What 7 Literary Agents Wish You Knew About Publishing

[@JenniferW2024]

Love this new format where you share quotes from agents and publishers. Thank you for all you do to support us and encourage us writers.

[@sejensen92]

It's getting ridiculous with how slow they are. Sometimes, I feel like I'd be better off self-publishing. It feels like publishers give mediocre advances and do the bare minimum in marketing, take your book's rights, and give you a tiny percentage in royalties if you even earn out that advance. I'm tempted to take out a personal loan and do it all myself.

[@syedarizvi7290]

This was very helpful. Would love to hear more from professionals. Thank you, Alyssa!

[@67LMcC]

Thanks for the insight. It confirms what I already believe - that traditional publishing simply is not worth it. You wait years to maybe sell your book and for it to be produced. YEARS. You say that publishers are picky, and yet I constantly shake my head in disbelief when I read some of the really bad books that get put on shelves and are hyped beyond belief. I mean just junk stuff. And publishers now expect writers to do pretty much all of their own marketing. So I don't see an upside to working your behind off to try to procure a publisher who really won't do much if anything for you.

[@repaductionsllc1130]

I like this approach. One thing you should mention about Trending is that by the time we've heard of a trend, and then written something for that trend, the trend is most likely passed and we are to the next trend.

[@AlyssaMatesic]

This is very true, especially with how slow-moving the publishing industry is. Thanks for your comment!

[@jarredagimudie3648]

This is super helpful! I am about to jump into this process with my 275,000k fantasy novel, and these tips helped me so much!

[@bithagrop2539]

Wow I knew Alyssa as a little girl and would go to her house bc i was friends with her sister! She called me the cutest name bc she couldn't say my name- "missatima" hahaha. So happy for your channel girl u rock! All grown up now ❤ Keep up the great work!

[@Magneticlaw]

I'll add to "focus on what you can control " with the notion of peeling away as many distractions as possible.

[@jimgilbert9984]

Thank you. I did indeed enjoy this video. 👍 I couldn't help but laugh a little through parts of it because I've encountered some of what you talked about. So this video really hit the nail on the head. While it seems that this video contains information that could be seen as depressing, I saw it as hopeful. Of course, that could be because I'm in a good mood tonight. I'd been pretty much stuck in bed for a week because of a gout flare-up in my right knee. So I wasn't able to do any writing during that time. But my knee felt better today (though still a little painful and stiff), so I was able to get to my computer and do some writing! Yay!

[@ArtAnimeEmerly]

I'm in the querying trenches at the moment, so anything you upload about agents and the process is welcomed!

[@AngelaKHarrell]

Thank you for the video. I appreciate the insight from literary agents; it was very helpful! I'm currently writing my first novel. Knowing it may take years to have anything published used to be a big concern (as I'm an older writer). However, I reminded myself that tomorrow is not promised to anyone (so I might as well continue the writing path I've selected which feels the most genuine). I'm very passionate about my writing (as we all are, I'm sure), and hope a literary agent will like what I've written once I've finished. As one of the agents stated, I think it's best to focus on what I can control; there's no sense in fretting about the rest. If I have to wait to get an agent and/or publisher interested in my work, that's just going to have to be ok. I'll just keep doing what I love to do: write. I have so many ideas, that I'll be too busy writing to spend time wondering when (within reason) one of my pieces will be published. In the meantime, I'll keep "training" by continuing to write and learn about the industry (since I believe it's the only way for me to improve upon what I've written in the past AND to understand the business side of writing). Maybe I'll even try writing different genres or using different writing techniques, like some of our "flexible" writers. One thing I absolutely adore about writing is it's never boring. NEVER. There's always something new to learn (which I LOVE to do) and/or new to read (which can always spark a new idea to write about)! I have an industry question for your Triple-A Wednesday: What top three things do literary agents and/or publishing houses like to see on an aspiring author's website? I'm designing my website now and there is so much info on what should be on your website (but most of the advice is from other authors). I'd like to know what the "other half" thinks. LOL. Again, thanks for the video. I like the format today. *As a side note, I actually preferred the brown background you used to use for your thumbnails but this one is ok too. *

[@TongjalWN]

I like your kind generous comment. "Triple-A Wednesday" sounds like an interesting name for Alyssa's content feature. What if you use it as a name for a feature of your newsletter? 🤔

[@TongjalWN]

Following from Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, I am grateful for your bridging the gap between what authors assume about the publishing industry and what actually happens in the industry. Thank you.

[@danmanning2006]

This is by far the most therapeutic video on KZbin.

