Ask Leticia

How would you describe your personal approach to working with a writer/client?

The main gripe that most authors seem to have about their literary agents is that they don’t always feel comfortable approaching them. Another common complaint I’ve heard over the years is that some literary agents do not practice good etiquette when it comes to answering e-mails and phone calls in a timely manner.

I pride myself in being an Equal Opportunity literary agent, meaning that I treat every one of my clients as if they are one of my children. Let’s say you are a concerned parent whose child has been away from home for a considerable amount of time. Your phone rings and you see that it’s your child calling you. Of course, you are going to take their call immediately. There is no way you are going to ignore the call and go about your business. Good communication is the key to a healthy author/agent relationship. An author should always feel as though he or she can speak freely to their agent and vice versa.   

When my clients wish to speak with me, all they have to do is pick up the phone and give me a call. If I don’t happen to be available when they call, I will normally return their call within 24 to 48 hours. I give each and every one of my clients easy access to me anytime they want it. And like my own children, they are always on the back of my mind.  

If a potential client could do one thing to make the experience of working together even better, what would it be?

I have a very strong work ethic when it comes to representing my authors and their works. I am willing to put in extra hours to make sure I have explored every publishing avenue for their manuscript and in return I expect for them to be flexible in their availability when the need arises. Sometimes an editor will request additional information that only the author can answer or provide. I need to be able to reach out to any author of mine and know that he or she will provide me with the ammunition I need in a timely manner so I can land them a publishing deal. All authors I choose to represent must be willing to work collaboratively with me toward publication. But more importantly, they must trust and have confidence in my abilities as a literary agent. 

What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to receiving submissions, reading work, etc.?  

For me there is no bigger turn off than when a prospective author tries to get away with pasting a large portion of his or her manuscript in the body of an e-mail. Like most agents today, I prefer to receive a well-thought query letter and synopsis during the first initial contact. I am especially appreciative and impressed when an author gives me their best elevator pitch for the work they want me to consider.

You often hear that it's the first ten pages - or even the first page - that sells a story. Is there something particular that you look for in those first few pages? 

My taste in literature is very discriminating and it varies greatly. One of the most important things I look for when screening projects to represent is a high-concept and writing to match. In order to land a publishing deal whether it is for a fiction or nonfiction work, the author must come up with a high-concept and the execution and writing must be equally matched. You must have both. If one does not live up to the other, then the road to publication is going to be a long and winding one.  I am also a sucker for unforgettable characterization and great opening one-liners. 

If you could give writers one piece of advice, what would it be? 

Make no mistake, being a writer, requires a great deal of self-discipline which may or may not come easily. Developing the kind of self-discipline that you’re going to need to succeed as a writer is going to take a lot of hard work, patience and persistence.

Do you think independent publishing will be stronger, weaker, or the same over next few years? 

It is my opinion that independent publishing is going to become more prevalent in the future. Mainstream corporate publishers are no longer giving away any “Get Published Free” cards like they did in the good ole’ days, leaving aspiring and emerging authors with no choice but to take matters into their own hands and publish independently. The beauty of this new model is that it allows the author to keep all creative control of their content. In other words, they call all the shots while keeping the majority of the royalties. The best part of all is that national print and e-book distribution services that were once an elusive dream for independently published authors are now easier to obtain. 

How would you define the “client from hell”? 

A client who is lazy and does not want to work with me toward publication has no business contacting me in the first place. Another definition of a “client from hell” is a writer who does not have a sense of humor. 

Can you describe the kinds of books you want to agent? 

Seeking book proposals and manuscripts written in English or Spanish in the following genres:

Fiction: Suspense Thrillers, Mystery, Women’s Commercial Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Humor, Multicultural, Paranormal, Romance, Erotica, Young Adult and Middle-grade, and select Literary Fiction.

Non-fiction: Advice/Relationship, Biography, Business, Cooking, Diet, Health, History/Politics/Current Affairs, How-to, Humor, Lifestyle, Memoir, Pop Culture, Parenting, Religion/Spirituality, Sports and True Crime. 

Do you think there are too many, too few, or just enough agents? 

