"not that into terrorist thrillers."
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Narrow Your Field
It appears that you haven't yet researched which agencies have sold books in a similar vein but are sending your queries to everyone whose email you can find.
I have grave concerns about the many emails on your list that appear to be unprofessional. An agent who knows anything about cyberspace--and you want them to if that's where you're contacting them--won't be using an AOL address or a free email service like yahoo ot hotmail. They'll have a dedicated domain with its own email address.
Remember, too, that although more queries are happening online, agencies are very aware that emailing them is free and that people email en masse. A good query letter on good stationery with real postage and an SASE may very well get more attention than an email.
Maryn
It appears that you haven't yet researched which agencies have sold books in a similar vein but are sending your queries to everyone whose email you can find.
I have grave concerns about the many emails on your list that appear to be unprofessional. An agent who knows anything about cyberspace--and you want them to if that's where you're contacting them--won't be using an AOL address or a free email service like yahoo ot hotmail. They'll have a dedicated domain with its own email address.
Remember, too, that although more queries are happening online, agencies are very aware that emailing them is free and that people email en masse. A good query letter on good stationery with real postage and an SASE may very well get more attention than an email.
Maryn
First of all, you'll have far better success if you query agents via snailmail instead of email. This is changing rapidly but many agencies are more impressed with a well-written query than a mass emailing.
Second, your experience may not be typical. Your book may just not be something that the agencies are interested in, while another writer's "terrorist book" may be okay.
Third, I think it's inappropriate for you to list the links of many agencies here. Each contact with an agency should be considered private, unless you have some fraud complaint.
Fourth, what is the point of your posting?
Second, your experience may not be typical. Your book may just not be something that the agencies are interested in, while another writer's "terrorist book" may be okay.
Third, I think it's inappropriate for you to list the links of many agencies here. Each contact with an agency should be considered private, unless you have some fraud complaint.
Fourth, what is the point of your posting?
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And one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
But seriously, I would have thought that terrorist/political thrillers were the "in" thing right now. I'm judging by the paperbacks I see in the checkout line at the grocery store. I've even bought a couple of them.
Brady H.
But seriously, I would have thought that terrorist/political thrillers were the "in" thing right now. I'm judging by the paperbacks I see in the checkout line at the grocery store. I've even bought a couple of them.
Brady H.
Hi all, I do believe that email submissions are not necessarily the way to go, as mentioned by others agents seem to prefer snail mail.
My reason for posting was to inform anyone in this group. I wasn't slandering or even questioning the agents mentioned. I simply point out who has not responded in a timely manner or those that have declined my submission.
All the companies I've queried have a website or internet presence and in my opinion should be open to e-mail queries most of those I contacted have stated they are. All have stated an interest in mystery/suspense/thriller fiction as their areas of representation. What I find is that all to often that is a general term and when they receive a query its then that they state they are not interested in thrillers. All of the ones that declined my query submission stated that they are not looking at thrillers so I believe they should change that on their websites.
I posted this as info for other writers who maybe find themselves waiting for a long time only to find out that an agent claiming to represent a genre really doesn't.
Also the length of time we all spend sending queries is frustrating, if I could have found info like this months ago I would have appreciated it.
Its for each of us to choose but all info helps, that said I believe this forum is to help writers on their road to representation and publication. Not assuage agents tender egos. No error no foul.
My reason for posting was to inform anyone in this group. I wasn't slandering or even questioning the agents mentioned. I simply point out who has not responded in a timely manner or those that have declined my submission.
All the companies I've queried have a website or internet presence and in my opinion should be open to e-mail queries most of those I contacted have stated they are. All have stated an interest in mystery/suspense/thriller fiction as their areas of representation. What I find is that all to often that is a general term and when they receive a query its then that they state they are not interested in thrillers. All of the ones that declined my query submission stated that they are not looking at thrillers so I believe they should change that on their websites.
I posted this as info for other writers who maybe find themselves waiting for a long time only to find out that an agent claiming to represent a genre really doesn't.
Also the length of time we all spend sending queries is frustrating, if I could have found info like this months ago I would have appreciated it.
Its for each of us to choose but all info helps, that said I believe this forum is to help writers on their road to representation and publication. Not assuage agents tender egos. No error no foul.
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Er...all you've really posted is a long list of the personal e-mail addresses of agents who didn't want to represent your work. That could be anything from Tom Clancy to a romantic comedy about doomed lovers in a suicide bomb division, or a Day of the Jackal style story about 9/11.
As for the addresses, in most cases, they're useless - there's no way to know who, say, some of the AOL address are, or whether that's the best person at a specific agency to contact. More importantly, I just opened up one of the domain name web-pages on there, purely at random, to see that it was a guy specialising in non-fiction and biographies. Somehow, I'm not entirely surprised to see him not write back with a manuscript request...
As for the addresses, in most cases, they're useless - there's no way to know who, say, some of the AOL address are, or whether that's the best person at a specific agency to contact. More importantly, I just opened up one of the domain name web-pages on there, purely at random, to see that it was a guy specialising in non-fiction and biographies. Somehow, I'm not entirely surprised to see him not write back with a manuscript request...
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Andrew Lownie.
"The Andrew Lownie Literary Agency Ltd, founded in 1988, is now one of the UK's leading non-fiction literary agencies with a special emphasis on history and biography. Books represented have included The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English, The Oxford Classical Dictionary, Norma Major's history of Chequers and the memoirs of Sir John Mills, Alan Whicker, Gloria Hunniford and Patrick MacNee."
