Doing another round of queries. I refreshed my list of agents and their sites, then reread them trying to pick my next ten.
I see some agencies where they have only two or three agents. I worry that if I become a client and my agent becomes ill or takes a long vacation that my book will take a hit in the attention department, especially when they become back and face a huge pile of work.
Some agencies only have one agent. Some of those agents are damn good, too.
The thing is, in large, multi-agent agencies, if your agent goes on a long vacation, the other agents being there probably won't mean anything when it comes to your situation. An agent taking a long vacation will let you know in advance and probably have some contingencies if they're completely out of pocket (i.e., not checking their email).
Even with a long-term illness or if your agent decides to leave agenting...there's no guarantee that any other agent in a multi-agent an agency will pick you up as a client. In the case of a serious illness that will put the agent out of commission for a long time, you'll probably have to decide with your agent (and the agency) what's best for you. Catastrophic events do happen, but how we manage them is very individual. Agents have had serious illnesses and remained working and making deals for their clients. Just like writers have been horribly ill, and still written and sold books.
I've been a client with an agent at a large agency. I'm now a client at a two person agency (because my agent moved). I think my agent's move was a fantastic thing for her *and* for me and I'm very glad to be at my current agency. Of course, other people may have other reactions.
I also see some agents who seem perfect for me and my work but who have just a year or two of experience. Should I query them?
Up to you. I did pitch to and ultimately become a client of a newer agent...while she was at the aforementioned larger agency. It was a bit of a risk, yes, but the larger agency *is* very well known and I knew she'd interned and worked as an assistant for the head agent for years before she built her list, so I trusted she had the connections she needed. And we clicked in person (my path was pitch to sub to agreement, rather than query).
You do need to do your research, though, because anyone can say they're an agent. Where are they working? What did they do beforehand? Have they sold anything at all? How established is the agency? etc.
