What are the odds?

Pistol Whipped Bee · Oct 24, 2010

It's occurred to me that I might have a better chance at hooking an agent if one should happen to find my blog, than I do trying to hook one with query letters, and whatnot.

Do agents stumble, on occasion, across a blog that makes them want to contact the author for more information?

Because I have a blog I'd love for agents to stumble over.

http://neftwink.wordpress.com/

Here is the introduction I've included on the right side of my new blog.

**I am a first time writer, and this is an introduction to my blog: The psychological experience of withdrawal the morning after years of drinking four bottles of wine a day evokes the image of my mind being stretched, and warped over an Event Horizon as it's about to be sucked down, and through a Black Hole.

My withdrawals and DT's were terrifying, and excrutiating.

I started my blog to include edited pieces of my memoir because I'm extremely interested in the general public's interest in my subject matter and writing style.

My story takes the reader through my experiences of being arrested, twice, by my new husband of three months, and my subsequent adventures through five inpatient treatment centers for alcohol abuse.

I invite you to comment, and critique my work. Like most readers, I love a good book, and am looking to attract an agent in hopes of getting my book published.

I recommend reading an entry titled 'The Mosquito Bite'.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Place

ChaosTitan · Oct 24, 2010

Pistol Whipped Bee said:
It's occurred to me that I might have a better chance at hooking an agent if one should happen to find my blog, than I do trying to hook one with query letters, and whatnot.

Do agents stumble, on occasion, across a blog that makes them want to contact the author for more information?

To answer your question, frankly, I can't think of a single instance of this happening. I'm sure it has, but I could much more easily name off a dozen people on this forum who've signed with agents through query letters. The far vast majority of writers sign through querying. The stories you hear about meeting agents at conferences, or an agent stumbling into a blog, are very, very rare and not the norm. Most agents are too busy managing their current clients and wading through submissions to go trolling the internet for new clients.

Which leads me to ask: what led you to the conclusion that you'd have a better chance using your blog? How are agents supposed to find your blog? I'm genuinely curious how you came to this conclusion.

Terie · Oct 24, 2010

Pistol Whipped Bee said:
It's occurred to me that I might have a better chance at hooking an agent if one should happen to find my blog, than I do trying to hook one with query letters, and whatnot.

Do agents stumble, on occasion, across a blog that makes them want to contact the author for more information?

Not unless your blog goes viral (like the 'Julia and Julia' thing did). Coming to an agent's attention via your own blog is incredibly, incredibly rare. As far as I know, there are only a handful of cases where an agent contacted a writer after reading the writer's blog, whereas agents offer to represent new writers who queried them the old fashioned way on a regular basis.

The very best way to catch an agent's notice is to write a dynamite book and a dynamite query, and send it in.

Blog, by all means. There are many benefits to doing it, if it's something you're keen to do. But don't plan to come to a legitimate agent's attention that way.

Sorry, but there's no easy way into this thing.

Chris P · Oct 24, 2010

I don't have direct experience, but I think it's rare. Agents get enough queries as it is; they don't need to go looking for more stuff to do. That being said, I'm sure there are people who have gotten agents through their blogs, so nothing is impossible. The difficulty is getting the agent to read your blog; how many blogs are out there, what are the chances of an agent reading your blog, and what are the chances the agent is looking for what you're able to provide?

I venture to guess most people here will tell you to maximize your chances by querying, attending conventions, and networking (which is where blogs probably come in), in that order (I'm open to hearing other people's thought on this, though).

suki · Oct 24, 2010

I'll agree with the others that it is rare. But I'll also add that you should think about what you are putting out there to be found. There's probably no harm in posting a few short excerpts. But once larger sections of the book have been posted for anyone to read for free, you actually hurt it's chances of being taken on by an agent and sold to a publisher because people can read it for free.

So it's a situation where if you chase the rare selling it from the blog path, you could actually hurt your chances if it doesn't go viral.

~suki

Susan Coffin · Oct 24, 2010

Jennifer,

Welcome! Even if an agent were to look at your blog, you would still need to query in order for him/her to do some kind of internet search. Agents don't have time to go looking for new clients, as they are much too busy.

That said, I am inspired by the subject matter of your blog. I see you are posting edited excerpts to your memoir. If your memoir is what you want to publish, and you are displaying it in it's entirety at your website (in other words, all of the excerpts add up to your entire book), then an agent could conclude that it has already been published. I would advise discretion in how much you publish of your book at your blog.

Stacia Kane · Oct 24, 2010

Jennifer, I've just read some of your blog. Your work is very good; I really urge you to get querying right away.

If you feel perhaps your query letter isn't attracting enough attention, have you posted it in the Query Letter Hell section of Share Your Work? A lot of members have found that very helpful.

Ryan_Sullivan · Oct 24, 2010

In agreement.

There are always people who sign through forums, blogs, writing sites, etc. But those are exceptions, and I would venture to say FAR less common than the number who sign through querying. I looked at your work too, briefly, and you definitely have merit. I'm sure you'll find the right home for your work eventually. Good luck!

inkspatters · Oct 25, 2010

I had an offer of representation from an agent who initiated contact after reading my blog. And the agent I wound up signing with also mentioned having initially seen some of my work on my blog. But I do concur with everyone else that this is rare and you shouldn't count on something like that happening (having a blog up doesn't do any harm, though

). Querying is the best way, for sure.

Susan Coffin · Oct 25, 2010

Ink, that is wonderful, considering you are so young too. I really like your blog, by the way.

Pistol Whipped Bee · Oct 25, 2010

You guyzz are great! Thanks much for the feedback and advice!

inkspatters · Oct 26, 2010

SusanL said:
Ink, that is wonderful, considering you are so young too. I really like your blog, by the way.

It's really kind of amazing and strange in light of the fact that at the time, I had absolutely no profile information up. The agent who requested via my blog had to email another AW-er to ask for my name, and email address, haha.

And thank you!

BrooklynLee · Oct 26, 2010

Ditto the others. Think about it this way: if an agent stumbles on your blog they'll do it whether or not you've been querying, so you might as well improve your chances by trying the traditional route as well.

Miss Plum · Oct 26, 2010

There's a kink to this: if you happen to be a smart, witty writer on some topic other than writing itself, you could catch someone's eye. Look up the stories of Dana Vachon and Zac Bissonnette.

ETA: Aaaaaaannd, just found this in today's Publisher's Marketplace: Twenty-something artist and blogger Adam Ellis's BOOKS OF ADAM, based on the blog of the same name, a collection of humorous coming-of-age stories paired with Adam's signature black and white illustrations; including stories about the ups and downs of moving to a new city, the trials of dating, and an attempted juice fast, to Pippa White at Grand Central, at auction, by Monika Verma at Levine Greenberg Literary Agency

What are the odds?

Pistol Whipped Bee

Now what?

ChaosTitan

Around

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

suki

Opinionated

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

Stacia Kane

Girl Detective

Ryan_Sullivan

Agented YA Writer

inkspatters

The coordinates keep changing...

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

Pistol Whipped Bee

Now what?

inkspatters

The coordinates keep changing...

BrooklynLee

Got the hang of it, here

Miss Plum