I happen to think there is an extremely high quantity of literary agents these days, but they are not necessarily high-quality. Agents have become notorious for being unresponsive, difficult to reach, close-minded, arrogant, and on the look-out for an easy sale that doesn’t require much leg work. More agents with a strong work ethic and who do not give up easily are needed. 

Do you think agents are likely to become millionaires?  

Realistically speaking, the majority of working literary agents today will never become millionaires unless all the stars in the universe become aligned just write (pun intended) and the PUBLISHING GODS see fit to smile upon you. Granted, there are some agents who have become millionaires, but they are an exception to the rule. The truth is that for most of us, it’s either feast or famine. I would love to become a millionaire, But I decided a long time ago to measure my success by the number of books I’ve placed and dreams I have made come true, not how much money I’ve made. I also make it a point to remind myself repeatedly that I became an agent because this is my passion and true calling in life, and I believe in the power of the written word.   

Why do you think some books become super-successful (beyond the obvious reasons)?

Every once in a blue moon, a book will come along that is highly unique in its content or fills a void that has been missing in the marketplace. The book’s author is a lean, mean, marketing machine who goes the extra mile to promote and market it every single day, at every given opportunity. While the aforementioned are factors that definitely come into play whether a book is successful or not, ultimately it is up to the “Publishing Gods” to decide which books will become super successful and which ones will tank miserably. In other words, sometimes it all just boils down to blind and dumb luck. 

Do you think agents tend to gravitate toward certain personality types? 

One of the things I tell my clients when I first begin working with them is that this is a highly subjective business. Many times, it all just boils down to a matter of personal taste. I think each and every agent is a unique individual and of course they will gravitate toward certainly personality types. As for me, I like working with people who have a strong work ethic and a good sense of humor because believe me in the brutal book publishing world, there will always be a need for comic relief.  I look for clients who are open-minded, take constructive criticism well, and are willing to put their full trust in me. If a client doesn’t trust me our relationship just isn’t going to work out. 

Do you think writers tend to be more or less narcissistic than the population at large? 

I don’t necessary think creative types are more or less narcissistic than non-creative individuals. It’s really an individual trait on a case by case basis. 

Why did you choose to become an agent? 

I chose to become an agent to help as many Latino and other minority writers get their literary works published. Because let’s face it, these are the writers who are oftentimes under-represented, misrepresented, or worse yet, not represented at all. I also became a literary agent because I needed a profession that was going to give me the flexibility to raise my children and always be there for them while growing up. 

Knowing what you know now, would you become an agent again? 

I honestly don’t think I would have done anything different because it has been a truly incredible journey. 

Tell us about an exciting or proud moment in your career as an editor or agent.  

Back in January of 2012, I was contacted by a wonderful person, Patricia Aust. Patricia had just finished writing a YA novel that takes place in a domestic violence shelter and was narrated by a sufficiently likeable young Hispanic male protagonist. My first gut reaction to the novel was that it gave readers a chilling ground-floor view of domestic and dating violence. I strongly believed it was a must-read for any teen girl and boy. 

Not long after signing Patricia, I came to learn that her life revolved around helping other people. She recognized that for as many children as there were in the battered women’s shelter where she volunteered as a children’s counselor, there were many more that still were being abused. After months and months of submitting the manuscript to prospective editors, I received an offer of publication from Tracy Richardson/Publisher of Luminis Books. Patricia was ecstatic and so was I. We were in the middle of contract negotiations when I received a distress call from Patricia’s daughter Laura who I had never communicated with before. Laura was calling to let me know her mother had just died from cervical cancer. Needless to say, the news blew me away. I had no idea that Patricia was ill. She had never mentioned it to me before. 

Laura asked me what the chances were that the publisher would want to proceed with the acquisition and publication of her mother’s novel. I told Laura that I honestly did not know. But I did promise her that I would do everything I could to finalize the deal. It was extremely fortunate that Tracy Richardson really loved and believed in the novel enough to publish it even though the author would not be available to promote it. Arrangements were made for Patricia’s husband to sign the contract on her behalf. It was also decided that Laura would take over the editorial duties for her mother. I’m happy to report that SHELTER by Patricia Aust was published and hopefully will fulfill Patricia’s dream that her YA novel might help victims of domestic violence to break the cycle.