If you had successfully self-published would you mention this? Does it indicate admirable determination or desperation? (A friend of J.G. Farrell told me that this eventual Booker winner initially self-published). Richard

Excellent question, especially when epublishing is becoming the popular option for first novels.
And what would an agent consider to be the definition of 'successfully self-published'?

Any thoughts on emerging small-ish presses/new imprints/breakaway agencies etc to look out for?

Writing in the first person - opinion always varies as to how popular this is with agents/publishers. Would you say it was still popular for chick lit and Women's Fiction in general? How does it sit, presently, with other genres?

As somebody who is only partially through my first ms I have a couple of questions:

Question One: At what stage would it be most appropriate for me to send my work to a literary consultant and would it be appropriate to send it to an agency at a similar stage?

Question Two: When submitting a ms to an agency or editor would it be appropriate to mention within the covering letter that the ms has been appraised or critiqued by a literary consultancy or that sections have been discussed on WW? My concern is that this could appear that the ms may not be ready rather than a serious intent to be published.

What exactly is meant by "no longer accepting unsolicited submissions"?

Does this mean their list is full and it is pointless even to send a query letter?

Sometimes it says that on a website, then below it it gives submission guidelines. Which one should we believe?

Kathryn and Helen have sent some fulsome replies, which I'm posting here in order the questions were asked- they say they've really enjoyed answering them.

1:
Q: Should one mention in the covering letter if this book is the first of a series; trilogy; working on a sequel? - seems that some genres welcome series while others don't.

A: Cover letters are really important to get right. They’re a sales pitch both for you and your book, so worth spending time on. As a general rule it’s best to keep them simple, brief and digestible. Necessary info can be boiled down to: contact details; why you’ve chosen the agency (as personalised as possible so that it ends up on the agent’s desk and not the slush pile); what you’re submitting (including genre, title, word count, target market); a little bit about you and the book (keep it brief and memorable); and, of course, a thank you for their time.

To address this question specifically: yes, if you have a series in mind, you should mention it. In particular genres (like crime, fantasy and SF) series are actively sought. But keep it brief. You don’t want to detract attention from the book you’re currently pitching (each book in a series must work as a standalone, particularly if you are a new author). It’s also worth bearing in mind that even if a publisher wants a series, they may want to see how your first book sells first before commissioning follow-ups. The other reason to avoid spending too much time in the letter on subsequent books in the series is that the agent or editor reading this book may love your writing but not be so keen on the idea. If that’s the case, they’ll want to see something new/fresh but ideally appealing to the same market. This also applies to your writing itself and what you should be working on next.

2:Part 1:
Q; I understand that agents/editors are interested in seeing whether you could be the sort of person that they could work with. But, also, it is not a good idea to talk about any experience outside the world of writing. For those of us who are not yet published, how do we get around that dilemma? Is it okay to make a brief reference to collaborative experiences, even if they are not related to creative writing?


Part 2:
Also, I sometimes despair that I don't have an interesting enough life to grab the attention of an agent or publisher reading my submission. I know that they should read my story but, assuming they like it, will their perceptions of how easily they can sell it on be affected by the fact that I have led a resolutely dull life? So that, no matter how good my story is, I might ultimately be rejected on that basis?

A:

Authors often worry about how to give their letters the personal touch. It can be especially difficult to fill a letter if you feel you don’t have writerly experience and some authors can go too far with quirky personal details. Don’t over-compensate for a lack of experience by being wordy – keep the letter to a page. Remember you want the agent to get to your writing as soon as possible; long letters look off-putting and unprofessional. And if the letter’s wordy, then your writing may be, too. All these things go to help the agent or editor form an initial picture.

If you do have any writing experience, prizes or qualifications, these are definitely worth mentioning (if you’re published, remember to say who published you). Equally, if you have personal experience that has a bearing on your writing (for instance, you’re a teacher writing for children) then that’s notable. But… don’t worry if this isn’t the case. Sometimes the best letters are the simplest and the odd memorable detail about you can go a long way. Do you live on a barge, or love rock-climbing? You don’t have to have a crazy life to stick in an agent’s mind, and above all, it’s the writing that matters and how professionally you come across. This is what makes an agent want to work with you.

