The Great Agent Search

[mistymassey]

People ask me often how I got published. My path began when I was offered representation by my agent. Sure, one can achieve a publishing contract all alone, but the agent sure does help.

When Mad Kestrel was first ready for shopping around, I met an agent at a writing conference. We had a conversation about the first three chapters, and she asked me to send the full manuscript when I got home again. A few weeks after receiving the manuscript, she offered me representation, and said she'd be in touch soon with my contract and her submission plan.

Months went by. I attempted to email her, and call her, with no response. I didn't quite know what to do. She had my book, after all. What if she was so busy trying to sell it that she didn't have time to contact me? (Yeah, I know. I was naive.) After nearly a year, I met another agent, who was very excited about the book, and I decided to give her a shot instead.

But what to do about Agent #1? I sent her a certified letter stating that I was withdrawing my manuscript from her agency. I have no idea what happened to her, to this day. She's still in business, although I don't know of any titles she's sold in the last three or four years.

My pal, jpsorrow, has posted an interesting write-up of his own experience. Go take a look.

Comments

[popfiend.livejournal.com]

May I share?

I have many aspiring writers on my f-list and I think this could help.

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

Please do!

[n-decisive.livejournal.com]

There's some darn useful information here- thank you for posting this!

Would it be okay for me to add it to my memories?

(Here via popfiend)

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

Yes, indeed. I'm glad you found the information helpful!

[miintikwa.livejournal.com]

Here via the Fiend. Thank you for sharing. I read jpsorrow's journey yesterday, and I am getting there myself, soon-- next bit on my journey will be hopefully finding an agent-- and it's the Big Scary part of the journey, 'sfar as I'm concerned. :) It's nice to see the "how others have gone before" and realize that the road is well tamped down by previous feet.

[def-fr0g-42.livejournal.com]

Here via popfiend. Good post – this is one of the things I've been worrying about in regard to agents, especially as I'm based in Hong Kong, which I suspect will only make things more difficult. Local publishers here tend to pass you over unless you write specifically about Hong Kong. Good luck with the writing career!

The Long Wait

[arhyalon.livejournal.com]

I wonder if we all have stories like that. Our worst was the time my husband submitted his book to a publisher and, being good authors, we did not simutaineously submit. After a year, we wrote timidly and asked if there was any news...other houses had rejected it more quickly, so we were hopeful. They replied that they had sent it back months ago.

The manuscript was never found. (Thank God this was post computers, so all we had to do was print it again.)

On the other hand, I waited six years for Tor to decide if they were going to buy my book, and they eventually did...so it's hard to lay down a hard and fast rule.

(I recognized the name of your book, by the way, when I saw your livejournal login on David Coe's blog because Tor sent my husband (John C. Wright) a copy of your arc for comments. I don't think John ever did get to comment on it. It arrived amidst some deadlines. But I thought the title and premise sounded cool!)

Re: The Long Wait

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, I waited six years for Tor to decide if they were going to buy my book, and they eventually did...

It took a little more than a year, and a big rewrite, before Tor would commit to buying mine. Which at the time seemed soooooooo long. Now I know better. *grin*

But I thought the title and premise sounded cool!

Thank you! I hope when things settle down enough for y'all to read it, that you enjoy it.