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Author Topic: Where to meet agents
wbriggs
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Got any specifics?

I want to give my book its best shot. I suppose I could wait till summer and go to Maui...but last year they had a lottery. You had to sign up for the conference, go, and if you were lucky you might get a meeting with *an* agent. Suggestions? Thanks.


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RMatthewWare
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In my unexperienced opinion, from what I've read, it seems that to get a good book deal, you have to have an agent. To get an agent, you have to have a good book deal. Is that the definition of a paradox?

Writer's Market publishes a book called "Guide to Literary Agents" that lists what agents represent which markets and how to contact them. Their 2007 guide is out now for about $18. Or you can try to find in used (Amazon already lists 42 used copies available).

Jim Butcher, author of The Dresden Files, explains how he obtained representation:
"I decided to take the advice of a friend -- go out and track down the specific people I wanted to do business with. I decided who it needed to be based on a fairly simple premise. Laurell Hamilton was writing material a lot like mine. Ricia Mainhardt had liked Laurell's stuff enough to represent her. Maybe she would like my material too.

So I applied to Ricia's agency and got rejected.

Not to be deterred, I found out which convention she was going to be at, and went there with a fistful of questions from the LKH mailing list, using them to strike up a conversation with Laurell and Ricia. Laurell was really nice to me for no darned reason at all and asked me along when everyone went out for lunch. I met some other writers, a couple of editors and another agent over lunch. By the end of the day, Ricia had offered to represent my work, and another agent (Jennifer Jackson, in fact) had asked to take a look at some of my other work.

I got to have this conversation with Jennifer Jackson (my current agent after parting ways with Ricia) that day at the convention: Hey, why are you interested now? You just rejected me like two months ago?

"Well yeah," says Jennifer. "But that was before I met you." "

Terry Brooks' website puts it this way:
"Question: The age-old question: To agent or not to agent?

* Answer: Most big publishers won't even talk to/look at your work if you don't already have an agent. It is a rare thing indeed when an author gets straight through to the publishing company. The exceptions: small publishers (usually don't have as many submissions and therefore interns and assistants can read all queries) and if you happen to know a person at the publishing house directly. The problem is that the major houses (the ones that ALL aspiring authors want to be published by) get thousands of queries every week! They can't possibly wade through all of them and give real attention to the content, so they trust agents to "filter" out the less-than-desirable ideas and present them with the best of the best. This saves time and money for all involved.

And look at it this way: if an agent is willing to work with/represent you, you know you have something, because agents get their paychecks from commission. That means that they aren't going to take you on if they don't think they can sell your book or they wouldn't be able to put food on the table. Agents are also listed in The Writer's Market, so find a reputable one that caters to your genre, and submit there first.

Whatever you do, just make sure you read the publisher's guideline before you submit. If they have clearly printed that they do not accept un-agented submissions, you are wasting your money by mailing in your stuff without an agent. They won't look at it. Some explicitly state whether or not you have to have an agent, but others don't. Put your money on needing an agent for any mid- to large-sized publishing house. Don't submit your fantasy novel to a publisher that only handles romance. Don't send in your biography to a fiction house. Trust me, you have no idea how many times people do this and they just receive a rejection letter because they couldn't follow explicit directions. Don't waste your time - find the right places for your book."

Matt


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AstroStewart
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Ok this is a question I've had for a few weeks now, ever since I seriously started looking into the "how to get an agent" question.

When you mention that you looked into what "convention" someone is going to be at, what type of convention do you mean? I hear the word convention, and being the type of nerd that I am, I think:

a) something like Comic-Con, Anime Expo, etc.
b) Star Trek / Star Wars convention etc.

But I also don't think of these type of conventions as having a lot to do with actual *novels* or agents who represent authors of full length novels. They make me think of video games, TV shows, anime, movies, comic books, etc. Have I just been skewed in my thinking up until now (I've been to San Diego Comic-Con a few years now) and completely missed the literary side to these conventions, or are you refering to completely different kinds of conventions?


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RMatthewWare
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If you're asking me what kind of convention, you'll need to note what I have put into quotes. I don't know exactly what convention he's talking about, but I'd imagine it would be valuable to fine out how current authors have gotten their books sold.

Most of us are here because we HAVEN'T gotten a book sold. There are a few here who have, but most would probably leave once they're rich and famous. So, I can't give you first hand advice, but I can reference authors who have become successful. I spend a lot of time searching out scifi and fantasy authors who have websites to see if they have written their path to success.

Matt


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AstroStewart
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Yeah I realize it wasn't your own personal story. I was just hoping you knew what kind of convention he was referring to, because I sure don't.

