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Introduction

If you want to land an agent in 2023, you’re going to love this conversation with my guest today.

Today’s guest, Helen Lane, is relatively new to this whole agenting thing. She has amazing insights on what it takes to get signed by an agent in 2023!

How many queries do agents get? What are they looking for? How are they organizing the workload? All this and more.

And as a bonus, she even shares what she’ll be looking for when she reopens this year! So let’s get into the interview!

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Interview

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Topics

• What are agents looking for in an author?
• How to approach the querying process
• The state of the publishing industry

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Video

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Biography

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Transcript

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Helen Lane: [00:00:00] Everyone says voice and that is the least helpful thing, but unfortunately that is true. There is something, whether that is in the style of writing or the way that the character is presented there is something that will speak to you and right from the start you will. , I don’t know, relax and sink into it and forget that this is the start of a new book.

David Gwyn: If you want to land an agent in 2023, you’re going to love this conversation.

With my guest today. I’m David Gwyn, a writer, querying, a finished manuscript, working on a new project and trying to navigate the world of traditional publishing along the way. During the new season of the podcast, I’m asking agents, book, coaches, and authors about the best way to write a novel.

If you want the experts secrets, this is where you’re going to find them. Last week I shared a conversation I had with Catherine McKenzie author of more than a dozen novels. Katherine’s perspective and background about how she got into the publishing world. Is really interesting.

Here’s a quick clip from that [00:01:00] episode.

Catherine McKenzie: So have I gotten more efficient and streamlined? I mean, yes. And yet still every book is like, what am I doing, ? Why am I doing this again? Ugh, I’m never gonna be able to finish this. The middle is terrible. You know, it’s all the same like emotional rollercoaster where you just have. Trick yourself into doing it again.

David Gwyn: So if you haven’t checked that out, definitely do that. That’s linked in the description. My guest today, Helen Lane started at the Booker Albert agency. As an intern, having previously interned for other leading agencies, she’s a writer of YA and adult fantasy. She’s passionate about books and has spent the last decade working with manuscripts.

She lives in London with her family and the world’s naughtiest Cocker spaniel, Helen has actively building her list. When she eventually opens again, but I’ll let her tell you all about that in today’s episode.

Helen is relatively new to this whole agenting thing. And she has some amazing insights on what it takes to get signed [00:02:00] by an agent in 2023. And as a bonus, she even shares what she’ll be looking for when she reopens this year.

Let’s get to the interview.

Helen, thanks so much for being a part of this interview series. I’m really excited to chat with you. Thanks for taking the time.

No problem.

Helen Lane: Thank you for having me. .

David Gwyn: Great. So let’s start at the beginning and talk about how you got interested in the publishing world. Oh

Helen Lane: gosh. Right. Well, I, I can’t remember a time I ever wasn’t interested. I probably didn’t think of publishing as a, as a career I would go for to begin with. But anybody that.

Books, sort of, I don’t know, you spend your life sort of looking at acknowledgements in the back of the books and thinking about who they’ve worked with and, and noticing patterns and, and then of course I became a writer. And you start looking at agents and then the dream publishing houses and, mm, you follow people and it’s amazing actually how much you, you learn without realizing your learning.

And I. I spent 10 years as a writer. I mean, I [00:03:00] still am a writer. I spent 10 years as a writer of learning the trade. I read a phenomenal amount as well. And and when you have that love of books, you sort of, you know, that that is the dream to work with them in some way or another. And and to work with authors.

And it sort of, I almost say I accidentally fell into it in that it wasn’t sort of , I don’t wanna say not plan A, because I always would’ve loved to have done it. I just never thought it was an option. But when it, when the chance came I, I took it . I spent the last few years doing internships, which are wonderful.

I mean, it obviously they, they are difficult for in terms of, there’s not a lot of, lot of pay with them. So it, it’s a really hard, painful way to get into the industry in terms of that. But it is also, if you can do it around your job, it is worth it because you learn an awful lot about manuscripts and you learn about what is successful, what isn’t, what requires a lot of work, what doesn’t, and, and you learn how to [00:04:00] make assessments about manuscripts and, and sort of what’s missing with them. So that that’s something that I’ve done for the last few years alongside obviously being a writer.

The best education you could have if they’re gonna work with books. And and then of course I had my own agent for a few years and I don’t think I realized that I was learning from her because that wasn’t why I was in that relationship . But if you have an agent who is open with you, who’s transparent, who explains what they’re doing, takes time to answer your questions, you do learn.

So really when the chance came and it, it wasn’t one that I was necessarily looking for, but once I got it yeah. I’m here now. I’m enjoying it. , it’s great.

David Gwyn: Yeah. It’s so, it’s so funny. I, I’ve talked to a fair number of agents on here and, and there’s so few, and honestly, I don’t know if I can think of any that like knew.

From day one, they wanted to be an agent. They all kind of have that roundabout loving books, but falling into it in, in a roundabout way. And I think it’s so [00:05:00] interesting to hear, so it sounds like that was kind of the same thing for you, you know, love of books, but kind of just fell into it. I think that’s so cool.

Helen Lane: I’m total book nerd. So , if you, if you were, if we were doing this downstairs with the camera, you would see the just thousands of books that I have lining my shelves. It’s unfortunately the focal point of every single interview I have.

David Gwyn: Well lucky you, you get to display the minor in couple of bins in my attic, my . I know. It’s very sad. My, my wife is like, they, they all can’t be out at once. You have to decide . Oh, no. But yeah, I have a a critique group like a writing group that I, that I meet with weekly. And, and one of , the members of that group has started an internship at a literary agency, and she said, just.

interesting it is. And how instructive it is and how just eye-opening it is. And so can you talk a little bit about, like, if you could think back to maybe , those first couple of days, even as being an agent and, and getting those submissions. Like what did that feel [00:06:00] like? I imagine it being like a mixture of excitement and fear , but like, you tell me like, how were you feeling?

Helen Lane: Well I actually didn’t get any submissions for the. Nearly two months. So I was actually a secret agent, . I’m still going on my cv for the first six weeks. In that I was raiding my boss’s submission query box. And with her permission I should. Say I wasn’t just stealing from her.

That would’ve been awkward , but so to be, I, I got used to the whole query manager dealing with all that when my name wasn’t attached to it. And actually had my first client and had been working with her, I’m probably gonna get the number of weeks wrong, but for, for quite a few weeks. Before, well before I became publicly an agent and then I went through the SF pit and went a little crazy that day in that I think I liked about 150 pitches. Oh, wow. Don’t think I’ll be doing that again. . And so all my [00:07:00] queries were coming in through my email also will not be doing that again either. I am learning. And that was amazing because at that point, I mean obviously I’d asked for them, I’d reached out and then they replied.

But that was, that was a lovely few days. And that there was, there was no pressure. It was. This really exciting thing, sort of living dream I have to say. When I started to realize that there was interest in querying me, which I hadn’t really expected, I genuinely thought maybe over the first month I get a hundred queries rather than I think, yeah, by.

By the end of sort of the first week and a half, it’d been a thousand queries. Wow. And I, yeah, it, it became, I don’t wanna say less joyful, because it’s a pleasure and a privilege to do, but it certainly was intimidating. It’s, it’s frightening to think about how many people have trusted you with their words.

And and obviously knowing that, , you’re gonna be rejecting the majority of them. And that’s [00:08:00] so, . It’s odd because obviously as a reader, as a writer, as a person who loves books, I always imagine that that would be the best bit of my job. Yes. That, that would be, you know, you’d have to drag me away from the, you know, the query manager sort of the stuff and, and focus on the rest of it.

But honestly it’s the client work that I love. It’s the editing and and being able to interact with my clients. So . The queries are sort of a necessary part, but they have been overshadowed by, I suppose by the emotional side of it. You, you know, that you are helping and you are working with a few people, but yeah, it’s, it’s really hard and yeah, it, it’s, I, I don’t think I’d understood how painful that was going to be.

I mean, I dunno if I sort of, there seems to be some sort of view that agents, I don’t know whether they, people think that we are enjoying the power or the, I don’t know. We, we [00:09:00] like sort of saying no, but, but no one does. It’s, it’s really, really hard. And yeah, I, I have to say that it’s, it’s not my favorite bit of the job that said, I mean, when you find an amazing new book, it is, I, I can’t put it into words, the, the excitement you feel and then you feel and the sort of the fear of, oh no, what if they don’t want to work with me? And I’m so in love with the habit and yeah, there’s, there’s nothing like it. I mean, even better if they actually do choose to work with you,

But yeah, so that, that sort of initial bit, you, you’ve got both sides of it. It’s sort of hardest part of the job and then the best bit of the job comes from those few times that you do find someone. So it’s yeah, it’s a strength.

