One of the more prevalent and persistent misconceptions about the future of publishing is that if we move to a model where you don’t HAVE to go through an agent and publisher to find publication, suddenly agents are going to go out like the dodo bird by way of the buggy whip.
Here’s the thing: being a gatekeeper is one of the smaller parts of any agent’s job.
It’s easy to see where misconceptions about agenting and the importance of gatekeeping comes from: in the traditional publishing model, you need an agent to get to the editors to get to the bookstores to get to the readers. Thus agents loom very large as the first hoop and first ring of the funnel, and to an aspiring author this gatekeeping role looms very very VERY large. For an aspiring author, the gatekeeping function is basically all they think about when they think about agents.
But in actuality, agents spend most of their time on their existing clients, who happen to be the ones that have already made it through the hoop. We’re cutting new deals, tracking payments, keeping tabs on the new process, brainstorming new book ideas, etc. etc. While it’s absolutely important to me to find new clients and I take my role as gatekeeper pro tem very seriously, I don’t spend my entire day answering queries or even most of my day or even a third of my day. There’s way more to my job than that.
Think of it another way: Stephenie Meyer and JK Rowling and countless other bestselling authors do not need to go through the submission process again, at least not in any sense that a debut author would recognize. They’re already way way way past the gate. And they still have agents.
And you may have heard how J.A. Konrath has made waves by doing deals directly with Amazon for his e-books. He also has an agent.
The reason agents still exist when you take away the gatekeeping is that there are a wide range of functions, from selling subrights to career management to contract negotiation to opportunity creation, that authors aren’t usually equipped to handle on their own, and that will still be true in the new era. Agents offer professional expertise and guidance that authors usually want and draw upon even when they’re past the gate.
Agents existed in the era when publishers still accepted direct submissions from authors, and agents will exist when e-publishing is easy for an author to do on their own. We’re not middle-men, we’re on the author’s side. The way authors and agents connect may change in the future and not everyone will need an agent to be published, but take away the gate and we’ll still be here.
Evil laugh.
dicar says
"being a gatekeeper is one of the smaller parts of any agent's job."
However, as an unagented author, it is the only part I currently give a damn about.
Barb says
Surely the agent is who you go to the pub with once you've been accepted by the publisher, yes?
Emily White says
*trembles from evil laugh*
The horror! The horror!
No, actually I never really saw agents as the middle men. The idea of trying to work out a contract with a publisher (should that ever take place) without someone there on my side who knows what he's doing is quite terrifying. I'm very glad agents are around.
r louis scott says
I cannot imagine traversing the minefield of a publishing contract without a knowledgable agent. Or reading a royalty statement. Or figuring out foreign rights. Or…well, you get the idea.
Bryan Russell (Ink) says
uMy three-year-old has, like, the cutest super-villain laugh ever. It's like he's already in training.
And I believe agents have to buy their clients beers occasionally. Right? All part of being a valuable resource.
Kathryn says
Thank God for agents, Nathan. The very little that I know about the publishing business is daunting enough already. To have an agent there for you would be a relief, like we're not alone. Wait, are you guys aliens or something?
… I figured it out…
😉
Karla Nellenbach says
I guess I never really saw the agents as the middlemen…I look at them more like the Lancelot to any writer's King Arthur. They protect the writer from evil sorcerers and keep the kingdom at peace 🙂
Nathan Bransford says
bryan-
Beer purchases during nights out are part of the deal, yes. It's a good thing I didn't rep Hemingway.
Mayowa says
Nathan,
I like this post a lot (great attitude!) and I agree that authors need agents for many things.
But (of course there's a but) this strikes me a bit like charles barkley claiming not to be a role model back in the day.
Perhaps "gatekeeping" is less of a willful responsibility for individual agents and perhaps this responsibility is more of a consequence of tightened publisher belts.
Anyway you skin it though, the decision processes by which agents collectively select authors is the greatest form of gatekeeping in the industry today. The choices agents make beat back the hungry mob astride the walls.
I think gatekeeping is necessary and it will be present in one form or the other as long as there are more writers than slots for books.
What worries me is the decision process agent's go through in making their selections.
Nathan Bransford says
mayowa-
I'm not saying agents aren't gatekeepers to a large extent, only that they're not just gatekepers.
Steppe says
All entertainment is a team sport. Music business parallels kick in when deducing the number of people that it takes to put even a solo performer, with an acoustic guitar, on a particular stage, in a particular city, at a particular time; while ensuring the performer is not the only person who shows up. The number of people it takes to make a movie goes without saying because it's talked about frequently from many different perspectives. In comparison getting a book published and launched propitiously is nothing more than a walk in the park on a sunny day with a few dozen close associates: all of whom you love trust and respect in a timely politically correct fashion.
Evil Grin
slytherclawchica says
…And just in case anyone doesn't have an agent yet…. *bright shining marquees* CHECK OUT NATHAN BRANSFORD!!!
😉 Just kidding. Kind of. 🙂
In all seriousness, though, I couldn't begin to think about all the bookkeeping-y things agents do… it would blow my mind. You guys are awesome
Erika Marks says
Agreed, Nathan. Agents are so much more, indeed.
Now that I have an agent and see first hand all the work she does and all of the hats she wears for her authors, I find the idea that an agent's job security is at risk in this current publishing climate to be truly confounding. And yet the discussion is out there, as we all keep reading.
If anything, I would think agents are more invaluable than ever nowadays.
Casey Lybrand says
I like it when your laugh is an evil laugh.
I also like that you see your role in broad terms, responsive to the changing times, but with a clear vision of the core of of your role as an agent. (And not just in this post, this is just the first time I'm commenting!)
As an aspiring author, I have similar feelings about being published. I want to be published (not to self-publish), but what form that takes is less important to me than the core of how I see my role: I want to produce high-quality content (in my case, novel-length stories) and have them published through some kind of gatekeeping process, so when readers pick up my work, they know they are getting something that has been vetted. The particulars are less important to me, and I feel pretty flexible about working with how this process plays out in the future. But I know I will want an agent to help me navigate it.
Agenting and professional writing have been going on for a long time, and will keep going on for a long time yet. I like that you take a long view!
author Scott Nicholson says
Great post. However, you are picking books to sell to NY, Nathan. You aren't picking books to sell to readers.
That's a vital function for NY editors who don't want to be pestered by a billion submissions they don't need (even the ones that are publishable but will never be published.) The function is less important when it's readers doing the picking and not the agents.
Still, an agent who is good at the other aspects of the business are well worth the 15 percent.
Bryan Russell (Ink) says
Mayowa,
I think the Barkley thing is often misunderstood. It was a rhetorical device. He wasn't really just saying he didn't want the responsibiulity of being a role model, but that parents and teachers have to step up and accept the task of teaching values rather than letting kids absorb them from popular culture. In other words, because someone's good at shooting hoops does not mean they are necessarily capable of being a good role model.
I think the same goes for agents, too. It's not that people can abdicate being a rolemodel/gatekeeper, but that's not what they're paid to do. These are subsidiary responsibilities that are important but not completely central.
And isn't it great, mixing writing and basketball? Who's watching game six with me tonight? I think Kobe is attempting 112 shots tonight. Just sayin'.
Jil says
Nathan, when, and if, agents are not the author's first step will it be like hiring a lawyer? I know some agentless writers who do hire a literary attorney to help them through the financial bits. I presume it doesn't matter what the book is like in this case.
Would you, in future, just set a fee and take whoever can pay?
Nathan Bransford says
jil-
I think there will probably be a range – I'm sure there will always be queries in the future, though what qualifications authors put in there and what agents want out of a client may be different. Agents will continue to look for talent, and yes, you may see some sort of consulting-type businesses crop up. As on the publishing side, I think there are going to be a range of options until things get sorted out.
Ishta Mercurio says
Nathan, I love this post. You made some excellent points.
I'm curious about how you see your role as an agent evolving with the changes that the publishing industry will go through in the near future. May I make that my request for one of your future posts?
