Interview with Erin Murphy, Literary Agent
Erin Murphy founded her agency about seven years ago after serving as editor-in-chief of Northland Publishing. During her tenure there, the company’s imprint for children, Rising Moon, was established. Prior to opening her agency, Murphy did freelance critiquing and editing for children’s authors. At present, her client list includes Susan Vaught, Janette Rallison, Robert Kinerk, and Mary Blount Christia. Murphy believes in close communication with the authors she represents and has a strong interest in collaborative development of their careers (and hers) in the long-term.
What motivated you to leave your position as editor-in-chief of Northland Publishing to become an agent?
I didn’t actually leave to become an agent. When I left Northland I intended to do freelance editing work. As an editor I had worked on both children’s books and regional nonfiction for adults, and I did freelance work in regional nonfiction. I was surprised, though, to hear from so many children’s writers I’d met over the years, asking if they could pay me to edit and critique their manuscripts. That evolved quickly into representing their work as an agent—and “agenting” turned out to be my dream job.
What are some good questions an author in search of an agent should ask?
The questions you choose to ask should be based on the things that are important to you. I’ll cover this in much greater detail in one of my sessions at the conference, but as a couple of quick examples, if you have strong feelings about the possibilities for film rights based on your works, you’d want to ask a potential agent about success in selling film rights, what co-agent he or she works with in Hollywood, and so on. If you have always felt that a good agent has to be in New York, and you’re considering working with someone who doesn’t live there, you might ask how that agent stays in touch with editors in New York, how often he or she visits the city, and questions along those lines. I have had many potential clients who have worked with other agents in the past ask me how often I communicate with my clients, as they felt they didn’t hear from their previous agent often enough.
In fact, communication is a key area to sort out before signing with an agent. How often will they update you on marketing efforts they’ve made on your behalf, and how often is it reasonable for you to contact the agent, and what means do they prefer you use? Another good general area to cover is the agent’s success; ask for a list of recent sales and ask if you may contact a couple of current clients to check their satisfaction with the agent.
What is the best way for a writer to approach you?
I only take queries or submissions from people I’ve met in person, such as at conferences, or people who come to me by referral (such as from a current client, an editor, etc.)—so the first thing to do is come to the RMC SCBWI conference in September! If you attend the conference and feel, after meeting me, that we might be a good match (that I am comfortable with the types of things you write, that our personalities won’t clash, that my style suits yours), send me something in the mail. Tell me in the very first line of the cover letter or query letter that you were at the conference, and if we spoke there, remind me something about you or our conversation. I really look to sign writers, not projects, so tell me about you as a writer—how long you’ve been writing, what you’ve done to develop your craft, what level of success you’ve achieved, and what projects you have available to market.
Do you prefer to receive queries or complete manuscripts?
You know, I’m just not that picky. Whatever feels right to you. On the one hand, if you just send a query, and the work you’re doing just isn’t a fit for me, subject-wise or genre-wise, or if I have something too similar already, you’ve only wasted the cost of one stamp, one envelope, and one piece of paper. On the other hand, if I do want to see the things you query about, you’ll have to send a second package.
I do prefer to receive all queries and submissions via snail mail, but if you’re just querying (no manuscripts or partials included), there’s no need to send a SASE—just tell me your email address and I’ll respond via e-mail. If you do send manuscripts, I like to see full picture books and partial novels, and definitely send a SASE in that case. If you have a large number or big range of available projects, send enough of a sampling to give me a good idea of what you have, but not so much that it’s overwhelming. Three picture book manuscripts and samples of a novel or two are good guidelines to work from.
What quality or characteristic of a manuscript makes you say, “Wow! I love this.”?
Wow, that’s hard to answer! Every manuscript I love is different! I’d have to say the number one thing that catches my heart is a strong voice.
What advice do you have for writers who wish to promote their books?
Firstly, I hope all writers wish to promote their books! Books simply don’t survive without their authors out there fighting for them in the marketplace.
The best advice I have is to figure out your strengths and work with them. Develop many local contacts and expand outward from there. Do school visits of a sort that suit you. (Are you better with big groups or small, young kids or older?) Build a professional-looking website that reflects your personality. Find your own unique approach to book promotion just as you did to writing—but find some way to promote your book, and don’t stop!
Have you been forced to reject manuscripts you loved because of marketing concerns?
Yes. I can think of one fantasy novel in particular that pops into my head now and then. The writing was really strong and I loved the characters, but to sell right now, fantasy by unknown writers has to really have something new to say—a setting nobody has ever encountered before, a twist on the standard tropes. Another example: A client I’m currently working with had a wonderful chapter book that was dead in the water the moment the movie Akeelah And The Bee came out—the plots were just too similar.
In what way has your work as an editor influenced your work as an agent?
I work with my clients editorially before sending out their work for the first time, and continue to work with them on revisions as needed.
Are there aspects of your job which you wish could be different?
I wish I could clone myself. I wish there were more hours in the day. I wish it weren’t so expensive to visit Manhattan.
Mostly, though, I love my job. Love it, love it. It’s a great fit for me, and I have a hard time thinking of things I would change about it.
How does your style differ from that of other agents?
Well, I’ve never worked with another agent, so that’s hard for me to answer. I think all agents are different, just as all people are different. I can tell you that in his book Literary Agents: A Writer’s Guide, Adam Begley refers to two types of agents: “reading agents” and “selling agents.” Reading agents are focused on the writing; selling agents are focused on deal-making and tend to represent more commercial works. (Which is not to say that reading agents don’t sell anything!) I’m most definitely a reading agent.
I tend to stay in close touch with my clients, many of who have formed an online community and are often in touch with each other, too.