Do You Need A Sell Sheet?

Photo by Magnetbox

Its conference season! Time to get yourself organized and ready to make those one-on-one meetings with agents and acquisition editors. 


One-sheets should be high on your list of things to take with you.


I have found these extremely helpful in that I get nervous and the one sheet helps me to remember all of my talking points. Plus they are great leave behinds for your meetings. They are a snapshot of you as an author and the idea you are pitching to use as reference.


So what goes into a sell sheet?


It will have many of the same elements of a query but in a more eye catching way. Make sure to include...

• The title of your book along with a one or two paragraph blurb. This is what you might find on the back cover of your book. Make this no more than 1/2 of the page.

• You will need a one paragraph author bio. Again, think bottom of back cover of your book. Name, other books you've written, awards, relevant stuff - don't include your love of cats.

• You will also need a good quality headshot. Not you cropped out of a Christmas photo, but a professional picture.

• Your contact information - email, address, blog or website, etc.

• Your agent's information if you have one.

It has all the essential information you want to get across and will make it easier for the agent/editor to remember you and your book after the conference...so don't forget the picture!!!

Photo by aurostar739

What you want is a convenient sheet of paper with what you pitched at the meeting, any other books you've written, and contact information.

A lot of time agents and editors do not take proposals and samples from authors at conferences, but I have almost always had them not only take, but jot notes down on the one sheet.  Its a great quick reference guide for them and a heck of a lot more noticeable than a business card for you.


If you have written multiple novels or the book you're pitching is part of a proposed series, the be sure to include that information on the sell sheet.


If you write multiple genre's then have a sell sheet geared toward that genre for each meeting. If you write paranormal romance/romantic suspense, a quick Google of the agent you are meeting with will help you tailor your pitch to them.


I have an example of the one sheet I used a couple of years ago for my Shades of Hope series during pitch sessions with acquisition editors.


The cover is of the now published book, but you get the idea. Also note...a large amount of the stuff I put in the sell sheet ended up being used by the marketing department so really get an idea of what you're pitching.


For an agent's point of view on the matter, check out Tamela Hancock Murray's blog post on One-Sheets versus Queries. 


I hope this helps as you prepare to hit the road and make those meetings this conference season!  I'd love to hear how it worked out.


Until next time...Go Write!

What to Look for In an Agent

Agents are people and as such, they vary from micro-managers to the other end of the spectrum. One thing to help you decided what you to look for in an agent is to look at yourself and how you work. 

·         Do you need hand holding?

·        Do you hope for a movie-esque relationship where they call you up at night with a great idea?

·         Do you see an agent as a sort of mentor or teacher?

·         Do you want them to help you with your manuscript because it needs an overhaul?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you don’t need an agent. You need more time.

You see, agents take you on spec. That is, they don’t make any money unless they sell your book. So when looking for an agent, make sure that YOU’RE what THEY’RE looking for in a client.

Once you feel you’re ready to query, there are a few things to keep in mind that will help you separate the honest, reputable agents from the scoundrels.

·         Agents do not charge you money. Period. Not for a reading fee or a submission fee or anything else.

·         They do not say they will take you if you use their editorial services. Reputable agents with connections to an editing service let you know about that relationship up front. And whether or not you use their service should not affect your submission with them.

·         You can check their track record on Publisher’s Marketplace or similar sites. If they are successful and have been in the business a while, then it will show. 

·         If their commission is outrageous, more than 10-15% domestic, or they penalize you for being new by charging a higher commission then walk away.

Where do you find a great agent? 

One of the best places is to meet them face-to-face at a conference. My own agent has said that he finds 80% of his clients during sessions at conferences. This is a wonderful way to dialogue with an agent about what to expect, how they handle client questions, and what level of interaction you are looking for.

Websites like Query Tracker, a free database of literary agents and publishers, is a fantastic place to start when you’re ready to submit your query. Finding an agent is a long process, but worth it when you connect with the right one. 

As a wise person once pointed out…publication isn’t a selection process, it’s a survival process.

(Post originally appeared on Purple Knot blog tour.)

Photograph by John Buckman. 

Babes With Bodacious Driving Skills - "B"

Beautiful babe with bodacious driving skills and emotional baggage.

So here's the thing. I write romance. Actually, I write romantic suspense which is a romance story intertwined with a suspense plot...very fun and very challenging to write.

Coming from a suspense background, the first books I wrote were suspense-thrillers, I just can't help but throw some action into my story lines.  This I'm good at. Explosions - how fiery you want? Bad Guy - one diabolical madman coming up! 

Beautiful heroine in need of rescuing - Uhhh...? I don't do that.

I want to like my main character and one thing I value in a book is a woman with some spunk. I'm not talking Glock strapped to the thigh a' la Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, but I don't want the chick tied to the train tracks either. I mean...really?

Characters can and should be vulnerable. Your plot depends on them messing up or butting up against someone that is both formidable and, for most of the book, seemingly unbeatable. But there's a fine line between a main character in crisis and a main character that is a door mat.

Besides, if I want you to spend time with my character, time you have to carve out of your busy day... then I want you to go with her on a crazy ride. Something filled with adventure and breathless kisses and maybe even a car chase!  As for the love interest, he needs to see both the strength and softness - and value them both.

How do you choose your main character's personality types? Do you choose profession first? Or do you fit them to the plot?  Maybe its the opposite...maybe you choose the character and follow their lead?  I'd love to hear what your process is.  

Until next time...Go Write!

Photograph by Tommerton2010.