[@andyclark3530]

Thanks, Allyssa. I found this helpful. Sure, I'd heard it all before, but some of us need a little repitition and reminding. Try to keep the rowdy support staff under control.

[@bernicevenable8885]

What a deep dive on this subject! I mean a deep, distinct dive. The added feature of the quotes offer quite a view of the agents' insights. Nice. Thank you Alyssa.

[@FlynnForecastleOfficial]

This is really helpful. My manuscript is wrapping up in editing but I never realized some books would take over a year to publish let alone 5. But then again it took about 2 years to write my first book so it goes like you said; slow moving. Full sail ahead to me next book for now!!!!!

[@brucematthes2787]

Great video! and you quoted one of my former students, Antionette, which made my day.

[@kirtiomart]

Even though I read all the interviews... it's nice to here the answers all together!

[@dalemills2906]

Thank you. Sometimes I panic but I know more time makes it better.

[@RoxanaLine]

Thank you, Alyssa!! I think at this point I have watched almost all of the videos on your channel 😅 They are all very helpful!!

[@joevaldez6457]

Fantastic video, Alyssa! Yes, more interview content, please. I've spoken to more judges (2) than I have literary agents (0), so I get a tremendous amount of value from topics like this. I'm beginning my querying process in April and one of the agents you cited here is on my A-list. I may reference your wonderful channel to personalize the email I send to her.

[@soccerguy325]

Hey Alyssa - what happened to yesterday's video??

[@martin-valeriegrosso2760]

Thank you Alyssa. The whole industry is very mysterious to me!!! I appreciate your information here.

[@xorlacanj8051]

Feels impossible to me. I’ve been doing this for years and I’m losing my drive. I believe my work isn’t any good. I do the best I can, and I’ve waited for ages.

[@chadhenderson2922]

These videos are always so helpful. Does anyone know of Alyssa’s done a video that talks about when’s the best time that a first-time author should reach out to a developmental editor? I know that it’s in her wheelhouse and I’m not sure if I should wait until I have the book as good as I can make it or if I should reach out earlier so that I don’t waste time moving in the wrong direction. Any helpful responses would be appreciated.

[@waveworld1geo674]

Dear Alyssa, thanks for posting. I would be happy if u did an episode about non fiction/ coffee table books. Thanks so much, I love your work.

[@mckeon04]

This was incredibly helpful, Alyssa. Best video yet! Thank you!

[@AlyssaMatesic]

I'm so glad! Thanks for commenting!

[@xelakram]

Great information and invaluable insights. Thank you so much. This information and these insights are greatly appreciated.

[@blackiemittens]

Enjoyed this one too, but while i do understand there's precious little we can control about when we "send our babies off to school," so to speak, i confess hearing the last agent say "5 years," till her client's book came out, did make me choke on my coffee! There's slow and then there's...crawling. How common is anything longer than 1 year from acceptance to, book on B&N shelves?

[@treytechie]

Appreciate your post; good info, uplifting too. However, would you consider creating a video that speaks on the statistics of writers who actually make it into the business?

[@absolutelycitron1580]

Omg that little sea turtle snippet is so cute!!!

[@hardnewstakenharder]

Alyssa, there was a video regarding the review bombing scandal that I had queued up to watch but it disappeared :( did you take it down?

[@tomgrant3893]

So this help me understand it's not me, it's usually the industry taking it's time to make sure the stories' right for publishing, so rather than stress myself with a hard schedule, jusr learn the process as I go.

[@EternalTeenwithADHD]

Great stuff, thanks. Really important additional question - is that a ginger cat on the sofa behind you?

[@adamhenrysears3288]

So what you and these ladies are saying is: "don't stop writing," right? If we're waiting for agents to return queries, start on our next story, right? If we're waiting for an editor's revision ideas, we should be planning our next novel, right? If we're waiting on publication, we should be revising our latest manuscript, right? Keep on writing!

[@johnglynhughes4239]

My take - thank goodness for independent publishing. Albeit no panacea, at least prospective authors have an accessible means of creative expression.

[@cjpreach]

These are EXCELLENT points for us to remember.

[@tinahoffman6073]

Very helpful and reassuring information. ❤

[@CherylBatavia]

Your videos are enjoyable and informative. I have published 6 self-published books, but I recently failed to recognize a company was a scam. A victim of fraud, I am going after the scammers. Many of these scammers are very convincing and now seem to be ubiquitous. Maybe you could warn authors interested in self-publishing about this disturbing trend.

[@AlyssaMatesic]

I'm so sorry this happened to you! You're right - publishing scams can be so hard to spot. I do have a couple of videos that touch on this - one about some things to watch for (kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4GxmWqXbM5jas0) and one that touches on common self-publishing scams and pitfalls, specifically (kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKjLYqSilKZ1aaM).

