The American Resident
Mine isn’t a blank anymore. What about yours?
An unexpected gem I found at the few writers’ workshops and events I’ve attended is that if an agent likes a writers’ work, they want to impress the writer as much as the writer is trying to impress them. It’s not all about writers bribing agents with chocolate. (But agents, please do tell me your favourite so I make sure to stick that in the envelope…)
There are a lot of Agent and Editor Wish Lists around. There’s even a website that has collected together wish list tweets from agents and editors agentandeditorwishlist.tumblr.com along with a Twitter tag #MSWL.
How clever to compile a load of these in one place! I’m already well into my novel and I have about 20 more ideas in varying stages of development that I’ll need to test at a later date, but I can use this wish list to see if any of them fit. Or, if I need further inspiration I can read through the wish list tweets and see if any catch my eye. Sometimes they’re vague, the agent mentioning a love of dark family secrets or an editor wishing for a story with a dark twist. Others are more specific, such as the request for a mystery novel set in Tudor times with a sexy male protagonist who solves the crimes.
‘But won’t everyone else be doing the same?’ you ask, wringing your hands. Your imagination (well exercised, as you’re a Writer) will expand on the worry: Agents will get submerged under 1500 submissions of novels about a sexy, crime solving Tudor hero. In desperation to save themselves they’ll tweet: #NoMoreSexyTudorCrimeSolvers By this point, your version (brilliant, no doubt) is almost finished but seeing these hashtags you realise you’ve wasted all that time on that stupid Tudor guy.
Do you really think talented writers will all write the same story about a sexy, crime solving Tudor hero? I don’t. And the untalented writers don’t count. The agents won’t even read the boring ones.
Wish lists are good novel prompts, and they’re an indicator of what’s selling at the moment. Or else why would agents and editors publish them? Here are some (random) examples of wish list tweets:
‘Any novel where your readers are going “no, No, NO!!!” in a stunned kind of way! I love to be surprised and hooked like that.’ @LitAgentMarini
‘Really want a big, juicy fantasy for MG or YA, set in a world that feels totally new.’ @susanhawk
‘Thrillers featuring unlikely badasses and everyday heroes, i.e. not former cops/military/special forces/FBI/etc.’ @alecdshane
‘If your characters encounter life changing stakes—it’s for me. I want to meet characters at the most interesting point in their lives.’ @carlywatters
‘Would love to see some more Historical or Contemporary Romance.’ @bluedragonfly81
‘Sarcastic yet likeable. We love a female protagonist with a sarcastic, kick ass attitude in contemporary YA.’ @belcastr
But what about writers’ wish lists of the type of agents we’re looking for?
Let’s say I get this novel finished and believe it is of a high enough standard to send it on a run of submissions. I need to choose the agents I’ll submit to by looking through their websites for what kind of stories they like and what authors they’re already representing, and read their bios so I know if we could work together or not. It’s helpful to follow them on Twitter if they’ve got an account, because on Twitter you get a tiny window into their personalities. I also listen to what other people say about agents they’ve met. If they seem like a good match for my story and me, I put them on my list of Possibles.
But if I had the opportunity to submit tweets to a Writers’ Wish List site, what would I say? How general or specific would I be? Inspired by the agents and editors above, I’ve created a little collection of wishes for my ideal agent:
‘Any agent who knows how to be passionate about a novel, and only takes on novels he or she is passionate about. I love to feel the energy of others’ enthusiasm for a project.’ @michelloui
‘Really want a light-hearted but intelligent agent set in London or East Anglia where I can easily meet them to have a drink and a chat. And maybe cake.’ @michelloui
‘Agents featuring sensible bluntness, i.e. forthright but not rude people, combined with an appreciation of it in others.’ @michelloui
‘If an agent is ready to work with me through these life changing times–he or she is for me. I want to meet agents who recognise I’m at the most interesting point in my life and that together we can be a great team.’ @michelloui
‘Would love to hear the agent use a wide ranging lexicon, from the erudite to the dockside.’ @michelloui
‘Badass yet likeable. I’d love an agent with a kick ass attitude to rep me.’ @michelloui
Oh, and you know those bribes I mentioned above? I can be bribed too. If you’re an agent interested in meeting me you should know I love cake. My very favourite is Madeira cake.
So, fellow writers, what would be on your writer wish list? Or, do you already have the perfect fit agent?