The Wordsmiths Project Journal

I met Jenny Rappaport (of the L. Perkins Agency) last year, when I was on a panel with her at the PhilCon conference. While I was impressed with her enthusiasm, I wasn’t planning on photographing her for The Wordsmiths Project. Then, I wrote up some of her comments in my Wordsmiths Journal entry about that panel (How to Lose Agents & Infuriate Editors). And the hits starting coming in. In fact, in looking over keyword statistics for this site, Jenny’s name is the second most common word that people searching on the Internet used to get to The Wordsmiths Journal.

At first, it didn’t make much sense to me that Jenny is so popular on the Internet. She is a relatively new agent, having been in this business for only a couple of years. While she has some rather interesting and talented clients, I don’t believe she has had a hit-it-out-of-the-ballpark big seller yet. Then, I looked at her Website – LitSoup.

Jenny maintains a very friendly, informative and responsive blog, making her one of the more accessible literary agents. On her submissions guidelines page, she is very clear about what she is interested in seeing and how to get in touch with her. She also tends to answer comments and questions (although not always immediately).

Like all agents, Jenny is swamped with submissions to consider, manuscripts to read and edit, books to send to editors, contracts to negotiate, etc. She told me during our photo shoot, that she finds blogging a nice break in the middle of her stressful day. What’s more, she enjoys the human interaction of blogging.

Jenny is looking to double her client list in the next year, which means she is very open to queries by new authors – as long as they fit into her focus, which tends to be genre books — science fiction, fantasy, romance, etc — and as long as they are very well written and avoid clichés. (Please be sure to read her submission guidelines first, of course.)

However, as accessible as Jenny is on the Internet. I’m not convinced that’s why she is the second most common keyword used to get to The Wordsmiths Journal. After all, the first most common – my agent, Mollie Glick of the Jean V. Naggar Agency – has very little Internet presence.

Do you have any insights as to why these two young agents are so popular on the Internet? If so, please let us hear them.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me emails. I enjoy hearing from readers and fellow writers. The questions you’ve sent me for my meetings with my various photo subjects, have been great, and I really appreciate your nominations of people I should consider photographing for The Wordsmiths Project. Please keep them coming.

One reader asked if I feel that writers conferences are often worth the money and time. The short answer is… yes.

In fact, I am currently at LunaCon, a science fiction conference of writers and readers in Rye, NY, where I am speaking on a few panels about the business of writing (Understanding Publishing Contracts, What Happens When Your Book Is Bought by a Publisher, and others.). I enjoy the networking with fellow writers, editors and readers that such conferences offer. It gives me a chance for what I call creative cross-fertilization. Invariably, I come home energized with new ideas – often about marketing my work, sometimes new ways of thinking about plot and character, and usually new perspectives about projects I had been too close to. In other words, every time I speak at a conference, I easily learn as much as I teach.

But the trick is to find the right conference for your interests, and to be sure your expectations are reasonable.

Many writers make the mistake of pinning their hopes on connecting with just the right agent and/or editor at a conference. You know that dream — finding the one person who will love what you have to say so much that he or she is ready to help you push your work to the next level with sales to your dream magazine or a six-figure advance for your book. Yes, sometimes that happens, albeit very rarely. (In fact, I’m told that Jean Auel, the best selling author of “Clan of the Cave Bear” was discovered by her agent Jean Naggar at a writers conference.) But if that is your entire focus when attending a conference, you’ll miss out on some great opportunities.

Conferences are designed as great learning experiences, where lectures and panel discussions can help your career, business sense and/or creativity. However, for me, the biggest reason to go to these things are the people I can meet and get to know. For instance, when you attend a panel on which your dream editor is speaking, yes, of course, listen to her carefully, take notes on what she wants and how she likes to be contacted. But don’t forget to also talk to the person sitting next to you. That fellow writer may have insights and experiences that can help you, and you might be able to help him. Believe it or not, helping another writer can also be useful, if only to get you to tap into your own knowledge in new ways. Besides, just talking with others who have the same concerns and interests as you do can be the best part of any conference.

The other side of the equation is finding the right conference for your interests, needs and budget. For nonfiction writers, the one that I have found to be invaluable is ASJA’s (American Society of Journalists Authors) annual conference in New York City, which will be April 21-22 this year (with Member’s Day on April 20th). Alas, this will be the first ASJA conference Daniel and I will be missing since joining ASJA, because we have other obligations. Another conference that I respect is the Philadelphia Writers Conference. Of course, there are genre conferences, for writers of mysteries, romance, science fiction and so forth, as well as for those who cover travel, health and other nonfiction specialities.

To help you understand what I look for in a good conference, I’ll describe ASJA’s, which has a good balance between learning and networking opportunities, plus out-and-out fun. For members only, it schedules brief one-on-one meetings with editors and agents (what Daniel calls speed-dating for writers). But everyone can go to panels that provide advice about managing your business, opening up new markets, finding great story sources, breaking into new magazines, finding the right agent, etc. Then, there are the cocktail parties, lunches, and hallway discussions, as well as the hang-out room for relaxing and getting to know your fellow attendees. Another useful activity is the mentoring meetings that match you with a fellow writer who has experience in the area you are trying to break into.

When considering a conference, look over its schedule and roster of speakers carefully. Make sure it will address your personal and professional concerns, and that the speakers are people who actually make a living at what they do, rather than just wannabes. What’s more, the speakers should represent the kind of market you want to break into, and the attendees should be at least on your own professional level or higher. Look over the panel and seminar topics; do you think they will answer questions you have or help you move your writing career forward? Is it run by a for-profit organization, or one that exists primarily to assist writers? I tend to have more respect for the events put on by the latter

If you want more workshops for discussing your own writing than panels about the business of writing, be sure to pick one that emphasizes that focus. (You might be better off finding a dedicated workshop as opposed to a conference.) Then, there are the programs that mix readers with writers – such as the science fiction “Cons.” For writers, it is invaluable to mingle with readers, to get to know what they love, as well as for them to get to meet you and perhaps become one of your fans.

One final recommendation. Don’t bring your manuscript to the conference, unless you have a mentoring appointment or are signed up for a critique workshop. It is considered one of the great faux pas (and the mark of an amateur) to hand a manuscript or proposal to an editor or agent at these events. Instead, get their business cards, find out what their preferences are in terms of the kinds of material they are seeking, how they like to be queried and whether you should send it via email or snail mail. Then, after the conference, customize your letter, proposal and manuscript according to what you learned. It will increase your chances considerably of making that sale or getting that advance. (See my journal entry “How to Lose Agents & Infuriate Editors“ for other suggestions about querying.)

And if you happen to be at a conference where I’ll be, please do say hi.