Directory Writing Workshops

Writers Workshop: To Get An Agent Or Not

  Anne McDonald: Welcome, welcome. Grab a seat

  * CarolCox  slips in a " hi" to Colleen before we start.

Deb Raney: Are you here to pray for me!! LOL! Colleen is one of my prayer partners and a dear friend!

Colleen Coble: I thought you might need the support. :-)

Anne McDonald: oh goody. Colleen, would you like to open in prayer?

  *Annie hand the mike to Colleen

Colleen Coble: Lord, thank you for the love and fellowship we share. Help all we do to be for your glory. Amen.

Anne McDonald: Amen!

Deb Raney: Amen. Thanks, Colleen.

Anne McDonald: Welcome to “To Get An Agent or Not” with author Deborah Raney. Deborah will speak first, then will open for questions. When Deborah has finished speaking, type ? for questions, ! for comments and ga when you are finished. Please wait to be called on in turn.

Welcome, Deb.

  * Annie hands the floor over to Deb.

Deb Raney: Thanks so much, Annie. It's great to be here. This is my first chat with CABLE internet! I was always getting kicked off before. Hopefully that won't happen this time

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNIE!

* Annie blushes

Deb Raney: I thought I would start with a little of my history in the agent department. When I started writing in 1994 I barely knew what an agent was! I’d heard of Hollywood agents, but I didn’t know that ordinary writers ever had agents.

My first contract was with Bethany House Publishers in 1994. The entire contract was 3 pages long and written, not in legalese, as so many contracts seem to be, but in plain English. There were a few things I didn’t understand, which my editor was more than happy to explain to me.

I did ask for a few changes—more free author copies and 100 percent of movie rights. I was told movie rights were best kept with the publisher and as the contract stated, split 50/50. Of course, THAT was the book that was optioned for a movie! (A Vow To Cherish) LOL! But in all honesty, at that time in my career, it WAS best. BHP handled all the legal issues that I would have been CLUELESS about and it turned out to be a good thing.

When I moved from BHP to WaterBrook Press, the contracts got MUCH more complicated. WB is a division of Random House, the largest publisher in the world, so their contracts were more a reflection of that. Fortunately, I had a good relationship with my editors there and they walked me through the contract clause by clause. I also had an attorney friend advise me on a couple of issues.