Sunday 29 January 2012

One-on-One with a Literary Agent: What Canadian Agents are Looking For

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit down for an hour with a literary agent to discuss the query package for The Harper’s Word.  This was an excellent experience, as it gave me some idea of what Canadian agents (in search of commercial fiction) are looking for.

(To read more about The Harper’s Word check out www.cmgbooks.com/3.html)



I had met the agent before, at the Algonkian conference I attended in October, and was pleasantly surprised to find he remembered me.  As we settled in the office with my query letter, synopsis, and the first twenty pages of my manuscript, he dove at once into an analysis of the text itself.  Harper is told in the first person, but the agent indicated that he felt detached from the character.  I was, at first, surprised by this, but soon realized the reason.  Gwydion, the harper of the title, is a musician, and as such often detaches himself from social situations to play.  If the character is detached, it makes it difficult to the reader to attach herself to him.  This doesn’t mean, of course, that a detached character can’t be sympathetic, and the agent suggested a number of ways to make him more likeable.  Firstly, he suggested that I establish what Gwydion has to lose sooner in the book.  Secondly, while he praised my clean style, sense of dialogue, and ability to move well from scene description to narrative summary, he indicated that internal monologues were missing—and were important, because the text was first person.



The other suggestion the agent made for the text was to consider changing and/or shortening some of the names.  Since Harper is a retelling of Welsh myth, many of the characters have long and sometimes unpronounceable names.  Gwydion’s brother, Gilfaethwy, for example.  The agent thought the reader would find it easier if his name was shortened to Gil.  I understand that Gilfaethwy is not a particularly easy name to say aloud—or in your head, for that matter—but I’m hesitant to make that change.  My concern is that shortening the character’s name to a more modern “buddy-buddy” nickname might detract from the historic accuracy of the text.  I’d be interested in anyone’s input on this.



Our discussion of the text complete, the agent moved on to my query letter.  He indicated that a query should contain three things:



  1. A short synopsis of the book (between 150 and 200 words).
  2.   A positioning paragraph, where you describe how your book fits into the wider world of pop culture.  You can use books, movies, television shows, etc.
  3. A brief biography, including previous publications and any qualifications you have regarding the subject matter of your book.  For example, I own and play a medieval-style bray harp, not unlike the one Gwydion plays.





My query contained 1 and 3, but was missing 2.  Together, we managed to find a comparison and a point in the query where the comparison sentence would fit nicely.  Then, our time was up.



This opportunity was made possible by the Writers’ Community of Durham Region.  Local writers’ communities often engage agents and editors for workshops like this, and being a member of such a community gives you the chance to participate.  That’s not to say that non-members weren’t allowed, simply that the events are publicized to members, who therefore have a better chance of getting into the workshop.  If you aren’t a member of a writers’ community, I certainly suggest joining one.  This experience was one I would certainly repeat in future.

Saturday 7 January 2012

A Comment on Copyright

One week back at school, and I haven’t so much as opened a novel file; it’s disheartening. Next week, though, I have the perfect excuse for working on writing: through my association with the Writers’ Community of Durham Region, I have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with an agent, who will go over my query letter and the first twenty pages of The Harper’s Word.  This means completely overhauling the first twenty pages (my opening chapters of a novel are always rough and full of exposition)

I have to manage this overhaul without neglecting class work, which I’m really enjoying this term.  Readings for intellectual property (IP) and copyright are of particular interest to me, since I want to end up working as a literary agent or entertainment lawyer.  Some of the material is, besides interesting, actually quite entertaining.  In illustration, here’s a quote from a judgment by Lady Justice Arden, which was re-printed in an article by David Vaver, entitled “Does the Public Understand Intellectual property, do lawyers?” from the Meredith Lecture Series Intellectual Property at the Edge: New Approaches to IP in a Transsystemic World:

“I … was surprised that copyright attached to solicitors’ correspondence (though, one knows, having read bundles of solicitors’ correspondence, that they might sometimes justify being called literary works of fiction.”

I, too, was interested to learn that basic correspondence could be considered both “literature” and therefore copyright.  The paper goes on to examine the definitions of the key clause in the Canadian Copyright Act: “original works of literature,” explain that “’literary’ doesn’t mean ‘literary,’ at least not in the sense of Dickens or Atwood, or Dan Brown (Barely).”  “Original,” simply means “not copied” for the purposes of the act.  Vaver suggests then, that two pieces, even if identical, would not be in violation of copyright if they were created separately and without knowledge of the other—a complicated, but intriguing notion.  I’m curious to see how this pans out in case law (case law being the written judgments of judges that affect the way in which statutes like the Copyright Act are interpreted in future). 

My copyright law professor indicated in class that copyright occurs the moment something is “fixed” (i.e. set down on paper), and therefore no registration is required.  This explains how two pieces could be identical and both protected under the act, as well as why correspondence are copyright.  An agent from the United States told me that the best, and cheapest, way to ensure your work was copyright was to mail it to a lawyer and have the lawyer date stamp it and keep it for you.  Perhaps copyright is not concurrent with writing in the US?  Reading through the US version of the Copyright Act would probably clear this up, but I haven’t time for that at the moment.  Despite what my professor told us, I’ve heard Canadian writers say to mail a copy of your work to yourself and not open the envelope, and that will suffice to prove copyright in future.  Personally, I’ll take the word of my professor, but I’m curious to hear anyone else’s view on this.

Monday 2 January 2012

Holiday Writing Challenge - Day 7 Word Count

It was 11 pm this evening before I managed to start writing, though I did manage to get some research done earlier in the day.  I had intended to start writing just after supper, but I got caught up watching a program on troubled teens being recruited to sing in the premiere of an opera at one of the top opera houses in the UK.  It was a thoroughly interesting show, and I wouldn’t mind seeing the opera—Knight Crew—if it ever came to Toronto.  

When I finally sat down and wrote, though, it was very productive.  1 hour and 20 minutes later, and I’ve got 2771 words to show for it.  Not bad for the last night of the holiday writing challenge.  

Tomorrow I’ll be preparing to head back to school; classes begin on Tuesday.  I’m hoping I can keep up with class work (I’ve got one more class this term than I had last) and still find time for writing.  Chapter Two of Underground still needs some work, unfortunately.  I promise it’s coming soon!

Sunday 1 January 2012

Holiday Writing Challenge - Day 6 Word Count

Today’s writing definitely made up for my big fat zero of yesterday.  My word count: 2059.  The reason I stopped: I’ve hit a point where I need to do more research.  Celtic medical practices of the fifth century should be an interesting topic to study, but I think it’s best left for tomorrow ...  

One last day for the holiday writing challenge!  

Happy New Year everyone, and good luck with your writing resolutions for 2012!