Patricia Hamill's Blog: I read too much! - Posts Tagged "agents"
Getting published, a daunting task.
Welcome to my blog.
I decided to start this blog to celebrate my favorite pastime, reading, and more recently, writing.
This year has been an uncommon one for me in that I've managed to totally immerse myself in the art, starting in January when I finally wrapped up my first writing project, The Golden Ship, and first considered the prospect of getting it published.
Getting published: a daunting task. What do publishers want? They want you to have an agent. Yikes, an agent? Yes, I researched it for months on Writers Digest and on various publishers' webpages. All signs pointed to an agent. Statements like, we no longer accept direct submissions, were common. So, I started researching ways to attract an agent.
What do agents want? To find out, I joined Writers Digest and started collecting notes on the new agents they advertise. New agents are an excellent opportunity for new writers, so they said. I also visited and devoted countless hours to reading the blogs of a few well established agents. My favorite was Getting past the gatekeeper. It revealed valuable insight into what agents like and things to avoid. Plus, I learned about query letters, bios, and submissions for the first time.
This was getting complicated.
I decided to start this blog to celebrate my favorite pastime, reading, and more recently, writing.
This year has been an uncommon one for me in that I've managed to totally immerse myself in the art, starting in January when I finally wrapped up my first writing project, The Golden Ship, and first considered the prospect of getting it published.
Getting published: a daunting task. What do publishers want? They want you to have an agent. Yikes, an agent? Yes, I researched it for months on Writers Digest and on various publishers' webpages. All signs pointed to an agent. Statements like, we no longer accept direct submissions, were common. So, I started researching ways to attract an agent.
What do agents want? To find out, I joined Writers Digest and started collecting notes on the new agents they advertise. New agents are an excellent opportunity for new writers, so they said. I also visited and devoted countless hours to reading the blogs of a few well established agents. My favorite was Getting past the gatekeeper. It revealed valuable insight into what agents like and things to avoid. Plus, I learned about query letters, bios, and submissions for the first time.
This was getting complicated.
Agents, a circular reference
Circular references are when you define a word with itself. Why do I mention this with regard to agents? Let me explain.
My research in January quickly branched off into a process of finding and sorting through various agents and what they were looking for. Before I began I was under the impression that an agent was a magical person who would champion my book to the publishers, land me book deals, arrange for signings and readings, etc. Shortly afterwards, I realized that my guess was off a bit.
First of all, marketing. I discovered that agents were most interested in authors who already had a good grasp of marketing their own works, had blogs, had followers and fans. Basically, agents want someone who will champion themselves.
Second, published works. Sure agents are the go betweens between authors and the publishing houses, but I learned that they are most interested in prolific writers. This means that agents want to represent authors who are already published and who are churning out quality books at a good rate.
I can see how that would be attractive, but here I am with one book under my belt and no presence. Hence the circular reference, in order to get published, I would have to have an agent; in order to attract an agent, I would have to be published and established (with some sort of following).
Hmm, now what?
My research in January quickly branched off into a process of finding and sorting through various agents and what they were looking for. Before I began I was under the impression that an agent was a magical person who would champion my book to the publishers, land me book deals, arrange for signings and readings, etc. Shortly afterwards, I realized that my guess was off a bit.
First of all, marketing. I discovered that agents were most interested in authors who already had a good grasp of marketing their own works, had blogs, had followers and fans. Basically, agents want someone who will champion themselves.
Second, published works. Sure agents are the go betweens between authors and the publishing houses, but I learned that they are most interested in prolific writers. This means that agents want to represent authors who are already published and who are churning out quality books at a good rate.
I can see how that would be attractive, but here I am with one book under my belt and no presence. Hence the circular reference, in order to get published, I would have to have an agent; in order to attract an agent, I would have to be published and established (with some sort of following).
Hmm, now what?
Back to the drawing board...
Last time I detoured into a quick tally of all the books I devoured this year. This time, let's go back to where I left off.
I had come up with a few easy (read short cut) steps and worked up the courage to send a query letter to an agent. The response was swift and decisive. Either my book or my pitch was lacking. So, back to the drawing board I went.
First off, I needed to come up with some more realistic steps for attracting an agent, steps based on actual research. So here is the revised plan I came up with:
1. Write another book (or books).
2. Get published, somehow.
3. Earn a following.
4. Start a blog.
This list wasn't quite as simple as the first one, but each goal, simple or not, was a worthy accomplishment in its own right.
Maybe I wouldn't attract an agent or write the next big best seller, but what I would gain would be worth the effort. Now, all I had to do was get started.
First up, new book...
I had come up with a few easy (read short cut) steps and worked up the courage to send a query letter to an agent. The response was swift and decisive. Either my book or my pitch was lacking. So, back to the drawing board I went.
First off, I needed to come up with some more realistic steps for attracting an agent, steps based on actual research. So here is the revised plan I came up with:
1. Write another book (or books).
2. Get published, somehow.
3. Earn a following.
4. Start a blog.
This list wasn't quite as simple as the first one, but each goal, simple or not, was a worthy accomplishment in its own right.
Maybe I wouldn't attract an agent or write the next big best seller, but what I would gain would be worth the effort. Now, all I had to do was get started.
First up, new book...
New Years Resolutions-2013
Although I don't usually write New Years Resolutions, I will make an exception this year. So, here they are:
1. Finish editing The Zombie Logs (whatever title it ends up having).
2. Finish Shadows of Valor #2 (draft).
3. Approach at least four bookstores to ask them to carry one or both of my books.
4. Send at least four query letters to agents for my self-published and/or unpublished books.
5. Review at least two independently published books per month.
6. Post to my blog at least once per week (including review posts, but with at least one per month being a non-review post).
7. Remain an active participant in the message boards on CreateSpace and KDP.
8. Remain an active participant in at least one Group on Goodreads.
9. Draft notes for a sequel to The Golden Ship.
10. Write a sequel to The Golden Ship (draft) for NaNoWriMo 2013.
Well, there you go. I think that'll keep me busy for some time. Wish me luck!
1. Finish editing The Zombie Logs (whatever title it ends up having).
2. Finish Shadows of Valor #2 (draft).
3. Approach at least four bookstores to ask them to carry one or both of my books.
4. Send at least four query letters to agents for my self-published and/or unpublished books.
5. Review at least two independently published books per month.
6. Post to my blog at least once per week (including review posts, but with at least one per month being a non-review post).
7. Remain an active participant in the message boards on CreateSpace and KDP.
8. Remain an active participant in at least one Group on Goodreads.
9. Draft notes for a sequel to The Golden Ship.
10. Write a sequel to The Golden Ship (draft) for NaNoWriMo 2013.
Well, there you go. I think that'll keep me busy for some time. Wish me luck!
