Good, Great... or HOT?

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed that I've taken on a few new clients in the last month or so. And if you have a query or a partial in my box, and I haven't responded yet, you're probably wondering... what gives?

Why do some projects sit in my box and take longer to get an answer, while others seem like they get jumped on right away?

Well, the plain truth is that your project may be good. It might even be very good and I might love it. But the projects I jump on and move quickly with are the ones that are hot.

What's a hot project? It's a project I not only believe in, I'm also confident I can sell it relatively quickly. If it's non-fiction, it's a fresh new idea, has a super high felt need and the author has a strong platform and/or an obvious media hook. If it's fiction, I absolutely love both the story and the writing, it has a strong hook, and is a genre that's selling well. With a hot project, I can immediately think of several editors who would like it. It doesn't need editing or reworking. The proposal is nicely done and I don't have to rewrite it. The author appears to have long-term potential. Basically, this project looks like a sure thing. It's also likely that other agents are considering it, so if I want it, I need to move fast.

Since I run a business (I love my job but love doesn't put food on the table), I try to make good business decisions. I jump on hot projects. Other projects... those I like but they aren't hot... usually have to wait until I have more time in my schedule to assess them, and more carefully weigh the likelihood of selling this project and how much of my time it might take.

A project that's very good (or even great in some respect) may still present challenges for me. The genre might be tough to sell right now. The market might already be glutted with that particular kind of book. If it's fiction, it might show incredible potential and I might love the first few chapters, but then I realize the book still needs a lot of work. I have to weigh whether I'm able to put that kind of work into an author, or whether I need to recommend they get their writing up a notch, then come back to me. If it's non-fiction, I might absolutely love the idea and the writing, but the author might have a small or non-existent platform, meaning a lot more work for me to sell it, plus a bigger chance that it won't sell at all.

Unfortunately, you may not have total control over the factors that define the difference between very good and hot. Maybe just knowing how it works can make the process a little less mysterious. If agents and editors aren't jumping on your query or proposal or manuscript, then for whatever reason, it's not being perceived as hot. There may or may not be anything you can do about that, depending on what you're writing.

Now here's the important thing: Just because your book isn't "hot" doesn't mean it won't sell. More on that tomorrow.

Rachelle Gardner, Christian Literary Agent, Colorado