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asked
Stephen Goldin:
Hello Mr Goldin, I am in the UK and I'm finding the literary community here uninterested in sci fi so getting an agent is proving difficult. I have written and self published 3 science fiction/fact books with a 4th in editing, do you have any advice on how to move forward with them and get them out there? Thank you for your time Jennifer
Stephen Goldin
Hi Jennifer. I'm happy to try answering your question, but please bear in mind that I'm answering from a position of ignorance. I'm not really knowledgeable about the British book scene and I haven't had an agent myself for well over a decade, contenting myself with self-publishing. I can only give generalized advice.
Remember that an agent only makes money if the client succeeds. An agent who isn't booked solid may indeed be looking for new talent, but she must be sure the prospective client will be worth the time and attention she'll have to invest in the newcomer. I'd suggest writing a proposal letter much the same way you would to an editor. Briefly describe yourself and your career plans, list any publications you have (even if self-published), what works you currently have available to sell, and possible plans for future work. Try to sound professional and realistic. (When CJ Cherryh was starting out, she says her proposal letters were like "Dear editor, I have just written a book, would you like to read it?" The answer, unsurprisingly, was always "No.")
Successful agents usually already have a stable of dependable writes. But sometimes a hole opens up in an agent's list for some reason. Sometimes a new agent will be seeking new clients to start her practice at thee same time, and you can grow in your prospective careers together. It's all a combination of luck and timing, not really some deep, dark secret.
As for finding names and addresses for agents to approach, I'm ignorant of British ones. In the US there's a book called LITERARY MARKETPLACE available in the reference section of most libraries. There are also some professional agent organizations. I'm not sure what's available in your section of the planet.
I hope these suggestions will be of some use, and I'm sorry I couldn't provide more concrete help. Best of luck with your future plans!--Steve
Remember that an agent only makes money if the client succeeds. An agent who isn't booked solid may indeed be looking for new talent, but she must be sure the prospective client will be worth the time and attention she'll have to invest in the newcomer. I'd suggest writing a proposal letter much the same way you would to an editor. Briefly describe yourself and your career plans, list any publications you have (even if self-published), what works you currently have available to sell, and possible plans for future work. Try to sound professional and realistic. (When CJ Cherryh was starting out, she says her proposal letters were like "Dear editor, I have just written a book, would you like to read it?" The answer, unsurprisingly, was always "No.")
Successful agents usually already have a stable of dependable writes. But sometimes a hole opens up in an agent's list for some reason. Sometimes a new agent will be seeking new clients to start her practice at thee same time, and you can grow in your prospective careers together. It's all a combination of luck and timing, not really some deep, dark secret.
As for finding names and addresses for agents to approach, I'm ignorant of British ones. In the US there's a book called LITERARY MARKETPLACE available in the reference section of most libraries. There are also some professional agent organizations. I'm not sure what's available in your section of the planet.
I hope these suggestions will be of some use, and I'm sorry I couldn't provide more concrete help. Best of luck with your future plans!--Steve
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