Is it better to submit directly to a publisher?

I don't know if there's ever a time that's better but a lot of authors want to go around the 15 percent. I know a first-time author who went to BEA and spoke to publishers in person and they asked her for the proposal. But she had a pretty good platform (has been on radio and TV as an expert commentator).

I went with an agent not just to rep to publishers who don't speak directly to authors but also to educate me as to the whole process.

There's SO much written about the "getting an agent" part of the process but not much about what happens next or what happens when a publisher buys your book.
I had no clue.

My agency negotiated my book contract for me and I'm an attorney and still didn't get a lot of it. They also had some things that they typically ask for and things they typically want deleted. That came from their experience with publishing contracts of which I had NONE.

I'm glad I went the agent route when all is said and done.

Okay. I don't have an agent. Got turned down tons of times. Couldn't get anyone to look at my work. Got frustrated. Started looking up publishers in my genre that were willing to look at unagented manuscripts. So far I have sold one book and have had requests for fulls on two additional manuscripts. Now, these are smaller pubs that I am talking about, but so far I have been happy. I still have A LOT to learn about being a writer, and this is a great way to get my feet wet.

Just, be careful, if you decide to go that route. I have been told that agents don't really like to rep work that has already been pushed around, through the different publishing houses. They want a clean slate when they go in to pitch. They don't want to try and resell something that has already been rejected.

Sarah, I have an agent but found it was perfectably acceptable to contact an editor directly. (He/she can just as easily say "not for me" as an agent can!)

But even tho it is time consuming/emotionally draining to get an agent, that really IS the best way to go. He/she "vets" your book, acts as a gatekeeper for the publisher, and he/she has the TRUST of the publisher not to waste their time.

And as to when to say "when" on a book you've written, that's totally and 100% up to you. We've all heard of books that spent months/years being rejected until "one day" the book was bought. So, you never know--tomorrow the phone could ring or a letter arrive or an email pop up. You simply never know.

So I say, never, Never, NEVER give up. You have nothing to lose if you keep trying and everything to lose if you give up!

Best of luck!

There are two important things about my agent that make me glad I have her:

1) She knows everyone in the business and they respect her, which means I get personal attention from editors, and 2) She really helped me revamp, rewrite and overhaul my proposal. Made it way better. Less redundant, LOL...

I'd say you are much better off with an agent. I worked at a YA publisher for a while and let me tell you, there is a lot of slush, most of it very bad and you only have 3 chapters or so to wow the slush reader with. Your ms. has to seriously impress.
Agented manuscripts get read in full, all of them, I should know, I had to read some myself. It gets you past the first round.

My experience is similar to wannawrite's, except that I hadn't really tried to get an agent yet. I just looked up some smaller publishers, sent out my proposal, and lucked out with one of them (actually they rejected my proposal but needed someone with my expertise for one of their career guides so it was a matter of good timing). It's a very small publisher, but it's my first sale and it's been a heck of a good learning experience. It also taught me just how valuable agents are...for the next go-'round I am hoping to get one.

I think a lot depends upon your subject matter and your platform, but let's say, for the sake of argument that you have a moderate platform or you plan on interviewing a number of "experts" or people relevent to the book, and a finite market. Then the question becomes, can you even interest an agent.

Taking my own situation, I think it's perfectly okay, and maybe even preferable, to contact small to medium publishers directly. Research other books in the same vein through bookstores and online for the predominant small to med. publisher(s) of this subject matter. Then check out their websites and see a) whether they accept direct submissions and b) what their specific submission guidelines are. Have a proposal, table of contents (if appropriate to your book) and sample chapters ready and see where it goes.

It was the route I took, successfully, and I discovered that although my publisher is excited about my book and the fact that they have nothing like this, it is still a fairly narrow market in their mind. (I plan on making it bigger through my own promotion ) Advances are notoriously small for non-fic in general and it is unlikely to interest an agent who will anticipate putting in a lot of work for very little return. I got some advice on the contract - this board is very helpful - and went from there.

Good luck to you, whichever route you choose. And if you want more information on my situation just let me know.

It's not an absolute necessity, but aligning yourself with an agent from the get-go will make lots of things a whole lot easier for you -- now and in the future.

You always make a good point, scope, but I can assure you that an agent is not always interested in a project, because of a perceived lack of numbers, and sometimes a publisher will be. If you hold out for an agent it just may not happen. Better to leave your options open.

