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06-13-2006, 01:52 PM
cowboy
Esteemed New Member
Urban/Street Lit Agents
Hello everyone. Really need your help. I'm looking for agents who specifically handle the genre of URBAN/"STREET LIT." I've found only just a few at agentquery.com, etc. Any assistance is appreciated.
Cowboy.
06-13-2006, 03:58 PM
James D. Macdonald
Dawnolite Sparklecow
Absolute Sage
What in the world is "Urban/Street Lit"? Could you give a few titles?
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06-13-2006, 04:26 PM
writeorwrong
Face the "Muse"... Ick.
Well, you've found Strebor Books already, which is probably what you want. For agents, you might want to go to the bookstore and find some titles that fit your genre and skim the first few pages. Authors often will give an acknowledgement to their agent. It's a little minor detective work but worth the trouble.
Any agent recommendation from another writer will be qualified by their own experience and not necessarily good for you. It's very important to pitch the one specific to your genre.
06-13-2006, 06:38 PM
cowboy
Esteemed New Member
What is street lit
"Street Lit" is one of the newest, quickly growing, hottest genres going. It was created by African-Americans to chronicle the gritty side of life in the street: "gangstas," drugs, etc. Several street lit/urban authors have gone mainstream. Check out Zane, Darren Coleman, Teri Woods.
Cowboy.
06-13-2006, 08:44 PM
James D. Macdonald
Dawnolite Sparklecow
Absolute Sage
Why "specifically"? I'd think that any agent who handled contemporary/mainstream or african-american fiction might be interested.
The best strategy is always to find agents who've sold books like yours and submit to them first.
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06-14-2006, 01:50 PM
cowboy
Esteemed New Member
To James on Street Lit
James:
Why not "specifcally?'' If you can indeed get an agent who specifically handles your genre, whatever it is, you're better off. No doubt. Much less to chance. Like anything else, not every agent who handles multicultural, ror example. handles urban lit.
I have a sound strategy, and have been and continue doing what you suggest. And, I appreciate your input. And as I'm sure you do, I believe in acquiring and exhausting every good, meaningful lead to reach my ultimate goal.
Cowboy
06-15-2006, 09:40 PM
HapiSofi
Board fanatic
Absolute Sage
I don't think that qualifies as a marketing category -- not yet, at any rate.
Get a good general agent.
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06-16-2006, 10:07 AM
victoriastrauss
Cud-chewing moo-derator
Absolute Sage
Many (I'd say most, but I'm not 100% sure) urban/street lit publishers and imprints take submissions direct from authors and don't require that they be agented. If you get a contract offer you should always have it checked out by a knowledgeable person--but this is a genre, like romance, where it's very feasible to submit unagented. In fact, given the newness of the genre and the very, very small number of agents who deal with it, I actually think it would make more sense to go direct to the publishers, rather than spending time looking for an agent.
- Victoria
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