David Gwyn: Yeah. That’s, that’s awesome. And, and there’s so much, I’m looking forward to unpacking there.

Before we get to all that, I, I do wanna just ask you, so you, you work for the Booker Albert Literary Agency. What do you love about working with them?

Helen Lane: Well, would that mean to be a suck up? Because she [00:10:00] probably won’t listen to this . So it would be my boss. She’s, she’s wonderful. She was wonderful when I was an intern for her and um, you know, we were discussing manuscripts for her to work on.

She’s been, she’s the person that’s given me this opportunity. She supported me and she’s the one that’s there to back me up sort of every step of the way really. I mean, it’s, it. I’m in London, she’s in America. It’s but she’s always there when, and she’s just been wonderful. And I, I think any new agent and any author who signs with a new agent needs to know that there is a mentor and that backup in place, , it needs to be somebody that is good at their job, that is trustworthy, that is patient, and she’s all those things. So I’d be really, really lucky. So yeah, she would be, she’d be the best. Yeah. That’s great. Don’t tell her I said this, .

David Gwyn: I won’t secret. Safe with me. So can you share a little bit about, I, I know.

In the midst of kind of a query [00:11:00] pause. Mm-hmm. , but I know you’re opening up again. Soonish. Okay. . So can you, maybe, maybe . . So can you share a little bit about just kind of what genres you’re looking for as an agent?

Helen Lane: So in general,

fantasy is probably gonna be the majority of my list. I mean obviously will always come down to voice, but fantasy there isn’t much that I won’t enjoy at least. You know, in terms of a query, I don’t think you can go wrong in sending me fantasy. Honestly paranormal romance.

Now that is a tricky one. Cause I, I’ve, it, it’s I think it’s sort of still, it’s a phrase still used with the romance sort of imprints. But it would be contemporary fantasy if we’re talking the fantasy sort of imprints. But I do refer to it as paranormal romance. Cause I think most people still think of it that way.

Action and adventure. Huge. I’m just a huge, huge fan of that. I haven’t actually found anyone yet for Action Adventure, so yeah, there really weren’t that many maybe 20 [00:12:00] or 30 out of the thousand. And and obviously that’s a very, very small number to be able to choose from. . So I will definitely be opening back up to Action Adventure and that will be my focus I think in the next few months.

I would love to find something there. I look at thrillers horror sci-fi and lgbtq plus romance predominantly. I really am far more flexible with that. So if you’ve got a protagonist that would fit that description, I’m much more willing to look at any really sort of genre around that.

David Gwyn: That’s great. So within those genres or things that you’re looking for as you’re taking on clients, is there something that you need to see even in those first couple pages that will make you more likely to request pages, request a full, or, or take a client on? Is there something that you’re noticing that you really like to see in that, in that early stages that make you more likely to request?

Helen Lane: [00:13:00] Honestly, I tend to gravitate towards simple language now. When I say that, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be beautiful. There is an incredible skill in making sentences in simplifying them, but still having that craft. And if, if you can sort of, I suppose, in, in sort of plain language, You know, leave me sort of just going, how did you write that sentence?

I mean, that was, you know, you know, the kind of sentence where you sort of pause and you just go, wow, I, I actually can’t carry on reading for a few seconds. And so that I’m not saying that I would never take on a client that had sort of you know, more detailed sort of pros or anything. But generally I prefer simple language.

Everyone says voice and that is the least helpful thing,, but unfortunately that is true. There is something, whether that is in the style of writing or the way that the character is presented there is something that will [00:14:00] speak to you and right from the start you will. , I don’t know, relax and sink into it and forget that this is the start of a new book.

And sometimes you can get an idea of where a book is going and still fall in love with it later. Some one of these things. It, it can take time. But for me, the books that I’ve I’ve taken on, I think I knew. , the first few pages that this was gonna be something special, and you spend the whole time you’re reading it, just going, please don’t fall apart.

Please don’t next page hundred and suddenly turn into this, you know, poorly written rant or something, you know, and, and, and then when it, it does hold together, even if, that requires work. , you know, that the writer can do the work if, if say you have to work on the plot or there are sections that are not as well written or as well thought through.

If, you know, the writer can write and perhaps they’ve just rushed it to get it out on [00:15:00] submission, or they needed a second, you know, pair of eyes on it, you can take the chance and, I can’t say that there’s any one thing because I love so many different books in so many genres.

