Christian agents and publishers--a question

Perhaps Christianity is all about who you know. I mean, Jesus got the job because of his dad, right?

The market is tight. Publishers are laying off all over. This shakes up business all over. Christian publishing is a niche market, even though it has done well and grown, it is still only a small slice of the publishing pie. Agents and publishers continue to get thousands of requests for fewer slots, they have to filter some way.

ALL agents and publishers do this. They may have their own means of doing it (though the ones you mentioned are the most common - publishers want agented material and authors with a history and good numbers. Agents want to know you have done some work and understand the business before they invest time and effort in you and your work.

Publishing is a business. Yes, editors and agents love writing and want to find an amazing book and are open to it, though they understand better than most writers, how rare that is, so they hedge their bets with people who have proven results. No big mystery and certainly not limited to Christian publishing.

annie jones

Nandi, don't despair over Christian agents seeking only published authors.

I was signed with the agent who represented one of the biggest Christian books next to Rick Warren's PURPOSE DRIVEN...and the agent was awful.

Never returned calls or e-mails--unless I contacted or called a couple times. Really dreadful. So we (happily) parted ways.

I rewrote/revised my book, sent out new query letters--NOT to Christian agents, BTW--and have five agents eager to represent me. I signed with one and the book is now making the rounds.

My point is to find a GOOD AGENT--do not be concerned if he/she is a Christian or not. Even if your audience is 100% believers, most publishing houses have "Chritian arms" and all the agent/publisher cares about is if your story SELLS.

So query agents of all beliefs! Cast your net WIDE!

Derek, may I ask what your novel is about or at least what genre it is?

(Hope you get it published SOON!)

I have found that Christian Business period is often the devil's playground as well. Be aware that many wear this appellation as a way of saying, "Trust Me," but they are wolves in sheep's clothing. I am quite sure it is a Spiritual Warfare thing. This is how Christianity and the church get a bad name. How much evil has been done in God's name by self-serving men and women? Just look at the Inquisition.

As an aside, don't blame God for bad things done by those who call themselves followers of Him.

I have often been dismayed by honest-to-God believers though, such as agents, who seem to be less available and open than the world. It is a sad fact I have observed as well.

I have recently finished (as finished as a book can be prior to print) a novel that is a supernatural suspense. I have expressed my intent to christian agents to use this mainstream story as an outreach tool to cause just a few to rethink their world view and consider spiritual things, and have had the reply a couple of times, "It does't seem right for us" !!?? Really? Just what is the Christian's mission on earth? What about it is not "right" for these agents?

The rest of the Christian agents simply have not responded. At all.

Maybe it's my query, but I don't think so.

Do not give up! Write and rewrite! Give it to God and know when to let go and let Him handle it. Do not worry over things you cannot control for that is God's realm. Go, man, go!