Go-to Romance agents?

K. Taylor · Apr 1, 2009

I had three agents' contact details already, but I'm wondering if there are good legit agents repping romance you guys might be able to point me to? Just sifting through lists to see who wants what looks/feels overwhelming to me, as well as time consuming.

Thanks!

Kim

ETA: To be clear, I'm not looking for a hand-out, just advice. This site is huge for a newbie, and a Google search certainly won't tell you who's a scammer and who isn't. Thank you to those who have pointed in specific directions. I find it offensive that anyone would assume I want to be babied.

Irysangel · Apr 1, 2009

More than three. Who you should query depends largely on your subgenre. You can look at Agent Query, Query Tracker, Publishers Marketplace, etc.

And yes, it is time consuming. But we all have to go through it. Asking for a list of names to 'short cut' the system while not doing your own research? Will probably not pan out for you. Sorry.

brainstorm77 · Apr 1, 2009

check the B&B forum here to.

waylander · Apr 1, 2009

Knight Agency

Lainey Bancroft · Apr 1, 2009

RWA has an approved agents list in the members only section.

If you're not an RWA member, author Karen Fox has a list of agents here:

http://www.karenafox.com/agentlist.htm'

But, yeah, like Irysangel said, it is an overwhelming and lengthy process. You want to spend some time at each agent site, find out who they rep and what their interests are and follow their guidelines to the letter if you do think they'd be a match for your ms and choose to submit.

Susan Gable · Apr 1, 2009

Also, agents are like shoes.

Just because they fit someone else doesn't mean they'll fit you. <G>

That's why a lot of research (the more the merrier) is really important.

Susan G.

K. Taylor · Apr 1, 2009

I don't mind querying a lot of people, but I don't know where to start in the first place.....that's all I was asking. I'm still fairly new here.

Stacia Kane · Apr 1, 2009

Agentquery.com is where you want to start. Enter "Romance" in the genre field, and take a look at what comes up. Check their clients. Check them out here. Google them.

Irysangel is exactly right; YOU have to do the research and no one can do it for you. But Agentquery is, IMO, the best place to start.

Good luck!

K. Taylor · Apr 1, 2009

Thank you! I just needed a direction. I don't want to get screwed over, obviously, on something dear to me.

Irysangel · Apr 1, 2009

That makes total sense, and I'm sorry if my answer seemed a little snippy! We sometimes get the driveby "SOMEONE TELL ME 5 AGENTS SO I CAN QUERY THEM".

Okay. What I did. I made lists. I looked up what sold on PM. I tried to figure out who would be buying my books if they were on the shelves (IE, if you like XYZ, you'll love my stuff!). And then I looked for THEIR agents.

I had a feeling my current agent would like my stuff because on the agency website, she listed a bunch of her favorite reads and they all had a common factor to what I write. It's little stuff like that - you kind of pick up bits here and there.

And do a LOT of market research, heh.

Deb Kinnard · Apr 2, 2009

When I had my first long-list of agents, I went then to each web site and noted whether they respond to queries on projects they aren't interested in. Many don't. Since this is a big time-waster for me, I put those agents on my C list. Those who said they'd respond within a reasonable time period, whether the answer is yes or no, I put on my A list. Everyone else got a B.

I queried my A list first, then the B list. As faith would have it, I linked up with an agent who wasn't on any of these, and I'm very happy with her after almost a year...

Keep doing the due diligence, and check back on the Bewares thread here if you're in doubt about anyone.

May your work find favor!

Cathy C · Apr 2, 2009

I strongly recommend signing up to Publisher's Marketplace for a couple of months. It costs $20/month, but it's a piece of cake to cancel even a few days after you sign up. The data you can compile even in a week is worth the price! While the main site is free, the $20 gets you access to the "deals" section of the site, where you can search for sales by a particular agent, or all sales in a genre. You also get "Publishers Lunch" which is a publishing industry e-newsletter that tells you what's going on in the business.

Shamrockgreen · Apr 2, 2009

Cathy C said:
I strongly recommend signing up to Publisher's Marketplace for a couple of months. It costs $20/month, but it's a piece of cake to cancel even a few days after you sign up. The data you can compile even in a week is worth the price! While the main site is free, the $20 gets you access to the "deals" section of the site, where you can search for sales by a particular agent, or all sales in a genre. You also get "Publishers Lunch" which is a publishing industry e-newsletter that tells you what's going on in the business.

Yea a real pix of Cathy C....you are adorable!

shameless · Apr 3, 2009

You're getting lots of great advice here. Publishers Marketplace is a must when you're researching agents, and you only have to pay for a month at a time. But remember that not all agents report to it.

Good luck in your search!!

job · Apr 3, 2009

One way to pick an author is to look for one who agents author you admire. Are there authors whose work has something in common with your own -- the same 'flavor', as it were?

Google "author name" AND "agent".

You can also search Amazon. Put in the author name and the word 'agent'. That will often draw up the acknowledgements where the author thanks her agent.

Go-to Romance agents?

K. Taylor

Bah Humbug

Irysangel

She of Many Names

brainstorm77

practical experience, FTW

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

Lainey Bancroft

Cover Me!

Susan Gable

Dreamer of dreams, teller of tales

K. Taylor

Bah Humbug

Stacia Kane

Girl Detective

K. Taylor

Bah Humbug

Irysangel

She of Many Names

Deb Kinnard

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Shamrockgreen

A day on the skeet range helps the frustration

shameless

Superlative Type A

job

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript