Continuing on with my series of people associated with the publishing industry that may be of interest to Canadian writers of science fiction and fantasy, here is a recent interview I did with agent Jack Byrne.

Tell me a little about yourself and the agency. How long have you been in the business and so on... What are some of your current projects?

The Larry Sternig Literary Agency thrived for over forty years with an established reputation for integrity and dedicated professionalism.  In the fall of 1995 I (an agency client, writing consultant, freelance writer and writing instructor) joined as a full partner and the name changed to the Sternig & Byrne Literary Agency.  Larry Sternig passed away in 1999.  Since that time, I’ve narrowed the scope of agency representation and deal primarily with science fiction, fantasy and mystery. 

I notice that your literary agency isn't based in New York. How does that affect your work? Are there advantages, disadvantages?

I’m comfortable working in the Midwest and am willing to accept whatever disadvantages (if any) may be associated with not being in New York.  With the current state of communications technology available, about the only thing I don’t have is regular face to face contact with editors.  However, I attend WorldCon and World Fantasy Con as well as several smaller genre cons and use those opportunities to meet with editors and publishers…and I’m fond of the telephone!

Do you have many Canadian clients? How do you pitch a Canadian author's manuscript to a N.Y. editor who may never have heard of your client?

Currently my client list includes Jo Walton, Alison Baird and Moira Moore (her first book, Resenting the Hero, will be released by Ace in 2006).  My approach with Canadian writers is no different than with any other client; I only take on material that personally excites me and I try to generate that same enthusiasm in an editor.

In the genre of F/SF, what are editors looking for? Do you see any future trends that authors wishing to market in the U.S. should be aware of? Are you looking for any particular types of manuscripts at the moment?

I personally do not try to anticipate trends.  I look for material that excites me and then for an editor I feel might be equally impressed.  If pressed, I guess I would like to see more science fiction, especially hard science fiction, and fantasy with something new for me…a fresh approach or slant or “hook,” something to differentiate it from the constant flow of “I’ve-Seen-It-Before” material.

Tell me about the agenting process. If an author sends sample chapters and you are interested in seeing more, what happens next? And, how long, on average does the process take once you have agreed to represent an author till the book is sold and published?

I prefer to receive query letters or e-queries.  If one catches my eye, I’ll request a partial (synopsis and sample chapters) and if that hold up for me, I’ll ask to see the entire manuscript.  Once I take on a client, I get to work on selling it.  I’ve sold a new client’s book the first time I sent it out (perhaps a month or so from the time I accepted the writer for representation) and I’ve had works making the rounds for years with no sale thus far.  There is no honest answer as to how long it takes to sell.

Do you have a standard contract you want signed? What is it like and for how long is it in effect?

I offer a very informal one-page author-agent agreement for those writers who wish one; for most, I have simply a “hand-shake” agreement.  I’m comfortable with either, but I can fully understand writers who wish to have specifics spelled out on paper. 

As the large publishing houses tighten their belts and make it more difficult for a new author to get a manuscript read, there is a growing frustration among both authors and readers alike. Can you comment on publishing alternatives, small publishing houses, e-books, publishing abroad, any other ways an author can get his/her work published without going through the big firms based in N.Y. who seem at present to monopolize the market?

The small specialty presses are a viable market for new writers; you won’t get rich but you may get your book in print and your name noticed.  The option I do not recommend is self publishing.  The magazine market for short genre fiction is an excellent place to get your foot in the door; lots of magazines, each needing work and each hoping to find new exciting writers…and the readers of those (great) short stories will be inclined to buy your (great) novels; editors know this and so a track record of magazine sales makes your novel more appealing.

Travel costs in Canada are often twice as much when traveling to cons in the U.S as people in the States pay. Is attending cons the best strategy for a Canadian author to meet editors and agents? Can you suggest other alternatives? Which cons are best to attend for a professional writer?

There are many many cons each year and I’m familiar with only a handful.  I’d suggest that you learn as much as you can about any that fit your budget and then choose ones that suit your interests (WisCon in Madison, Wisconsin, for example, is geared toward feminism in science fiction and fantasy and has a clear focus on what it is and what it wants to accomplish).  Most cons have web sites and if they’re informative enough, these sites can help you choose which will best suit your needs; conversely, if a con’s web site is not informative…that tells you something, too.

The traditional way to get a book published was to first build up a track record by publishing short stories in genre magazines. Fans I've talked to who read novels say they rarely read short stories. And those who seem to like short stories and anthologies don't seem to read many novels. Can you speak to this issue? Is the traditional method still the way to go or can a new author get a novel published without this?

There is no single way to get started; I have clients who started in magazines and now either write novels exclusively or do both and I have Canadian Moira Moore, whose first book sold to the first editor I sent it to…without any short fiction credits to her name.

If you can’t write a good short story to save your life, write books.  If you enjoy writing the short form, write the short form.  Writing is hard work and you only make it more difficult if you try to write something you do not enjoy

How does Canadian culture and setting affect sales of a book in the U.S.?

I have absolutely no idea if it affects it at all.

What do you see as the future of book publishing and F/SF in particular?

Some have predicted the death of the genre for years but SF/F is still around; it grows and changes and falls down now and then, but it’s literature that can open our eyes in ways mainstream and literary books cannot.  Other genres of writing…mysteries, romance, even some mainstream…have sometimes incorporated elements of SF/F and SF/F has borrowed from those genres; the lines blend and blur and sometimes it’s impossible to point at a title and easily categorize it without adding qualifiers.  Whatever happens will be greatly influenced by what we as writers and we as readers do. A single terrific book or series of books that catches the readers in significant numbers can affect publishing decisions (think of a young English character who shall remain nameless).  Of course, outside factors will determine the direction of the business, too, but we can't control them; we can control our own contributions. 

Thank you very much, Mr. Byrne.