Question Regarding Lit Agents

Michael Shoemaker · Oct 28, 2012

Recently I have been writing a series called "The New Adventures of Arsene Lupin" which is based off of characters and stories originally written by French Author; Maurice LeBlanc in 1905.
My question is, since the stories have been well received by people I would like to compile enough of them and publish them. However I have not had much luck pinpointing a lit agency that might take such a story.
My worry is that since they are stories based off of already existing characters, agents wont like them. However all of LeBlanc's work is public domain and out of copyright.

I am hoping someone might be able to shed some light in the right direction.

Thank You

Ergo · Oct 28, 2012

AgentQuery :: Find the Agent Who Will Find You a Publisher

Susan Coffin · Oct 28, 2012

, Michael!

What ergo said.

Kevin Nelson · Oct 28, 2012

Thinking in terms of "pinpointing" a literary agency probably isn't the best way to proceed. I'd send out queries to a lot of agencies if I were you.

Some agents might have a problem with your work being based on LeBlanc's, and some might not. Even if the original work is public domain, an agent would have to worry about confirming that it's public domain in both France and the U.S., about whether any trademarks still apply, etc. Frankly, I have no idea how much of a barrier that might be for you. Anyway, it's not an issue many agents seem to address on their websites, so the best course just seems to be to query a lot of them and see what they say.

Pyekett · Oct 28, 2012

Michael, a side question, but potentially important: are the stories you are getting good feedback about posted online?

And if yes, are they password protected?

Michael Shoemaker · Oct 28, 2012

Kevin Nelson said:
Thinking in terms of "pinpointing" a literary agency probably isn't the best way to proceed. I'd send out queries to a lot of agencies if I were you.

Some agents might have a problem with your work being based on LeBlanc's, and some might not. Even if the original work is public domain, an agent would have to worry about confirming that it's public domain in both France and the U.S., about whether any trademarks still apply, etc. Frankly, I have no idea how much of a barrier that might be for you. Anyway, it's not an issue many agents seem to address on their websites, so the best course just seems to be to query a lot of them and see what they say.

I know for sure it is in public domain here, as far as France goes, I'm not 100% on that.
My overall plan is to compile all the stories and put them in an anthology of sorts. How does one even start to query a book like that?

Pyekett said:
Michael, a side question, but potentially important: are the stories you are getting good feedback about posted online?

And if yes, are they password protected?

Well this past Thursday was the first one that was printed, and I have only heard feedback via word of mouth. However, no they are not password protected. It is copy/paste protected though!

Old Hack · Oct 29, 2012

It's very difficult to get a collection of short stories published (an anthology is a collection by different authors). To get a publisher interested you'll need a good track record of publishing shorts in established and well-regarded magazines, and a good handful of recognised prizes too.

Michael Shoemaker · Oct 29, 2012

Old Hack said:
It's very difficult to get a collection of short stories published (an anthology is a collection by different authors). To get a publisher interested you'll need a good track record of publishing shorts in established and well-regarded magazines, and a good handful of recognised prizes too.

Do you have any recommendations as far as well-regarded magazines go?
As far as prizes go, I have heard that it only really matters if you get 1st. Is there any truth to that?

Old Hack · Oct 29, 2012

There are all sorts of magazines which are well-regarded, but which ones you should submit to depends on your genre and style. You have to do your own research here, I'm afraid.

Placing in a good competition or being long-listed for a really good competition means a lot more than winning first prize in a competition no one's heard of. For example, if you're shortlisted for the Bridport, Fish or Asham awards in the UK that's a good thing.

jjdebenedictis · Oct 29, 2012

Michael Shoemaker said:
Well this past Thursday was the first one that was printed, and I have only heard feedback via word of mouth. However, no they are not password protected. It is copy/paste protected though!

If you're hoping to sell your stories, you do NOT want them available for free on the internet.

Small excerpts are fine for marketing purposes, but if people can read the story for free, then publishers aren't interested in trying to convince people to pay to read it.

The publisher will consider the story already published. Magazines will also consider the story published and would only buy reprint rights (which are much less lucrative for you) if they buy any rights at all.

If you put up the stories somewhere on the internet that is password protected, so that only a small number of people can read it and give you feedback on the story's quality, then that doesn't count as having already published the story. For example, the Share Your Work forum (called SYW) here on AW is password protected for this very reason. Maybe post a story here and see what your fellow writers think?

Michael Shoemaker · Oct 29, 2012

jjdebenedictis said:
If you're hoping to sell your stories, you do NOT want them available for free on the internet.

Small excerpts are fine for marketing purposes, but if people can read the story for free, then publishers aren't interested in trying to convince people to pay to read it.

The publisher will consider the story already published. Magazines will also consider the story published and would only buy reprint rights (which are much less lucrative for you) if they buy any rights at all.

If you put up the stories somewhere on the internet that is password protected, so that only a small number of people can read it and give you feedback on the story's quality, then that doesn't count as having already published the story. For example, the Share Your Work forum (called SYW) here on AW is password protected for this very reason. Maybe post a story here and see what your fellow writers think?

I could give that a try. The stories are already published in the newspaper here locally each week. Perhaps when it comes time to try and sell something I will go in a different direction. Maybe I will self publish them in a collection later on. I do see your point however.

c.e.lawson · Oct 29, 2012

Old Hack said:
There are all sorts of magazines which are well-regarded, but which ones you should submit to depends on your genre and style. You have to do your own research here, I'm afraid.

Placing in a good competition or being long-listed for a really good competition means a lot more than winning first prize in a competition no one's heard of. For example, if you're shortlisted for the Bridport, Fish or Asham awards in the UK that's a good thing.

Hi Old Hack,

Is being long-listed in the Fish Short Story Prize something to mention in the bio portion of a query letter? I am querying for the first time and have no pub credits, so this part always stumps me, but I did get long listed twice at Fish a few years ago. Not short-listed, though. I'm querying my novel in the U.S. currently.

Thanks,

c.e.

Old Hack · Oct 29, 2012

Having been shortlisted would be more impressive, obviously; and a clutch of such credits would be best. But the most important thing to have is a good book.

The problem with short story collections is that they're very difficult to sell: so for these credits to be effective you need a lot of them, to show that your work is likely to be popular. One or two probably isn't enough.

c.e.lawson · Oct 29, 2012

Thanks so much, Old Hack.

c.e.

Question Regarding Lit Agents

Michael Shoemaker

Gentleman Thief

Ergo

Chronic State of Query

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

Kevin Nelson

Aspiring to authorship since 1975

Pyekett

I need no hot / Words.

Michael Shoemaker

Gentleman Thief

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Michael Shoemaker

Gentleman Thief

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar

Michael Shoemaker

Gentleman Thief

c.e.lawson

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

c.e.lawson