Query publisher or agent?

Seaclusion said:

Jamiehall,

Your points (except for the one about not following submission guidelines, I always check what they want) are all good probabilities for not being made an offer to publish. But no matter what the reason the outcome is still the same. No book on store shelves.

This now may be a little off topic and the mod can move it if it is, but would someone (preferably not an agent) please give me a couple of valid reasons to query agents instead of the publishers themselves.

Richard

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Here's one: "No unagented submissions."
Here's another: "Which would you rather have: Targeted editor/agent conversation, or slush reader?"

Seaclusion said:

Duncan,
If you query agents, wouldn't 'slush reader' be exactly what you were getting. Why not get a 'slush reader' at the publisher and save the extra step? Just wondering outloud.

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Mainly because the trend that I've seen while reading these boards (and others) is that the publishers are tending to outsource their slush reading to the agents, just so that they can concentrate their efforts and funding on the few that they think can sell.

I'm not denigrating slush submissions or readers, but I do feel that the established agents are a better grade of slush reader.

Plus, there are more rungs to the ladder leading from slush-pile to publication, and agents can help a manuscript jump a few of those as well.

Seaclusion said:

This now may be a little off topic and the mod can move it if it is, but would someone (preferably not an agent) please give me a couple of valid reasons to query agents instead of the publishers themselves.

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Other than the reasons mentioned by quicker folks just up-thread from me, another good reason is because if you query agents until you run out, you can still start querying publishers afterwards, but you can't do it the other way around (because agents don't want a book that every publisher has rejected, because there is nowhere left to send it, but publishers could care less whether every agent has rejected you first).

So, if you go the agent route first, then there are a lot more people who have to tell you "no" before you can give up on that book for the time being. Depending on your genre, you may be able to put your work in front of twice as many decision-makers by trying agents first.

Seaclusion said:

but would someone (preferably not an agent) please give me a couple of valid reasons to query agents instead of the publishers themselves.Richard

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There are a number of agents with whom I do business on a fairly regular basis, so I always read their submissions first. There are times that a submission doesn't look like it's a fit for me but because it came from an agent who knows my tastes and what I'm looking for, I give it a thorough reading. Had the same submission come in from the author, chances are greater that I'd pass on it after reading the synopsis and first few pages.

Thanks, Victoria.

Agents are the gatekeepers, that's true. But they can also be your career advocate. Many agents invest themselves in their clients' careers and offer advice, direction and guidance. They have the relationships with more editors than any one author could ever hope to have. They also help negotiate the best deal, and they're experienced with contracts and the legalities of publishing. There are several more benefits, but not having an agent of my own (yet), I'm only vaguely aware of what they are.

Karen Duvall said:

Thanks, Victoria.

Agents are the gatekeepers, that's true. But they can also be your career advocate. Many agents invest themselves in their clients' careers and offer advice, direction and guidance. They have the relationships with more editors than any one author could ever hope to have. They also help negotiate the best deal, and they're experienced with contracts and the legalities of publishing. There are several more benefits, but not having an agent of my own (yet), I'm only vaguely aware of what they are.

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Wise words.

Agents do so much more than gatekeep. Every time I get paid it goes through my agent. Foreign deals, Hollywood stuff, out-of-house publicity, option clauses, contract stuff -- the logistics are nightmarish. Agents do all that for me so that I can, you know, write.

Start with agents and move down from there.

jamiehall said:

Other than the reasons mentioned by quicker folks just up-thread from me, another good reason is because if you query agents until you run out, you can still start querying publishers afterwards, but you can't do it the other way around (because agents don't want a book that every publisher has rejected, because there is nowhere left to send it, but publishers could care less whether every agent has rejected you first).

So, if you go the agent route first, then there are a lot more people who have to tell you "no" before you can give up on that book for the time being. Depending on your genre, you may be able to put your work in front of twice as many decision-makers by trying agents first.

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Yes, I agree, this sounds like a good game plan.

Laurie