Why Literary Agents are not to keen on Historic Fiction

Proach

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After reading some of the threads here, I'm very interested in knowing why literary agents are not too keen on taking historic fiction novels?

This worries me greatly. I have completed a historic fiction novel set in revolutionary France. Its called 'Day of Revenge'. There is a lot of drama, blood, killing and some sex. Its also quite unpredictable. So, its got all the good stuff, but has there been any contemporary authors who have published a book set in revolutionary France? So, I'm wondering where exactly my book would fit, and if e-book publishing would be the best way to go before actually looking for an agent to submit to?

I'm really working towards the best for my book, but am kindof scared at the same time, just like anyone else in the same boat as me, being an aspiring author.

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firedrake

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I wish I knew the answer.

Agents seem to be very picky in what they want, historic-wise at the moment.

I have a bruise on my forehead from the constant banging against a brick wall.
 

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Catherine Delors, Mistress of the Revolution is excellent and very recent.

Also Hilary Mantel's A Place of Greater Safety was fabulous, and Marge Peircy wrote one too.

I don't think it is true to say that agents aren't interested in HF. That has not been my experience. Not all agents represent all kinds of fiction, and it is true that they are not as interested in some periods and storylines as others --- but that is true about every genre. And a great book can make them change their minds even there.
 

firedrake

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Hi Firedrake,
How many agents have you submitted to, and what is your historic fiction book about?'s

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60 agents for WW1 book before trunked (too slow)

about 25 so far for WW2 book although there is some debate as to whether it's a historical romance or straightforward historical.
 

donroc

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Assuming one's work is publishable, agents still can be reluctant to take on an unpublished writer with a "1st novel" that is HF. No name recognition, usually the ms has a humongous number of words, and they are likely to ask "who cares about your MC?"

Having said that, you should submit to all agencies before giving up on that route to being published.
 

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I've actually received some bites with The Scourge of Rome. Didn't pan out because the opening didn't sufficiently grab them (probably a mixture of personal taste and my own fault), but if there's hope for a novel about the Second Punic War, there's surely hope for one set amid the French Revolution.

In my opinion, the biggest stumbling block isn't that it's historical, it's that it's a 1st novel by an unknown author.
 

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Hi Ikp,
Thanks you kindly for your information. This does give me a ray of hope. I'm still in the process of doing more novel revisions. But, the big thing right now is my query letter.

I'd focus on getting the revisions DONE, then querying. And I've been through something like a dozen revisions to my query letter, and I'm still not 100% happy with it. In a lot of ways writing that one page is harder than writing the novel itself!
 

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Ok, Firebrand, don't mind if I ask what the storyline of your WWI book entails?
Are you an unpublished author?
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girl falls in love with boy. boy goes to war. girl and boy exchange letters. boy gets badly hurt. girl helps him get over shell shock.

the end. :D

too slow, all been done before. Currently rewriting in modern day England, girl is an Assistant Racehorse Trainer and boy a Captain in the Grenadier Guards. It's working an absolute treat.
 

Proach

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Ok, I have an idea if you accept. Go back to your first book and give it an entire make over. Why don't you have one girl fall in love with the boy, the boy goes off to war and gets killed. So, the girl is absolutely desperately devastated. Now, she has to cope with the loss of her love, but she finds it very difficult and goes into a deep depression. Just as she is about to commit suicide, another man comes into her life and falls deeply in love with her. At first she finds it extremely hard to love him. He won't give up on her and always knocks on her door for visits, and she gets extremely annoyed with him. But then, she eventually falls in love with him and at the end of the book they get married and, you know the story--live happily ever after.

I think you would have much more success with this type of story line. You just have to make it engaging and unique at the same time.

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firedrake

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Ok, I have an idea if you accept. Go back to your first book and give it an entire make over. Why don't you have one girl fall in love with the boy, the boy goes off to war and gets killed. So, the girl is absolutely desperately devastated. Now, she has to cope with the loss of her love, but she finds it very difficult and goes into a deep depression. Just as she is about to commit suicide, another man comes into her life and falls deeply in love with her. At first she finds it extremely hard to love him. He won't give up on her and always knocks on her door for visits, and she gets extremely annoyed with him. But then, she eventually falls in love with him and at the end of the book they get married and, you know the story--live happily ever after.

I think you would have much more success with this type of story line. You just have to make it engaging and unique at the same time.

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That's pretty much the plot of the WW2 book, without the suicidal thoughts.
It's a much better book, especially now that I received some excellent advice and tightened it up.
 

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Hi Doogs,
is there anyway I could read the first chapter of your book, The Last Roman? Thks:)

The Last Roman is still in the research and (very early) planning phase. It'll probably be another few months before anything starts getting written.

The first chapter (well, the first section of the first chapter) is posted in the Share Your Work forum. It's been revised from when it was first posted, but the general gist is still the same.
 

roonil_wazlib

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After reading some of the threads here, I'm very interested in knowing why literary agents are not too keen on taking historic fiction novels?

This worries me greatly. I have completed a historic fiction novel set in revolutionary France. Its called 'Day of Revenge'. There is a lot of drama, blood, killing and some sex. Its also quite unpredictable. So, its got all the good stuff, but has there been any contemporary authors who have published a book set in revolutionary France? So, I'm wondering where exactly my book would fit, and if e-book publishing would be the best way to go before actually looking for an agent to submit to?

