Interactive Interview with an Agent: Jenny Bent

Welcome to another interactive installment of “Interview with an Agent”! Today’s interview features Jenny Bent, founder of The Bent Agency. Check out the interview, then check out her blog, then hop back over here to ask her any other questions you have. (Details on the interactive part are at the bottom. The format’s a little different today, so make sure you read them.)

KV: How often does a query intrigue you enough to look at the included pages? And how often do those pages intrigue you enough to request the manuscript?

JB: I get about fifty queries a day, sometimes more, and usually will at least glance quickly at the pages, unless it's just an entirely inappropriate query. I probably request one full every three to five days. Read this post by one of my interns, because your chances are actually better than they seem.

KV: What are you looking for in a requested manuscript?

JB: Distinctive voice, strong characters, tight pacing.

KV: What are some of the most common problems you see in the manuscripts you request?

JB: Pacing is usually a really big problem.

KV: When you come across a manuscript you really like/love, how do you decide whether to request revisions or offer representation?

JB: You just answered the question! ;) If I really like it, I request revisions. If I love it, I offer representation.

KV: When you do make that Call, you’re probably going to ask the writer if she has any questions. What sorts of questions should she ask?

JB: When I call, I very much hope that the author has done his/her homework and so knows about my list and the kinds of the books I represent, and that should cut down on some of the questions. (By the way, hands down best resource for researching agents, bar none, is Publishers Marketplace. Pay the $20 fee for a month and do your homework by searching Deal Lunch for an agent's deals.)

But she should definitely ask the following:

*Do I see foreign rights potential? If so, how do I sell those rights (sub-agents, in-house person, combination of both)?
*Do I see film potential? And if so, how would I sell those rights (same as above)?
*How much editorial work do I see as necessary? When would I be able to get back to her with the notes?
*Will I send copies of correspondence from editors during the submission process?
*How accessible am I for phone calls, e-mails?
*Will I work with her directly or will her primary contact be an assistant?

KV: And now for a few quick questions from the normal interview. What client work do you have coming out soon? What drew you to those writers and/or projects?

JB: Three books are out right now:

BENT ROAD by Lori Roy
THROUGH HER EYES by Jennifer Archer
THE WELCOME HOME GARDEN CLUB by Lori Wilde

Another one, THE ART OF SAYING GOODBYE by Ellyn Bache, pubs in June.

All female authors, all voice-driven, very tight plots and pacing. Different genres (literary suspense, young adult, romance, women's fiction), but they have these things in common.

KV: Is there something you haven’t been seeing lately in the slush pile that you wish you were? What are you tired of seeing at the moment?

JB: I would love more high concept young adult, dark creepy romantic suspense, and literary suspense, and women's book club fiction.

KV: What’s the best way to query you?

JB: Always, always electronically. Guidelines on my website: thebentagency.com.

Thanks again, Ms. Bent, for these answers. I especially liked the list of questions to ask an offering agent. I’m sure we’re all taking notes and hoping we actually get to use them someday:)

And now for the best part. Like I mentioned before, we’re doing the interactive interview a little differently today, so here’s how it’ll work: Instead of answering questions for a specific amount of time, Ms. Bent is going to answer THE FIRST TEN QUESTIONS posted in the comments. For the sake of fairness (and in the interest of not taking up all of Ms. Bent’s Friday), PLEASE LIMIT YOURSELF TO ONLY ONE QUESTION. (That means you can’t do what I did and ask multiple questions at once.) If you do ask more than one, I’m afraid we’ll have to banish you to the Dharma Initiative’s latest research facility. And when we reach the ten-question quota, I’ll leave a note in the comments, and I will delete any additional questions left after that.

Have at it!