And one thing I’ve always noticed in, in interviews, and again, really not helpful, is when an agent or editor gives you a whole list of things they like and then goes, but try me with anything because, that is true. There are books that You know, I I’ve made offers on that. I’m looking at some that would have already fit my manuscript wishlist that they are perfect.

And you could have predicted that if not that manuscript, but another manuscript with those elements would’ve been the ones that appeal to me, and they’re ones that I would never have considered. As being, you know, the one for me, and I’m not gonna say which, which, . But yeah. You just, you just fall in love with it.

And sometimes that really is just this, this spark, this element that you didn’t see coming. And I think anyone, I, I [00:16:00] know it’s painful for, for writers to hear this, but anyone that’s read a book or more than one book, you know that there’s a difference between a book that is. And a book that feels like it was made for you, that, that those were the words that you needed to hear, or the, the main character that you wanted to be best friends with or fall in love with when you were a kid, or, you know, just those books that come alive to you and they, they sort of change you a little bit afterwards and

you could write the most perfectly tailored synopsis and query letter for me and I, I have had this where a lot of authors have been so upset and I, I feel awful because they have done that. They’ve given me on paper exactly what I’ve asked for, and they’re not understood why I haven’t sort of perhaps read on or offered representation.

And it, it is just that, that difference of. what you think you’re gonna like, and then what you fall in love with. And I [00:17:00] suppose it’s very much the same as, you know, as, as falling in love with a person. You, you might have a, a dream man or woman, but that’s not necessarily what happens.

David Gwyn: This is exactly what I hear from agents that I have on here. They’re like, they’re like, I can tell you the genres, I’ll probably take , but also there’s always outliers and that it’s voice and that it’s subjective.

For me, I really love to ask that question because. And I, I’ve talked about this on the podcast before with other writers and, and editors, and it’s this idea that like rejection, that, that’s just the wrong word for the whole situation. That it’s not necessarily, like you said, it’s not necessarily rejection because.

You’re not writing well, it’s not a rejection because your query letter isn’t strong. It’s not a rejection because really anything else other than it’s just not the right fit. And, and the, the word rejection just seems too harsh for, for that type of situation. And so I love that people get to hear that, that people get to hear like [00:18:00] you can write well and not be the right fit for an agent.

Like both of those things can be true at the same time, like your book can be publishable and, and worthy of public. and agents are gonna pass on it. Like both of those things can be true at the exact same time. And I think as writers we sometimes forget that we feel so attached to a project that any, any time an agent passes on it, it feels like an indictment against us.

But it’s, it’s really not necessarily that , that’s why I love to hear agents talk about this because they, a lot of them say the same thing, which. , they just don’t know. There’s no, like, it’s not like, Hey, if you give me this particular character in this particular plot, in this particular setting, I’m signing you tomorrow.

Like, that’s just not the way it works.

Helen Lane: Yeah, it’s, it’s difficult. But then it’s, it’s also this is why it’s very difficult when people talk about dream agents. Now I’ve done it. But you can look at At agents and see the things that they like and sort of assume that they are the right fit for you.

And it works that [00:19:00] way as well. It’s not and I, I cannot stress enough that when people say no agent is better than a bad agent , it is true. So you know, there, there’s two ways of looking at it. When, when I talk about sort of passing or finding the right fit, it’s as much that the author has to really make a decision about whether or not they.

can, you know, can work with with an agent. And I think that’s just as important. I’ve had questions come up when I’ve been talking to potential clients and I love their book and I’m, you know, I’m trying to convince them that I am, you know, the best person to trust with this.

But actually there is so many other considerations as well . Beyond sort of, does somebody love your book? That that makes it a, a fit that goes in two directions and, and that is really, really important. And I think authors really forget as well that. It, it feels like there is this imbalance in the relationship because, or agents are the gatekeepers.

And to a certain [00:20:00] extent that is true. And it’s particularly difficult to say if you only have one agent offer, it’s much easier. People have multiple ones, which obviously we all hope for, but it’s, it’s a really, it is like any sort of job that you’d apply for you. . Yes. The, the, the job will interview you, but you have as much right to turn around and say, actually I don’t like this company.

