Agents of major authors

Eternalman

Registered
Joined
Mar 3, 2008
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Hi everyone. Glad to become part of the family here and have very much enjoyed the entertaining way we're becoming educated here.:Sun:

Thanks Mac.
Here goes my first dive in guys. Thanks for the help. I've got a couple of chapter book manuscripts for the 4-8yr group and have found it difficult to find the agents mentioned in the jackets of the chapter book authors. I've gone through a tedious process of weeding through prospects and have accumulated a list of 50 who are reputable and have good track records of major sales to major publishers. They are all in good standing with P&E, Writer Beware, and the great Absolute Write family. I've been able to select the most optimal children's book passionist out of each agency, and am well satisfied with the list to query. Although this market is small, I have full confidence in these manuscripts. I also have full confidence in a lot of these agents because of their extensive track records with major publishers, and testimonials of writers at these sites. I want to organize the list and wanted to start with the agents of the most active authors. Through this cooler, P&E, Writer Beware, and other sites I can be confident about these agents and their track records but now I need to know the best method for matching the major authors with their agent information if it's not in the jackets of the books or in the author bios from the bookstore sites. Thanks again in advance.
 

Dreamer3702

a real life cupcake
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
3,833
Reaction score
815
I need to know the best method for matching the major authors with their agent information if it's not in the jackets of the books or in the author bios from the bookstore sites. Thanks again in advance.

Took me a while to weed out your question. ;) Umm... Go to their websites and search them. Some authors put it in thier "FAQs" section or mention it somewhere. Other times it's hidden at the bottom of the main page or something like that. Happy hunting! :)
 

TrishD

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 26, 2007
Messages
1,913
Reaction score
293
Location
Florida
Website
trishdoller.com
You might try querytracker.net. There's section on that website that lists authors and their agents. Not every author is on there, but it might help.
 

Eternalman

Registered
Joined
Mar 3, 2008
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Thanks guys. I found five of the ones I'm looking for in QueryTrack so thanks Trish.
Sorry to be so long about getting to the point Dreamer. Wanted to let you know where I'm at in this literary ocean we're floating in so you could better gauge where to send me. I'm off to LitMatch and might try WritersNet and Agentquery to see if they have anything. Thanks Brittanimae and I'll keep you guys posted on the results.
 

Appalachian Writer

Somewhere in the hills....
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 11, 2006
Messages
1,274
Reaction score
1,210
Location
by a mountain stream
If I want to know who represents a particular author, I usually google the book title or author's name along with the phrase "represented by". Sometimes I get lucky. Binky Urban represents Cormac McCarthy and Arthur Greene represents Stephen King. On P&E, they list Greene as "believed to be a literary agent." With King as a client, I don't think he needs any other authors.
 

MsJudy

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 12, 2007
Messages
5,673
Reaction score
1,440
Location
california
With King as a client, I don't think he needs any other authors.

This is true of many agents with big-name authors. Why should they take on an unknown? And will they have the time and motivation to really shepherd your work through the system the way first-timers need to be?

Of course, getting repped by someone with a killer track record is everybody's dream. But many people do better by querying the newest agent at an established agency, or someone who recently went solo after working for one of the established names. That way you get the benefit of someone with experience, plus a better chance of getting someone's full attention.

Just a thought--especially for chapter books, that don't sell for as much as longer novels and often don't make huge money unless they turn into a series.
 

Eternalman

Registered
Joined
Mar 3, 2008
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Good advice JudScotKev
What I have been doing is finding which agency these agents work with and then I try to find the agent within the agency that handles the least amount of genres and having the most to do with the childrens genre. Thanks again.
 

pammiechick

Registered
Joined
May 26, 2005
Messages
29
Reaction score
2
Querytracker's database lists all of the main children's agents that you should be looking at. If you pay the nominal fee of $25 (that's a steal!), you will get to do a database search on your genre (children's). Up will pop the list of agents who represent that type of work. You may research that agency using querytracker, how often they are asking for different types of work and how active they are. It's very helpful.

Querytracker.net