Living Overseas

AnnaT · Jun 29, 2005

Hello,

I have a strange situation. I am an American living in Greece. I want to find an agent for my novel, but can't decide if an American agent or a British one is more appropriate. I don't know any other writers so I am pretty much going it alone here. (The book is written in English.)

Would an agent in the U.S. be interested in representing me considering the logistics of being an ocean away? Or does it really matter?

Should I stay within Europe because that's where I am?

Am I even asking the right questions?

Thanks,

Anna

MarkEsq · Jun 29, 2005

Depends...

What kind of book is it? Where is it set? I am guessing that one's agent should match one's target market, so if it's a US-based thriller, for example, try a US agent. I have no idea whether agents prefer home-based writers, though, but I know many (already-established, usually) writers live abroad.
Good luck!

AnnaT · Jun 29, 2005

MarkEsq said:
What kind of book is it? Where is it set? I am guessing that one's agent should match one's target market, so if it's a US-based thriller, for example, try a US agent. I have no idea whether agents prefer home-based writers, though, but I know many (already-established, usually) writers live abroad.
Good luck!

Thank you for the reply. Hm, I see what you mean. It makes sense. Probably a U.S.-based agent, then. I wasn't thinking about the point you made. I thought I would decide whether to search in Great Britain or America for an agent that handles this or that genre. There's so many things to consider.

Thanks again!

aruna · Jun 29, 2005

MarkEsq said:
I have no idea whether agents prefer home-based writers, though, but I know many (already-established, usually) writers live abroad.
Good luck!

It makes little difference; i was living in germany when I first got my agent. Though at some stage a face-to-face meeting might be apppropriate.

smallthunder · Jun 29, 2005

I don't know the time difference between Greece and (say) New York City -- but if it is significant, you might want to try and find an American agent who likes to work via e-mail.

Just a thought ...

AdamMac · Jun 30, 2005

Hi. I got my U.S. agent, for non-fiction, from overseas and it didn't seem the slightest bit odd. I am Canadian, was working in Spain, and queried agents in the U.K. and the U.S. My book was accepted by agents in both countries with no difficulties in logistics, or anything else. We just spoke in the Madrid afternoon, New York morning.

One thing about living abroad is that it opens up the question of where to sell your book, as Mark pointed out. I could write a book of little interest in the U.K. but have a big audience in the U.S., for example. That seems to increase the possibilities for non fiction.

Hmm. Would it look odd if I send out queries for my fantasy novel with stamps from Transylvania, an hour's drive north from me? I have a dusty half-finished horror novel. Nah. I don't think anybody would notice.

I would like to ask, though, if publishers may have the perception that a writer living abroad is less likely to help much on the promotion side. Is that a disadvantage worthy of note?

Adam

AnnaT · Jul 1, 2005

smallthunder said:
I don't know the time difference between Greece and (say) New York City -- but if it is significant, you might want to try and find an American agent who likes to work via e-mail.

Just a thought ...

Yes, that would be nice. We are 7 hours ahead of NYC, so I could call in the evening when it's business hours there.

AnnaT · Jul 1, 2005

Adam Mac said:
Hi. I got my U.S. agent, for non-fiction, from overseas and it didn't seem the slightest bit odd. I am Canadian, was working in Spain, and queried agents in the U.K. and the U.S. My book was accepted by agents in both countries with no difficulties in logistics, or anything else. We just spoke in the Madrid afternoon, New York morning.

One thing about living abroad is that it opens up the question of where to sell your book, as Mark pointed out. I could write a book of little interest in the U.K. but have a big audience in the U.S., for example. That seems to increase the possibilities for non fiction.

Hmm. Would it look odd if I send out queries for my fantasy novel with stamps from Transylvania, an hour's drive north from me? I have a dusty half-finished horror novel. Nah. I don't think anybody would notice.

I would like to ask, though, if publishers may have the perception that a writer living abroad is less likely to help much on the promotion side. Is that a disadvantage worthy of note?

Adam

Thanks for telling me your experience. I am still relatively new here so it still all seems strange to me. I haven't internalized my where yet.

That's funny about the stamps. I might do a double-take if I received that package!

Promotion: Ah, well, I've got a long way to go.

AnnaT · Jul 1, 2005

aruna said:
It makes little difference; i was living in germany when I first got my agent. Though at some stage a face-to-face meeting might be apppropriate.

Aruna, did you find an agent in the U.S. or England?

Andrew Zack · Jul 4, 2005

AnnaT said:
Hello,

I have a strange situation. I am an American living in Greece. I want to find an agent for my novel, but can't decide if an American agent or a British one is more appropriate. I don't know any other writers so I am pretty much going it alone here. (The book is written in English.)

Would an agent in the U.S. be interested in representing me considering the logistics of being an ocean away? Or does it really matter?

Should I stay within Europe because that's where I am?

Am I even asking the right questions?

Thanks,

Anna

If the book is written in English, I'd say you want a US agent. The money and the marketplace are bigger here. The logistics are moot in the era of email!

AnnaT · Jul 4, 2005

Andrew Zack said:
If the book is written in English, I'd say you want a US agent. The money and the marketplace are bigger here. The logistics are moot in the era of email!

That's what I was hoping! Thanks.

Anna

smallthunder · Jul 5, 2005

7 hours? no biggie

I forgot to mention that I'm trying to get my book published in the US, even though I'm living in Taiwan --

None of the agents reviewing my work seem to have picked up on this yet, but that's probably because I'm doing everything via e-mail and U.S. stamps (via diplomatic pouch).

The 12-hour time difference might become problematic if someone insists on hearing my voice, but I really think e-mail will cover me quite well. I'll let you know if I discover otherwise.

Best of luck!

AnnaT · Jul 5, 2005

smallthunder said:
I forgot to mention that I'm trying to get my book published in the US, even though I'm living in Taiwan --

None of the agents reviewing my work seem to have picked up on this yet, but that's probably because I'm doing everything via e-mail and U.S. stamps (via diplomatic pouch).

The 12-hour time difference might become problematic if someone insists on hearing my voice, but I really think e-mail will cover me quite well. I'll let you know if I discover otherwise.

Best of luck!

Thanks, and best of luck to you, too.

aruna · Jul 5, 2005

AnnaT said:
Aruna, did you find an agent in the U.S. or England?

In England.
re: promotion. Yes, it is more difficult. But My publishers arranged for me to come over for a week and paid all my expenses.

Living Overseas

AnnaT

MarkEsq

Clever title pending.

AnnaT

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

smallthunder

Ruled by Dachshunds

AdamMac

Back for more

AnnaT

AnnaT

AnnaT

Andrew Zack

AnnaT

smallthunder

Ruled by Dachshunds

AnnaT

aruna

On a wing and a prayer