GETTING PUBLISHED

 

HOW I GOT MY AGENT: OKSANA MARAFIOTI

July 10, 2012 

       

Oksana Marafioti is the author of AMERICAN GYPSY: A MEMOIR 
(FSG Originals, July 2012). She moved from the Soviet Union when 
she was 15 years old. Trained as a classical pianist, she has also 
worked as a cinematographer. Currently, Oksana is a Black 
Mountain Institute-Kluge Center Fellow at the Library of 
Congress. See her website here.

ALL I NEEDED WAS A LITTLE PUSH

When people ask what made me first decide to write American Gypsy: A Memoir, I jokingly reply, “My agent.” In reality, this is kind of true. Though my family story was always something I wanted to explore, I never had the guts to dive in. Not until I met someone who gave me a push.

A few years back I attended the Las Vegas Writers Conference. I had a finished book in the genre of paranormal urban fantasy which I pitched to professionals until my lips felt like they were going to fall off my face. After giving away dozens of pages with the story synopsis and a short personal bio, I got a few leads and a request for a full manuscript, which was amazing.

At the end of the day I noticed a woman who looked so young that at first I was certain she couldn’t be an agent. I remember asking someone that perhaps she was a student here for the student writers contest. When I was assured that Brandi Bowles was indeed and agent with Howard Morhaim, a very reputable New York literary agency, I decided to pitch to her, too.

Brandi liked the story, but she very politely said that she wasn’t taking urban fantasies. I was ready to convince her to reconsider when she asked something really odd. “Have you ever thought about writing a memoir?” I remember looking at her as if she’d spoken Mandarin. I didn’t know people could sell books about their families unless they were Madonna, and I said as much. But she insisted there was a story worth telling, and I promised I’d write a few sample chapters. . . .

Peter’s Comment

For fledgling authors finding a literary agent to represent them to publishers can be harder than finding a publisher. It’s just a fact that there are more publishers than agents, but many publishers will only deal with agents. It can be a Catch 22 situation and many good works don’t find their way through this literary barrier.

But Oksana Marafioti highlighted a common beginning writer’s mistake without realizing it. The agent knew something that Oksana perhaps didn’t quite appreciate; the genre should be chosen to suit the market rather than what the writer wants to write.

The publishing world is currently undergoing its greatest upheaval since the introduction of the printing press. It is now possible to write, edit, submit, publish, distribute, sell, deliver and read books without a single scrap of paper being involved at any step of the way.

That makes me wonder why some dinosaur publishers still demand that manuscripts shall be typed, double spaced on one side of A4 paper with wide margins. And I further wonder what they are thinking about when you offer to do business with them and they insist that you send a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

In the new publishing world everyone can get published without an agent or publisher. But there are pitfalls and manuscripts still need professional appraising and editing. Formatting and cover design need a professional touch too.

When your new book is finally published, whether on paper or electronic, it will be a proud day for you. But it will be at that point that you will face the biggest hurdle – selling it. Remember as an indie publisher you will take on all the responsibilities of a traditional publisher.

You are still keen to write your novel, autobiography, or technical books? Good. Give it your best shot.