Kimberly Kincaid says
First of all, anything that ends in an evil laugh is definitely okay in my book!
I look at it a bit like this: as a writer, I *could* try to navigate my way to publication on my own, but it would be a lot like a rookie playing a football game without a referee. *Could* that rookie play? Sure. But he might not know all of the rules, and someone's bound to get hurt. It just seems smarter to craft (and almost certainly re-craft) my work and hit the gate when I'm ready to give it my best shot. I'd rather trust the process, even if it ultimately leads to me going back to the drawing board. But that's just me.
Incidentally, Nathan, if you are the Gate Keeper, where is the Key Master?
Argh, sorry. Ghostbusters got the best of me 🙂
Mira says
Oh shoot. I keep having to delete my posts. I'm out of school, finally, and feeling playful.
I'm also abit confused about what I do or do not want to say about the current state of the industry. I'm still working out the line between diplomacy and integrity.
Anyway, what I will say is I think this post is excellent in it's clarity, and completly on target.
I think unhooking the agent's role from the publisher's role is important – they are not the same, and their roles will continue to not be the same in the upcoming e-book era – and it's good for authors and others to see that.
I like the future and the way it is shaping up for both authors and agents. I actually think that agents will enjoy stepping more firmly into the advocacy role, rather than (I imaginine) feeling somewhat pulled between two agendas.
I like your vision of the future, and I agree with that vision.
pensees says
Hopefully, I'll get to have a beer with you someday. 😉
What percentage of your day is spent on this blog, leading all of us readers in the path to enlightenment? I appreciate it, though I have often wondered how you find time to do all those things you listed plus this.
Must be your evil superpowers!
Nathan Bransford says
pensees-
I usually spend about half an hour per post, and write ahead and on weekends so I have something ready to go in case I'm busy.
So very little time percentage-wise.
Lisa Desrochers says
My truly fabulous agent and her agency earn every penny of the percentage they get from my sales. She combs over contracts so I don't need to know about out-of-print thresholds and term-of-license, she deciphers royalty statements, and, most importantly, sells my books.
Plus, she doubles as the book fairy and gets me tons of amazing ARCs. That in and of itself is reason to have an agent. =)
Alyson Greene says
It helps me to understand your point to think of sports agents.
An athlete doesn't need an agent to be recruited from her college team or to attend an open tryout.
But an athlete better hope she has an agent when that contract is put in front of her and she's looking for endorsement deals.
Anonymous says
LOVE your Evil Laugh, Nathan.
Jen J. Danna says
The evil laugh was really the icing on the cake on this post. 😉
I think that those of us who are spending a lot of time getting to know the industry, and who are taking the time to get acquainted with a range of agents are getting a very good picture of all that you do. It's easy to get fixated on the gatekeeper aspect of the query quagmire because that is the first major hurdle for an author, but if any of us are lucky enough to receive an offer of representation, we need to be aware of all that our agent might do for and with us so that we can make an informed choice. Agents will have specialized skills that authors simply don't have, so they are a crucial part of the publishing process.
Thank you for clarifying this aspect of the agent persona.
Carol Riggs says
When I began writing In Earnest years ago, I thought nah, I'll never need an agent. What for?–I can become published by myself! Har.
This past year I've done a 180 and realize I totally need one. I want to WRITE, confound it, not pore over contracts and agonize over legal decisions and spend my time printing up my manuscript and waiting in line at the P.O to mail them. Rah, agents! (Now, if I could ever GET one….)
Mayowa says
Nathan,
Oh yeah I agree with you on that. Any thoughts on the decision process itself?
#Bryan Russel
Excellent points. I do think that gatekeeping is one of the most important factor in the author/agent relationship and not merely a subsidiary facet.
The balance between agents and writers (especially unagented ones) is as balanced as the one between gatekeepers and those seeking entry. The laws of supply and demand means agents have the power in this relationship…this is why every agent has hundreds of writers eagerly hanging on every word. That bothers me for some reason…but hey, here I am.
