Comments on: Inside the Agent/Client Revision Process

By: Cassandra

Cassandra — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:53:25 +0000

Thanks for this invaluable post! It cleared up a few of my questions regarding the whole getting-an-agent process.

By: Rhoda Weber Mack

Rhoda Weber Mack — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:08:13 +0000

Revision is the best part of writing. That’s where the real juices flow for me, weaving the story back in on itself and seeing the deeper patterns emerge. This is a writer’s work, and it has to become a whole cloth before the agent or editor can really take it on. You are right, Mary, to not jump in too soon.

By: Mary

Mary — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:40:27 +0000

Denise — I’ll schedule a post about your question… but I’ve got stuff lined up through next month, so look for it then.

Jonathan — Your tip about reading work aloud is a very valuable one. Thanks for sharing!

By: Jonathan Stephens

Jonathan Stephens — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:17:51 +0000

I have to make multiple revision sweeps of my manuscript to avoid the dreaded surface sweep.

First is the critique group comments sweep, where I make the valid changes that my critique group suggested and ignore the invalid ones.

Second is the macro revision read, where I print the novel out and read it through as if it were a published novel and I’m critiquing its airplane-view flaws.

Third is the read-aloud line revision, where I read the entire thrice-revised novel aloud to myself to see if the language flows well enough to be read aloud. It’s one thing for the words to make sense on paper. It’s another thing to make sense off the tongue.

By: Stacey Hatton

Stacey Hatton — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:24:23 +0000

Perfectionism and passion for editing are qualities I would appreciate and require in an agent. Finding an agent, who can take what you feel is your “ready” manuscript and turn it into an “editor ready” story seems to be such a gift. A second set of eyes to get you closer to publishing… Thanks for the inside look into the agent’s mind.

By: Denise Timpko

Denise Timpko — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:56:20 +0000

It’s refreshing to know that you work with a writer and suggest revisions to the writer’s manuscript. I belong to two writers groups and find receiving other people’s opinions and suggested revisions very helpful. It often fires my imagination so that new ideas or directions evolve, and it always improves the quality of the manuscript.

As a fiction writer as well as an agent, do you find a relationship between the amount of changes the editors for your clients make and the amount of time you spend with those clients in perfecting the manuscript? That is, do the editors for your clients make fewer major changes than editors who are working with other agents who do not spend the time working with their clients to improve the manuscripts? I’m not sure if this is an answerable question. It obviously depends on a knowledge of other agents, their clients, and their editors, but perhaps this is a matter common discussion among agents.

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:51:17 +0000

Marie — Thank you! Since I come from a writing background myself and have worked on the editorial side of publishing, editing is really important to me. Stay tuned. In a couple of weeks, I’ll talk a bit more about what it’s like to be an agent who edits. Do keep in mind, though, that I have heard agents say at conferences and to me personally: “If it doesn’t come in 100% ready to sell, I don’t bother.” That’s not a choice *I* would make, because one of the things that’s really important to a writer about having an agent is that the agent is the first “official” industry person to take a shine to their writing. That agent is supposed to know better about what’s selling and help get the novel to that point. How can a writer know what’s “editor ready” by themselves?

By: Marie Devers

Marie Devers — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:45:53 +0000

I want an agent for the obvious reason–to sell my book–but I also can’t wait to have someone as invested in improving my writing as I am. Until I read this post, I imagined agents didn’t do such intense revisions with their clients, but you’ve really opened my eyes.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:49:02 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kid_Lit: A peek inside the agent/client revision process… http://ow.ly/uYtG #ya #writing #kidlit…

By: Lacey Boldyrev

Lacey Boldyrev — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:49:17 +0000

Ms. Kole, My greatest fear with revision is making it worse. Thank you for giving us an agent’s point on view. It’s uplifting to know that some agents actually enjoy the editing process!