Agent Sara Megibow On Whether You Still Need an Agent

Today I have with me Uber Agent Extraordinaire Sara Megibow. Yes, I have dubbed her such. She is not only AMAZING at what she does, she is super nice to boot. She's agreed to take time out of her very busy schedule to answer some pressing questions I've heard plenty of writers discussing lately. So without further ado, here is the interview:

1.  The market is rapidly changing as we all know. How is the agent's job changing with it, or is it?

Great question and thanks for having me here today! I imagine that, as with most questions about publishing, this answer will vary greatly from agent to agent. I tend to represent debut genre authors (Stefan Bachmann of the middle grade fantasy THE PECULIAR, Miranda Kenneally of the contemporary young adult CATCHING JORDAN, Roni Loren of the contemporary erotic romance CRASH INTO YOU, etc), so my answers will be skewed to those markets.

For me personally, when someone says "rapidly changing market" my thoughts go to electronic book sales and subsidiary rights.

What does "rapidly changing market" mean in terms of ebook sales? Growth. We've seen huge growth in the ebook market since I started working in publishing in 2006. The impact of that growth affects my job in many ways - this won't be an all-inclusive list, but here's an overview:

         In 2012, Stefan Bachmann's book sales (remember - he writes middle grade fantasy) broke down to 94% print sales and 6% ebook sales. Conversely, Roni Loren's book sales (for contemporary erotic romance) were 33% print book and 67% ebook sales. How does this affect my job? Well, I need to know this stuff. It's important to know the numbers, the trends and the impact for my clients and their books. We see ebook sales growing tremendously, but it's also important to know in which genres that growth occurs and in which segments growth is perhaps plateauing. Ebook growth in the past couple of years has affected my day-to-day job to include: negotiating contracts that include important ebook language and ebook royalties, crafting publicity plans for my clients that focus on print sales AND ebook sales (or just ebook sales for clients with ebook-only releases), weighing ebook-only deals with p&e deals (print and ebook) and researching the impacts of cover design, metadata, release dates and pricing on ebook sales.

What does "rapidly changing market" mean to subsidiary rights? Opportunity. Subsidiary rights (to an agent) means film, foreign rights, audio rights, gaming, merchandise, etc. Possibly as a side result of the growth in ebook sales (or possibly due to the gigantic increase in pop cultural success coming from books like HARRY POTTER, TWILIGHT and HUNGER GAMES) - I've seen tremendous increase in opportunities for my authors to make money on subsidiary rights. I have more interest from Hollywood for film and TV sales than ever before and for a wider range of books (romance, erotica, New Adult, middle grade - etc.). CATCHING JORDAN by Miranda Kenneally was optioned to producer Nick Wechsler last year, and I have more big Hollywood news coming soon. I'm selling more audio rights and making more money for my clients on foreign rights. Tiffany Reisz's ORIGINAL SINNERS series knocked 50 SHADES OF GREY off the #1 bestselling spot in erotica in the UK and Stefan Bachmann's THE PECULIAR is a bestseller in Germany and Switzerland. So, how is my job changing? Basically - I am spending more time shopping, organizing, planning and promoting subsidiary rights sales for all my clients whether they write fantasy or erotica and whether they are debut authors or international bestsellers.

As a side note, many times when writers ask agents about the "rapidly changing marketplace" they are asking about self-publishing. Self publishing is a wonderful trend that has seen tremendous success in the past few years. This trend doesn't affect me much though as I don't tend to represent previously self-published titles. My inbox is still stuffed full of authors looking for traditional publishing deals and that's the model I, personally, tend to prefer. For example, Jaleigh Johnson came to me via the traditional email query letter in December and we sold her debut middle grade fantasy in 12 days in a significant deal to Random House. So, self publishing works for a lot of authors, but it's not a trend that's affecting me much right now as the traditional model is still working for me very very very well.

2.  Many are going the self publishing or Indie route. We've examined the pros and cons in a series here on this blog. What would you say to those that choose this route?

