posted
I'm hoping some of the published folks here will answer this for me!! I've been researching agents to query. I'm not certain if my novel would be considered YA or fantasy - I think of it as fantasy, but several who've read it (and who have a clue about the writing biz) think it's YA. So I searched for agents on AgentQuery.com (I'll be digging through my Literary Agents 2007 book next) and printed out both fantasy and YA agents who are looking for new clients. My first queries will go to those who rep BOTH YA and fantasy, so hopefully my book will find a home faster!
My question is, three of the agents who meet all those criteria are from the same agency. Unlike a few other agents, none of these say to only query one agent per agency. Should I send it to all three of them, or just one?
Actually, I have another question (while I have your attention):
Several of the agents listed said they do not represent sf/f. So if I've written a YA novel that's also a fantasy, I shouldn't bother with that agent, right?
posted
I am unpublished and unagented (for the moment anyway) so take my advice with a grain of salt. However, because I too am currently querying agents for my novel, I've been dealing with a lot of the kind of stuff I'm sure you are. (Incidentally, HOORAY FOR AGENTQUERY.COM!!! lol)
I would think if you have a YA fantasy novel, then querying to agents who say "no sci-fi/fantasy" is a waste of time. Even if your novel is YA, if it is also fantasy, and these agents specifically do not like fantasy, you're unlikely to find anything there.
Also, every source I've read says that querying multiple agents in the same agency is a bad idea, as it makes you look like you didn't do your research, and don't realize that they're all in the same agency. Maybe you could query one of them, and if that person rejects you, move on to the next person in that agency?
That's just my personal take on what should be done, based on helpful articles about I've read on querying, reading a slew of agent blogs, etc.
posted
Aside from looking at the agents on Agentquery. Also google them and take a good look at their websites which may, or may not, have a bit more detail than what is at Agentquery.
I just read this on Nathan Bransford's blog. Kismet!
[This message has been edited by mommiller (edited February 14, 2007).]
posted
Thanks for the replies! I was thinking that if they don't do fantasy, a YA Fantasy would be a hard sell, but I just wanted another opinion, y'know? It's hard working on this stuff alone! (My hubby is clueless about the writing world and likes it that way, bless him.) And yeah, I was thinking I should probably wait to query the other two at that agency. Mom, thanks for the nudge about Googling them. I was going to research them in Literary Agents 2007, but Googling them is another good thing to do. Thanks a bunch!
posted
Also just as an afterthought. Most of the time, if an agent has some useful material online, it will be listed at the end of their AgentQuery.com profile, including their webpage, their agent blog (if they have one), useful article(s) they've written on the querying process, etc.
posted
So have you found an agent through AgentQuery? I've been using it for research so far and have printed out a stack of agents to research and then query. I need to compare that list with the list in my Literary Agents 2007 book and then Google them as well.
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