And how dare you besmirch the great name of the greatest basketball player ever? And here I was thinking we were going to get along hehe. Kobe is the man
Sugar says
*needs an agent*
even one with an evil laugh 🙂
I can't imagine what you must deal with..specially if all authors are like me 🙂
I wonder how many hats ya'll wear..hundreds prolly 🙂
thanks for all the great info Nathan..It is much appreciated
Richard Mabry says
I sold my non-fiction book without having an agent. When I began writing novels, by a stroke of fantastic good fortune I obtained representation by an excellent agent. The difference? Night and day. Chalk and cheese. Sour and sweet.
She not only helps me present my absolute best work to publishers, she talks me down off (symbolic) ledges and gives me excellent career advice.
Just a gatekeeper? Not on your life.
D.M.Cunningham says
I just signed with an agent and I couldn't be happier. I now have a wonderful teammate/ally to help along the journey. We need each other to be successful in this game. Good and evil – you can not have one without the other. Continue evil laugh…
Marilyn Peake says
Excellent points. I believe it’s the wonderful things that agents can do for an author’s book after they sign them that make all the work to find an agent so worthwhile for authors.
James says
I doubt people's capacity to read will soon surpass the volume of reading material. So, we will turn to gatekeepers, to experts. If agents did less gatekeeping, I expect that critics would do more.
Kristin Laughtin says
Once again, I fully agree. Perhaps it would help those who view agents as soon to become obsolete to think of them as personal managers. Very exclusive personal managers, taking care of finances, contracts, etc. Many writers who want more than a few close people to read their books will still want that sort of service, and will continue to seek agents to get it.
Robert A Meacham says
Let's face it. Gatekeepers are intricate to literary gateway. The problem is finding one. Has anyone seen an agent around here?
Other Lisa says
Lord yes. I can't imagine navigating all this without an agent. Of course I want to learn as much about the business as I can, but that doesn't make me an expert.
When in doubt, work with pros.
fivecats says
but doesn't part of the gatekeeping process mean that we, as the book-buying public, can feel assured that a book published by Big Book Publishing House should meet some minimal requirements for writing, plot, characterization, etc?
my concern with Amazon becoming a publisher isn't that agents might find themselves out of work, it's that customers might find themselves inundated by cheap POD books that are just crap. anyone who can mash keys on a keyboard can now be a "published author".
i'm all for someone who knows the ins & outs, what sells where and through whom and how my work should be improved for marketability.
…
two-bit jeremiah says
Lurker here–as an aspiring writer who just recently outgrew "I want to get published when I grow up" and finds the state of the industry massively intimidating–I really appreciate posts like this. I definitely want agents to persist, however else publishing changes. I need all that expertise beyond the gatekeeping role!
Anonymous says
I'm successfully publishing my books on Kindle store, and occasionally I query an agent or publisher because I cling to the dream of seeing my books in print in a Barnes and Noble. I know, I know — it seems so twentieth century, but I'm an old lady.
Last time I did the query gig I mentioned that I'd sold over 5,000 copies of my first book on Kindle (in a very short timeframe). They weren't impressed, and seemed downright angry in their responses.
I thought success with ebooks (and my incredible marketing efforts) might impress somebody. Apparently that was the wrong approach (ouch!).
I've since published another ebook (and it is doing well), but didn't bother with the whole query gig because, quite frankly, I'm making good money on the ebooks, and who needs the hassle of rejection?
I figure if they want me they'll find me. My books are always on several bestseller lists on the Kindle store, and I'm getting some wonderful reviews and fan mail.
Right now that's all I need to be happy. I'd like to see my books in a dead tree version in a physical bookstore someday, and I know an agent can help me get there in the proper way . . . but no takers so far. I know I'll try again in a few months with the book I'm working on now. I'll avoid mention of the ebooks (that was a big mistake), and hopefully it will fly on it's own merit.
It's ok though. Readers validate me and my writing, not a particular agent.
Amanda Sablan says
Even when I won't absolutely NEED an agent, I'm still going to want one. I don't want to have to worry about contract negotiation and whatnot. So thank God for you guys!
writerjenn says
This is what I keep telling people. I was on a panel about working with agents at a recent writers' conference, and when the question came up, "What do your agents do for you?" I pulled out the list I had made ahead of time because I didn't want to forget anything. Getting the ms. onto an editor's desk was just one item on that list.
