Help Please! Query letter: Building a brand

[Emurelda]

All the query letters/covering letters I've seen, to publishers and agents, are straightforward; requesting representation for a book.

I have a slightly different angle to this. Whilst I too have a book I want to ask for representation, I also have games that accompany them. The other things I am looking to do (and I feel it is best) is not to create a brand around myself, like many authors have to do, but to build a brand around my characters.

One of the things I enjoy is building brands and weirdly, I can't help it. It seems everything has to be a series of games and now books. I've got 3 different brands in total. The first one I created I was lucky to sell last year, the second one is so far the most successful and was stocked in the Science Museum. Now my most ambitious one has stories emerging and all sorts of wonderful games and characters developing. Ravensburger, the biggest puzzle company in Europe no less, met with me and my colleague to discuss character licensing last year. They took a provisional interest subject to a toy company coming on board too. Which sounded really exciting if not a bit early. I want to mention this to any potential agent but does it matter to them?

And what is the best way to approach an agent - conventional way (i.e just try to sell the book) or is there a better route that I am unaware of for series of stories with collectible card games and potential character licensing?

I generally go with my instinct and it tells me just to include it all in the letter when writing to them. But should I go to merchandising agents or is that not something for me to be concerned about until an agent loves the concept too?

Appreciate any tips or gut opinions on this. I feel it's unusual, but maybe it isn't as everyone is building their own brands even if it is around themselves.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Well, I'm no agent, but if I had someone come to me saying that Ravensburger was coming out with a game based on the characters in the book, and you had a plan for marketing the two together, I'd jump at the chance to hop on. The agent primarily wants to know your book will sell, so any indication you can give that it will sell can't hurt. I'd say just keep it short and to the point in your query.

 

[James Marinero]

Definitely include details in your letter - they are a huge plus. Better still if you have an email/letter from Ravensburger to substantiate it.

Why not check whether Ravensburger have any similar product sets and whether they are linked to books? If so, chase down the publisher of the book.

 

[Emurelda]

Well, I'm no agent, but if I had someone come to me saying that Ravensburger was coming out with a game based on the characters in the book, and you had a plan for marketing the two together, I'd jump at the chance to hop on. The agent primarily wants to know your book will sell, so any indication you can give that it will sell can't hurt. I'd say just keep it short and to the point in your query.

My challenge is the 'short and to the point' bit. When the houses are open I hope we can get some feedback on covering letters too.

 

[David Steele]

I had a situation much like this about six years ago with a group of characters who lived in the imagination of a young girl. The characters themselves were the "hook" of the story and I was working on it with an illustrator and brand licensing expert.

We were marketing this work entirely differently to a normal "book", and were getting good responses from companies such as Cookie Jar (I think they produced Mona the Vampire). The key to success with a project like this is the Brand Licensing. You need to be able to demonstrate:

• How the characters will appeal to your demographic (And what your demographic is)
• The merchandisable quality of the brand. (Do the kids really want a purple spider on their lunchbox?)
• The potential for the brand to develop (How flexible is the format? How adaptable will it be to international markets?)

To these people, the story you've written is incidental. Please nobody take this as an insult, but Brand Licensing companies will happily pay a stable of copy-writers to churn out on-message stories for them. Likewise with art development. Once you've given them the character "bible", there are artists in the international market who can churn out comic books and vignettes for a dollar an hour.

What you have, as the product creator, is the ONE THING that they can't farm out - the idea. ( I thought my story was amazing, but that was never what licensing companies were interested in talking about)

Step 1 - Pay somebody to make models of your characters. They should be about pint pot high.
Step 2 - If you can't get the models, at least produce detailed poster illustrations of your characters.
Step 3 - Logo and brand. Spend some quality time on out. Even if you are a competent artist, consider "People per hour" for alternative ideas.
Step 3 - Produce a sample of about ten pages of words and illustration, concentrating on the world in which your characters live
Step 4 - Hire yourself a plot at a Brand Licensing Fair. (The ones we did were at Wembley and Birmingham NEC)
Step 6 - Produce lots of leaflets for people to take with them with product ideas. (Customisable card games / lunch boxes / Comic books)
Step 5 - Work your legs off at the fair. Do your homework on those attending. You will NEED to hire somebody to run your stall while you go out and sell the product.

Sorry if this is patronising you. Chances are you already know this stuff . And please don't take my advice at anything other than face value. My ideas for "Waywoodtm" are still sitting in a folder, unpublished, so all I can really tell you is how to fail!

The Waywood project was a massive shoot-yourself-n-the-foot moment for me, because the relationship I had with the artist/illustrator/marketing expert broke down and our project was abandoned in the fall out. If you have the talents to do this by yourself, you're on to a winner.

 

[Emurelda]

Definitely include details in your letter - they are a huge plus. Better still if you have an email/letter from Ravensburger to substantiate it.

Why not check whether Ravensburger have any similar product sets and whether they are linked to books? If so, chase down the publisher of the book.

Good headsup on book publisher linked to them. Thank you!

 

[Emurelda]

@David Steele That's an awesome tip. I have been focusing on the Toy industry which has worked in creating and nurturing some wonderful connections. But I had never thought about the Brand Licensing expos.

We have very similar experiences in creating a brand and cultivating it. The Elemons brand was originally launched as a card game and an app at the London Toy Fair and the UK Games Expo. I am the author of the books and co-designer of the games along with my illustrator - we have worked together since 2006 when I hired him for another brand of games (Top-Careers). So I feel confident in delivering the next brand together as both games and stories.