Awesome! Seriously - the success stories are inspiring and heart warming. It's not a segment of the industry that I pursue as I am still rabidly in love with traditional publishing. But, some of my clients are self publishing ancillary works - for example, Juliana Stone is publishing a New Adult,  THE STILLNESS OF YOU, under the name Julie Bale and is very happy with that decision. One big benefit self publishers have (at least in my limited experience) is control - they can control content, length, release date, cover, editing, pricing, metadata, promotions, publicity, audio rights, etc. For authors who prefer a lot of control in the process, I imagine this is a powerful and wonderful feeling. If someone who is not a client says to me, "I've decided to self publish" I say great! If someone who is not a client says to me, "I've decided to traditionally publish" I say great! If that someone IS a client, then my answer is a bit more complex as all clients receive in-depth, personalized career planning. Still, your question is "what would you say to those that choose this route" and my answer is, Great!

3.  Here's the big one! Why do we still need an agent?

That's an excellent question! You don't.  :)

Many authors don't want agents and if you don't want an agent, then don't get one. Personally, I want to work with people who WANT to work with me and I'm sure it works the other way around too. This question doesn't offend me at all and it's an excellent one! Here are some reasons why you *might* still need an agent:

There are publishing houses and imprints that only accept material from agents. However if an author has no interest in submitting to those houses, then having no agent is no loss. In general, I would say if an author wants a traditional publishing deal, they want an agent. If an author wants a small-press publishing deal or to self-publish, they don't need an agent (although she/he may want one anyway).

As an agency, we provide serious and thorough contract negotiation. However, anyone can hire an entertainment lawyer (just make sure to hire one that specializes in publishing contracts). If you are self-publishing, then there are fewer contractual issues to worry about. But if you are print and/or e-book publishing with any publishing house - big or small - then the contract is a complicated document that most people need explained and/or negotiated for them.

I provide editorial feedback, career planning and publicity/promotions help - but an author can hire an editor, make their own career plans and pay for a publicity team.

Our agency audits royalty statements for our clients and tracks license payments, advance payments and royalty payments. An organized author can do that for her/himself, especially if they have an accounting background.

The big question is subsidiary rights. Can an author shop their own foreign, audio, gaming, film, TV and merchandising rights? That I don't know. I wouldn't want to have to do that on my own, however there are some very savvy people out there and if this extent of sales floats your boat, then I imagine it can be done. Perhaps the savvy author could hire their own foreign co-agent and travel to LA to meet with film co-agents? Again, I don't know the answer to that one. My gut response in today's market (and that could change next year, next month, next week) is that if an author wants to exercise their subsidiary rights then they need an agent.

Hugh Howey didn't have an agent when WOOL went viral as a self published e-book, but he has one now (my boss, Kristin Nelson). Kristin has closed foreign deals for him, a print-only deal (very rare) and a significant film deal with Ridley Scott. Courtney Milan DID have an agent (again, my boss - Kristin Nelson) when her self published e-books hit the NYTimes bestseller list. If an author wants to self-publish, they don't need an agent, although these are two good examples of authors who wanted them.

So, that's my answer. Why do you still need an agent? If these additional services would be of benefit to your author career then you may need an agent. If these services would not benefit you, or you simply don't want an agent, then you don't need one.

WOW! Thank you, Sara, for being so forthcoming and explaining things so well. 

Want to know more about my guest? You can find her in the following places: 

Sara Megibow

Literary Agent

Nelson Literary Agency

www.nelsonagency.com

on twitter @SaraMegibow

and on publishers marketplace:

http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/SaraMegibow/

Editor Aubrey Poole Discusses the Value of Having a Publisher

*Quick announcement: I had to turn my word verification back on (which I despise) because I've gotten so many spam messages. I'm so sorry and hope this will not discourage you from commenting!

Today I am wrapping up my series on Indie vs. Traditional Publishing with a post from a very special guest, Sourcebooks editor Aubrey Poole. But if you have any additional questions leave them in the comments and I will do my best to answer or find out. 

Thanks for inviting me to be a part of this ever-changing and increasingly important discussion.  The rise of the eBook has meant a lot of changes for the publishing industry, and I’m proud to be a part of an organization that has embraced those changes. Sourcebooks is a privately owned independent company that’s gained a reputation for being agile, forward-thinking and willing to experiment. So, we may not quite fall under the category of “traditional” publisher, but we definitely acquire, package, produce, market and sell books, and I’m very happy to talk a little more about what value a Publisher brings to its authors.

