be your title page. Place your name about one-third of the way down the page, in a large font or in all caps.

Following the title page, include your résumé. If you are presenting your portfolio to an editor, emphasize in your résumé the writing you have done, whether free-lance or job-related. One caveat: Never leave your portfolio with an editor or employer. Instead, photocopy samples of your best writing and attach them to a copy of your résumé. Then leave this packet with an editor or prospective employer.

Your writing portfolio can serve as a major tool in the furtherance of your writing career. Make sure that you assemble it with care and balance. For example, choose writing samples that reflect both your strengths and your versatility as a writer.

In order to have a portfolio, you must have clips. So now that you know what a writing portfolio is, get busy filling it!
_______________________
Copyright 2003 by Mary Ann Diorio, Ph.D.
www.maryanndiorio.com
Mary Ann is an award-winning writer of short stories, articles, and poems. Her published clips include The Saturday Evening Post, Decision, and Human Events. She is currently working on her first novel.