Jessica Payne: How I Got My Agent

How I Got My Agent

We’ve all heard of the writer who queries five agents and within a week gets an offer—we all dream we might be that rare exception. Well, I quickly realized I would not be. Like many other authors, I soon realized what a long and emotional process querying could be.

My first book resulted in zero requests. Zero. With approximately fifty queries out in the world, it was a harsh taste of reality. 

My second book garnered only one request, and I had a sneaking suspicion it might be a sympathy request.

I regularly see authors hop on Twitter and talk about quitting at this stage—but let me tell you, keep going. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that publishing is a long game, and it’s not just being a good writer or having a good book—it’s also about timing, the market, finding the right agent at the right moment. 

It’s also about asking for feedback and identifying what you could be doing differently (and maybe, better). For me, that meant taking a look at my genre. I spent my whole life being told I was a “good writer,” but what I quickly realized was that the genre I was writing didn’t have much of a market (at least not in 2019). Furthermore, I didn’t have a unique take on that genre. I had no hook that stood out above other authors and books. I did a deep dive into what was selling, and what I really loved. And what I discovered was that I loved mystery and thriller—it’s actually what I was already writing, but in an urban fantasy setting.

So, I began a self-education on this genre. I already had been reading and listening to thrillers, but I couldn’t imagine being skilled enough to weave one. How did an author craft something so delicately interwoven with twists and red herrings, the ending coming full circle to this majestic book that made my jaw drop?

Well, I had no idea, but I decided to figure it out.

This was a risk—a risk that taught me to lean into the things that scare you. And so, I did.

I wrote a thriller. I got fifteen full requests!

No agent, but that fueled my confidence, and I was already busy writing the next book. This book was different; I wrote multi-POV for the first time, and not only that, wrote in the second person POV, something I’d only seen some top-tiers authors attempt. It was scary, but it was fun, and I realized this was part of what might set me apart from other authors in the querying trenches.

By now, the pandemic and the 2020 slow-down of querying had set in. I started in early autumn, and slowly, requests trickled in. But it wasn’t until January of 2021 that I received that magical e-mail I’ll never forget—”I just finished devouring MAKE ME DISAPPEAR”—to say the least, my heart rate skyrocketed. By the time I finished reading the e-mail, I was in tears.

An agent wanted to talk to me!

I rushed into our at home office to show my husband—he looked up in dismay, eyes wide, and I’m sure he thought someone had died the way I was sobbing and unable to form words. I showed him the e-mail—this was finally happening! After four books and hundreds of queries and rejections, I had a phone call scheduled with an agent!

The days ticked by until we could speak. I worried it might not be an offer, but my critique partners assured me given the language of the e-mail it was definitely an offer.

And when I finally got on the phone with said agent, it was! 

After receiving my offer, I replied to every agent who had the manuscript or a query, letting them know. I received more requests, and by the time the day was done, I’d received a total of twenty full requests on MAKE ME DISAPPEAR. 

The next two weeks took forever, but I was lucky enough to get two more offers during that time. On my third and final call, something just clicked—I got on the phone, started talking to her, and within minutes, knew I’d say yes if she offered (whew, and thank goodness she did!). I ended up signing with Kimberly Brower of Brower Literary & Management. I made that decision based on the following things:

1. We had a good rapport. I felt comfortable talking to her and appreciated that while she was incredibly kind, she also got to the point and told me exactly what she thought. I wanted an agent I could trust not to sugar-coat things, and that was Kimberly.
2. She was well-read in my genre. She knew how my book fit (and needed to be revised) to make it successful in the current market, while still letting it stand out.
3. I liked her vision for MAKE ME DISAPPEAR, and we shared a vision for my long-term career as an author.
4. I liked that Kimberly was an experienced agent. I had no problem signing with a newer agent, but I also loved that Kimberly ran her own agency had a solid background of selling books.
5. You’ll hear it time and time again—it was that gut feeling. While I was incredibly honored to receive the other two offers, like I already said, I knew within minutes of getting on the call with Kimberly that I wanted to sign with her. 

My biggest takeaway from my querying journey is to persevere—keep going. Don’t let a rejection stop you. Yes, it’s hard, yes, it hurts, but you will find the agent for you. That might mean it takes some time, it might mean it needs to be a different book (or, like me, a different genre entirely!), but keep going. And, my second piece of advice, don’t be afraid to take a risk. If you’re not trying something new, trying something that scares you a little, maybe do that—lean into it.

You never know what might happen.

—

Jessica’s debut novel, MAKE ME DISAPPEAR, is a twisty psychological thriller about a woman on the edge who is willing to do anything to escape her sociopathic—potentially dangerous—boyfriend, including arranging her own kidnapping. Jessica grew up in Kansas City, later moving to the Pacific Northwest where the mountains and Puget Sound became home. Beyond writing, she loves to run, rock climb, and explore the great outdoors with her daughter and husband. She is also an RN. When holding still, which isn’t often, you’ll find a book in her hand and a cat or dog in her lap. Jessica writes suspense and thriller and is the host of #MomsWritersClub on Twitter and YouTube.

Follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/authorjesspayne

IG: jessicapayne.writer

FB: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicapayne

 

MAKE ME DISAPPEAR

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: How To and Tips