I can't answer your question, but I'm right there with you. My novel is a western/historical and I'm terrified the no-name/large wordcount/western combination is going to scare every publisher and agent away before they even read the first word.

But at this point, I'm just working on finishing it. I'm trying to convince myself that an opening paragraph where the MC is sure he's going to die of a gunshot wound is sure to grab at least one person's attention.
 

angeliz2k

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I can't answer your question, but I'm right there with you. My novel is a western/historical and I'm terrified the no-name/large wordcount/western combination is going to scare every publisher and agent away before they even read the first word.

But at this point, I'm just working on finishing it. I'm trying to convince myself that an opening paragraph where the MC is sure he's going to die of a gunshot wound is sure to grab at least one person's attention.

Don't give up hope. It might be rough going because some agents seem to dismiss westerns out of hand and say so. But if you write well I think you can convince someone to pay attention. I'm sure that at least a few westerns are still sold, so your chances are NOT zero.

BTW, I love your screen-name. I was almost certain I knew that it was a Ronald Weasley thing. I looked it up and I was right.
 

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Don't give up, Proach!

This may sound stupid, but have you thought about approaching agents in the UK? There are obvious practical difficulties with that, but they're still better than giving up.

The take over here on historical fiction is very different from the US, and it's one of the easiest 'sell's around. For instance, all publishers are cutting back here at the moment, and a lot of books are going straight to paperback, but the one market that's holding is (apparently) historical - so I'm still getting my hardback (phew...)

It does (obviously) depend on the type of book you've written. In the UK, historical is not really 'genre' - except for so-called 'women's historicals' of the Jean Plaidy type, which are now mainly found in romance publishers eg Harlequin Mills & Boon. Big historical novels, however, particularly those involving action, adventure and war, are highly mainstream and regular bestsellers. Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden are both constant presences in the top sales lists. There is great demand for authors of this type, particularly if their work has series potential. If you're anything in that area, your query should get you a request very quickly indeed. The exception for some very bad reason does seem to be WWII as firedrake says, which is wrong and unfair and I hope is a passing phase, but pretty well everything else is hot, from Genghis Khan and Julius Caesar through to Napoleon and even later.

The French Revolution sounds like action to me. How long is the book? Is it heavy on romance? Does it have serial potential?

Louise
 

firedrake

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Don't give up, Proach!

This may sound stupid, but have you thought about approaching agents in the UK? There are obvious practical difficulties with that, but they're still better than giving up.

The take over here on historical fiction is very different from the US, and it's one of the easiest 'sell's around. For instance, all publishers are cutting back here at the moment, and a lot of books are going straight to paperback, but the one market that's holding is (apparently) historical - so I'm still getting my hardback (phew...)

It does (obviously) depend on the type of book you've written. In the UK, historical is not really 'genre' - except for so-called 'women's historicals' of the Jean Plaidy type, which are now mainly found in romance publishers eg Harlequin Mills & Boon. Big historical novels, however, particularly those involving action, adventure and war, are highly mainstream and regular bestsellers. Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden are both constant presences in the top sales lists. There is great demand for authors of this type, particularly if their work has series potential. If you're anything in that area, your query should get you a request very quickly indeed. The exception for some very bad reason does seem to be WWII as firedrake says, which is wrong and unfair and I hope is a passing phase, but pretty well everything else is hot, from Genghis Khan and Julius Caesar through to Napoleon and even later.

The French Revolution sounds like action to me. How long is the book? Is it heavy on romance? Does it have serial potential?

Louise

That really sucks:cry:
You'd think with the 70th anniversary of the start of WWII that there'd be some interest.

*shuffles off to cry in corner*
 

Swordswoman

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That really sucks:cry:
You'd think with the 70th anniversary of the start of WWII that there'd be some interest.

*shuffles off to cry in corner*

No, no, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, and almost certainly wrong!!!

And that's a really good point about the 70th anniversary - maybe things will pick up now.

Here's a thought. Can you wheedle your story to make it about a 90 year old veteran meeting his long lost love at his very last anniversary trip to France? Delay your happy ending for a mere 70 years, add a prologue and an epilogue et voila, a topical 70th anniversary novel? Same book in between of course but I bet you it would work.

Louise
 

firedrake

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No, no, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, and almost certainly wrong!!!

And that's a really good point about the 70th anniversary - maybe things will pick up now.

Here's a thought. Can you wheedle your story to make it about a 90 year old veteran meeting his long lost love at his very last anniversary trip to France? Delay your happy ending for a mere 70 years, add a prologue and an epilogue et voila, a topical 70th anniversary novel? Same book in between of course but I bet you it would work.

Louise

That's a sweet idea. However, I'll see what happens with the anniversary. I wonder if I should make that point in my query letter :D
The WIP is a modern rework of my WWI book. With the MC being sent to Afghanistan while his fiance stays at home and helps her Dad train racehorses. I'm hoping that might find a home with a UK agent.
 

Swordswoman

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The WIP is a modern rework of my WWI book. With the MC being sent to Afghanistan while his fiance stays at home and helps her Dad train racehorses. I'm hoping that might find a home with a UK agent.

Now, that's hot. If there's lots of war action in it and stuff with racehorses, I know a publisher who'd certainly be interested in that.

Louise
 

firedrake

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Now, that's hot. If there's lots of war action in it and stuff with racehorses, I know a publisher who'd certainly be interested in that.

Louise

I think you've just made my day. :D
The first draft is nearly finished.

Excerpts on my blog.