Suggestion needed for Literary Agents handling Technothrillers

GeneBrighton · Oct 17, 2006

So many of you fine professionals seem to be familiar with whom to avoid. But, can anyone suggest an AAR Literary Agent that is reputable and handles specifically Technothrillers. I have the 2007 Guide to Literary Agents. Every time I find a potential agent, I read something on these threads that tells me something less than encouraging about that agent. So, I thought I'd just ask first and avoid growing frustration. My work is professional, but unpublished.

James D. Macdonald · Oct 17, 2006

Consider Trident Media Group.

You might check at http://www.agentquery.com/

You might also Google around for, say, "Dan Brown" + "is represented by" to see who his agent is. (It's Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.) Repeat as necessary for other technothriller writers.

I'm not 100% sure that anyone handles technothrillers specifically. I think you'll find the technothriller authors are represented by agents who handle general fiction. "Technothriller" is a marketing category, nothing more.

triceretops · Oct 17, 2006

Hi, Gene, and welcome to AW. I found 34-pages of legit agents that rep thriller/suspense at agentquery.com. That tabs out to about 272 listings, one of the largest genre catagories going. Of course, I believe techno/thriller rightfully falls under this umbrella. These are primarily AAR agents with solid sales. I hope this helps.

Tri

GeneBrighton · Oct 17, 2006

Thanks. Yes, I am aware of Dan Brown via Digital Fortress and his agency. In as much as I am unpublished, I have been hesitant to approach such an agency. However, I am quickly overcoming my fears, when considering the limited resource of viable agency candidates.

James D. Macdonald · Oct 17, 2006

Always aim high. There is nothing to be gained by going with a bottom-feeder.

victoriastrauss · Oct 17, 2006

Dan Brown was once unpublished. So were all published authors.

Most first novels sell via agents. Many of those authors had no prior publication credits.

If your novel is marketable, no one will hold it against you that you haven't published before. A successful agent is the only kind worth having.

- Victoria

GeneBrighton · Oct 17, 2006

triceretops said:
Hi, Gene, and welcome to AW. I found 34-pages of legit agents that rep thriller/suspense at agentquery.com. That tabs out to about 272 listings, one of the largest genre catagories going. Of course, I believe techno/thriller rightfully falls under this umbrella. These are primarily AAR agents with solid sales. I hope this helps.

Tri

Thank you,

I will immediately proceed to this site. You know, the first problem with Techno-thrillers is figuring out what general catagory it fits in, thriller or science fiction. Most definitions on the subject say that a techno-thriller is near future science fiction. An agent I once asked told me, "It depends on how much science fiction it has. "Well, that's as clear as mud. How much does it take? But, a friend of mine, a well-read individual, said that I would most likely fit under Thriller. In know this seems like a small point, but when trying to find the right agent it has become a bigger issue, especially when they return phrases like, "...does not fit our list."
I don't want to waste anymore time. I want to find an agent, an agent that hungrily accepts techno-thrillers, and get on with it.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Any other insights will be warmly welcomed.

jkorzenko · Oct 17, 2006

Personally, I think techno-thriller would fall under either suspense/thriller or the general "commercial" label. Commercial, meaning marketable to a huge fanbase or readers. Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum and Clive Cussler have all been labeled techno-thriller writers and I would definitely slot them under both commercial and suspense/thriller.

Just my few cents. But agentquery.com is a fantastic resource, Tri is right about that.

Best of luck.

GeneBrighton · Oct 17, 2006

What if...?

jkorzenko said:
Personally, I think techno-thriller would fall under either suspense/thriller or the general "commercial" label. Commercial, meaning marketable to a huge fanbase or readers. Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum and Clive Cussler have all been labeled techno-thriller writers and I would definitely slot them under both commercial and suspense/thriller.

Just my few cents. But agentquery.com is a fantastic resource, Tri is right about that.

Best of luck.

How would you label David Marconi's "Enemy of the State," if I pumped up the technological advancements to the equivalent of fifty years? Would that change the category or subcategory?

James D. Macdonald · Oct 17, 2006

While your search is going on, write another book.

GeneBrighton · Oct 17, 2006

James D. Macdonald said:
While your search is going on, write another book.

Writing is not my problem. Getting my work sold is.

