I know this sounds pretty lame, and even questions what I'm doing here, but what if you had a doubt about a really good agent, and posted here to dispel that very doubt, what if the agent happened to see it, could you just blow your chances with him/her? .... !!!
Can you scare off an agent by blogging here?
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If an agent was scared off by your asking a legitimate question, is that agent really someone you want to work with?
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Chances are small if you don't use your real name or link to any of the titles of your work that an agent will find your posts here -- though they are on the internet.
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Dittoing the others. An agent worth having isn't going to be bothered in the slightest.
An agent not worth having might get a bit upset, yeah, but then...they're not worth having to begin with.
An agent not worth having might get a bit upset, yeah, but then...they're not worth having to begin with.
True. They also get a little frightened of using blogging as a synonym for posting.
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Okay, people are being a little silly here, and I just wanted explain the meaning behind some of the warnings you've got, just so you don't think they are being dismissive of your post etc.
Caps lock: Typing with the caps lock on makes it come across like you are shouting. Agents obviously aren't afraid of capital letters, but All Caps can make an agent cringe because it seems like you are yelling at them. Now I don't think you would send anything to them all caps, especially because your post isn't in all caps. I think what you did was create a title of a thread in all caps because you thought it looked more like a proper title. But you don't have to do that here, and it will come across as shouting even though that is so not your intention. Ditto if you made the subject line of a query letter to an agent in all caps. It is best not to do it. The exception is when you are putting the title of your book in the query letter itself.
The second point from herdon is just clarifying terms for you. You don't blog on a forum, you post on one. Sometimes, like you did here, you start what is called a thread.
As to your actual question, you are free to post a doubt and any agent worth his/her salt shouldn't take offense, so long as you post it in a reasonable fashion. Something like, "I hear Ms. Smith is a bitch" is not so fantastic. But something like, "I hear Ms. Smith isn't good at communicating with her clients and has broken contracts" is better.
But make sure before you post anything that you do a search. Tons of agencies have been posted about here on AW, and you might find the answer to your question without even having to start a thread.
Good luck and welcome to AW!
Caps lock: Typing with the caps lock on makes it come across like you are shouting. Agents obviously aren't afraid of capital letters, but All Caps can make an agent cringe because it seems like you are yelling at them. Now I don't think you would send anything to them all caps, especially because your post isn't in all caps. I think what you did was create a title of a thread in all caps because you thought it looked more like a proper title. But you don't have to do that here, and it will come across as shouting even though that is so not your intention. Ditto if you made the subject line of a query letter to an agent in all caps. It is best not to do it. The exception is when you are putting the title of your book in the query letter itself.
The second point from herdon is just clarifying terms for you. You don't blog on a forum, you post on one. Sometimes, like you did here, you start what is called a thread.
As to your actual question, you are free to post a doubt and any agent worth his/her salt shouldn't take offense, so long as you post it in a reasonable fashion. Something like, "I hear Ms. Smith is a bitch" is not so fantastic. But something like, "I hear Ms. Smith isn't good at communicating with her clients and has broken contracts" is better.
But make sure before you post anything that you do a search. Tons of agencies have been posted about here on AW, and you might find the answer to your question without even having to start a thread.
Good luck and welcome to AW!
Actually, it does depend on what you are doing and what you are asking. You need to be discreet and professional during the querying process and the signing process. There are some people who have lost their chances because they were not. It is best to leave names out. It is best to be very clear about what is going on and what is not. In other words, don't go about saying you have an offer of representation if a) you do not have an actual offer (an agent saying "I would like to represent you") or b) If the agent has asked that you wait a period of time before announcing anything.
Asking questions about a specific agent is best done in the threads here on each agent/agency. It's expected there. Also, it's always a good idea NOT to bad mouth. Even if someone is rotten to you, it's poor business practice.
If you have a question about what an agent is doing, asking, or what is happening, find a way to ask without naming names. Again, this keeps it professional and preserves your reputation and the agent's.
You have EVERY RIGHT to ask.
Everyone is correct that a GOOD agent might read, and won't be bothered at all. They'll respect you more for researching and looking. They'll have sound practices that will stand up to scrutiny. Make sure YOUR research stands up to scrutiny too though. Be respectful in your questioning and wait for us to tell you if something isn't cool.
Asking questions about a specific agent is best done in the threads here on each agent/agency. It's expected there. Also, it's always a good idea NOT to bad mouth. Even if someone is rotten to you, it's poor business practice.
If you have a question about what an agent is doing, asking, or what is happening, find a way to ask without naming names. Again, this keeps it professional and preserves your reputation and the agent's.
You have EVERY RIGHT to ask.
Everyone is correct that a GOOD agent might read, and won't be bothered at all. They'll respect you more for researching and looking. They'll have sound practices that will stand up to scrutiny. Make sure YOUR research stands up to scrutiny too though. Be respectful in your questioning and wait for us to tell you if something isn't cool.
Definitely. Overuse of CAPS is to agents as silver is to werewolves.
The main thing is: Don't sound like you'd be a bitch to work with. That definitely means no ragging on specific agents. Actually, ragging on agents or editors in general is not a great idea. Especially if the substance of your ragging is that nobody's picked up your MS, what a buncha mean and unfair idiots.
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A few weeks ago I posted a few questions about some publishing companies that I was considering contracts for. One of the owners of one of the publishing contracts saw the thread, new it was me (I wasn't overly original in picking my name) and answered the question. She was really good about it, but it did scare the crap out of me.
And of course she did the, if you have any questions ask me directly. But I wanted overall opinions and of course not from the company I was considering.
So, honestly if the company or agent doesn't like that you've ask legitimate questions then they are probably not the company/agent you want to go with.
And of course she did the, if you have any questions ask me directly. But I wanted overall opinions and of course not from the company I was considering.
So, honestly if the company or agent doesn't like that you've ask legitimate questions then they are probably not the company/agent you want to go with.
I believe we have an entire section dedicated to this.
To repeat the others, as long as your question is reasonable and presented in a professional way, you'll be fine.
And as always, do some research first before posting a question, its possible that someone has already answered it.
To repeat the others, as long as your question is reasonable and presented in a professional way, you'll be fine.
And as always, do some research first before posting a question, its possible that someone has already answered it.
Well, as long as you aren't making posts like this:
(Here! Have a badly written example!)
Agent so-so is a *bleep* *Bleepy* *bleepity* who could not recognize my utter genius!!! I submitted my 600k erotic thriller humorous social commentary work to this educational childrens picture book agent and they rejected me!!!!!11!!
How could they not see my genius?!?!?! They should be *bleeped* *bleepers* *bleeping* *bleeps* up a flag pole with razor wire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come like minded peoples! Let us storm this agents office with torchs and pitchforks and *For bleeps sake* *honest to bleepy goodness* *its bleeperation time!* with a watermelon, a baby goat and a print out of Eye of Argon!
(End bad example)
(Here! Have a badly written example!)
Agent so-so is a *bleep* *Bleepy* *bleepity* who could not recognize my utter genius!!! I submitted my 600k erotic thriller humorous social commentary work to this educational childrens picture book agent and they rejected me!!!!!11!!
How could they not see my genius?!?!?! They should be *bleeped* *bleepers* *bleeping* *bleeps* up a flag pole with razor wire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come like minded peoples! Let us storm this agents office with torchs and pitchforks and *For bleeps sake* *honest to bleepy goodness* *its bleeperation time!* with a watermelon, a baby goat and a print out of Eye of Argon!
(End bad example)
Now that's just going to far!
ooh matron!
It's an enigma
Oooh, not another one of those!
Infamy, infamy! They've all got it in for me!
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