“You do not forget great writing. An agent reads a lot, but the ones that stick with you are the ones that you want to work on.”
Hello Loreates!
Before we get to this week’s Well Published presentation, I want you to know about a new feature of MFA Lore. I’ve decided to create a special Loreates’ Corner at the end of every Saturday post, where I’ll spotlight three Substacks from our community each week. This is one way to support and introduce you to each other. There’s some dazzling writing in our group, and we should all know about it!
In today’s corner at the end of this post, find the stacks of
, , and .Also, paid Loreates, don’t forget that our Zoom gathering is TODAY at 10amPT. Can’t wait to see you!
Now on to Agents Today! Thank you , , , , , , and many others for tuning into my live video with (Cameron)!
Well Published! is an occasional live/video feature of Aimee Liu’s MFA Lore, offering interviews with recently published authors and publishing professionals about the nitty gritty of getting… well published! Subscribe now to access the full archive of videos and other essential insights about creative writing and the writing life.
Agents Today: Key Insights from Literary Agent Kimberley Cameron
About Kimberley Cameron
Kimberley has been a literary agent for nearly 30 years and is president of Kimberley Cameron and Associates. She represents both fiction and nonfiction (excluding romance, children’s books, and screenplays) and works alongside five other agents at her agency, based in Tiburon, CA. She’s particularly enthusiastic about launching debut authors. More at kimberleycameron.com
What Agents Look For
The Critical First Impression
Kimberley emphasized that voice is paramount—manuscripts must grab attention in the first few paragraphs. Seriously. She will not read to page 5 if you don’t grab her on page 1.
She looks for accomplished writing that shows the author has done the necessary rewriting work to make it market-ready. When writing truly shines, it stands above manuscripts that aren’t yet ready—not necessarily bad, just not prepared for the market.
Kimberley noted that great writing stays with you: “You do not forget great writing. An agent reads a lot, but the ones that stick with you are the ones that you want to work on.”
What Makes a Manuscript Stand Out
The decision isn’t based on just one element—it’s the complete package. Strong voice, compelling story, effective plot turns, and how scenery becomes character all factor in. When multiple elements come together well, agents keep reading.
The Agent-Author Relationship
A Long-Term Investment
Kimberley viewed the agent-author relationship as a career investment, not just individual book deals. She has clients with whom she’s worked on 29 books, describing these long-term relationships as “like a marriage.”
Editorial Work Before Submission
Agents edit extensively before sending manuscripts to publishers—sometimes reviewing a project once, sometimes three times. This pre-submission work is all done without payment, representing a significant time investment. The goal is to protect both the manuscript and the agent’s reputation, ensuring they don’t waste editors’ time.
However, Kimberley clarified that when manuscripts are truly ready, she doesn’t tear them apart for major rewrites. Some clients write so cleanly that books are ready to go with minimal changes. The editorial work focuses on small fixes and clarifications, not fundamental restructuring.
The Agent’s Ongoing Role
After a sale, agents review contracts carefully, sometimes using outside counsel for major deals with the big five publishers. They remain involved throughout the process, serving as referees between authors and editors.
Current State of Publishing
The Market Reality
Kimberley stressed that agents can’t base decisions on current marketplace trends because the publishing timeline spans two years from contract to publication, and the market changes rapidly during that period.
The big five publishers are overwhelmed with submissions due to the dramatic increase in agents—from 90 when Kimberley started to 400 in the AALA now. So every submission needs to stand out on its own merits.
Money and Advances
Kimberley observed that the industry has split: auctions generate substantial money while the mid-list has essentially disappeared. Advances for mid-list authors have decreased compared to previous years.
Payment structures have changed significantly. Publishers now extend payment schedules to manage financial risk, sometimes spreading advances over multiple years beyond publication.
Small Presses as a Viable Path
Kimberley works extensively with smaller publishers that catch writers the big five consider too risky. While there isn’t much money in these deals, she emphasized that most writers should understand they’re in publishing for the writing and publication itself, not the money.
Her persistence drives her work with small presses: “I’m a good agent cause I’m stubborn. And if I believe in something, it’s like, no, I really think that this is really good. And I’m going to find somebody, even if I have to look under a rock to find a publisher for this thing.”
Genre Trends
Kimberley identified romantasy and horror as particularly strong genres, suggesting readers seek escape from present reality. She also sees robust interest in literary fiction featuring previously underrepresented voices.
Despite political uncertainties, Kimberley believed “publishing is really healthy right now” and emphasized it’s not a time of gloom and doom.
Marketing and Author Responsibility
Authors now must take responsibility for their own PR and marketing. Publishers can’t do it all as they once did, so Kimberley recommended good publicists as an investment, particularly when smaller publishers lack marketing budgets.
Challenges and Opportunities
Political Climate and Diversity
Kimberley called the current moment “the age of uncertainty,” acknowledging that the political climate affects publishing decisions. However, she viewed this as temporary.
Diversity remains crucial: “The more diverse your characters, the more interesting they are, the more people can learn about people they don’t know about.” She still sees significant publishing activity around diverse voices and perspectives.
AI’s Impact
Kimberley acknowledged AI as a useful research tool but warned against AI-generated query letters and correspondence, which agents can recognize through excessive superlative adjectives and overly complimentary language.
Regarding AI-generated books, Kimberley remained optimistic: “I don’t think AI books are going to be successful in the marketplace because they’re not going to be very good. You know, they just they can’t take on the nuances that a human being can.”
Advice for Writers
Persistence and Craft Development
Kimberley encouraged writers to attend conferences and continue honing their craft: “Those people that keep going and working and honing their craft are the ones that get representation. It’s just the way it works.”
Her final encouragement: “Keep working on your craft and believe in it and believe in yourself. And don’t let anybody tell you no until you feel that either you shouldn’t be doing this or that you’re really getting it.”
Querying Strategy
Writers should research agents on agency websites to find the best fit for their work. Agents open and close to submissions regularly, so checking back at the beginning of each month is worthwhile.
The Role of Love in Publishing
Kimberley emphasized that love drives the industry: “Most agents I know” work primarily “out of labor of love.” Money, when it comes, is a bonus, but the real motivation is loving the work itself.
Key Takeaway
Kimberley wanted writers to know that “publishing is always going to survive.” Her optimism extended to writers: “I think that if you feel that really drive to write, just keep going.”
Loreates’ Corner
I’m delighted to introduce you to a few of the wonderful stacks by writers in our community. Please read, subscribe, and share!
writes Living in 3D:
writes Ancestory:
writes Queer People Talking:
