Part II in BookInfo’s aptly if uncreatively dubbed “Advice from…” Series brings an interview with a literary agent and some rough guidelines from an editor to the fore. Both are courtesy of the cornucopia of information that is mediabistro.com.

AvantGuild spoke to Ted Weinstein, who became a literary agent after fifteen years in the publishing industry, working in such fields such as marketing, business development, and writing. His agency, based in San Francisco, focuses mainly on nonfiction, working with journalists and academics, and finding out this kind of information about any agency that you are considering is paramount.

For example, the chief recommendation that Weinstein has in terms of submission etiquette is to do proper research and look at Weinstein’s website. Guidelines are available both for the kind of work the agency handles, and how best to submit. Nothing will eliminate you from consideration faster than failing to do basic research and consequently including material contrary to an agency’s wishes. And nothing could waste your own time, as well as the agency’s, more than submitting to an agency that does not handle your kind of work. Weinstein said that he only accepts one or two percent of unsolicited material, but largely because so much of what he receives is not in the genre that he represents. With serious writers who have adhered to the submission guidelines, says Weinstein, “the odds are better because the overall quality is generally better.”

Mediabistro also shares the experience of Bill Belcher, a travel and adventure writer who put forth his newfound knowledge after spending several months editing LA Weekly’s OUT THERE section. Belcher’s advice on “How Not to Piss Off an Editor” is a succinct list of a few things not to do, such as:

Don’t:

• Send in a “rough draft.” I only want to see your best, finished work.
• Send me a complete ms when I ask for queries (pitches) only. I can scan a pitch quickly and tell if it’s of interest and not something we’ve already done or already have in the works. I don’t have time to read the entire story to figure this out.
• Send me a 1,200 word ms when I’ve asked for 650 and suggest I cut it.

These are only a few of his suggestions; read the article for the full take. Becher’s ‘Do’ list is even more succinct, but very often Goofus is more useful than Gallant when it comes to literary submission etiquette. The unwritten post “How to Impress an Editor” often has the most to do with submitting a well-written piece—and that’s a whole different task.