Finding an Agent

The other day I got a note:

I finished the last set of tweaks to my novel and submitted to an agent for consideration. I researched the agent and she represents other works of women's fiction and accepts work from unpublished authors. After waiting three months and hearing nothing, I contacted her and she said that she does not read unpublished authors unless another agent has chosen to represent the unpublished novelist. So I wanted to ask you your advice on getting an agent to even open the package that contains my manuscript.

And here's a slightly expanded version of what I wrote back:

Did you send the whole manuscript, or just a query letter? Very few agents will look at a complete script from an unknown writer—the odds are that it will be unsalable and a waste of the agent’s time. A query letter can intrigue the agent in a paragraph or two, and at least make her willing to take a chance on you.

"Agent reluctance" is understandable, just as with publishers. The publisher has no motive to pay some junior editor to read the stuff in the slush pile. Even if a promising script turns up, it won't likely pay for the cost of sifting through dreck to find it.

So publishers use agents as filters. And agents also see no benefit in reading unpublishable stuff. They may, however, respond to a well-written query letter setting out the basic story and your reasons for writing it. An agent may agree to see the whole script, but more likely she'd prefer a sample and an outline: less investment in time that way.

But it is a very tough business finding an agent. I’ve been without one for 7 or 8 years, after a pretty unpleasant experience with my last one. Now and then I query an agent who seems to be in my field, but without success. In my case, I’m clearly too old and haven’t published a novel in a decade. Not being sorry for myself, just aware that agents and publishers would prefer a new young author whose career can build.

I'm also aware that agents are a convenience, not a godsend. The best agent in the world can't make your book fly off the shelves, or become a Hollywood hit. All she can do is call an editor, talk about the promising new writer she's got, and maybe get a go-ahead to send the sample. If it actually sells, the agent may be able to get you a better deal on your contract. After that, your career is in the hands of the reading public.

The advice I give my own students is to market the first novel directly to publishers (again with a query letter and maybe a sample of the script if the publisher says it’s OK). You can reach more publishers in a hurry, and if you do your homework you won’t waste time on publishers who refuse to read unagented scripts. If you do get a positive response, and then a contract, you can then call almost any agent you like, and invite her to get a better deal for you. Since you’ve proven you can sell, you should be able to sign on without much fuss.

Sometimes agents also hang out at conferences for aspiring writers, and it’s possible to pitch them on a story idea or even get them to glance at a few pages. But in your shoes I’d invest in five or six copies of a manuscript sample and start methodically querying every publishing house that accepts unagented stories.

Comments

[Debra]

With publishing houses increasingly reluctant to read unsolicited manuscripts it makes sense to try to net an agent 1st.

But if agents are only willing to take you on if you have a publisher interested, writers can spend their whole lives like dogs chasing their tails.