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10/2/00 7:09:44 PM Opening "Chat Log 10/2/00"
FRR Mallory WRTR: tonights guest is Sheree Bykofsky, author and noted
Literary Agent
FRR Mallory WRTR: Her books include; The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting
Published
FRR Mallory WRTR: and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Magazine
Articles
FRR Mallory WRTR: we are using protocol tonight
FRR Mallory WRTR: so please type a ! if you have a comment
FRR Mallory WRTR: and a ? if you have a question
FRR Mallory WRTR: please type a / or GA at the end of your comment
FRR Mallory WRTR: please do not comment until called upon
FRR Mallory WRTR: Welcome Sheree
ShereeBee: Hi Mallory and everybody else.
Giorge
ShereeBee: Thanks for inviting me.
FRR Mallory WRTR: our pleasure
ShereeBee: I love talking about publishing. I feel so lucky to be an agent
The13thDoctor
JeanM1926
FRR Mallory WRTR: Sheree - How long have you been an agent?
ShereeBee: I've worked in just about every area of publishing and I don't
think I've heard a question..
ShereeBee: that I couldn't answer...
ShereeBee: I'm celebrating my 10th Anniversary as a corporation
FRR Mallory WRTR: How many new clients do you take on each year?
ShereeBee: I take on about two new clients each month...
ShereeBee: And many of my authors, I'm happy to say, write more than one book
ShereeBee: I believe that more than half of my authors started out...
ShereeBee: as first time authors. That makes me very proud
SPultz
ShereeBee: And I love to go to writer's conferences. I think I have
ShereeBee: found at least one new writer each time
Kathi Smith 116: ?
Coco0609
FRR Mallory WRTR: what 'genre' do you prefer to market?
ShereeBee: and those writers for some reason have been so special to me
ShereeBee: that they've become good friends. Go ahead kathi
ShereeBee: While Kathi is asking her question, I'll answer Mallory
Kathi Smith 116: Do you deal mainly with Sci Fi writers or are you open to
others types of writing? ga
ShereeBee: I can answer both of your questions at once
ShereeBee: I don't rep Sci Fi writers at all--sorry to say
ShereeBee: I love Sci Fi but I don't read it anymore and I don't know
ShereeBee: the editors who buy it
HOST WRTR Paul: I'm back. Whew--Val tossed the Den keys too hard--crashed my
computer! ;-)
ShereeBee: I love to represent all areas of non-fiction, particularly
ShereeBee: Hi Paul....pop culture, psychology, self help, business,
Ddilcher77
Kathi Smith 116: ?
ShereeBee: pop reference, humor, parenting, spiritual topics...and
FRR Mallory WRTR: Kathi GA
Kathi Smith 116: So mainly non-fiction? ga
ShereeBee: much more...and I also love
ShereeBee: fiction--particularly mysteries and commercial fiction
ShereeBee: with a literary quality--also some literary fiction
ShereeBee: I launched six new novelists. I represent what I love
FRR Mallory WRTR: So that would be 'mainstream literature' with a few
mysteries possibly?
ShereeBee: Fiction is harder, but when I take it on, I leave no stone
unturned
SPultz: ?
ShereeBee: That's correct Mallory
FRR Mallory WRTR: SPultz - GA
ShereeBee: When I say commercial fiction, I mean like Bonfire of the
Vanities quintessentially speaking
FRR Mallory WRTR: :::nods:::
ShereeBee: One of the guests present is iming me. I'm happy to answer your
question in the forum
SPultz: how about fiction based on true life? ga
FRR Mallory WRTR: Thank you Sheree - please direct all questions IN THE ROOM
FRR Mallory WRTR: thank you
ShereeBee: Fiction based on true life can be great. A great story. Great
writing. And it has to ....
ShereeBee: just appeal to me. It can be great and still not be for me
ShereeBee: Representing a writer is like getting married
SPultz: ?
FRR Mallory WRTR: SPultz - GA
Giorge
The13thDoctor: ?
JustN327: ?
FRR Mallory WRTR: Doc - on deck
SPultz: do you only represent writers for novels, or also short stories?
Giorge
ShereeBee: I represent writers for novels and non-fiction...re short
ShereeBee: stories, I hate to say that I have occasionally represented them
ShereeBee: but as a rule I don't unless the writer is pretty famous
FRR Mallory WRTR: Doc - GA JustN327 - on deck
ShereeBee: that's one of the hardest categories, unfortunately; I say
The13thDoctor: is it harder to get fiction or non fiction published as a
first time author? ga
ShereeBee: unfortunately because I do havea fondness for short stories
ShereeBee: /
ShereeBee: It is considerably harder to get fiction published
ShereeBee: but if it is truly, truly great and you follow the rules and are
persistent
KhromaKee
JsmnStrm: ?
ShereeBee: it is more than possible. as I said, I launched six new novelists
CPeete
ShereeBee: Whenever you hear about an author selling
KhromaKee
ShereeBee: their first book for a million dollars (which is very rare)
ShereeBee: $5000 is more like it---it is almost never their first
ShereeBee: effort. They always have about three other novels
ShereeBee: sitting in the top shelf of the closet/
FRR Mallory WRTR: JustN327 - GA JsmnStrm - on deck
JustN327: Being 15, Should I reveal my age when sending in articles to
magazines?
KhromaKee
JustN327: Will it hurt or help? And will they take me seriously?
JustN327: ga
ShereeBee: That is sucha good question
ShereeBee: I think it would depend on the query
ShereeBee: Actually, I'm leaning toward not saying it if you really
ShereeBee: can pull it off with such professional aplomb that no one would
know
ShereeBee: And if the story deals with being 15, you don't need to say it;
the story will
ShereeBee: But if you want people to give you encouragement for being
precocious, then there's no harm
Texsarks
ShereeBee: you may get some attention where you wouldn't have....
FRR Mallory WRTR: JsmnStrm - GA
JsmnStrm: You said "follow the rules and be persistant", What do you mean,
follow the rules?
ShereeBee: another good question
ShereeBee: I highly recommend you read a book on getting published
Sryope2: ??
DebbyKoz
ShereeBee: of course, I want you to read my book, but you can take it out
ShereeBee: of the library or read it standing in Barnes & Noble...the
ShereeBee: importnat thing is that you read it, because then you'll know all
of
ShereeBee: the rules and it's important to follow protocol when getting
published--even
ShereeBee: more than when you're attending a chat. And being persistent means
PEDRODragon58
ShereeBee: doing what Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen did
ShereeBee: with Chicken Soup for the Soul....they went to about 40
ShereeBee: publishers before finding HCI in Florida and becoming
ShereeBee: the success that you know/
FRR Mallory WRTR: Sryope2 - GA
FRR Mallory WRTR: Our guest is the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to
Getting Published
Texsarks: ??
Sryope2: Does it help to say whether or not you've used
FRR Mallory WRTR: and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Magazine
Articles
Sryope2: a book doctor in preparing your MS. Should you mention that
Sryope2: in a querry to an agent?
ShereeBee: If the manuscript is complete, I'm not sure it is necessary
ShereeBee: On the other hand...
ShereeBee: I made a two book deal for a phenomenal author named
ShereeBee: Andy Straka. His mystery series is being launched by
Ollie Lemur
ShereeBee: Signet this Spring and he came to me recommended by a book doctor
who I respect
The13thDoctor: ?
Dcudlbug
FRR Mallory WRTR: Texsarks - GA Pedro - on deck
ShereeBee: go ahead pedro
Texsarks: my snopsis is a nightmare.... worked harder than the novel.
Hate my snopsis- ten of them!
Texsarks: Can't get it right..understand that ?
Ciao412
Ollie Lemur
ShereeBee: My heart goes out to you; I'm serious
ShereeBee: But you don't need to do a play by play, etc.
CPeete
ShereeBee: Just pitch the book. Describe it as if you were writing
ShereeBee: the jacket blurb or the New York Times book review
Ciao412
Texsarks: thks.
FRR Mallory WRTR: Pedro - GA The 13th Doctor - on deck
ShereeBee: TEx, if you can't sell it; the agent can't sell the publisher.
it's part of the territory
ShereeBee: Pedro, I'm not sure what your question is... but I think
FRR Mallory WRTR: Doc - GA
The13thDoctor: what is a book doctor? ga
ShereeBee: I can help you simply by recommending you to the writer's
ShereeBee: shelf in the book store. there are several good books on
ShereeBee: getting children's books published. And children's books
FRR Mallory WRTR: !