James D. Macdonald · Oct 17, 2006

If you haven't read Slushkiller yet, do it now.

waylander · Oct 17, 2006

This agent would handle your material

http://agentquery.com/agent.aspx?agentid=29

He read my full manuscript after I sent in a query letter and first chapter.

jkorzenko · Oct 17, 2006

I consider Michael Crichton commercial, and I do believe he's been known to write a little into the future....

But truly, Gene, I realize how nerve wracking this whole business of finding an agent can be but you need to take a deep breath and start your querying process. Sure, you'll make mistakes along the way. Sure, you'll kick yourself when the R's start coming in. Sure, you'll whine and scream and rant and rave and then you'll write another book and start the whole process over again but this time you'll have the knowledge of the mistakes you made the first time around.

One thing I saw on an agent's website that sticks in my mind -- and for the life of me I can't remember whose site it was but it said something like this:

THIS IS WHAT WE DON'T REPRESENT (UNLESS, OF COURSE, WE DO)

I thought that was great!

J.

GeneBrighton · Oct 17, 2006

jkorzenko said:
I consider Michael Crichton commercial, and I do believe he's been known to write a little into the future....

But truly, Gene, I realize how nerve wracking this whole business of finding an agent can be but you need to take a deep breath and start your querying process. Sure, you'll make mistakes along the way. Sure, you'll kick yourself when the R's start coming in. Sure, you'll whine and scream and rant and rave and then you'll write another book and start the whole process over again but this time you'll have the knowledge of the mistakes you made the first time around.

One thing I saw on an agent's website that sticks in my mind -- and for the life of me I can't remember whose site it was but it said something like this:

THIS IS WHAT WE DON'T REPRESENT (UNLESS, OF COURSE, WE DO)

I thought that was great!

J.

I like you. You're my kind of person.
But, I was trying to avoid pitfalls by learning from the mistakes and insights of others. Why reinvent the wheel? Why not take the positive working experience of others and apply it to my situation?
I've learned that the querying process is long. Why make it longer and get myself frustrated by knocking on the wrong doors? Like I said in the beginning, people on this forum know a lot about who and what to avoid. They also know about who to attract. It is my endeavor here to take full advantage of the advice, including yours, that the experienced writers have worked so hard to acquire.
Think I'll be around for a while, so I'll enjoy hearing from you again.

GeneBrighton · Oct 17, 2006

waylander said:
This agent would handle your material

http://agentquery.com/agent.aspx?agentid=29

He read my full manuscript after I sent in a query letter and first chapter.

Thanks, I will definitely look into it.

jkorzenko · Oct 18, 2006

Gene,

I think it's a great thing to learn from others -- and that is what this site is all about. If you go to the top of Bewares and Background Checks (it's way too early for me to be helpful and paste a link -- need more caffeine), there's a list of all the agencies that have been discussed on this board. It is INVALUABLE. So, do your search at AgentQuery.com for agents that rep "commercial" -- then compare them to what's been said on this board and what is listed in your Writer's Marketplace, etc. and, of course, the agency websites always give you an inkling as to what each specific agent is looking for.

Off the top of my head, I'd say -- Russell Galen, Daniel Lazar, Ann Rittenberg, Donald Maass has already been mentioned, Nancy Yost, Andrea Somberg, Deirdre Knight, etc. etc. They all handle commercial but I don't know about their preferences other than they fit my needs. LOL. You'll have to scrutinize their websites, yourself.

J.

P.S. Michael Crichton is repped by Lynn Nesbit

GeneBrighton · Oct 18, 2006

I did submit to the Donald Maass Agency, but it was about a year ago and it was my first query. I still have a copy, which I just looked over. It Sucks with a capital S. I've learned a lot about writing queries over the year and have prepared a much better template. Question is -- and I've never heard it addressed -- can one, should one resubmit to an agency that has rejected you? From all I read this agency is a good one and it handles my genre of work.

jkorzenko · Oct 18, 2006

I'd say requery -- I doubt very much they'll remember and especially seeing as it's been over a year and you've totally reworked your query, I don't think it'll hurt to try. Also, you might take a look at the specific agents at Donald Maass and target one rather than going the anonymous equery route.

Suggestion needed for Literary Agents handling Technothrillers

GeneBrighton

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

triceretops

GeneBrighton

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victoriastrauss

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GeneBrighton

jkorzenko

GeneBrighton

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GeneBrighton

James D. Macdonald

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waylander

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jkorzenko

GeneBrighton

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