[@mazzy2415]

Thanks !

[@sarahhodge5738]

I enjoyed this video! I like hearing about the other side of the curtain in the publishing world.

[@kevins7030]

Not to be negative (or maybe just a little), but for an agent to make me question my quality as a writer, I'd have to get at least one of them to actually read my manuscript. Oh well. As usual, a good video helping us all keep our eyes on the prize.

[@NovaKirsch]

It would be AWESOME to get ANY type of feedback rather than just the "standard" replies they (or more likely their assistant) give.

[@DeyaViews]

One question I've had for a while is... is it okay to query multiple literary agents at the same time? Or querying multiple publishers at the same time? Given that it can take months before you get a response, and it can take dozens of rejections before you get someone accepting your book, that could be dozens of months--multiple years--to even get to the "your book is accepted by a publisher" stage. I've heard elsewhere that agents/publishers don't like it when you query multiple of them at the same time, but does that mean that querying usually takes years?

[@saxmaniac6321]

All my research on this points to usually around 10 at a time…then once representation arrives, contact and cancel the other 9. Otherwise, as you point out, we’d all be old and grey (gray? 🤭) by the time we’re published 📚

[@hiplessboy]

You can query 100 agents at the same time. But then if an agent offers representation, you have two weeks to alert all the agents who have fulls, partials, and your query that you've had an offer of rep. Then you can decide among the agents who are interested.Once you've signed with an agent though, you are with that agent, and with no other.

[@Xclayton23]

Great and insightful. Thank you!

[@ellenalmer4837]

Great, great video, thanks Alysssa!!!

[@cjpreach]

"I decided to excel in the things I control." 9-Year NFL player Justin Forsett, who was too small to play professionally.

[@ronenlevi1460]

Loved this vid, very interesting, would definitely come back for more. thanks!

[@KryxtianCloud]

So helpful! Thanks!

[@danielclarke7036]

Love the format. Great video

[@AlyssaMatesic]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@be-multifaceted]

A year or even two is acceptable. Five is completely ridiculous.

[@rosieradcliffe5578]

Don't the traditional publishing industry realise that what is going to happen (indeed already is) will be that hybrid publishers - slick, efficient, fast - will overtake the way things have always been done? They've got to move fast and become more flexible and response, or end up left behind!

[@JesseLaight]

Hello Ms. Matesic, Very informative video. I also watched a video posted by Ms. Meg Latorre where she had seven agents give their three reasons why they reject a manuscript. Each one of those agents said that if they were not personally motivated by the work, they would reject that work. I was under the impression that if the agent knows of a publishing house that would be interested in such a work, meaning that the work is sellable, why should the agent's subjectivity prevent the work from being passed to the publishing house? After all, it is about making money for all concerned, correct? Also, if one agent at an agency rejects the work should the author submit to another, then another, then another until all agents at that agency have been exhausted? Thank you and Keep Up the Good Work! Happy 2024

[@hikersynthesizer]

I've heard many agencies use an auto-kick feature in their email services that replies with an automatic rejection. So if that's true you could literally submit queries your whole life and never have eyes on it.

[@PetProjects2011]

Good video overall, although honestly, knowing my book could be rejected, because the agent may be with a client who has a similar book is a bit discouraging.

[@zeropaloobatheuber1572]

The observation that publishing houses are under-resourced speaks volumes. It’s a lottery. There’s not a lot of money to be made and it’s all made by a few titles. All the other titles LOSE that money. The long sought for panacea-the power to separate the bestsellers from the money pits-remains elusive.

[@rowan7929]

I do not want to write what's trending. I have always written what I want and getting a near YES from one, gives me hope that typical tropes and trends aren't needed. I will query that agent again when I addressed her reason for the rejection and hopefully she may say YES this time.

[@NovaKirsch]

#AskMeAnything Hi Alyssa, I just finished watching your video "What 7 Literary Agents Wish You Knew About Publishing". It is stated over and over that the industry is slow, but if we want to get our book(s) out there because we are excited about sharing our printed word and decide to self-publish, some querying agents don't want to take on an author who has done that. What advice can you give regarding this situation?

[@hiplessboy]

Self-publishng is okay. It won't be held against you. The main thing is that agents don't want you to query them a project that has already been self-published. They want a pristine manuscript that they can bring to market.

[@NovaKirsch]

@hiplessboy So, hold off on the excitement of wanting to get that book published and wait until maybe an agent and publishing company say yes?

