The following is an excerpt from an interview first published on Cindy Procter-King's website, www.cindyprocter-king.com.
Cindy: Tell us a little about yourself. How long have you been with The Knight Agency? What's your background? What inspired you to become an agent?
Elaine: I joined the TKA team in September of 2005. I graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Comparative Literature. I also had intense curriculum training in the English and Economics department, rounding out my business and arts background.
When I first joined the TKA family, I worked closely with Deidre Knight on a plethora of different ventures learning the business. After a period of time, agenting just seemed like a natural next step. I have loved every moment of it. My first love is reading, and agenting allows me to explore and exploit that in as many ways as possible.
Cindy: How does the TKA submission process work? Do you as the Submissions Coordinator decide which query goes to which agent? What if a writer wants to query a specific agent at TKA? Is that allowed?
Elaine: As the submissions coordinator I usually get the first look at queries and I "farm" them out to our other agents. Due to our relationships within the agency, I am familiar with who likes what elements in different projects. The agency's four individual agents all have very distinctive preferences.
In other instances, if it is a project with mass appeal we work as a team to figure out which agent would be able to offer the individual the attention they most need in their career. The Agent/Client relationship is very personal, and we try to figure out what bonds we can build that will leave everyone involved the most satisfied.
Usually the only way that querying specific agents is encouraged is if you have met a specific agent. That or if you are coming in as a referral through an already established client.
Cindy: Is the TKA submission process entirely electronic? Do you accept paper queries or only e-queries? What if the query gets to the partial or full request stage?
Elaine: Our Submission process is entirely electronic at this point in time. About five years ago with the internet age upon us we learned that the organizational benefits of accepting only e-queries and submissions can not be beat. For the most part, we all read partials and fulls via an electronic version as well. This also makes sense, because we have them wherever we are, whether it be traveling or at home or at the office. Plus we have the entire record of the submission exchange right there at our fingertips.
Cindy: How many writers are currently in your stable? How many clients would you eventually like to represent? Do you represent clients on your own or do you work with a senior agent?
Elaine: I have about a dozen authors I am currently representing. Eventually, as the workloads shift, I would hope to work with a group of 40-50. This number really will depend on the types of clients that fall into my care in the meantime.
I'm young and hungry. I have the energy and the drive to keep my numbers climbing. One major perk that I bring to the table is that I have the time to devote undivided attention to my clients. I am much more hands-on than some of our other agents just because my schedule allows it.
Cindy: So, what stands out for you in a query? Can you give us any query Do's and Don'ts?
Elaine: With a query, I want the whole package. I want someone who has obviously done their research and presents an idea that we are interested in. I also want them to show me that they are serious about their career and so they have taken the time to look at the many sources out there that help develop a quality query.
I want to see an author's focus. They should be able to sell me their story in a line or two and then keep me reading by providing an entertaining summary. If I am bored by the story after reading a one-page query, you can bet I'm not going to be encouraged to request a partial.
Don't tell me you are the next Nora Roberts. Or that you have the next DaVinci Code. I'm not interested in finding the self-declared next NY Times bestseller. Also, I am not more inclined to take a look at your work if I have rejected it and you respond with, "You don't have a clue what you are missing." Also, please don't query all of your completed manuscripts at once. Sell me one, and if I'm interested I'll ask about the remaining.
Cindy: Approximately how long does it take you to review a requested partial, then? How about a requested full?
Elaine: This all depends on workload and travel schedules. If it is something we are really excited about, we will typically look at it immediately. We try not to hold anything over ninety days, but in all honesty sometimes that's just not possible.
Cindy: Describe your preferred methods of client communication. Email or phone contact? How long does it generally take you to get back to a client, and how often is too often for a client to pester, um, contact you?
Elaine: We are all E-mail-aholics. If I'm not at my computer, I have my Blackberry glued to my side. I usually try to get back to my clients the instant that I can, within that day in 95% of the instances.