"The Andrew Lownie Literary Agency Ltd, founded in 1988, is now one of the UK's leading non-fiction literary agencies with a special emphasis on history and biography. Books represented have included The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English, The Oxford Classical Dictionary, Norma Major's history of Chequers and the memoirs of Sir John Mills, Alan Whicker, Gloria Hunniford and Patrick MacNee."
Past the curve
Thing is, what you see on the shelves is likely 2 years old, from first writing to sale to print appearance. So the market may be already saturated, and new 'terrorist thriller' writers are up against the back side of the curve.
It's very difficult to jump onto a bandwagon, especially if it left town 18 months ago. ha ha
Of course we see books out there about Michael Jackson or potboilers about sexy female teachers and their teenage boypals, but most of these are on the shelves quickly because some established hack has a quick-write track record, or some existing book has been languishing in an agent's or publisher's bottom desk drawer (next to the bottle of cheap rye whiskey) for a couple years.
Writing to the trend is tricky, and ill-advised. Write to your Muse and persevere.
That having been said, there's no reason why a very well written 'terrorist' novel from a newbie cannot sell, IF it has something unique to make it stand out. But that's essential -- there must be a twist, a turn, a new idea.
Also, from an earlier post, I see that the initial list did indeed include at least one agent who didn't specialize in techno thrillers.
Bottom line -- research your sources carefully and only submit queries to agencies or publishers who are cleary amenable to your type of fiction.
BradyH1861 said:
Thing is, what you see on the shelves is likely 2 years old, from first writing to sale to print appearance. So the market may be already saturated, and new 'terrorist thriller' writers are up against the back side of the curve.
It's very difficult to jump onto a bandwagon, especially if it left town 18 months ago. ha ha
Of course we see books out there about Michael Jackson or potboilers about sexy female teachers and their teenage boypals, but most of these are on the shelves quickly because some established hack has a quick-write track record, or some existing book has been languishing in an agent's or publisher's bottom desk drawer (next to the bottle of cheap rye whiskey) for a couple years.
Writing to the trend is tricky, and ill-advised. Write to your Muse and persevere.
That having been said, there's no reason why a very well written 'terrorist' novel from a newbie cannot sell, IF it has something unique to make it stand out. But that's essential -- there must be a twist, a turn, a new idea.
Also, from an earlier post, I see that the initial list did indeed include at least one agent who didn't specialize in techno thrillers.
Bottom line -- research your sources carefully and only submit queries to agencies or publishers who are cleary amenable to your type of fiction.
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Story Teller said:
It's almost entirely non-fiction. There's only a handful of fiction, most of them in the same series. What's your point?
The point is you are wrong!
The point is you are wrong! He does accept fiction and even states quote, "Publishers are always looking for British commercial male thriller writers"
So rather than attack another writer who is trying to help by providing some information for all of us on our long road to publication maybe you could spend time posting info or your insights into this business.
The point is you are wrong! He does accept fiction and even states quote, "Publishers are always looking for British commercial male thriller writers"
So rather than attack another writer who is trying to help by providing some information for all of us on our long road to publication maybe you could spend time posting info or your insights into this business.
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katdad said:
I hadn't thought of it that way. I checked the dates on a couple that I have laying around up here at the station, and sure enough, they were published in 2002, 2003. So I guess we can say that Osama Bin Elvis has left the building?
Brady H.
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"The point is you are wrong! He does accept fiction and even states quote, "Publishers are always looking for British commercial male thriller writers"
Does he say that HE'S looking for it?
And don't waste your time with the 'Don't attack authors' bit, because it translates to 'Wah wah wah, I don't want to admit I was wrong', and I can't be bothered to sit around while you do the blame transfer thing. And it's hardly an attack. What I said about your list being useless is absolutely accurate, which falls firmly under the 'advice' heading. "[email protected]" tells people absolutely nothing whatsoever, and the rest is just a list of addresses of people who didn't want to represent your work, without any information or context.
Does he say that HE'S looking for it?
And don't waste your time with the 'Don't attack authors' bit, because it translates to 'Wah wah wah, I don't want to admit I was wrong', and I can't be bothered to sit around while you do the blame transfer thing. And it's hardly an attack. What I said about your list being useless is absolutely accurate, which falls firmly under the 'advice' heading. "[email protected]" tells people absolutely nothing whatsoever, and the rest is just a list of addresses of people who didn't want to represent your work, without any information or context.
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List
How long have you been querying agents? My trouble with this list is its length. To do proper agent research and write proper queries for this many agencies would take years. Years and years.
Story Teller said:
How long have you been querying agents? My trouble with this list is its length. To do proper agent research and write proper queries for this many agencies would take years. Years and years.
BradyH1861 said:
Ha ha! Good one.
Actually, if the book was published in 2003 you can assume it was written at least a year prior.
Of course, all techno-thrillers have changed since Sept 11 2001, not only US-oriented, but worldwide.
Don't let the existence of other 'terrorist thrillers' deter you, assuming that your story is unique and will have a new idea to offer. And of course it must be well written.
But also, don't date yourself. If for example it's about the search for Osama Bin Laden, he may well be captured or killed before your book would get sold or printed. And regardless of whether you (or your book) are pro- or anti- the Iraq War, it's a simple fact that things have altered immensely as a result, and any stories written prior to that will seem dated.
So a techno-terrorist-thriller book may advisedly be written most effectively about a non-existent terrorist group or person, exacting "revenge" on England or the US or whomever, without regard to any of the latest historic events. You should try to prevent any upcoming events from rendering your story moot, in other words.