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[Agency] Writers House

scarletfox

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Hey guys-
I was jsut wondering what y'all know about writers house, especially if y'all have any personal experience with them.
Thanks!:D
 
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scarletfox

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dragonjax-

I was looking at either Ginger Clark or Albert Zuckerman. know anything about either of them?

thanks
scarlet
 

smallthunder

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Albert Zuckerman & "Exclusive" Reading

I received a positive response to my query from Albert Zuckerman -- or, to be precise, his assistant (Maya). In the letter to me, Maya wrote that Mr. Z was interested in reading the first two chapters on an "exclusive" basis. Hmm ... In the package I sent, I noted in my cover letter that I could not promise an "exclusive" reading as several other agents have already requested/received chapters of my novel. [I didn't say, but thought: Hey, can I help it if he's slow to read his mail?] I also suggested that they look into having their write-up in Writer's Marketplace reflect a preference/requirement for exclusive readings.

I offered not to send out any more chapters to any other agents, should Mr. Z still wish to consider my novel -- i.e. future "exclusivity" and not retro-active. I asked that Maya e-mail me ASAP to let me know if this proposal was agreeable -- haven't received a response yet, but I don't think my package has reached them. I'll let you know what Mr. Z thinks about this semi-exclusivity proposal.
 

spywriter

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al zuckerman

I also received a letter from Maya on Zuckerman's behalf this summer and she also asked for an exclusive. I offered her the 6 weeks she asked for and heard nothing for the 6 weeks. I sent her a reminder letter and immediatley recieved an "I'm sorry but you are not what we want" letter. FIve months later, I received the same EXACT letter dated five months earlier. (According to the date on the late letter I got, she knew within 2 days that she was not going to pass it on to him, but I had to wait the 6 weeks.) I guess she had lost the first letter she had sent telling me NO and then found it later and popped it in the mail. Zuckerman reads nothing until Maya likes it. If she doesn't love it, he will never read it.

As far as Zuckerman goes, he is like gold in the agent world. If you can get him....IF....then good on ya. Good luck...

Kim
 

smallthunder

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More on Mr. Z & exclusivity

I really don't like the idea of "exclusive" readership -- for the reason mentioned in the posting above: You have to sit on your hands for the stated period of time, even if the agent decides on Day Two your work isn't what s/he is looking for and can't seem to get around to telling you.

I know Mr. Z is Mr. Big (or Mr. Pretty Big) in the agent world, so I feel odd trying to set conditions. But, really, what could I do? Tell other agents to put down my chapters until I got word from Mr. Z? Talk about representational suicide, or at least self-inflicted mauling, should Mr. Z not want my work...

The damn post office is so slow -- well, from Taiwan to the U.S., after all -- I am on tenterhooks as to how Maya/Mr. Z will respond to my proposal.
 

dragonjax

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scarletfox said:
dragonjax-

I was looking at either Ginger Clark or Albert Zuckerman. know anything about either of them?

thanks
scarlet
I know quite a bit about Ginger. If you can land her as your agent, you're ahead of the game. In my opinion, she's everything an author could ask for. When asked what an author should look for in an agent besides placing a book at a publisher, here's how she responded:

Upfront. *Fast responses to questions/calls/emails. *Knows their limits and willing to say, "I don't know, but I'll find out." *Excellent at contracts. *Pushy with editors, protective of you. *Honest. *Hopefully, recognized by the AAR. *Enthusiastic. *Professional. *Tries to keep foreign rights and has a good relationship with their foreign agents. *Knows lots of editors on a personal basis. *Gives you fast reads on your work, or at least is upfront when she needs more time.

Heads up that she will ask for an exclusive on a partial. Although she took a pass on my work, she got back to me realtively quickly.

And, of course, good luck!
 

arkady

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I sent a query to Ginger Clark in November of last year. Still haven't heard a word back.
 

dragonjax

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arkady, you may want to follow up. Sometimes, the US Post Office goofs. And if you sent an e-query, chances are that she won't answer; she's pretty strict about not accepting e-queries.
 

scarletfox

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Yeah, I really think that Ginger Clark sounds like a good agent from what i've read about her here and other places as well, but my only problem is that, while quite a few of agents from writers house belong to AAR, she doesn't seem to personally belong to it. Of course, none of the other junior agents from writers house seem to personally belong to AAR either, do you think that could have anything to do with it?

