It would seem she's quite a reputable agent who has represented some big fiction books in the past. But I wonder how current she is and how she is to deal with (she seems lovely so far to be honest). Anyone had any experiences with her?
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Susan Schulman: A Literary Agency
- Thread starter zeprosnepsid
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Not sure either...
I queried her a year ago. She responded and asked for the first 50 pages and I haven't heard since. I have a feeling she wasn't interested by those 50 pages...
Jerry
I queried her a year ago. She responded and asked for the first 50 pages and I haven't heard since. I have a feeling she wasn't interested by those 50 pages...
Jerry
I had a positive experience with this agency. I sent my query and a reader from the firm asked for the first 30 within a week. Then after the 30, she asked for the rest.
I was asked by the reader to make some changes (which I did) and then it was sent to Susan Schulman with the reader's reccomendation. Susan read it and thought about whether she could represent my work.
After some discussion and some positive feedback, she passed on my work. That part is disappointing, but as we all know part of the business. So even though it didn't work out, the experience was professional.
Now I will admit, there was some lag time between emails from the agency, and once or twice I had to follow up with an email, but I wouldn't let that deter you from submitting. I think you should definitely submit, and if you think too much time passes without a response, just send a follow up email.
That would be my advice, good luck.
I was asked by the reader to make some changes (which I did) and then it was sent to Susan Schulman with the reader's reccomendation. Susan read it and thought about whether she could represent my work.
After some discussion and some positive feedback, she passed on my work. That part is disappointing, but as we all know part of the business. So even though it didn't work out, the experience was professional.
Now I will admit, there was some lag time between emails from the agency, and once or twice I had to follow up with an email, but I wouldn't let that deter you from submitting. I think you should definitely submit, and if you think too much time passes without a response, just send a follow up email.
That would be my advice, good luck.
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She rejected me after less than four weeks. So it seems as though she's on the up and up (very professional rejection letter).
I've tried to email her (as per writersmarket.com) and visit her website and my emails were returned as undeliveragle and i can't get to her website. anyone else have this experience lately?
I've received no reply to a paper query after four months.
It was a thriller, so perhaps that had something to do with it.
It was a thriller, so perhaps that had something to do with it.
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I had some dealings with her in the past (things didn't work out as I posted above), but during that time, her website wasn't up and running. I would guess it still isn't.
As for her email address, I have no idea why it is undeliverable.
As for her email address, I have no idea why it is undeliverable.
If neither her website nor her e-mail are working, it's probably for the same reason. Of course, wide range of possibilities here, satisfaction is not guaranteed.
1. Her domain name may have expired, which means any web pages and e-mail addresses tied to it also vanish.
2. Her hosting provider may be having technical difficulties (ranging from server failure to the tech screwed up to they packed up and left in the middle of the night).
3. She may have canceled her service, and not set up service with someone else.
4. She (or whoever handles accounts payable at her office) may not have kept up to date on the bill, and her hosting provider shut down the website and e-mail until they receive payment.
I've seen all four, and all are quite plausible.
Your friendly local geek,
Eowen
1. Her domain name may have expired, which means any web pages and e-mail addresses tied to it also vanish.
2. Her hosting provider may be having technical difficulties (ranging from server failure to the tech screwed up to they packed up and left in the middle of the night).
3. She may have canceled her service, and not set up service with someone else.
4. She (or whoever handles accounts payable at her office) may not have kept up to date on the bill, and her hosting provider shut down the website and e-mail until they receive payment.
I've seen all four, and all are quite plausible.
Your friendly local geek,
Eowen
I was dealing with her quite frequently at once but now nothing. She 'didn't receive' one of my e-mails and the last thing I sent her she said she'd reply to that week and did not. I am not expecting to ever hear a reply to her. I know she's been around for a long time and is very well established -- but not ever replying to proposals is very unprofessional.
her e-mail address works fine for me. It may bounce if her mailbox is full.
her e-mail address works fine for me. It may bounce if her mailbox is full.
zeprosnepsid said:
Also very plausible. I suppose I should have been a bit clearer. My list above was made on the presumption (not necessarily true) that her website disappeared at the same time e-mails stopped getting through. If the two events happened close in time to each other, you get two more lists, one for the website and one for e-mails.
Not gonna go into that this morning. Those are rather longer lists.
Your friendly local geek,
Eowen
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I probably would have thrown my computer out the window if I took a lack of response to an e-mail message (or ten) as a sign of non interest. It's annoying, and frustrating, and it can make us feel suicidal or homicidal. But be patient, and be persistent. Follow up after a certain amount of time. It's possible, of course, that you won't hear back, even if the agent has your requested material. That would be lousy, but sometimes, it happens. ((shrug)) A friend once told me, "Send the stuff, forget the stuff." (Actually, his word rhymed with "spit," but I edited it for AW purposes. 
