Do Agents Still Want Regency Romances?

lattelassy-scribe · Sep 12, 2008

Hey there (that's Texan for "hi"):

I just got 2nd agent rejection for my lovingly crafted Regency. And, before delving too far down my list of prospective literary agents (which I got from RWA ), thought I might put this question out there to anyone "in the know" on this forum.

I mean, yes, Paranormals seem to be all the rage at the moment in Romance. But there's still some best-selling authors in Regency -- besides Johanna Lindsey & Julia Quinn. Aren't there? Or am I out of step?

And yes, I realize agent rejects are par for the course, but the comments I've received so far are positive on my writing, yet say "not looking for this particular story line" at the moment. Ergo...

Am simply wondering if this is perhaps a trend? (Have already begun research & outlining for 2nd book in my series-- but now am having doubts as to whether I should chuck the genre, which I do so enjoy, & move on to something completely diff.)

Thanks in advance to all you lovely folks on this forum for your feedback on this.

WendyNYC · Sep 12, 2008

Jessica Faust blogged about this today.

lattelassy-scribe · Sep 12, 2008

Thanks for Blog info on this

Very helpful -- esp reading the "comments". In fact, Jessica is next on my list to query.

Thanks again, Wendy. Sending U some good karma!

Josie · Sep 12, 2008

Thanks Wendy for the blog address.

So in agreement with enough of the trend of erotica :sleepy:

(pardon me for being rude)

Cheers, Josie

smlgr8 · Sep 13, 2008

I have a friend whose agent recently sold her Regency-set historical to Berkley Sensation. It's very different (hero is a male prostitute), though, and it is sexy. I know her editor has indicated she wants to see more of the same type of different Regency historical from my friend.

On the other hand, another friend's agent sold a medieval for a two-book contract to Kensington. Before she sold that most publishers told her she should be writing a Regency because medievals were too tough right now.

I have heard that no matter the historical era though most agents and publishers want something different.

Crinklish · Sep 14, 2008

Lattelassy, you don't say whether the agents are passing on your work at the query or manuscript stage, but if it's the former, I have one suggestion: be sure that you're identifying your work as "Regency-era historical romance" rather than "Regency romance." When I get a query about a Regency romance, I assume they mean the traditionally sweeter, comedy-of-manners inspired books that Signet and others used to publish. The market for those Regencies has officially dried up, so if you're using that language in a query, you might be shooting yourself in the foot.

If you're making it through to partials or manuscripts, well, then ignore me. But I'll give you a ray of hope: just a month or so ago, I participated in an auction for a Regency-era historical. Five houses were bidding, and it ultimately went to HQN in a multi-book deal. So for the right material, we're still plunking down the cash!

Gillhoughly · Sep 14, 2008

Two rejections are nothing. Don't worry until you've got 50+ rejections. By then you should have a second and third book to sell and can start down the line again.

Make sure your book is indeed ready to sell. More than one beta helps. Rewrites are usually necessary.

See if you can't locate names for the agents who rep for writers who are currently selling. Sometimes RWA stuff can be out of date.

Good luck!

Josie · Sep 14, 2008

My knowledge of Regency = Zero

"Lattelassy, you don't say whether the agents are passing on your work at the query or manuscript stage, but if it's the former, I have one suggestion: be sure that you're identifying your work as "Regency-era historical romance" rather than "Regency romance." "

What's the difference? Please and Thank you

Josie

Jersey Chick · Sep 14, 2008

True Regency romances are sweet - any sex takes place behind closed doors, if at all. They also tend to deal more with the mores of the time. (At least, I think that's what they are. I write Regency-era myself.)

Regency-era romances are steamier, sexier historical romances that are set in the Regency time period.

IceCreamEmpress · Sep 14, 2008

Yes. A "Regency romance" is something that fits into the tradition of Georgette Heyer, and the "romance" is flirtation culminating in a proposal of marriage.

A "Regency-era historical romance" has the level of sexual explicitness and candor that is common in today's historical romances of all eras.

Having taken a look at your query letter, lattelassy-scribe, it's very likely that the reason for your quick rejection is your wordcount. 100,000 words is a long historical romance: aiming for 85,000 to 100,000 words is market-savvy.

lattelassy-scribe · Sep 15, 2008

Thanks to all for the heads-up on "Regency Romance" vs. "Regency-era Romance". I never knew. Guess mine falls under the latter.

Also, the rejections were on the query (w/synopsis + 1st chapter--which was the Prologue--not the chapter I wd have chosen for sample, but that's what they were asking for.)

So, remaining quandaries (which perhaps wd be useful to others in this Forum as well?)

- Sample Chapter> any comments on do you think one can get away w/ sending the chapter one thinks is best for "sucking in the reader" instead of the actual 1st chapter?

- Word Count> I posted a copy of my query letter on this Forum (see Ready to Take a Crack at a Romance Query? http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115808) & got multiple comments that my book was too long -- so I'm sure the word-count I did via Microsoft Word is off. I'm cleaning up final draft & copying to disk to give to a technical writer friend who's going to put all the chapters into a single PDF. Guess I'll have to wait until that's done to do another word count, unless y'all have suggestions??? (The manuscript is now in 35 diff files, one for ea chapter, bcs of Word's notorious tendency to freak-out w/ big document files.)

- Thoughts on cross-genres> I've read quite a few posts on this Forum re: writers thinking of crossing Sci-Fi w/ Romance (or Fantasy w/ Romance). I haven't seen any such books yet, though (being an avid Fantasy reader as well as Regency-era) there's a lot of Fantasy w/ romance elements that have inside-cover blurbs by Romantic Times. I know that I, for one, wd really enjoy reading something like this (& have beginning of one, myself.) ***So, for those of you who enjoy the escapist element of historical romances, would you also like to read Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romances if they were done well ?

Jersey Chick · Sep 15, 2008

As for sample chapters - I would suggest not sending the prologue, but the true first chapter.

IceCreamEmpress · Sep 15, 2008

lattelassy-scribe said:
- Sample Chapter> any comments on do you think one can get away w/ sending the chapter one thinks is best for "sucking in the reader" instead of the actual 1st chapter?

No, but you can send Chapter One instead of the prologue.

As for your word count, how many pages is your book, total?

Do Agents Still Want Regency Romances?

lattelassy-scribe

WendyNYC

fiddle-dee-dee

lattelassy-scribe

Josie

smlgr8

Eternal Lurker

Crinklish

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

Josie

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

lattelassy-scribe

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago