Links to facebook and twitter in a query?

Bmann

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I've read conflicting info regarding whether to add facebook and twitter links with your contact information in a query. I've seen where some agents say they will do a search and if nothing comes back they'll usually pass. The other advice I've seen is to not post them unless you 10-20k+ followers. My dilemma is that my twitter account( not that old ) is under my initials rather than my full name, so if an agent does a search on my name they will not find it. So I've been adding it to my contact info, not to brag mind you because I only have like a hundred+ followers. I was simply doing it to help them in their efforts should they choose to search me out and see if I was plugged in.

So I'm not sure if I should stop adding the link in my contact info or add a note informing them that it is not to show I have a following of epic proportions, but I'm adding it because its under a different name?
 

Earthling

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Where I've seen it suggested, it's to give the agent more ways to contact you rather than to check if you have a following. After all, your query should state whether you have previous publications or a significant platform already.

There's a poster on this forum who was recently contacted through Twitter about a submission she'd made which got lost, and after resubmitting she has a publishing contract.

On balance, I say go for it, unless there's anything on those accounts you don't want an agent to see - perhaps if you post about your political views or anything controversial?
 

KTC

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I agree that it's probably not about judging your following. I would just put these contacts as a signature in my email.
 

Bmann

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Thanks guys. Yeah my twitter is just for my story, concept art and retweeting others books to help them out :)
 

ElaineA

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One thing I've stopped doing in queries is hyperlinking my website and twitter handle. I show them under my signature line, but don't make them live links. Agents get so much junk and malicious links can lead trouble for their systems so I try to stay "unsuspicious."
 

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I've read conflicting info regarding whether to add facebook and twitter links with your contact information in a query. I've seen where some agents say they will do a search and if nothing comes back they'll usually pass. The other advice I've seen is to not post them unless you 10-20k+ followers. My dilemma is that my twitter account( not that old ) is under my initials rather than my full name, so if an agent does a search on my name they will not find it.

I really wouldn't worry about the number of followers you have, or that agents will reject your work if you don't have enough online presence. Good agents will care only about the book before them; good publishers will find ways to promote your work effectively regardless of the number of twitter followers you have.
 

Treehouseman

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Yeah, I have a pretty common name and my agent managed to track me down. If you have a website with your SEO all up to date (website creators as Wix have a simple metadata and search engine optimisation feature) even a Twitter with initials can be google-searchable through your website data.
 

heza

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Based on what I've read on various blogs, with regard to fiction, I don't think agents expect you to have a strong web presence before you've even snagged an agent with your MS. That kind of author-promotion work comes during the period between the acquisition by the publisher and commercial release of the novel. You might want a website (or equivalent) up before the deal is announced so people can google you. And I'm sure plenty of agents and possibly marketing departments would be willing to give you tips about how to get promotion rolling and what amount of presence they expect from you.

What's important at this point, I think, is that the agent has ways to get hold of you. They might lose your email, but remember your twitter handle, for example. As far as web presence, I think they're trying to make sure you're don't have unnecessarily controversial web presence or obvious evidence that you'd be a terrible person to work with or a PR nightmare.