Welcome Jennifer Jackson, agent with the Donald Maass Literary Agency. Jennifer represents around 50 authors of fiction in genres including women’s fiction, romance, mystery, suspense, fantasy, science fiction, and young adult.

Tell us about your agency and yourself.

The Donald Maass Literary Agency opened its doors in 1980. I joined the agency 15 years ago as Mr. Maass’ first assistant, and then started to build my own list of clients.  The agency has grown in that time too, and now has five full-time agents. You can find out more at our website. In my “spare” time, I enjoy cooking, watching indie movies, and ectophilic music in small concert venues.

What kind of book grabs your attention and makes you want to consider representing it?

This question comes up frequently, of course, because it’s what many writers want to know about agents in order to target them more effectively. I have to admit, though, that when I get asked this or other variations of “what are you looking for?” that I feel challenged to come up with a succinct answer.

I’ve tried to look over my list and find commonalities — great writing, adept characterization, layered plots, and so forth — but there are books I have represented that seem to defy comparison beyond the fact that the authors are incredibly creative and talented. I have eclectic reading habits on my own time, too. It also strikes me that a question like this seems, by definition, to sound exclusionary to some people. And there are stories out there that you don’t know you’re looking for - I’m open to exploring the idea of growing my list in a new direction.

How much input do you expect to have on a client’s work?

I believe in a hands-on approach with a focus on career planning and editorial support. I also understand that I am only one reader, and I need to listen as well as offer feedback. It definitely depends on what the client wants or needs. I try to tailor my response to each client personally. But I consider creative development an important aspect of what I offer a client.

Do you consider yourself a career-builder? Can you give us an example?

Career building is the cornerstone of developing a vibrant client list, so, yes, absolutely. Building individual careers, side by side, at different paces, and in different genres makes my list a tapestry that I can enjoy weaving together. I have clients who have been with me for their entire careers and others who have joined me with a few titles or more on their resume. For example, fantasy author Anne Bishop and I have been together since her first novel and this last spring she published her 10th, Tangled Webs, which made the USA Today Bestseller List. Each book has represented a step forward in expanding her audience. It’s been a fantastic journey, and I get a little thrill whenever I get another finished book in my hands.

How do you advise clients who want to venture into new genres or make a departure from their published works?

I’m certainly supportive of writers who want to explore new territory. At the same time, there are a number of things to take into consideration. Will the readers follow the author? Will they need to work with a different publisher, or perhaps more than one publisher? Will this have an effect on their publication schedule? Will they need to take on a pseudonym? Those are just a few examples. To some extent, moving into a new genre can be like beginning an additional writing career. It needs to be done thoughtfully and with planning, but I would offer to discuss all the ramifications of making such a change and then do my utmost to further the client’s interests in pursuing it, if we both agree the timing is right.

A recent example of this from my client list is  C.E. Murphy’s The Queen’s Bastard, which came out in May from Random House — her previous works were urban fantasy published by Harlequin’s Luna line, but this book was a political fantasy with a large scope that didn’t fit with Luna’s focus. While both this book and her Urban Shaman series as well as her Negotiator trilogy fall under the overall fantasy umbrella, The Queen’s Bastard represented a new direction in her writing. She’s also written for Harlequin’s category lines under the name Cate Dermody, and, in that case, it seemed a pseudonym was the right way to go. This winter will also see the launch of her original comic book series, Take A Chance. She’s a good example of a writer with a lot of creative ideas that don’t fit squarely into one path, but each of those paths need to be negotiated with a plan, and in those situations having an agent in your corner can be a real asset.

How do you accommodate a client who has a project to market which is not in your area of expertise?

Taking into account that there may be a learning curve involved, my first approach is to educate myself on the area of the market in question. Through other agents at DMLA, as well as other colleagues who are also agents and editors, I’d expand my network of contacts, if necessary. I’m also acquainted with a number of editors, even if I haven’t yet worked with them directly, from meeting them at industry functions and conferences. In this respect, over the last few years, cultivating new markets with my clients has led to my list expanding into the young adult category. Also, I remember when my client  Donna Ball came to me with an idea, and commented that she was sure I wasn’t the right reader for it. However, after I read the proposal, I fell in love with the story about three women at turning points in their lives who buy a rundown sprawling southern house together. I hadn’t really marketed anything similar in the past, but she’d hooked me, and I was enthusiastic about working on the project, so she gave me the green light. I sold the book, A Year on Ladybug Farm, and it will be coming out next March.

How dedicated are you to selling a project which you like but which doesn’t sell quickly and easily (in, say, the first three submissions)?

Having faith and belief in a client and their work is an essential part of my approach to representation. Three seems like a very low benchmark to me, and there are projects that certainly take a longer journey. Sometimes one even has to return to them after the market changes if they don’t happen to sell on the first time out. I once had a first novel that took me two and a half years to sell. But I knew its time would come — the right home was found, and that author has gone on to publish several more books. On the other side of that coin, sometimes the author and I need to discuss whether the feedback from submissions indicates that the book isn’t a good direction to take, and I take that seriously, too. Re-evaluating before burning through the available markets is also an important consideration.

What is the biggest mistake you think writers today typically make in the genres you represent?

Not reading widely enough. Not just in their own genre, but out of it as well; and non-fiction too. I know in this fast-paced world, one never feels they have enough time. I have to work at it to find time to read more than just submissions myself. But I think it’s important for writers to also participate in the community as readers.

Do you accept electronic submissions?

Email to info@massagency.com is the most efficient way to send a submission. Send an overview of your writing background along with information about the next project you want to work on, including a synopsis and the first five pages (in the body of the email - no attachments, please) so I can get the flavor of your work. Even though my list is fairly full, I will always find a way to make room for a story I fall in love with.

Anything else you would like to say?

Many thanks for the invitation to participate here, and especially to my client Patricia Rosemoor for all her efforts. If you want to know more about me, you can visit my blog.