How critical are agent sales in your age category?

kmcwriter · Sep 12, 2015

I got a PitMad favorite Thursday from an agent who has an excellent sale record in PB and MG. But nothing in YA, which is what I write.

Would you still query in this case? How important is it to have that track record and relationship with editors?

Thanks for any advice.

Thedrellum · Sep 12, 2015

Does anyone at her agency have YA experience?

I would probably query her, and if you get to "The Talk" stage, then I would ask her specifically about her plans for subbing your book, what her connections are with YA, and everything else that seems relevant. It's possible that she has no sales listed even though she's sold YA, or that she's branching into YA because she's developed some connections with YA editors. It's really impossible to tell without talking to her.

kmcwriter · Sep 12, 2015

Thedrellum said:
Does anyone at her agency have YA experience?

I would probably query her, and if you get to "The Talk" stage, then I would ask her specifically about her plans for subbing your book, what her connections are with YA, and everything else that seems relevant. It's possible that she has no sales listed even though she's sold YA, or that she's branching into YA because she's developed some connections with YA editors. It's really impossible to tell without talking to her.

It's a solo agency she started last year so no other agents. She does have other YA clients but no sales I could find. MG and PB sales are to big 5 publishers.

Treehouseman · Sep 12, 2015

Not all sales are reported, so she may have them. The biggest thing is that she does have sales, and is willing to take YA. You should be OK!

kmcwriter · Sep 13, 2015

Thanks for the input all! I went ahead and queried and got a quick full request. We'll see where it goes from here.

Sage · Sep 13, 2015

I think it depends on the category the agent has sales in. I left an agent (partly) because I didn't trust him to know how to sell my YA. He was a superstar in non-fiction and had made a few sales in fiction, but in the end I didn't trust him with YA.

I don't think MG to YA would be a big leap of faith, though.

You say she just started the solo agency last year, but was she part of another agency before that? With great sales so soon, I would expect her to either have broken off from another agency or to have been an editor before that. Looking into her history before this agency may give you some more answers.

kmcwriter · Sep 13, 2015

Sage said:
You say she just started the solo agency last year, but was she part of another agency before that? With great sales so soon, I would expect her to either have broken off from another agency or to have been an editor before that. Looking into her history before this agency may give you some more answers.

She was an editor before that with a well-respected house. So credentials are solid and potentially relationships exist that could be helpful to a YA sale.

WeaselFire · Sep 14, 2015

Welcome to Absolute Write.

The first concern with an agent is that you want one who has the contacts and ability to sell your work. Track record is one way, often the easiest way, of figuring this out. But if she is connected in the industry in ways that could result in sales for you, that is likely good enough. Unless the agent who sold the last 26 million-seller YA novels calls you up and offers to rep your work.

Jeff

kmcwriter · Sep 14, 2015

WeaselFire said:
Welcome to Absolute Write.

The first concern with an agent is that you want one who has the contacts and ability to sell your work. Track record is one way, often the easiest way, of figuring this out. But if she is connected in the industry in ways that could result in sales for you, that is likely good enough. Unless the agent who sold the last 26 million-seller YA novels calls you up and offers to rep your work.

Jeff

Thanks for the welcome and advice! Wouldn't that be a nice scenario...

Jamesaritchie · Sep 16, 2015

Treehouseman said:
Not all sales are reported, so she may have them. The biggest thing is that she does have sales, and is willing to take YA. You should be OK!

All meaningful sales are on record, and you can find them with little trouble. You should, if there's any doubt.

- - - Updated - - -

Sales in your genre and age group are extremely important. YA is not a genre, of course, but you have to look at more than the age group. The genre you write is also important.

How critical are agent sales in your age category?

kmcwriter

Thedrellum

Grr. Argh.

kmcwriter

Treehouseman

kmcwriter

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

kmcwriter

WeaselFire

Benefactor Member

kmcwriter

Jamesaritchie