Is it really necessary to have an Agent?
- Thread starter Don Raden
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Self-publishing isn't without rejection. How will you feel if no one buys the book? If the only reviews you get are negative? Even if it doesn't happen to your first book, it might happen to the next one. Somewhere along the line, you're going to have to deal with rejection, whatever path you take.
That is true, of course, and I agree with you. However, like I said, I reckon it depends on what you self publish.
I may be completely off track with this opinion though...
Veronica, I know a handful of writers who live in Norway and Sweden, and they're all represented by good UK agents. If you're only interested in publishing in Norway then you might not need an agent (I don't know much about Norway's publishing business); if you'd like to be published more widely, then I see no reason for you not to submit to agents here.
Correct. That's what I intend to do later down the road, but right now I'm not ready for that. I have too much to learn before that. Agents and everything is still new to me as it's not (from my knowledge) common in Norway. I think perhaps it easier to get UK agents than US agents, though...?
I've been writing for 17 years, but as I've had a hiatus from writing communities etc for some years and just "recently" returned, I feel like a newbie again. So bare with me (lol).
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I remember hearing about writers being rejected hundreds of times and being frustrated. Considering the sheer number of reputable agents out there, I can't imagine not trying to exhaust those options before reaching my frustration level. It only takes one yes.
I may change my tune when I start submitting my novel but I suppose my expectations are a little more aligned with the realities of the current publishing environment. :/
. I think perhaps it easier to get UK agents than US agents, though...?
I think you'll find that they are the same in terms of difficulty. Agents are looking for the same things. While there are some UK agents who only want UK authors, there are also some US agents who only want US authors. Most, though, don't care where the author is from. quan ao tre em cao cap do lot nam sieu mong ty gia ao so mi nu ban buon quan ao cac loai chup anh studio dep
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My take on confidence is that the best way to build it is to jump right in and start accumulating rejections. They'll hurt at first, but if you push through the pain, you WILL build up a nice warrior's armor of scar tissue. You'll need that armor at any stage in your career: Reviewers are much fiercer than mere agents and editors. Really. I never got a rejection that wasn't polite, whether form or personal. Those no-responses to requested fulls, we won't go into....
Mine's about an inch thick after the 281 agent submissions that led to the one yes from a dreamy agent I queried late in the process (one of those agent info compendiums had stated he didn't take unsolicited queries; his agency website said otherwise -- duh to me for taking so long to recheck.)
And why might you want an agent? Mine was way sharper at marketing than I: he only needed six tries to get a yes.
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