2022 Submissions

[BT Jones]

Hi everyone,

I am about to start another round of submissions to agents and / publishing houses.
I've reviewed the other threads in this section, but was just wondering if anyone had any updated / current tips or pointers on who might be looking for sci-fi?

I was specifically wondering if anyone from the UK / Australia had any experience / success with American agents. I have been reluctant to submit to American agents before, for some reason and I'm not 100% sure why. I guess my preference would be Australian first, as that is where I live (but there are virtually no agents accepting manuscripts as far as I know) and then UK second (as I am British by birth). I just feel that I don't have anything in common with America and that perhaps American agents wouldn't appreciate the style and tone of my story.

Does anyone have any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

 

[CrystalMinis]

Just chiming in to say that I am in the same boat, fellow Australian!

 

[Maseeha.Aellari]

Hi! I'm starting another round too in a couple weeks. I'm terrified

In terms of the sci-fi: I made my agent list using the MSWL website (you can filter by genre/age category/etc.) and by checking the #MSWL on Twitter. I also checked authors in my genre/age category and figured out who represented them, then submitted to those agents.

For the US Dilemma: I'm in the same boat. I'm South African by birth but live in the UAE, so my local agenting options aren't great. If you want, do some research on the American market and the British market because I've heard there are some differences between them. From that, you can figure out where your manuscript fits better. But honestly, go for it. Submit to any agent you feel is a good fit for your book and who you think you can work well with (after all, it's a business deal at the end of the day)

Hope this was helpful. Good luck!

 

[BT Jones]

Hi! I'm starting another round too in a couple weeks. I'm terrified

In terms of the sci-fi: I made my agent list using the MSWL website (you can filter by genre/age category/etc.) and by checking the #MSWL on Twitter. I also checked authors in my genre/age category and figured out who represented them, then submitted to those agents.

For the US Dilemma: I'm in the same boat. I'm South African by birth but live in the UAE, so my local agenting options aren't great. If you want, do some research on the American market and the British market because I've heard there are some differences between them. From that, you can figure out where your manuscript fits better. But honestly, go for it. Submit to any agent you feel is a good fit for your book and who you think you can work well with (after all, it's a business deal at the end of the day)

Hope this was helpful. Good luck!

Thanks for the encouraging words, @Maseeha.Aellari. Good luck yourself!!

 

[Mouse]

I don't have an agent, but I've had four novels published with three different American publishers. And I'm from the UK. My characters are usually British and the stories are for the vast majority set in the UK (apart from my sci-fi 'Space Mac' which was set in space). In my experience, the editors have been perfectly happy with the style and tone of the stories - if there's been words or phrases they haven't understood, they've let me know. If I think the word is obvious through context and I've argued my point (remember, they're human too, you can talk to them and explain things!) I've usually been allowed to keep the original. For example 'jumper' instead of 'sweater' - obvious through context what the character means, and my Brit would never say 'sweater'.

In other instances where I've had to change things, it's only been to change it to something neutral, rather than Americanising it. For my sci-fi, this is a good thing - though the MC remains English and speaks like a Brit, the other characters are aliens as is the setting.

So I wouldn't worry about subbing to US agents.

 

[Astro Pen]

If you are submitting shorts I have found Clarkesworld to be exceptionally fast to respond to submissions. They say a couple of days and so far they have kept to that
It takes that waiting agony out of things even if your story gets thrown back in the water.

Clarkesworld Magazine - Science Fiction & Fantasy

Clarkesworld Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine and Podcast. This page: Submission Guidelines

clarkesworldmagazine.com

Conversely I have had a novel sitting with a British agent for 4 months now without a decision.

 

[Juliana]

One suggestion after you've made a list of agents is to make a querytracker account (just the free one, no need to get fancy). Then search for the agent and click on the comments tab. It'll give you an idea of how fast that agent replies, or if they even reply at all.

As for being from outside the USA, most US agents will take subs from anywhere in the world, so go for it. And though MSWL is a great tool for finding agents who are actively accepting clients, remember that not every agent is active or even on Twitter. Other ways to make your agent list: research who represents authors who write in your genre/sub-genre (you can often find this on author websites or on the acknowledgment pages of novels). Also, look up book conventions and conferences (and SFF cons) and see what agents are participating. Additionally, there are always lots of events that have pitch or query sessions with agents, and if you go on the websites for that sort of event and then look up the agents, these tend to be newer/less established agents who may have more open client slots.

 

[BT Jones]

Thanks @Mouse, @Astro Pen, and @Juliana. I'll take all that onboard.

 

[Dan Jones]

US agents don't tend to take on overseas clients unless there are compelling reasons to do so; for one thing, overseas agents tend to think that there's a reason that they're not being represented by agents from their own country, and that reason is probably that they've already been unsuccessful.

If I were you I'd try and do some research about who's who in terms of agents in Oz, and try to get yourself to some industry events, meetings, writing groups to make some contacts. It does help, and otherwise sending your subs off can feel like screaming into the void (I know, from experience). A little goes a long way when it comes to making contacts. What you don't want to do is make a wishlist of agents, fire it off to them, get your rejections and have burned your bridges (at least, for this manuscript); again, a lesson from experience.

If you have the time to be a bit more strategic about it, I'd try and make some acquaintances where you can. There are still no guarantees, but it does reduce then odds slightly. Plus it's always good to meet new people, I find.

 

[Tirellan]

"US agents don't tend to take on overseas clients unless there are compelling reasons to do so; for one thing, overseas agents tend to think that there's a reason that they're not being represented by agents from their own country, and that reason is probably that they've already been unsuccessful."

Really? I know several UK authors with US agents and I came close a number of times to landing a US agent and this was never mentioned.

 

[BT Jones]

US agents don't tend to take on overseas clients unless there are compelling reasons to do so; for one thing, overseas agents tend to think that there's a reason that they're not being represented by agents from their own country, and that reason is probably that they've already been unsuccessful.

If I were you I'd try and do some research about who's who in terms of agents in Oz, and try to get yourself to some industry events, meetings, writing groups to make some contacts. It does help, and otherwise sending your subs off can feel like screaming into the void (I know, from experience). A little goes a long way when it comes to making contacts. What you don't want to do is make a wishlist of agents, fire it off to them, get your rejections and have burned your bridges (at least, for this manuscript); again, a lesson from experience.

If you have the time to be a bit more strategic about it, I'd try and make some acquaintances where you can. There are still no guarantees, but it does reduce then odds slightly. Plus it's always good to meet new people, I find.

Thanks Dan. Okay, I will try and investigate what Australian events are coming up. Self-promotion and blowing my own trumpet is definitely my biggest flaw. I've always wondered what makes an agent any more likely to take a look at a submission in person than one that is emailed. I just don't like to try and talk myself up.

 

[Steve Harrison]

I haven't secured an agent, alas, but I often get MS requests from US and UK agents, so I have not sensed any reluctance on their part. They are looking for work they can sell, after all.

Plenty of Aussie authors have overseas reps, probably because agents are notoriously thin on the ground here. I also get the sense you have to wait for one of their clients to die before they'll even look at your work

I've had two novels published by a UK company (I'm also British born) and publishers there and in the US do not appear to have any issues with offshore queries.

But one good thing in Australia is that you can approach the major publishers direct, as most have a dedicated day or more every month when they accept queries from Australia writers. Probably the better option locally, as most of the few agents have a literary focus rather than genre novels.

 

[BT Jones]

I haven't secured an agent, alas, but I often get MS requests from US and UK agents, so I have not sensed any reluctance on their part. They are looking for work they can sell, after all.

Plenty of Aussie authors have overseas reps, probably because agents are notoriously thin on the ground here. I also get the sense you have to wait for one of their clients to die before they'll even look at your work

I've had two novels published by a UK company (I'm also British born) and publishers there and in the US do not appear to have any issues with offshore queries.

But one good thing in Australia is that you can approach the major publishers direct, as most have a dedicated day or more every month when they accept queries from Australia writers. Probably the better option locally, as most of the few agents have a literary focus rather than genre novels.

Thanks Steve. Do you receive MS requests directly on the back of having had your novels published?

 

[Steve Harrison]

Thanks Steve. Do you receive MS requests directly on the back of having had your novels published?

I'm sure it helps, though I don't believe the request ratio has changed much from before the books came out. I like to think it's my compelling queries

The two published novels were time travel and YA SF with a very small publisher, but the books I'm trying to sell are a contemporary crime thriller and a mid-life crisis comedy drama novel with a touch of fantasy, so I'm not sure how much influence those early books have on a prospective agent.

 

[BT Jones]

I'm sure it helps, though I don't believe the request ratio has changed much from before the books came out. I like to think it's my compelling queries

The two published novels were time travel and YA SF with a very small publisher, but the books I'm trying to sell are a contemporary crime thriller and a mid-life crisis comedy drama novel with a touch of fantasy, so I'm not sure how much influence those early books have on a prospective agent.

Cheers Steve. That's an impressively eclectic spread of genres.

 

[Steve Harrison]

Cheers Steve. That's an impressively eclectic spread of genres.

None of the agents I've approached recently agree, though!