SHALLA CHATS with Alana Lennie

"A Literary Agent Speaks "

by Shalla DeGuzman

First of all, who’s Alana?

ALANA LENNIE is an agent with the Michael R. Lennie Literary Agency, founded by her husband, a noted NY/CA-licensed literary attorney and long-time advocate of authors' rights.

On the fiction side, Alana enjoys literary fiction, mysteries (cozies), and short stories. She always is thrilled to receive queries from young people.

As for nonfiction, her interests range from business books, child care and parenting, and anything involving travel (guidebooks to memoirs). "I believe it's as important for an agent to work at assisting the publisher and the author market their published book as it is to assist in the marketing of the unpublished book to an editor."

Shalla: Hello Alana, how are you? We’re excited to learn more about the Lennie Literary Agency and the kind of books you like to represent. And SHALLA Magazine is very grateful that you're reading submissions for us.

Alana: Thank you. I’m pleased to be speaking with you. The genesis of our agency was actually about 20 plus years ago when my husband represented a group of textbook authors in a legal matter. The litigation went well (from our perspective) and he enjoyed very much working with authors.

He continued to represent textbook authors with contract negotiations and ultimately decided to expand to tradebooks, as well.

I didn’t join the office until a few years ago. We still deal with textbook authors to a great extent and both of us enjoy that very much. As for tradebooks, we tend to have somewhat separate niches. On the fiction side, I’m more inclined toward the cozies, novels with a current message and short stories, Michael likes historical works.

For nonfiction, I’m leaning toward business, parenting, travel and Michael leans more in the direction of science, current events and politics.

Shalla: We are especially glad you like literary fiction and short stories.

What kind of short story collections are publishers buying right now?

Alana: I’ve found that short story collections are very fluctuating in the marketplace. I also find this to be true of memoirs. They can be very popular and suddenly they will disappear for a period of time. The editors I speak with tend to like the stories to be linked with a common theme and to be very cutting edge.

Since every word in a short story has to matter to the story, the author can’t go off on a long, literary discourse.

Shalla: What kind of literary fiction do publishers like? I’m seeing a lot in first-person, is that a trend that would last a while, do you think?

Alana: It will last as long as it sells. As soon as someone writes a bestseller in third person, you’ll begin seeing more of that. As unromantic as it sounds, publishing is a business and publishers expect it to be a financially profitable one.

Shalla: Since there are many short story collections and literary fiction trying to break into print, how can writers make their work stand out?

Or should we even try to make our work stand out?

Would it be best to write whatever is selling?

Alana: I believe for an author to do their best work, they need to write what they write best.

If literary fiction is what’s selling, and an author who successfully writes bodice-ripping love stories tries to conform to another author’s literary fiction style, they are not likely to find success. Originality is so important.

Shalla: How is the market for a different kind of voice, maybe something exotic?

How about short stories from an Iraqi in Iraq, or an Afghan in Afghanistan?

Alana: Editors are always looking for something new, untold and exotic. Iraq and Afghanistan may be a bit overdone right now.

I can’t tell you how many manuscripts we receive from these hot spots – some from native writers, some not. It’s important for an author to watch the curve and try to time their work to the upswing of that curve.

Shalla: Do you think the U.S. market is ready for Iranian literary fiction? A novel with an Iranian protagonist in Iran, or should protagonists be more Westernized to succeed in this market?

Alana: Most definitely, the U.S. market is ready for Iranian literary fiction! The American reading public is not at all provincial. I believe they are very open to exposure to all forms of literary fiction.

Shalla: How is the market for multicultural literary fiction? What are the best ways for writers to assess this themselves?

Alana: There are countless editors who are looking for nothing other than multicultural works. They are sitting at their desks waiting for a new author’s manuscript to cross their desk. If an author is interested in gaining access to these editors in particular, they should make that one of the first questions they ask a potential agent.

There are many agents who are looking primarily for the work representing a particular culture – for example, Hispanic, Iranian, etc. Although most agents are open to that sort of work, they may not specialize in it. The ones who have made that a specialty of their agency will have the best contacts with editors who are looking for those books.

Shalla: How do you evaluate the market? Are there certain books to read?

Alana: There are many books out there on the subject of writing, but I personally feel a budding (or not so budding) author gains the most by putting their writing out there for comments. This can be accomplished in a good writing group or at the numerous writing conferences around the country, or in classes in local colleges.

Shalla: Do economic factors affect editorial decisions? I.e. if a book is very well written, but it’s just not the type that’s selling right now, would you pass on it?

Alana: Not necessarily, but I would be very cautious.

Shalla: Lastly, any words of encouragement for writers who may be too afraid to begin approaching literary agents?

Alana: Don’t be intimidated by agents.

We’re people who are every bit as interested in seeing books become success stories as you are. Always remember, when you receive a pass on a project you have submitted – this is an extremely subjective business.

If an agent rejects your submission it may very well be beautifully written and have the potential for wonderful sales – it just may not be right for that particular agent at that particular time. It could be that they are very busy taking care of clients they have signed and are trying to sell their projects; it could be they are very busy with clients whose books have been sold to a publisher and they are uniting forces to make those books as successful as they can possibly be. A good agent will not cut an author out of their rolodex as soon as the book is sold to a publisher. A great deal of time continues to be spent working with the author and the editor. So timing is critical to the process.

Another point is that no matter how good your book may be, if it doesn’t ring certain bells for the agent they may very well pass. From the time the author has placed the last word on the last page until the day a customer picks up that book at a bookstore, there is an incredible amount of work that goes into the project. An agent must love the book just as the author does.

I admit, it would be wonderful if agents could/would take the time to explain in detail to every author who submits to them the reasons for the pass.

Unfortunately, time just doesn’t allow us to do that. When you do receive feedback from an agent or an editor, however negative it may seem, pay attention to it.

These are people who read pages and pages and pages of submitted material. If they’ve taken the time to offer suggestions and/or comments, they are probably worth considering.

Shalla: Thanks Alana, very helpful answers.

For more on Alana Lennie and the Lennie Literary Agency, please visit http://www.lennieliterary.com

Shalla DeGuzman's short stories have appeared in Poetic Diversity, the Mosaic Literary Journal, the Mad Hatters Review; her articles in The Scriptorium and L.A. Freepress; her skits at the Stella Adler Theatre. Shalla, a former writer and producer of a health and fitness cable show, is currently writing a new novel. She is President of The ShallaDeGuzman Writers Group; the Senior Editor of SHALLA Magazine where she interviews literary agents, publishers, editors, and authors; and the Publisher for SHALLA Publishing. News! Shalla has been nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize. SHALLA Magazine, which features short stories and excerpts from top, award-winning writers, now sold at www.amazon.com! For more on Shalla: www.shalladeguzman.com