That said, it’s crucial to research and profile your target agents, as they often like to have material submitted in different ways, and tailoring your submission can make all the difference. For instance, we know an agent who likes to know what inspired an author to write their book, but not every agent feels the same. Another agent said the best letter she ever received said simply ‘I hope you like my book’ but most agents will want more detail! So, read writing magazines, seek advice, research online (agents’ websites etc), and try and get a picture of them, and what they’re looking for.

3:
Q; In cover letters, would you mention that the current sub is not your first ever novel?. The general consensus is that usually, you shouldn't, as it might give a negative view of you, a whiff of failure - but surely if you say 'this is my 5th novel', as is my case, it suggests you have honed your craft and it shows sticking power/determination etc? Or is it simply irrelevant.

A: We’d suggest something along the following lines: ‘I’ve been writing for X years and have finished five novels; this is the first one I feel is ready to submit.’ This shows that you’re dedicated to improving your craft, professional (in that you haven’t submitted novels which you knew weren’t ready), and prolific. All good things.

4:
Q; Nearly all agents want to know if you have sent to them exclusively and ask you to tell them how many agents you have subbed to, sometimes asking for details. This is in their submission guidelines.

If one of the agents asked for the full ms, it would obviously be a different matter.

But is there really any need on the first approach, to antagonise would-be agents by, in effect, saying,
"Please consider my ms, and by the way, I have sent it to a half a dozen other agents"?

Is honesty really the best policy?

A: First and foremost it’s best to only submit to around 3-5 agents at a time. If you’ve done your research, then these will be well-targeted and will take your submission seriously. The key to negotiating this delicate area of multiple submissions really is to be transparent and professional. Tell the agent at the end of the letter that ‘I have submitted to X other agents and will of course let you know if there are any developments’. There’s no need to say who you’ve submitted to, even if pressed (there’s an etiquette here and most agents shouldn’t insist but some do). When they’re submitting to a round of publishers, an agent won’t divulge who else is in the running, so you don’t need to at this stage either. However, if they insist it’s best to be as transparent as possible rather than coming across as cagey.

Keeping agents informed of developments is important. You don’t want to waste an agent’s time if you’ve already been signed up elsewhere. If an agent requests your full MS or a meeting, you should let other agents know. In any case, this knowledge can pique their interest and encourage them to move more quickly. If an agent has requested your full MS, and asks to read it exclusively, then you’re within your rights to ask for a quicker than normal turnaround time. So, a few weeks as opposed to two months. Before you commit to this, you will want to check with any other agents who are considering the manuscript as to what stage they’re at and whether they’re interested. At this stage you will need to decide whether you're happy to promise exclusivity (or give us a call at Cornerstones and we can talk you through your options.)

....5:
Do you have any predictions for hot themes in 2011/12?

A: Debuts are hot at the moment according to the Bookseller which calls 2011 ‘The Year of the Debut’. This is great news for new authors. The dystopian trend in YA seems set to keep on going and agents and publishers are still commissioning dystopian stories as long as they have a new twist. Any kind of celebrity book goes without saying and in the women’s fiction arena Jilly Cooper-esque bonkbusters are big. Psychological thrillers – actually, any kind of thriller or crime series – are always sought-after. Foreign settings and stories of foreigners in the UK are everywhere; these tend to be more of a generic mixture where the setting is the backdrop for an adventure/drama/psychological thriller/rite of passage. Paranormal romance is still selling, particularly for YA. But as with any trend there has been a bit of a backlash and we know of one US agent who’s been so swamped with YA submissions that she’s now looking for Middle Readers again. This is one reason it’s best not to get too hung up on what’s hot and what’s not. Bear in mind that what’s popular now may not be in a year’s time – and that’s how long it will take your book to get published. What we hear over and over is that the industry wants a damn good read – it’s as simple as that.

6:
Q:If an agent has said nice things about the mss, but ultimately rejected it, is it worth quoting them in your covering letter?

A: If an agent has seriously considered your manuscript (called in the full MS, asked to meet you, chatted with you on the phone) but turned it down with some specific, glowing comments (perhaps it just wasn’t their cup of tea but they can see you’re talented) then it’s OK to mention this. Generally, though, agents prefer to make up their own minds and your writing should speak for itself. A common mistake we often see is an author citing generic turndowns which say things like ‘we really enjoyed this but it’s not right for our list’. It’s important to recognise the difference between standard turndowns and what we call ‘positive’ turndowns where an agent has clearly read your work. If in doubt, leave it out.

