Non-US based writers: Publisher/Agent Submission and Queries

JanW · Dec 24, 2006

I'm new to the forums and have searched all over for this question and comments, but couldn't come up with the goods.

I live in Australia and write with two partners. I'm an American/Australian, new to writing fiction but have a technical/academic publication record. I have a completed manuscript of a contemporary novel set in US and South Africa about multiple cultures, mixing a plot line and exploration of yin/yang aspects of commercialism and native South Africans, genders, and generations.

All I've read on the boards is to start by submitting to agents, but that's gone nowhere in 8 months of trying with US agents (via email). Australia only has about 15 agents (at least listed ones) and most of them are not taking new clients and are overstretched. (I do have one who has agreed to looking at samples next month -- hurray! -- but no guarantees of course.)

Now I'm looking to publishers and have come up with 10 in Australia who are open to queries and opening submissions, which I will pursue in a few weeks.

Question: given all of the above, is there any advice anyone can suggest to break into the US market, since I'm pretty certain Australian publishers will want Australian or near neighbor settings? (we have an expat Aussie lawyer in South Africa as a main character, but I was told by that 'bird' house that wasn't enough).

UrsusMinor · Dec 24, 2006

I know it's unfair, but being outside the US does put you at a disadvantage with US agents. Miss Snark has posted on this topic a few times.

If you have good friends or relatives in the US, you might consider using their address for your queries; this could save you some postage, too.

I think you should also consider looking for an agent or publisher in the UK. They are more experienced in representing and publishing writers from other countries. The US is sadly parochial in this regard.

In addition, all but the blockbusters tend to do better in the UK market. I know a number of US writers whose novels sell twice as many copies in the UK as at home.

PeeDee · Dec 24, 2006

UrsusMinor said:
In addition, all but the blockbusters tend to do better in the UK market. I know a number of US writers whose novels sell twice as many copies in the UK as at home.

......really? that's fascinating. Why is that? (he asked, hijackily).

rugcat · Dec 24, 2006

People over there read?

UrsusMinor · Dec 24, 2006

PeeDee said:
......really? that's fascinating. Why is that? (he asked, hijackily).

I'm not sure. But my impression is that there are many readers in the US who read nothing but blockbusters, while many readers in the UK--even if they read blockbusters--tend to spend more time searching out so-called midlist books.

The authors I know who report this are in the midlist: Total sales in English for each novel from 5,000 to about 50,000--and usually two-thirds of it the UK. (One of them confides that he would have been unable to continue publishing if it weren't for the fact that his books were so reliably onsold to the UK).

Although he is enjoying a well-deserved renaissance, I think Jonathan Carroll would have been out of business long ago were it not for European sales in general. (On his website he mentions, and puzzles over, some of the places he is most popular).

JanW · Dec 24, 2006

UK agents follow on

Thanks for that advice, Ursus. I had considered the UK route and will now pursue that as well as submitting to publishers who are accepting queries.

Are there any differences in arrangements with UK agents than those in the US or Australia?

Does anyone know what the agent situation is like in Canada? I"m wondering if proximity to the US market would be any advantage.

Merry Christmas everyone!
JanW (where it is hailing in the middle of summer! yay!! the drought is broken!!)

Novelist in Paradise · Dec 24, 2006

I live in Indonesia and am published with a major house. How this came to be is quite simple: two very important people "fell in love" with my writing. My agent and my editor. If this sounds like bragging, it's not, it's just to underscore that it's the writing (and the story) that comes first, second, third. It's not where one lives (I respectfully disagree with Miss Snark on this) or one's story setting.

What might come fourth, and is still important, is an agent's personal taste and personal sense of where he or she can sell the ms. How many emails have you sent? Of those that don't accept emails, research the ones that interest you, and snailmail them.

Of course, my experience with the publishing world is small, not as deep and wide as others, but it is some experience.

And now my kids are up and pounding my door, ready for the Christmas gifts.

Merry Christmas, may you be blessed with an agent and sale!

Euan H. · Dec 24, 2006

JanW said:
All I've read on the boards is to start by submitting to agents, but that's gone nowhere in 8 months of trying with US agents (via email).

I live in Thailand, and my agent is in the U.S. It took me around eight months to get an offer of representation--and most of the email queries I sent either came back negative or didn't get a reply at all. The people who responded responded to my snailed submissions. The postage is expensive, but I don't think living outside the U.S. is *that* much of a killer.

pianoman5 · Dec 24, 2006

Thanks for the question, Jan. I too have been considering the UK route, because of the dearth of active agents and publishers in Australia. Not that I've exhausted the possibilities yet -- I've been keeping my powder dry, not wishing to use up all my chances until I feel my WIP is a sure-fire winner (ha!).

As I understand it, the UK setup is not dissimilar to Oz, just a few times larger. Rumour had it that novels with Australian settings and themes were the flavour-of-the-month there a little while ago, though I suspect that month has passed. Maybe it's South Africa's turn now?

With regard to the US market's pre-occupation with its own stories to the exclusion of others (not to mention news, sport etc), there's an interesting article here by the film writer/director/producer Wim Wenders about how even Europe is suffering an identity crisis despite its huge cultural inheritance.

