Agents and the novella

Don Evan Scott · May 15, 2011

Hi fellow people who write shorter things

I am plugging through edits of my novella, "Overturning Phoenix", which is going to end uo around 24,000 words or so.

Does anyone have any experience or advice about which way to take this when it's "done"? Are agents going to even look at a short work from a nobody? Or should I just skip the agent and go looking for publishers that like the novella?

Thanks everyone!
Des

waylander · May 16, 2011

The market for novellas is pretty small and doesn't pay enough that agents bother with them except for established clients.
Your best option is to go looking for publishers that take this length. The best place to start is Duotrope http://www.duotrope.com/

Kate Thornton · May 16, 2011

Ditto what waylander said - and depending on genre, you should be able to find a market or several.

Best of luck!

..

pdr · May 16, 2011

If...

your novella is in the SF/Fan, Romance or Thriller/Mystery genres then there are many Small Presses who accept novella.

These are e-pub, P.O.D. and often a paperback print run as well type publishers. Perhaps the e-publishing board here has a list of publishers. I am not suggesting you self publish, there are many well established and new Small Presses who work exactly like the Big Publishers.

I only have a list of more literary Small Presses but perhaps the SFWA has a list. I found Duotrope does not have many of the ones I come across in the markets mag I write for, but it does have some Small Presses.

elindsen · May 16, 2011

I would try epubs. You get a decent royalty and some, depending on genre, have a very good fan base that doesn't take mounds of promotion.

Good Luck!

Don Evan Scott · May 16, 2011

Thanks for all the responses already. It sounds like you're all confirm what I expected.

As far as genre, it is not SF/fan, romance, thriller, mystery, or anything like that

I suppose you could call what I do mainstream or perhaps literary sometimes.

I have used Duotrope a lot looking for places to sub my flash fiction but I am looking for other sources as well.

Thanks again everyone

bluntforcetrauma · May 29, 2011

Those of us who prefer novellas are way underserved.

Agents and the novella

Don Evan Scott

I have a pet snake named Sparky :)

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

pdr

elindsen

Zombie lovin'

Don Evan Scott

I have a pet snake named Sparky :)

bluntforcetrauma

Esquire