Dear (Agent)
This morning I glanced up and noticed a lovely film of dust on the light fixture in the upstairs landing. Hmm. I thought long and hard and decided that it’s been years since I’ve addressed anything except the bare essentials in cleaning. Did I run out into the garage, grab the tall ladder and rush back to address the neglect? Nope. As with everything these days, my time priority has been THE BOOK. But the book is finished, my family and friends remind me. Just get it published! Right. If only it were that simple.
Yes, it’s done and, I believe, ready for the world. But since I’ve decided not to self-publish, it may be years yet before the world has a chance to read my so very fascinating story. I’m going the long and hard road of trying to secure an agent, an advocate, for my memoir. Every day I pore over Publisher’s Marketplace, read the deals to find out what sold, who to, and who sold it. I scroll through the agent listings, looking for a common denominator that would entice me to put them on my list as a possibility. Then I go to the agency website and research some more, try to customize my query letter, reading and re-reading submission guidelines, tweaking everything before sending. It’s time consuming and blinding. By the end of the day I’m grumpy and exhausted. The key is to find an agent who is adding to or building their client list, likes memoir, cultural and political history (lots of facts and research in the book) unusual stories, and is willing to take a risk on someone unknown. I find that dreaded word PLATFORM crops up consistently, because selling books is a business and it’s considered desirable when a writer has thousands of followers, or names on an email list, ready to plunk down cash when the book launches.
I totally get that. Here are some sobering statistics for all book sales, regardless of how they get out into the world of readers, courtesy of the wonderful Jane Friedman, a publishing consultant and twenty-year veteran of the publishing industry: 98% of books did not sell more than 5000 copies during 2020. She adds that 2020 is not unique; this is typical of most years. Also in 2020, less than one percent of Amazon KDP authors attained earnings in the six figures.
Not in it for the money? That’s fine, but more money translates into more books sold and more people reading your labor of love. As an ex-business owner, I relate sales figures to providing a solution for a need not only to customers, but also employees (salaries) and government (taxes). Everyone benefits. As a lifelong bibliophile, I can testify that books are as vital as any other commodity.
I admire those that self-publish. We have all heard about success stories. I’m happy for them and duly impressed. But it’s not me, at this time. I was delighted to take that route with my children’s books. I wanted total control over my books, including the illustrations. My goal was to benefit dogs and help instill the love of reading in children. For two years my illustrator and I gave readings; Barbara drew quick-portraits and handed them out to the kids to take home to delighted parents while I read the sad-to-happy tale about Ethel the Backyard Dog. Sales were fine, but I gave away probably as many books as I sold. When I took a trip to Germany and my aunt dropped a bombshell revelation about our family history, my focus shifted, the readings petered out and the book sales dropped to practically nothing. Now I place free books in the small neighborhood library kiosks. They go quickly, which gives me hope that children and dogs are still benefiting.
After spending years researching, traveling, writing, and rewriting the story of my family, all the while taking classes and learning what constitutes a good story, I want the best opportunity to present a polished book the world can love and benefit from. And I know I need more than my own limited talents to navigate the nuances of successful publishing. So I’ll continue to spend time researching agents and reputable indie presses. The story is timeless, so it can sit and ripen. And the next book idea has been thumping me; it may be time to begin.
In the meantime, maybe I’ll even clean the light fixtures.
P.S. Here’s a fun fact: J.K. Rowling’s pitch for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was rejected 12 times before someone took a chance. These days that would actually be hailed a quick acceptance, but it was Harry Potter for god’s sake! All twelve publishers probably still have nightmares about their short-sighted judgement.