This excerpt sums it up:

Because the Americans realized long ago what moves people most and what gets them dreaming. And they radically implemented that knowledge.

The whole "American Dream" is really an invention of cinema, and it is now being dreamed by the whole world.

I guess the writing scene is not that different.

JanW · Dec 24, 2006

pianoman5 said:
As I understand it, the UK setup is not dissimilar to Oz, just a few times larger. Rumour had it that novels with Australian settings and themes were the flavour-of-the-month there a little while ago, though I suspect that month has passed. Maybe it's South Africa's turn now?

Let's hope! If anyone reading here is interested, I've posted the synopsis and opening chapters on my blog.

pianoman5 said:
With regard to the US market's pre-occupation with its own stories to the exclusion of others (not to mention news, sport etc), there's an interesting article here by the film writer/director/producer Wim Wenders about how even Europe is suffering an identity crisis despite its huge cultural inheritance.

This excerpt sums it up:

Because the Americans realized long ago what moves people most and what gets them dreaming. And they radically implemented that knowledge.

The whole "American Dream" is really an invention of cinema, and it is now being dreamed by the whole world.

I guess the writing scene is not that different.

It's certainly (possibly?) the same in Australia, but I can understand why Australian publishers and cultural protectors would want to invest in Australia-based stories given the limited size of our market. The US market size has always been, in all areas, as self-sufficient as any country could be, possibly with the exception of Russia, and one of the reasons the US never needed to become imperialist, unlike some other nation-states. I guess I just had a hope that Australia would leverage its international perspective instead of squander it and become more Americanised. (sorry, too political for this thread!)

On the other hand, you would think from a business perspective (and hopefully I'll find this to be the case with some publisher out there) global issues would be seen to sell more than just those with a local focus. I have been told that publishing is a conservative industry, though, so am not surprised that they are more risk averse than other businesses. Am I right in that assumption?

JanW

UrsusMinor · Dec 24, 2006

JanW said:
Does anyone know what the agent situation is like in Canada? I"m wondering if proximity to the US market would be any advantage.

A number of Canadian agents claim to sell into both markets, although they are US-oriented. My impression is that they are a little less parochial than American agents.

And, as Novelist In Paradise said, sure, if you can make an agent or editor "fall in love with your work," it will override all else. Miss Snark herself says that good writing trumps all. But she also says that she will be less inclined to get excited if you live in Rabbitania; and that she will be less excited if you are 70 years old; and that life isn't fair.

That said, she's fairer than most agents in that she asks for, and looks closely at, sample pages. Some morons in the US want to see a query letter only. In this case, matters like your address and what font you use begin to loom large.

The trick is getting them to read your work in the first place. Assuming your writing is good, anything you can do to minimize the chances they will toss your query without reading pages is to your benefit.

Toothpaste · Dec 24, 2006

I don't know about Canadian agents being the group to go for. We may be close to the states, but getting a canadian agent, isn't particularly easy. From what I understand, and in a way it's really nice, unless you are a literary writer, or writing something 'canadian' it's tough to get representation. Canada is weird. This incredibly successful fun film "Bon Cop, Bad Cop", though loved across the country, was still panned by the typical canadian artistic elite because it was 'commercially successful". I know someone with a canadian publisher, who has published a book wants to publish another one, one that the publisher likes, but first wants her to write a more canadian book.

Whatcha gonna do?

J.S Greer · Dec 24, 2006

A question I'd ask myself is "Why am I not hearing anything back?"

Is the writing good enough for someone to want to publish? Does the story/topic appeal to the average reader?

JanW · Dec 24, 2006

Yes, those questions have gone through my mind, but the writing hasn't been seen to be judged, Greer. The definition of 'average reader' is something I'd be happy to have someone provide, as I don't believe there is such a thing.

I do believe there is a lot of luck in matching with the right agent/publisher who:
a. is interested in taking on new clients
b. is interested in the topic and genre (you can sometimes find the second out by research, but 'topic' is subjective and changes I would think)
c. isn't put off by co-authorship (I posted about this in another thread and still haven't received any comments about that dilemma other than others with the same question)

Flapdoodle · Dec 25, 2006

UrsusMinor said:
I'm not sure. But my impression is that there are many readers in the US who read nothing but blockbusters, while many readers in the UK--even if they read blockbusters--tend to spend more time searching out so-called midlist books.

The authors I know who report this are in the midlist: Total sales in English for each novel from 5,000 to about 50,000--and usually two-thirds of it the UK. (One of them confides that he would have been unable to continue publishing if it weren't for the fact that his books were so reliably onsold to the UK).

Although he is enjoying a well-deserved renaissance, I think Jonathan Carroll would have been out of business long ago were it not for European sales in general. (On his website he mentions, and puzzles over, some of the places he is most popular).

Carroll is my favourite author of all times, every single book is different, original and readable.

He generally gets a lot of good reviews in the UK, although I don't think I've seen any of his books in stores for some time now.

Non-US based writers: Publisher/Agent Submission and Queries

JanW

UrsusMinor

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

UrsusMinor

JanW

Novelist in Paradise

Ah, the joys of dengue fever

Euan H.

Unspeakable

pianoman5

Means well

JanW

UrsusMinor

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

J.S Greer

Feel the power!

JanW

Flapdoodle