ShereeBee: are handled differently from adult books; generally
HOST WRTR Paul: (pedro took off)
ShereeBee: children's book authors approach publishers themselves
FRR Mallory WRTR: (yes)
JustN327
ShereeBee: REad a book on the subject and treat it as if it were a cooking
recipe. If
ShereeBee: it's ready for the marketplace, you should have success. good
luck!/
HOST WRTR Paul: If anyone is being disruptive, you folks can always use AOL's
handy Ignore function!
FRR Mallory WRTR: Doc - GA
ShereeBee: ok, hopefully the answer will help someone else
The13thDoctor: what is a book doctor? ga
ShereeBee: a book doctor is a fancy name for a paid independent editor
ShereeBee: sometimes author mistakenly go to agents for feedback
ShereeBee: generally, agents do not give feedback (and you shouldn't
ShereeBee: go to agents who charge fees); but editors are paid to
ShereeBee: give feedback and do hands on editing. If a book needs it,
ShereeBee: it's a good idea to do this before trying to find an agent
SPultz: ?
ShereeBee: When you go to an agent, you're saying, this is ready and I'm
ready
ShereeBee: to be published. Do we match? Would we make a good team? Do you
know
ShereeBee: the publihsers who might want to buy this?
ShereeBee: The people at publishing houses are called Editors
ShereeBee: but many of them just acquire books; some of them never pick up a
pencil
KhromaKee
ShereeBee: /
FRR Mallory WRTR: So a synopsis should read like a movie (trailer), for
sales? SPultz - on deck
ShereeBee: That's how I would approach it if I were writing fiction. yes.
SPultz: how does one find a book DR.?
ShereeBee: I would find a book doctor through recommendations from
FRR Mallory WRTR: 'a GOOD book Dr.'
ShereeBee: other writers--perhaps at Writer's Conferences
ShereeBee: You might also meet them at writer's conferences
ShereeBee: You can look in a sourcebook on the writer's shelf, but
ShereeBee: before choosing a book doctor, I would ask for recommendations
ShereeBee: from published authors; they should provide.
Jgsuk
ShereeBee: If they can't provide, perhaps they would do a few pages of your
Deluge3: KhromaKee, could you turn on your IM's? I'm trying to send a
Greeter's message.
ShereeBee: manuscript on spec so you can see what they'd do for you
KhromaKee: I met Robin Wright recently (author) and she does book doctoring
too
ShereeBee: Shop for them carefully...just as with anything/
KhromaKee: I have her web site somewhere if you want me to look it up
Texsarks: ?
FRR Mallory WRTR: KhromaKee - thank you for attending - this is a hosted
chat please type ! or? and wait
FRR Mallory WRTR: for a go ahead before commenting
KhromaKee: !sorry!
FRR Mallory WRTR: Tex GA
Texsarks: am meeting Dan Slater/Balir Witch Project/ Bone Collector
FRR Mallory WRTR: <smiles> it is okay - apparently your IM's are off
Texsarks: at Eurkea Srpings WRoters Conference in Ar next week.
Texsarks: How do I appoach him and with what?
ShereeBee: That is another excellent question as they all are...
ShereeBee: Writer's often feel pressure and stress when they
ShereeBee: attend writer's conferences for the first time.. they think
ShereeBee: that they have to be ready to pitch, no matter what stage they're
up to
ShereeBee: I think that it's important to relax and remember that you're t
here to
ShereeBee: learn and collect information so that you'll know what to do when
you are ready...
ShereeBee: agents, editors and book doctors at conferences might
ShereeBee: be polite and say yes send it even though they're not even the
right
ShereeBee: people for your particular genre.
ShereeBee: Don't promise anyone anything. Treat it as if it were this
ShereeBee: chat. Ask questions. Tell them what you're writing or thinking
ShereeBee: about writing and what stage you're up to. Ask them how to app
roach them
ShereeBee: when they're back in their offices and you're back in yours
Jgsuk
ShereeBee: Usually, the best way is by snail mail query with sase. You can't
go wrong with that
ShereeBee: With fiction you will be ready when you are completely finished...
