the role of literary agent is not (yet) a crucial link. It is an advantage for some, a disadvantage for others.
However, there is a collective that brings together most literary agents ( AALF ), the practice is customary in Anglo-Saxon countries and, in France, it is almost systematic for audiovisual authors.
So why are only 3% of French writers represented by an agent?
In one of her many YouTube videos , French author Samantha Bailly explained in 2017 the reasons that led her to be represented by a literary agent, at a time when the practice was still rare. This video shows that what was very true four years ago is becoming less and less so today.
Customs are changing, and the emergence of new literary agencies proves it.
Book publishing: a French exception
When I decided to write books and contact publishers, I was warned: “You’ll see, the publishing world is a very particular universe…” I didn’t really understand that at the time, simply because every sector of activity, in my opinion, always has its own set of peculiarities. But now, I understand what lay behind that advice, which sounded like a warning.
The unique characteristic of the publishing world, whether you’re on the author’s or the publisher’s side, lies, it seems to me, in the fact that it brings together hybrid professions: between art and business. France has such a strong attachment to literature, to books, to writing, such a history, such a strong heritage, that the publishing world still finds itself today striving to fulfill two moral obligations: that of preserving its heritage, its literary culture, and that of establishing itself in the entertainment sector alongside television and the internet, primarily.
Cultivating the art of prose and a taste for beautiful writing is not incompatible with the ambition to increase the number of readers in France. However, these are two distinct objectives that make the publishing world a unique sector, both fascinating and perplexing.
Today, with the emergence of platforms like Édith & Nous, a new wind is blowing through book publishing, a world rich and vibrant with artistic geniuses as well as businesspeople. And we sense that the role of the literary agent, which tends to professionalize the writing profession and the author/publisher relationship, is returning to the forefront.
The duties of a literary agent
Coach, proofreader, editor… Among all the book industry jobs today, what exactly does a literary agent do? What is their role within the publishing chain?
In 2019, the magazine ActuaLitté published a series of insightful articles by agent, translator, and author David Pathé-Camus on the role of a literary agent. According to him, “a literary agent is an intermediary, generally between an author (or their representative) and a publisher. The publisher ‘buys,’ the agent ‘sells’ (the rights to exploit a work). This commercial transaction is formalized in a contract, the terms of which are negotiated by the agent on behalf of their client (the author of the work or their representative). The agent does not have signing authority. Only the author can decide whether or not to sign the contract that the agent has negotiated for them. It is the agent’s responsibility, as they have a ‘duty to advise’ their client, to explain the ins and outs of the contract and suggest the best course of action.”
Whether you’re an unpublished author or a bestselling author, a literary agent will bring their expertise (they are often former editorial directors), their knowledge of the publishing industry and its inner workings, as well as their experience. A
literary agent has three main roles. The first is their ability to select manuscripts, analyze them, and then decide whether or not to work with the author. Their second role is to target the publishing houses to which they wish to submit a manuscript. Thanks to their extensive knowledge of the industry, and in particular of how the manuscript department operates, they will be able to showcase a text effectively. Finally, the third role of a literary agent is to negotiate the publishing contract. This negotiation will focus on the author’s royalty percentage, but not only that. The agent will also discuss the contract’s duration, the terms of rights transfer, digital distribution arrangements, the paperback edition, and so on. They will ensure the viability of each clause and make sure the author fully understands all the terms.
When a publishing contract is negotiated by an agent, the agent becomes a co-contractor. The execution of the contract is therefore clearly defined for each party. Regarding the payment of royalties, for example, these are paid simultaneously by the publisher to the author and the agent. Like the author, the agent is only paid royalties, typically between 10% and 15%. This percentage is deducted from the author’s commission. For example, if an author is paid 10% of the pre-tax sales price and sells 1,000 copies at €20 each, they will receive €2,000. If they are represented by an agent, they will receive €2,000, minus the agent’s commission, which, if the agent’s commission is 10%, would be €1,800.
After the contract is signed, an agent continues to monitor and support their authors through the various stages of book production, from editorial work to marketing. They can also follow up with publishers to request sales figures and payments.
An agent’s role as an intermediary between a publisher and an author has the benefit of fostering a more harmonious relationship, placing a neutral arbiter at the heart of the process, and allowing publishers, and especially authors, to focus on what they do best: writing and publishing books. Thus, both the largest publishing houses (Gallimard, Robert Laffont, Albin Michel, Grasset, etc.) and smaller ones typically work with agents they know and with whom they have established a relationship of trust.
Furthermore, in addition to this intermediary role between author and publisher, and prior to any new collaboration, an agent generally offers to proofread and edit manuscripts. Thus, in addition to improving the texts, it will also make them more attractive to the publishing houses they are targeting.
Literary agents often also lead writing workshops. This is notably the case with Laure Pécher, who has been helping young authors launch their literary careers for fifteen years through her agency, Astier-Pécher.
To seduce an agent the way one seduces a publisher
The literary agent selects the authors they wish to work with. Since they are only paid based on sales revenue, it makes sense for them to determine whether, in their opinion, a manuscript has the potential to be published and then read. Agents therefore look for works with strong commercial potential, but also for prolific authors, because they are investing in the future. Thus, they will particularly appreciate discovering that the author already has a literary background or that other writing projects are already underway.
