Do's and don'ts of approaching an agent

[Brian G Turner]

Juliet Mushens on a few of the do's and don'ts of approaching an agent:
JULIET MUSHENS ON HOW TO APPROACH AN AGENT: DOS AND DON’TS « Tor Books

 

[millymollymo]

I had the luck of hearing Juliet speak at the Newcastle Writing Conference this year, though I've not met her personally.

It's worth noting that this lovely lady is
- judging the Bath Novel Competition, The Bath Novel Award | A new international competition for novels in any genre
- doing one to one sessions at the York Festival of Writing. Events - Talks, conferences, workshops, and meet agents | Writers Workshop

If neither of those floats your boat, try finding her at the LONDON GEEKFEST http://nineworlds.co.uk/ she's doing a book launch on the friday and a panel on Saturday I think but check the site.

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks for the link, Brian.



This quote took me aback:

Within reason, of course: size 40 hot pink is never a good look. I say this as someone who has received a submission done in that style!

I know that there are strange people out there, but 40pt? In hot pink?

 

[HareBrain]

Look, it was a mistake; I learned; I moved on ...

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Juliet's lovely email about Mayhem is what keeps me going looking for agents. I guess she didn't hold the leopard print backdrop against me just the font

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I hope people will pay attention to that last thing she said, "Don't give up." It's always been my position that too many writers do -- after a few rejections they become discouraged, or even worse bitter, and never submit anything again. Persistence is so important.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I hope people will pay attention to that last thing she said, "Don't give up." It's always been my position that too many writers do -- after a few rejections they become discouraged, or even worse bitter, and never submit anything again. Persistence is so important.

But it's bl**dy hard! Find some writing mates to help get you through the ride... I had a chuck it in moment two weeks ago and my cake supplier in chief got me turned back round again.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I know it's hard. But I've seen some of my most talented friends give up after a couple of rejections, and watched other friends, somewhat less talented but with super-human persistence, eventually find publishers.

 

[Boneman]

But it's bl**dy hard! Find some writing mates to help get you through the ride... I had a chuck it in moment two weeks ago and my cake supplier in chief got me turned back round again.

We all have those moments. On occasions I've chucked it in for weeks, but eventually my muse drags me back - I can't quit, even if I try!! And I know the same would happen to you, so don't worry - it's good to take a break, just look on it as one - a temporary chuck up.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

We all have those moments. On occasions I've chucked it in for weeks, but eventually my muse drags me back - I can't quit, even if I try!! And I know the same would happen to you, so don't worry - it's good to take a break, just look on it as one - a temporary chuck up.

I don't think I could stop now, even if I did get so thoroughly miserable at it all. I get fed up with queries, and all that sort of thing. Occasionally, self publishing sings very loudly! But the two weeks not writing on my hols was good.

Anyway, to be bit less of an Eeyore (it's the heat...) Juliet seems very nice and professional (she's also great craic to follow on Twitter.) She's a judge in the Marie Claire debut novel comp, too, so she's in demand.

I have found that all the agents I've had any sort of one to one (very limited) dealings with are incredibly human and nice*. I think the rule-sy stuff comes about because they get deluged with stuff that isn't formatted, they can't follow, or that just isn't suitable for their wants.



*although one who is looking at mine has just tweeted she's fed up with death in YA books. Oops. I could - um - revive him?

 

[JonH]

Tor reposted it with a new link. The old one is broken at the moment.

JULIET MUSHENS ON HOW TO APPROACH AN AGENT: DOS AND DON’TS « Tor Books

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

I'd have to say for me now after years of doing those rounds the basic rule of approaching an agent / publisher is don't.

They can come to me!

And for those who think that's arrogant or what have you - I'd just say it's actually not. There is a certain freedom in going indie. It's as though all those years I spent trying to do all of that cap in hand begging type stuff, feeling inadequate and blaming myself for every rejection or non reply, were a colossal mistake. A huge weight has been lifted from me as I just don't have to care about that stuff any more.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

"You should write because you have a story to tell."

she got it in one.

 

[Nick B]

Thanks for that, i know its an older post so glad its been resurected! Especialy right now, as we are about to submit something, hence why i havnt been around so much.

 

[George Ian]

Hi
Several agents who advertised 'willing to look at Sci-fi from new writers' returned my MS as 'not the sort of material we're looking for'. Are they just being too kind to say it's cr*p?

 

[Ursa major]

Hi
Several agents who advertised 'willing to look at Sci-fi from new writers' returned my MS as 'not the sort of material we're looking for'. Are they just being too kind to say it's cr*p?

Not necessarily.

SF includes, for instance, a wide range of sub-genres. The agents may simply be saying that your manuscript is in a sub-genre that they prefer not to represent (for whatever reason). Or that the story is one for which they don't feel they could find a publisher. It could be any number of things, really.

But if the problem concerns the way you write, not what you write, that's perhaps an easier thing to determine, and thus fix, because it doesn't need a knowledge of the market, or any insights into the likes and dislikes of individual agents. For example, most people here would recognise, say, infodumps or poor grammar.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Hi
Several agents who advertised 'willing to look at Sci-fi from new writers' returned my MS as 'not the sort of material we're looking for'. Are they just being too kind to say it's cr*p?

You've almost reached 30 posts - then you can post your first 1500 words to the Critiques section.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Hi
Several agents who advertised 'willing to look at Sci-fi from new writers' returned my MS as 'not the sort of material we're looking for'. Are they just being too kind to say it's cr*p?

It sounds like a form rejection to me. It may be that you're not hooking them, or that you're targetting the wrong agents - finding the right agent should take a bit of time. Or it could, indeed, be that it needs more work. I suggest, like Brian, you pop your opening on crits and see what the feedback is?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Hi
'not the sort of material we're looking for'. Are they just being too kind to say it's cr*p?

As others have already said 'not the sort of material we're looking for' can mean a lot of different things. But since agents never do say that something is terrible (that's not kindness, that's just self-preservation), yes, it could mean that too.

Get your work critiqued. When the time comes that you have enough posts here, then post a short excerpt for our critiquers to look at. That will give you some idea. But at some point you should join a good writers group or find some reliable beta readers to look at longer sections (or the whole book). You will find out that way whether or not the book needs so much work that no agent would take it, or whether 'not the sort of material we are looking for' means what it says.