Agency Versus Agent

ExposingCorruption · Feb 1, 2008

If an agent (let's call her Sally) at XYZ Agency sold your type of book but then left XYZ Agency, and according to Agent Query, the other agents at XYZ Agency don't handle your particular nonfiction genre, would it still be worthwhile to query the agency?

Would XYZ take the position that "Sally" handled that type of nonfiction, but she's gone and "we're not handling that anymore"?

Nathan Bransford · Feb 1, 2008

99% of the time, agents have remarkable autonomy, no matter which agency they're with, to handle the types of projects they want to handle. We're different than editors in this way. Editors for the most part have to keep in mind the tastes and character of the imprint they work for. Agents can pretty much take on whatever strikes them.

One major reason I'm happy to be an agent.

But at the same time, I don't fully understand your question -- unless an agency has very particular submission standards, you don't query an agency, you query individual agents, one at a time. So tailor (and personalize) your query to the particular agent you are querying.

ExposingCorruption · Feb 1, 2008

Allow me to get specific. Two years ago, Anna Stein at the Susan Golomb Agency sold a nonfiction book, DEADLY SERIOUS: THE NEW POLITICS OF NATIONAL SECURITY. (My book deals with national security.) Anna is now with the Irene Skolnick Agency and her profile on Agent Query doesn't specify any nonfiction genres. Publishers Marketplace lists 2 nonfiction sales that she made after hooking up with Skolnick.

Sabine Hrechdakian at the Susan Golomb Agency "primarily handles nonfiction projects." The genres include politics and history (as does my book), but she "specializes in business books, history, psychology, self-help, spirituality, and books on the environment."

Should I query Sabine and say, "Agent Query states that politics and history are among the nonfiction genres that you personally handle, and I saw on Publishers Marketplace that your agency handled DEADLY SERIOUS: THE NEW POLITICS OF NATIONAL SECURITY. As such I thought that you might be interested in . . ."

Or should I leave out the reference to DEADLY SERIOUS: THE NEW POLITICS OF NATIONAL SECURITY?

Nathan Bransford · Feb 1, 2008

ExposingCorruption said:
Allow me to get specific. Two years ago, Anna Stein at the Susan Golomb Agency sold a nonfiction book, DEADLY SERIOUS: THE NEW POLITICS OF NATIONAL SECURITY. (My book deals with national security.) Anna is now with the Irene Skolnick Agency and her profile on Agent Query doesn't specify any nonfiction genres. Publishers Marketplace lists 2 nonfiction sales that she made after hooking up with Skolnick.

Sabine Hrechdakian at the Susan Golomb Agency "primarily handles nonfiction projects." The genres include politics and history (as does my book), but she "specializes in business books, history, psychology, self-help, spirituality, and books on the environment."

Should I query Sabine and say, "Agent Query states that politics and history are among the nonfiction genres that you personally handle, and I saw on Publishers Marketplace that your agency handled DEADLY SERIOUS: THE NEW POLITICS OF NATIONAL SECURITY. As such I thought that you might be interested in . . ."

Or should I leave out the reference to DEADLY SERIOUS: THE NEW POLITICS OF NATIONAL SECURITY?

Like I said, query agents individually. It doesn't really matter too much whether the agency handled a book similar to yours, what matters is whether the particular agent is interested in similar titles.

churchillgirl · Apr 18, 2008

Anna Stein/great rejection/should I pursue?

Greetings fellow writers.
Wondering if anyone has some advice on how (or if) to proceed.

I just received a rejection letter from Ms. Stein. She requested the first 50 pages and has replied that she thought the story slipped a little bit. That comment was preceded by praise: "I liked the story very much--the characters and the setting are so vivid, it was a wonderful setting to just slip into." She said that she was holding the pages ("the story is so strong I've had a hard time passing") but because she was hesitating has decided ultimately to pass.

So. Should I reply and ask if she would be willing to read a few more chapters, given her equivocation, or just call it a day and thank her for her time? Two other agents have also asked for fifty pages and I am waiting on their replies.

Calla Lily · Apr 18, 2008

Cross her off your list. She said no.

Good luck with the other two!

churchillgirl · Apr 18, 2008

Thank you Callalily,

In the end I did write her back asking if she'd consider a few more chapters. (This after thanking her for a stellar rejection letter.) I don't know that I'd do it again but since she admitted to having a hard time deciding to pass on it I figured what the heck.
She wrote back minutes later and said sure, send a few more chapters. At the very least perhaps I can give a more specific critique.
Lovely woman; lovely gesture. So I have mailed out just under thirty pages. She may still pass but I'm fine with that. The exchange shows that there are some gems out there and that whoever she does sign will have a very decent person in her corner. It's not all brass knuckles and cats o'nine tails out there. Thanks again for responding.
Churchillgirl

Agency Versus Agent

ExposingCorruption

AW Addict

Nathan Bransford

Author

ExposingCorruption

AW Addict

Nathan Bransford

Author

churchillgirl

Calla Lily

On hiatus

churchillgirl