) I think it's a good rule of thumb. Send out the requested partials and fulls, and then keep querying on that project with other agents -- and start a new project.
Good luck!
) I think it's a good rule of thumb. Send out the requested partials and fulls, and then keep querying on that project with other agents -- and start a new project.Good luck!
Wondering, too, about Ms. Schulman
I found it odd that Susan Schulman is not listed on P&E's seemingly exhaustive website on agents ... add to that, too, the fact that she has not replied to my original e-mail query of 2/8 -- I sent a follow-up e-mail today, but I am not exactly holding my breath.
Oh, before you guys think I'm arrogant by suggesting that there's definitely something amiss for an agent to not have replied to my query within two months: of the 26 agents I either e-mailed or posted my query to in February, only 5 (including Ms. Schulman) have not yet replied. Luckily for me, 10 of the 21 have asked me for chapters -- and, luckier yet, only 2 of those 10 have asked for a (damn) synopsis with the chapters --
I found it odd that Susan Schulman is not listed on P&E's seemingly exhaustive website on agents ... add to that, too, the fact that she has not replied to my original e-mail query of 2/8 -- I sent a follow-up e-mail today, but I am not exactly holding my breath.
Oh, before you guys think I'm arrogant by suggesting that there's definitely something amiss for an agent to not have replied to my query within two months: of the 26 agents I either e-mailed or posted my query to in February, only 5 (including Ms. Schulman) have not yet replied. Luckily for me, 10 of the 21 have asked me for chapters -- and, luckier yet, only 2 of those 10 have asked for a (damn) synopsis with the chapters --
nothing's amiss about it, i've come to believe that she simply doesn't reply. Which is rather absurd.
She is on P&E tho and is "highly recommended". It's under susan f. schulman: http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/pealsi.htm
She is on P&E tho and is "highly recommended". It's under susan f. schulman: http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/pealsi.htm
Ah, Susan F ...
Oh, that's why I couldn't find her on P&E: Susan "F." Schulman. Does the "F" stand for "Frequently/Forgets" (to reply to queries), I wonder?
Oh, that's why I couldn't find her on P&E: Susan "F." Schulman. Does the "F" stand for "Frequently/Forgets" (to reply to queries), I wonder?
Susan Schulman is my Agent
Susan Schulman used to be my agent. I've since changed agents. I found that she is not an editorial agent, meaning she won't give much input in your book beyond some initial comments. Communicating withn her can be tough as she is busy, hence the slow (or lack of) response to some of your emails. It was like that as a client, too. However, she has a lot of experience, and she did send my manuscript out to good publishers. I think if you are willing to be patient with your career and don't need a lot of input from an agent, she would be a good choice. If you want more of a relationship, try elsewhere. I don't think she'd disagree with anything I said here.
Susan Schulman used to be my agent. I've since changed agents. I found that she is not an editorial agent, meaning she won't give much input in your book beyond some initial comments. Communicating withn her can be tough as she is busy, hence the slow (or lack of) response to some of your emails. It was like that as a client, too. However, she has a lot of experience, and she did send my manuscript out to good publishers. I think if you are willing to be patient with your career and don't need a lot of input from an agent, she would be a good choice. If you want more of a relationship, try elsewhere. I don't think she'd disagree with anything I said here.
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Maryn said:
A light goes on: Find the agent you want and query them using their surname as your pen name. Well... it was just a thought.
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Well, she has close to a dozen deals on Publisher's Marketplace in the last 18 months, so she seems to be selling. They're in a variety of genres, from children's to fiction and non-fiction to memoirs. (Provided that this is the same Susan Schulman with Susan Schulman Literary Agency, that is.)
My experience. . .
She sat on my novel ms. for a year before finally rejecting it with a very kind, detailed letter. She is slow but reputable. By the time I got her rejection I already had representation with someone else. I believe she is older and nearing the end of her career, but has associate agents that may take over the business for her at some point.
She sat on my novel ms. for a year before finally rejecting it with a very kind, detailed letter. She is slow but reputable. By the time I got her rejection I already had representation with someone else. I believe she is older and nearing the end of her career, but has associate agents that may take over the business for her at some point.
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aruna said:I tried that with Donald Maass. Oh, wait a minute, I forgot the second s....
What a coincidence! I also tried that with Donald Maass -- but I forgot the first "ma" --
heh-heh
(I just couldn't resist this)