7:
Q:If you had successfully self-published would you mention this? Does it indicate admirable determination or desperation? (A friend of J.G. Farrell told me that this eventual Booker winner initially self-published).

A: Self-publishing no longer has the same stigma that it has had in the past, and can be a viable option for a new author. But it’s all about word of mouth following and sales figures. If you’re good at self-publicity and selling then not only can this make your book a success, but it paints an appealing picture of you as an author. The argument in the past was that publishers used to turn down self-published books because they’d already been exposed to the market but with ebooks, viral marketing, and the international reading/publishing community bigger than ever this isn’t such a concern and a proven track record of sales should work in your favour. Anything above 3,000 sales in paperback could be exciting.

8:

Q:Any thoughts on emerging small-ish presses/new imprints/breakaway agencies etc to look out for?

A:
Until recently, the main publishing conglomerates have gradually absorbed independent publishers and small presses, and independent publishers have struggled to keep up and offer an alternative to what some see as the homogenisation of fiction. But with emerging technologies, ebooks, POD, self-publishing, packaging options etc, smaller presses and specialist imprints are at less of a disadvantage and this is obviously good news for authors and readers alike.

For new authors, it’s always worth keeping an eye out in the trade news for emerging imprints and independent publishers, as these will be looking to build a list, as will new agents either rising within bigger agencies or setting up on their own. Research online, read writing and trade magazines like the Bookseller, and keep yourself informed. In addition, try to think outside the box in terms of what writing you’re submitting where. There are some well-respected online publishing options which can be a great way of showcasing your work as well as a viable publishing alternative in their own right. There’s no need to feel that the traditional publishing model is your only option.

9
(am putting this on seperately as so big!)

Q: Writing in the first person - opinion always varies as to how popular this is with agents/publishers. Would you say it was still popular for chick lit and Women's Fiction in general? How does it sit, presently, with other genres?

A: First person versus third is really down to what fits the character and story best – and what you feel comfortable with as a writer. This is an extract from our Cornerstones Masterclass which goes into detail about viewpoint and how to go about making the right choice for your story.

Extract from Cornerstones Masterclass
Character and Voice

Voice is a powerful tool for creating characters. Think of external voice - the words they speak and how they say them; the things they say and don’t say; the mannerisms which accompany their speech. But also consider the internal voice that accompanies your main character everywhere they go. How best to relay your character’s thoughts to the reader, without overburdening them?

Generally, one of the first choices you make will be related to your character perspective or point-of-view (POV). Will you write in first person or third; are you using one POV, or multiple? This can be down to your preference or what feels natural for the character. If you’re struggling with voice, or having trouble inhabiting your character, try switching from third to first person or vice versa. Often it’s just about finding the right choice for a scene or story.

First Person
The main benefit of first person is that the character’s voice can come through in the most authentic way. This can be useful in Women’s and Teen fiction, where an intimate, direct voice is essential, and where you’re looking for an emotional connection between reader and character.

Be aware that with a first person voice there can be a subjective element to the reader’s response – they either love it or loathe it, and there’s no escape. It’s also easy to slip into too much ‘telling’ and divulging chunks of information (or backstory) which can impact on pace. Don’t let your character’s internal voice run away with them and aim to keep a tight control of how much your character ‘talks to the reader’. A good way to balance this is to ensure that the action of each scene takes the character ‘out of their head’, and keeps them interacting with others so that they don’t commentate too much.

Example:

Me and Jane, we’re best friends. Well, I mean, I say that but we’ve had our ups and downs, not helped by the fact that our dads work together in the chip factory. I remember the time when Jane didn’t speak to me and her and Maggie spent all their time together throwing me looks. Well, I didn’t care, I just got on with things. And then Jane found out that Maggie really did fancy Luke which sent her into a right hump. So Jane and me were friends again. Result.

This could be considered a strong, internal voice, but the narrator is giving us too much information all at once and it feels a bit intense and claustrophobic. It also skims over the conflict, resolving the tension too quickly and missing the opportunity to build suspense.

Badbreath wrote four problems on the board. Quadratic equations – my worst enemy. Apart from Maggie, that is – sat next to Luke, again, right at the front.
I doodled a note to Jane. Get her! Thinks she’s his girlfriend. Freak.
Jane carried on tapping her calculator so I nudged her and added puke! to the note. She shifted in her seat, throwing me a funny look. What was up with her? Maybe she was still in a strop over the Chip Incident.
Maggie turned round and gave Jane a grin. Heat prickled up my neck.