[@susiepam2716]

Thanks this was very helpful and convinced me to self-publish, again.

[@ryanhowell4492]

cool

[@leezapaints]

I have signed up twice for the newsletter and still haven't been able to get the self-assessment from the download link listed. What am I doing wrong?

[@kathrynp7595]

Same here

[@ericswart2719]

If we want to get published traditionally, should we refrain from publishing a digital copy on KDP?

[@BruceWBishop]

Everything I have read or watched on this topic has said NOT to send a query to an agent about a manuscript that has already been published elsewhere.

[@ericswart2719]

@@BruceWBishop I saw another one of her videos saying exactly what you just did. Thank you.

[@xorlacanj8051]

Yeah I’ve considered stopping today. I don’t think writing is worth it anymore. I think it’s dead.

[@melli1006]

Publishers taking five years to publish a book is evidence of failure and amateurism, not just a delay.

[@Zigurat7]

Is the New adult genre being used in the industry? Or is it just YA vs Adult?

[@fadrianbartley4419]

The publishing industry slow down in the industry because they keep rejection authors work, when really they could settle and work with some good writers submitting their work, therefore karma return to the publishing houses when they have no work

[@WhirledPublishing]

Spending over 50 years on research, and 50 years on writing, and 50 years on "education", and to then endure the crushing blows of rejection - over and over - is not something I will sign up for .... *I've never submitted anything to a publisher but I know many world famous authors were rejected repeatedly while the upper echelons in the publishing industry live in the lap of luxury - while destroying their health and their relationships - so I choose to avoid the insane.

[@michaelburke4048]

Just a small note: I do wish you would add chapter breaks around your self-promotion for those of us who have been watching your videos for some time and have seen them a thousand times. Many of us are already on your mailing list, and those who aren't have made their decision. Your content is good, and I want to support you, but I can only be on your list once, and these promos are long.

[@davidmackie3497]

The right arrow is your friend on KZbin.

[@michaelburke4048]

@@davidmackie3497 Indeed. And I make use of it, but there are friendlier ways to deal with this when building a community. It isn't my intention to make a big deal about it, just raise it to Alyssa's attention. She can do with it what she wants.

[@johndogwater]

FYI your dog's upside down.

[@davidmackie3497]

Some thoughts from observing over many years: 1) Pure readers are decreasing. Every year, more and more products compete with text-only books for people's entertainment time. 2) On the bright side, AI is making it increasingly easy to produce quality illustrations, audio books, graphic novels, animated novels, CGI movies, and even video games on a low budget. So, keep those other options in mind when you are writing. 3) Just like with Hollywood, major publishers like to bet on a proven product. Indie producers/publishers are more willing to take risks. You probably won't get as large of an advance, but might be able to negotiate a bigger percentage. So, if your book really is the blockbuster you imagine it to be, you'll still get a nice payout. 4) Don't neglect the possibility of merchandizing. Nowadays, many producers of entertainment make more money from merchandizing than from their actual product.

[@LoneGh0ste]

Artist here. Do not try to profit off anything you made with AI. The quality is nowhere near a human artist and past an initial look, you’ll spot the AI hallmarks. Just pay a cover artist or illustrator. Working with other creators will always be more ethical and produce higher quality results.

[@joeboudreault4351]

Alyssa, you just mentioned a phrase used by agents that really ticks me off and bothers me. That phrase is: "This is not quite right for me." I have found that most literary agents out there now are self-centered and narcissistic; if it doesn't meet their 'personal taste" they turn it down. That has nothing to do with the writer's abilities but with their own taste. That makes it all wrong. I've also been turned down by woke ahents who use a bucket full of personal pronouns and that is nothing but sickening. I think literary agents have gone down the tube.

[@hiplessboy]

Try to query agents who represent the kinds of books that you think your book best matches with. Are there books out there that are anti-woke that resemble yours? Quality written novels but which do not force political correctness down your throat? Look to see who are the agents who represent those writers. You just might find a kindred spirit!

[@joeboudreault4351]

@@hiplessboy That might be it . . but I have already queried over 70 different agents who cover the exact topic of my book and the usual reply is "Sorry, that doesn't met my taste" even though my novel is in precisely the same category...It's confusing. I am ready to give up on the agents of 2023.

[@dirkbruere]

The publishing industry is broken, and will only become more broken with AI

[@SplashyCannonBall]

You need to know that topics like Sci Fi / Fantasy, Political topics by “former” politicians, Jewish ww2, anti white, immigrants stories and Of course Black and LgBTQ stories go to the front of the line. Mostly because of the owners of the Publishing companies. Remember kids, a well told lie is better than the boring old truth.