Actually, my boss’, potential boss is a bit of an idiot actually. I really don’t like how they do these things. And you know, when it works, it works brilliantly and it’s a beautiful. . And when it doesn’t, it’s an incredibly painful, sort of demoralizing thing from both sides, agents obviously, and, and clients, they do break up, they do leave each other and all that kind of stuff. And usually there’s very good reasons behind that. Obviously I’ve just started so I’m not even close to thinking about it, but it must be incredibly difficult as, as an agent to be working with a [00:21:00] client where you no longer enjoy their.

And you know, you are putting so much into it and you are advising them, and you’re advising them perhaps on a project that you don’t feel strongly about. And if you’re doing that, the advice you’re gonna give is gonna be bad advice. There’s nothing you’re gonna be able to do to make you like that book.

So you’re gonna cut into it and make suggestions and, and all that kind of stuff. And that is really harmful and. Very demoralizing for both agent and author and. One of the hardest things that I’ve had to learn very, very quickly is that I might not be the best fit for a book. There’s one book and it was it was a book that I loved, absolutely loved, but I think it sort of been submitted to me as sort of a, a genre blend where only part of it really fitted my. A wishlist. And so when I was sort of getting really excited and thinking about how I was gonna work [00:22:00] with it, I was thinking about how to, to make amendments based on that genre.

And actually, if I had taken that on and I really did come close to making an offer I probably would’ve destroyed all the bits about. That I’d originally loved because I didn’t fully understand how to work with that book. So it, it really is important that the, that the author sort of really thinks through before stepping into a, into a relationship with an agent.

Don’t let sort of fear of this being your only opportunity ruin something for you if it’s a long game.

David Gwyn: Yeah, no, that and it, it’s so funny to hear you say that cuz you’re echoing A lot of what I hear from writers and agents alike, they say that this is a relationship that is not one to be.

rushed into, and I, from the writer’s side, and I’m, I’m sure you’ve heard this before too, on, on, on the writer’s side, like so many writers are like, I’ll take any agent out there. If they look at me, I will throw my manuscript and hope that they catch it. And like, [00:23:00] and that’s just not the way to go about it.

It’s a business relationship. It’s one that, like, like you said, it’s not something to be taken lightly.

Okay, let’s take a quick pause because I know it can be frustrating to hear from agents that they’re choosing projects based on things that we as writers can’t really control. However, it’s also kind of a great thing because there’s an agent out there for you and your book. And like Helen said, you need the right agent. If you’re going to have a successful career, no one wants a book that flops. So take that to heart. The right agent is out there for you.

be sure to sign up for Five Minute Writer.

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And the next part of the interview. Helen. And I talk about the ups and downs of agenting. How to think about working with an agent and how to build important boundaries to maintain, [00:24:00] focus on what really matters. The work.

Let’s go to the interview now.

You’ve been kinda sharing your query sagas on, on Twitter. And I have to say, the writers that I talked to have really appreciated kind of like the peak behind the curtain.

And so what made you want to do that? What made you wanna share so much about your process as a, as an early agent and kind of getting queries and, and. Some of the numbers that you’re receiving or things like that?

Helen Lane: , well, honestly I don’t think I meant to to be begin . I’d love to say that this was some really clever sort of you know, way of of introducing myself to people.

But what was odd for me was I’ve been on Twitter as a, as a writer for. Eight, nine years, I think. And I had no en engagement beyond my closest friends, you know, liking all my books. And one minute I was the same person saying the same things side of, you know, the curtain. And then within a day suddenly I’m getting, you know, 3000 likes per post.[00:25:00]

And it’s, it, it was a bit weird because I was exactly the same person with exactly the same sort of, You know, thought processes and understanding of, of everything. But people just wanted to. To sort of engage with me. And once I, once I start, I mean I talk, you’ve probably already figured this out, I talk a lot.

probably overshare. And I suppose once I realized that when people were asking questions and I was giving answers, they seem to really appreciate it. I just wanted to help. And again, when I put up those first few posts where I was, I, I, I didn’t realize it, it, it wasn’t something that, that a lot of people actually understood.

I, I dunno whether that’s because I’ve had an agent or because I’ve been doing this for so long and so many of my friends are published. I’ve been very fortunate in my writing groups to see my friend’s success and and to follow their journeys. And they’ve shared and [00:26:00] explained.

I don’t think I realized or perhaps remembered those early days where I didn’t have that same information and understanding. And I think once you sort of get that, that feedback and you realize that people. really are struggling. In some cases all they’re getting is the, is the negative feedback.

