If you didn’t pick up on it yesterday, I want to remind you today: You are
hiring an agent. This person works for you and you pay her. Therefore she
should be the person you feel the most comfortable with and who you trust with
your money and your work.
So what can you ask and how should you interview an agent. That’s up to you.
While I definitely suggest you take the time to talk with each interested agent
on the phone, it’s also perfectly acceptable to email your questions. This way
she can either reply via email, or has the questions in front of her during
your phone call and you won’t feel like you’re peppering her with a million
different questions.
The first place to go for questions is The Association
of Artists’ Representatives. They have a good list of questions that will
get you started. Not every question needs to be asked, but this will give you
an idea of what is important to you.
And the rest is personal. What do you want in an agent? What’s important to
you? Are you an email or phone person? Do you need hand-holding or editing or
are you a loner? Do you need someone with a strong personality who can put you
in your place or are you afraid of overly aggressive people?
Here’s a list of the questions I think are most important when interviewing an agent.
But you are the only person who can decide what’s important to you.
* How does your agency handle subsidiary rights, including film and foreign
rights? (Most agencies use co-agents for this. As long as an agency has
experience and contacts in this area you are in good hands.)
* Who in your agency will actually be handling my work? Will the other staff
members be familiar with my work and the status of my business at your agency?
Will you oversee or at least keep me apprised of the work that your agency is
doing on my behalf?
* Do you issue an agent-author agreement? May I review the language of the
agency clause that appears in contracts you negotiate for your clients?
* How do you keep your clients informed of your activities on their behalf?
* Do you consult with your clients on any and all offers?
* What are your commission rates? What are your procedures and time-frames for
processing and disbursing client funds? Do you keep different bank accounts
separating author funds from agency revenue? What are your policies about
charging clients for expenses incurred by your agency?
* When you issue 1099 tax forms at the end of each year, do you also furnish
clients upon request with a detailed account of their financial activity, such
as gross income, commissions and other deductions, and net income, for the past
year?
* How do you handle submissions? Will you stop submitting my work after a
certain time or number of rejections?
* Do you want to represent just this book or are you interested in my other
work?
* Do you place a minimum time requirement on our relationship? Can either of us
terminate the agreement at any time?
* How would our relationship be terminated if I’m not happy?
* If we part company, what happens to any outstanding subsidiary rights?
* How do you help your clients with career planning?
* How frequently do you update your clients or keep them informed of the work
you’re doing? How do you prefer me to communicate with you?
So, what questions have you asked or would you ask any potential agents?
