The Agent Hunt Goes On

[D.R. MacMaster]

I restarted my agent hunt after a bout of what was possibly swine flu, and started sending out query letters to potentially interested agents.

I got 1 rejection so far, and like past rejections was sent in about the time it took for the assistant to hit the "reply" button, so it was pretty obvious that the materials they asked for probably weren't even read, so I now I know where not to try again.

Anyway, the hunt goes on.

[D.R. MacMaster]

I'll look that up. Thanks.

[Grant McKenzie]

Sounds like you have the ammo to land one, D.R. It can also be handy to subscribe to the free Publisher's Lunch and watch what agents have recently sold work that is similar to yours, and then query them with what you have.

[D.R. MacMaster]

I've done and still do short stories, with almost half a dozen short stories published by mostly defunct e-zines, and 1 small press print mag, and I have a chapter in a book that was just released by a small press publisher. (Available from Amazon, a link is on my profile page-- You can't blame me, I only get royalties on this thing.)

However that doesn't seem to impress anyone.

So far the two rejections I've received have literally come within minutes of the e-mail being opened, and one was sent by an agent I had been cultivating socially for more than a year. He didn't even read the material, just replied with a form message.

The book I'm currently trying to get an agent for is my first novel, it's been recommended by editors to their publisher twice. The first time the publisher died, so he's got an excuse, but the second time it was sent up the ladder, the replacement publisher decided that seniority doesn't earn any priority when it comes to submissions and is letting it gather dust in their inbox.

The second editor to recommend the book suggested I get another publisher or agent interested to light a fire under the publisher and get her to actually read it. That's what I'm trying to do now.

[I. J. Parker]

Don't give up. And meanwhile try your hand at short stories. They are easier to place. See Peg Gerring's posts. While I doubt that they sell books, they can get you an agent and a publisher.

[John McFetridge]

Yes, good luck.

Have you considered submitting directly to smaller publishers that read unagented work?

[Dana King]

Good luck. This is the worst part of being a writer.