And I was there, I was there in that cycle. I think in the nine years that I was a writer then a querying writer. Before I signed my agent, I had non-stop rejections. It, it was nothing but pain and self-doubt. And you don’t see anything else. You don’t feel anything else. And I think. , I don’t know, hearing some, some basic encouragement, some basic explanations as to the, the wording that’s being used.

can help. It feels less like a personal attack. You. You put so much of yourself into a book, even if it’s got nothing to do with your life or your, or you, it’s still something that you’ve created. It is part of you. And to have that [00:27:00] part of you. Put out there all the time for people to judge and then have that rejection and for it to feel like a dismissal.

Now, from an agent’s point of view, if you’ve had as many queries say as I had over those first few weeks, you cannot give personal feedback to everyone. You just can’t. And it’s, you know, just to be able to. , even if that is a form response, still takes up so much time. You add them all together and you then you get people sort coming back to you and, and sort of begging you for sort of a more of an explanation, just anything to make them feel better.

And I try to, where that’s happened, I’m. Shooting myself in the foot here by admitting that, cause I’m gonna get a lot more pushbacks. But I have tried to, but there’s a fear factor as well for the agent because if you do engage with people, if you do make friends, you see their hurt, [00:28:00] you see the negative things that are said about you or about agents and it’s, and some people, difficult.

I was gonna say that as politely as I can, and like I left my direct messages on Twitter open for the first few days, quickly learned not to do that . And, you know, you can put up all the barriers to sort of protect yourself, but people. Push through those and sometimes they’ll do it very rudely and I don’t think they understand it.

It’s almost like by being an agent or by being a person on Twitter that you are no longer a person, that you are just a punching bag, that you are the face of. I suppose the industry that hurts them. It’s very similar. I expect people calling up to a call center and taking out their anguish on the one person that’s speaking to them, and it doesn’t matter how nicely that person is speaking to them.

They are the person that you’ve managed to get hold of and none of us feel proud about that if we [00:29:00] do it. But it happens. And sometimes you’ll see, you’ll put up a post that maybe will help sort of, 300 people, but it’s the one person who’s quote tweeted me and is really upset by what I’ve said, and that’s taken it in a bad way.

Or, you know, it’s hurt them in some way even though that was not my intention. And that’s what I see. And then it makes you sort of think, well, should I have done this? It’s really hard. You don’t see the, the 300 people that are liking it. You see the one person that you’ve hurt

David Gwyn: yeah. That’s so hard. It’s funny, your name came up in my, my writing group that I meet with, and, and everyone was like, this is so great. Like, it’s so cool to see. just that information and just to get a sense, and I feel like it’s comforting at least in some way, when, when you hear that you got like, whatever was a thousand queries in, in like a week and a half, like that’s insane.

And so I think in, in a lot of ways for people that that peak. , you know, that, like you said, that 300 [00:30:00] people that appreciated it and that one person who didn’t. And then like, how do you balance those? And that, I think that’s really, I’m sure that that’s a really hard decision to, to make. So you, you recently made the decision to close your for a little while from from queries to get caught up in everything.

What ultimately made you make that decision and how

Helen Lane: did it go? So there is a danger, particularly as a new agent who does feel a little bit like a kid in a candy store, to. really over stretch. And so this is something that new agents particularly have to be really careful for you, or I suppose any agent, but an agent with an established workload and a big client list already is really looking for reasons to turn down manuscript, right?

You, you have to open your queries because you have to have new clients come in. Have people writing you stuff and you do not want to miss out on the next big thing. So you are always going to sort of be opening two queries, [00:31:00] but as a new agent, you have to take on clients and you haven’t got that sort of, if, particularly if you haven’t had an internship and you haven’t been reading for other people, to have that sort of marker of, of what is really, really great and what is good, and that is, that is an important distinction when you’re taking on new clients.

It’s very easy to go, I like this, I want this, I liked this, and, and to keep doing that. . So when I made those early requests, that sort of 150 figure that that came through my, my emails, I was targeting books that. I knew I would like the premise of it. And actually there was quite often, if I say was looking for a zombie book, I might have six or seven zombie books all sort of next to each other.

So I was looking at them, not just in terms of what I like, but against each other, which is, I’m sure is difficult for us to hear, but there’s nothing more difficult than taking on a client and then reading a book sort of like a week later. That was in your [00:32:00] intro, you realizing that, you know, so , you do tend to sort of look at sort of similar books or similar genres at the same time, if you’re looking for something in particular.

