Agent Boundaries...

Star · May 23, 2007

Dear Fellow Scribes,

My novel is currently being shopped by my agent. So far 8 rejections, 5 more publishers to go. In the meantime, I want to stay busy. Just wanted to know your opinion on the following:

I plan to get back into the freelancing arena. It's been a while, so I don't have many magazine leads. I wanted to know if you think it's appropiate to ask my agent if he has any ideas/leads. See, I don't want him to think I'm trying to overstep our bounds, (he's working very hard to get my book published, so I don't want to "bug" him about this. But I do want him to know that I'm serious about my craft and trying to make a name for myself so that these darn-tootin' publishers will recognize my talent.

Namatu · May 23, 2007

If he's a book agent, how familiar will he be with the magazine industry?

Star · May 23, 2007

Not sure if he's familiar, but I do recall a magazine...I think Family Circle...saying that they only accept fiction from agented writers. So I'm thinking he may know a little something since the publishing world is small and interrelated.

Jamesaritchie · May 23, 2007

Agent

Star said:
Not sure if he's familiar, but I do recall a magazine...I think Family Circle...saying that they only accept fiction from agented writers. So I'm thinking he may know a little something since the publishing world is small and interrelated.

The thing to ask your agent about isn't so much ideas, that's your job. But you should ask your agent if he will handle your short stories and articles. Most agents will do this for clients who are selling novels. Don't know about doing it for a writer who hasn't yet sold a novel.

Star · May 23, 2007

Hey James!

I didn't mean "creative" ideas. I meant ideas on where/who I should approach with my work. Gee, and I'm supposed to be a writer. LOL

stormie · May 23, 2007

My two cents: Do it on your own. Let your agent work on shopping your book right now. Agents know that we don't just sit here at our computers posting on AW all day, right?

ETA: I'm referring to me posting on AW all day. Only a joke. Sorry.

Star · May 23, 2007

Boy, it's frustrating when you're misunderstood...even after you think you've clarified! I don't expect my agent to "work" for me with this freelancing thing. Just wanted to know if he had any leads. Also, asking him to submit an 800-word story to ONE magazine doesn't seem like work to me! In any case, this was just a question of etiquette. Thanks

justpat · May 23, 2007

I don't think it would hurt to ask for a little info. Send it in an email so he/she can respond at leisure.

Star · May 23, 2007

Thanks Pat!

I definitely didn't plan to call him. I know he's a busy man.

Jamesaritchie · May 23, 2007

Star said:
Hey James!

I didn't mean "creative" ideas. I meant ideas on where/who I should approach with my work. Gee, and I'm supposed to be a writer. LOL

I understood you. I think I'm the one who didn't express myself clearly. Most agents know very little about the magazine markets, other than how to send a client's stories to them, or how to pass along editorial requests to the writer. If an agent hears something she thinks you should know, she'll pass it along, and usually without being asked.

When I said "ideas" are your job, I mean that, in the beginning, it's usually up to the writer to look around for the magazines, and then to decide which magazine he thinks he can write for, what to query on, or what kind of story to write, and then the agent's job to pass that query or story along.

But and however, assuming your agent does handle articles and short stories for you, AFTER you start selling things of this nature through them, editors may well call the agent the next time they have a need, and ask the agent if you would be willing to fill that need.

Did I make more sense this time?

Star · May 23, 2007

Got you James!

By the by, I actually met my YA fiction agent at a memoir/adults non-fiction workshop. So you see, these literary folks have an interrelated thing going on. Thanks for your help. Hopefully you'll see me taking bows in the "Accomplishment" section when I publish in Highlights...hey, it's a start. ;-)

popmuze · May 23, 2007

My agent suggested I send around short fiction pieces. He said I could do the literary magazines on my own, but he'd submit to the top dogs like The New Yorker and the Atlantic.

stormie · May 23, 2007

Uh, Star? I was joking about me being on the computer posting on AW all the time. Not being sarcastic. I'm a very nice person. Just ask anyone here. Anyone??

And yes, I understood your question. I know my agent told me he wouldn't be bothered with giving me leads for articles. My book and books are what is important right now. But there's no harm in asking your own agent. I'm sure he's not going to get offended.

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear, and I apologize.

Siddow · May 23, 2007

I'll vouch for Stormie, and Star, I think you should start doing the preliminary work on subbing to magazines and let your agent know what you're doing. That way, if agent has any leads, agent can share them with you, and you can make sales without agent taking 15%.

Silver King · May 23, 2007

stormie said:
...I'm a very nice person. Just ask anyone here. Anyone??

Yup, Stormie's a nice egg, all right; except when she's being mean.

We should have a contest to see who is nicer, Susie or Stormie. Maybe I'll start a thread with a poll...or do you think we'd have a cat fight?

stormie · May 24, 2007

Silver King said:
Yup, Stormie's a nice egg, all right; except when she's being mean.

LOL! Yeah, I'm a paradox.

Silver King said:
We should have a contest to see who is nicer, Susie or Stormie. Maybe I'll start a thread with a poll...or do you think we'd have a cat fight?

Nah, we're too nice to cat fight. Susie would win the poll, though, hands down. Or should that be "hands up?" :guns:

Star · May 24, 2007

Hey Stormie and Crew,

I KNOW you guys are nice. I've been to other boards (no name) and on one in particular, got my head handed to me on a platter. I LOVE it here. I'm here to stay. Hip hip hooray!

I think it's a GREAT idea to let my agent know that I'm "in the process" of writing for magazines. This way, it doesn't seem as if I'm being needy from get-go.

Thanks!

Jamesaritchie · May 24, 2007

Agents

popmuze said:
My agent suggested I send around short fiction pieces. He said I could do the literary magazines on my own, but he'd submit to the top dogs like The New Yorker and the Atlantic.

This is the way I've always done it, and by choice. I prefer submitting my own short stories to most markets, but my agents submits them to markets that prefer to see things from an agent.

Star · May 24, 2007

Sounds good James.

By the way, I started my story. My apologies to the published Highlight writers I've scoffed. Not so easy as it looks. :rant:

Agent Boundaries...

Star

So cool I am

Namatu

Lost in mental space.

Star

So cool I am

Jamesaritchie

Star

So cool I am

stormie

storm central

Star

So cool I am

justpat

QueryTracker

Star

So cool I am

Jamesaritchie

Star

So cool I am

popmuze

Last of a Dying Breed

stormie

storm central

Siddow

I'm super! Thanks for asking

Silver King

Megalops Erectus

stormie

storm central

Star

So cool I am

Jamesaritchie

Star

So cool I am