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rickfisher
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Readercon and the World Fantasy Convention are almost entirely about books. The World Science Fiction Convention (where the Hugos are awarded) is the biggest convention, which does books as well as gaming, star trek, etc. stuff. Most of the other well-known cons are like smaller versions of the WorldCon--everything is included (yes, books, too). I don't think very many cons restrict themselves to comics or media stuff, and the ones that do are usually pretty clear about it.

Locus magazine has a convention listing at their on-line magazine here. Find one that's in your area, click on the link, and find out about it.

Oh, this year's WorldCon is in Japan, by the way. The NASFiC (NorthAmerican Science Fiction Convention) is the same as the WorldCon whenever the WorldCon is in the US (though everyone just calls it WorldCon). In years when the WorldCon is elsewhere, however, the NASFiC is still here somewhere.

[This message has been edited by rickfisher (edited February 01, 2007).]


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kings_falcon
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The Seak Legal Fiction Writing for Lawyers is an AMAZING place to meet agents. You don't need to write legal fiction or even be a lawyer to get a lot of value out of the conference. I've attended it for the last 3 years.

During a preconference, an agent teaches a day long conference on getting the novel published including pitches and queries. On Sat. night there is a happy hour with the agents. On Sunday they have a panel of 10-15 agents who speak to the group. The agents get the query letters the attendees wrote as part of the package to look at and comment on. After the presentation, there is a 1.5 hour window where the agents are at round tables. They talk about what they are looking for and people who are ready to pitch can. The agents then join us for Lunch.

As far as I have seen in looking at other conferences, this is the one that gives you the most agent time. And many of them are looking for Sci Fi/ Fantasy or have other agents in house that they will recommend you send the query too. The really nice part about it is because they have met you, they nearly always ask for partials.

Also, if you have researched your agents and find ones that you think might be appropriate for your novel, check their website to see what conferences they will be attending.


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kings_falcon
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Oh, I fogot, I tend to find:

Jeff Herman's Guide to Books, Publishers, Editor's and Literary Agents better than Writer's Market because inclusion in the Herman book is voluntary i.e. the agent has to submit a form to be listed. Also, the form the agents fill out has very useful information in it. Some of information is background but there is also a Like and Dislike section as well as a "what can I do to get you to take my book" section.


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mommiller
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Why do you have to meet one face to face?

AgentQuery, is a good place to start looking at to find agents to investigate and send queries too. There are also various Writer's Conferences taking place around the country where you can set up a time to pitch your novel. I am thinking of giving it a go this August.

But I'd just start sending out Queries to agents that are looking for your type of novel.


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Lynda
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Mom, I can say from personal experience that you can get invitations from meeting someone in person that just don't happen as easily when you query them in the mail. At Context, a publisher was there who invited me to send her sample chapters of my book. If she weren't such a small press, I'd take her up on it in a heartbeat, but I want to try for the big-time first (silly me). If my agent queries don't work out quickly enough to suit me, I'll send the chapters to her and tell her, "remember the breakfast we had together and you invited me to send you my chapters?" Then we'll see what happens.

(Any of you who are published - am I taking the wrong tack? Should I grab for this possible bird in the hand and ignore all the agents floating around in the bushes?? )

LYnda


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mommiller
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Lynda,

I'm never one to turn down an opportunity like you had.

You can send queries to multiple agents, and then see who nibbles for pages.

Agents can talk to publishers easier than an untried, unproven author can. AND they don't get paid until you do.

Yeah, I'd like to bump into one like you did, but since I can buy a lot of stamps for the airfare to Maui, it is likely gonna be the road I go.

There is a local writer's conference here next summer, where you can take classes and pitch to agents and publishers. Another Contexter and I are planning on attendance.


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InarticulateBabbler
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The L.M.P. (Literary Market Place) is updated every year with all the agents, magazines and contacts, and publishers and their statisics in the United States and Canada--and can be found in most local libraries.
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Lynda
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I met this publisher at Context. She was keeping a fairly low profile. She's the publisher of Colin's book (the guy who came over from England for Context). Wish I could get to some of the bigger writer's conferences where there are more agents/publishers! Maybe this year I'll aim for one of those. Hmmmm. . .

Lynda


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Kathleen Dalton Woodbury
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One way to tell which conventions are the ones that agents are going to is to look for ones that editors are also going to.

One way to tell if it's a convention you won't find agents at is if the publicized guests are all tv or movie personalities.

There are media conventions that focus on movie & tv, and there are conventions that focus on publishing. If you want to find editors and agents, ignore the ones that focus on movies and tv.

You'll find a pretty good list of publishing conventions here .


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