Hi Bluestone,

Hope you are well.
What you say is certainly true, but after I read the initial post from the OP I came away with the impression that Sarah may very well need a "partner". Someone with publishing knowledge and someone who can provide guidance -- a good agent! Maybe I'm all wet, but when I read "....do you really need an agent to get a publishers attention?", it suggests to me that one doesn't know how to get, or go about trying to get a publishers attention (that's not to say she can't learn). And she asks at what point a work should be considered unsalable and put aside -- as you know a good agent will zero in on this far more quickly than we as writers will. Lastly, if she thinks it's time consuming to send submissions to agents, can you imagine her shock at how long it usually takes to hear from a publisher.

So, while I agree with you, I really think it may be in Sarah's best interests to start by at least trying to land an agent.

Scope, I'm fine thank you for asking! Playing the waiting game in Purgatory at the moment.

You are always thoughtful and perceptive in your responses, and diplomatic! Agreed. I just worry that the constant querying of (potentially) uninterested agents may wear Sarah down more than feedback directly from a publisher. This is from a subjective perspective, because even after my publisher enthusiastically agreed to take me on (a long process all the same) I still couldn't get an agent. After seeing the advance I can understand why!

It may be that Sarah's (are you still there, Sarah?!) project will have a broader reach and be of much more interest to an agent. I have no way of knowing, hence the advice from my own perspective.

Have a great weekend!

One thing I haven't seen discussed is how the age of a writer affects landing an agent. My guess is that most agents are looking for a twenty-something writer who might be rough around the edges today, but has enough talent to groom for the future, and has a burning desire to earn a living by writing.

I certainly wouldn't blame the agent if they concentrate their efforts on landing someone who could possibly contribute to their income for decades. They realize that it's a gamble working with a sixty-something first-time writer unless the story is obviously a potential best seller. It would be a waste of editing time and money on someone who is likely only good for a novel or two and doesn't need royalty payments to make a living.

That has made me think that those of us who have attained senior citizen status might be better off submitting directly to a small publisher.

Bluestone,

Thanks for the kind words.
Even purgatory ends, so don't be down.
You could be right about Sarah, but so might I. Really, as you suggest, I think it boils down to what Sarah needs, wants, and feels comfortable with? Vary hard to make any sort of judgment based on a couple of sentences.

Gary,

I can't fully agree with you, although given their druthers, what agent wouldn't want a "young" writer with talent who will turn out books that sell well for many, many years. Unfortunately - for agents - it's pretty rare to find such people. Usually, don't the "older" writers - 40 years and up - who have been previously published wind up producing many more books during their lifetime? And I don't think it's too important to an agent that a writer, whatever their age, has a burning desire to earn a living by writing--vs: a well written, in demand book that's ready to go and that has the potential to earn large. Grooming? I don't think agents want to get all that involved with this. Help the good writer, yes, groom, not so sure.

Gary said:

One thing I haven't seen discussed is how the age of a writer affects landing an agent. My guess is that most agents are looking for a twenty-something writer who might be rough around the edges today, but has enough talent to groom for the future, and has a burning desire to earn a living by writing.

I certainly wouldn't blame the agent if they concentrate their efforts on landing someone who could possibly contribute to their income for decades. They realize that it's a gamble working with a sixty-something first-time writer unless the story is obviously a potential best seller. It would be a waste of editing time and money on someone who is likely only good for a novel or two and doesn't need royalty payments to make a living.

That has made me think that those of us who have attained senior citizen status might be better off submitting directly to a small publisher.

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This seems odd to me. Most of the time, they aren't going to know your age from the query/MS, so how does it even figure in?

By the time they'd (possibly) get to know you, they probably already decided to rep you anyway.

Gatita said:

There are two important things about my agent that make me glad I have her:

1) She knows everyone in the business and they respect her, which means I get personal attention from editors, and 2) She really helped me revamp, rewrite and overhaul my proposal. Made it way better. Less redundant, LOL...

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Your agent sounds like a gem!Gatita who is this wonder woman?

ladyvincenza It depends on the particular publisher. Some major publishers accept direct submissions, so if you have a polished manuscript it is worth giving it a go. However, many major publishers only accept agented submissions, and as Gatita pointed out an agent can present your manuscript to the right publisher and make your proposal the best it can be.

If you're the type who gets discoraged from being turned down again and again (and who wouldn't?) consider this: Author John Hersey collected over 700 rejection slips before he ever sold a thing, He's sold about 50 books since then. Now there's somebody who really wanted to write. His story is a fascinating one.

Yeah, looks like you've already made a decision... I write non-fiction (can't plot! yet). I've sold books directly and with an agent, and have one book I've not been able to sell either way although it gets positive comments. Am working with an agent now trying to get the right kind of proposal together so there's no one answer for sure.

Good luck! and what Rowdymama says about rejections... will double that!