"Personal" question(s) to John Jarrold

[anthorn]

Well thats something to keep in mind. Dont delete the hard copy. So would it need to be in one file or marked by chapter?

 

[John Jarrold]

IT was partly a joke. But there are still things i dont understand. i thought Agents were people who take you on as a client and then do the submitting for you. But from what i understand from you in that reply they're like negotiators. Basically going for the higher deal and the most publicity. They would take a Manuscript and say take it to TOR EOS and Orbit. See which one offers the best advances and best marketing prospects, as well as seeing if it fits in with the fantasy that Tor publishes or Orbit publishes. Because they'll need a good deal so that they can get a share in the profits too (Or does the Author pay them upfront?)
YES, AGENTS SUBMIT THEIR CLIENTS' NOVELS, BUT ONE OFTEN TALKS TO PUBLISHERS BEFORE SUBMISSION - AND OF COURSE A SPECIALIST AGENT KNOWS WHAT INDIVIDUAL EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS ARE LOOKING FOR - IT ISN'T ALWAYS EXACTLY THE SAME THING AS ANOTHER PUBLISHER. I MIGHT START BY GOING TO ONE PUBLISHER AND SAYING, LOOK I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT FOR THIS AUTHOR, IF YOU REALLY LIKE THE BOOK, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO A SENSIBLE DEAL. SO I'M NOT ALWAYS SLAVERING, SAYING MORE MONEY, MORE MONEY! IT'S WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE AUTHOR IN THE LONGER TERM, NOT JUST TODAY. AND YES, WHEN AN AGENT DOES A DEAL, THEY TAKE A PERCENTAGE OF THE ADVANCE AND FUTURE ROYALTIES. IF ONE IS IN A AUCTION SITUATION, THEN ONE WEIGHS UP THE ADVANCE, THE MARKETING PLANS, ETC. BUT MOST BOOKS ARE LUCKY TO RECEIVE ONE OFFER, SO ON MOST OCCASIONS, YOU AREN'T "GOING FOR THE HIGHEST DEAL AND THE MOST PUBLICITY". YOU'RE DISCUSSING MARKETING, PUBLICITY, AND SO FORTH WITH THE EDITOR WHO HAS MADE THE ONE OFFER YOU'VE RECEIVED. BECAUSE I RAN SFF IMPRINTS FOR ALL THOSE YEARS, I KNOW WHAT EDITORS GO THROUGH WHEN CONSIDERING A NEW WRITER, AND I ALSO KNOW MOST OF THE EDITORS PERSONALLY, SO WE CAN HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS VERY STRAIGHTFORWARDLY.

But when you say books are set from computer disk, what does that mean in regards to paper manuscript. Does that mean they ask for manuscript first because its easy to read on the bus and train. And then the manuscript on computer disk so they can get on with publishing it?

How's that?

 

[John Jarrold]

Well thats something to keep in mind. Dont delete the hard copy. So would it need to be in one file or marked by chapter?

One file. If an agent or editor is reading on-screen, it is really annoying to have to open separate files for each chapter.

 

[anthorn]

And No fancy font. So is there a better chance of getting published with an Agent rather than doing it manually. Cause they might be. Editors would tend to choose books from agents that have given them popular Authors like Robert Jorden or i hate to say it GoodKind.

Do you get a shorter reply time if an agent submits it?

 

[John Jarrold]

Agents have ongoing relationships with editors, so that makes the initial discussion much easier than an unagented author just being one of the thirty or so slush-pile manuscripts an editor sees every week, most of which are read and turned down by editorial assistants or work experience people. But no editor will just take on a new writer becuase they have dealt successfully with the agent previously. Again, every author, every project, has to stand on its own two feet. Remember: maybe two debut novels taken on a year by an editor, who is looking at over thirty books every week.

And reply time can still vary wildly. I did one deal within seven days of submitting the book, others after three months, and I'm still chasing some books that I submitted well over six months ago.

 

[Havlen]

A good agent is one who helps your writing with suggestions, guides your career by choosing the right editors/publishers for you, and protects you by negotiating the contracts.

An agent that just sends out the manuscript to all the publishers (except in cases that John noted where the manuscript is just that awe-inspiring) isn't likely to be an effective agent. An agent needs specialization to have the contacts to effectively sell the material.