And . Yeah. So I was, I thought I had that under control. I knew what I could, could read and what I could take on, and then I opened for queries. I think it was on the Friday morning. I had booked in a weekend away with my husband, where , I had promised that I would not look at my queries for the entire weekend.

And I came absolute insanity. I, I just did not know what to do with, with all those and luckily. reading is my superpower. I am very, very lucky in that it is probably the only job where that is actually really useful. I found it and that’s great. And so even though it was a lot because of my workload and because of how quickly I could read, I could handle it, but it is

Like I said, it’s a difficult part of the job. It’s and it’s not just [00:33:00] for, for me, reading has always been my escape. So when you are, and I’m very target orientated, so I like to kick off jobs. This is a never ending job. I, I, one day I think I read for 16 hours straight, only pausing to take like cups of tea breaks and, and make sure my kids were fed.

And at the end of it, I’d had another sort of 30 queries sent through by my email, and they weren’t, and I was actually closed via my email. It was some, it was people who had found my email and just decided, you know, and, and it, I, I got to the end of the day, and although I had, i’d, I actually found some really great stuff that day.

By the end of the day, it was just sort of, I, I can’t keep going like this. I just. . So you, I think it’s, it’s the excitement of being a new agent. You have to put in boundaries and that that is to protect you in all kinds of, of ways. And for me closing that quickly was a necessity because one, I wanted [00:34:00] to make sure that I dealt with everyone that, that had, that it has sort of, you know, sent me their queries.

Two that I was trying to put some limits in so that I could make good decisions. And I think if you’d seen all the various whiteboards around my house with the lists of sort of names and potential sort of genres and all that kind of stuff, it was like this big spider web where I was trying to sort of work out, you know, if I did this and, you know, so and it just, it just gave me a chance to breathe.

And at this point I. Four clients. I have made a couple of offers that I’m waiting to hear back from and a couple of revise and resubmits, which I wouldn’t, I mean, later in my career, I, I’m sure agents make a lot of those and they really are just giving the, the author a second chance. At this stage in my career, I’m really hoping that I can take on those authors.

So I sort of have. A reasonable client list at the moment. And so opening back up to queries [00:35:00] will be only done if I’m sure that I can take on another client at that point. So I am sort of waiting to just hear back on a few things and and move some pieces around. And that’s, that’s really important because if I overloaded my workload I’d be lessened down the clients that I have and I’ve.

Commitments to them to have their work done at a certain time and, and, you know, to give them my full attention.

David Gwyn: Yeah, that’s tough. And I imagine you know, obviously all the clients that you’re taking on have a book that requires a lot of attention. You know, they’re, they’re not necessarily out there just saying, okay, like, I’m gonna write my book over the next eight to 12 months and get back to you.

Like every one of them has something ready to be edited, and I imagine. Just soaks up a lot of time. I, I can’t even imagine. When you have clients that are more staggered in where they are, it might be easier to take on, I would guess just guessing it would be easier to take on a client than it is right now, where you’ve got all those clients with books kind of ready to

So [00:36:00] hopefully go,

Helen Lane: Yes except I got really lucky with my clients, so , my first two clients were able to take off some time from work straight away when they were my only clients and my. Full focus. I think they probably did ruin their leave for the year for which I did not ask them to do that in my defense,

So I was incredibly lucky and, to a certain extent, perhaps they were incredibly lucky that I was at a point in my career where I. for weeks at a time. They were my entire focus. But also clients don’t always work in the same way. And they, obviously, you don’t always have the same level of work that needs to be done to a manuscript.

So some clients will maybe require. A couple of weeks work at the pace that they work. Others might require months. It, it depends on their workloads and how much needs to be done to the book. And at this stage, again, in my career where I’m in, I have the time to invest in each client.

I’ve been able to take on books that perhaps do need more work for [00:37:00] whatever reason. rather than laid. So where you’re sort of like, well, this needs to be sort of 90% done to but also people work in different ways. And so I, one of the things that you do in your your initial interviews is that you discuss how somebody works and if somebody likes to go away and basically be left alone until the draft is.

then you’ve got a client, you’re working with them. But all that work is gonna be sort of in five weeks time for a concentrated week and a half. And so you’ve got five weeks where you can take on and work with somebody else. Or if you know that somebody is going to be coming back to you sort of every couple of days, you might have like an hours meeting and then a few chapters to work through.