If your intention, as an author, is to work with a publishing house, using a literary agent could prove to be a wise choice. However, just as you send your manuscript along with a cover letter to publishing houses , you will need to send your text, its synopsis, and a short biography to the agent you hope to work with. You will also need to carefully choose them based on their areas of expertise, your profile, and perhaps even your ambitions.
Most literary agents are grouped in the Alliance of Literary Agents (AALF) within the French Union of Artistic and Literary Agents (SFAAL), whose members are listed below .
Among these agents, there are professionals who work exclusively with established authors. Fred Vargas, Frédéric Beigbeder, and Marc Lévy all have agents who primarily handle contract renegotiations and transfers from one publishing house to another. The “transfer of the century” by Michel Houellebecq, as the magazine L’Express dubbed it at the time, when the writer moved from Fayard to Flammarion, was negotiated for over one million euros by François Samuelson (of the Intertalent agency, which also represents Pierre Assouline, Virginie Despentes, Antoine de Caunes, Colombe Schneck, and others).
Among the members of the AALF are numerous agencies open to collaborating with new authors, such as Susanna Lea Associates, a renowned literary agency based in Paris, London, and New York, which works with successful writers like Marc Lévy and Raphaëlle Giordano, as well as many others publishing their first novel. There is also Magalie Delobelle (SO FAR SO GOOD Agency), “a literary agency with an international outlook, dedicated to discovering new talent,” as she describes herself.
New agencies continue to emerge regularly. For example, in January 2020, Marie Lannurien and Julián Nossa launched BAM (Books And More Agency), an internationally focused agency. Based in Paris, BAM represents foreign publishing houses and, in parallel, handles the sale of foreign rights for French-language publishers.
Before embarking on the search for a literary agent, you will need to carefully understand the specific characteristics of each of these agencies, clearly identifying those that could support you in your literary project.
Do publishers view agents favorably?
French publishers have not always looked favorably upon the profession of literary agent, given the commercial abuses that this role, undefined in law, can generate.
When, in 2010, Andrew Wylie, founder of a literary agency based in London and New York, negotiated with the giant Amazon an exclusive for the distribution of several of his clients’ flagship titles in Kindle format, the national publishers’ union launched a petition and won its case thanks to the signature of fifty of the most important publishers.
History also shows that, conversely, the intervention of literary agents in the media and political landscape can have a very positive impact. For example, in 2017, when Donald Trump signed an immigration order targeting refugees and nationals from so-called “high-risk” countries (Yemen, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Sudan, Syria, and Iraq), some sixty literary agents launched a call for contributions to publish books by writers from those countries.
Today, the situation has changed and mentalities, aware of the changes to be made, are evolving towards professionalized support for authors and publishers in editorial work and the signing of contracts.
The parallel with screenwriters
Clarisse Potoky, a young screenwriter who works for Netflix and television, explained to me the three-way relationship between the writer, the agent, and the producer. “With the producer and the broadcaster, the writer doesn’t talk about money. We talk about the work, the story, the writing, and never about the financial aspects. Agents handle that part, among others. They negotiate our contracts, and not just the amounts of the services, but also the deadlines, the terms and conditions of the clauses. These are complex contracts, and the negotiations can sometimes be very long.”
Upon graduating from screenwriting school (the European Conservatory of Audiovisual Writing – CEEA), Clarisse immediately sought the services of an agent. It was a no-brainer for her. To land contracts, receive guidance, and launch her career, she needed a professional with experience and industry knowledge to support her. “An agent has two essential professional qualities: their network of contacts and their legal expertise,” she explains. “Sometimes, agents join forces and form agencies with a legal department comprised of legal experts.”
Today, screenwriting is a fully-fledged profession, whereas writing is more akin to an aspiration, a hobby, an art. And therein lies the fundamental difference between these two professions, which were initially so similar. A screenwriter’s agent is paid at each stage of the writing process, and the amounts owed are specified in the initial contract. Their share is therefore not dependent on the ratings of the series or film they wrote, unlike writers (and their agents, if applicable) who are only paid based on sales revenue.
For audiovisual creations, there are screenwriting courses, agents and a professionalized environment, whereas, for books, one still relies heavily on luck or one’s lucky star for the meeting between author and publisher to take place.
Edith & Us, facilitator of encounters
This is why Édith & Nous was created: to facilitate and simplify exchanges between authors and publishers. Through an algorithm and the use of keywords, Édith & Nous suggests manuscripts matching their search criteria to its partner publishers, categorized by genre (fiction, non-fiction, plays, poetry, etc.) and theme (brotherhood, old age, motherhood, prison, etc.). Furthermore, our editorial team, composed of experienced editors with a keen eye for the book industry, supports authors who submit one or more manuscripts to Édith & Nous. We regularly consult with publishers to understand their preferences and aspirations, and then advise them based on what we have read. In this way, Édith & Nous plays an important and stimulating intermediary role between authors and publishers.