A literary agent is not only an author’s access point to the traditional publishing sphere, they can be a lens for all of us to get a better look at what’s going in inside these somewhat guarded spaces.  An insightful broker between the corporate and creative sides of the industry, we find that agents tend to offer balanced observations and keen predictions about the future of the business. So, we’re excited today to speak with one of these seasoned professionals and get a better look into traditional publishing.

Name: Kirby Kim
Agency: Janklow & Nesbit Associates
Years as a literary agent: 18 years
Books/Authors I’ve repped: Ted Chiang, Common, Sierra Greer, Nick Cutter/Craig Davidson, Ling Ling Huang.
Current #MSWL: Commercial and literary thrillers, upmarket, suspense, and horror.

What trends are you seeing in book deals and author advances?

I think the deals reflect the market and the challenges within. The books people are most excited about are the ones that have the potential lottery effect usually driven through book clubs. Author advances are basically a reflection of that and I haven’t seen much change lately.

What advice would you give to writers querying agents for the first time?

Do your research. The more time you spend researching your targets the more likely you’ll get requests for consideration. As well, vary your list with big agents and ones just starting out.

What are the biggest mistakes you see authors make in their query letters or submissions?

Misalignment of project with agent, not understanding how their book fits within the market they’re writing into, and mistaking plot summary for pitch.

During your time as a literary agent, what are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the publishing industry

Consolidation. The Penguin Random House merger has pretty huge ramifications that we feel as agents. If there’s another such consolidation, like S&S and Harper down the line it will be pretty bad for authors.

Are there a few key qualities you can narrow down that help an author find success in traditional publishing?

A lot of it comes down to craft. Keep honing your craft. I think that helps get it to a place where it reads smoothly. Readability is important. Also the old adage about surprising your reader but still have it make sense. That surprise, that ability to keep readers on their toes goes a long way to keeping them engaged. This is entertainment after all.

Can you share a success story of one of your clients that you’re particularly proud of?

Sarah Tomlinson. I’m really proud of her because she’s been grinding for decades. She’s been through so much as a journalist and then ghostwriter, fledgling screenwriter . . . and she had dreams of being a novelist but the right story didn’t come until The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers. It’s a book she couldn’t have written until she actually went through the ups and downs of those years toiling and I’m proud of how hard she worked to get there.

What does an ideal author/agent relationship look like to you?

It’s respectful of each others’ time. Communication is open and unafraid to be honest without necessarily getting emotional. It understands that both sides here are aiming for the same things and whatever criticisms or concerns being raised are in the interest of achieving those common goals.

How much time should authors wait before following up? At what point should an author move on from querying an agent?

This one’s really hard because there’s no fixed answer. I think it’s ok to follow up after a month to check in to see if the project is being considered. At Janklow we have a policy to only reach out if we’re interested, but if an author reaches out to check in I’ll let them know if it’s not for me.