Comments on: What If Those Pesky Agents Don’t Bite?

By: Today’s Reading List

Today’s Reading List — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:26:10 +0000

[…] What If Those Pesky Agents Don’t Bite? from Advanced Fiction Writing Blog […]

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:34:45 +0000

I agree with Randy that the level of enthusiasm is good indicator — but hard to judge. I asked an editor to critique my query letter at a conference. At the time, she said it was overall a good letter. I took her at her word and started sending it out — with no luck. It made me sit down and reread her critic. There were parts of the letter that she was very enthusiastic about (This is impressive), others less so. I started reading between the lines of her critic and realized she was probably trying to be encouraging and that I need to keep the parts that impressed her and rewrite the rest.

If you haven’t already, you might want to check out the “Query Shark” web site. It’s inspiring, encouraging and depressing! But I studied her site, rewrote my letter and now it’s getting bites.

By: April Henry

April Henry — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:13:34 +0000

It could be that the agents are seeing more pages than the editors are. I’ve seen the first five pages of manuscripts that amazed and intrigued me - but then when I saw more, it all started to fall apart.

By: Val Clark

Val Clark — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:25:29 +0000

Can I add to that, Randy - make sure the query letter is pristine! If, like me, you can’t afford to pay a copy editor, find someone who will relish getting their red pen to your work and cherish them - shower them with chocolate or red wine or whatever. In Australia if you don’t have an agent publishers often ask for a MSS assessment. This is tricky because it needs to be done by someone with industry connections; someone whose opinion the publisher/s you are targeting trusts. Worth a phone call or an email for their recommendations.

By: Judith Robl

Judith Robl — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 01:42:11 +0000

And the clue may be in the word “decent.” You don’t want to be selling a decent manuscript. You want to be selling a magnificent manuscript.

Polish and hone. Find an editor, coach, or mentor who will love you like a parent and tell you the truth like your ninth grade English teacher.

In this competitive market, “good enough” just isn’t.

By: Morgan L. Busse

Morgan L. Busse — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:08:38 +0000

A word of caution: a bad agent is worse than no agent. I have not personally experienced this, but heard enough horror stories followed by that bit of advice that I have taken it to heart. I research every agent I am interested in to see if they are good at what they do and someone I want to work with.

Another note, it could also be the manuscript you are shopping around is no longer in style or that particular agent does not know any publishers looking for your genre at the moment. That is what I have run into. Great manuscript, just not the right genre at this time. But that’s okay, I’ll be ready when my genre does come up. And in the meantime, I’ll be writing more books

By: Elizabeth Varadan

Elizabeth Varadan — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:41:03 +0000

Oohh, I like that last,Morgan: “ready when my genre does come up… In the meantime, writing more books… That’s kind of where I am right now. I’ve been told story collections for children are hard to market right now, so i’m revising my historical novel (with my group), and biding my time.