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[GWL]: Agents

A few additional thoughts to add to those recently expressed on this 
forum --

Agents usually operate in the realm of books that earn advances of a 
$10,000 or more.  (It takes as much time to negotiate or sell a 
$10,000-advance-book as a one-dollar one.)  If your book is likely to 
earn less than a $10,000 advance, an agent might still be interested if 
she thinks you're good for some other books in the higher range, or if 
there is already a connection through friendship or past writing 
relationships (such as your favorite editor becoming an agent).  

Garden writers usually work directly with magazine editors, doing their 
own marketing as well as contract negotiating.  Agents are usually 
involved only with books.  

Agents normally get 10 - 15%.  The 10% figure is more likely if you are 
an established writer already making $10,000 per year from book work.  
10% used to be the standard.  The 15% figure is what most agents charge 
most clients these days.     

When the writer has already found a publisher:  I think there is a 
consensus developing in the agenting community that negotiating a 
contract for your client-writer for 10% because the writer has found the 
publisher is not a good deal for the agent.  (This used to be considered 
the norm.)  Yes, it is true that the work of finding a publisher has 
been done.  But in many cases that fact introduces its own 
complications, making a situation that is not necessarily easier for the 
agent than starting from scratch.  (Personally, I want my agent to have 
her full 15%, whoever finds the publisher.)  

If you just want a contract negotiated, you might want a literary lawyer 
instead of an agent.  Literary lawyers aren't cheap, but they do the 
work for a straight fee.  (A general-practice lawyer usually won't do 
you much good.  Literary law is quite specialized.)  

Agents do a lot more than negotiating the contract.  They are still 
around afterwards, if there are problems.  If someone has to snarl at 
the publisher, your agent does it, leaving you still on speaking terms 
with your editor.  Your agent is still around yet later, lusting for 
your next book, when you go into post-partum book-publication depression 
over the first one.  Working with an agent who loves your work makes 
writing less lonely.  For many of us, having an agent means having 
someone to "write for."  That is often what it takes for the writing to 
happen at all.

Agented writers get paid first.  Unagented writers usually get paid 
late, often very late.

An agent will tell you when you are or aren't being reasonable.

Any good agent will earn you more than the 15% of her commission, thus 
is essentially free from the authorly point of view.  This is true even 
if you are an expert negotiator.  Agents have situational advantages.

Not every writer would be happy working with an agent, though.  The 
major disadvantage from my point of view is that having an agent changes 
my relationship with my editor.  The writer-editor relationship is more 
distant, because the writer-agent relationship is necessarily primary.  
I don't talk with my editor about future books, for example, because 
whom to approach and when is my agent's department.    

Carol Deppe
Author of BREED YOUR OWN VEGETABLE VARIETIES:  THE GARDENER'S AND 
FARMER'S GUIDE TO PLANT BREEDING AND SEED SAVING (See table of contents, 
excerpts, & reviews at http://www.chelseagreen.com.)  

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