agents

[katelyn]

I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with agents? My husband thinks that's a better route to go than self-publishing.

 

[wgjones3]

http://www.agentresearch.com

http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/

First, visit those two websites and bookmark them. Second, any agent you are interested in, check with with both sites (agent research has a free agent verification service, just click on "our services" and order the free agent verification--it's online and quick)

Because there are no real regulations on agents, the gammet ranges from snake-oil salesmen to legitimite agents. The rule of thumb is, if they ask for a single dime BEFORE you sign a contract with a royalty publisher, then they're not a real agent. Real agents will charge commision (usually 12-15%) and office expenses, but these come out of your royalties. A not-so-real agent may try to coax you into paying up front expenses, and some are nothing more than feeders for vanity/subsidy publishers.

In most cases, an anget will get your manuscript read by the editors who are most likely to buy it quicker and more effectively than you can; however, if you query publishers who are open to submissions yourself, you might get a standard contract (in other words, the same royalties that you would have gotten with an agent) without having to pay an agent's fees or commission.

Personally, I have no experience with agents, because all the agents I've queried have shown absolutely no interest in my novel But, The above represents what I've learned from doing my homework before sending (and I still have 7 good agents that I haven't queried yet, so all hope is not yet lost).

 

[Achichem]

I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with agents? My husband thinks that's a better route to go than self-publishing.

It all depends,
Why can't you get published?

 

[katelyn]

It all depends,
Why can't you get published?

Well, for one, I haven't tried yet. I'm new to the wide world of publishing, pretty much no experience to my name (I almost have a degree in computer science... not exactly related to writing.), and not really sure where to turn or what first step to take. I've been entering some writing contests and stuff to see if I can get something that will give me a little credibility, but so far all I've won is the Editor's Choice award from poetry.com, which is not an incredibly credible source of prestige from what I know.

I am almost done writing a novel. I figured I would complete it & my personal edit of it before getting my feet wet in the publishing world.

 

[Bookman]

Katelyn,

Be sure and read my thread on New Year's Resolutions. Make 2004 the year you learn the ropes about publishing. It will make your writing goals so much easier. If you can only done one thing on that list, go to a Christian Writer's Conference in 2004. There will agents at the conference and you can meet them, go their workshops, and you'll come away much more knowledgeable.

 

[katelyn]

Where's the best place to go to find out about good Christian writer's conferences? Is there a particular organization that puts them on?

 

[Achichem]

Well, for one, I haven't tried yet.

Well there the problem,right there you should look at that before forking out the big bucks.

I'm new to the wide world of publishing, pretty much no experience to my name (I almost have a degree in computer science... not exactly related to writing.)

You may be suprised, but this might just be an asset.
Many of the publishing firms that I have talked to find English students too formulated, and hence produce works that are harder to sell.

and not really sure where to turn or what first step to take.

Well, See the other thread on publishing to see how to make a propsal,I will help you make one if you would like.

I've been entering some writing contests and stuff to see if I can get something that will give me a little credibility, but so far all I've won is the Editor's Choice award from poetry.com, which is not an incredibly credible source of prestige from what I know.

Keep that up, these can be the deal maker!

I am almost done writing a novel. I figured I would complete it & my personal edit of it before getting my feet wet in the publishing world.

You may need to put it away , and just write what you are told for your first published book, that is if you wish to keep it exactly as you current have it; However, if you are willing to slightly modify it to the specifications of the interested publisher, you have a relatively good chance that your book can get published, that is assuming you have a sellable narrative, and style of writing.

The required style does change over time, and is different publisher to publisher, but generally there are some basic common components. If you would like me to check out the state of your writing, I would be happy to, just keep it small, I really don’t have the time to look at any whole work at once, though I am sure I would love to.

-DaTsar

 

[katelyn]

The world of publishing has just seemed too overwhelming for me. All the publishers I read books from (which, of course, end up being the big publishers) don't accept things from an unpublished author such as myself. I do have the Christian Writers' Market Guide where I could find the names of some smaller publishers.

I am going to finish the story I'm currently writing, as well as the other one I was previously working on. If they never get published, so be it. I am of course willing to be flexible about style and minor story line details. But I'm very attached to my stories. I don't know how well I'd do in an environment where I was told what to write, unless of course what I was being told at least slightly lined up with what I'm passionate about.