To fairly answer this question, though, one must realize the level of the question that is being asked. If it's a simple you-need-to-know-something, most likely the answer will be instantaneous. In other instances, if they are serious in-depth career questions, or questions about content and such, it may take a bit longer.
As to the "pestering" factor, it is such a personal relationship that my clients all differ. Some people I talk to daily, some only need me monthly. Sometimes some are so quiet I have to send them a "Hey, you doing ok out there?!" It all depends on where the author is in their career, in their writing process, and other extenuating circumstances. If they are pestering me, they typically know it, and it's usually for some reason that neither party can help.
Cindy: How do you work with a client to build their career?
Elaine: Extensively. This is the #1 goal beyond getting them published. We work to build a strategy to increase their fan base and exposure. Our marketing department helps them focus on their different publicity opportunities. We also try to help in any way possible with "live" events such as signings and appearances. Depending on the level of the author's career, we will help them work with the publisher's marketing department and/or their own individual PR rep if applicable.
Cindy: Given your response, I have a feeling I already know your answer to this next question, but I'll ask it anyway. :) How do you feel about writers writing in more than one genre or sub-genre?
Elaine: I don't have any problem with it. I want an author to be excited about what they are writing, and if that means that they go between several different genres and voices, fine by me.
We do, however, make sure that the author is giving each entity their all. Sometimes an author will get so excited about all their different ideas that they seem to get lost. We pull them back in and get them to focus on the one project and fully developing it before tackling a different one.
Cindy: How many editors do you send a project to at once? Would you send a writer's project to editors on its own or along with other writers' projects?
Elaine: This depends on the project. There are certain genres where there are simply more avenues to submit to. Usually our initial send-out goes to about 10 or so editors.
I submit each individual's project separately. I want to create excitement about that title, and don't want it to get lost in another separate author's work.
Cindy: How do you handle rejections for your clients? Do you forward each rejection letter or save them until you have a batch and then notify the writer?
Elaine: I forward them in their entirety onto the author the instant I get them. It can be a discouraging process, but I think in the end the author values knowing exactly where they stand at every moment.
I also let the author know exactly where their project is going and who to, after all this is their baby. I don't see any benefit in keeping them in the dark.
Cindy: How about if a client wants to part company? How would you like them to handle it? What would you like them not to do?
Elaine: We hope that we have opened the lines of communication and they have let us know why they are unhappy. In most cases, when clients are parting ways both parties are unhappy and have a sense that a split is coming.
The most important thing is communication. We hope that they will come to us before it gets to that point so that we can fix any problems they are having with us.
If parting ways, we hope that a mutual respect can be maintained. As long as the client offers us that hospitality, we will do the same. In most instances it is just that the involved parties aren't at the same place and we still wish them nothing but the best in their future writing career.
Cindy: If you reject a partial or full manuscript, are you open to seeing a query on a revised version?
Elaine: This depends on the reason that we rejected it. If we rejected it because the core of the story wasn't developed enough, or if we just thought that the writing needed some additional tweaking, we would love to see it again.
Regardless, each rejection is personal. There is a typical form response we use as a guideline, but there are personal comments. If the rejection says we want to hear from you again, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN!
Cindy: Elaine, to finish off, what's the best advice you can offer aspiring authors?
Elaine: Don't give up. The business is always changing, and there are a million ways and different opportunities to grow your writing and your stories.
Also I think networking is crucial. Get out there and meet people. Join writers' groups, find quality critique partners, and attend conferences.
Beyond everything, remember the reasons that you started writing. It was fun, you enjoyed it. If you ever get to a point where that isn't the case, stop and do some major soul searching. If you don't, your writing will show it.
Read the full interview at www.cindyprocter-king.com.
Former Golden Heart finalist Cindy Procter-King writes fun romantic comedies for Amber Quill Press. You can visit her website at www.cindyprocter-king.com.
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