Q&A: Agent Rachelle Gardner

Rachelle Gardner is a literary agent with WordServe Literary Group, who specializes in nonfiction and fiction with a Christian worldview. She has an engaging, helpful online presence including a great blog for writers Rants and Ramblings on Life as a Literary Agent and is active in the Twitter book community.

In this interview, Rachelle shares her thoughts on the most common mistakes writers make when querying, as well as how writers can begin building a social media presence.

Rachelle Gardner will be visiting the Editor Unleashed forum for a live chat Tuesday, June 9, 1:00 EST.

1. What kinds of manuscripts are you looking for right now, and are you accepting queries from new writers?
I’m accepting queries, but taking on very few new clients. In fiction I’m looking for terrific soft romance and inspirational romance writers, as well as historical romance. In nonfiction, I look at all categories but prefer books that fit with a Christian worldview, whether it’s finance or health or whatever. I love a good spiritual memoir, but it has to be fantastic for it to sell.

2. Have e-books become an important part of your business?
Only to the extent that I have to negotiate e-book royalty and licensing percentages with publishers when I’m doing a book contract. As an agent I don’t deal with e-book publishers; I only deal with mainstream commercial (traditional) publishers. They normally deal with Kindle, Sony, etc. to get the e-book versions created.

3. What is the #1 mistake writers make when querying you?
Querying too soon. Many writers haven’t spent enough time learning the craft of writing or polishing their manuscript until it shines. Many have not even had any objective person read their manuscript prior to sending it to an agent, which is a big mistake. The first draft of your first-ever novel is probably not going to sell. I encourage writers to treat their writing career like they would any other professional endeavor. Take the time to study, learn, get feedback, and revise. Read books on the craft of writing. Attend workshops at writers’ conferences. It’s often painfully (and sometimes embarrassingly) obvious when a writer hasn’t taken these steps. They may be sending me their “baby” and they’re really excited about it; but it’s far from being publishable. It wastes a lot of agents’ time and could be avoided.

4. You’re very active with social media through your blog and Twitter. How do you recommend authors begin building a successful social media platform?
Definitely blogging. It’s the easiest way to get started building a readership and an Internet following. If you’re a writer, then blogging should be a no-brainer for you. Read all the available resources on how to have a successful blog, then get going. Target your blog toward the exact audience you’re writing your books for. Blog on a regular schedule, at least a couple times a week. Join blog rings, Facebook and Twitter so you’ll have other venues in which to talk up your blog. Your blog is your home-base in terms of your online platform. All the other social networking sites are ancillary.

5. What are your thoughts on #queryfail and #agentfail that took place on Twitter recently?
I participated in the first #queryfail but I ended up being uncomfortable with how there seemed to be a lack of kindness. The “tweets” often felt like they were really making fun of the writers, and even some of mine could have been interpreted that way. But I really liked the concept of using Twitter to help inform and entertain writers, so I collaborated with Colleen Lindsay and Lauren E. MacLeod to create an even better follow-up which was #queryday. I had a blast doing that. I thought it was incredibly helpful and fun, and remained good-natured. I believe it’s a terrific forum in which agents and writers can interact.

Agentfail was, like queryfail, a good idea. A lot of writers expressed genuine problems and frustrations they have in dealing with agents. But like queryfail, it degenerated into a real rant-fest. Any agent who read it left there feeling horrible. I think we all realize there are things in the system that need fixing; at the same time, it’s impossible for those on the other side of the desk to understand how it is for us. That divide will always exist. But in any case, I found agentfail to be at the same time enlightening, helpful, and disheartening. Nevertheless, I occasionally give writers a chance to “rant” on my blog because I know they need it, and I’m sure I’ll do it again in the future.

-Maria Schneider

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