I can throw a lot of terms at you about each piece of the publishing process, like so:

But I’m going to break it down to one core idea: Discoverability.

What does discoverability mean? How readers find your book.  If they don’t know about it, they can’t buy it (or check it out), and they can’t read it. So, the billion dollar question is: how will readers find your book?

With the close of Borders and the increasing popularity of eReaders, brick-and-mortar stores are gradually decreasing in number, limiting the opportunity for chance discovery. It’s becoming less common for readers to be browsing a shelf to find their next must-read and more important for publishers (or self-published authors) to find ways to bring attention to their books.

So, essentially, a Publisher’s job is to connect authors to readers.

This is done in a variety of ways from creating eye-catching book covers (that look good as thumbnails), to writing intriguing jacket copy, to placing ads in magazines, to sending ARCs (advance readers copies) to bloggers, reviewers, booksellers and librarians, to booking spots on TV or NPR, to purchasing advantageous placement in Barnes and Noble (those front-of-store table displays aren’t free!) to making sure the metadata (title, author, pages count, age level, etc.) is sent to Amazon correctly, and more.

With all of the noise out there (347,178 new books published in 2011 in the U.S. alone), it’s a Publisher’s job to make your book be heard.

What about Amanda Hocking and E.L. James, you ask? Didn’t they become successful, bestselling authors without a “traditional” publisher?  Yes! They are part of the lucky few whose self-published eBooks got that magical word-of-mouth momentum combined with low price points that shot them to the top of the bestseller lists. But for every success story, there are thousands of self-published authors you’ve never heard of and likely never will. And, you may have noticed, both Hocking and James turned to “traditional” publishers to take their eBook phenomena and publish them in print to reach an even wider audience.

So, what does this all mean for you, the writer?  Self-publishing is a fantastic new and growing option that will become an important part of the publishing sphere and allow for more and easier access to information than ever before. And for some authors, it will be the right fit. I think it will be especially important for authors of controversial, innovative or niche subjects and genres fast converting to eBooks (like romance!). But in my opinion, a Publisher is still a writer’s best bet when it comes to finding an audience for you book.  

Bio:

Aubrey Poole got her start as an editor correcting her friends’ grammar in high school, an effort which naturally guaranteed instant popularity. After a brief internship in the marketing department at Penguin UK, she started her first real job as a news assistant at The Real Estate Journal in Los Angeles. But when she was offered a position as a reporter, Aubrey thought it would be less scary to move cross-country to New York City and try to break into the book publishing industry.

Aubrey is now an associate editor at Sourcebooks, acquiring children’s books from picture books through young adult. Her first YA novel, Send by Patty Blount, was a Junior Library Guild pick, and she hopes to continue shamelessly courting librarians with her forthcoming middle grade novel The Ninja Librarians.

Indie Vs. Traditional Round 5

photo credit

Personal Satisfaction

Indie:

• Pros:
• You do it your way.
• You get to see your book out there in the hands of readers.
• Cons:
• You may not have shelf space or an end cap.
• You won't get that third party recognition from the big guys. Unless of course you sell above 50,000 books and attract a little attention, which is difficult to do.

Traditional:

• Pros:
• You made it the "hard" way! You have the recognition.
• You are dealing with others who can do certain things for you that you don't want to deal with yourself.
• Cons:
• You may have to struggle to sell more books if you are a mid-list author, which most people are. 
• It may take years. Even decades.

Yup it all comes down to this. What is it that drives us? We don't write because we think it's glamorous - those that do are probably due for a checkup. We write because we HAVE to. But beyond that we each have different goals and preferences. 

Over this series we've examined pros and cons to both Indie and Traditional publishing. Does it look like one is better than the other? There's no knockout here. I believe they are both valid and wonderful ways to pursue our art. That's why I'm pursuing both. 

Now I don't expect you to rely on my word for it. In the next couple weeks I'm going to have some better authorities weigh in on BOTH sides. Next week we will start with the amazing Susan Quinn and Laura Pauling, both successful Indie authors, discuss the benefits of Indie publishing from their viewpoint. Then we'll give the other side a chance. :D So don't forget to stop by!

