Conspiracy

GeneBrighton said:

Maybe I should replace the word with something like "Unknown forces."

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I don't know about agents in general, but from Miss Snark's repeated comments, she wouldn't go for it ("nameless, faceless evil").

Are there individuals within the conspiracy you could focus on? A leader or sub-leader who's driving this particular effort, an operative sent against your protagonist...?


(When I saw the thread title I thought it was talking about a conspiracy of agents! )

I'm getting lots of agent rejections too and I don't mention conspiracy anywhere in the novel. There's lots of reasons why agents reject our work.

uote=GeneBrighton]I have to wonder if the agent rejections I've received from queries are a result of mentioning "Conspiracies"? It is a techno-thriller and by definition global in its antagonisms, which must be conspiratorial in some aspects.
As my friend says, "I don't like conspiracy stuff." I have a feeling most people flinch at the word "conspiracy" in a mainline fiction novel. I know I should be forthcoming to the agent, but I have the suspiscion that I should disguise this particular. Maybe I should replace the word with something like "Unknown forces." Is this appropriate?[/quote]

GeneBrighton said:

The sub-leaders are not the driving force. They are minions to a named, but faceless evil. The point of the book is about ultimately defining this evil, to expose it as it demonstrates itself through the power it weilds. So, you're saying I should use the term or a term like "faceless evil" rather than "conspiracy?"

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No, I'm saying that from what I have read*, more specific is generally better than less, to a point. So, "conspiracy" would be preferable to "unknown forces", but naming/describing the antagonist (concise/memorable description) is preferable to either. Sorry if that was unclear.

(*full disclosure: I'm not published, so I have no direct experience here. This is what I have read here and from agents who write about the query process, Miss Snark being the most recent.)

Conspiracy has never been so funny.

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But, conspiracy on a grand scale is the main thrust of the overall concept.

If I told you the title you'd understand.

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If conspiracy is central to the book, there's probably no reason to shy away from mentioning it. But it would still be necessary to include enough particulars to show why this conspiracy story is different from every other conspiracy story out there. It sounds like a humorous tone to the query, matching the tone of the book, would be helpful here, in addition to describing the protagonist/antagonist/story arc.

(Hopefully someone else can chime in if I'm off-base here.)

Conspiracy? Not being good market?

Tell that to Dan Brown, or the authors of Foucault's Pendulum, Flicker, Rosemary's Baby, any novel which uses the Knights Templar or the Catholic Church as a setting or premise, Seven Days in May, Executive Decision, Rainbow Six, The Stand, Cell, etc., etc., etc..

Regards,
Scott

AnnieColleen said:

If conspiracy is central to the book, there's probably no reason to shy away from mentioning it. But it would still be necessary to include enough particulars to show why this conspiracy story is different from every other conspiracy story out there.

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I agree. One approach would be to write the query in such a way that you are *showing* the conspiracy elements without ever using the word conspiracy. I think it's possible to structure it in such a way that the concept leaps out without you having to explain it. Let the agent draw the conclusion. Just a thought.

Conspiracy novels have been the hottest things on the market for the last three or four years.

Gene--If I understand correctly, you're just guessing that it's the conspiracy thing the agents are reacting to, right? You've had not comments other than form rejection? If that's the case, I would look to something else in the query as the culprit. As others have said, conspiracy sells. It will always have a market.

Is it tight and compelling? Is it as well-written as it can possibly be? Do you focus on theme and backstory instead of the meat of what happens?

If this is a comic novel--which you seem to suggest--I' wouldn't call it a technothriller. I'd say what it is up front, in a matter of fact way, before you get into the hook. "I am seeking representation for Conspiracy, a comic novel of global intrigue," or some such. That way, s/he will be in the right mindset for the rest of it. Plus, agents like to know exactly where your book will fit on the shelf.

Are you sending the query to the right agents? I'm submitting a thriller to agents, too, and one of the things I noticed was that quite a few agents say they take thrillers. But ... when I checked their sales records, they hadn't sold any.

And, as already mentioned, also look at the query. The agents aren't likely to reject for the word "conspiracy," but they will reject if the story hasn't been defined well (many writers don't know what their actual story is).

I have to say, I was really afraid that this was going to be another one of those, "It's a conspiracy! The agents are against us!" thread. I was ready to groan. But it's an interesting question.

However, brevity being the soul of wit, I won't repeat everyone else's advice.

Maprilynne

GeneBrighton said:

The sub-leaders are not the driving force. They are minions to a named, but faceless evil. The point of the book is about ultimately defining this evil, to expose it as it demonstrates itself through the power it weilds. So, you're saying I should use the term or a term like "faceless evil" rather than "conspiracy?"

However, the book is fraught with conspiracy talk, which acts to define some of the characters. It is often overshadowed by the humorous ineptitude of the characters flaunting it. Conspiracy has never been so funny.

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Then would it be classified as humor? Especially using ineptitude to describe some of the characters (conspiracists?), it's hard to take the conspiracy part seriously. All the technothrillers and conspiracy-related stories I've read have all been deadly serious. Humor might work, but IMHO it changes the whole tone of the work. I'm reminded of the old TV series "Get Smart."

But, conspiracy on a grand scale is the main thrust of the overall concept.

If I told you the title you'd understand.

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benbradley said:

Then would it be classified as humor? Especially using ineptitude to describe some of the characters (conspiracists?), it's hard to take the conspiracy part seriously. All the technothrillers and conspiracy-related stories I've read have all been deadly serious. Humor might work, but IMHO it changes the whole tone of the work. I'm reminded of the old TV series "Get Smart."

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Equally as good as the old Max Smart show were the books released at the same time. Great stuff, fust as funny.

Regards,
Scott

Is the book about the big publishing industry conspiracy?

Focus on the something new you bring to the table. What makes your book stand out. Research agents that have recently sold a conspiracy novel and start quering them including the name of the book and why your book is a good fit for them.

icerose has some good advice - remember it can be a fresh look at an old idea.
FYI
How many of you remember the rants and raves about the "overused" lottery idea on Kristin Nelson and Agent X's sites last spring?
It coincidentally happened to be when I sent them both queries for my novel LOTTERY.
I was kind of bummed but I knew deep down inside I had a fresh idea- so I reworked my query a bit with that in mind...And...Well...
I got an agent and my novel sold at auction in a significant deal.
The moral?
An old idea can be quite lucrative when looked at from another angle.

Wasn't around for that, Orion, but I get the gist of it, and you make a great point. Freshness and originality (and great writing) trumps conventional wisdom every time.

We think we're not going to like a movie, or a book, or even a particular menu item and suddenly find ourselves enjoying it. "Normally I don't like [fill in the blank], but this I like!" It's all in how it's done.