Thanks!
 

DaveKuzminski

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Writers House is recommended by P&E. That recommendation applies to all of its agents. I'd be very proud to have one of them representing my work.
 

arkady

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dragonjax said:
arkady, you may want to follow up. Sometimes, the US Post Office goofs.

Uh-huh. Just like it goofed with my queries to five other Major Agencies(tm).

And if you sent an e-query, chances are that she won't answer; she's pretty strict about not accepting e-queries.

I'm pretty strict about sending them: I don't do e-queries.
 

dragonjax

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Scarlet: I wouldn't sweat the AAR thing. Ginger, like the other agents of WH, abide by the AAR canon of ethics. And it takes time to become a member of AAR.

arkady: Yoikes. I hear you. All I can say is (A) November is the start of Holiday Time (tm), which lasts until roughly spring of the following year ;) , and (B) if you're not getting any hits with your query, you may want to revisit it. And, of course, the best of luck!
 

flotsamarama

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I've been very impressed with the contact I've had thus far with Writers House. Within 10 days of my initial query, they responded by asking for sample chapters (on an exclusive basis). Within another 10 days, they had requested a full manuscript. Their responsiveness gives me confidence they won't sit on it forever and make the wait for the daily mail even more agonizing.
 

smallthunder

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Maya/Mr. Z

G'day --

Just wanted to post an update regarding my situation -- if you read the beginning of this thread, you'll see that I replied to a request for an exclusive reading of a partial by offering future exclusivity (not retroactive) & asked Maya to e-mail me ASAP to let me know if this would be OK ...
And the answer is ...
...
?
In other words: No reply yet, although I believe that my package has surely reached its destination by now.

I still don't know if I did the "write" (heh-heh) thing -- was I really expected to tell other agents not to continue reading my partial? In any case, I'm glad I haven't been sitting on my hands waiting for that e-mail yes/no, because another agent (a notoriously slow-responder) did get back to me in the meantime with a request for chapters.
:banana:
 

Julie Worth

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flotsamarama said:
I've been very impressed with the contact I've had thus far with Writers House. Within 10 days of my initial query, they responded by asking for sample chapters (on an exclusive basis). Within another 10 days, they had requested a full manuscript. Their responsiveness gives me confidence they won't sit on it forever and make the wait for the daily mail even more agonizing.

If you don’t mind saying...who is the agent, and what is the genre of your book? Looking back on my queries for my latest work, I sent one to Albert Zuckerman, and he responded in a week with a pass...and a flyer for one of his books, which was irritating as hell. (And ah! now I see why Dave at P&E doesn’t grade down for that kind of behavior—his own agency does it!)
 
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smallthunder

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Woops!

:Smack: Bloody 'ell, I'm SUCH a newbie ... I didn't realize Dragonjax was referring to another individual ( flotsamarama), but thought it was some sort of AW lingo. Maybe I'll just keep my postings to the newbie board and/or shut up and lurk.
 

HapiSofi

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Writers House has some major names, and is entirely legit.

I have to stop thinking of Ginger Clark as a nice little editorial assistant. She's a rising agent, and has been losing her milk teeth and cutting her permanent fangs for years now.
 

dragonjax

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smallthunder said:
:Smack: Bloody 'ell, I'm SUCH a newbie ... I didn't realize Dragonjax was referring to another individual ( flotsamarama), but thought it was some sort of AW lingo. Maybe I'll just keep my postings to the newbie board and/or shut up and lurk.
:Hug2:

Silly! Don't even think of shutting up and lurking! Hear me? Huh? HAH? HUH?
 

madpawn

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When you send a query to them, do you send it to this address:

Submissions
Writers House
21 West 26th Street
New York, NY l00l0

Or do you put a specific agent's name above the "Submissions"?
 

AC Crispin

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Writers House

Definitely address your query to a specific agent at any legit agency. Make sure you research the kinds of material each agent handles. Agents, like doctors, tend to specialize these days.

Writers House is completely legit. I've been a Writers House client since 1984.

Best,

-Ann C. Crispin
Writer Beware
www.writerbeware.com
Author: STORMS OF DESTINY/HarperEos
www.accrispin.com