Querying US agents (overseas submissions)

Isa_Halley · Sep 24, 2016

I'm based in England. I plan to query a US agent.

I have big questions:

1. Shall I confess that I live in England in my query letter? Just by giving my address and phone number in a signature block (standard really) OR shall I hide it for now. I'm just worried that they will see that I'm not based in the USA and will dismiss my query- or is it childlish thinking? I'm worried that they may think : oh this is complicated.

2. Can anyone share their experience (if you are also based abroad and queried US agents)

3. What are the pros/ cons or even dangers of such venture???

Many thanks

Goodby · Sep 24, 2016

most agents are not going to care that you're from a different country. All they're going to care about is if you've sent them a manuscript for which they have connections to sell.

ElaineA · Sep 24, 2016

I can offer a couple of answers but not all:

1) Neither (if you're emailing). a) Email queries don't use standard letter format so you don't include any street address information on them. The more info you clutter the top of your letter with, the more the agent has to scroll to see the actual query. So don't format it like a paper letter. b) US agents rep people from all over the world. It's not unusual for them, and unless you living in GB is germane to the story you are querying, you don't need to mention it. That's info for another day.

2) Can't help here

3) I don't know what the downsides would be in this day and age of electronic communications. The upside might be the US is a bigger market.

Isa_Halley · Sep 24, 2016

Dear Goodby and ElaineA- thanks so so much for speedy replies. They are very helpful. I tend to worry about every detail. Sometimes it seems to me like I have big mountains to climb, so it's so helpful to see it all from a fresh perspective- thanks again

Big Blessings for you!

Earthling · Sep 24, 2016

I'm also in England (hi!) and have a US agent.

1. I saw advice to include an address and phone number with queries, but I didn't do it and it didn't seem to harm my request rate. I did, however, say I was from London in my bio paragraph. At least two of my requests were off the back of that, as both agents had a 'thing' for England. In my genre (romance), it's a positive more than it's a negative.

2. I knew very quickly I would be happier and better off with a US agent. Partly this is because of genre again--it often feels to me that romance is a dirty word in the UK. Have you noticed Waterstones don't have a romance section, even though it's the most read adult genre here? Anyway, I had one request from the UK and 14 (? or thereabouts) from the US. I signed with my US agents about 6 weeks after I began querying.

The only difficulties caused by my location have been:
a. The Call. My agents couldn't get through on my mobile, but it took a few minutes for me to get Skype up and running. For a moment I thought we would have to postpone The Call and I was already DYING to hear if they were going to offer or not!
b. When I get a publishing contract, I have to fill in these forms to make sure I don't pay tax in the US and then again in the UK on my income. It sounds pretty complicated and will involve a visit to the US Embassy in London at some point... annoying, but not the end of the world.

3. The pros, for me: I pay 15% to my agents in the biggest market for romance (the US) rather than the 20% I'd likely pay with a UK agent. They have more editors to sub to in NY than we have in London. There was a much wider pool of US agents for me to choose from, and they often got back to me in days or weeks rather than months, as is standard for the good UK agents.

I haven't found any cons yet.

@LeaLately · Sep 25, 2016

This was super helpful for me too, thanks for sharing! I live in Canada, and I know it's fine for me to be querying US agents, but there were a couple I was considering which were from the UK.

Isa_Halley · Sep 25, 2016

@LeaLately said:
This was super helpful for me too, thanks for sharing! I live in Canada, and I know it's fine for me to be querying US agents, but there were a couple I was considering which were from the UK.

I'm glad this thread is helpful. I think we should follow our hearts! If you feel drawn to the UK- go for it- you're drawn to this country for a reason. That's how I see it. Good Luck!

Isa_Halley · Sep 25, 2016

Earthling said:
I'm also in England (hi!) and have a US agent.

1. I saw advice to include an address and phone number with queries, but I didn't do it and it didn't seem to harm my request rate. I did, however, say I was from London in my bio paragraph. At least two of my requests were off the back of that, as both agents had a 'thing' for England. In my genre (romance), it's a positive more than it's a negative.

2. I knew very quickly I would be happier and better off with a US agent. Partly this is because of genre again--it often feels to me that romance is a dirty word in the UK. Have you noticed Waterstones don't have a romance section, even though it's the most read adult genre here? Anyway, I had one request from the UK and 14 (? or thereabouts) from the US. I signed with my US agents about 6 weeks after I began querying.

The only difficulties caused by my location have been:
a. The Call. My agents couldn't get through on my mobile, but it took a few minutes for me to get Skype up and running. For a moment I thought we would have to postpone The Call and I was already DYING to hear if they were going to offer or not!
b. When I get a publishing contract, I have to fill in these forms to make sure I don't pay tax in the US and then again in the UK on my income. It sounds pretty complicated and will involve a visit to the US Embassy in London at some point... annoying, but not the end of the world.

3. The pros, for me: I pay 15% to my agents in the biggest market for romance (the US) rather than the 20% I'd likely pay with a UK agent. They have more editors to sub to in NY than we have in London. There was a much wider pool of US agents for me to choose from, and they often got back to me in days or weeks rather than months, as is standard for the good UK agents.

I haven't found any cons yet.

Thanks so much

Moonchild · Oct 19, 2016

I'm Canadian and my agent is in NY. It's a non-issue.

Querying US agents (overseas submissions)

Isa_Halley

Goodby

ElaineA

All about that action, boss.

Isa_Halley

Earthling

I come in peace

@LeaLately

Isa_Halley

Isa_Halley

Moonchild

I write fluff and that's OK.