Navigating the Agent-Author Relationship

Navigating the Agent-Author Relationship

By Natasha Khullar Relph

It was with a heavy heart that I hit send on the email to my literary agent, saying that even though we were parting ways, I hoped we could remain friends. Relief flooded in as I opened up her response:

You can’t get rid of me! I’m crazy about you. Go get it baby.

Having represented the best of the best, my agent was slowing down. Having just started dipping my toes into publishing waters, I was eager to push ahead at full speed.

This difference in energy had been apparent for over two years, but I was reluctant to let go of the relationship. My agent had been my confidant, the first person who helped me believe I had what it took to make a career in fiction, who stood unquestioningly by my side when my first novel didn’t sell, and who even paid for me to work with an editor on my second one.

She had not only been my agent, but my mentor and friend.

Going into my new agent search, I wanted a similar relationship, but I knew it couldn’t come from a place of comparison. Or throwing all my hope against the wall and wishing for it to stick.

Here, then, is everything I know about agent-author relationships, and how to make them work.

Be clear about what you want

Understand that not every agent is likely to be a good fit for you, and it is your responsibility to first, know what you desire from this partnership, and second, be clear about asking for it. Remember, your agent is not meant to be a replica of you. I’m not a people person, which is why I need my agent to be. I wanted my agent to be communicative and excellent at negotiating, and so these were things I asked about in our initial conversations.

Understand that this is a business relationship 

You may become bosom buddies with your agent, but that is not the goal. You’re not looking for an editor, a mentor, or a friend, but someone who can sell your book. All of that is extra and fun to have, but in the end, there is only one successful measure of this business relationship: Did you sign a book deal together?

Show up 100%

You know the relationship advice that says you’re not in a 50-50 partnership, but a 100-100 one? The same is true for agent-author relationships. You are fully responsible for making this work. My personal rule was that unless we were on submission, I would only get in touch with my agent if I had something to offer. I didn’t want to fall off her radar in the two years between book submissions, but I’m also aware that agents are exceptionally busy people with enormous demands on their time. I’d get in touch every few months with updates on tweets gone viral, new publications, audience-building successes, and, of course, new books and ideas.

There should be no power imbalance
If you feel intimidated, if you’re worried about their time but not yours, if you’re hesitant to get in touch, ask yourself why. This whole situation is set up in a way that often puts writers at a disadvantage, and this insecurity can show up in important business conversations. Even if you feel intimidated during the querying stage (and most of us do), you shouldn’t by the time you sign the contract.

Advocate for yourself and your work
Don’t expect that now that you have an agent, it’s their job to figure out how to position your book in the marketplace or come up with marketing copy to help sell it. No one, not even an excellent agent who adores your work, can know your book better than you. Make their job easier by learning to write stellar marketing copy and providing relevant comps. If a book isn’t selling, ask what more you can do, how you can help, what might make a difference.

If there’s a problem, speak up
Your agent isn’t a mind-reader. She can’t possibly know you’re annoyed, are feeling neglected, or have confusion about the next steps unless you tell her. If there’s an issue, bring it up and resolve it before it becomes big and insurmountable. Most agent-author relationship problems can be resolved by better communication, and so make clarity a priority in your correspondence.

Of course, just like with any business partnership, sometimes goals change. This is not necessarily a reflection on you or your agent.
Agents and editors, no matter how much they love you and want the best for you, have to look after their own business and their own interests. You have to look after yours. Sometimes, those interests align, and sometimes, they don’t.

When they don’t, you get to be the best advocate for your work, and find a new agent partnership that works for you.

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Natasha Khullar Relph is the author of eight bestselling indie books for writers. She is represented by Trident Media in New York and Peters Fraser + Dunlop in London. Download her free list of 1,543+ US and UK agents (with links to their recent sales) here.
 https://www.natasharelph.com/litagents

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Category: How To and Tips