Most of my time has been in the development and story creation leaving me little room to promote and market, hence why I have focused on obtaining an agent who can fall in love with the brand and see its potential - I hope he/she is out there.

So I did wonder how it should be approached and maybe I will give the brand agents a letter or two. Did you get much interest from them?

The distributors want a minimum of 3 different games and again the Science Museum (who originally sold the Top Careers in Science/Engineering and Maths games) want 3 before they consider it. But funds are limited for small business or brand 'inventors'.

 

[David Steele]

I got some "We're very interested in this - please show it to us first when you're ready to market" type letters. But that's as far as we got. I went away to concentrate on the novel (huge mistake) and it fizzled out a few months later because my marketer was working in isolation. The post above is literally all I've got on this one, except to say that my advice would be to treat this as a business proposal first and a story second.

 

[Emurelda]

What did you understand by 'ready to market'? That could be a contentious question.

 

[David Steele]

As far as I was concerned it was when the book was finished. We were marketing on only half a book. Like I said, in hind-site I would have ditched the book... We had some awesome board game/ ccg concepts that never got made. My driver was "getting the script to Pixar".

We live and learn.

 

[Emurelda]

That's interesting because we had the card game concept complete and distributed. My experience is the other half of yours! The issue was maintaining it and churning out more content and games. Are you going to the UK Games Expo? There's some amazing people who can help and test your game to make sure it is as awesome as you believe it is.

 

[Emurelda]

Both the paper games industry and traditional publishing are as challenging as each other with different needs and market focuses. It's a case of doing what is best for the brand. Nothing is in vain from my experience so nothing is really lost just keep pushing it out. You never know.

 

[David Steele]

Nope. It's all in the past now. I might have a go at dragging it back from the ashes in a year or two, but my first priority at the moment is Marris and Wade. (My novel)

Game design was always going to be my "thing", right from being a sixth former, I designed fully formed RPG combat/ character systems which my mates used in preference to AD&D. It really should have been my career, but I joined the army to see what it was like and stayed there for fifteen years!

 

[David Steele]

If your game world needs a beautiful map, you might want to check out my cartography. We can discuss mates rates, of course!

 

[Emurelda]

This entry looks relevant for what I was after.

Licensing competition

Why Brand licensing didn't cross my mind I don't know.

 

[David Steele]

That's why you're here.

 

[Emurelda]

If your game world needs a beautiful map, you might want to check out my cartography. We can discuss mates rates, of course!

That's good to know thanks.

Got the logo and 17 characters completed only 101 to go..although it gets more complicated when the Elemons morph into Molemons

The book is about their back story and the battles that take place. They are akin to the Beast Quest series but for the next age i.e. 8 - 12. Here is the logo in a previous thread:

My first blurb!

 

[David Steele]

Excellent work. When life gives you Elemons, make Elemonade!

 

[Emurelda]

Excellent work. When life gives you Elemons, make Elemonade!

Yes I haven't heard before

 

[Jason Byrne]

I build elements from my work in 3D — more for fun and self-fulfillment than marketing. I attached an example: a giant that I sketched and built in 3ds Max.

But if you have an illustrator buddy to create an image to help sell your work, I wonder if that would be received well by agents/publishers, or frowned upon?

 

[Emurelda]

I don't have an illustrator for the books...just for the games. Thx for sharing those characters. The Elemons are more cartoon like. I can post a couple for show later when i get back to my desk where the files are.

 

[Emurelda]

I build elements from my work in 3D — more for fun and self-fulfillment than marketing. I attached an example: a giant that I sketched and built in 3ds Max.

But if you have an illustrator buddy to create an image to help sell your work, I wonder if that would be received well by agents/publishers, or frowned upon?

Found a few images online I can share here. These are three of the 17 Elemons already illustrated. They bring the elements of the periodic table to life as characters that I think are quite endearing. They certainly turn heads at trade shows.

One day I would love to have these in 3-D. One day.

 

[AliG]

These look great; what a terrific idea.
Back to the first question- I agree you should mention it; success is potent and shows commitment. A brief mention should suffice. If they want to know more they can ask. But it's the book they'll really care about so the game/cards needs to be background info, methinks.

 

[AliG]

Just checked out your site, David. Love your work. The blue dragon is totally wonderful. May well ask for some help with the Eridor series- when I get my head round what I need. My own floor plans of the underground castle and island are very basic.

 

[Emurelda]

If your game world needs a beautiful map, you might want to check out my cartography. We can discuss mates rates, of course!

Am gonna check some of your maps out..it is time.

 

[David Steele]

By amazing coincidence I have a meeting next week with my first map client in over a year.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

By amazing coincidence I have a meeting next week with my first map client in over a year.

Good luck!

 

[Emurelda]

By amazing coincidence I have a meeting next week with my first map client in over a year.

Definitely good luck with that! Had a look at your map-building. Very good sir! Am wondering where it would work in my book ..it may add a nice feature inside the book..mainly a black and white one for The Unnamed Planet, TUP.

 

[David Steele]

Definitely good luck with that! Had a look at your map-building. Very good sir! Am wondering where it would work in my book ..it may add a nice feature inside the book..mainly a black and white one for The Unnamed Planet, TUP.

First bit of advice I'd offer to anyone is to try either "Fiver" or "People per Hour" for your maps. I am MORE than happy to take on a contract, but my services are expensive in comparison with the competition, even though I will obviously massively discount my rates for you, being a friend. If you can't find a cheap illustrator on those markets who is able to provide the level of quality you need, I will be delighted to have that conversation.