But that's not all they do. There are a lot of pitfalls in contracts that must be negotiated above and beyond just the $$$ portion of it -- which is, of course, attractive. For example, right of refusal to additional works. If a contract wants first right of refusal, there should be set dates of when the publisher must respond.

There's all kinds of little stuff like that in contracts that must be dealt with.

And, for good agents, there is the matter of being an editor as well. A good agent will read your work and make suggestions to ensure it is of the highest quality before going to an editor.

 

[Havlen]

Curious on one point: Do agents/editors still want the manuscript to use underlines for italics? I've been doing that for years based on some formatting tips I read long ago. I think it was originally so that the typesetter would know that it was italics.

 

[John Jarrold]

Yes, an agent's work does not stop when a deal is done! the entire contract has to be negotiated, and over the whole publication process one makes sure that the publisher is doing their job at all points through to publication and beyond. One also has conversations with authors about new projects, cheers them up, and many, many other things! And I do editorial work on the great majority of my clients' novels before they are submitted.

And I'm not aware that underlining rather than using italics is now necessary. It's not something I insisted on fifteen years ago, let alone now.

 

[Gary Compton]

If you are talented enough to write a book worthy of publication, and you then get an agents interest. He will act with your interests at heart...150% I am sure.

All John's clients will get a good feeling inside knowing he is on their side. (like having Sir Bobby Robson on your football team) His contacts and knowledge will be invaluble in getting a deal which you couldnt otherwise get.

I am sure he will act like a big brother to the authors, someone to talk to...bounce ideas off. Definately not a door to door salesman, I have worked with John on his editing side and his advice has been worth its weight in gold and it was totally honest not just telling you what you wanted to hear.

all the best John

 

[Gary Compton]

Whoops...not as old as Sir Bobby though. Phew!

 

[John Jarrold]

Whoops...not as old as Sir Bobby though. Phew!

Thank you for that, Gary!!!

 

[Troo]

Curious on one point: Do agents/editors still want the manuscript to use underlines for italics? I've been doing that for years based on some formatting tips I read long ago. I think it was originally so that the typesetter would know that it was italics.

Oh, so it's you who keeps sending me submissions with underlined text where italics should be, eh?

I'm watching you...

 

[Oxman]

Actually, I've been following the "underline for italics" rule too. I'd read in several places that this was common practice in the publishing world and my first manuscript was sent out with underlined word in place of italics.

John, if my manuscript adheres to all of the other rules I've read on each agent's submission guidelines (for example, 12pt Courier New, the required synopsis/ sample chapters), then am I jeopardising my submission because of the italic factor?

I ask because, due to a spike full of rejections for my first novel, I'm going to re-edit and make some pretty wholesale changes before I send it out to the remaining agents on my list. Substituting the underlines with italics shouldn't be a problem. On the other hand, I have four short stories ripe and ready for submission and my second novel is 99% complete too. Would it be worthwhile to trawl though these again and amend the underlines, or is the italic factor just not that big a deal?

Ps. I'm a lurker more than a regular poster, but the time you spend on here and the advice you have given to others has been invaluable to me. Thanks!

 

[Troo]

Underlines in place of italics certainly cheeses me off, because there are instances where you may want to actually underline something. How's an editor to tell the difference?

 

[lin robinson]

I agree completely.

I think it was originally so that the typesetter would know that it was italics.

And underlining is a stronger indication of italics than italics are???

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

And underlining is a stronger indication of italics than italics are???

No, but it was a stronger indication than nothing back when we were all using typewriters.

Sometimes, things are slow to change.

 

[Havlen]

I actually put in something like 'novel manuscript formatting' into google and picked three documents at random. None of them were from well-known places (i.e. no major publishers or agencies weighing in just stuff like blog posts). All of them said to use underlines for italics.

So I'm betting I'm not the only one who has done it

Also, interestingly enough, agents don't seem to comment at all on it. I've even received personalized comments back that didn't mention them.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I'm still doing it. No editor that I've ever worked with has ever indicated I should stop. If and when one of them does, I will.

 

[lin robinson]

John, I wonder if you have anything to say about hot or not "subgenres" at the moment.

I'm particularly interested in SF in Victorian/steamage drag (I have a hard time using "steampunk" with a straight face) Is this still a going concern?

And if not, I'm less specifically curious if there are any categories or flavors that are considered hotter or cooler than others. Or dead dogs.

 

[Troo]

Steampunk FTW!!!

*Not professional opinion. Just fact