Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong is a literary agent for Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. The following is an interview we shared after our initial meeting during WriterCon in Oklahoma City, OK.
Before we begin, Armstrong is currently open to queries, which she only accepts via Query Manager. She actively represents fiction and loves a compelling romance plot. Check out what she’s looking for in greater detail with either of the above links.
Agent–Author Relationships.
The interview started with some humor as I explained most authors consider literary agents to be a mix between deities and gatekeepers. In that vein, I asked Armstrong how she views the role of literary agents.
“My approach to agenting is more as an equal partner,” Armstrong explained. “My job is to love my client’s work as much as they love it while maintaining objectivity.”
Armstrong went on to explain how she considers it her duty to become emotionally invested in the work of her clients. She believes listening to hopes and dreams is part of the job as much if not more so than her responsibility to find a great home for her authors’ stories.
“I want to hear if they have editor or publisher preferences,” Armstrong continued. “It’s my job to keep the author grounded and help them make good business decisions instead of emotional ones so their interests are protected.”
As the relationship and partnership grows, Armstrong laid out how she likes to step back and allow her clients to navigate their own relationships with their editors while still remaining on standby if difficult conversations arise.
To summarize, Armstrong said, “I become close with my clients and take the job of protecting their best interests very seriously, always acting as the author’s champion, and when necessary, the bad guy when hard conversations become apparent.”
Then, we went on to the difficult question.
What Stands Out in a Query?
This question is one that eats at authors in the query trenches. What do literary agents look for?
“Oh, gosh,” Armstrong said, “I don’t know how to answer this.”
Armstrong knew how to answer the question, and she answered it exceptionally well. Still, what it shows is that the process can be just as difficult for the agent as it is for the author. There’s no exact science; but when pressed, Armstrong gave great insight on what she looks for.
“I look for a well-written query,” she started, “but more than that, I look for good writing in the sample pages. Sometimes the query doesn’t hit, but I’ll read the sample pages and they are so well done, I’ll ask for more.”
Armstrong has to be drawn in on those opening pages. That’s what pulls her to partner with many of her clients.
“The writing will be mostly error-free on a line level,” she said. “But [the writing] will also draw me into the story by evoking some emotion like curiosity, sympathy, fear, humor, etc.”
Now, an important thing to note, most authors reading this are probably thinking the same thing: I know I can write well. I just don’t have a great social media following.
If you find yourself having that thought, you’re not alone. Thus, the next question…
How Much Does Social Media Matter?
“Because I represent only fiction,” Armstrong explained, “the only reason I check out an author’s social media is to double-check they’re someone I can work with.”
Armstrong went on to talk about how she doesn’t care what kind of following her clients have or what they post as long as she thinks they are a good fit for her client list.
“The most important aspect is that they’re kind people,” she said. “If I stumble across a potential client bullying or harassing or otherwise being mean-spirited, it’s a hard no for me. I just don’t have time for that. Since the agent-client relationship can be very personal, I need to know it’s someone I’ll enjoy working with in 10 or 20 years.”
Armstrong did touch on how much more she would care about social media if she was representing non-fiction. Typically, agents want an existing audience for non-fiction since most books are sold from an expert perspective or a reason the author has authority on the subject.
Then, the conversation moved to the future.
How Will the Publishing Industry Evolve?
“I guess I think the publishing industry is a revolving circle, for the most part,” Armstrong said. “For example: After the Twilight craze fizzled out, we went several years where editors and readers didn’t want to see anything with vampires. But now they’re back and people are excited about them again!”
Essentially, the publishing industry always comes full circle. What is out now might be back next year. Interestingly, and possibly unsurprisingly for most, Armstrong also talked about the growth of the romance industry–specifically, dark romance.
“The romance industry embraces more books that are popular on current ebook platforms with darker themes and deeper plot lines,” Armstrong said. “Right now, the romance industry is really about “light” romance with comedic elements, but I think the stakes are going to rise. I mean, they are already moving that way with authors like Lucy Score, Ana Huang, Elsie Silver, and Megan Quinn crossing over to traditional publishing.”
In closing, I asked Armstrong if there was anything she wanted readers to know about her.
“I was an author before I was an agent, so I’m constantly considering what it’s like from the other side,” she said. “I understand the frustration of being passed on while in the query trenches. So, when I say ‘hang in there’ or ‘don’t give up’, it’s because I truly believe this business is far more about patience and perseverance than it is about raw talent.”
Armstrong closed the interview with some inspiring words I think all should hear.
“True, you must have some talent to be successful, but all the talent in the world is useless if you give up.”
Don’t forget to pre-order my dark, epic fantasy releasing on October 15th, The Cruelty of Magic!
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