Publishers Marketplace
I've been stiflingly busy lately. Very frustrating, since I'm not quite through chapter 3 of my new book, and my poor character is wondering why I've abandoned him. I've had to drop my daily word goal (I like to do 1000 words a day); now my goal is to finish a chapter by each time someone in my crit group subs something new (twice a week, in other words). I've asked here and at Verla's, and I think it won't hurt things if I send a query to just this one dream editor. If she hates it, she'd probably hate it coming from someone else, too. If not, maybe it will give me an in with an agent. Someone asked who the editor was. If it works out well, I'll tell you! If not, I'll bury my embarrassed head in the sand. I know people who know her (more than one of my lj friends have had positive contact with her, shall we say), and I don't want to make things awkward. But she does have several excellent articles available to the public and works for a seriously excellent house.
Regarding said completed ms and the agent search, I exhausted the free means of researching agents, and so yesterday I subscribed for one month's worth of Publishers Marketplace. It's very interesting! I know not everyone lists their sales there, but there are a couple agents who maybe I'm glad gave me a form. And for the ones who requested fulls from me? I feel honored, actually. They had some big projects, and they still saw enough in my ms to request it.
Overall impressions: lots of fantasy. LOTS of vampires. Also lots of books about secret worlds under New York City. Please, people. STOP. I know, the agents and publishers are all in New York. But the rest of us aren't. Really, I can go whole days, even, without the words "New York" crossing my mind. (especially since I've been sending only e-queries :) I also figure that there was actually a hook to some of the contemporary books when they were pitched. The books about chest size all sounded basically the same, as did the ones centered on breaking into the popular crowd. No doubt the writing is distinctive in the actual books. One hopes.
Another thing--the titles agents choose to list as representative don't always match the full picture you get when you see ALL their sales. I suppose they might be trying to change that picture if they are only advertising certain types of titles, though.
I smiled whenever I saw sales for people I know. Yay, you people at Verla's!!
I noticed that a few sales had no agent listed, just the purchasing editor. Does this mean there WAS no agent?
All in all, an enlightening tool.
Regarding said completed ms and the agent search, I exhausted the free means of researching agents, and so yesterday I subscribed for one month's worth of Publishers Marketplace. It's very interesting! I know not everyone lists their sales there, but there are a couple agents who maybe I'm glad gave me a form. And for the ones who requested fulls from me? I feel honored, actually. They had some big projects, and they still saw enough in my ms to request it.
Overall impressions: lots of fantasy. LOTS of vampires. Also lots of books about secret worlds under New York City. Please, people. STOP. I know, the agents and publishers are all in New York. But the rest of us aren't. Really, I can go whole days, even, without the words "New York" crossing my mind. (especially since I've been sending only e-queries :) I also figure that there was actually a hook to some of the contemporary books when they were pitched. The books about chest size all sounded basically the same, as did the ones centered on breaking into the popular crowd. No doubt the writing is distinctive in the actual books. One hopes.
Another thing--the titles agents choose to list as representative don't always match the full picture you get when you see ALL their sales. I suppose they might be trying to change that picture if they are only advertising certain types of titles, though.
I smiled whenever I saw sales for people I know. Yay, you people at Verla's!!
I noticed that a few sales had no agent listed, just the purchasing editor. Does this mean there WAS no agent?
All in all, an enlightening tool.