Yes, that’s, that’s a constant sort of going back and forth, but it’s a very, very small section of. your work week. And so if you can go into it sort of knowing how you’ll work with that person, how they want you to interact with them then you can plan ahead and that makes things a lot easier. So it, it isn’t [00:38:00] as, as simple as I have a lot of new clients and therefore, , they were, they were all sort of looking to go on submission straight away.

It staggered. So it, it is just a case of being really organized. And really this is, this is where the communication is the most important bit. You need to be able to speak to your clients and they need to be able to speak to you and to set up realistic expectations. And if it turns out then that you.

Meet them that you’ve over promised and you are underachieving and all that kind of stuff. From my side, not from their side. , that’s where the problems are gonna come in. And, and also, a lot of authors don’t work well under pressure and that’s the last thing you want to be doing is

putting any expectations on them? Yes. Once the book is sold and they’re under deadline, that is a different thing. But particularly in the early days when they’re adjusting to suddenly having an agent. Yeah. The last thing you wanna do is, is sort of beyond their case permanently

David Gwyn: That makes so much sense.

And it’s funny to hear it kind of laid out that way. It, [00:39:00] it seems a little chaotic to keep track of, but you know, it’s, it’s, I guess it’s, that’s the, the part of the job that, that you have to do. So what is one thing you hope writers take away from this conversation?

What is a thing that you hope that they kind of take with them on their day or on their writing career as they, as they continue on?

Helen Lane: I, I suppose that I, I dunno if it’s, it would be linked to anything that I’m, I’m saying sort of here, but I think I wish I’d, I’d known how better to protect myself as an author.

As an agent, I’m having to learn very quickly how to put in those boundaries, how to learn, when to share, and when to sort of close things off. And it’s a balance that I’ve been learning for a long time. As an author, I did not learn that. It did get easier once I was agented because you do have that person that that is cheering you on and helping you, but it, it’s an incredibly lonely.

And painful process. And [00:40:00] there isn’t an easy answer to sort of fix that because generally it only feels better when, when you have that next step and you feel like you’ve got that success. But yeah, learning to sort of, I suppose, try to separate yourself from the rejections, from the hurt to remember that even though you’ve put yourself.

Into your book. Your book is not you. An agent is not rejecting you. They are not telling you that you are not good enough. They’re just saying that your book, as wonderful as it is, is just not the perfect fit for them. And you, I don, I don’t think it matters how many times you get told that it, the hurt is still there and it still builds up.

But I hope that. Even if just a few of my tweets or rambled interviews help help people sort of separate that, then that would be a good thing. .

David Gwyn: So, yeah. That’s great. That’s awesome. And so my last question is, where can [00:41:00] people find you? I know you’re closed for queries currently.

Mm-hmm. , maybe by the time someone rolls across stumbles across this, they might be changed. So where can people find you? Where can people look you up?

Helen Lane: So. So I’m probably on Twitter far too much for . Good. And I, although I do not get every single notification, so I do apologize if I’ve completely overlooked something that is a good place to get hold of me, particularly if you have queries about whether or not to query me.

And I, I probably should say that I also do agent one to. So, you know, so nice. If anyone, you know, wanted to sort of speak to me about their, the openings of their books or whatever, then that is, that is possible as well. But Query Manager is the ideal way to query me and to just sort of wait until I open queries.

And of course I usually look on any of the sort of the Twitter pitches. So, and if I do give different instructions, then that would be probably email.

David Gwyn: Helen, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me. I feel like I learned so much and I had [00:42:00] such a blast, so thank you so much. I, I really, really, really appreciate it.

Helen Lane: Thank you for having me

David Gwyn: Okay. So that’s it with Helen Lane. It’s always so helpful to hear from a literary agent about how they go about their work. I hope you enjoyed listening to Helen. Talk about how she thinks about agenting and what she does on a daily basis. Like I said during the interview, Helen has been amazing at pulling back the curtain on the literary agents work.

So if you’re not already following her on Twitter, do that now. Link to follow her in the description.

And the next interview I’m talking to debut author Elle Grawl about her new novel. One of those faces.

Elle Grawl: I’m not an outliner. I kind of start with the general idea, you know, about the doppel, gangers and, you know, murder. And then I knew the ending and then kind of, I kind of just let everything else along the way be a little bit of a.

David Gwyn: I’ll see you next week.