Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Marilyn Clarke on July 11, 2012 at 11:58am

I have looked on line before this wonderful site went up and felt what I found were not legitimate. I talked to one at a writers conference who seemed so tired and bored, I felt I was bothering him. He reluctantly glanced at a couple of pages of my self published book and seemed surprised, he said "a lot cleaner than I thought it would be, but I don't do previously published books. Write something new and get in touch." This kind of put me off and I haven't tried to find one again. My books are previously published, yes, but the distribution is under 100 and wouldn't hurt sales if it went into a more expansive market. 

Permalink Reply by jeff herman on July 12, 2012 at 11:40am

All I can say is to put it back on you. Get a tough skin and don't allow that agent's comments times 1000 control your life. We're called agents, not angels. 

Permalink Reply by Marilyn Clarke on July 12, 2012 at 12:08pm

Good advice, this didn't set me back from writing, however and I will try again, and probably again and again. There is someone out there who will read my books with the same enthusiasm as my handful of devoted readers who have said they couldn't put my books down. I've just been very involved with getting the books finished.

Permalink Reply by Ronald R. Hanna on July 11, 2012 at 2:55pm

Yes.  Even when snail mail and postage stamps with SASEs were the only means.  Now, the Great and Supreme must be my agent, for my works are still progressing, but only as He sees fit.  I have given up on the standard agent; too many disappointments when I KNOW the value of my work.  And so does He.  Conceptually, wouldn't it be nice to consider that God is your literary agent, as well as the source of your inspiration and the power that guides and protects you?  He can send you emmissaries, but nothing like having "THE Man" working on your behalf!

Permalink Reply by jeff herman on July 12, 2012 at 11:42am

I simply assume He-She-It does that for everyone with everything all the time, especially when we don't know it.

Permalink Reply by Joan Adamak on July 11, 2012 at 9:58pm

I think it is hard to get an experienced.  There are new ones out there looking for authors, they say.

Permalink Reply by jeff herman on July 12, 2012 at 11:43am

It ought not be easy, and don't pay much heed to what "they" say. 

Permalink Reply by Roger Lawrence on July 15, 2012 at 10:13am

I tried for over a decade, and that's why I've now self published four times within six months. I'm not claiming that my writing is the best thing since (insert your own preference) but people who reasd it seem to like what they see.

I think agents are just too afraid to try - especially if they can't classify something into a tidy little niche. I know they always take a risk with someone new, but isn't that what life is all about?

Permalink Reply by Peter Kraft on July 16, 2012 at 4:19pm

It took me five years to find my first literary agent another year until my first novel was published, and when a film company bought the rights they were coming out of nowhere. There were agents who'd rejected me with form letters calling. I didn't know these people, they weren't the nicest folks, but t made a few poor choices based on name recognition. Like a jerk, I blew off the first agent for another, and that turned out to be a disaster. In the long run, if someone-an agent-likes your work, will go to bat for you, and you get along stick with them. I've learned a bit over the last decade or so, and if someone takes an interest in your work, and can tell you flat out when something stinks, or has no marketable potential, and you can laugh it off-that's a good match. Unfortunately, blindly sending query letters to strangers is the way the process is done. I used to send out three queries for each rejection. When you're work clicks with someone that's great, and I think most agents are looking for that same connection then you're on your way.