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Edward Armstrong Literary Agency

Geosteph

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Does anyone have any information on this agency? I found them in the most recent Guide to Literary Agents, which states that they accept science fiction, but I can't find any information online, other than the standard "they exist" entry at P&E. I realize not all agents have a large web presence, but I was surprised to not find *anything*. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right places.

Thanks!

Steph
 

CaoPaux

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Nothing on AAR, PM, or AQ neither, nor any third-person reference (e.g., a client's blog). You can try dropping him a line to ask for client/sales info, but I wouldn't expect much.
 

victoriastrauss

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I agree. A successful agent, or a new agent with publishing industry experience, should be more researchable. At the very least, if you do approach them, I'd ask for the lead agent's CV.

- Victoria
 

Geosteph

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Thanks for the replies. It struck me as odd, since almost every agent I've considered querying has some kind of information available somewhere. I don't know that I've ever found one that didn't have an entry at this web site :) That really surprised me. I've never had a need to post my own thread about an agent because they were always here. So maybe he's extremely new. But still, you would think at least some information would exist.

Thanks again. I'll keep checking back here.

Steph
 

victoriastrauss

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If the typos belong to Mr. Armstrong, rather than to the person who reproduced his rejection letter on their website, it's not a very encouraging sign.

My guess: this is yet another amateur agency.

- Victoria
 

Geosteph

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Yikes. Doesn't sound good at this point, so I'll just take them off the list. This is my first experience querying and it's been quite a learning experience. I've also found this site to be invaluable. Thanks again.

Steph
 

EdwardArmstrong

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WHat Hapens When and Engineer Becomes and Agent?

Well he does things like this response. :) It is true that you do not find a lot about me and my agency out in cyberspace and that is by choice. It also does not hurt that my agency is a mere 2-years old and my typing stinks. ;) Amateur, yes, but we all start some where...

On a side note, yes that is one of my rejection letters. I have nothing but the upmost respect for writers and their creations. Each of your have toiled long and hard to bring your creations to life and it is an agent’s responsibility to respect that and not just focus on their %. The clients I serve today and important to me and that is why I have closed our doors to accepting any new submissions for awhile.

Another side note, my first client came to me after getting sucked into the black hole that is Publish America. Please avoid this publisher at all costs. I have made it my mission to get this woman’s work out or their clutches. This is one of the reasons I have not I have yet joined AAR or any other group further I have just not had time to fill out the paperwork.

To Geosteph, thank you for not submitting to the agency, every author deserves a “full time” agent and my agency’s plate is full right now. I have never read your work but I hope you work does make it to the shelf one day.

This is a wonderful site with a lot of very talented people and I wish you all th greatest success.

Take care!
 

victoriastrauss

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Mr. Armstrong, have you made at least 10 commercial sales of literary properties within the past 18 months? That's one of AAR's membership requirements.

"We all have to start somewhere" needs to be taken in context. For any skilled profession, including literary agenting, the starting point is not zero--it's at the endpoint of some period of relevant professional work experience or training.

- Victoria
 

EdwardArmstrong

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Victoria, Thank you for your comment to professionalism; my statement about, “we all need to start somewhere” was made with tongue firmly in cheek and was not intended as derogatory in anyway.

My post was more to show that I have nothing to hide and yes my agency is new and yes we are limiting ourselves to ensure the success of our clients. Again, I have nothing but respect for authors and their creations.

On yet another side note, I have to turn “fan” for a moment and say I have really enjoyed your work. I am looking forward to reading The Burning Land as soon as my calendar calms down. Thanks Again, Edward
 

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Definitely a classy response, but I still didn’t see anything about publishing experience. Perhaps Mr. Armstrong didn’t understand that that was the question. A number of us would be glad to see another SF/fantasy agent, who will be accepting queries in the future. But we would like to know where he’s been in publishing.

Hope you stay around the board.

Stlight
 

victoriastrauss

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Pardon me if I'm slightly more skeptical than you guys. Attempts to flatter me when I'm asking tough questions always makes me a little suspicious, especially when the questions aren't answered.

- Victoria
 

"A" Is For "Agent"

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Mr. Armstrong, have you made at least 10 commercial sales of literary properties within the past 18 months? That's one of AAR's membership requirements.

"We all have to start somewhere" needs to be taken in context. For any skilled profession, including literary agenting, the starting point is not zero--it's at the endpoint of some period of relevant professional work experience or training.

- Victoria

You also have to have at least 4 sales to be included in the Guide to Literary Agents. And. They. Do. Check.

So next time you draw your ever-smoking gun, Victoria, you may want to ask what 4 he sold to get into the GtLA.

Just sayin'...
 

Julie Worth

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If the typos belong to Mr. Armstrong, rather than to the person who reproduced his rejection letter on their website, it's not a very encouraging sign.

That and the unprofessional ditty he's using as a signature line. I'd discontinue that.

So what are these four sales? Good sales trump poor grammar every time.
 
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victoriastrauss

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So next time you draw your ever-smoking gun, Victoria, you may want to ask what 4 he sold to get into the GtLA.

A question about 10 sales might reasonably be expected to elicit an answer about 4 sales, if those sales existed.

Just sayin'...

- Victoria
 
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Carmy

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Well, Mr. Armstrong, now that you're a member of AW, the easiest way to prove your worth is to list the four novels you've sold and to whom. So how about it?
 

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I've never met a legit agent yet that had to coaxed about their sales.
 

CKelly

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I querried this agent before reading this thread. His rejection letter was very polite as well, he even said that I was a "very talented writer". Even if he has not had many sales, I prefer to think that this rejection was not a form letter (let me live with that fantasy please!)
Chris
 

Yvettesgonefishing

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I have nothing but the upmost respect for writers and their creations.


Anal-retentive nitpick on my part but I hate this. It's 'utmost.' The word is 'utmost.'

Aah, now to other things. A couple things alarm me. This:

Each of your have toiled long and hard to bring your creations to life and it is an agent’s responsibility to respect that and not just focus on their %.


Appeals to the newbie, unpublished writer. Other agents I've seen just don't put this much sugar on it. And this:

The clients I serve today and important to me and that is why I have closed our doors to accepting any new submissions for awhile.

Not sure what to make of this. Maybe it's the noob in me, but it doesn't look right.

As well as this, which strikes me as a "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" thing, which could be tactical or an attempt at distancing:

Another side note, my first client came to me after getting sucked into the black hole that is Publish America. Please avoid this publisher at all costs. I have made it my mission to get this woman’s work out or their clutches.


Also this:

This is one of the reasons I have not I have yet joined AAR or any other group further I have just not had time to fill out the paperwork.



That's some pretty important paperwork. As an agent, particularly a new one on the scene, most would make time for that particular paperwork.

It could all be genuine, but when I see a lot of comments that look like carefully-worded campaigns for the underdog writer, I back up a few steps. Everything grows quiet. I close my eyes and listen to the gentle peal of crickets and horny toads in the pale moonlight.

This is a wonderful site with a lot of very talented people and I wish you all th greatest success.

Too many appeals and not much else to go on. I read the thread and considered that when I was done, I didn't know any more about this agent than I did before I read the very first post.

Um, as an anal retentive writer, I'm also very very very leery of professionals in the industry--regardless of which end of the industry they're in--that don't seem to worry about the impression bad spelling and bad grammar make on prospective clients. One can be chalked up to typing skills, but the other cannot. Let someone else type your outgoing correspondence for you, and it appears that's what you did on your second post.
 

CaoPaux

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Two years later and no sign of further activity and/or sales past or present.