ShereeBee: and with nonfiction you will be ready when you have a proposal
finished
FRR Mallory WRTR: KhromaKee - GA
Coco0609
ShereeBee: but for a book doctor it may be different; just ask him/
CDRClay
FRR Mallory WRTR: Sheree - is the fiction market shrinking - in your
opinion?
ShereeBee: It's always been hard; I'm not sure if it's shrinking
The13thDoctor: ?
ShereeBee: People seem to be shopping in bookstores more than ever
ShereeBee: and everyday the shelf of "new fiction" fills up with new books/
FRR Mallory WRTR: Doc - GA
The13thDoctor: Are e-books having an impact on your job in any way? if so,
how? ga
ShereeBee: That's going to be hard to answer concisely....everyone
ShereeBee: is afraid about new technology--and that's historically
ShereeBee: true about new things, isn't it? but I love everything about
ShereeBee: e
ShereeBee: For one thing, I'm finding that my authors are able to
ShereeBee: be content providers when they're not busy being authors
ShereeBee: every website in the universe depends on writers to provide
ShereeBee: text and nothing like professional authors for providing text...
HOST WRTR Paul: ?
Ddilcher77
ShereeBee: also I am able to find authors gigs writing columns for daily web
mailings
ShereeBee: plus it's so much easier with e-mail to have authors send resumes
and such to me and
ShereeBee: to publishers....re electronic publishing, I don't see it
ShereeBee: changing the way we read yet. People still seem to prefer a book;
however
ShereeBee: I just had the most wonderful experience with it: I have
ShereeBee: three authors (this is a sad story, I'm sorry to say); One of
ShereeBee: my dear authors Laura Lewis is dying. Her two co-authors
ShereeBee: wanted her to see her book before she dies. Her book is
ShereeBee: Heavenly Miracles. Jennifer Basye Sander, her co-author
ShereeBee: arranged to have the publisher and the writers, me and an
electronic publisher
ShereeBee: mightywords.com give up all profit to the family of Laura
Catalyst8
ShereeBee: and she was able to publsh the book on line at mightywords in a
matter of days
Ddilcher77
ShereeBee: then there is print on demand and that is a new technology
ShereeBee: that is a godsend to authors when it is in the hands of the author
ShereeBee: but I think I answered enough of that for now. if you
FRR Mallory WRTR: Paul - GA
ShereeBee: want to hear more about print on demand, I'll save it for another
question...whew...
ShereeBee: /
HOST WRTR Paul: First, my condolances about Laura.
HOST WRTR Paul: How is the general quality of the queries and manuscripts you
recieve holding up? Any change
HOST WRTR Paul: over the years, for better or worse?
ShereeBee: thanks Paul. She is an amazing person
ShereeBee: I have found that the queries and manuscripts have
ShereeBee: improved exponentially!
ShereeBee: Nonfiction authors who write to me use a combination of
Jgsuk
ShereeBee: my website shereebee.com and my book, the cig to
ShereeBee: getting published and Michael Larsen's book, HOw to Write
ShereeBee: a Book Proposal and I can't believe how good the proposals
ShereeBee: are....and perhaps computers have made it better for people
Jgsuk
ShereeBee: to think and organize their thoughts and cut and paste and spell
check and make things
HOST WRTR Paul: Glad to hear that! :-) Belies the political moaning about
quality education and all. ga
ShereeBee: look professional....but I have seen an enormous improvement over
the years. emphatically
ShereeBee: yes/
FRR Mallory WRTR: Sheree - if you have a non-fiction book already written
should you do a synopsis
ShereeBee: These are great questions. Are there more?
FRR Mallory WRTR: instead of a proposal?
ShereeBee: If you have a non-fiction book written, you should do a proposal
ShereeBee: And then you should send a query letter to an agent with a sase
ShereeBee: describing your proposal in a single page
ShereeBee: And chances are your agent will not want to see the whole
ShereeBee: manuscript. Just those chapters that are representative and
polished that
ShereeBee: can be sent with the proposal. It is better not to write
Jgsuk
ShereeBee: the whole book if you're writing non-fiction because
ShereeBee: so often it changes after it is conceptualized. .. but if
ShereeBee: you're talking about creative non fiction, such as a memoir
ShereeBee: you should do a synopsis yes, and it is treated much like
The13thDoctor: ?