Here, the scene is ‘shown’ and communicates the same information in a more active, involving way. Notice that the backstory has been left out, and the conflict speaks for itself rather than being summarised. The aim is to give a strong flavour of the character’s voice, without them explaining too much or chatting away for too long.

Third Person
Third person offers flexibility and freedom to adjust the focus of the story – a bit like a camera lens zooming in and out – which is particularly useful when you’re aiming for a specific tone, a dramatic effect or a broad focus, as with crime, thriller and fantasy. It gives a bit more distance from the character but without necessarily sacrificing the reader’s involvement in the scene. This is particularly true of intimate third person (sometimes referred to as limited third person), in which the author inhabits one character closely at a time, where you can get almost as much insight into the character’s thoughts as in a first person narrative. It can be as simple as changing ‘I’ to ‘she’ throughout.

A good technique for getting across thoughts in a third person narrative is to weave them into the voice, also known as free indirect mode.

Example:

· I will go and talk to him today, thought Becky. He’ll just have to tell me.
· Becky screwed up her fists. She’d go and talk to him today. He’d just have
to tell her.

In the first example, the direct thoughts in the first person present tense feel jarring because the narrative itself is in third person past tense. The second example weaves the thoughts seamlessly into the narrative voice in the past tense, so that we almost feel as though the narrator and the character are the same person.
If you decide to use multiple POVs, this allows you the freedom to choose which POV makes best use of the tension and drama in the scene. Switches between POV in this kind of narrative are usually delineated with a scene or chapter break. Some authors do ‘head-hop’ within one scene, but this is tricky to pull off and can seem uncontrolled and even confusing for a reader, and diminish tension.
Let’s look at the example from above but where we have access to each character’s POV:

Badbreath wrote four problems on the board. Quadratic equations – Kelly’s worst enemy. Apart from Maggie, that was – sat next to Luke, again, right at the front.
She doodled a note to Jane. Get her! Thinks she’s his girlfriend. Freak.
Jane carried on tapping her calculator. She wished Kelly would back off. She kind of liked Maggie now she’d explained about Luke.
Kelly nudged her and added puke! to the note. Jane shifted in her seat, throwing her a funny look. Kelly wondered what was up with her. Maybe she was still in a strop over the Chip Incident.
Maggie turned round and gave Jane a grin. She wondered if Kelly knew about them going shopping on Saturday. She hoped Kelly wasn’t going to make trouble for her.

This example now feels unwieldy as we’re trying to get to grips with how all three characters are feeling. It no longer has the tension of Kelly wondering what’s going on with Jane, and it’s quite hard to follow. Notice that with multiple third person POVs you aren’t able to be quite so direct with the characters’ thoughts and feelings – you have to signpost them with tags like ‘she wondered’ and ‘she hoped’ in order to differentiate them from the surrounding text.

Part of the reason intimate third person or first person are popular choices is that they mirror the way we, as humans, experience the world, only able to know what others are thinking by interacting with them and interpreting their actions and dialogue. It can therefore feel more realistic and add more mystery and tension.

Style and Voice
Due to the closeness between character and voice, the style you write in may reflect the vocabulary and life experiences of your main viewpoint character, rather than sounding like the author’s voice (authorial). Obviously this is particularly true in a first person voice, where you write as the character. But a third person narrative which closely inhabits the POV character will also echo the character’s voice.

When you’re writing from a character viewpoint in the intimate third person, it can sound strange to use similes and metaphors which are outside the character’s world-view. For instance, a child character wouldn’t view things in a sophisticated way, so avoiding adult observations and elaborate phrases will give the narrative voice a more authentic feel.

Example:

· Johnny gazed out of the window as the sun set, a molten globe in the sky. Night was approaching and with it that dangerous world of dreams.
· Johnny sat on the window seat watching the sun go down. He checked his watch: five minutes to go. This time he’d be ready.
Similarly, in women’s commercial:

Example one:

Cassy picked up her bag and made her way out of the shop. Never again would she allow herself to feel so humiliated. She would ring the manager and explain how condescending the assistant had been. Whatever happened to the customer coming first? As she left the shop she remembered that her mobile phone had run out that morning. So, not only was she left without a phone, but she was also lumbered with an expensive jumper that she didn’t even like.

