Should you get an agent near you?

[DivaNicoletta]

It is nessicery to get an agent near you, so you can meet with them personally, or is it ok to get one in another state? How does this work? Anyone?

[Julie Worth]

You won't have a choice in that, but it's better to query agents in New York first, and if that doesn't work, try the other coast, LA, then Florida, then...well, then you'll probably end up with someone in a wheat field in Nebraska. Not to say he won't be any good, because after all, an agent can submit from anywhere. But the best agents seem to concentrate in the big apple.

[DivaNicoletta]

I was just wondering, I am in SF and there seem to be a lot of agents in my area. I know why you would contact NY and LA, but why Florida?

[maestrowork]

In today's techno world, there's no reason to meet face to face with your agent. Unless you live in metro areas, you really want someone who is close to where the "action" is. New York, California, Chicago, etc. While you can hide in your house and get things done, agents need to be able to "wine and dine" with editors and their contacts. And where are the editors? New York, LA, SF, etc.

[Elijah Phoenix]

If he lives in China and he likes you- take him.

Beggers can't be choosy. I found Maynard on my first query. That was a million to one shot. He ain't the easiest guy to talk to tho. Takes weeks to get back to me. There ought to be a rule. Agents send one sentence emails and they only give you three minutes on the phone. Every question you ask is stupid and gets on their nerves.

I always ask Maynard why they can't see my brilliance, and he just laughs and has to go because he has a call waiting. He never answers that dam question.
Agents, they're scared to brag on ya. I ought to be my own agent. I'd make em see the light.

[Aconite]

Beggers can't be choosy.
Writers, however, can and should be choosy about their agents. A bad agent is worse than no agent.

Search the Bewares and Background Check forum for threads on finding an agent. (There are many. Check them before you start a new thread, because your answer is likely to be there.) The Index (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=792) lists some of them. Useful links include Teresa Nielsen Hayden's advice on finding agents (http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2005/01/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about.asp); Writer Beware (http://www.sfwa.org/Beware/); Victoria Strauss' website (http://www.sff.net/people/victoriastrauss/); and Miss Snark's (http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/"[/url]. See also [url="http://misssnark.blogspot.com/) and Torgo's (http://honestcritiques.blogspot.com/) blogs.

[Julie Worth]

Agents, they're scared to brag on ya.


Get a new agent. It's standard form for agents to say things like—She's a genius!! A f**king genius!!!!!!!

Anything less is showing a lack of confidence.

[Aconite]

It's standard form for agents to say things like—She's a genius!! A f**king genius!!!!!!!
HapiSofi once said that if you cut off an agent's head and ran an electrical current through it, the mouth would say, "Let me tell you about my authors."

[Jamesaritchie]

Even in this day and age, I'd avoid any agent who lives in an out of the way place. Especially Florida. It seems like half the scam agents out there are based in Florida. Scam artists of any sort are often found in hot vacation spots, rather than hot business areas.

At any rate, you need an agent who is close to publishers, not close to you. Depending on what you write, a New York City agent, or one close enough to visit NYC without effort, or a Hollywood agent, is best.

Anyone can claim to be an agent, but the good agents are usually ones on the scene, who know editors personally, and who can meet with editors on a regular basis.

It's also best to have an agent who has either contacts with, or representatives in, such places as Hollywood, London and Paris.

And an agent who doesn't brag on you constantly is a bad agent.

Oh, and it's best to remember that you don't work for the agent, the agent works for you.

[maestrowork]

Beggers can't be choosy.

You think writers are beggers? And agents are like God?

Great, and good luck to your career.

[katdad]

It's totally unnecessary for you to live near your agent. Some writers NEVER meet their agent personally, others usually after the first sale or similar milestone.

My agent's in Atlanta and I live in Houston. Most literary agents are in NYC area or LA area, and all of them have clients from everywhere.

[Jamesaritchie]

If he lives in China and he likes you- take him.

Beggers can't be choosy. I found Maynard on my first query. That was a million to one shot. He ain't the easiest guy to talk to tho. Takes weeks to get back to me. There ought to be a rule. Agents send one sentence emails and they only give you three minutes on the phone. Every question you ask is stupid and gets on their nerves.

I always ask Maynard why they can't see my brilliance, and he just laughs and has to go because he has a call waiting. He never answers that dam question.
Agents, they're scared to brag on ya. I ought to be my own agent. I'd make em see the light.

A writer should never be a begger. A writer should have something written that makes the agent salivate like Pavlov's dog. Sounds like you definitely need a new agent. It isn't whether or not the agent likes you, it's whether or not you want him or her as an agent. When I call my agent, I usually get him on the phone within a minute or two, and if he happens to be out, he calls back the same day. And he gives me as much time on the phone as it takes to get the job done.

And he works for me, not the other way around. If anything I ask gets on his nerves, he has the good sense to conceal it well.

Unless Maynard has a footprint the size of the Jolly Green Giant (Meaning a very good track record of sales to large, commercial publishers.), I'd be looking for someone else to handle my writing.

[LightShadow]

I picked up a local agent and they did nothing for me, and actually had poor submission tactics...the publishers are in New York, so get an agent that is in the lion's den.

[Avalon]

If/when I get to the point where I have an agent, I don't want him/her having lunch with me, but rather having lunch with potential buyers. So I'll target New York agents first.

Then again, I'm in Philly. :)

[emeraldcite]

If you read agent blogs, you'll find that they go to lunch practically every day. They like to meet with editors to push their wares. If they don't live in NY, then there's a good chance that they don't sell as well. LA's not bad, but NY is where all the major players are.

[Julie Worth]

I picked up a local agent and they did nothing for me, and actually had poor submission tactics...the publishers are in New York, so get an agent that is in the lion's den.

Julie’s Rules of Thumb—

A good and successful agent

1. Has an office New York.
2. Or has an office within ten miles of a major body of water.
3. Does not have ‘literary’ in the agency name.
4. Does not want your money.
5. Does not want your novel.

Some of these make no sense. Like No. 2. What does water have to do with anything? (It just does!) And No. 5. Surely that one is completely wrong. But no, if you are inexperienced and unpublished, you should be instantly suspicious of anyone who wants to represent you. Perhaps they are stupid or insane, but more likely they are smart and wily, and will suggest that your work is promising, but it just needs a little something, a little polishing. And guess what, they just happen to do a little editing on the side!

[Cathy C]

3. Does not have ‘literary’ in the agency name.


Good general rule, but there are a few notable exceptions that are major players:

Writer's House, LLC - A Literary Agency (the actual name of the company)
3 Seas Literary Agency
Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents
Donald Maass Literary Agency

;)

[victoriastrauss]

A good and successful agent

1. Has an office New York.
Not necessarily. Sandra Dijkstra, for instance, is in California. Quite a number of good agents are located far from NYC. However, they do make regular business trips.

- Victoria

[Jamesaritchie]

Not necessarily. Sandra Dijkstra, for instance, is in California. Quite a number of good agents are located far from NYC. However, they do make regular business trips.

- Victoria

California has a number of good agents, and some large publishers. Not to mention that's where Hollywood is.

But I really do think it's a disadvantage having an agent that's in Florida, North Dakota, etc.