ShereeBee: fiction in that you should write teh whole book first.
FRR Mallory WRTR: What is a 'normal' contract time between an Agent and
first time writer (duration)?
SPultz: ?
ShereeBee: You mean how long does the agent have to sell your work?
FRR Mallory WRTR: yes -
ShereeBee: I'm not sure there is a norm. My contract (and it appears
ShereeBee: in my book) gives me one year to sell, but I am flexible on
Catalyst8: ?
ShereeBee: that. If anyone asks me to change that to six months, I have
ShereeBee: no problem. But I don't know why they do. If I am earnestly
trying to sell it, sometimes
Jgsuk
ShereeBee: it takes longer. If I can't sell something in six months, I would
ShereeBee: be happy if the author let me off the hook; however, if I am
EnderWiggin02
ShereeBee: planning to send it to more publishers or follow up with
ShereeBee: publihsers who already have it, I can't see why an author would
want me to stop
ShereeBee: if another agent has already shopped a project to the most likely
houses,
ShereeBee: I can't afford to take it on; and I assume the same is true for
them/
FRR Mallory WRTR: Doc - GA SPultz - on deck
The13thDoctor: Does the same hold true ( re synopses) for fiction novels? ga
ShereeBee: I hope you won't mind me pointing out first that you should
ShereeBee: avoid saying fiction novels. You can't afford any red flags when
you're seeking
ShereeBee: to be published for the first time (lots of people make that
mistake; I don't
The13thDoctor: (sorry)
CDRClay: ?
ShereeBee: mean to single you out). but now, sorry, does what hold true?
The13thDoctor: having the book done and trying to sell itq
Texsarks: ?
ShereeBee: If you're writing a novel, you should absolutely have the whole
thing written and edited and
ShereeBee: polished before seeking to get it published. And if you dno't
Eulalie99
ShereeBee: think people would walk into a bookstore and request it;
ShereeBee: in other words, if you don't think it's good enough, you're just
sick of
ShereeBee: looking at it or feel like finding out how it stacks up, put it
in the drawer and
Sryope2
ShereeBee: start sometihng else. It really has to be as good as what's on
the shelf---better actually
Eulalie99
ShereeBee: before you seek publication. But if you're a writer--I know
ShereeBee: you've heard this--you will write no matter how hard it is
ShereeBee: or no matter who discourages you. And you should.
ShereeBee: /
FRR Mallory WRTR: SPultz - GA Catalyst8 - on deck
SPultz: my question was about the same as Doc's
FRR Mallory WRTR: Catalyst8 - GA CDR Clay - on deck
Catalyst8: From first-time fiction writers do you prefer to see tried and
true plots, or boldly
Catalyst8: different ones--i.e., what is the best way to approach a fiction
career? /ga
ShereeBee: That's a good new question. Never heard that! I prefer....
ShereeBee: drum rolll...
ShereeBee: both!
ShereeBee: The writing is everything. Do you feel cheated by that answer?
ShereeBee: Wait. Let me elaborate...whether you're writing
Catalyst8: No - but you hear so many people talking about 'genre rules'
TRAZOM8
Catalyst8: on the one hand -- then 'breaking the rules' on the other! /ga
ShereeBee: fiction or nonfiction, you want it to be different and better
ShereeBee: that's always the aim. If you try to create something so unique
ShereeBee: no one will know what shelf to put it on....and the publishers
ShereeBee: and booksellers aren't risk takers....on the other hand,
ShereeBee: if it's so trite that it's been told a million times the same
way, they'll say with a yawn
ShereeBee: that they've seen it a dozen times before. So walking that line
in the middle
TRAZOM8
ShereeBee: is probably the number one challenge facing writers--new and old.
FRR Mallory WRTR: CDR Clay - GA Texsarks - on deck we are down to the
last few minutes
ShereeBee: now I feel like I've answered it/
CDRClay: Comments on marketing the first time crime novel recurring series
vice one-time book?
Catalyst8: Thank you!
FRR Mallory WRTR: so please keep your comments brief <smiles>
ShereeBee: yikes. not sure i understand the question tho
ShereeBee: series vs. a single book? ok
ShereeBee: make sure your first book stands alone solidly
ShereeBee: if it has series potential it will be obvious.
ShereeBee: but no harm in mentioning the series potential and leaving it at
that
ShereeBee: /
FRR Mallory WRTR: Texsarks - GA
Texsarks: Literary.... I know and don't know what it means. An editor said
it was and I am nor SURE
Texsarks: what it means. Good or BAD?
ShereeBee: It's neither good nor bad
ShereeBee: It refers to books for a smaller, educated audience who are
willing
ShereeBee: to work to understand what they read; something that might
ShereeBee: be assigned in a college English course; aka James Joyce,
Virginia Wolff, Faulkner
ShereeBee: vs. John Grisham, Scott Turow, etc.
ShereeBee: Commercial with a literary quality might be Angela's Ashes
ShereeBee: Although that's not fiction
FRR Mallory WRTR: I want to thank Sheree Bykofsky, author and noted
Literary Agent for being
FRR Mallory WRTR: our wonderful guest tonight
Guerram123
Guerram123
Guerram123
Guerram123
FRR Mallory WRTR: She is the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to
Getting Published
The13thDoctor: thanks sheree
ShereeBee: Thank you so much! I loved your questions. Great audience. Please
send me queries with sases
Texsarks: thanks- Sheree.... thanks a lot........
FRR Mallory WRTR: and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Magazine
Articles
ShereeBee: Truly my pleasure....night everybody
FRR Mallory WRTR: please visit her website at www.shereebee.comHOST WRTR Paul: Thank you Sheree. :-)
Kathi Smith 116: Thanks, Sheree, great job
FRR Mallory WRTR: Thank you Sheree*********
ShereeBee: Thank you Paul and Mallory. Hope to see you hear again.
HOST WRTR Paul: We can put up a link from our web site. :-)
Deluge3: Thanks, Sheree.
ShereeBee: Thanks! That's terrific. Please do that
SPultz: Thanks Sheree
Tallon Jke
Catalyst8: Thanks, Sheree!
HOST WRTR Paul: www.cuebon.com/ewritersDcudlbug: Thanks, Sheree. Our prayers for Laura
KhromaKee: Thanks, Sharee--sorry for the rude interruption.
CDRClay: Thanks for the referral
ShereeBee: (****writers chat room****) --no prob khroma
FRR Mallory WRTR: <smiles>
Tallon Jke
HOST WRTR Paul: Kroma, tried to IM you. Will send you info on our critique
group here, if you wish.
FRR Mallory WRTR: Thank you everyone for attending tonight
Kathi Smith 116
JsmnStrm: Thank you Sheree
KhromaKee: Great! Im's on now
FRR Mallory WRTR: we meet every Monday night - 7:00 p.m. california time
The13thDoctor: No worries!
DebbyKoz: i was quiet but as usual enjoyed my time here thanks paul
FRR Mallory WRTR: the best crit group on the web <smiles>
DebbyKoz: yup
KhromaKee: K
The13thDoctor: See y'all next week!
JsmnStrm: See ya Doc.
CDRClay: Anyplace to go to get the real skinny on a particular agent?
FRR Mallory WRTR: Nighters everyone****
Dcudlbug: Nytol
The13thDoctor
SPultz: nite all
EnderWiggin02: paul, don't forget me, bye everyone
SPultz: Aol must be OK tonight,only got kicked once
JsmnStrm: That's good.
DebbyKoz: try the jeff herman book CDR
Texsarks
JsmnStrm: Later everyone.... Must go...
Texsarks: FRR MAllory WRTR are you a 'book doctor? hate that title...
FRR Mallory WRTR: Tex - no I am not <smiles>
Texsarks: friend of Steph's I think? know the name just maybe from here huh?
FRR Mallory WRTR: we should see if we can come up with a list of good
editors
FRR Mallory WRTR: probably Tex
FRR Mallory WRTR: I am off everyone***
FRR Mallory WRTR
Texsarks: night all enjoyed!!!1
DebbyKoz: hey paul i didn't expect to be able to stick around i am glad i
dropped in tonight
DebbyKoz: i have missed you guys
Texsarks
HOST WRTR Paul: : : : blushing : : : Thanks, Deb. :-)
10/2/00 8:14:23 PM Closing "Chat Log 10/2/00"
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