Saturday, October 15, 2016


I sent out queries to six agents who are supposedly looking for horror authors.

I figure I have absolutely nothing to lose. Ordinarily, I'd say this was a little too soon, especially since I haven't actually finished the book, but these agents just lately announced they were looking for horror writers (which is unusual) and who knows what will happen in a few more months?

I actually didn't contact them for my horror novels, for which I'm already established, but for the thrillers I want to write. I have no market for thrillers without an agent. So I'm using my horror credits to try to snag an agent for my thrillers, if that makes any sense.

Worse than can happen is that none of them answer me, which is the same result as not trying at all.

Thing is, I want an agent who wants me, who will work with me. I sent the query in the manner in which I wanted, a sample chapter and a brief description, and if they reject me because I didn't do what they wanted, then I'll know this wasn't the agent for me.

My agent from my previous career never seemed completely sold on me, and I don't want that. Probably better to have no agent than one who doesn't believe in me. 

I'm just hoping, I guess, that one of them will really like my writing and really like the premise of the story. Also, I don't know how many more credits I could have without actually already having an agent!

But I've learned not to expect anything.

3 comments:

Dave Cline said...

Bah, agents!

I've never met a more antiquated business venue.

"Hi, I'm a literary agent. For submissions: I'll need you to send me a photo of you standing on your head while you write your query. It should be exactly 555 words long and contain the phrase 'professionally edited by God'. DO NOT ATTACH A manuscript, or physically mail me a SWAK manuscript or try to phone me at my private address (an FBI warrant will be issued). After submission, due to volume, I may get back to you by the time your corpse begins to waft formaldehyde vapors up through the worm casings that riddle the ground above your grave. Or, then again, I may never get back to you, which, in that case, means your inverted photo lacked that certain 'je ne sais quoi'. Good luck! And may the adze ever be your shaver."

If any business needs to be disrupted by a Deepmind instance that learns what "good" means more than this business, I don't know what it might be (aside from campaign reform).

Duncan McGeary said...

True. But I'll be damned if I can figure out how to approach a thriller publisher without one. I'm fine without an agent for horror books. I was told by an agent that Horror writers weren't worth representing.

Duncan McGeary said...

Would you mind friending me on Facebook, Dave?