December 18th, 2004
…that I’m not golden, I received another agent rejection today on my Golden Opportunity winning entry, which is also a Gateway to the Rest finalist.
The really screwed thing is, if I presented them with my Brava deal, they’d snatch it up. After all, they wouldn’t have to do any work, but they’d still get paid. *shakes head*
Lydia,
Do feel bitter or Don’t? Just to clarify.
I got the agent after the offer. It was so worth it!!!! There are about half a dozen good ones in romance which are available to mere mortals. But, wow, what a difference it makes to have a good one…
Do feel bitter about the rejections. They probably never even read your stuff…
Maili,
I’m ignorant about agents. I did discuss it at length with my editor, but for various reasons we turned away from the agent route.
I do need to find an agent though, since I intend to make writing my career.
I’m quite ignorant about book publishing, but doesn’t an editor passes on a recommendation to you or to an agent to take you on? At our end, if we want to buy a script, we usually help the writer out by referring him to a list of agencies, encouraging him to mention our names and our interest in buying his script. Does this not work in book publishing as well?
Also, if they do take on the Brava deal, I’m quite sure that there is still a lot to do to justify their commission? Like I said, I’m ignorant.
So much depends on what you expect an agent to do. I admit I haven’t heard a lot of bad things about the agencies mentioned in the RWR. I know there are a few zingers in there. If you want to talk about it, email me.
That’s my problem. There’s really only one agent I “want”. The rest I’ve heard of through word of mouth. No one really stands out to me and I’ve heard bad things about every agency in the RWR so… I just don’t know. I’m not making the big push for a agent. Never really have. I just sent out queries when I felt like I should be doing something to get published.
And I hold a grudge. I can’t see myself approaching an agent who rejected my work. It’s a two way street. You (the agent) work and I (the writer) pay you. If you didn’t want to put in the work, I just can’t see paying you.
The book deal on the table is a double-edged sword and all boils down to whether you want a particular agent or not. Everyone asked me which came first, the book deal or the agent. To be honest, I got them both within two days of each other. Kate phoned the agent I’d queried to get him to read my stuff quicker. It worked. I don’t know if he would’ve accepted me otherwise. I’d like to think he would, but I’ll probably never know. (Goodness knows he didn’t need to offer representation and it took forever for him to get paid.) You definitely want a reputable agent, someone who’s willing to work with you for the long haul. If you want someone who’s already turned your work down, then phone them and speak with them. See if you click. If they say they’ll represent you for the contract, but not afterwards then move on to the next person on your list. You want someone who’s in there for the long haul. I had a short list of five I really wanted. Luckily, I got to stop at one. Good luck.
Yeah, that will probably be me. The writer who can never get an agent.
IMO go to the agent you want the most and work your way down. I know pubbed author’s who can’t even get agents…..