Hatrack River Writers Workshop: the next step

This is topic the next step in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :

OK, let's say I have a written, polished, and completed novel. And I have a one page summary/synopsis of the piece. What is the next step? Try to query agents or make cold/slush submissions... I assume agents are the way to go, but what is the best way to get in touch, etc...

basically what is the best next step

Posted by Balthasar (Member # 5399) on :

I believe you can do both so long as you are just send out query packages (cover letter, synopsis, outline, first 3 chapters). That's the way I would go at first. Then, once that route is exhausted, I'd send my manuscript to those publishers/agents that only want to see the whole thing.

Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :

Yeah, OSC says in How to Write Science Fiction and Fantacy, "For your first novel, you don't need an agent until you have a contract from a publisher."

This statement surprised me when I read it, since I'd always been told you need an agent to solicit your manuscript to publishers. He says more here: http://www.hatrack.com/writingclass/lessons/1999-01-29.shtml

THe advice I've read elsewhere says the best way to find agents is to get referrals from other writers. One way you can do this is look at a book that you like and try to find out who represented it. The author will usually give them a line or two of thanks. Another way is to look up an agent--there's a book published every year "Writer's Market" or something of that sort that lists all agents, what genres they take, and whether they're open to new writers. THere's a web site, too, but I can't remember the url... will try to look it up for you.

[This message has been edited by annepin (edited August 18, 2007).]

Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :

I'm inclined to find publishers that'll look at an unagented MS...but I've (a) been out of the market for many years, pending completion of another novel, and (b) am well aware of how many places won't look at something over-the-transom.

Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :

For publishers, go to http://www.Ralan.com and look at the book publishers listed there. Quite a few of them, including Tor, will look at unagented mss. My own strategy is to do what someone suggested earlier and do both. I think that http://www.AgentTracker.net is a good source for looking at agents. They flag any that they have bad reports on, and they have a search function that allows you to search for ones that accept your genre. If you like you can also use their submission tracking. It happens I prefer to use my own, but theirs looks like it would work all right.

Of course, if you do get a contract your chances of getting an agent skyrocket. *laughs*

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited August 18, 2007).]

Posted by JamieFord (Member # 3112) on :

www.agentquery.com has a comprehensive list of agents, searchable by genre.

Posted by Balthasar (Member # 5399) on :

I should have added that the reason I'd go the query package way first is because you can send out 30, 40 query packages at a time. As I understand it, this isn't considered "simultaneous submissions."

Once that route is exhausted, then I'd take the much, much slower route of sending my manuscript to those publishers/agents who only want to see a manuscript. Just like with short stories, you can only send your MS to one publisher/agent at a time.

I think that's correct . . . but don't act without double checking.

Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :

quote:
Yeah, OSC says in How to Write Science Fiction and Fantacy, "For your first novel, you don't need an agent until you have a contract from a publisher."

Different writers will give you different opinions. I've read on several writer's blogs/websites that getting the agent first is the way to go. They can represent your business interests a lot better than you can, they know who to talk to at each publishing house, and they can send your manuscript to publishing houses that only take agented submissions.

One bonus is they can also query to all the publishers at once. So, if you get an agent, I think the process would be much faster.

One of the unwritten rules of the business, though, is that you can't get an agent if you're not published, and you can't get published if you don't have an agent. Obviously this isn't entirely true because people get through the cracks.

So, right now I'm in the process of querying agents. It's only taken a few months to get through most of them. If that fails I'll start querying the publishing houses directly. At the same time I'm working on my next novel (in another series).

Author Jim Butcher has said a large part of getting published is outlasting your competition. When others quit, you keep going.

Others have said, don't do it for the money, you probably won't make any.

So if you write for fun and don't worry about the money, you might stand a good chance of getting published.

Posted by lehollis (Member # 2883) on :

quote:
Yeah, OSC says in How to Write Science Fiction and Fantacy, "For your first novel, you don't need an agent until you have a contract from a publisher."

He also notes in the foreword that you should check the copyright date on the book before listening to any of his advice on publishing. That was written nearly 20 years ago, and my impression is the publishing world has changed since then.

Everything I see today leans towards get an agent first. Let the agent sell it, even if it is your first.