posted
So, I'm curious. I was thinking of sending my WIP first to a slush pile and second to an agent, after I get rejected from the slush pile, but I got to thinking... (a dangerous habit)
And... does anything ever get taken seriously in the non-solicited slushpiles? Or is it just a colossal waste of time?
posted
From everything I've seen (take with a grain of salt), it's difficult to get chosen from a slush pile at a major publishing house--very difficult. The way I understand it, you have to pass four slush readers before any editor will give it a read.
Also, I think you would shoot yourself in the foot--so to speak. An agent can't sell what has already been rejected to said publisher.
I think you have to make a choice.
[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited October 18, 2007).]
posted
Probably it shouldn't be submitted until it's no longer a WIP, but actually finished, at least until you have a track record. I'm not overly fond of doing things their way, or seeing the necessity of doing so...and I certainly wonder how seriously they actually view the slushpile. (I waded through a lot of bad Internet Fan Fiction in my day---but probably not as much stuff altogether as these poor slobs do in one day.)
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Some places like Imjinn Books do not work with agents. They want direct queries. But if you are aiming for TOR - a company that takes both unrepresented queries and agented ones - the agented queries probably will get more consideration because the agent knows who and how to target the editors.
Obviously, if you foreclose a lot of open markets by being rejected as slush you make it: (1) harder to get an agent; and (2) harder for the agent to sell (because you've limited the market).
But just like whether or not to have a scene, it's your choice to make.
posted
Oh good advice, thanks. I hadn't really considered that I'd be narrowing the market by getting a rejection, but that makes sense. And yes falcon I was thinking about Tor, and now I'm leaning strongly in favor of seeking an agent.
I would also suggest checking out verlakay.com it's for people that write children's books. But there are many published middle grade and YA authors, in sci-fi and fantasy, that post on the board. They have a forum for information on Agent response times and tons of other useful information.
posted
I think Robert hit a major issue on the head, and everyone seems to have missed it or ignored it.
Probably it shouldn't be submitted until it's no longer a WIP.
If you think you'll have a hard time getting out of the slush pile (regardless if it belongs to an agent or publisher) with a simple submission, just tell them that what they're about to read hasn't been completed yet.
Miss Snark has, I believe, the best advice on this topic. Finish your novel, then edit, then edit, then edit again. Once it is perfect, or as close to it as you can get it, start querying.
I don't intend to submit anything anywhere until it's finished, ground, and polished. That much is obvious, but I like to think ahead. You know, try to see the end form the beginning.
posted
Zero, it's a good idea to plan ahead. Making a good list of agents and checking to be sure they're who you want to sub to is a time consuming task if it's done right. I am taking a lot more time on it this time and I think it will pay off. I learned a LOT on my last two novels.
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