The marketing game-, how I sell novelsthat every writer has an audience that is utterly his own. Tending to
that readership, growing it, is primary.
So, back to the closet: what are your options? Which projects still
need work, and which are ready to go? Of those ready for market,
which one is the most logical one to sell next?
That is the one to shop around.
MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER
One of my primary tasks as an agent is to select the editors to whom
I will send my clients' work. 1 consult with my clients, of course, but
most leave those decisions up to me. And so I rank potential edi-
tors, not according to whether they are hot (or not), but in order of
suitability for a given novel and author.
Here are some of the factors that I weigh: Is an editor young and
hungry, or experienced and selective? Is she better at editing or at
marketing? For which publishing house does he work? What are the
politics at his company? Can she obtain for this novel all that it
needs in order to be a success? Most of all, is this novel to the edi-
tor's taste? Will he adore it?
Many authors and agents feel it is best to start at the top, to sell
a novel only to the senior-most employee who can buy it, usually
the editor-in-chief or editorial director. It is not a bad practice, but
it has drawbacks. Powerful editors often have a stable of authors
they have developed over the years, their favorites. They are also
offered plenty of new manuscripts.
In spite of the stiff competition, there are times when only a big-
name editor will do. That is especially true when I am looking to
place a big-name author. Such an author may need marketing mus-
cle more than editing per se. For her, the editor who can obtain
advertising and the other extras is probably best.
At the other end of the scale are the young and hungry editors,
the ones who are still searching for the novels that will make their
reputations. Obviously, they are more eager to buy. They may also
be more willing to work with authors whose writing is, shall we say,
developing. Given that, it might appear that young editors would be
the top choices for first novelists.
But that is not necessarily true. Working with young editors can