Indie Vs. Traditional: Round 4

Audience

Traditional:

• Pros:
• They can get the word out and are featured prominently at chain bookstores and online. So you have a boost right away
• People trust what they know
• You have a better chance at hitting the best seller list and your book becoming big
• Cons:
• They may be trying so hard to mass market that they miss the real gem inside your book
• If it flops, it usually happens right away and it's tougher to get a second book deal

Indie:

• Pros:
• You can publish a book designed to fit the needs of a small or particular audience
• You build your name as an author over time and by word of mouth, so if you don't "make it big" right off the bat, you're still doing just fine
• Cons:
• It's tough to get noticed
• You have to work hard to get the book in the hands of the right people to spread the word 

What do you think? Did I get that right? It's tough to say, but that's what I've gleaned so far. Next time? The final round: Personal Satisfaction.

Indie Vs. Traditional: Round 3

Quality

Indie:

• Pros:
• You control the quality of everything from each word to the cover. It's all your decision and if it doesn't fit your vision, you don't have to do it. 
• Cons:
• You control the quality. Yup here we go again! See, here's the thing... Having a good editor is priceless. I truly believe if you don't have your book edited, you shouldn't put it out there. There are things you just can't see because you are too close to it. Great beta readers are important, but you need a healthy line edit and of course copy editing as well to make it perfect - or as close as you can get it. It's so important that I can't stress this enough. You have to rely on others to help you out. A great cover artist is important too. You have final say - and that's awesome! But you have to take your time and approach it like a business and DO IT RIGHT.

Traditional:

• Pros:
• You are dealing with a known quantity. You can go to B&N and see their work for yourself. You can rely on the professionals and know that you are in good hands.
• Cons:
• You usually don't have much of a say (if any) in things like cover art and design. Sometimes even marketing. I know of authors who've had issues with the ages their publishers have suggested on both ends of the spectrum (too young and too adult). 

Confused yet? Next week is round 4: Audience.

Indie vs. Traditional: Round 2!

Timeline

We all know how long it takes to write a book. We also know how long it takes to publish one. Here are my pros and cons on the time involved in both traditional and indie publishing.

Traditional:

• Pros:
• It may take a while, but you know they're doing it "right".
• If it's delayed even longer, it's possibly because your book will do better if released at another time.
• Cons:
• It typically takes a MINIMUM of a 1 1/2 years from deal to publication.
• Many times the list gets shuffled and your release is delayed. Sometimes it's better for the house and not your specific book.

Indie:

• Pros:
• You control the timeline. If you decide to put all your effort and time in, it's not like you're splitting that between dozens of other books and submissions, so you can push it through faster. *note this will also appear as a potential con below.
• You can put out secondary novels/sequels faster than a traditional publisher would, potentially reaching more readers/fans faster. 
• Cons:
• You control the timeline. Yup. You might be so excited or so sure your book is perfect that you don't invest the time necessary to do it "right" as sited above. That's up to you as a professional and a true writer. 
• You can become so overwhelmed with trying to act like the publisher that you forget to spend time writing and revising and subsequent books can suffer.

So there you have it. My second edition. What can you add? Next week is something I touched on today: Round 3. Quality

Indie Vs. Tradiitonal Round 1

This isn't about competition. Most people think it is. That only one format can come out on top. I'm not here to play that game. Personally I believe they can coexist and in fact, I'm going to continue to pursue both. But I do want to take a look at the pros and cons of both as I see them in a series of blogs. I know there are so many people out there better researched than I, but maybe you're just as confused as I was not that long ago and perhaps a layman's view will come in handy.

Today I want to look at Publicity.

Traditional: 

• Pros: 
• Sometimes you get a publicist!
• You have a name behind you
• You have wider exposure in print
• Cons:
• Most new authors have to promote themselves
• Other books from the publisher may take precedence

Indie/Small Press:

• Pros:
• You can release more books in a shorter period of time (provided you still use professional editing/copyediting/design etc.) 
• The publisher (sometimes you) might be better invested in your book.
• Cons:
• You definitely have to promote yourself
• You can pretty much count B&N out unless you are doing NOOK. 

The truth is I'm not sure I see much of a difference in work unless you are one of the lucky few the big five decide to help publicize. The biggest difference is in traditional print and availability. It's not impossible with Indie by any means, but in a large chain it is.

What did I miss? Fill me in!