Canadian Writers, US Agents?

I don't know who you're sending to Zen. I've had the same experience with Canadian agents ,which is no response at all. On the other hand I'm currently in discussion with two agents from the States who have a full of my manuscript. My New York dream agent has turned it down because she felt it "too emotionally jarring" to be marketable as a romance, but has asked me to send her something else. I am also waiting on a response to 5 partials that were requested in response to my query letter. These are all respectable agents from the States. I've sent out about 20 queries, all but three to American agents. I've had success with some and been turned down by others but in no case has anyone commented or shown any concern about my being Canadian other than to say if I want my materials returned I need to send an IRC or stamps bought from the US postal service. Last but not least, several of the published members of my Atlantic Canada writer's group have American agents.

Someone is giving you false information. I wouldn't worry about it. Anyone who would do so isn't being nice, they are either unprofessional or uninformed and not the kind of agent you'd want to work with anyway. There are several places you can go to get lists of reputable agents, a lot of them listed on this site. Writer's digest and agent query are good places to start. A reputable agent may turn you down for other reasons, but being from Canada is not likely to be one of them.

Good Luck eh?

I am a Canadian writer and am represented by an American agent in New York. My location was not an impediment by any means, although I did have to do a little research on ITINs, and I certainly don't think that my location was a problem for any of the agents that requested partials/fulls from me. On a side note, the Canadian agents that I queried were also mostly nonresponsive.

Good luck!
David

Sorry if this is a silly newbie question, but what is a "ITIN"?

Starting to wonder if there's not a future career in Canadian "agenting" for me....

Michelle <--- Canadian

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html

Good luck, Zen.

As another Canadian, I too have had no trouble querying and subbing to American Agents. I just had a novel rejected by one, quite nicely, and she asked me to feel free to contact her when I have something else ready to sub.

I also have a friend who is from Perth Australia and his publisher is in Calgary. I really don't think borders matter all that much.

I've found three US agents willing to look at my work, so I don't think they have a down on Canadian writers.

Canadian agents? Phooey! Unless your writing is a copy of Margaret Attwood, or the story contains advice on some deep moral issue, forget it. Some of them also charge, but they don't advertise themselves that way until you get a letter asking for money. I've been letting Dave K. at P&E know about the ones I come across. And just how professional are they? One in this town agents part time out of her basement. A nice home dabble job which means she can look after her kids at the same time. I know there are agents in the east with what sound like office addresses, but they seem to be an exclusive club.

But don't buy expensive IRCs - send a cheque to the Postmaster at one of the US towns and ask for a selection of stamps to the value of the amount you send. I usually get mine back within the week. Faster than Canada Post sometimes.

My friend who is Canadian has a US agent. She had no problem getting several offers of representation.

I too have a friend who has an American agent as well (we're Canadian), and I have a British one.

Carmy said:

Canadian agents? Phooey! Unless your writing is a copy of Margaret Attwood, or the story contains advice on some deep moral issue, forget it.

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Not a single decent agent in all of Canada?

How about Hellen Heller, for one?

http://www.helenhelleragency.com/about.html

Okay, if you say she's good I'll submit to her and see if I even get a reply.

Oooh, Ihave an experience with Helen Heller!
Long, long ago I was writing a novel and even snagged a British agent for it. I was living in Germany at the time, so we agreed to meet at the Frankfurt Book Fair. She told me that she worked with the Marsh Agency and sold US rights through a Canadian agent, Hellen Heller. And Hellen Heller happened to be there and I met her.
So thats my story... not very illuminating, but I can vouch for the fact that she IS a good and legit agent.
That novel never sold, BTW.

Thanks Aruna. I submitted a query to her last night so let's see if she replies.

rugcat said:

Not a single decent agent in all of Canada?

How about Hellen Heller, for one?

http://www.helenhelleragency.com/about.html

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This lady, Sally Harding, seems to have a pretty good reputation too
http://www.agentquery.com/agent.aspx?agentid=880

There are good agents in Canada -- but there aren't a whole lot of them (agents at all, that is, not just good ones!) so the existing ones are very busy.

Also, from what I understand, they are more focused on the literary market (as opposed to commercial fiction), so it depends what kind of book you are writing.

I'm Canadian and have been querying for the past year, 99% to US agents. So far I've had a mix of non-responses, rejections, and requests for partials and fulls. I have never had someone tell me they can't take me on because I live in Canada.

HTH,
MelRandall

Also, from what I understand, they are more focused on the literary market (as opposed to commercial fiction), so it depends what kind of book you are writing.

I concur. As I said earlier, I don't write like Margaret Attwood.

I checked out the Harding Agency a while back. The authors they represent don't appear to be genre or commercial fiction writers either.

I just talked to Sally Harding at World Fantasy Con. You can send her SF/F.

waylander said:

I just talked to Sally Harding at World Fantasy Con. You can send her SF/F.

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How was it at World Fantasy Con? Inquiring minds want to know.

A bit off topic but --

How about the cost-of-postage difference between a Canadian agent and an agent in the US where postage rates are much cheaper?

Is it standard for agents to contact publishers by email, at least initially?

Are most publisehrs receptive to Canadian agents?