Example two:

Cassy stood at the till, her mouth dry. The girl picked up the jumper between two fake nails and sniffed. She dropped it back on the counter and shoved it towards her.
‘I can’t possibly refund this. It’s been worn.’
Cassy shook her head. ‘But it hasn’t, I promise you. Look! It’s still got the label.’
The girl crossed her arms and looked away. Cassy hovered; picking it up would be like admitting defeat.
Customers behind her tutted and the girl said, ‘Yes, can I help you?’ in a sunshiney voice that made Cassy want to swat her. So what if she’d worn it once for a drink with Matthew? It wasn’t as if they’d done anything dirty, worse luck. And now this fake-tanned cow was treating her like an ASBO. She’d ring the manager later and give her what for.
Except she couldn’t, could she? Her bloody credit had run out.

Here the first example feels authorial, with a summary of what happens and how it makes Cassy feel. The vocabulary is formal and out of touch with the character’s age and voice. In the second example we get right inside Cassy’s head and the voice feels more authentic.

Ultimately, the style you write in will be a combination of many things: how much you show, rather than tell; the figurative language you choose; the genre you’re writing in; the tone of the novel (is it exciting, scary, romantic?); with your own voice, rhythm and lexicon tying it all together. By really knowing your characters, and by bringing them to life with a strong voice and a controlled viewpoint, you’ll give your novel heart and depth and your style real sparkle.


© Cornerstones Literary Consultancy

10:
Q: At what stage would it be most appropriate for me to send my work to a literary consultant and would it be appropriate to send it to an agency at a similar stage?

A: It’s really important to get feedback at the right time. Too early, and it can throw your confidence; too late, and it can be trickier to fix problem areas. Whatever level you think you’re at, we’re happy to talk it through with you, look at sample material and see what stage you’re at. There are agents who are happy to develop stories with authors but generally you don’t want to take that risk. It’s better to submit a polished piece of work to increase your chances and if a consultancy is in the process of giving you feedback it makes sense to hold off on agent submissions until you know where you stand. Generally, agents see it as a positive if you’ve been to a consultancy – it shows you’re dedicated to honing your writing and that you have an understanding of the technical skills of self-editing and responding to feedback.

Q: When submitting a ms to an agency or editor would it be appropriate to mention within the covering letter that the ms has been appraised or critiqued by a literary consultancy or that sections have been discussed on WW? My concern is that this could appear that the ms may not be ready rather than a serious intent to be published.

A: As above – yes, it’s worth mentioning you’ve been to a consultancy but do keep your cover letter brief in general – again, your writing should speak for itself.

Q: What exactly is meant by "no longer accepting unsolicited submissions"? Does this mean their list is full and it is pointless even to send a query letter? Sometimes it says that on a website, then below it it gives submission guidelines. Which one should we believe?

A: Again this is a question of research. Often agents say this on their websites to help control the level of unwanted submissions, but if you approach them in the right way and with material that’s really sparkling then of course they’ll consider it.

For example, you might send an email saying, ‘I realise your website says you’re not accepting submissions but I recently read an article where you said you were looking for thrillers with a foreign setting. My book…’ Or, you might ring the receptionist and say, ‘I realise your entry in the W&A (which, for your reference, will already be a year out of date) says you’re not accepting unsolicited submissions but I wondered whether you had any new agents looking to build a children’s list (for instance)’. With a bit of probing (without being pushy), and in the confidence that what you’re submitting is what they’re looking for and is your best work, you can get ahead of the game – and ahead of those authors who gave up at the first hurdle.


Kathryn Price and Helen Corner
Cornerstones Literary Consultancy
Milk Studios
34 Southern Row
London W10 5AN
tel: 020 8968 0777
http://www.cornerstones.co.uk

Listed by The Society of Authors
Scouts for leading literary agents

follow us on Twitter and our blog for the latest news:
http://twitter.com/cornerstones.lit http://cornerstoneslitconsultancy.blogspot.com

Many thanks to Kathryn and Helen. There's a lot to take in here but I've printed it out to read with my feet up and a cuppa and choccy biscuit.

Pat

Yes, excellent replies - thanks very much, Helen and Kathryn.

Very helpful, Thank you.

- NaomiM

Yes, thank you, it was very useful. Some really useful tips to check my outputs against.

S