In this world where more and more rights to creative works are up for grabs, agenting seems to me more necessary, not less.
ryan field says
Hope you get this post into Huffington, too. There's such a misconception out there about what lit agents actually do it would help educate people (not just authors).
Anyway, nice post.
Bryan Russell (Ink) says
Mayowa,
I do think you have a point there. Perhaps "subsidiary" was the wrong word, as gatekeeping is more important for an agent than role modeling for an athlete (at least in a job sense). But certainly the gatekeeping is a part of the job only, and not the central aspect (or at least only one among many central aspects).
And I agree there's a certain power disparity at times, but this is a power dynamic that's fluid and ever shifting between agents and writers. For a lot of writers, I think, it seems as if agents have all the power. Rejection after rejection, and no golden key to open the iron door. But that's not always the case. It often depends on the product.
Say we have one writer who has been rejected eighty times before finally getting a conditional offer from an agent. Now let's say we have another writer who sends out their first 12 submissions and hears back the next day from 10 who are excited about representation. Where does the power lie?
In the first case, most of the power lies with the agent. The writer is going to be pretty happy, and perhaps a little desperate, at getting a nibble. But in the second case the agents are now going to have to sell themselves to the writer, and it's the writer who has the reins.
And the greater success, the greater the power shift in favour of the writer. If JK Rowling wants to go in a new direction… who's gonna stop her? What agent wouldn't be interested in that partnership?
It's difficult, I think, to label the power dynamics of a relationship that is so specific and endlessly variable.
And the key thing, of course, is that once you get past those first gates it's ideally a partnership. Hopefully the power is held jointly, and directed to the same cause: a successful (and profitable) career.
And as for Kobe, yeah, he's great. That's why I like to call him Jordan Lite. 🙂
Joe Konrath says
My agent negotiated the AmazonEncore deal for me, and got me much better terms than I could have on my own.
In the past two months, my agent has sold have a dozen foreign rights, written two collaboration agreements, dealt with three pressing problems I was having with publishers, and drew up contracts for two movie options.
She's also currently marketing foreign and audio rights for my self-pubbed ebooks.
I've pretty much made the choice that I'll never sign a print deal again, unless the money is obscene. But my agent is still indispensable.
Magdalena Munro says
Even though the gatekeeping portion of your job is minimal, you do it well and I appreciate how accessible you are on your blogs. Thanks for your high touch approach; it's really appreciated.
Mayowa says
@Bryan Russell,
You are very right about that my good man, the relationship is rather fluid and it's not always clear cut. My oversimplification does it no justice.
I am actually not against gatekeeping in the industry. Some writers should never get published (a hard truth that scares me) and I think gatekeeping will exist long after the digital and self publishing tsunamis have receded into normalcy.
It's how agents decide who to let in and who to keep out that nags me incessantly.
I hope you have a blog or website. I have to find you tomorrow so I can gloat over Kobe crushing the Celtics (and the memory of that false god, MJ) tonight 🙂
Bryan Russell (Ink) says
Mayowa,
You can find me at The Alchemy of Writing for all post-game razzings. 🙂
And I agree with many of the points on your blog. I must say I'm not too keen on the corporate skeleton of the modern publishing world. The whole one and done thing drives me crazy. One chance and you better succeed… rather than trusting editors and trusting talent, and trusting that together they will really develop over a few books and grow an audience. How many people hit a home run on their first major league pitch? What's wrong with drawing a walk, stealing second, pushing third on a groundout and getting home on a sacrifice fly? At the end of things you're still up 1-0. 🙂
Josin L. McQuein says
What? You mean there's no cool uniform and one of those nifty keys on a chain that you use to open the drawbridge?
:-<
Awee. That would have been cool.
Simon C. Larter says
Was that last sentence an imperative? I'm confused.
I'm laughing evilly right now, just in case it was an imperative. I err on the side of caution.