"My agent refuses to sell my book."

Some writers and I have been discussing what to do when your agent says he cannot sell your current project, so you should drop it and work on something else. Many interesting points were raised, but since I've never had much to do with agents, I just read the points until this one somehow made me realize I did have something to add:

PN wrote:

"My reaction (which I kept to myself) was that I'd fire the agent. I suggested to the writer that he write the book anyway, to which he replied he wanted to eat, so he needed to write a book that his agent could (would) sell."

That got my juices flowing. I've heard particular whine so many times that I can't resist throwing in a little actual data that might influence thinking on this case.

1. My data points are not about agents, because I've never used one. Tried once, big NY agent, very nice person and very successful and represented a number of my students in selling their NY Times Best Sellers. But I guess that's a data point in and of itself. This agent tried selling the book for a while, then told me she just couldn't sell it. I didn't plead with her, or quit the project for some idea of hers. Instead, I figure she knew best about what SHE could sell (not about WHAT would sell). So, I "fired" her and resumed selling the book myself. It was published and has so far sold something over 300,000 copies worldwide, plus a sequel that might eventually catch up.

MORAL: She was right; I was right; I followed Dean Smith's advice (though I didn't know him yet).The book made me rich(er). She's still in business, so I suspect she's done very well for herself, too. Nobody has to be "wrong" for a particular selling tactic to be wrong.

2. Out of the 40+ books I've sold, the two lowest-selling (they still made some $$, but not worth my time), were written to the request of EDITORS (not agents) who promised to make BIG BUCKS from these two books.

MORAL: If editors don't know, why should agents know? And why should I know? But at least if I'm wrong, I had fun writing the book. I didn't have fun writing the two losers--the books the editors had "guaranteed" would be winners.

3. Out of the 40+, the 4 that have sold the best (so far) are the only four that were ever turned down by editors as not sellable. I assume that if these editors had been agents, they would have said the same thing. (Some had been, or were subsequently, agents.) Each of those books has made me a fortune in royalties (with no agent fees to deduct).

MORAL: "Agent" is not a magic word. "Editor" is not a magic word. Indeed, when it comes to book marketing, there are no magic words. But there is a magic formula: SIT DOWN AND WRITE THE BOOK YOU WANT MOST TO WRITE.

The magic in this is a kind of negative magic. If you don't do this, your career will not be a financial success. If you do it, well, who knows? Not, I, for sure.

But I do know it will make you happy--at least while you're writing that book you love.

Jerry

p.s. A while back, "Dwayne" sent a comment about marketing his books, but I was waiting for the right time to start answering. I think this essay is the first part of that answer. I'm hoping other readers will add their own answers to Dwayne's puzzlements.

j