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Posted By: Aslan May 31, 2001 - 03:15 pm

If one had potentially publishable sci fi/fantasy material, would an agent be the best way to go? And how does one find a good agent? Basically, I'm in the dark on this one and would like input. Thanks!

Posted By: Gablety Jun 01, 2001 - 08:06 am

Orson Scott Card says that you look for an agent after you've got the contract in your hand. After you send out the manuscript that you think is finished to a zillion publishers, each oof them will try to read it and give it some energy and attention, and if one of them wants to publish you, and it's real money, they give you a contract. Then you start looking for an agent; most agents don't like to waste their time with somethng that's just "potentially publishable." An agent will then iron out bugs and things in the contract to make it as profitable to you as possible, and then take ten percent of the gross profits, same as you (don't accept one who insists on fifteen percent).

An agent is the best way to go after you're accepted and before you publish, but not before then.

But the only way I know all of this is because I've read Orson Scott Card's book, How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy. The last chapter dealt with agents, how to get published, that sort of stuff. The only reason I can't give you more complete advice is that I don't remember all of OSC's advice, since when I read it it completely did not apply to me, and I haven't been searching for more books on how to get published, or tried to get published myself.

Good luck!

Posted By: Aslan Jun 01, 2001 - 09:38 am

Thanks for the insight! I'll see if I can dig up that book. I enjoy Card's writing, too, so that's a good reference.

Posted By: Ajelina Jun 01, 2001 - 10:40 am

From advice I've been given and my own experience I can say that in short agents are a pretty good idea. The problem you'll (and I do) have, though, is that agents are seriously hard to persuade; the average rejection rate is 97%, close to the publishers themselves. Ouch. Still, they do help with a lot of wrangles that in short most of the larger publishers simply won't handle. HarperCollinsPublishers make it widely known that they will not accept unsolicited material (i.e. no agent). So I second Gablety with the good luck, but go for it -- and don't give up once you start.

As for finding agents, The Resource Network round here has got a website with a list of agents; however if you want more info on worldwide agents then get a copy of The Writers' Handbook or The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook.

Posted By: Gablety Jun 03, 2001 - 08:34 pm

Actually, i just realized that I haven't returned that book to the library yet, so I can copy some of the important stuff. i looked for the stuff on agents, there's maybe one page, and in that only a few important paragraphs.

Posted By: DRWRITER Jul 18, 2002 - 10:07 pm

In the publishing world, I can tell you, it is difficult to find a reputable and honest agent. I've been scammed a few times so be VERY cautious.

You may find that you don't really even need an agent to sell your manuscript to a publisher. A good query letter should be your first approach.
If you don't hear back from a publisher within 8 weeks, they probably forgot about you.

D.R.
http://www.angelfire.com/goth/donray/index.html

Posted By: Seidon Jul 18, 2002 - 11:56 pm

2002 Guide to Literary agents is what I recommend for finding a good agent listings. From what I've heard it's better to try and get an Agent first. But I'm pretty sure that odds are bad either way.

Posted By: shadow Jul 19, 2002 - 04:06 am

8 weeks? that seems to be an awfully short amount of time... I've heard that it normally takes 4-6 months for a publisher to get around to reviewing a manuscript?

Posted By: DRWRITER Jul 19, 2002 - 10:43 am

Shadow,

that might be a more accurate time limit (4-6 months) unfortunately. It's getting tougher and tougher to even get your foot in the door. But never give up. If it happens, it happens.

Posted By: Eleica Jul 19, 2002 - 05:15 pm

Yes, and that recent anthrax scare gave them even more reason not to open their mail ...

4-6 months sounds fairly reasonable. In The Writer's Market, some publishers say they'll take up to a full year. And while Card has a good point that it's ideally better to get a publisher before an agent, the number of publishers not accepting unsolicited manuscripts is rising sharply.

Posted By: shadow Jul 19, 2002 - 07:45 pm

talk about a catch 22... you can't get published without an agent, and you can't get an agent without getting published!

Posted By: Eleica Jul 20, 2002 - 08:16 am

They try to keep us "amateurs" out.

But hey, some of us have to slip through the cracks and get published ... it's just very hard to slip through the cracks ...

Posted By: DRWRITER Jul 20, 2002 - 10:47 am

You have to know someone in the industry, just like in music or drug dealing. You have to have connections.

D.R.
http://angelfire.com/goth/donray/Gothic.html

Posted By: Krastakin Jul 20, 2002 - 11:17 pm

(gets scared) then how...? Aw man...

Posted By: shadow Jul 21, 2002 - 07:53 pm

ahh, but unknowns do get published sometimes... what can we do but try?

Posted By: DRWRITER Jul 22, 2002 - 09:57 am

There is something called FATE, but I truly believe that if you work hard enough at something, you reap the benefits.

Most editors are so busy with the manuscripts they already have. That's the main reason they reject your work. It's not because your writing sucks, it's just part of the industry--and a very FICKLE one at most.